Drudges, Ladies, Duties

Writers: Estelle, Miriah
Date Posted: 18th December 2019

Characters: Yriadha, Brina, Rimmelle
Description: Brina speaks to Yriadha after overhearing a conversation between her and a drudge
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 13, day 24 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: Riadem, Bryvin, Sophque

Yriadha

Brina

"Headwoman, Riadem said he would." The drudge spoke quietly, soft,
pleading appeal in her voice. "I'm nearly two months and he's not
spoken to my mother or father. I'll start showing soon and..."

Yriadha's lips thinned as she looked down at the slender young woman.
She knew the girl fairly well; Rimmelle was pretty, not too bright,
and rumored to be not as innocent as she made herself out to be.
Hardly a good fit for her son, especially when he had started to show
interest in someone far more suitable. But still...She pasted on a
smile that was meant to be understanding and empathetic. "I know,
Rimmelle. Come and see me this evening after your duties are done.
I'll make you some tea and we can talk about it, okay?"

Rimmelle's face brightened and she visibly relaxed. "Thank you,
Headwoman. Thank you. I'll be there."

The drudge hurried away and Yriadha exhaled, shaking her head.
Adjusting the sleeping Yavin against her shoulder, she made her way
towards her quarters.

Brina met her as she rounded a corner, her expression flustered for a
brief moment before she recovered her usual polite calm. "Oh -
Headwoman. I was just looking for you." She'd been hoping to speak with
Yriadha about the fosterlings and had decided to come herself rather
than trouble a drudge with the errand. Now, she almost wished she
hadn't. She knew what she'd overheard, but what to do about it? She
needed time to think.

Gratefully, she noticed the young boy drowsing in the woman's arms and
her gaze softened in real pleasure. "This must be your young cousin?"

Yriadha caught the flustered look on the woman's face, but didn't want
to draw further attention to the situation that had been presented to
her; she was already formulating a plan for that little development,
so welcomed the distraction that Yavin offered. Looking down at her
son, his cheek plumped up against her shoulder, her eyes softened
visibly. "Yes. This is Yavin. I was just picking him up from the
creche to bring him home. It appears he played himself out today. They
went outside and he decided to play in mud puddles until he and his
friends were soaked with it."

"Those are the best days for children, aren't they? He looks as though
he enjoyed himself." Brina smiled indulgently, though something nagged
at her about the sleeping boy, something familiar that she couldn't
quite place. She wondered briefly if the Headwoman's family were from
Amethyst Cliff, too, if she was recognizing features she'd seen as a
child. "I remember when my little girl was that age, she liked playing
in the mud, too. Though you wouldn't know it to look at her now she's
grown."

"I think so. Though with my boys, the affinity for making messes only
faded once they were adults. I expect the same will be true for Yavin."
Yriadha adjusted him in her arms. Though still a slender child, Yavin
was getting heavier and less easily carried, especially when he was lax
and sleeping in her arms. Jostled awake, Yavin opened his eyes,
yawned, then snuggled back up against her shoulder, one small arm
wrapping around her neck. Patting his back, Yriadha turned her
attention back to Brina. " I was taking him back to our quarters. What
did you need to speak to me about?"

"The young lady fosterlings. I was hoping you'd have time to show them
some of your duties, so that they can better understand the running of a
large Hold like Sunstone. But please, don't let me keep you standing
here, when that little boy needs to be in his bed." She thought for a
moment. "Why don't I walk back with you, and we can talk on the way?"

"Certainly. " Yriadha began to walk towards her quarters, considering
the matter of the fosterlings. "To be quite frank, Bryvin's last wife
didn't have much to do with the running of the Hold. I don't believe he
expected much of her as far as the daily running of affairs. The girls
do need to learn, I agree, especially since not all of them can stay
here. " As they approached her door, she paused. "Could you open this
for me?"

"Of course." Brina pushed the door open and stood back to let the
Headwoman pass. She hesitated on the threshold, not wishing to intrude
on her privacy. "It's always been my belief that a Holder wife should
know how a Hold is managed, no matter what her rank is. How else can she
be a good partner to her husband? Embroidery and dancing are all very
well, but..." She smiled. "I'm sorry, my rambling is keeping Yavin from
his rest. I'm glad you agree that they should learn from you and your
staff."

"You aren't. Yavin sleeps very deeply. Come in if you like." She moved
over to Yavin's small bed, removing his shoes and placing them just
under the bed before laying him down. He'd already been cleaned off
and there would be no harm in him sleeping in the clothing he wore for
just an evening. With a fond smile, she lifted a light blanket to
cover him to his shoulders, then straightened. Yavin snuggled into his
pillow with a sigh and Yriadha stroked his hair from his brow before
turning back to Brina. "I'll pour us some tea."

"Thank you." She kept her voice low, all the same. Watching the
Headwoman with the young boy, she couldn't help feeling a moment's
regret and longing for the times when she'd tucked in her daughter like
that, smoothed her fine dark hair and listened to the soft sound of her
breathing.

Accepting the cup of tea, Brina sat down and breathed in its warm
fragrance. "Children are a joy, aren't they? Of course, my own are grown
and have families of their own now, but I've been so glad to meet
Bryvin's two at last. My nephew must be about Yavin's age."

Yriadha joined her at the small table and poured her own cup. It would
not be a poor idea to get to know Bryvin's sister well and attempt to be
friendly, especially now that she was here and she would be working with
the other woman. Making an enemy of Brina, knowing Bryvin's affection
for her, would endanger her own position and relationship with the Lord
Holder; it wasn't something she was willing to risk.

