Malcontented

Writers: Avery, Chelle, Paula
Date Posted: 18th November 2015

Characters: Fardeq, Mizera, Silvahd, Norec, Ludrin
Description: Some holders aren't happy.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 2, day 2 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: J'ackt, Corowal

"I tell you, that song the harpers keep singing is some kind of rot.
Of course he woulda hung if not for the sharding Weyr. He shoulda hung
for what he did!" Slamming his mug down on the table, Fardeq made his
opinion known.

He had had enough of the riders and the harpers and the whole lot of
them. What about the Holders? Didn't their lives matter and what had
been done about that? Not a thing, far as he could see!

"Maybe he'll die in Fall and we'll be rid of him," said Silvahd. A man
could wish, right?

A woodworker called Norec spoke up next. "He's too lucky for that.
He'd make dying go in his favor."

"And that wouldn't stop the songs," added Ludrin.

"Well, something must be done," Mizera said and brought a full pitcher
of ale to them. "It's my husband who still lies at the infirmary and
eats his food with a straw," tears gathered to her eyes. "And who will
look after me and our children?"

Norec gave Mizera a sympathetic look. "Has the Lord said anything to
you and your family?"

Ludrin snorted. "Even if he pays them, that doesn't change the fact
the holdless is still free."

"Can't kill him now what with the dragon. But I don't think that Weyrleader
should have been so happy to see him go off without so much as even an
apology or anything. I think he should have had to pay Mizera here and fly
her family around for turns. Or something!" Fardeq was loathe to say
anything
about Lord Corowal since everyone knew he had eyes and ears. But the riders
could take the blame.

Silvahd shook his head. "We work the lands to grow the food and tend
the beasts that's tithed to them, so they can protect us from Thread.
Well who protects us from _them_?"

"Yes," Mizera agreed. "And they steal young girls too. You do know
what happens to them there." She gave the man wide-eyed look of
innocent outrage.

"They become dragonrider whores," he spat immediately, rising to the bait.

When he was younger, Silvahd had been in love with a girl who had said
she'd wanted to marry him. Then she was Searched, back when the Holds
re-opened for it. She'd taken the offer and left, and then he'd never
seen her again. He didn't like to imagine what those sharding riders
had made of her.

"Language," chided Norec.

Mizera was quite pleased how they were getting all riled up. She wanted to
revenge her husband's fate. She did not care about justice or who started
it.
She wanted dragonriders to pay.

"Well I say shame on the harpers. We're the ones who support 'em but they
don't seem to support us. No, it's the Weyr! The Weyr! Well what if we
stopped
feeding their fat..." He realized Mizera was still there and didn't
say what he meant. After all, she was a lady.

Mizera suppressed a smile. "Yes, shame on them. All licking up to the
mighty dragonriders. But who feeds them too? It's us!"

"We feed them and we give them our animals and in exchange they beat
our people unopposed. It's disgusting," spat Silvahd.

Mizera nodded and brought a plate full of snacks to the table.

"Then again if we stop sending tithe to Lord Corowal, we'll lose his
protection and
that's not safe at all." Certainly it was a hard place they were in.
"You're the only one what has rights to petition the Lord, Mizera. But once
he decides, how could we try to change his mind?"

"I already received a 'compensation' due to my husband's injury," Mizera
said bitterly, her tone indicating she thought it wasn't enough. She
pursed her lips and thought about it. "His lordship does have plenty
of by-blows..." the question was, did she had any changes catching the
Lord Holder's attention? She was pretty woman but was she pretty
enough?

"And that compensation, would it actually make up for the loss of your
husband's comfort? His vitality?" Norec shook his head. "The Lord
should have done more."

"Aye," Mizera agreed.

Last updated on the November 24th 2015

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Malcontented