Things To Come

Writers: Chelle, Eimi
Date Posted: 27th March 2010

Characters: Almonteo, Sarban
Description: Almonteo stops by to see the Steward and feel him out on the Hall's future.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 8, day 13 of Turn 5
Notes: Mentioned: Corowal, Zandan

Almonteo

The Hallmaster continued his little walk through the halls of
Emerald Falls. He was determined to learn something of this Hold that
would be their new neighbors other than "Those were the people who burnt
our Hall down". Almonteo was eager to put their past grievances behind
them, but in order to do that, he needed to understand these people
better.

Turning a corner, he was a little surprised to find the door to the
Steward's office. **Well,** he thought, **let's just see if Sarban is
in!**

The former seacrafter was actually making sure that his ledgers matched
the manifests he'd received from the traders and tithe train. It was
imperative especially since they had more residents thanks to the recent
fire.

When the Hallmaster knocked and peeked his head in the door, he saw the
Steward hard at work. "Oh, I'm sorry, is this a bad time?"

"Master? Oh..no. Please have a seat." He shuffled one of the open
ledgers around, making an empty space.

"Thank you," the Hallmaster smiled. "You must be busy, after that fire
and all."

"Certainly. So..what can I do for you?" He dropped what he was doing,
giving the man his undivided attention.

"I'm just making a round of the Hold," the Hallmaster shrugged. It
wasn't as if he were on any particular mission. "If we are to be
neighbors, I think it is important that we get to know each other.
Don't you agree?"

"Aye sure." Even when he had been a crafter, he'd never been a proper
part of a hall, having been at sea. Sarban didn't understand how
things were going to work just yet.

"So tell me, how long have you been in Emerald Falls?" Of course what
the Hallmaster really wanted to know was if the man had been there when
their Hall had been burnt down by angry Holder, but coming out directly
to ask such a question didn't seem politic.

"Since the Lord Holder invited me here. It's been some turns now."
Sarban scratched his chin for a bit, trying to remember how long ago it
had been. He came up short, though. "I was a sailor before."

"Indeed?" That was a surprise! It piqued the Harper's curiosity even
more. "How is it you came to be a Steward then?"

"Came here to tend Mother. Lord Holder gave me a job as Understeward.
Well, time went by and Mother passed. I kept at it, not knowing what
else to do and here I am." He shrugged, not really understanding it
himself.

"Don't you miss your life on the sea?" Though they were close to a
major river, Almonteo knew the Steward would probably rarely see the sea
now.

"Sometimes. I'd be lyin' if I said I didn't." He smiled, thinking of
how carefree he had been, going from place to place. "But a grown
man needs to put down roots."

Roots, eh? "Ah, you are married then?"

"Not yet. Haven't found the right lady." Sarban became aware that he
was answering all the questions. "What about you?"

"I am married. For forty turns or so. Four children." The Hallmaster
assumed that was what he wanted to know. "So you are from Emerald Falls
originally then?"

"Ah no. Lived near the Seacrafters' Hall." Sarban remembered the days
at the cothold. He almost smiled. It had been some time since he'd seen
his siblings. "Congratulations."

Almonteo was a little surprised. "For what?"

"Your wife and children." The Steward wondered if he'd have children. If
Corowal had his way, he was sure he'd have someone pregnant by the end
of the turn.

"Oh." The harper chuckled. "Thank you. But really, my wife deserves
all the credit. On both counts."

"And where are you from then, Master?" Sarban wouldn't call him by his
name until he was given permission.

The Hallmaster waved his hand apologetically, "A place so small you'd
never have heard of it. It's on the other side of the world and nowhere
near a port, I'm afraid. I was trained at the main Southern Hall,
though. That's where I spent a great deal of my life."

"Hmmm. So tell me, why leave the Weyr to come here?" Curious, Sarban
wondered just what answer the harper would give.

"Because a Weyr is not meant to house a Hall. And the Harpers'
ancestral home is here," the Hallmaster answered simply. It had never
been their intention to leave Emerald Falls. If those Holders hadn't
been so angry over the change in the female policy, angry enough to burn
their Hall down with all sleeping inside it, they would have _still_
been here.

"Well we welcome you back. Hopefully, everything will settle." He knew
just how much the construction was costing the Hold. He didn't want that
to be for nothing.

"That is our hope, and we have your Lord Holder's reassurance." What
Almonteo was wondering now was on which side the Steward fell on this
issue. "Do you think we have anything to be nervous about coming back
to the Hold, Sarban?"

"I don't think so." The Holders would follow Corowal's lead. They had no
choice and besides, Sarban knew they had bigger things to worry about
besides the harpers. They still didn't know who had killed Barric and
they had to replace him with someone.

Not exactly reassuring. "And how do _you_ feel about having a whole
Hall full of Harpers next door?"

"It'll be beneficial for the Hold to have a craft hall again. Not to
mention make my life easier when it comes to needing harper support."
Sarban held no enmity for the harpers and he didn't really understand
Almonteo's question.

"Well, that will be true," the Hallmaster nodded. "How do you think the
people feel about having female apprentices in their midst? Do you
think they will be able to accept them? Or do you anticipate trouble
there?"

"There may be at first, especially if it's blatant. People are used to
girls singing. There have always been girls doing voice lessons or
whatever. It's when they start..doing other things that I believe the
problems arise." Sarban was a bit of a traditionalist himself, but he
had promised to follow what Corowal wanted.

"What kind of problems do you foresee? No violent retaliation, I hope."
Though that fear was in the back of the Hallmaster's mind.

"I really don't know, Master. It could be a lot of things. Do I think it
will be violent? No. Not after what the people here just went through.
Could there be small incidents? You bet." It was in the daily living
that things would arise. However, if the hall were separated from the
Hold as they built it, it'd make it easier. Less interaction would help things.

"May I ask what the Hold is doing to prepare in case of such...
incidents?" The Hallmaster knew that it was unavoidable, and would have
to take his own steps to insure his people's safety. He just wanted to
be sure the Hold also was preparing itself.

"Our guard captain is fully aware and he's asked his staff to be on full
alert. We've also spoken between those of us to watch our staff. We're
going to try and nip everything in the bud before it turns into
something serious." They'd had a staff meeting and discussed it.

That brought a smile to Almonteo's lips. He was glad to hear that they
were taking this as seriously as he was. "Thank you. That puts my mind
at ease. And now," he stood back up to his feet, "I am afraid I have
taken up too much of your time. I'm sure you are very busy."

"Mmm.. plenty of temporary residents until we either build another minor
hold or send them elsewhere." Sarban frowned, thinking about the ongoing
problem.

And his Hall was tying up most of their builders, Almonteo was sure. He
did not envy their situation. "Yes, well, I will leave you to it.
Thank you for your time, Sarban."

"Good day to you Master." Thinking he might have a bit of uninterrupted
time to go over things, he nodded to himself.

Last updated on the May 3rd 2010

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