Hayley and Kolya talk and play checkers, 8/26/2005

• Hayley is mostly bed-bound still, though she is willing and able to see visitors by this point.
• Kolya will come see her, then, and bring Monster on a leash for a visit s well... the puppy is pretty well behaved
• Kolya will knock

<Hayley> Come in!

• Hayley 's voice sounds a bit thin.

<Kolya> Hey hayley :)

<Kolya> I brought you a visitor!

<Kolya> Although his highness was a little dubious....

• Kolya is holding monster

<Hayley> Oh!

• Hayley grins happily to see the little dog.
• Kolya enters
• Hayley looks small but resilient, reclining on a mountain of cushions in a large bed.
• Hayley smiles and sits herself up more, wincing a bit as she does so.

<Hayley> (I'm 18 now... her birthday was Aug 6)

<Hayley> (I just remembered.)

<Hayley> It's very kind of you to drop by for a visit.

<Kolya> You look well pampered, if not exactly *comfortable*..... how are you feeling?

<Hayley> Well... better than I did.

• Hayley smiles bravely.
• Monster squirms and wags his tail when he sees hayley, and whines a bit

<Kolya> well, that's good.

<Hayley> I wonder what would be worse, this or having a baby?

• Hayley muses aloud.
• Kolya brings the puppy closer so he can be petted as you like

<Kolya> No, Monster, you can't go jumping all over her, be good!

• Hayley reaches out for the puppy and pets him gently.

<Hayley> He's grown.... :)

<Hayley> In both the largeness and cuteness departments.

<Kolya> Yeah, a little. He'll never be a *big* dog, but he's not going to stay carrying size

• Kolya laughs
• Hayley smiles.

<Kolya> I think he practices making cute faces in the mirror when I'm not around

<Hayley> Probably.

<Kolya> He gets fed far too many treats.

<Kolya> How about you?

<Hayley> (what kind of dog is he again? a dachshund or dachshund cross or something?)

<Hayley> Oh, I'm getting fed far too many treats at the moment too.

• Hayley smiles impishly.

<Kolya> (he is part longhaired dachshund and part somethingn more red and fluffy. so he is short with a long body with fluffy long hair)

<Hayley> It's a bad combination along with the being bedridden part.

<Kolya> well, I hear that's the best thing when you're recovering...

<Hayley> At least *you* get walked!

<Kolya> (Do people even know what she is recovering from?)

• Hayley nuzzles her nose into Monster as she says this.
• Monster licks your nose

<Hayley> (I have no idea but I'm thinking they probably don't know the truth.)

<Kolya> (yeah)

<Kolya> (I mean, I can't imagine he'd ever be let alone if people knew Janus knew the secret to immortality :o)

<Hayley> (Yeah)

<Hayley> (Plus, the way he achieved it is bound to stir up controversy...)

<Kolya> how much longer are you down for?

<Hayley> (Probably people are vaguely aware that Hayley fell ill with a mysterious illness which is well in hand, and she'll have a full recovery, thanks to Her Majesty's excellent healers)

<Hayley> (I suppose some people might theorize that she too was pregnant, who knows.)

<Hayley> (People with too much time on their hands)

<Hayley> I'm not really sure, to be honest...

• Kolya is on the inner council, so... I'll ask Hazel what I would know ;)
• Kolya nods'

<Kolya> I can't imagine it will be *too* much longer....

<Hayley> I have made a lot of progress... and I hope so too.

<Hayley> It's *boring* spending every day in here.

• Hayley says plaintively.
• Kolya will set the puppy down on the floor so he can sniff around a bit

<Hayley> I miss going outside, but it hurts a little too much to move still.

<Kolya> nothing to do, or just sick of it all?

<Hayley> Mostly nothing to do.

<Kolya> You shoudl make Janus get you a litter. ;)

<Kolya> Have people carry you around for fresh air and such ;)

<Hayley> Oh, ugh...

<Hayley> Can you really see me doing that?

• Kolya laughs again.

<Kolya> no, not really :)

<Hayley> Well, good.

