Staying on her Good Side

Writers: Paula, Vix
Date Posted: 20th April 2007

Characters: Zelanka, Benaran
Description: Zelanka calls on Benaran to help her with a little task.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 3, day 2 of Turn 4

"Ah, Benaran, good day to you. Do you happen to know where your father is? The Lord Holder isn't in his office," Zelanka greeted and asked.

"No," replied the holder in his most courteous tone of voice - after all, the Headwoman was not a person to have on one's wrong side. "But I'm sure that I can help you with whatever you need."

"I need someone's signature to these," Zelanka sighed and showed him the pile of records under her arm.

He frowned at this. "Unfortunately, not everyone will accept my signature as official."

"I know. But maybe you could see that Benaroy get them? I can't wait around, I'm needed at the kitchen."

As much as he resented acting on anyone else's behalf or tying his time to a job like this, he knew that Zelanka held significant sway in opinions in the Hold, his father's included. "Of course. Do you have any special instructions for them?"

"No, they are just routine, but slightly urgent," Zelanka replied and smiled. "Thank you, I really appreciate this," she said and lowered the pile to the desk's corner.

"In that case," he said, rising to his feet. "Since you don't have the time, perhaps I should go in search of my father with them."

"Aah, don't bother. Let's just leave them on his desk. He'll find them when he comes back and know what it is," Zelanka said.

Benaran gave her a puzzled look. "But if some of them are 'slightly urgent,' you don't want to chance someone else placing something atop them and distracting him, do you?"

"Good point," Zelanka admitted. She scowled at the offending hides. "Sharding hidework," she muttered.

"It never seems to go away," he sympathized, "no matter how much time one puts into it."

"Oh, yes," Zelanka sighed. Then she asked the question that had been buzzing at the back of her mind whole time and that was the reason she was stalling: "Is there any new news about your sister? Any word from Garnet Valley Hold?"

This brought a shake of Benaran's head. "Nothing that I have heard." He had had little to do with his sister as she grew - his son was her age and had known her better than he had - but Royani was his sister and he held some concern for her, if only to marry her off to his own advantage.

"I just hope she's all right," Zelanka said. She cared about all of the Lord Holder's children.

"As do we all," agreed the man. "I know of no one at this Hold who wishes her ill."

"I can't understand it, where is Pern going when something like this happens," she sighed.

Benaran shook his head. "I've no idea. We live in sad times, don't we?" He picked up the stack of hides. "I'll take these now. Father would probably prefer to have the business in them finished."

Zelanka nodded. "Thank you again, Benaran."

"Call on me anytime, Zelanka." He bowed his head slightly to her as he exited, meaning what he had said. After all, if he ingratiated himself to her, it would do much to advance his standing with his father.

Last updated on the April 22nd 2007

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Staying on her Good Side