A New Leader

Writers: Eimi, Estelle
Date Posted: 29th August 2005

Characters: Almonteo, Ryndel
Description: Almonteo meets his new Hallsecond and gives him news of the future of the Hall.
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 7, day 18 of Turn 3

Almonteo

"Thank you." The master harper said as gave the greenrider's hand a squeeze. "I appreciate the ride."

"Anytime, old man," she said with a teasing wink.

"You dragonriders have no sense of respect," he grumbled, but there was humor in his tone.

"Be nice to me, or I just might leave you here. Not that it's such a bad idea. It's really warm here," she said as she began unbuttoning her riding jacket. "You'll be a few candlemarks, won't you?"

"At least. Why, are you thinking of leaving me alone in a strange land?" He asked as he removed his flight jacket as well.

"I think you'll survive. My green and I are going to lay in the sun a while. Be good, will you?" She glanced around to be sure no one could see and gave him a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"I surely don't need advice from my daughter on Hall matters," he said, rather encouraged by the gentle affection. Almonteo knew he would miss having his children so close... He gave the green hide a gentle pat. "Just remember to come back and get me eventually. I have a lot of packing to do."

"Have you fully convinced mother yet about this grand new adventure of yours?" His daughter asked as she swung her leg back over her dragon's neckridge.

"And I certainly don't need _marital_ advice from my daughter either, Almora." He gave her leg one final squeeze. "Off with you two now."

"I'll be back to check on you in a couple candlemarks. And, by the way, it looks as though someone has come to welcome the new Hallmaster." She pointed towards the tall harper striding towards them. "Good luck Papa."

Almonteo gave the pair plenty of room and watched as they leapt into the air. How he wished he could go with them rather than deal with this mess. He took a deep breath and walked towards his welcoming party.

The harpers had been temporarily housed in spare rooms in the Hold, with the journeymen and apprentices crowded into rooms intended for fewer inhabitants. With tensions growing between craftsmen and holders, it was not surprising that many of them chose to spend the daylight hours outdoors. Ryndel had organised the apprentices into what makeshift classes he could manage, while the journeymen picked through the burned-out remains of the Hall to salvage what they could.

When the green dragon arrived and a man with harper's knots dismounted, Ryndel was only too delighted to get away - he'd hardly had a moment to think since he'd woken up in a Hall that was ablaze. It was a great relief to finally hand off responsibility to someone else, and he approached the new Hallmaster with a wide smile.

"You must be Master Almonteo." He offered a hand. "I'm Ryndel, and I'm _very_ glad you're here!"

"Ryndel, the Hallsecond." The master smiled as he took the offered hand. "I must say, the Craftmaster has been very appreciative off all you have done here. I got a good view of what is left of the Hall from the air. Where are we now?"

"We've recovered about as much as we can from the ruins, which isn't much, and are living in rooms in the main Hold building for the moment. Lord Enrizial," he said, unable to quite keep the disdain from his voice, "has offered to rebuild the Hall, but I thought that I should wait for word from the Crafthall first."

"Ah, yes, about that." Almonteo noticeably slowed his pace. This was not a conversation he wanted all the other harpers to overhear. "The Craftmaster and I have had a long talk about rebuilding the Hall. Who is to say that if we rebuilt the Hall here that it wouldn't just be sabotaged again. Do you have any thoughts on that?"

Ryndel paused before speaking, knowing that he would like nothing better than to leave Emerald Falls for good - but a master harper should not speak rashly. "There's been tension between the Hall and the Hold for months - even before Calenta's apprenticeship. Lord Enrizial is...not an easy person to deal with, and it was one of his own guards who set the Hall afire. If we were to rebuild here, I do not think I would feel safe."

"Do you have a reason to suspect that Lord Enrizial encouraged the arson?"

"You've only got to visit the Hold to find all the evidence you need, though I wouldn't recommend it." Ryndel scowled. "The man stated before witnesses that he wished the Harper Hall would just 'go away'. That was obviously enough for one foolish guardsman."

"Well, it seems as though he will get his wish," Almonteo said quietly. He put a hand on Ryndel's shoulder and stopped, not wanting anyone else to hear this little bit of news. "The Craftmaster and I have decided the risk to the Hall residents is too great in the current atmosphere here at Emerald Falls Hold. We will be moving the Harper Hall to another location."

Though Ryndel had been hoping for just such a decision, he couldn't deny he was sorrowful at the thought of leaving the home where he'd been born. Angrily he suppressed such feelings. Thanks to Lord Enrizial and his cronies, that home had been burnt to cinders and ash.

"I see. Where are we to go?" he asked.

"Dolphin Cove Weyr has graciously offered us a place, at least until we can find a more permanent location." Almonteo knew this move might now be a welcome one for all the crafters, but he could not risk the Hall's safety a second time.

Ryndel's first feeling was one of shock. Despite his outward support of the Weyr and dragonriders in general, he'd heard rumours of strange practices...which were doubtless no more than rumours and a master harper ought to be ashamed of believing in them. More realistic concerns intruded also. What would become of his unmarried daughter there? What was the truth in the stories about Hatchings and mating flights? What would his wife say?

"The dragonriders are most generous," he said eventually, stifling his own prejudices. If the Craftmaster thought it was a good idea that they were to go to the Weyr temporarily, then it could hardly be as bad as all that. "And at Dolphin Cove, our new apprentice will be able to continue in her craft without fear of being burned in her bed."

"Along with the rest of the inhabitants," Almonteo replied with a nodd. He had not missed Ryndel's resevations. There would be more than one questioning this move. "Hopefully this will only be temporary until we can find a permanent home at a Hold - one that will welcome and protect our female apprentice as they would the rest of us."

"I'm sure that won't be difficult. The _sensible_ Lords know that a Hall brings prestige and wealth with it," Ryndel said. "Now, shall I introduce you to the other Masters and journeymen? They're mostly out gathering what they can from the remains of the Hall but they can be quickly summoned."

"I would like that," the Hallmaster replied as they began walking towards the burned out shell of a building. "But I would like to ask you not to discuss the matter of the move just yet with them. I believe it is only curteous for the Lord Holder to hear it from me first."

Ryndel bit his tongue on an outburst to the effect that Lord Enrizial was the last person in the world who deserved courtesy. He himself would have had no scruples about departing in the night and leaving the lordling to wake up and find all the harpers gone. "Perhaps I should send a message to the Lord Holder asking for a meeting as soon as possible, then."

Almonteo gave his new Hallsecond a gentle pat on the back. "Thank you, Ryndel. But first, would you introduce me?" he asked, pointing to the milling crowds looking everywhere but at him directly. "The whispers are deafening."

"Of course." Ryndel stepped forward and called for attention, gaining the silence of the watching harpers immediately. Everyone was curious about the new Hallmaster and his plans, since speculation about the fate of the Hall was rife. Well, they'd have to wait to find out their new destination until the Lord Holder had been told, but he rather thought they'd be pleased with the man who'd come from the Crafthall to be their new leader.

Last updated on the August 29th 2005

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

A New Leader