<Hayley> I'd be worried if your impression of me was that far off.  ;)

<Hayley> So what have you been up to lately?

<Kolya> Me? Oh.....

<Kolya> nothing new, really.

<Hayley> Well, who needs to change their routine when their routine is really so interesting, eh?

• Hayley says encouragingly.

<Kolya> I took a short trip with windrider, stayed in some city in the desert for a few days while he was dealign with some contacts for some stuff...

<Kolya> he's decided that I have to learn arabic o_O

• Hayley smiles.

<Hayley> Really?

<Hayley> Will he be teaching you?

<Kolya> well, sort of.

<Kolya> I think he believes in immersion learning.

<Hayley> Oh, poo.

<Kolya> sometimes he'll just start talking at me in Arabic, until I get the gist of what he's trying to get me to do.

<Hayley> I was hoping I could join in on your lessons, but if they're not happening here, I guess not.

<Kolya> oh, they're happening here.

<Hayley> I'd love to be able to speak Arabic with Salimah.  :)

<Kolya> I can tell him you'd like to have him chatter at *you* incomprehensibly too, if you like

<Kolya> yeah, she's a cute kid

• Hayley smiles.

<Hayley> Tally's getting pretty fluent, I guess.  :)

<Kolya> She and coco make an unholy duo though o_O

• Kolya nods

<Kolya> yeha

<Kolya> We visited him briefly too.

<Hayley> Oh?

<Kolya> He likes windrider's training regime, only of course, it's tally, so you can be sure that half of what *he's* saying really is gibberish ;p

• Hayley looks rather wistful.

<Hayley> What is their dwelling like?

<Kolya> It's probably the most comfortable tent I've ever been in...

<Kolya> But sand gets everywhere, as far as I can tell

<Kolya> It's mostly one big open room, but they have some curtains that they can put up to divide off bits if they feel the need.

• Hayley nods, smiling, and imagining.

<Kolya> It is really kind of plush though... lots of nice rugs and silk and such

<Hayley> I keep hoping I'll convince Janus to go sometime but his constitution is ill-suited to the heat...

<Kolya> Yeah, it is *really* hot...

<Kolya> I wilt in the heat, too.

<Hayley> He was miserable in Emerald Fields. But I wonder whether he'd be more comfortable there, where it's a dry heat?

<Hayley> Your nordic blood, eh?

• Hayley smiles gently.

<Kolya> And then I get cranky.... so I can only imagine :)

<Kolya> Yeah.

<Kolya> Give me some nice snow and I'm a happy guy

<Hayley> Not me... I like the heat. ^-^

<Kolya> the cold is more invigorating

<Kolya> your body has to work harder when it is cold.... in the heat, all you can do is shut down

<Hayley> I shiver all winter long here, and it's mostly just rain. I'd probably die of cold if I lived in Canada.

<Hayley> You'd hate where I grew up...

<Kolya> nah.... there's more to *do* when you've got good snow.

<Kolya> You can go skiing, and sledding.... even riding

<Kolya> maybe

<Hayley> It's normal for the temperature to get to 40 and higher there.

<Kolya> I thought Australia had a pretty diverse climate, though?

<Hayley> Well, yeah.

<Hayley> But *my* part of Australia didn't.

<Kolya> just not in your part?

<Kolya> right

<Kolya> well.... Windrider would probably love it ;)

<Hayley> :)

<Hayley> I miss it sometimes...

<Kolya> yeha... I miss the praries too, even though I can hardly remember the last time I saw them

<Hayley> Not the Church and all... but being a little girl, with my parents and brothers and the emptiness and the sheep...

<Kolya> Yeah... there's somethign about the landscape that is home, I guess, even if other things are less welcoming

• Hayley nods.

<Hayley> I love the land there.

<Hayley> It's beautiful here, too, but in a different, kind of alien way.

<Kolya> yeah... It's a lot more rugged than home.

• Hayley nods.

<Hayley> Someday hopefully this will feel like home.  :)

<Kolya> I never understood how anyone could look at the prairies and not see how they were beautiful..... people think it is just flat and grass.... boring.

