» 4th lemoncake

[steeledskin]

Who: sansa stark and you!!
Broadcast: video -- fleetwide
Action: blue fish and iskaulit
When: today

Fellow travelers, [ how else is she meant to greet them?

today, the network flickers to life and its image frames sansa's face with an almost rehearsed precision. by now, the last licks of dye have left her hair. she is fully auburn once again -- and the rich copper strands, a colour inherited from her mother, are carefully braided and arranged in a style that would have taken time even with a helping hand. how long did it take her alone, one wonders? and she's wearing silk, to boot. ]

Begging your pardons -- but has anyone ever found lemons at any of our stops? Any of the way-stations? [ all this polish for such a childish, innocent question. ] At first, I was grateful enough for the false lemon flavours the Atroma give us -- but just once, I'd like to taste the real thing again.

[ she seems about to end the feed, but: ] Or if anyone has any lemons in their pantry, I would pay for a few. I have some credits put by -- [ sheepish, because it isn't her place to be discussing coin. ] Or mayhaps I could barter with some embroidery. My stitches are very neat. I promise.

[ otherwise, member of the blue fish could find her in her quarters while working quietly. at a later hour, she finally does something bold and takes a shuttle (all alone!) to the iskaulit, where she searches out the gardens. she wants to see green again. she wants to dream of summer. sansa crouches to touch a leaf -- heedless of the way her silk trails on the garden's ground floor. ]

Comments

[resnipstance]

... But hey, maybe it isn't all bad? [Ahsoka suggest with some forced optimism.]

Maybe it's an opportunity to try out some of the local desserts native to this place instead! You might find something else you like.

[steeledskin]

Have you sampled any you would recommend?

[resnipstance]

Oh. [Ahsoka pauses awkwardly. Visibly. This is something she's usually quite candid about, but Sansa seems... more delicate than other people. Unused to non-humans. And... Ahsoka doesn't want Sansa to be scared of her. So she dithers for a split second, wondering how best to put it.]

Um-- my... biology... isn't really cut out for desserts.

[steeledskin]

I'm sorry. Ahsoka. I don't understand.

[ what in seven hells is a biology? ]

[resnipstance]

[Dammit. Thwarted by a lack of knowledge of basic science. Ahsoka files that information away for later and returns to the problem at hand.]

My body isn't the same as a human's. It can't eat the same things.

[steeledskin]

[ -- well, this doesn't make easy sense to her westerosi understanding. sansa frowns. ]

What things can you eat?

[resnipstance]

Uhhhhhhhhh. Meat. And... mostly just meat.

[steeledskin]

[ ...meat? meat's normal. for a heartbeat there, sansa thought ahsoka had been about to claim a truly weird diet. like -- woodchips, or something equally bizarre. ]

Then you would do well in the North, Lady Ahsoka. Come winter, I've heard there's often little left but salted meat in the castle stores.

[resnipstance]

[There are all sorts of weird rumours about Togruta back home, due to their carnivore status. It pays to tread carefully.]

Ha! Sounds like our ship right about now. I always buy extra meat for our ship, and Meathead does too. Two guesses where he got that nickname, and the first one doesn't count.

[steeledskin]

Doesn't he mind that you call him that?

[resnipstance]

Nope. He won't tell anyone his real name, and told me to just call him whatever I wanted instead.

Anyway, nicknames are kind of like a term of endearment where I'm from-- it means you're close enough to use them. My old master used to call me "Snips" when we first met, because I'd talk back to him all the time.

[steeledskin]

I've never had one. [ she lies. and then feels guilty for lying, and so: ] Not from anyone kind and close. There was a man who called me little bird -- but he never meant it kindly.

[resnipstance]

Well that's just rude.

I'll come up with one for you too, if you want. I mean, if you won't get mad at me for using it.

[steeledskin]

My lady, that should depend an awful lot on the word you chose.

[resnipstance]

I haven't thought of anything yet, but I'll make sure to run it by you when I do.

And I promise it won't be as bad as Meathead.

[steeledskin]

I should hope not. [ she laughs. ] Save the names like that for my dear brothers.

[resnipstance]

Pffft. Maybe I will!

Though of the two I've met, they both seem like the type to take things awfully seriously. Iiii'm not sure they'd really appreciate it.

[steeledskin]

I imagine they are more prickly when they're not speaking with their kin. I assure you, my brothers possess bright, and joyous souls. When times are good, their smiles are brilliant. [ ... ] Except, mayhaps, for Jon.

[ but then jon has always had reason to be dour. she understands that now. ]

[resnipstance]

... I'm glad.

They must care for you a lot.

[steeledskin]

I've come to learn, my lady, that there are few things more important than blood. We must care for one another.

[ clearly, no one else will. not in westeros, at least. ]

[resnipstance]

What about found-family...? I mean. I doubt my birth parents would know me if they ran right into me on the street.

[steeledskin]

[ the broadcast records a sudden frown. sansa casts no aspersions upon ahsoka's family situation, but the question does put her own life beneath an uncomfortable life. fidgeting, she thinks about alayne stone. about petyr baelish. ]

I haven't any experience of found families, my lady. [ she lies -- or only half-lies, because her 'found families' hadn't been very familial at all. ] Unless you consider my half-brother among that number.

[resnipstance]

[Ahsoka shakes her head.]

Not so much. In my case, it was more like... people who aren't related to me, but who treated me like their own flesh and blood anyway. Like Anakin. Officially, our relationship is-- was-- that of just master and student. But... over time, he's become like a brother to me.

[steeledskin]

[ a pause. sansa doesn't quite understand it -- but it does sound lovely, and she tells ahsoka so: ]

I am very happy for you.

[resnipstance]

Thank you.

... You don't have anyone like that? Someone you would trust to watch your back no matter what, even though you're not related?