Complaints

Writers: Estelle
Date Posted: 18th July 2005

Characters: Enrizial, T'moran
Description: Enrizial learns about some Thread burrows on his land, and complains to T'moran about them
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr, Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 7, day 2 of Turn 3

The rider arrived at Emerald Falls at midday, covered in the dust of the road and so exhausted he all but fell from his runnerbeast. Guards, recognising the knots of an important holder, rushed out of the Hold to help him, and a boy was sent running to fetch a healer.

Before any healer could arrive, however, the rider managed to gasp out that he needed to speak to Lord Enrizial and to have a drink of water, in that order.

He was helped into the hold and into one of the reception rooms, where a jug of fresh, cold water was brought from the kitchens. The Lord Holder arrived minutes later, his brow furrowed in concern, and the man began to speak. By the time he'd explained what had happened in his lands, Enrizial's frown had deepened and his fists were clenched in barely suppressed rage.

"Don't worry, Reidan," he said in a low voice. "You will be compensated for this."

Reidan came from the lands to the north-west, where his father had a prosperous holding in the wide fertile lands along the river. It seemed that they had prepared for Threadfall as usual. The Holder had had his herdsmen drive the beasts into stone-built barns and made sure all of his people were indoors. They had closed the shutters, barred the doors, and waited for Fall.

The hold building was two stories high, with the ground floor being taken up by the kitchens and a large common room, while upstairs were bedrooms and a storeroom. Everyone gathered in the common room to wait out the Fall, and the mood was cheerful and rowdy as they sang ballads along with the harper, played cards and prepared the ground crew's gear. Even above the noise, though, they heard the wet, heavy /thump/ as _something_ struck the roof of the hold with great force.

A woman screamed and silence fell, Reidan's father holding up his hand for quiet. They waited. Then heard another /thump/, accompanied by gasps and muffled cries. And another.

The end of Fall came and went, but no-one wanted to venture outside. In the end, Reidan and a friend went into his father's bedroom, barred the wooden door with a spare metal shutter, and undid the fastenings on the window shutters. While his friend aimed a flamethrower with trembling hands, Reidan had closed his eyes, muttered a quick curse to his own foolhardiness and pushed open the shutters. Hearing his friend's gasp, he opened his eyes and looked out at the devastation.

The Hold's strict adherence to keeping the ground adjoining it clear of greenery had saved them. The Thread that had fallen on the stone roof and the barren, stony ground that surrounded it had quickly perished for lack of matter to feed on. Desiccated grey shells and ash lay on the gravel and on the hold's roof. But it was not the dead Thread that they stared at.

Out in the little copse of trees, where they cut wood for sale and for fires, they caught a glimpse of sickly greenish-grey tendrils, as one by one the trees crumpled and were consumed.

The ground crews destroyed all of the Thread they could before their agenothree tanks ran out, but that was not enough to save the trees, nor the outlying fields where Thread had burrowed. These fields would be poisoned if the Threads were not seared out within days. All they had left was a little pasture to feed the herdbeasts and no more. Without help, Reidan's family would be ruined.

Enrizial instructed ground crews to leave with fresh agenothree tanks and flamethrowers to do what they could to destroy the burrows, though he suspected that in the wilder areas it would take dragons to root them out. He reassured Reidan that Emerald Falls would assist them in every way to rebuild their livelihood. Then he sat down to write a letter to the Weyr.

***

To the Weyrleaders of Dolphin Cove

It has come to my attention that you have failed to protect Emerald Falls from Thread. My holders have suffered greatly from burrows and infestations from the Fall on the first of this month - too many for us to destroy alone. As this happened towards the end of Fall, I can only assume that your riders decided to return to safety early, leaving my lands entirely unprotected.

You often talk of 'duty' and the 'sacrifice' you make for the simple holders of this world when demanding the best of our goods, our beasts and crops, and our young people to be consumed by the Weyr. Since in this Fall that duty clearly has not been carried out, I do not intend to give anything to the Weyr this month. The tithes will be used to compensate the holders who have suffered due to your neglect.

Enrizial
Lord Holder of Emerald Falls

***

"That incompetent, greedy, self-serving, inbred little _bastard_!"

T'moran crumpled the letter from Lord Enrizial in one hand and hurled it at the wall with an oath that surprised even his dragon. The acting Weyrleader was not usually one given to foul language and fits of temper, but the gall of the Lord of Emerald Falls was such that he was hard pressed not to march out to his dragon, fly to the Hold and strangle the lordling with his bare hands.

"Does he offer help? Herbs? Healers?" he raged, slamming a hand down on the desk. "Not even the slightest shred of sympathy or regret for the riders who _died_ in that Fall trying to protect his ignorant carcass - who've been protecting him for nearly three Turns now, not that he ever gives us a word of thanks!

Haldarth was trying to calm him with soothing thoughts and he didn't _want_ to calm down. "No wonder his holders threw him out. I wish they'd do it again - preferably out of a top-floor window!"

}: Forget him, :{ the bronze dragon advised, clearly rattled by his rider's anger and hatred. Not even Moriath's rider had infuriated T'moran to such an extent, and he did not like it! }: We have a job to do. :{

"You're right." T'moran took out a scrap of hide - one which had been well-used and scraped almost to shreds - and scrawled a quick note for the Lordling. That ought to teach the scrawny little whersport what his place was. It was a calculated insult, but just at the moment he didn't care in the least.

***

Lord Enrizial,

Your complaint has been noted and will be dealt with in due course. Meanwhile, we will expect your tithe at the usual time.

T'moran, Weyrleader

Last updated on the September 7th 2005

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