A Friendly Visit

Writers: Avery, Yvonne
Date Posted: 30th November 2014

Characters: Corran, Barielle, Barran
Description: Corran visits an old friend and her family.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 10, day 12 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Karhal

Corran dismounted the runner and took it to the small stable. It was
another of the restdays where Barielle's husband was supposed to be away
on business, so he could see someone he cared for and his son. And if he
was still here, Corran had some safety notices and messages he'd agreed to
deliver in place of a runner. Either way, it had been a pleasant ride out
on a nice day.

"Hey! Corran!" Barran sauntered out of the stables, a pitchfork in one
hand and a grin on his face. "What brings you here? Da's not around, but
we're mighty glad to see you."

His emotions always did a little flip when he saw the boy. He was going to
be tall one day, or so Corran hoped, and he was filling in nicely.

"The Runner was tired when he got to Amber Hills and I offered to carry
the messages out to some of the cot holds," Corran explained, waving the
packet. "It's a good chance to hear about any potential issues before they
become big as well."

"Aww, you just wanted to come visit." The boy stuck his hand out in
greeting. Corran
was a semi-regular face at the cothold, and his parents were always so
happy when
the guardsman showed up. It was like a little excuse for a celebration.
"You staying the night?"

"If there's space, I'd love to." He shook this boy's hand, smiling as he
did so. "Otherwise I can ride a candlemark and head to Hidden Meadows.
That's somewhere else I have to give messages."

"You know there's room, and Mum won't let you." Barran leaned the
pitchfork against the wall of the stables. "Here. I'll take your runner,
you go find Mum. She'll be so happy to see you."

He'd rather hoped for that answer. Seeing how Hidden Meadows' leadership
was handling the transition was going to be interesting for him as a guard
concerned with the security of Amber Hills. But checking in on the family
he wished he had was far more personally satisfying.

"I appreciate the assistance," he said to the boy as he handed over the
runner's reins, barely resisting the urge to ruffle his hair as he passed.

Up to the door and a knock on it. "It's Corran," he called.

"Corran!" There was a brief flurry of activity from within, then Barielle
opened the door with a smile to enfold the guard in a big hug. She was
wearing an apron over her dress, and her hair smelled of herbs. "What a
pleasant surprise! We weren't expecting you-- Randul isn't in, but he
should be back tomorrow morning, if you can stay?"

He gave her a strong hug, patting her back in return and breathing in the
scent around her. "I can stay. Barran already suggested it, but I told him
it was up to you of course. How is life here?"

"Oh, you know." She stepped back and gestured him inside. Two other women
looked up from the long, sturdy table in the middle of the kitchen,
smiling. The table was laid out with an elaborate mess of jars of
tincture, their herbal contents already long soaked in. A pot was set near
the stove with its lid off and several small jars were out on the table
full of some sort of creamy material.

"You've caught us in the midst of making up more salves. I thought I'd
laid up enough, but then we traded a bunch away... it was going for a very
good price." She smiled at the other two ladies. "Mind if I set up our
guest?

"Corran's come a long way and we'll manage without you," the older of the
two said."Always good to see a guardsman 'round these parts."

"Burn salve? Smells like the stuff my mother used to make," he guessed,
pointing at the jars.

"Burn salve, and a lot more joint salve-- only the burn salve smells so
strongly you can't tell. It's been a cold winter, and we can trade some of
it with the next Cotholds over," Barielle said, wiping he rhands on her
apron.

He nodded at the women. "Anything interesting gone on around here lately?"

They exchanged a look, smiling. "No. You visiting is about the most
exciting thing that's happened in sevendays!"

"And we ought to celebrate it," Barielle told them. "Let's do up dinner
big tonight. Amrow, when you're done, ask your husband to dig something up
from the cold room...it's too late to defrost a roast, but maybe some of
those porcine chops and applesauce."

Amrow's eyes lit up. "There's enough time for roast tubers and cheese!"

"I could do nice leek soup as a first course," the other lady supplied.
"There's bread already set to baking as well, and I'm sure we can find a
sweet for dessert."

"Then I'll leave it in your capable hands." Barielle hung up her apron and
gestured for Corran to follow her. "Let's get you set up in the guest
suite, shall we?"

"It all sounds good," he told the women as he was led away.

"Is it really so exciting to have visitors?" he asked Barielle. "I should
talk about getting more patrols out."

"Yes, you should!" she said lightly. The hallway was short; the guest
apartment was a simple room at the end, near the warmth of the kitchens.
The cothold was
small with only seven families, but they did well enough for themselves.
The room that Corran was shown into had a bed with a thick, brightly
coloured quilt, a small nightstand, and a chest in the corner that smelled
of fragrant wood. "I hope this will be all right?"

"More than alright. It makes me wish I lived here full time. Your
generosity is always appreciated." He reached out and touched the quilt,
admiring its work. "Who did this?"

"I did." Barielle eased the door shut with her heel and stepped a little
closer. "You know there'd be a place for you here... if you wanted. And
Barran would like it if you stayed." She put a hand on his elbow. "It's
good to see you, Corran."

"Ah, what could I do at a place like this? Not much call for a full-time
guard." But his tone was regretful and his smile broad.

He stepped forward and hugged her again, breathing in her hair and wishing
they could stand like this forever.

After a moment Barielle stepped back and smoothed her hair back with the
palms of her hands. A nervous gesture. "Perhaps you could take up farming.
We could always use another man in the fields."

He'd been a guard as soon as he was old enough to petition to join up, but
it wasn't the kind of work that could be done forever, and with a good man
like Karhal as captain, there was not much of a chance at promotion
farther up the ranks. And out here, there'd be sun and nature, something
other than pacing 'round the Hold keeping eyes out for changes that never
came. It was oddly appealing, though Turns ago he never would have said
that.

"It would certainly be quieter out here," he agreed.

"And the food's better, too." Barielle smiled. "Well. I should let you
get settled. I can bring a pot of hot water in from the kitchen, if
you'd like to tidy up a bit after all that travel?"

"That would be good, thank you," Corran agreed. He'd need a minute to
compose himself, after all of this.

Barielle smiled, then closed the door quietly after herself and left him
alone.

Last updated on the June 6th 2015

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A Friendly Visit