Post by Lord Herron on Apr 18, 2023 11:44:25 GMT -8
Lord Herron stood at the window behind his desk in his office, looking down at the market. Since the start of the mysterious illness, his window has been shuttered as part of the quarantine. But, after 20 days of being sequestered, the isolation was getting to him. He was used to being more hands on with his Hold and accessible to his people. He wanted to be down there, not stuck up here. Deesel, his bronze fire lizard, was curled up on his desk, dozing after his breakfast. Herron smiled affectionately at his constant companion and gave the bronze a quick scratch of his eye ridges, and was rewarded with a sleepy chirp.
"Good morning Father," Herlin, Herron's oldest son and heir, said as he came in, a stack of hides in his hand. He stood about as tall as Herron, but had inherited his mother's softer features and light brown hair.
"Herlin, good morning," He replied with a smile. "Will Kahlia be joining us?"
"Have I ever missed a morning meeting?" Kahlia, White Sands Head Woman, asked as she entered after Herlin. She was of average height, her sandy blond hair pulled back in a loose bun. She carried a basket covered by a cloth. Behind her, a young servant girl carried another tray with a spread of butter and jam, three mugs and a pitcher of klah. "And I come bearing gifts." She set the basket down and uncovered it to reveal several rolls. "Fresh from the oven." The girl placed the tray of klah down, setting the butter and jam next to the basket. She then removed the mugs and pitcher, carefully filling each mug.
"Ah, thank you Kahlia!" Herron said, walking around his desk. He picked out a bun and spread a healthy helping of jam on it while his mug was filled. “Thank you,” he said with a smile to the girl, noticing how much the girl resembled his second son R’dan. He suppressed a sigh. "What's on today's agenda?" He asked, turning to Herlin. Kahlia silently dismissed the servant girl.
"I have the final numbers for the tithe to the Weyr," Herlin said after sitting down in a seat across from Herron’s desk and taking a quick drink of his klah. "We'll be able to make quota this time, but some of the holders have expressed concerns about the next. A lot of them have lost their help to the illness." He handed over the inventory sheet to Herron.
"Good,"he said, taking it and looking over the list. "We must keep our duty to the Weyr. Where will our shortages be?" Herlin handed him another hide. "Assure these holders that we'll make sure that they have the hands they need come harvest." The Weyr had never been left wanting during his tenure as Lord Holder. He wasn't going to start now.
"The market participation is also down," Herlin continued. "Some of the crafters and smaller cotholders have been staying away because of the illness, so fees are down this month."
"We expected as much," Herron nodded and then turned to Kahlia. She had taken the seat next to Herlin. “How are we on our budget?”
“We are under,” Kahlia replied. “Partially due to more frugal measures we implemented at the start of this, partially due to having less people to provide for.”
Herron nodded again, this time more solemnly. He knew the reason for that wasn’t just because people were staying away. “How much longer before it starts to become a problem?”
“We have another month’s worth in the coffers to continue to cover expenses. But I wouldn’t want to go longer than that,” Kahlia replied. “Has there been any word from Master Jakten? Or the Weyr?”
“None from either,” Herron replied, a little downcast. He had hoped one of the Master Healers would have had some kind of breakthrough by now. “We’ll be meeting with Jak later. Maybe she will have an update for us. Is there anything else?” He looked at both Herlin and Kahia.
“There is still that matter of the gold wher running wild,” Herlin said. “There haven’t been any recent sightings, but there is still some concern after the last incident.”
“We've no one to help us handle the problem?" With no wherhold nearby, they weren’t equipped to deal with a wher, queen or otherwise.
"No," Herlin replied. "No one wants to come here as long as there's no cure."
“Very well. Tell those concerned we are still working on the problem, and will have an answer soon. Any sightings are to be reported to you directly. Hopefully there won’t be any until we can get a wherhandler or beastcrafter familiar with the creatures to help.” He gave a curt nod, ending the meeting. Herlin stood, finished his klah, and grabbed a roll before leaving.
“Kahlia, a moment,” Herron said as the Headwoman stood. She stopped and looked a Herron. “That girl--”
“Is one of R’dan’s progeny, yes,” Kahlia finished. “Her mother works in the kitchens. Arrangements have been made, so there’s nothing to worry about.” Her tone was reassuring.
“Does she know?”
“No. Fortunately, her mother has chosen not to say anything, as long as she and her daughter are cared for. I've told her they've nothing to worry about."
Herron nodded slowly. He didn’t like these ‘surprises’ that R’dan's promiscuity had caused him and the Hold. He didn’t want anything jeopardizing Herlin’s claim to the Hold or his prospects for a wife. A bunch of half nieces and nephews could do just that. “Thank you Kahlia,” he said, smiling at her. “You don’t know how much I appreciate all you do for me.”
