Records

Writers: Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 15th November 2006

Characters: Corowal, Almonteo
Description: Corowal has a little historical something he needs the Harper Hall's help with
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 1, day 10 of Turn 4

Almonteo

"My thanks to you, rider. This probably takes few candlemarks," Corowal thanked the dragonrider that had given him lift to the Harper Hall. The steward took off his thick jacket he had worn during the flight, gave his tunic a tug and run his fingers thru his hair. It has a curious shade that was not exactly auburn, but almost, shot with grey. He felt like the grey hairs had increased since Ofelia's death. Before leaving Emerald Falls, he had spent few moments studying the paintings of the Lords of the Hold. The family resemblance was there, he knew, and man like harper hallmaster wouldn't miss it. Especially when he was dressed in hold's colour.

Corowal entered the hall, found the hallmaster's office and knocked. He was bit early for their meeting.

Almonteo had just pulled down his pipe from the shelf and hoped to spend a spare moment cleaning it. It felt like it had been Turns since he had a chance to even crack the case open, and he just wanted to enjoy the feel of it in his hand if nothing else. He sighed as he ran a finger along the keys. It sounded like he wasn't going to be able to so much as pull it out of the case. Again. Such was the life of a Hallmaster, it seemed. Closing the case he called "Yes? Come in!"

"Greetings. I'm Corowal, Emerald Fall Hold's Steward. We had a meeting scheduled," Corowal greeted with his most charming manner. "I know I'm early," he apologized.

**A bit...** "That's quite all right, Steward. As you see, I was doing nothing important." Silent sigh. "I am Hallmaster Almonteo," the harper reached his hand out in greeting.

"I'm pleased to meet you, sir," Corowal replied with firm shake of hands.

"Please, have a seat and tell me how things are at Emerald Falls these days." Of course the Hallmaster had already heard rumors, but he was curious how the man would reply to such a polite and casual question.

"Badly," Corowal said bluntly. "The hold is suffering without proper leadership."

"Ah. Yes, it is unfortunate. How is Lord Enrizial doing?" Almonteo knew several people in the Hall who figured the Lord was getting what he deserved, but the Hallmaster would not wish loosing his family on any man. He almost experienced that once himself. He was certain he would have gone a little nuts as well.

"He is declining," Corowal said with sad voice. He did feel pity for him, he had been thru lot, too much.

"I am sorry to hear that," the Hallmaster nodded in all sincerity. "And I'm sure it puts an unfair burden on your shoulders, and especially at this time. I was very sorry to hear about your wife."

"Thank you, hallmaster," Corowal said.

"And how is it that I can help you?" Almonteo asked curiously. "I need a complete and untampered family record of Emerald Fall Hold's Blood. I'm sure you your hall has one," Corowal said.

"Of course," Almonteo nodded. "May I ask you reasons? Of course, the records you ask for are available to the public, but I am curious."

"Well, the records in Emerald Falls have been tampered with and I need to prove my birth," Corowal replied.

"Tampered with?" Almonteo asked, eyebrows raised? He had heard there had been some tampering to cover over the ages of a few young women, but he was not aware of people disappearing all together. "Why would your name have been tampered with?"

"My grandfather, Old Lord Dariel, didn't approve my father's choise of wife. I have my birthcertificate and the marriage certificate written by the harper who wed them. But I want to be sure there's no room for doupts."

"I see. And you have those documents with you?" Not that he doubted the man, but just in case something happened to be amiss...

"Of course," Corowal grinned and pulled careful two old hides from his bag. Both were bit faded by time. He handed them to the hallmaster.

Almonteo carefully unrolled them and read the documents thoroughly.
"Yes, we should have exact copies of these in our records that you could compare them too, if nothing else."

"Good," Corowal said.

"Well, let's go see what our Records have to say about you, Corowal," the Hallmaster smiled as he stood to his feet. He could already guess as the what the Steward had in mind. He'd like to walk the man to the archives and get a better feel for him before formed any real opinion of his intentions...

Corowal stood up too and followed him to the achieves.
"So, where to start?" he asked, watching the shelf rows of records. "Well, we start by asking one of the archivests to help," the Hallmaster said with a knowing smile. "Not even _I_ am allowed to brows through the more important pieces of the collection without at least a journeyman watching my every move. Archivists really are an odd bunch."

The Hallmaster waved over the first journeyman he say. "Pactom, this is Steward Corowal of Emerald Falls Hold. He is looking for some documents and he would like your help finding them. Please give him whatever he needs."

"Yes, sir. Of course," the journeyman nodded. Turning to the Steward he asked, "What documents will you need to see today, sir?"

"The family records of the Lord Holder's of Emerald Falls," Corowal told him.

"Births, deaths and marriages?"

"The whole nine yard, let's say about fifty-fifty five turns back from now." The steward didn't need the whole history of the hold. Just the recent one.

"If you would have a seat, I will find those for you." Pactom indicated the small tables with glowbaskets suspended over them.

Corowal took the indicated seat.

The Hallmaster accompanied him to the sitting area. "He will just be a moment. These archivists seem to have all the Records memorized. He'll know exactly what you need."

Corowal nodded. "My wife was like that too. She had memorized whole liberary of the Coral Bay hold," he remarked with longing tone.

"An avid reader, was she?" Almonteo asked gently, prodding him to talk about anything he wished. He honestly couldn't understand how Corowal could still be so ambitious. If it had been Carmora that had died, Almonteo was sure he would have wanted to curled into a little ball and died right along with her.

"Yes, and the most intelligent person I've ever met. Too bad she was female, she would had made a good harper, or steward," Corowal said.

"But not a good wife," the Hallmaster pointed out with an understanding smile.

"Steward Corowal, here are the Records you requested." The journeyman laid a folder of hides in front of him.

"Actually, she was very good wife, when she didn't get lost to the book-world. Thank you journeyman," Corowal replied and received the hides.

Almonteo nodded to the journeyman to excuse him. He melted back against the bookcase, giving them their space, and yet hovering protectively close by his precious hides. "Is this what you need then?" the Hallmaster asked.

"Yes, perfect. Can I have copy of it?" Corowal asked after he had examined it.

"Of course," the Hallmaster nodded. "May I see? Did it prove what you were hoping?"

"Yes. There seem to be couple other family branches that's been omitted from Emerald Fall's records," Corowal remarked. A bastard or two he hadn't been aware of...

"Interesting." The Hallmaster decided to have a copy made for himself to study... "Would you allow us to make copies of the Emerald Falls records? Just to see who was omitted?"

"Certainly," Corowal promised.

Well, this would be interesting, and he would have to hear what the archivists have to say about these doctored records...

Last updated on the November 19th 2006

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