A New Home

Writers: Eimi, Estelle
Date Posted: 7th February 2019

Characters: Capwick, Leofren
Description: Capwick greets a new arrival to the Hall
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 7, day 8 of Turn 9
Notes: References a conversation in AHH-VH: Old Rogues

The young boy stood in front of the Main Hall of the Vintners and stared
up at it, awed. He carried a small bag slung over one shoulder, and had
placed a large crate of bottles on the ground at his feet to give his
arms a rest after lugging them from the docks.

He remembered how he'd gaped when he'd first come to Diamond Springs,
after having lived his whole life at his family's tiny cothold in the
mountains. This was as big, he thought, and unlike the Hold, entirely
devoted to the Vintner Craft! Well, he had got used to Diamond Springs,
and he could get used to this, too. If they would accept him. Suddenly,
despite the letter from Master Stryce in his bag, he wasn't so sure.
Would they really take boys like him? No-one in his family had ever been
a crafter before, unless you counted his uncle, who had been a runner
for a while.

Gathering his courage, he picked up the crate again and headed for the
front door. As he got there, he wondered whether he ought to have gone
around the back. Had he made an awful mistake?

A journeyman on duty noticed a boy who seemed oddly out of place
standing at the entrance, bag slung over his shoulder and a crate in
his hands. "Young man, may I help you?"

"Oh! Yes, sir." Leofren nearly dropped his crate in surprise. He gripped
it more tightly. How awful, to bring it all this way and then smash the
precious bottles at the last moment. They would never take him if he did
that! "I have a letter for Master Capwick, the Hallsecond?"

"You can put the crate down," the journeyman said with a nod to a spot
next to the wall. "May I ask who this letter is from or what it is
regarding?"

"It's from my Master. Master Stryce, of Diamond Springs Hold. He's
sending these samples..." The boy placed the crate where he'd been
told with exaggerated care. "And me. To be an apprentice here...if the
Hallsecond agrees." He immediately wished he hadn't said that, and
felt his cheeks grow hot. What if the Master said no? Or if there was
a test, and he failed it?

"Master Stryce?" the journeyman confirmed. "And your name is?"

At that moment, the Hallsecond happened to be turning the corner, and
having caught the name of his old friend he stopped. "Stryce
recommended you?" he said, nodding to excuse the journeyman.

The boy nodded. "Yes, sir. I have a letter," he added, reaching into his
bag for the proof.

Capwick took it and began to read silently. He gave a quiet snort of
amusement here and there at some anecdote his friend included as well
as his remarks about the boy. "Are these the samples then?" the
Hallsecond finally said with a nod towards the crates as he refolded
the letter.

"Yes, Hallsecond. I helped him bottle them," Leofren volunteered. "He
said he put different amounts of spices in each one, to see which tasted
the best...and he said I wasn't to tell you which was his favorite
until you'd tried them all."

Made perfect sense. Capwick could probably guess which one his old
friend would like best, but most likely it would not be his personal
favorite. They had several heated disagreements about how a good
white liquor should taste back when they were journeymen, and yet
somehow had remained good friends despite their differences. "I shall
try them later. So, Apprentice Leofren is it?"

"Yes, sir," the boy said, unable to suppress the pride in his voice.
"Master Stryce made me an apprentice." Even if he wasn't accepted
here, that wouldn't change. He hoped.

"Are you hungry?" If he was anything like any of the other
apprentices at the Hall, he was constantly on the hunt for food.

His eyes lit up. "Yes, sir, I am!" Despite having eaten a hearty
breakfast only a few hours ago on the boat, Leofren was hungry again
and would never turn down food.

Just as Cap had suspected. "Do you have all your gear? We can stop
by the kitchen on the way to the apprentice barracks."

"Yes, this is it." He patted his bag, hoping he hadn't been expected to
bring more. Then something Capwick had said caught his attention. "The
apprentice barracks? Does that mean...I can stay?"

"Son, do you really think your ticket was paid all the way here to the
Vintner Hall just to deliver a crate of white liquor? A runner could
have done just as well." Cap was not known for be patient with silly
questions. But he softened his tone. "Stryce says you have what it
takes, and that's good enough for us. This is your home now, so you
better wrap your head around the idea."

The boy grinned in relief and delight. "Thank you, Hallsecond! I'll work
really hard, I promise." More than anything, he did not want to
disappoint Master Stryce, who had given him this chance.

Last updated on the March 3rd 2019

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