A Great Idea

Writers: Clancey, Chelle
Date Posted: 4th January 2012

Characters: Felyna, Sarban
Description: Sarban asks the Lady Holder if she knows any ladies perfect for the job.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 5, day 5 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: Corowal, Morin, Lisadi, Erilite, Erassa

Felyna

He'd sent word to the Lady Holder that he'd like to speak with her at her
convenience. Sarban knew Felyna had duties, so he would let her get to it
on her time. He had other things to do in the meantime.

She did, indeed, have duties.

At a break, perhaps a candlemark before lunch, she stopped in to check the
children, hard at their lessons, and then stopped in the kitchens as well.
She asked one of the girls to fix a lunch basket for Corowal that she'd
come back and get after meeting with Sarban. Her husband had no doubt
forgotten to eat again, and she wanted to speak with him, anyway.

But before that could happen - and her smile turned mysterious as she
walked toward Sarban's office - she would meet with the Steward and see
what help she could be to him.

So it was perhaps two candlemarks after the request had come to meet him
that she finally arrived at his office, but she knew if it had been
critical, his message would have said.

She knocked once. "Sarban, it's Felyna, come at last."

"Please come in, mlady." He stood up and immediately poured her a drink and
set out what small food he did have. She might have eaten, but something to
nibble on when you were always on your feet was a good idea in his book.
"Get settled and we'll talk."

"Very gracious Sarban." She smiled briefly at the Steward. They hadn't
always gotten along, but that seemed to be behind them for the moment.
"Thank you." She seated herself in the chair across from his and took a
drink, then nodded. "Something tells me you're up to something..." Her
smile returned. "After the smashing success of Corowal's birthingday, I
cannot wait to hear your next idea."

"Well..your husband and I were talking and it seems to us we need to know
just what the Lord Morin is doing. All of our settlers who would normally
come down the river haven't been coming as often. He's been flourishing up
there on the coast as they come in, it seems. So, I'm thinking the man will
be in need of a Lady Holder to be running things soon. Do we know any good
Emerald Falls women to be putting to him?" His eyes held a hint of
something shrewd that he shared with Corowal.

She noticed his eyes and marked it mentally for future reference, but spent
a few moments considering his request."Very clever. I should have thought
of it, given my habit of meddling in romance. But.. hmm.. likely girls..."
She thought for a little longer. "Perhaps one or two. There is a young
woman being fostered here, about 20 turns, who is in need of a husband. "
She added Erassa to the list in her mind and wished she could ship her off
to Morin to be married. It would be good for everyone involved.

With a sigh for the futility of that thought, she nodded. "There are one or
two others if you don't look too close at their Bloodlines. Lovely girls,
all, and loyal to _me_." She emphasized that with an echo of his same
shrewdness. She knew how to keep the staff on her side, and for the most
part, she genuinely enjoyed them as people too.

"They have a gather planned to introduce his Hold. Whatever girls we think
suitable, we have to get them prepared by then and them get them there."
Sarban looked down at his desk, tapping his fingers. "So if they need
clothes or anything, arrangements will have to be made now."

Her eyebrow arched just slightly. She could have them outfitted and on
their way in just a couple of days. Harder would be coming up with a reason
to send them to the Hold to stay. The Gather was easily explained. But to
stay? Her own slender fingers tapped in an echo of his. "Is Morin open to a
few girls staying at his hold, or are we to assume they will be so lovely
he will want them to stay with no invitation?"

"We're open to the latter since it'll be easier, but the first part-I have
a few friends in the seacraft that would be able to house a few ladies in
their cothold." Sarban hadn't mentioned Corowal's name at all. This would
be a favor to him so if Morin suspected anything, it wouldn't be traceable
back to the Lord Holder in any way.

Felyna nodded at that, thinking it through for a moment. "I think it will
be better if Corowal and I, and you and your lady too, if you are so
inclined, Sarban, go with the girls we choose to the Gather. 'Welcoming him
into the family' so to speak. Then, perhaps we can direct the flow of
events so the girls catch our good Morin's eye. At least -one- of them,
anyway." Her lips quirked in a half-smile. "After all, that is why my
mother sent my sister and I here to Emerald Falls, in the hopes we'd catch
Corowal's eye. And look how that turned out."

Her smile bloomed for a moment, then she nodded. "Let's send Amarylli and
Pacia to him, and see where it ends. He may know them for spies and spurn
them from the beginning, but one never knows unless one tries. Ah.. and
there is also my Lord's baseborn daughter, Erilite, though her inability to
speak proves a bit of a trial. It would seem quite the thing if we offered
her to foster to his hold." And, it would get her out of Emerald Falls, she
didn't say aloud.

"That one recently came into his household, so I don't know how Corowal
would feel about sending her off, given her disability. She will need to be
fostered though, I think, once her training as a lady is finished." He
remembered how that one had seemed when she'd come. Sarban couldn't
understand such a thing. "You can ask though and see what he thinks of the
idea though there would no other Blood there for her to hope to marry. The
rest....if both of you are gone, I will need to be here to see to things."
Sarban personally didn't like socializing anyway.

Felyna nodded again, considering. "Well then, perhaps Corowal and I will
take the children along for a family outing. I'll ask him if he would like
to do that, and it would make it all seem more plausible that the girls
stay." She smiled at the Steward, tapping her fingers eagerly. Maybe they
could leave Erassa at home with her son.... Out loud she said, "Corowal is
lucky to have such a fine Steward. Thank you for your care of him, and of
Emerald Falls."

"He gave my mother and I a home so I owe him. Besides, blood is thicker
than anything else." Certainly the Hold tradition was usually to give
higher positions to family and it was easy to understand why. Sarban,
though, was the easygoing careful foil to Corowal's sly ambition. The
relationship worked well and he didn't mind being his cousin's eyes and
ears when he needed to be. "You can make those arrangements with the girls
and the trip and I'll take care of things here."

"I will begin right away. I always love an excuse to play with pretty
clothes. Thank you Sarban. I'll keep in touch on the arrangements. Anything
else?"

"Not that I can think of, just yet. The matter of the wedding can be
discussed after we get this handled." There was no rush and he knew that
there wasn't much to be taken care of regarding that anyway. His wedding
would never be a grand production and he wanted it not to be.

Felyna grinned delightedly at the thought of planning Sarban's wedding. If
he would LET her!

Instead, though, she nodded and stood. "Very well. I'll see to the girls
getting ready to go. Thank you Sarban, this is a good idea."

Last updated on the January 12th 2012

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A Great Idea