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Writers: Estelle, Paula
Date Posted: 1st August 2005

Characters: Enriline, Lymria
Description: Enriline welcomes Lymria to Amethyst Cliff Hold.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 7, day 1 of Turn 3

With so many preparations to be made before winter began in earnest, Enriline found she barely had a moment to stand still, let alone reflect on how greatly her life had changed in the past half-Turn. As each day passed, she wondered if it could possibly get any colder in Amethyst Cliff than it already was! The holders only smiled at her and told her this was merely "chilly" - true cold was when the snow piled up so deep around the Hold that no-one could get in or out!

All this only made her more surprised at the courage of their newest resident, a woman who had traveled from one of the larger mountain holds - with a child, no less! Enriline would have had her doubts about setting foot out of doors in such weather.

"Lymria." She smiled as the woman stepped into her office. "Please, take a seat. I apologies for not making time for you sooner after your arrival, but with all the work of getting in supplies for winter - well, I've been 'snowed under', as you might say! I hope you've found a warm welcome at Amethyst Cliff?"

"Yes, My lady, people here have been most friendly," Lymria answered shyly and curtsied.

"I'm glad to hear it. I trust you've found your quarters comfortable?" Most single women were assigned to share rooms, but since Lymria had a baby she'd been given a room of her own. It would hardly be fair to ask anyone to share with her and be woken in the night if the little one cried!

"Yes, My lady," Lymria answered again. Being around a true born Blood-lady made her rather shy.

"And your child? Is he settling in well?" Enriline asked, with an encouraging smile. She was used to dealing with shy or reticent women from her time at Emerald Falls - at least none of the women here were quiet because they feared a beating.

"Yes, he is. He's so young, he doesn't care where he is as long as I'm there to feed him," Lymria answered. The thought of her son made her smile softly.

"You must meet my daughter, Lindria. She had a little boy of her own almost three months ago now." Now that Lady Anaia was going back to Emerald Falls, she knew her daughter would miss having another young mother to chatter about babies with! "Oh, and should you need any help or advice, one of our nurses will be happy to assist you. They've been quite busy lately with all the births at the Hold!"

"I'll keep that in mind, my lady. Oh, any news if the Licteik-caravan is going to winter here this turn?" Lymria answered and asked. Her family was part of the trader caravan and she hadn't seen them for a quite a while.

"Licteik? I hope so, though I doubt they'll be able to stay long for fear of getting snowed in." Alalir had told her that that Amethyst Cliff became inaccessible to all but dragonriders during the heavy winter snows, and a cautious trader would take his caravan to the warmer lowlands in this season. However, since there were profits to be made by helping to stock up the Hold for the winter months, some were willing to take the risk. "But if they don't make it before the passes close, I'm sure they'll be back in the spring."

"I do hope so. I miss my mother and grandmother," Lymria sighed. Her father she didn't miss that much. He would probably start looking for a new husband for her as soon as he learned she had been widowed.

"I'm sure they'll be here before long," Enriline said comfortingly, having taken the sigh for a young woman's longing for her family. "One thing you can say about traders is that they will always come back eventually! Now, have you found suitable work to do here in the Hold?"

"Not yet, my lady. I've volunteered to help at the infirmary but the healer there appeared...reluctant," Lymria answered.

The Lady Holder frowned. "Well, women aren't usually permitted to work in the Infirmary here. I know it can be different in small holds, where there is no healer on hand and it may be a woman's task to dispense simple remedies, but here we have two good Journeymen and their apprentices who are quite sufficient for our needs. And our midwives usually choose their own successors and train them up...but if that interests you, I could enquire if any of them are in need of an assistant."

"That wouldn't be necessary, My Lady. I can do that myself. Or ask the headwoman where my help would be most needed," Lymria answered, with the dry taste of disappointment in her mouth. There went her for her plan of becoming healer's assistant, out from the window.

"Very well. I do hope you find work that suits you," Enriline said sympathetically. She imagined that the life of a woman in a major Hold must be quite different from that of a trader girl - though she knew which she would prefer. "I'm sure you'll get used to the ways of the Hold very quickly."

"Yes, Lady Enriline," Lymria agreed.

"Good. Then I'll let you go and find the Headwoman," Enriline said, standing. "And I hope Amethyst Cliff will soon become just like a home to you."

"Thank you, My lady. You have been most kind," Lymria answered and with curtsy, left her office.

Last updated on the August 20th 2005

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