Steel for Satin

Writers: Aaron, Miriah
Date Posted: 8th December 2020

Characters: Brennault, Dunrik
Description: Brennault tries to track Lorican down so he can find out what he needs to do to acquire a sword.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 8, day 4 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: J'ackt, Lorican, Lusilk, Jayzine

Brennault

Making friends with dragonriders was a very good way to travel long
distances very quickly. The start of Brennault's quest to bring J'ackt
a sword began at Barrier Lake Weyr, and getting there on his own would
likely have taken months.

He had also brought letters and packages along, because why waste the
trip? So as he had done the last time he came, he delivered what he
had brought and then ended his circuit of the weyr at the smithy.
Lorican was likely to be there or perhaps at lunch at this hour.

This time, Brennault had dressed warmly, knowing that it was cold at Barrier Lake. But he was looking forward to the heat of the forge. How anyone could live in such a cold place, he did not know. He walked in as though he belonged there, delivered his last message
to one Gorrashte, a smith who worked there, and then started to poke
around, looking for Lorican.

Dunrik looked up as a strange man walked into his forge. Frowning, he
set the steel he was working on aside on his anvil and approached.
"Hey...we're working hot metal in here. You don't need to just come
in. It's not safe." He waved at Brennault, gesturing him to back up to
the entrance.

"Of course, sir. My apologies," Brennault answered as he followed the
man back to the entrance. "I was hoping not to interrupt your work. I
came to deliver a message, and that being done, also to find a friend.
You may have seen me here with him a little while ago – Lorican?" he
ventured.

"Lorican?" Dunrik sighed. "Aye, I remember you. A Runner, aren't you?"
Dunrik wiped his hands on his apron. "I'm afraid you've come too late,
runner. He's not here anymore. Lorican's been transferred by the
Smithcraft. He and his wife and her boy have left us for Sunstone Sea
Hold."

Brennault visibly sagged. Then this trip might have been for naught.
Mostly naught, anyhow. He had delivered messages that needed
delivering. And he had found out where Lorican had gone.

He stepped a bit closer and lowered his voice, though the banging of
the hammers did enough to drown it out for anyone who was listening.

"Did anything... bad happen?" he asked. "Is he OK?"

Dunrik raised his eyebrows then furrowed them. "No..." The word was
drawn out questioningly. "He had to leave without his wife, but I'm
sure she'll join him there when she's finished with her family. As far
as I know he was quite well when he left. He _is_ missed here. I'm
afraid that's all I can tell you. If you're wanting to reach him,
you'll likely need a dragonrider to take you to Sunstone, if one's
available."

Brennault had little time to be relieved that Lorican was all right
before he was shocked that he was married! It really had not been all
that long since they had spoken, had it? There was so much about
Lorican he did not know, despite feeling as close to him as he did.

**But does he feel close to me? At all?**

"I can get a ride. While I'm here, though... If I could, I'd like to
run something by you. I'd like to commission Lorican, if he's got the
time and inclination, and I'm hoping to bring the price down a bit by
providing the materials myself. Suppose I can procure anything you can
imagine, apart from marks. What would I have to bring you to buy
enough steel for a sword?"

That brought Dunrik's brows right back up. He didn't like
bladesmithing or swordsmithing, especially at his own forge, but he
didn't expect any other Smith to abide by his rules when making their
own items. He tugged on his ear, clearing his throat. "You want
Lorican to make you a sword? Now...I don't know if he's ever made one,
though he will have to if he wants to get his Master knots. That takes
time a quite a bit of labor, you realize, even if he's up for it. Not
that I think he's unable." He frowned, thinking. "I don't have any
quality sword steel in the forge right now, but I could get it fairly
easily." His lips pursed as he considered what he might need for a
trade. Good quality glade steel was costly and he didn't need anything
for himself. An idea came to mind. "Five bolts of fine dress cloth in
rich jewel colors. Blue, red, green, purple and silver. with matching
thread and ribbon. You get that and I'll get you your steel."

Brennault nodded and pulled a scrap of paper and a pencil from his
messenger bag to write down the price. These things, too, were not
cheap. But the further he went, the more likely he would be to find
something he could actually get his hands on. Then it would just be a
matter of moving everything around. And moving things around was his
specialty.

"Blue... red..." He continued to scrawl. "And silver. Got it. And lest
you worry, the sword is a payment I'll be making to a respectable
dragonman sort, so nothing untoward will happen with it." He grinned –
disarmingly, he hoped – at the smith.

"I can't promise when I'll have the cloth, but I'll get it. I'm
Brennault," he introduced himself, "by the way – of Cerault's
Waystation, based out of Dolphin Cove." He held out his hand to shake.

"Green and purple." Dunrik added, taking Brennault's hand. "Dunrik,
Mastersmith here at Barrier Lake. The forge is mine. When you see
Lorican, tell him he's missed and tell him to send me word of his
wife. Jayzine misses her. Lusilk needs to write to her as soon as
she's able. And tell him that I may send Rikol to him when he hits
Junior Journeyman for training."

Brennault added the messages to his notes. So, Lorican's wife was
named Lusilk. It was not a name he recognized, but why should it be?

"It's an honor to meet you, Master Dunrik. I'll pass along the
messages when I see Lorican." He would have to check back in with the
runners stationed at Barrier Lake to offer to carry messages to
Sunstone. They had already given him messages to take back to Dolphin
Cove. That was, if he could convince his ride to make a detour. And he
was fairly sure he could.

"What do I owe you for the message?" Dunrik began fishing in a little
pouch by his side. "I know there's a fee..." His voice trailed off as
he looked up expectantly.

"Consider it my treat," said Brennault. "As a friend of a friend." He
offered a smile. After all, it was not as though he were going out of
his way just to deliver a message.

Dunrik paused, his fingers still in the pouch, then nodded. "As you
like. Thank you, Brennault." He offered his hand. "It's been to meet
you. I hope to see you again soon with the material. I'll order your
steel for you and have it waiting."

"Fate willing, I'll have you the cloth before the steel even arrives!"
Brennault said cheerfully. "I appreciate your help in finding Lorican
and in finding the materials I need. Fair skies, sir!"

"Fair skies, Brennault."

Last updated on the December 14th 2020

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Steel for Satin