Mystery at Shadow Peak (3)

Writers: Estelle
Date Posted: 30th July 2022
Series: Mystery at Shadow Peak

Characters: Jorghan
Description: Jorghan continues his investigation into the missing steward
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 9, day 4 of Turn 10

"So you're here to look into the strange disappearance of Steward
Sogreal?" The harper turned to him with a twist of a grin. "Am I going
to need my own advice?"

"Do you think you need it?"

Journeyman Nikolter made a wry face. He was a younger man, late twenties
at a guess with distinctive reddish hair, likely working out his posting
until he could transfer back to the Hall, or a bigger Hold. "I've no
idea what happened to him. Now, if there'd been anything missing from
the Hold's coffers, I wouldn't have been surprised, but there wasn't. I
went through it all with Master Harobben, and again with the Warder when
he got here. All in order. About the only thing that was in the Hold at
that time."

"The accident at the smithy." Jorghen could well imagine the chaos, and
that the steward's disappearance wouldn't have been the first thing on
the holders' minds. "No chance he could have been in there too?"

"No, it was bad enough, but not that bad. They found all the pieces, and
they added up to two." Clearly the harper had a rather dark sense of
humour, too. "That blasting powder is strong stuff."

"Blasting powder? I heard it was a chemical tank."

"That helped, according to what Corigale told me before he left, but it
wouldn't have made the place go up like it did. The boom was heard all
down the valley."

Jorghan frowned. That was another new detail. "Do smiths often use
blasting powder in their work?"

The harper gave him a significant look. Clearly it hadn't passed him by,
either. "Not my craft, but I've been here long enough to get an idea
that it's more of a miner's tool."

"Aye, I'd agree with you there." He remembered the name the Headwoman
had told him - Harobben, the Master Miner. Perhaps he'd know more about
how such materials were stored - or should have been. Jorghan scooped up
another mouthful of the rich meat stew they'd been served, along with
greens and thick slices of crusty bread. The Hold wasn't short of
supplies, that was certain, and it didn't stint its workers. "You knew
Journeyman Corigale well, then? A fellow craftsman on a posting, around
your age."

"Yes, we did get on. The other crafters here - the two Masters, their
journeymen and the healer - they're all local, or they've been here so
long it makes no difference."

"So you talked about that day?"

"We didn't talk about much else, until he left." The harper blew out a
breath. "Corig was beside himself. He'd been called out to fix a leak in
the laundry, so he left the young guard behind to watch the smithy while
he dealt with it. He told me the fire was banked and the storeroom was
locked - he hadn't even been working with any chemicals that sevenday -
but he couldn't stop racking his brains to figure out what went wrong.
Felt he should have been there. It wasn't his fault," Nikolter said,
suddenly fierce. "He was the most careful man I've ever met. It was an
instinct with him, to leave the forge safe. For a moment I thought it
was him in there...and now he's gone. Back to his Hall."

Jorghan thought for a moment. "There was a case I heard about, last Turn
up at one of the sea holds. A smithy exploded and burned down to the
ground. They said that was a thief trying to cover his tracks."

"Shaffing unsubtle way to go about it." The harper's mouth quirked, his
mood turning again. "Worked, though, if that's what it was. All the
evidence destroyed, leaving a smoking ruin."

"And the Steward missing."

"Mmm. Yes."

"You sketched him?" He took out the drawing the headwoman had given him,
held it above his plate.

"Yes, that's mine." The journeyman chewed on his mouthful, considering
before he spoke again. "It's a copy of one I drew a while back, and sent
to the Hall. The Masters keep...records."

Jorghan knew the kind of records the harper was talking about. Sketches
of known or suspected criminals, circulated among hold guards through
the harpers. It sounded as though more than one person had suspicions
regarding the steward. He tucked the sketch back into his pocket and
picked up a slice of bread to clean his plate. He'd an idea about where
- and how - to look, though there were a few of the holders he wanted to
speak to first.

There was a scrape of chairs on stone off to his left, at the warder's
table. Alekis was standing, a polite nod of his head to his cousin as
she wished him a good night. As she left the dining hall, she paused by
the crafters' table, and Jorghan quickly got to his feet, as did the harper.

"Guardsman. Welcome to Shadow Peak."

"My lady." Jorghan offered a quick bow.

"My cousin tells me you've come to find out what has become of our
missing steward." Lady Cilara sounded weary, more so even than the
little boy yawning at her side. "It was good of Garnet Valley to send
you. I hope you don't find any lack of warmth in our Hold. Only we are
in mourning..."

"Not at all. The Warder and the Headwoman have been most welcoming." He
paused. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Yes." Her voice was even, hardly more than a dry whisper. "I hope this
can be resolved swiftly."

"I'll do my best." Jorghan wondered what was behind her manner. The
weight of grief, of new responsibilities? Or another reason to want this
investigation over and done? Though she looked drawn and pale, she was
still a good few turns younger than her late husband. A distant Blood
relative, and marriages were usually arranged in those circles. "You
knew him well?"

"I'm afraid not. He was my husband's friend. But of course, I hope that
he's safe and well." She looked down at the child. "If you'll excuse me,
it's past time he was in bed."

"Of course. Good night, my lady." He bowed his head again and watched
them go.

"Poor woman," Journeyman Nikolter said as he resumed his seat. "We used
to make music together sometimes, she can sing and play the harp a
little. But since the old holder died, she hasn't had the heart for it.
Just likes to listen. She's been better since her cousin arrived."

"Family is best, at a time like this," one of the other crafters agreed.

"Hmm." Jorghan thought for a moment. "I'd like to send a message, that
I've arrived safe. Will there be a runner passing through here?"

"Yes, we hang out a flag and they see it from the valley floor. Thread
falls tomorrow but there should be someone the day after. I'll see to
it. Ah, dessert!" The harper looked up, beaming, as a maid approached
the table with a tray, and the conversation turned to hold matters.

Once the meal was over, Jorghan took out a scrap of hide to write, but
he kept his ears open. There were a few approving mentions of the
warder, not much about his predecessor, some nostalgia for the time of
old Holder Beliron. He thought they might be keeping their mouths
closely guarded around him. And yet, it wasn't a hold that was uneasy.
The main sense he got from the talk was one of relief.

Last updated on the October 30th 2022

[Prev: Mystery at Shadow Peak (2)] Series: Mystery at Shadow Peak [Next: Mystery at Shadow Peak (4)]

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Mystery at Shadow Peak (3)