Leave It at That

Writers: Jane, Miriah
Date Posted: 31st October 2014

Characters: Vestian, Azyn
Description: Vestian finally gets to meet his new Hallsecond.
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 9, day 26 of Turn 7

Vestian

Word spread easily in a Harper Hall, like ink spilling across a desk.

The Harper Hallmaster had arrived back the evening before, and Azyn probably
knew about it within minutes of Vestian's arrival.

This morning, instead of heading for his own office, the master printer headed
went to the Hallmaster's office. He knocked on the open door and walked in.

Vestian looked up and rose, flicking his eyes over the man before offering his
hand. "I got word that you arrived while I was gone. Please, have a seat."

"Thank you." Azyn settled himself on one of the chairs. The Hallmaster was a
younger man than he had expected, but tall and solidly built which possibly
off-set his comparative young age to be leading a Harper Hall.

"So, you've had a chance to look around the Hall and see how we operate. Your
thoughts?" Vestian poured a cup of klah and offered it. "We'll be working
together quite a bit and I'd like you to be candid."

"I've never had much to do with harpers before," the older man admitted, "so I
have a fair bit to learn about your craft and how your training and
specialization works. Do you intend for me to be responsible for the printers
only, or a 'second for the Hall itself?" Azyn didn't particularly mind which as
he was sure there was a good solid job in either role but it would be
interesting to see what the Hallmaster's view was.

"It's for the entire Hall, of course. There has been a separation of the Printer
Hall and the Harper Hall in past history. From past experience, it seems like
Printers have always seen themselves as completely separate. My aim is to
integrate them, make the two Halls a cohesive team. I'll need your help to do that."

The older man considered that a mammoth task, since he had the feeling the
senior printers in the Hall were concerned about that very thing happening.
"They will always be separate crafts, though," he pointed out. "There's always
going to need to be specialist direction over each craft - harpers and
printers." He wondered if the artists - of which the man before him was one -
felt the same about the mainstream harpers? Did they regard themselves as having
little common ground between them?

"Perhaps, but still in a very symbiotic relationship. If we want our teaching
songs, poetry or music to be produced quickly to be sent to holds, or if we want
prints done of our work, we need Printers. And some of your illustrators are
very artistic; from what I have seen, fonts are an art unto themselves. I've
been very impressed with many of the printers at the Hall. Those Printers need
what Harpers produce to keep busy. We will both have to work as liaison's to
each others specialties so that they can work together cohesively."

Azyn could agree with that and nodded. "One thing I've noticed which may be
working against the single cohesive Hall is that the two groups have quite
different daily schedules. If the dining hall can only seat a certain number
perhaps we could make that some harpers and some printers - perhaps of similar
apprentice levels - rather than all the harpers followed by all the printers at
a different time. Or we could enlarge the dining hall."

"Enlarging the dining hall isn't an option at the moment, but your idea of
combining the harpers and the printers has merit." Vestian sat back, rubbing at
his goatee in thought. "It's a start. We can implement that as soon as possible.
Would you like to approach our Headwoman or shall I?"

"I'm happy to do that. It might take a while to adjust the schedules, though.
Classes and chores - the chore sections. Should we combine them too?"

"I think craft specific chores should of course, remain within the craft, but
Hall chores can definitely be shared." Vestian agreed with alacrity. "If we can
help or consult with the Headwoman for the chore schedule, it may go easier on
her as well. We'd not want to overload the woman with too much all at once."

"Or ourselves," Azyn agreed, "since much of the administrative changes will fall
on our shoulders." Time would tell if it would be _his_ shoulders alone or
whether the Hallmaster was the sort of man to get involved in the running of his
Hall. "Shall we leave it at that for the meantime?"

"We can begin with these plans and see how it works for the time being." Vestian
agreed, then rose to offer his hand. "I think we'll work well together, Azyn."

The older man took the offered hand and nodded. "I think we will, too."

Last updated on the November 16th 2014

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Leave It at That