The Art of Manipulation

Writers: Anika
Date Posted: 29th April 2015

Characters: Eirock, Chjrad
Description: Eirock takes a staff-member from the mines to task
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 12, day 6 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Bryvin

Eirock

Eirock sat behind his desk, anticipating this next meeting with
relish. Many of his interactions required him to be suitably politic or reserved, and even those requiring more forceful or stern communication had thus far been fairly temperate in his estimation. In this situation, though, he was free to be more unpleasant. He'd intentionally scheduled this interview to be inconvenient for the man who'd had to come from the mines. That should set him on edge right up front. Chjrad was one of a few managers at the mine, equivalent to an understeward here at the Hold. With no overseer, the man had become ambitious and lined his pockets a bit too heavily. It had taken very little investigation on Eirock's part to confirm his suspicions about Chjrad, who had an attractive but demanding wife with a reputation for blowing through marks like a dragon searing Thread.

"Come," he stated crisply, his face going stony when he heard the knock.

Probably fifteen turns Eirock's senior, Chjrad sported a receding hairline with a sprinkling of gray in his thinning mousy brown locks. He was dressed ostentatiously in bright orange and green which the steward found nauseating. He carried himself well, though, and had a confidant air about him.

"Sir," Chjrad inclined his head. "You wished to see me."

"Sit down," Eirock said brusquely, causing the older man's eyebrows to raise at his peremptory manner.

"Is there a problem?" Chjrad asked as he sat down.

"Indeed there is. Profits have shown a rather substantial decline."

"Well, as someone who has a great deal of experience in the mining business, I can assure you that profits will indeed ebb and flow. There are many factors that can contribute, you see," Chjrad explained calmly with a hint of condescension coloring his tone as he prepared to go into lecture mode.

"Do not," Eirock's words were sharp as steel and his green eyes
flashed with anger, "Try to play me for a fool. I have reviewed the records. I am well aware that someone has been skimming."

Eyes wide with surprise, Chjrad replied with amazing guile, "Well, you know more than I, then. I will certainly investigate the matter and find out who."

"You try my patience Chjrad, and I warn you, that is not a smart thing to do. I don't care to waste time with your games so unless you wish to spend the night in a cell at the guard tower, I suggest you drop the pretense."

Studying the hard lines of Eirock's face, Chjrad lost all color. The Steward was a dangerous looking man and Chjrad did not doubt that he would do exactly as he threatened.

"You and I both know that you are responsible. Such a sordid act of theft would be contemptible at any time, but now, when Lord Bryvin is just establishing his administration? It is as if you meant this as a personal affront bordering on if not approaching treason." Though the man's misappropriations were hardly as reprehensible as Eirock made them out to be the Steward had carefully chosen his words in order to gain the desired reaction.

Shaking his head, looking like a fish just pulled from the water, Chjrad tried to sputter a denial.

"I have the evidence, RIGHT HERE!" Eirock informed the man, waving the hides in front of him. "If you try to deny it I'll have you flogged this very night and thrown in a cell until I can advise the Lord Holder of your heinous acts. Rest assured you'll be banished the day after next."

"B-b-but there's Threadfall."

"I know."

"Please, please show mercy," Chjrad begged pitifully. "I was wrong. I know I was wrong, but please, I have a family!"

"Yes, a very beautiful wife who would surely not choose to follow you into Holdlessness or even await your return from a sentence to the mines. And what of your sons? What kind of stigma would this cast upon them. What chance would they have for gaining a position or even a decent apprenticeship?"

"Please," Chjrad whimpered, "I'll do anything."

Several moments of utter silence passed with Eirock looking at the man in complete derision. Finally, he spoke, his voice just above a whisper. "Anything, you say?"

"YES! Anything!"

"There is a possibility, a slight possibility, that I might be able to help you, to make this," he held up the hides, "go away."

"I'll do anything."

"If the Lord Holder were to find out about this he would have no
choice but to make an example of you," Eirock lied, as Bryvin already knew of the pilfering and indeed of this very meeting. "There is a chance I can keep it from him, for now."

Hope flickered in the frightened man's eyes, but he held his tongue, listening with baited breath to the Steward's words.

"If I am able to do this, you will owe me a substantial debt."

"Anything!"

"First of all, you will never take so much as a quarter mark over your due again."

"Yes, yes of course."

"Secondly, you will show absolute and complete fealty to Lord Bryvin from this day forward, as if your very life depends upon it." Eirock's eyes narrowed intimating that indeed it might.

"Absolutely, complete."

"Thirdly, I have some individuals strategically placed to provide me with information from the mines." Another lie but necessary to keep Chjrad honest. "However, I like to see that different people's reports are consistent so I can be certain I know what is happening there. You will report to me any suspicious behaviors or happenings at the mines. Any discontent or sedition or even unrest concerning the Hold, myself, or the Lord Holder. It would be in your best interest to be the _first_ to report such things."

"Yes, yes of course. I can be very useful. I will report
everything," Chjrad agreed readily.

"Last of all, you still owe me. There will come a day where I might ask you to do something, and you will do it without question."

"I'll do whatever you ask of me."

"Good. Then I will see what I can do. _IF_ I am able to sweep this under the rug, keep in mind that I will still have this evidence and I will not hesitate to use it should you prove traitorous."

"I won't! I'll be loyal. I promise!"

"Fine then. You should get a meal and stay here at the Hold. I'll have your answer in the morning."

"Thank you sir!" Chjrad dipped his head and scurried off only to spend a fretful night worrying over his fate.

Once the door closed, Eirock smiled. He'd need to let Bryvin know that this meeting had gone better than expected.

Last updated on the May 5th 2015

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The Art of Manipulation