So Understanding

Writers: AL, Jane
Date Posted: 15th May 2008

Characters: Zathris, Zandreu
Description: Zathris goes to the Tavern and meets Zandreu for the first time.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 9, day 22 of Turn 4

Zathris

Blizzard the day before, sunshine today. As he stood on the steps of the Vintner Hall's Tavern surveying the scene Zandreu narrowed his eyes against the sunlight on snow and pushed his hands further into the pockets on his coat. There wasn't much wind, but the faint breeze was as bitterly cold as the sunshine on his face was hot.

What a place! He looked out over the paved courtyards behind the main Hall building and admired the scurrying to and fro of the apprentices as they started their day and he smiled. It had been decades ago that he had been an apprentice but he supposed little had changed.

He glanced the other way, looking past the snowy road and out over the river. The river access must be a boon to the Hall, he thought absently, and to the Hold, of course.

His silent survey of the view narrowed as he realised somebody had turned off the road and was walking toward the Tavern. He could, perhaps, be cutting through the Tavern's courtyard to the main Hall buildings, but few people did. The new Tavern Master straightened up and waited to see if the other man would pass by.

He did not pass by, as it happened. Zathris made his way directly to the Tavern with a purposeful stride. An awful lot of paperwork had coming back. Some of it were announcements that honestly should have been spread through the Tavern. Some of the paperwork contained mistakes - mistakes that really shouldn't have been made. The name on the paperwork was unfamiliar as well, so Zathris took the morning to head to the Tavern to meet the evidently new Tavernmaster and, hopefully, correct some of the mistakes that had been made.

"Good morning," Zandreu said with a nod for the other man. "Can I help you?"

"Good morning and well met." Zathris shot the man a friendly smile.
"Yes, I'm looking for the new Tavern Master. Do you happen to know if he's available and where I can find him?"

"You've found him," the older man said. "I'm Zandreu."

"All, well met." Zathris offered Zandreu his hand in greeting. "I'm Zathris, an Assistant Steward."

"A pleasure to meet you. Would you like to go inside?"

"Certainly." Zathris had visited the tavern rather recently, though he hadn't had the chance to meet the new Master. "There are some things I'd like to go over with you, and a more comfortable setting would be pleasant."

"We can use my office, if you like," Zandreu said, stepping up to the unlocked portion of the double doors and holding it open for the other man to precede him, "though usually I work out in the dining area where I can keep an eye on things."

"That would be fine." Zathris made a gesture in thanks, then moved through the doorway. "There's nothing really confidential, so if you prefer, we can sit in the dining area."

"Over to the left there - where all the papers are."

"I see you've been busy." Zathris eyed the mound appreciatively, then looked at the few that he had in his hand. "Hopefully this won't add too much to your pile."

"This is just for today," Zandreu said with a sigh. "The rest is scattered around the office, but I will get through it. What have you got there?"

"Well, there were just a couple of figures that I wasn't too sure about." Zathris handed the papers over to the Tavern Master. "And I had to admit, I was also rather curious about this Zandreu fellow."

"Ahh. I suppose you would be. I'm minding the place until Bhervehan's back. What was the problem with the figures?" the master vintner asked as he cleared a space on the table so that he and the younger man could both see the papers the other carried.

"Are you sure that should be a thousand?" Zathris asked as he took a seat, then pointed out the figure in question. "It seems to me there's an extra zero."

Zandreu smiled. "It does seem to be a big increase, doesn't it?
Perhaps that one was wrong. Shall I just cross it out?"

"Well, do you have records of the purchase?" Zathris suggested, his eye travelling to the other mound that lay before them. "We should reference it to see if we can find an accurate account."

"You're welcome to try. Since Bhervehan had to go away people have just been piling the papers and hides in his office. I'm just sorting as much as I can and getting it on its way."

"I see." Zathris rubbed his chin as he eyed the stack once again.
"Did he not have any sort of organisational system?"

"Oh _he_ did, and I must say things in nearly every area have continued to run smoothly without him. But _not_ the hidework." Zandreu shrugged.
"I'll get through it eventually, though I thought it best to get some of the things back to the Hold sooner rather than later in case people were waiting on them."

"Is there anyone in the Tavern who could help sort through these things?" Zathris suggested, his hand waving over the mound. "It's a lot for one man to take up by himself."

"They all have their jobs, but I suppose I could ask if there's anybody at the Hall that could be spared."

"I think it would be useful to you." Zathris hoped Zandreu wasn't thinking that he wanted to tell him what to do. It just seemed like a lot of paperwork for one person, and having a helper would probably ease the stress as well as lower the incidence of mistakes. "You shouldn't have to tackle this all alone."

"Well, there's a lot of things in life one shouldn't have to do, but that's not always the way things turn out. But I will get some help, if only to spare you the trouble of running backwards and forwards sorting out my mistakes."

Zathris laughed, shaking his head. "Well, to be honest, I could have just sent it back. It was more a distinct curiosity that drove me here in person. That and a need to get out. Things have been rather stressful, and this provided a nice walk and some fresh air."

"It's a beautiful spot for the Hold," Zandreu said in agreement, since he wasn't sure that tramping around in snow would be his idea of 'a nice walk', but perhaps his attitudes would change if he stayed at Amber Hills Hold for a while.

"I'll be bringing my wife down here soon." Zathris admitted, his gaze wandering around the room. "I think she'll like it. She's not as keen on the cold weather, though, so it will probably have to wait until it's more mild."

"It's always warm inside here, if she's prepared to bundle up for the walk."

"Perhaps. We'll see." Zathris grinned, then motioned to the paperwork that he still held. "Do you want me to leave this with you so you can find the files and correct it?"

"Honestly? No," the older man admitted. "But you'd better - and I will."

"Well, none of this is too terribly urgent. I just need it within the next three sevendays." Zathris informed him as he set down the paperwork before the man. He felt sorry for him, taking up where the other had left off and who had left so much for him to do right as he had come into the situation. "Get yourself some help - you don't want to burn yourself out."

"I've burned myself out more times than I care to remember," Zandreu said, looking at the pile of papers with a sigh. "But I won't do it again over papers." He got to his feet. "Thank you for returning them
- and being so understanding."

"No problem." Zathris pushed out his chair and stood. "And it was nice meeting you. I shall see you again, I'm sure."

"I look forward to it," the Tavern Master murmured.

Last updated on the May 18th 2008

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