Learning About the Crafts

Writers: Ames, Chelle
Date Posted: 8th July 2013

Characters: Sarban, Trewlin
Description: The steward takes around Lisadi's fosterling to visit the crafters.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 1, day 14 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Miranek, Aivorn, Lisadi

Trewlin was on time. He wasn't about to miss this opportunity. Sarban
had arranged for him to try out some of the crafts. He wanted to do
the steward proud. It had been hard when Lisadi had left. He'd felt
abandoned again and wouldn't even talk to Sarban. Things were getting
better now. He still worried sometimes that she'd leave again as he
didn't really understand why she'd left in the first place, but she
kept reassuring him that it wouldn't happen.

Digging the toe of his shoe into the dirt, he yawned. It was early,
but most of the crafters started early. He was anxious to see what the
day would bring.

Another one of the holders that started early, Sarban had finished his morning
meeting with his understewards and now found himself walking out of his
office to see the boy waiting for him. "Trewlin?" he called softly, not knowing
where the young boy was exactly.

He knew Sarban's voice and lifted his head when he heard him calling.
Darting around the tree he'd been leaning against, he started to wave,
then tried to reign himself in. **Crafters don't act like that,** he
told himself, trying to be more serious.

He moved towards the Steward. "I'm all ready for a day's work," he
replied as he approached. He wanted to show off just how grown up and
mature he was getting. He wanted to be important.

"Well I don't know how much work it's going to be but at least we're going to
go and see what people do." Sarban thought about where to go first and nodded.
"First up-the weavers." It wasn't long until the two of them were on
the edges of
the weavers' area. Looms were going, people were measuring and sewing. There
was a lot of activity.

Trewlin watched. It _was_ very active. He looked at Sarban with a bit
of a frown on his face. The young boy stated, "Seems more like woman's
work to me." It was true that many of the drudges were women.

"Well, the Hold's women can manage the clothes and things we need but
the weavercraft handles the tapestries and the high end clothing and other
things that a wife cannot." Sarban hoped Trewlin understood the difference.

Trewlin thought on that. "The tapestries in the Hold _are_ really
nice." As he walked, he noticed that there _were_ more men, but many
of them were working further back on what were clearly the important
projects. It was interesting to see their work, but still _felt_ very
feminine to him.

Sarban smiled, watching his reaction, then after some time, he took the boy
over to the tanners. "The first thing you will notice here is the smell. And the
hides in various stages of working."

The smell was _definitely_ strong. Trewlin wrinkled his nose at the
scent. Yet, his eyes took in all the details. He saw the animal hides,
the tubs of chemicals and dyes. What drew his eyes were the muscular
arms of the men who seemed to work in this craft. Different than the

men he saw at the weavercraft. They'd seemed more delicate, dainty
almost. These men were strong looking. Their clothes were far from
clean, and their skin had more of a tan to it than the weavers who
worked inside all day.

"This looks complicated, but interesting," he remarked, noting all the
different tools and things the men were using. The knives in
particular captured his interest. He pretended to hold one in his hand,

slicing at the imaginary hide before him.

"They can make clothes too, right?" He'd seen some people wear the
leather clothing, but it wasn't as common as what the weavers did.
"And definitely saddles. I know those are made of leather." He wasn't

sure what else they were making, but he could tell some of them were
making other things.

"Yeah they make jerkins and stuff. A lot of the protective gear our hunters
and guards wear. The tack for the runners and even some of the furniture
we use. The leather is more durable than cloth." Sarban also thought it was
more comfortable at times.

"I wish it didn't smell that bad. Do you think the men smell like that
_all_ the time?" He asked the Steward.

"I'm sure it does sink in after awhile but they more than likely take
baths often."
At least he hoped so. How else would their wives stand them? "Let's...go see
the smiths." That was a difference. The glassmakers and metalsmiths
and woodcrafters
were all busy enough.

Trewlin followed. This time his eyes seemed to light up with interest
as he watched the men forming the glass, clanging away at the metal
work and running their hands and tools over the wood to create
intricate designs.

"Wow," was all he said at first. His eyes scanning the space, trying
to take it all in. "It's amazing how they transform the simple things
into something so different."

"Oh aye. And they do other things like fill our agenothree tanks." Sarban
was very thankful he didn't have to handle that stuff.

"It sounds dangerous, yet exciting at the same time," the boy replied.
He liked adventure and something in these men spoke of a more
interesting craft to him. He knew there were other crafts to see as
well, but so far these were some of the ones he liked the best.

"I guess it can be. Very useful-smiths, though they have to work hard most
of the time." Sarban knew it went without saying that the threadfall shutters
and doors they had installed after the Pass had been smith hewn.

Hard work? Yeah, he could see that for sure. These men were muscular
beyond all the others he'd seen so far.

"Are there any other crafts to see?" Trewlin wondered.

"Plenty my boy." And so their next stop was the farmers, which were outside.
Sarban loved the smell though they were downwind of the manure pile even so.

Trewlin watched, admiring the toil and struggle and strength of these men.

"I like that they work outside, and that they help to provide food for
the rest of us to eat. That's a _really_ important job, isn't it?"

"You're exactly right. They do more than just food though. They grow the crops
we weave from. They grow the plants we use on the floors. They grow the trees
we build with. They grow the herbs we need to heal with." Sarban had a healthy
respect for farmers.

Trewlin turned new eyes of respect to the men in the fields. "I didn't
_realize_ all that," he stated with a sense of awe. **I want to do
important work like these farmers. Imagine how much we all really
_need_ them.** He was beginning to narrow down the crafts that really
interested him.

"Now it's lunchtime. Then you go see Aivorn and Miranek." Sarban knew that
was easy enough and most boys liked to be around the animals anyway.

"I'm hungry!" The young boy declared. His stomach rumbled as though to agree.

Last updated on the July 20th 2013

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Learning About the Crafts