Amber Anxiety

Writers: Chelle, Paula
Date Posted: 18th February 2017

Characters: Zelanka, Chupsin
Description: Chupsin asks Zelanka about the bandits.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 10, day 2 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Yanley, Benani, Zathris

"Hello, Chupsin," Zelanka greeted, catching up with the healer in the
hallway. "Everything all right at the infirmary?" she asked.

"Same as usual." He was quiet for a moment as he waited to see if
anyone else was in the hallway. "So...how are things in the kitchens
with all of these...notes being passed about?" As the Hold's healer,
he had a right to be concerned. If there was going to be violence, it
would land on his doorstep. And he wanted to be prepared.

"They are making people nervous," Zelanka replied with a low voice.
"Not to mention having our poor guards overworked and scurrying all
over the place. I can't turn a corner without stumbling over one of
them."

At least the guards realized the need for more security. The recent
focus set on Lord Zathris amongst these scribblings had Chupsin even
more concerned about that. Those children were his charges and Benani
was his Lady. He would never condone any harm upon their heads.
Generally speaking, anarchy and chaos were also unsettling prospects
for him. He liked order and predictability-like his clean, sterile
demesne. "Are any of the girls feeding into that independent, free
women nonsense? Because coming away from their men will mean no
protection for them. And they could easily get hurt. And the men could
get angry.."

"There are always those naive young women who fall for the pretty,
romantic picture painted for them," Zelanka said with a sad sigh. "At
least, if they ran off to the Weyr, we can be assured they will be
taken good care of," she continued, "Especially with Lady Yanley as
the Headwoman. But to join holdless," she shook her head. She just
didn't understand it.

Chupsin didn't either unless you took into account how ignorant some
of these women were, falling for the promise of freedom and not
realizing they had an easy life. That promise turned out to be a hard
life fraught with perils and likely being used and hurt. Death came
at an earlier turn for most holdless. "Don't guess the guards have
caught anyone yet?"

"I haven't heard of anything," Zelanka replied. One of her sons was a
guard, so she tended to know what they were doing. "The boys are
getting very frustrated," she added.

"I can imagine," the healer agreed. "Any evidence at all? Or are they
just grasping at straws?" He sincerely hoped that they would figure
out sooner rather than later. The news coming out of Emerald Falls was
disturbing. He didn't want that here. He had nieces and nephews to
think about.

"If they have something, they're being very tight lipped about it. And
I can't blame them. Too many ears in a place like this one," Zelanka
replied.

"Well the best to them," Chupsin replied before slipping a small
bottle into the headwoman's hand. "Here's the lotion I owe you. It'll
work for both the hands and feet." It paid to keep the headwoman
spoiled. Plus, he had grown up with Zelanka always there so he
wouldn't treat her any different than his own mother.

"Thank you," she put the bottle into one of her apron pockets. "Let me
know if you or infirmary need something. Which reminds me, the
shipment from Healer hall is delayed, expect it to arrive two or three
days late. I don't want you to run out of supplies before that."

That caused a frown to form. He could manage, of course. Since all of
the activity around the Hold, he'd been even more watchful, keeping
the infirmary stores locked, secured, and accounted for. He'd just
have to warn the other healers to conserve dosages to those who
showed a real need for the rarer items. "Caught in the snow perhaps?"

"Probably. You know how those mountain passes are this time of the
Turn. I can't wait for the summer," Zelanka replied.

Personally Chupsin didn't mind the winter. It was hard since so many
were shut up inside most of the time. However, they tended to stay in
their own areas. During the warm summer, they had more people coming
through like traders, visiting holders for gathers, and all sorts of
other people which meant plenty of places to pass on sickness.
"Hopefully it'll make people focus more on swimming than vandalizing
the Hold."

"I hope so too. Not being forced to coop inside because of the weather
should ease the tensions. Too many people in a same place with too
little things to do," Zelanka replied.

"True. Maybe we should find things for them to do. If you have any
idle hands I could always set them to boiling bandages or even a few
other minor tasks." He always had something for an extra pair of hands
that didn't necessarily have to be skilled labor.

"I'll keep that in mind," Zelanka said.

Last updated on the March 2nd 2017

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Amber Anxiety