River Pirates
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: AL, Eimi
Date Posted: 29th March 2008
Characters: Zathris, Benaroy
Description: Zathris reports an attack on the tithe to Benaroy.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 9, day 1 of Turn 4
Zathris knocked on the door to the Lord Holder's chamber and waited until he was given leave to enter.
He opened the door and went through, closing it behind him. The room was rather dim and it took a moment for his eyes to adjust. When he was able to see well enough to keep from bumping into anything, he approached Benaroy, a paper clutched in his hand.
The young man greeted the older with a smile. "Good morning Lord, Benaroy."
"Yes, what is it?" the Lord Holder muttered, knowing he shouldn't have allowed himself to sleep in. People tended to panic when Benaroy wasn't up as usual. "Tell Zela I'm all right. I just had a late night."
"I'm glad to hear that you're all right." Zathris nodded politely.
"Forgive me for disturbing you, Lord Benaroy, but I have a rather important matter that need your attention."
Benaroy sighed at up, reaching over to partially uncover the glow he used for reading and scrunched his eyes as the light pained his eyes. "Yes, all right, what is it?" So much for sleeping in.
"Actually, sir," Zathris' smile faded as he came to the topic on hand.
"I've just received some bad news." He held out the paper for the Lord to take. "I would have gone to Cyrek, but I thought you should be told first. The tithing train to the weyr was attacked."
"Oh Faranth," the Lord Holder muttered, throwing the covers off and swinging his legs over the side. "Please tell me they had made it out of our own territory."
Zathris shook his head. "Almost, but no. They were attacked just inside the borders while still on the river. I'm sorry to have to bring this news to you so early in the morning, but I didn't feel it could wait."
"River pirates," Benaroy growled. What in Faranth's name were they doing out in winter? The must have figured out a tithing train would be on its way. It was too grand a prize not to risk. "Have you notified our canyon garrison yet?" They had kept a group of guards stationed in the canyon to guard against just such an attack. But the pirates didn't used to be active in winter...
"I sent a message, then came straight to you." Zathris reached up to scratch his head. "I'm surprised they tried at all, considering. They must be pretty desperate."
"More like they figured out how much a tithing train could be worth and decided it more than compensated them for their trouble." Benaroy walked over to his closet and reached in blindly for a tunic. "Did we lose any men?"
"Two, with two more injured, one severely." Zathris sighed. He hated being the bearer of bad news. If he could, he would have spared the Lord Holder, particularly with his health as of late. Benani worried enough about him. This wasn't going to help matters.
"Sharding bastards." The Lord Holder would visit their families personally later and inform them. "And they got everything?"
"Pretty much." Zathris looked at the paper that Benaroy had never taken from him. "What they didn't - or I guess, couldn't - take, they threw into the river."
And ruined beyond all hope of recovery no doubt, Benaroy thought bitterly as he pulled on a pair of trousers. "We should ask the Weyr if they could spare a few riders to aid in the search from their air."
After all, this concerned them too.
Zathris nodded gravely, as if he had known that would be one of the things that Benaroy was going to suggest. "I'll send a message. Shall I gather some men to form a search party on the ground?"
"The canyon garrison will push them south. Hopefully we will catch them before they enter our neighbors territory." Though it might not be a bad idea to alert their Lord Holder that a group of pirates with Weyr property might be headed their way.
"I will do that as well. Do you have any other orders for me, Lord Benaroy?" Zathris still needed to tell Cyrek, but he would do that after he dispatched the messages. He felt those should take precedence.
"Yes. Get me the figures on _exactly_ what we have lost. I need to know what we might yet owe the Weyr." This was not what their Hold needed at this point. Hopefully they could track these scoundrals down and reclaim the bulk of their losses. But if they could not...
"Yes sir. I'll get right on it." Zathris turned as if to go, then paused and waited. When he was certain Benaroy wanted nothing else from him, for the moment, he nodded he gave a small bow to Benaroy and then headed out to write those messages. The same thought occurred to Zathris - this was not what the hold needed. Even more, he thought to himself, this was not what Benaroy needed, especially now.
Last updated on the March 29th 2008