Kahlia returned his smile, her eyes softening. “It’s my pleasure Lord Herron,” she said, wishing she could tell him how she really felt about him. She left one of the rolls and the jelly, and topped off his klah before taking her leave.
Herron meanwhile had returned to his desk and began looking over the reports Herlin had left.
"Good morning Father," Herlin, Herron's oldest son and heir, said as he came in, a stack of hides in his hand. He stood about as tall as Herron, but had inherited his mother's softer features and light brown hair.
"Herlin, good morning," He replied with a smile. "Will Kahlia be joining us?"
"Have I ever missed a morning meeting?" Kahlia, White Sands Head Woman, asked as she entered after Herlin. She was of average height, her sandy blond hair pulled back in a loose bun. She carried a basket covered by a cloth. Behind her, a young servant girl carried another tray with a spread of butter and jam, three mugs and a pitcher of klah. "And I come bearing gifts." She set the basket down and uncovered it to reveal several rolls. "Fresh from the oven." The girl placed the tray of klah down, setting the butter and jam next to the basket. She then removed the mugs and pitcher, carefully filling each mug.
"Ah, thank you Kahlia!" Herron said, walking around his desk. He picked out a bun and spread a healthy helping of jam on it while his mug was filled. “Thank you,” he said with a smile to the girl, noticing how much the girl resembled his second son R’dan. He suppressed a sigh. "What's on today's agenda?" He asked, turning to Herlin. Kahlia silently dismissed the servant girl.
"I have the final numbers for the tithe to the Weyr," Herlin said after sitting down in a seat across from Herron’s desk and taking a quick drink of his klah. "We'll be able to make quota this time, but some of the holders have expressed concerns about the next. A lot of them have lost their help to the illness." He handed over the inventory sheet to Herron.
"Good,"he said, taking it and looking over the list. "We must keep our duty to the Weyr. Where will our shortages be?" Herlin handed him another hide. "Assure these holders that we'll make sure that they have the hands they need come harvest." The Weyr had never been left wanting during his tenure as Lord Holder. He wasn't going to start now.
"The market participation is also down," Herlin continued. "Some of the crafters and smaller cotholders have been staying away because of the illness, so fees are down this month."
"We expected as much," Herron nodded and then turned to Kahlia. She had taken the seat next to Herlin. “How are we on our budget?”
“We are under,” Kahlia replied. “Partially due to more frugal measures we implemented at the start of this, partially due to having less people to provide for.”
Herron nodded again, this time more solemnly. He knew the reason for that wasn’t just because people were staying away. “How much longer before it starts to become a problem?”
“We have another month’s worth in the coffers to continue to cover expenses. But I wouldn’t want to go longer than that,” Kahlia replied. “Has there been any word from Master Jakten? Or the Weyr?”
“None from either,” Herron replied, a little downcast. He had hoped one of the Master Healers would have had some kind of breakthrough by now. “We’ll be meeting with Jak later. Maybe she will have an update for us. Is there anything else?” He looked at both Herlin and Kahia.
“There is still that matter of the gold wher running wild,” Herlin said. “There haven’t been any recent sightings, but there is still some concern after the last incident.”
“We've no one to help us handle the problem?" With no wherhold nearby, they weren’t equipped to deal with a wher, queen or otherwise.
"No," Herlin replied. "No one wants to come here as long as there's no cure."
“Very well. Tell those concerned we are still working on the problem, and will have an answer soon. Any sightings are to be reported to you directly. Hopefully there won’t be any until we can get a wherhandler or beastcrafter familiar with the creatures to help.” He gave a curt nod, ending the meeting. Herlin stood, finished his klah, and grabbed a roll before leaving.
“Kahlia, a moment,” Herron said as the Headwoman stood. She stopped and looked a Herron. “That girl--”
“Is one of R’dan’s progeny, yes,” Kahlia finished. “Her mother works in the kitchens. Arrangements have been made, so there’s nothing to worry about.” Her tone was reassuring.
“Does she know?”
“No. Fortunately, her mother has chosen not to say anything, as long as she and her daughter are cared for. I've told her they've nothing to worry about."
Herron nodded slowly. He didn’t like these ‘surprises’ that R’dan's promiscuity had caused him and the Hold. He didn’t want anything jeopardizing Herlin’s claim to the Hold or his prospects for a wife. A bunch of half nieces and nephews could do just that. “Thank you Kahlia,” he said, smiling at her. “You don’t know how much I appreciate all you do for me.”
Kahlia returned his smile, her eyes softening. “It’s my pleasure Lord Herron,” she said, wishing she could tell him how she really felt about him. She left one of the rolls and the jelly, and topped off his klah before taking her leave.
Herron meanwhile had returned to his desk and began looking over the reports Herlin had left.
