Glad To Serve

Writers: Clancey, Estelle
Date Posted: 13th September 2005

Characters: Enrizial, Felyna
Description: Enrizial asks Felyna to supervise the Hold's ladies while Anaia is gone
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 8, day 5 of Turn 3

Felyna

Enrizial tried to stir himself to seem a little more Lordly when the
guardsman announced Lady Felyna. Bad enough that he'd looked dishevelled and
exhausted for the Headwoman, but Felyna was a lady of good birth. It was his
duty at least to act the gentleman despite the dull ache in his heart.

He straightened his tunic and shirt as best he could and smoothed down his
hair, which stuck up in odd directions since he'd run his fingers through it
so many times. "I've been expecting the lady - please show her in."

The summons had surprised her, though not terribly. She had taken great
care with her appearance and now her winsome smile was fastened on the
guardsman as he showed her into Lord Enrizial's presence.

Clad in a lovely gown of blue, with a bodice just low enough to be
attractive without losing the proper look, the blond young woman curtsied
gracefully to her Lord. "My Lord sent for me? I am most eager to serve
however useful you might find my small help."

"My lady." Enrizial bowed in his turn and drew up a chair for her. "Thank
you for coming. I'm afraid I've summoned you to ask you to take on a great
responsibility - a heavy one for a young lady. Of course, you may decline if
you wish."

Delicate eyes widened as she settled very gently into the chair he drew up
for her, every inch the proper Pern Lady. "I will always come when my Lord
calls, have no fear for that, En... my Lord." She finished, blushing at her
near slip of calling him by _name_!

Mortified for a moment, she went on. "Whatever it is you wish for me to do,
I will do with a glad heart. My Father sent me here to serve you, and tis
my duty to do so, no matter the tasks you set me to, my Lord. I shall be
glad to help you." She finished quite warmly, smiling up at him, though her
cheeks still tinged quite red.

"Thank you, my lady." At least someone in this Hold was willing to simply
obey him without struggle and protest, Enrizial thought bitterly. "I regret
to say that the reason for my asking is rather grave. Lady Anaia is to leave
Emerald Falls and return to her family home. I do not know exactly when she
will be returning, but she may be absent for a long while and I need her
duties to be taken care of while she is gone."

Hiding her crow of success was very difficult. She'd heard a rumor, of
course, that he'd sent Anaia away for good, though no one had the bad
manners to actually discuss it in the women's quarters. Instead, she put on
a mask of genuine disappointment, and perhaps she was somewhat disappointed
that the man was obviously so distressed over the situation. "Oh my Lord! I
am so sorry to hear such sad news."

Her hands crossed in her lap then as she looked up at him. "Me, my Lord?
Take over the duties? Why, I should be honored, if you truly think me
capable of such things." She didn't say it was what she'd trained for all
her life, and she would no doubt be wonderful at the job. "Are you
certain?"

"I thought of you first, my Lady." Enrizial managed a smile, though it
didn't quite reach his eyes. "Please accept my heartfelt thanks for your
help at this...difficult time. I've asked Headwoman Fayne to cover Lady
Anaia's household duties for the time being - supervising the drudges,
checking the storerooms and the laundry and so on - so all you need do is
supervise the Ladies' Quarters and the fosterlings and make sure they are
well behaved and usefully occupied. However, I'm sure Fayne will appreciate
any help you can offer her if you can spare a moment."

Pleased beyond belief, her cheeks colored a bit more and she smiled warmly
at him. She noticed his lingering sadness, and for a few heartbeats, she
was just a woman, looking at a man who badly needed comfort of some kind.
The calculating desire to be Lady of this Hold vanished in the pure and
simple need to help him. It was that tone which colored her voice as she
responded, "I will be most able to do those things my Lord. I spend quite a
bit of time with the fosterlings already, and much of my time with the other
Ladies. You need have no worries that I will help anyone escape their proper
place."

She paused, unsure if she should have been that bold, but went on quickly.
"And I will be most glad to lend Fayne a hand. I have nothing but time to
tend to My Lord's Hold, and it is what I was trained to do."

"Of course." She was a lady of good birth, after all; her mother would have
taught her how to run a hold. Enrizial thought, with a little envy, that
some day soon she would make some fortunate man a very good wife. For now,
it would be a useful experience for her to carry out his wife's duties
until...until when, he didn't know. "I...I do hope this situation will not
last for long, Lady Felyna. It seems hardly fair that you come here as a
guest, only to have duties thrust upon you."

Felyna smiled at that and shook her head. "Nonsense, my Lord. I was not
sent here solely as a guest, if you'll remember." He probably did not
remember that she was sent her to _be_ his wife, some time ago. "But for
however long you need me, or until my Father finds a suitable husband for
me, I shall be glad to serve you - very glad, in fact." She added in a
softer voice, her eyes cast demurely away from his. For all that her
entire being longed to be a Lady Holder, she still found Enrizial attractive
as a man, never mind what being his wife might mean.

"Your generosity does you credit, my Lady." Enrizial stood and offered her
his hand to help her to her feet. "I hope that your new duties will not
prevent you bringing me tea from time to time, as you did before? Those
visits have been a great relief to me over the past few days."

Felyna took his hand in her own, her fingers soft and smooth, a Lady's
hands, against his own. She would go to great lengths to make herself
indispensable to this man - great lengths. Her smile was warm as she
glanced up at him, judging the timing right to be a trifle more daring. "I
promise I will still bring you tea, my Lord. I have enjoyed what small role
I play in easing your day to day burdens. I would not miss those moments
for all of Pern." A warm chuckle - was she actually flirting?

"Really?" He sounded startled, having in the last few hours forced himself
to accept the fact that no-one would ever so much as like him, let alone
wish to be in his presence. As Lord Holder, it was not his job to be liked.
"It's kind of you to say so, my Lady. There are so few who seem to
understand me."

"Oh, I'm not sure I would go so far as to say I understand _you_ , my Lord.
But I certainly do enjoy the trying of it. I am at your service, as ever. "
She curtsied deeply, certain that if she was as bold as she _wished_ to be,
he'd chase her away from him forever.

Last updated on the September 13th 2005

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Glad To Serve