Ailith
When the old man welcomed her, Ailith bowed politely with a smile. She was a bit surprised that it hadn't been Matah but she supposed it made sense: she probably had much better to do than to welcome any new apprentice.
Her smile frayed however as he made his critique of her work. Not that he was wrong of course, just… Well, the too thin leg? That had been because she had made a small chip in the crystal, and by the time she had been able to make it disappear, the leg was too thin. She didn't have much to say about either the abdomen or the head - she had indeed been too harsh - but as for the matter of sanding cloth… It might be something common here, but back home… rather, back in Purple Waters Village, she had had to do with what she had been able to acquire, but it wasn't the best.
She had managed, mostly, to compensate, but at times she had done too much, and not enough at others. Though she had to admit that she hadn't noticed it in some places, but… Well…
Her smile came back - albeit a bit hesitant, as if she was afraid it wouldn't last - when he complimented the wings of her sculpture. Those had taken her forever to do, all the while knowing that the slightest mistake would ruin everything. She had managed, but it had been exhausting.
The young female grimaced slightly when told she'd go back to basics in general, and polishing in particular: that was definitely not the part of the work that she liked the most. Which of course explained a lot, notwithstanding the quality of her sanding paper. As for sketching… Well, she couldn't really say: small rocks or crystals with which she could practice her craft were easy to find, but sketching resources were another matter entirely.
She was definitely not fond of the idea of spending time on chores, much less that failing to keep up meant being cast out. But… Well, it wasn't like she had had no chores home, even if it wasn't as…contractual…as it would be here. As for failing… That was unthinkable. Being worked like a slave was of course really worrisome, but she supposed it was merely to test her dedication and make sure she had what it took. She'd hate it, however long it took, and she'd probably resent them quite a bit, but… it would pass. Something she'd have to keep in mind…
Introduced to Zez, she nodded to him, taking a moment to observe him while the others left. She started a bit when he said that the old man liked her, grumbling while rubbing her jaw, “If that's how he likes, I never want him to dislike me.” She paused, grimaced, and looking at Zez added, “But I suppose he's the kind of person from whom indifference or disappointment would hurt much more?” Her expression lightened after a second or two, and grinning cheekily, she remarked, “Maybe then you should have answered that he was mistaken, it was not a pot but a sieve?”
Asked if she was hungry or had questions, Ailith hesitated, about to shake her head, but nodded. “I, uh, could definitely eat something…” She hadn't had the stomach for much in the morning after all. Obviously hesitating, quickly looking over her shoulder, she asked, “And, uh… When you arrived here the first time, did you, uh… See…Someone in there?”
No problem, it's perfectly normal for an introduction :)
I like it!