Stately Dinner

Writers: Chelle, Suzee
Date Posted: 9th August 2012

Characters: Arippa, Sarban
Description: A formal dinner at Emerald Falls
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 9, day 14 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: Corowal, Yanley, Aivorn, Miranek, Felyna, Jeyme, Jenackt

Arippa

It was her first formal dinner since coming to Emerald Falls and
though she felt the welcome from Felyna and the family she'd been left
much to herself for the last few days. Always at home she'd had places
to go and things to do. But the contacts she'd taken for granted at
her home hold were vacant yet here.

So, she'd dressed in one of her best for the dinner and taken the seat
they'd pointed out to her.

Watching as the young woman sat down next to him, Sarban nodded
easily. He was waiting to be served, still. "Good day, Lady Arippa. How
are you faring?"

"Steward Sarban," she acknowledged with a nod and smile for the man.
They'd been introduced but other than that hadn't spoken. She was
still feeling her way around the relationships at her new home but she
knew he was a relation of Lord Corowal's. "I am well," she started.
"Though I am still finding my way here. Everyone has been very kind.
How are you?"

"Busy, but otherwise normal. I admit I'm really not one for these formal
dinners but it comes with the job." Indeed, he'd rather be outside eating
a biscuit and stew. Habits learned early never really went away.

"Yes," she smiled. "It's rather an adjustment for me without my
sister. But that's one of the reasons I came." That brought to mind
another reason she'd come. She knew the Steward would travel to the
various holds regularly and interact with the the holders. "I haven't
seen Holder Namrien since I arrived." She didn't wish to seem too
interested but he _had_ asked her uncle for permission to court her.

"Hmmm...well he's due to come meet with Corowal next month I do
believe so we can go over things. I won't be riding circuit before then
or I'd be going out there." With things as they were with the holdless,
Sarban wasn't too sure it was safe to head out anyway.

She smiled nodding at the piece of information. "I hope you find him
well." All she could think was something had kept him at his hold.
Otherwise he would have come to see her she was certain. She picked up
her cup for a sip of her wine. She didn't want to appear to pine for
something that had yet to be declared or finalized. Arippa felt it
might be better if she were to talk with Lady Felyna about the matter.

"The weather here is much less extreme than Amber Hills," she felt
that to be a safe comment for the moment.

"Indeed. We're in the middle for the most part. It's not the same as what
I was used to before, but at least it's not extremes." Living on the coast
and the water had been far different and it had taken Sarban a while to get
used to the snow and other colder weather that came to Emerald Falls for
part of the turn.

Arippa smiled. He was at least taking the time to answer her rather
than grunt noncommittal answers like some of the others around her.
"What is the summer like," she asked. She thought she might just enjoy
this evening a little more than she'd imagined.

"It gets quite hot actually, and rains every now and again. Which is good
cause the crops would get too hot. Of course the irrigation systems help

things." It made it easier, to be honest.

Arippa nodded as he talked and she listened. Then the servers appeared
with the food and they all stopped for a moment to listen to the Lord
give his welcome speech and announce something or other. With his
attention on the speaker she had a moment to surreptitiously study the
Steward's profile. She could see a family resemblance between him and
Lord Corowal much as there was one between her and Lady Yanley.

Sarban was quiet as well while he adjusted his food and began to eat. When
a lull happened and he found himself ready to speak again, he looked back at
Arippa. "So have you made any friends? I know there are plenty of daughters
around here your turns. You should talk to Jeyme."

"I've met some very nice people here but not anyone I could yet call a
friend." She smiled knowing he'd understand. It would just take time
before she really fit in to the hold. "I will," she agreed with his
suggestion. "Oh," she added after a moment. "Is there someone in
particular I should talk to about riding? I had my own mount at Amber
Hills and often rode."

"Master Aivorn is our beastcrafter in charge. He can recommend a good
mount from the Hold's stock for your personal use and can assign a groom
to see that it's ready for you when you have need." As one of Corowal's
fosterlings, Arippa would be well taken care of. That was how those
arrangements
went.

She smiled and nodded then looked along the high table. "Is Master
Aivorn here tonight? Could you introduce me?"

"Ahh...think he's at the other end. See that one there?" Sarban pointed
slightly at the man sitting next to Miranek.

"Oh yes," she smiled and nodded. Hopefully the Steward would introduce
her this evening. She was feeling cooped up in the hold and would
welcome the exercise. Of course she knew a groom would accompany her
as was proper, especially with the holdless she'd been hearing about.

"Any luck finding that holdless lad?"

"I don't think it will be too much longer, to be honest, though so far
he's proved quick at disappearing. We can't have boys going around
accosting our daughters, though. Zandan's on it and we've got all the
holders and cotholders on alert. Put out a drawing I think." Frankly,
Sarban was thinking about why a boy
would want to live such a way when he could work an honest job and the
Hold would take care of him.

Not knowing the direction of his thoughts she shook her head thinking
much the same thing. "Why would anyone want to live like that? They
could get caught out in Threadfall!"

"Indeed. Or they could starve, get firehead, or run into a wild
feline...Honestly, the South is not a place for individuals to live
like that. That's why holds have groups of populations because it's
simply not safe to live alone." Sarban had seen the results of
that-holders travelling in very small groups and caught out by
thread or felines before they could get to the next threadfall shelter or Hold.

She shook her head unable to fathom why anyone would want to live like
that. "Do you think they have a choice?"

"Indeed. Unless they were absolute criminals-murderers and the like-we
would always be willing to send them to a hold somewhere and get them
gainful employment. We have plenty of empty settlements right now that
could use hardy folk like them to get them up and running again. In
return for their work, they'd get shelter, land, and maybe even minor
holding rights in the future if they did well enough." Sarban
just couldn't see why someone would want to be alone out there like
that. The freedom- that he could see, but traders had that and didn't
live holdless.

"Of course," she agreed with him. "If they work hard they could make a
place for themselves and their children." She hadn't thought much
about the plight of the holdless before but she found Sarban's
comments illuminating. Respect for the Steward planted itself and
began to blossom. But young as she was her attention didn't stay on
the serious topic for very long. She looked around the room for a
moment. "Do you think there will be dancing later?"

"It's a possibility. I don't know exactly what Lady Felyna had planned."
He looked around for signs of a few harpers setting up but couldn't see
anything just yet. "Are you an avid dancer then?"

"Well," she said a little coy. "I wouldn't say avid. But it can be
quite fun with the right partner." She looked up at Sarban. "Do you
like to dance?" She was very aware that some men just didn't care for
it. No matter how pretty their partner.

"It's not my favorite thing, but I can manage-at least..with the dancing
that isn't so formal." When it came to the promenades and all that other
stuff, he was at a loss. But Sarban could jig and reel with the best of them.

She smiled down into her now empty plate. She might be young but she'd
observed Sinla and others often enough over the turns to learn a few
things. Her eyes slid sideways to where the Harpers had finally
appeared at the end of the hall. "We'll maybe they'll play something
lively."

Last updated on the August 11th 2012

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Stately Dinner