Late Night Meanderings, 3/6 (Late Night) - Sunroom

[wind_luver]

Kiya forced her eyes shut, a drop of sweat slowly making its way down her forehead and down to her pillow. The walls were not closing around in her, making her feel trapped and like she was struggling to breathe, they just were not. The room wasn't overly hot, making it feel like it was hard to breathe. There was plenty of space in her room, and she knew that, just... With a hiss, she flipped over to her other shoulder, still keeping her eyes tightly closed, her fists closed. It was too cold to go outside tonight, and Riana was deeply asleep, due to that 'muzzy-like' feeling in that particular corner of her mind. She turned over onto her back once more, anxiety beginning to creep up on her despite her efforts otherwise.

Kiya pushed herself into an upright position, swinging her legs over the bed. She had to get out of there. She exited her room swiftly, not even pausing to pull a robe on to cover her sleeping clothes. The cold air was a welcome change, maybe she wouldn't need to go outside tonight. She changed the direction of her footsteps, taking care to step quietly as she walked in the direction of the Sun Room. On arriving, she moved straight over to the balcony area, gazing outside onto the frozen landscape as the open space soothed her. Shuddering slightly from the cold, she crouched down, wrapping her arms around herself as she continued to stare outside. Two Heralds...just gone like that. And the Haven was going to be a while recovering from the ice storm. Who knew how many people were injured down in the town. There was just so much sorrow in the air, it was almost suffocating...

[Carla O'Brian]

Amelia couldn't sleep, it was too quiet. The snow outside muffled everything, and her room felt shockingly empty. While she knew there were students sleeping in the rooms to either side of her, there was no evidence of it, as neither of them snored loud enough to be heard through the walls. Eventually, she gave up, pulled on a dressing-robe, and decided to go for a walk. She was trying to think whether a hot bath would be soothing, or whether being alone in the empty, echoing bathroom would be too weird to be comforting, when she noticed the door to the Sun Room was ajar.

Peeking in, she saw Kiya sitting by the window, and she slipped into the room.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, not approaching closely until she was sure she wouldn't get told to go away. "Did you want to be alone?" she added, doing her best to convey both that she wanted to help with whatever was bothering the other girl, and that if what would help was going away, she was perfectly willing to do so.

[wind_luver]

Kiya looked over to the other girl who had just entered, Amelia? Was that her name? It sounded right. She was one of the Trainees in their first year, yes, Kiya was almost certain of that. She shook her head slightly, more to clear it rather than in answer to Amelia. "I'm fine," she replied, although the slight beading of sweat on her forehead might belay that answer, "And I'm happy to have company." She answered, her face showing nothing but honesty. "I was just having difficulty in sleeping, and wanted to look outside, which was making me think of the current events." She continued, her gaze going back to gazing outside, although she watched the other girl closely from the corner of her eye, gauging her reaction. Most of the Trainees knew that the first years had been captured, all knew of the Companions going missing, and Kiya wanted to make certain she did nothing to further unnerve the younger girl.

[Carla O'Brian]

"I couldn't sleep either," admitted Amelia, as she came over to sit down beside Kiya. To one who knew the signs, the way she sat showed that she was unused to sitting on the floor, and that she was used to constantly having to manage heavy skirts. "I'm Amelia, chosen of Shane." Once she'd been given permission to come be sociable, she gave no indication she was nervous or shy. She tucked a stray curl behind her ear as she looked out the window. "Do you have family in Haven?"

Of course, it was entirely possible - probable - that when the other girl said she'd been thinking about 'recent events' she didn't just mean the ice-storm. But if it was the deaths of the Heralds, for example, Amelia thought she'd sound far less convincing trying to reassure her than if she was worried about family caught in the storm.

[wind_luver]

Kiya smiled at the other girl, "I was trying to remember your name," she admitted ruefully, a hint of amusement running through her tone. "I'm Kiya, chosen by Riana," she added . "You were one of those chosen fairly recently?" She asked, attempting to phrase it in a way which wouldn't remind the girl of any negative aspects. "How are you finding it here?" She had noticed the slightly awkward way the girl sat, though was unable to deduce any possible reason.

On realising that she had yet to answer Amelia's question, she coloured slightly, before replying, "No, I have no family in Haven, I'm originally from Covey," she explained, "Where are you from?"

[Carla O'Brian]

"I'm from Trevale. The only family I have here is Uncle Medren - Lord Trevale, I mean." She looked down briefly at the slip. Honestly, she was to old to be talking about people by their first names as if she was too young to understand their rank, even if they were her relatives and she was used to addressing them by their given name. She needed to pay more attention, and not talk as if she was at home surrounded by her family.

"I was Chosen in elevenmonth. I'm finding it quite nice here; I haven't gotten used to not wearing a dress all the time yet, and I miss my brothers sometimes, but I have no real complaints. How long have you been here?"

It probably would have been easier if she'd come to court as someone's maid of honor - at least then she'd have an older noblewoman to ask about all the etiquette and unspoken social rules that seemed different here than at home. Though - she'd been to court a few times, as a girl rather than as a young lady, but it seemed the rules at court and collegium were quite different as well. She had a mentor, of course, but there were some things she simply wasn't sure she could ask a low-born girl only a couple years older than herself.

Though, since most of her uncertainty seemed like it stemmed from differences at the Collegium and among Heralds... ::Shane? Shane, wake up.::

::Iamawake. Whatisit.:: His thoughts were sleepy, and it took a moment for her to figure out what he'd said. She smiled reflexively, thinking that there was something cute about her companion mumbling in his sleep.

[wind_luver]

Kiya nodded to herself, that explained quite a few things about Amelia's traits, she was the daughter of a noble, obviously unused to sitting on the floor, and most likely wearing clothing which felt completely alien to her. A wave of almost pity washed over Kiya, though she was careful to not let any of it display on her face. It was easy to see how confused the other girl would be - being taught two different sets of way to behave.

"It is nice here," she agreed, smiling, "I've been here for a bit over a year now, and still like it." She smiled again, falling silent as she watched the other girl, mostly still, though unable to prevent the slight shiver which ran through her body.

[Carla O'Brian]

"Are you cold?" Amelia asked, noticing the shiver. At the affirmative response, she got up and fetched one of the light throws that were in the room from where it was folded over the back of the seat. As blankets went, it wasn't much, being meant simply to ward off summer breezes when the doors to the balcony were open, but it was better than nothing.

Draping it loosely over Kiya's shoulders, she let the other girl wrap it around herself or adjust it however she liked, and sat down again. Her expression became thoughtful and rather distant, though if Kiya said anything, she would immediately return her attention to her fellow trainee. She was honestly not sure what to say, though if the silence dragged on, she would eventually come up with something.

((Posed with permission))

[wind_luver]

Kiya glanced up as she felt the blanket placed on her shoulders and instinctively reached out, dragging the edges around herself as she snuggled into the warmth. "Thank you," She said, smiling at Amelia, "I forgot to pick up my robe when I left my room..." She admitted slightly sheepishly, "My room was feeling quite warm, so I didn't realise quite how cold it was." That said, she leant back against the wall, turning her glance outside once again, happy to continue on in conversation, or happy to be in silence.