<Kolya> but it's like watching the ocean.

<Kolya> ....someday, maybe.

<Hayley> I wish I could see.

<Hayley> I wish we could travel more. You're pretty lucky.  :)

<Kolya> yeha.... I know.

<Hayley> I hope once Janus has learned all the ropes we will be able to travel more.

<Hayley> Forever is a long time to stay in just one place.

<Kolya> Yeah, I'm sure you'll travel

<Kolya> The Queen used to travel all over the place when she was countess

• Hayley nods.

<Hayley> She likes it though, I think.

<Kolya> It won't take him too long.

<Hayley> I'm not so sure Janus does. ^-^

<Kolya> Well, I suppose it will if he spends all his time hiding in the library as opposed to actually trying to learn things

<Kolya> and there's that too

<Kolya> :/

<Hayley> ...

<Hayley> Don't be so hard on him.

<Kolya> you could ask him about coming along sometimes with Windrider and I

<Kolya> I was just teasing

<Hayley> He doesn't spend all his time in the library, and he is trying very hard.

<Hayley> Oh, sorry.

• Hayley grins sheepishly.

<Hayley> I'm too quick to leap to his defense.

• Kolya shrugs

<Kolya> stand by your man ;p

<Kolya> as they say

<Hayley> (do you seem bitter?  ;) )

<Kolya> (Maybe a tad melancholy, but it is pretty deeply buried)

<Hayley> ...

• Hayley smiles encouragingly for you.

<Kolya> so, what have you been doing while you're stuck in bed?

<Kolya> mostly resting?

<Hayley> For the first few days, mostly sleeping.

<Hayley> Now I'm nearly going cross-eyed with reading.

<Kolya> heh

<Kolya> too bad they don't still make those crossword puzzlebooks and such..,. you'd probably like them.

<Hayley> Maybe...

<Kolya> do you have any games around?

<Hayley> Um...

<Kolya> We could play cards, or somethign if you're bored

<Kolya> I'd say chess, if I wanted to sound clever, but I can only ever barely remember how the pieces move.

• Hayley smiles.

<Hayley> There might be some games in the sitting room.

<Kolya> want me to go check?

<Hayley> Sure.

• Kolya will go out and see what he can find then

<Kolya> (any ideas?  ;)

<Hayley> (Hmm...)

<Hayley> (Not really... come back with whatever you like.  ;) )

<Hayley> 9As long as it's not Twister, because that's no fair; I can't play)

<Kolya> welll.... I found checkers :)

<Kolya> i can do checkers ;)

<Hayley> All right, checkers it is.  :)

• Kolya will set up the board, then

<Kolya> black or red?

<Hayley> I'll be red.  :)

<Kolya> man, I'm not even sure I remember how to play,. except that you need to jump pieces to capture them

<Hayley> Yeah...

• Hayley will explain the rules to you.
• Kolya listens, and we an strike up a game :)

<Hayley> (yeah!)

<Hayley> (Who wins?  ;) )

<Kolya> (I dunno :o)

<Kolya> (you can win ;)

<Hayley> (I probably never win against Janus.  ;) )

<Hayley> (He's so much smarter than me)

<Kolya> (heh)

<Kolya> (as if Janus would lower himself to playing *checkers* ;)

<Kolya> ahh, I knew my mad skillz were rusty

<Hayley> Ah, i was just lucky.  :(

<Hayley> Good game, though.  :)

• Hayley cleans up the pieces.
• Hayley looks around for Monster - what has happened to him during all this?
• Monster is sleeping by Kolya's feet)

<Kolya> heh....

<Kolya> I took him for a run before we came by, so that he wouldn't be too hyper :)

<Hayley> Aww...

<Hayley> He's very well-behaved.

<Kolya> mostly...

<Kolya> sometimes he tries to chase sheep if I let him off his leash

• Hayley grins.

<Hayley> Thinks he's a sheep dog, eh?

<Hayley> Have you visited Silas lately?

