A Helping Hand

Writers: Anika, Chelle
Date Posted: 14th November 2014

Characters: Gautrek, R'gelen
Description: Rohagelen gets an unexpected treat when he agrees to lend Gautrek a hand.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 9, day 28 of Turn 7
Notes: NPCs: Geirolf, Geirlene, Geiran

Gautrek

"Whoa, there, Geirolf," the tall Journeyman said not unkindly. He
might have underestimated his nephew's strength a little when having
him help carry the moderately sized trunk to their new cot behind the
Vintner Hall. "Let's set it down for a moment."

"I've got it, Uncle."

"Let's take a short break just the same."

Setting the trunk, down, Gautrek stretched his arms and looked around,
taking a deep breath of cold clear air. It was good to be back at the
Vintner hall, despite the freezing weather. There was so much to do
and he couldn't wait to get started. Of course, first things first,
he had to get himself and the children settled into the small but
comfortable cot provided for those Journeyman with families. He'd
always stayed in the main Hall before but with three children in his
charge that was no longer to be the case. He noted an apprentice
passing close by and waved the curly haired youth over.

"Here, lad, would you mind taking a moment of your restday and helping
a Journeyman out?" He knew the trunk should be no problem at all for the two
boys.

Rohagelen's head came up and he saw the knots and considered. It wouldn't
take too much time and he might as well. Didn't hurt to be in favor
with a journeyman.

"Ah sure..."

"My thanks. I'm Journeyman Gautrek and this is my nephew Geirolf."
The boy indicated gave a wave and a grin.

"Hello. Junior apprentice Rohagelen at your service." That was all he had
but he supposed it was better than nothing. "What do you need?" He surveyed
the situation and quickly surmised what the request would be.

"Well, if the two of you each lift a corner and I this side, I think
we'll make quick work of getting this to the cot, where my dear
Geirlene undoubtedly has some fine pastries awaiting to reward us for
our efforts," the Journeyman said with a grin. As he grabbed his end
of the trunk he asked, "Have you been at the Hall long Rohagelen?"

**Pastries? Oh very good. Just wonder how far this cot is** Lifting his
bit, he waited to start moving. "Well not really. It's been a few months
now, but I've learned a lot." Hopefully that was a good defense of his
teachers.

Waiting just a moment to make sure the boys both had a good hold, the
Journeyman started his progress towards the cots. Their assigned cot
was one of the very first ones, so this wouldn't be a long trek.
"Yes, there is much to absorb right at first. Did you come far to
apprentice here?"

"We have a cothold. Da is a farmer. It was a ways to come to Amber Hills
though. Our cot isn't too far from the farmerhall." Leaving home and coming
so far alone had been hard. Indeed he missed his siblings and his parents
and everything back home. Still, he understood the need to succeed and have
a craft. A craft could sustain a man if he worked hard enough.

"Your family must be quite proud of your ambition," Gautrek said
wondering if he'd noted a flash of homesickness in the boy's eye.
Well if so, it was to be expected in one's first turn as an apprentice.

"We came a long way, too," Geirolf added excitedly. "We lived at the
edge of the sea. Boy it sure is cold here!"

"I've never seen the sea, but yeah it's cold here. Cause of the mountains.
They say that's why the water is so clear though. And the clear water makes
the grapes better." He shrugged, not knowing if it was just supposition or
real craft lore.

"Don't go giving away our craft secrets lad," Gautrek teased with a
chuckle and a wink. "Ah, here we are. This is our cot." Gautrek
kicked the door with one of his feet and after only a brief pause it
swung open allowing the delectable scent of fresh baking to drift out
to envelop the three males.

A girl of fifteen turns with blond curls and rosy cheeks beckoned
them in. "Oh, there you are, come in out of the cold and set it just
there against that wall. "Who's this you've coerced into helping you?"
she asked with a smile.

"This is Junior Apprentice Rohagelen. I told him you would
undoubtedly have some delicious provision for three such harried
workers as ourselves," Gautrek explained drawing a hearty laugh from
the girl. "This is my niece Geirlene, Rohagalen. Quite likely the
finest baker and cook for her age I've ever experienced."

This was an unexpected development though not entirely unpleasant.
Smiling to himself, he immediately took her measure and decided she must
be a nice girl. And that did smell good. He set his part of the trunk down
and wiped his hands on his trousers. "Well met mam."