"They are. I've two living sons and two daughters as well as six
grandchildren." Her gaze lingered over Yavin as she spoke; she dearly
wished she could openly include the young boy among her children, but
Bryvin would never allow it. She felt the familiar flash of pain at the
situation, but pushed it aside to bury it once again. "There are only a
few months difference between Yavin and Brylex. They don't associate of
course. Yavin spends time with the other children of the Hold at the
creche while I work or with Sophque when the need arises. I dearly enjoy
raising Yavin, despite how tiring it can be."

"It must be, in addition to all your other duties." Brina wondered what
had happened to the boy's parents, and how he'd come into Yriadha's care
so young, but she held her tongue lest it turn out to be a painful
subject. Instead, she smiled. "I hope he's less work than the young
ladies, at least. I can't imagine how you managed to deal with them on
your own."

"I prefer to keep busy. It's quite a task running the domestic aspects
of the Hold, but I've been doing so for turns. I am, however, grateful
that you're here." Yriadha sipped her tea. Her reputation for severity
had insured that her staff worked hard without much need for anything
more than the occasional correction, but even she had to admit the
addition of a group of young women was stressful. Despite her
recognition that Bryvin would have to marry for another legitimate male
heir, the thought of him doing so, especially to a young, beautiful
woman, brought another flicker of grief deep within that practicality
forced her to bury.

"I am also glad for my Lord's sake. I fear that he often finds himself
alone and has few that he can really speak to about personal matters.
Perhaps it's not my place to say so, but I think Lord Bryvin will
benefit from your presence. "

"Oh, I hope so." There was a warmth in Brina's voice when she spoke of
her brother, that broke through her usual polite reserve. "We haven't
lived so near to each other since childhood, though we always wrote, and
I never thought we would again. There's so much of his life that I've
missed. I can tell it's been hard for him..." She thought of his
marriage, and the silence that surrounded it. If nothing else, she was
determined he'd never be put in such a painful situation again, and for
that reason she was watching the young fostered ladies closely.

Still, that wasn't something she could discuss with the Headwoman - at
least, not openly, until she knew the woman better. "Please don't think
that it's not your place to speak of, or care for my brother's
well-being. I know he thinks very highly of you."

"I believe it has been," Yriadha knew exactly how hard it had been on
Bryvin, but her closeness to the Lord Holder was private and not one
that she was allowed to share. "What I do I do for the good of the
Hold and Lord Bryvin. I do my best to be useful for him. I'm glad to
know that he's appreciative."

"I, also appreciate all the work you do for the Hold." Brina set down
her cup. "And I intend that the fosterlings should too. Some of them
have been well taught, but there are a few who think the Lady Holder's
duties extend no further than playing parlor games and keeping up with
the latest fashions from the Weaver Hall. It's hardly their fault if
they've been brought up that way, but they have an opportunity here to
learn. If one of them does become Lady of Sunstone, it would be for the
best if she was well prepared for the role."

Yriadha's lips curled upwards. "Some ladies never expect to really
work in their positions; many are simply expected to look pretty on a
man's arm. I think we've been sent a fair few of those." Faranth knew
that it was what she had been taught and it had been all that had been
expected of her upon her first marriage. Hard experience had forced
her to learn new lessons rather quickly. "Perhaps you and I can
arrange a schedule of duties for them. I would prefer them perhaps in
pairs for different duties. Creche duties, supervising in the kitchens
and then over meals, inventory on food and healing supplies, assisting
when tithe trains leave, and supervising cleaning drudges would be a
good start."

"I agree, and I'll make sure there's time set aside in addition to their
other activities, the music and dancing and lessons in etiquette. With
any luck, they'll have no leisure for gossip or mischief." Or evening
strolls around the Hold with journeymen, Brina thought, but although
what she'd heard earlier had deepened her suspicions, she didn't mention
it. The young man in question was the Headwoman's son, and she wouldn't
accuse him of anything without evidence. "Should there be any complaints
about the work, you can send them to me." There was bound to be at least
one who balked at watching drudges scrubbing floors, and she didn't
think it suitable to put the Headwoman in the position of chastising her
future Lady.

"I'm in agreement. Perhaps we can divide responsibilities. I can
schedule activities related to overseeing domestic matters until two
candlemarks after lunch and you can schedule their activities in the
afternoon, but ultimately they will answer to you for their behavior.
Does that sound acceptable?"

"Yes, that should work well." Brina looked up at Yriadha over her tea
cup, the sudden glint of mischief in her eyes making her resemble her
brother more than she usually did. "For the mornings, I will leave them
in your capable hands."

Yriadha's brow quirked upwards and her lips gave a twitch of a polite
smile. "Very well then. I'll make a schedule of their morning duties
and send them to you for approval. I'll do my best to ensure that
they're not too tired for their afternoon lessons."

"Good. Thank you, Headwoman, I do appreciate your help." She set down
the empty cup, thinking that she could see why Bryvin respected this
woman; it was rare to meet someone with such an air of competence. She
realised she'd have to be careful in dealing with the situation with her
son, whatever it might be. Family matters could be delicate. "But I'd
better leave you and little Yavin to your rest."

Inclining her head, Yriadha smiled a little more openly. "You're very
welcome. I think we can get these girls trained to the point that
they'll be suitable for any marriages that are proposed." She rose.
"Have a good evening, Lady Brina."

Last updated on the December 18th 2019

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Drudges, Ladies, Duties