<Kolya> not recently enough :p

<Hayley> :/

<Kolya> He was doing good last time I was out there

<Hayley> I'm glad to hear that.

<Kolya> But he gets really wound up when I go to visit

<Kolya> Wants to show me a million things, do a million things, and never wants to let me go

<Hayley> Oooh... Because he misses you so much when you're not there?

• Hayley nods.

<Kolya> There is always one more thing, and can't you stay another day, blah blah blah

• Hayley smiles.

<Kolya> So I try to only go when I know that he really has a lot of time to 'play'

<Hayley> He has a little sister, too, doesn't he?

<Hayley> A pooka?

<Kolya> They're not related

<Hayley> Oh - both adopted?

<Kolya> Yeah

<Kolya> We're still not really sure where they came from

<Kolya> But I don't get to see Lina as much

<Kolya> Silas is, I don;t know... selfish about me?

• Hayley smiles.

<Hayley> That's kind of cute. ^-^

<Kolya> He's a good kid

<Hayley> He obviously thinks the world of you.

<Kolya> And he mostly likes the sort of stuff they have him doing on the farm

<Kolya> He thinks the sheep are stupid though.

<Hayley> Well, sheep are pretty stupid, but not unlikeable for all that.

<Kolya> I'm not sure he agrees.

<Kolya> He finds the pigs *fascinating*

• Hayley wrinkles up her nose.

<Hayley> Well, they taste good, anyway.

<Kolya> or, he did last time I was there

<Kolya> Silas's interests are subject to change without notice :)

<Hayley> I understand that young children are like that. ^-^

<Kolya> Yeah well... i'm no expert

<Kolya> It's been a long, loooong time sine I was that young

• Kolya says thoughtfully

<Hayley> A penny for your thoughts?

<Kolya> Just thinking about everything between, I guess.

<Kolya> :)

<Hayley> :)

<Hayley> Do you think you'll have children yourself, some day?

<Kolya> Well.... maybe.

<Kolya> I dunno

<Kolya> It's funny how little I know about my own future

<Hayley> You never have visions about yourself, eh?

<Hayley> Probably a blessing.

<Kolya> Oh I do...

<Kolya> Just not about that sort of stuff.

<Kolya> Not yet, anyway

<Kolya> So far, I mean

• Hayley smiles.

<Hayley> I guess I will have children some day.

• Kolya nods

<Kolya> It does seem to be in the cards :)

<Kolya> But who knows when?

<Hayley> Indeed. Not in the immediate future, anyway. There's a bit of a technicality to overcome before that will be possible.

• Kolya nods

<Hayley> I have to admit I feel strange about it, about how well I'd do as a mother. I guess that's a good indication that I'm not ready to be one yet.

<Kolya> Uhh.... I guess so :o

• Hayley smiles.

<Hayley> I'm just nervous about it, I guess.

• Hayley tries to explain.

<Kolya> Well, put it out of mind then!

<Hayley> ^-^

<Kolya> I mean, you're not under any pressure to start popping them out right away are you?

<Hayley> Not from Janus, no.

<Kolya> I mean, I know what they say about mothers in law...

<Kolya> ;)

<Hayley> I doubt it's even crossed his mind. ^-^

<Kolya> But you're not even there yet, really. ;)

<Kolya> heh

<Hayley> ...

• Hayley refrains from commenting.

<Hayley> Well, anyway.

<Kolya> :/

<Hayley> Meeting Nicola and Salimah was good for me.

<Kolya> well, maybe I should let you get some more rest?

<Hayley> Well... I am feeling a little sleepy.

<Kolya> Alright.

<Hayley> And you've probably got many more important things to do than keep a convalescent company.  :)

<Kolya> Ehhh... I suppose, there are some things I probably could be working on... ¬_¬

<Kolya> I'll come back another time, though

<Hayley> I'd like that.

• Hayley replies sincerely.
• Kolya smiles

<Kolya> I'll see you then :0

• Kolya will nudge Monster awake, and take the board game away when he goes

<Hayley> I look forward to it.

• Hayley rearranges her pillows carefully and snuggles down into her covers.