"Just call me Geirlene," the girl laughed as Gautrek adjusted the
chest to his liking against the wall. "Wash up and have a seat at the
table. I've redfruit turnovers just out of the oven and some tarts
that came out earlier. There's mulled cider to drink."

"Where's Geirlan?" Gautrek queried, finally turning from the trunk.

"He's out getting wood from the woodpile," Geirlene replied setting
plates and cups on the table for the impromptu snack, the platter of
pastries was already there providing a most tasty looking centerpiece.

Geirolf headed for the sink to wash. "It's amazing they have running
water even in the cots!"

Before coming to Amber Hills, he had thought the same thing. It was good
to hear it from others' mouths though. Rohagelen didn't feel like such a
country boy. Heading to the sink, he managed to get his hands clean,
imagining what those turnovers were going to taste like. "Oh yeah. The
Lords here thought why freeze when you don't have to. Course it takes
technicians to keep it goin. And some of them is female. Don't like that, no."

"Really? Female crafters in the Hold?" Geiran asked. He knew Weyrfolk
had female crafters, and he'd heard that some Holds did as well, but
he'd never met one. Of course the Dolphin Hall allowed female
crafters, too, and he'd heard that even the Harper Hall did now.

"Indeed," Gautrek stated blandly, "And as I rather like these
amenities, you shall be nothing but respectful should you meet one,"
he added moving to wash his hands.

"I shouldn't like to take up a Craft myself, unless it was baking, but
I don't see why a girl shouldn't pursue her interests," Geirlene
stated with a shrug, taking her seat.

A breathless boy burst into the room just then, bringing with him a
current of frigid outside air. "You ain't started eatin' the
popovers without me have ya?" he demanded moving quickly to dump his
load of wood by the hearth then hurrying to the table.

"Geirlan! Don't you dare touch a thing until you've washed your
filthy hands," Geirlene lectured.

With a dramatic eye roll the boy moved to do as he was told.

Gautrek took his seat. "Ladies first, Geirlene," he motioned towards
the scrumptious platter then reached for the pitcher of mulled cider.
"And then our guest," he smiled at Rohagelen.

This was a bit more than they ever did at his home. With four children
and his parents and everyone, there was never exactly a sense of order.
Then again, his father was pretty easygoing so that wasn't a problem.
He did wonder at the girl, though. So she thought women could craft eh?
He was in an all-male craft and so was his father so he thought that was
the way of it. Women had enough to do having babies and keeping house.

Once Geirlene and Rohagelen had started them off, there was no
standing on ceremony. The boys each grabbed both a popover and a
tart and devoured them as if they hadn't just had breakfast a couple
of candlemarks before. Geirlene ate daintily and Gautrek savored his
while trying to decide which dessert wine would go best with the treat
if it were to be served in the afternoon.

"Who's he?" Geirlan finally asked around a mouthful of pastry.

"Please chew and swallow before attempting to speak, Geirlan," Gautrek
chided gently, "It would be ashamed to choke on such a delightful
snack. I forgot you had not yet been introduced. This is Junior
Apprentice Rohagelen. He was kind enough to help us carry in a trunk.
This is my other nephew, Geirlan."

The younger boy swallowed, licking a bit of fruit off his lip before
offering his greeting. "Hi. Is there anything fun to do here?"

"Umm yeah sometimes. Me and Corofel usually go to the Hold. When
there's a gather, there's lots." Of course they didn't know who Corofel
was so he just acted like he was another apprentice. "There's more people
there. Here, sometimes we play games, snowball fights, that sort of thing."
He liked the snow surprisingly.

"Gathers are always fun, no matter where you are," Geirolf concurred. "And
I've always wanted to have a snowball fight. "

"Oh, yeah!" Geiran agreed.

"I am sure you boys will have no shortage of adventure here," Gautrek
observed wiping the crumbs from his mouth with a napkin and taking a
swallow of the cider. "As Rohagelen said, there is the Hold as well as the
Hall to explore. Speaking from experience, there is something interesting
and exciting at each and every new place you go."

And right now, that was on his plate. This food was good. He shot a glance
over at the girl again before finishing off his turnover. "Thanks for the food
but I'd better be heading on now. Will certainly see you about I'm sure." He
stood up and waited before going.

"Thank for your help, Rohagelen," Gautrek responded, also standing. "We'll
be seeing you again I know."

Last updated on the November 16th 2014

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A Helping Hand