Arrival of a Lady's Maid

Writers: Estelle
Date Posted: 17th January 2020

Characters: Brina, Lioran
Description: Brina is reunited with her maid
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 13, day 22 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: Bryvin, Yriadha

Brina

Sunstone Seahold was busy in the afternoon, with traders and craftsmen
going to and fro, drudges carrying baskets of food or cloth, and one of
the large carts used to bring supplies from the docks drawing up outside
one of the outer buildings. The driver jumped down and offered a hand to
the woman who'd been sitting at his side.

"Here we are, ma'am. This is the Hold. Quite a sight, isn't it?" he
asked, seeing how her gaze swept over the tall buildings, taking in the
bustle and the crowds.

"It is. My lady's brother must be a great man." She was a neat woman in
a simple black travelling dress, perhaps a little warm for the climate,
but it didn't seem to trouble her. Silver-grey hair was tucked into a
tidy bun, and her sharp dark eyes missed nothing as she surveyed the
place she'd come to.

"He is that," the carter agreed. He handed down the modest woven bag
she'd been carrying. "I'll find someone to carry Lady Brina's trunks up
to her quarters. Is there anything you'd like to take personally?"

"No, she brought her most valuable belongings with her on the fast ship.
But do please be careful with the furniture, those pieces were wedding
gifts from the Lord of Amethyst Cliff." She gestured towards two
elegantly carved chairs, a small table and a writing desk that had been
securely fastened in the back of the cart. "Thank you."

He touched his wide-brimmed hat. "No trouble. Welcome to Sunstone."

The woman nodded politely and turned to approach to the guard at the
Hold door.

"Good day. Can I help you, ma'am?"

"I hope so. My name is Lioran, I'm Lady Brina's personal maid. I
travelled with the rest of her possessions." She gestured towards the
cart. Eager to see her brother again, Brina had wanted to travel light
and fast, and had left her furniture, paintings and heavy chests to
follow behind. "Do you know where I can find her?"

"Yes, of course. You've been expected for a while. The lady was starting
to fear you'd been taken by pirates!" He turned and beckoned to a young
girl in drudges' garb. "Kasely, show Mistress Lioran to Lady Brina's
quarters, please."

The girl bobbed a curtsey and led the new arrival into the Hold, weaving
her way through the passing drudges and holders. As they walked, Lioran
took in the good quality of the furnishings and the drudges' clothing
with approval. This Hold was clearly prosperous. Brina's brother had
done very well for himself.

Kasely stopped at a door. "This is Lady Brina's chamber. It was the Lady
Holder's, before her." She tapped at the door, then opened it and held
it open for Lioran to step inside and look around. Her eyes were drawn
immediately to the slim, dark-haired woman standing at the wide window,
looking down on the hold courtyard below.

"My lady?" She dropped into a curtsey, then rose, smiling.

Brina turned and her face showed sheer, unhesitating delight mixed with
relief. "Lioran! At last. I was beginning to think I'd have to ask my
brother to send a patrol out to search for you."

"My apologies. It was a slow, troublesome journey. One of the wagons
broke down and we were late reaching Jade Harbour, so I had to book
passage on another trading ship. And then the captain fell sick, and we
were delayed another three sevendays."

"Please don't give it another thought. You're here now, and that's what
matters." Brina came forward and took the older woman's hands in hers,
clasping them affectionately. She'd known Lioran since the old days at
Amethyst Cliff, and when she'd been married, the then-young woman had
come with her. For so long, she'd been Brina's only link to her
childhood days. "You surely didn't come straight to me, after such a
long journey?"

"Of course I did, my lady. Your possessions have all arrived safely, and
I hired a carter to carry them up to the Hold from the docks. The
drudges will bring them up soon."

"That's good news. I'll be happy to have my books again." Brina smiled.
The books were old friends, lovingly collected despite the expense. "I'm
afraid I've long since finished that new volume from the Harper Hall
that I took with me. But as to clothes, they may be too heavy for the
Seahold! I've had to commission new gowns from the weavers. It's so warm
here, compared to what we're used to."

"They suit you." No-one had really appreciated her lady back at
Harvest's End, Lioran thought. Now she looked ten Turns younger, there
was colour in her cheeks and her eyes, clear as ever, were full of life
and purpose. The maid thought with satisfaction that the Lord Holder was
clearly treating his sister with the honour she deserved. Her elegant
clothes and tastefully decorated quarters were a sign of that. And, of
course, that had implications for her own position as lady's maid.

"Thank you. I'm very happy here. You can't think how wonderful it's been
to see my brother every day. Of course, you'll remember Bryvin as a
young boy of fourteen or fifteen. He's grown!" She laughed. "You'll meet
him soon, I expect."

"I look forward to it, my lady. Is there anything I can do for you now?"

"I wouldn't dream of asking, not when you've only been in the Hold for
moments. You must be exhausted." Though she gave no sign of it. Brina
couldn't imagine how she looked so neat and presentable after sevendays
on the road and then a long sea journey. But she'd always been calm and
practical, someone who could be relied upon. "We'll go and find the
Headwoman or one of her assistants, and have you assigned quarters. One
of the girls will show you around. You deserve a good rest."

"Thank you, but I'll be up to do your hair for dinner just as soon as
I'm settled in." She held open the door for Brina, then followed her out
with a glance at the young maid who waited there. "These girls don't
know how to take care of it like I do."

"Well, I've got by. But I'm very glad you're here." She remembered how
Lioran had always been there for her in the hard times, after the loss
of her father, in the early, difficult Turns of her marriage and again
throughout her husband's last illness. There'd been times when she'd
cried in her maid's arms, and Lioran had never complained, only soothed
her and told her all would be well, that she would endure and be strong.
And she had.

Now, she thought, this woman who she'd known longer than anyone save her
brother, deserved a comfortable life at Sunstone. "I'll introduce you to
Headwoman Yriadha. You'll like her, she's very hard-working and
efficient. She's been helping me with managing the young lady
fosterlings who've been sent here, hoping for a match with my brother. I
don't know what I would have done without her."

Lioran listened, her expression all respectful politeness, and if she
felt aggrieved by Brina's praise of the other woman, it didn't show.
"Yes, ma'am. I'm sure we'll get on splendidly. Yes...I have no doubt of
that at all."

Last updated on the February 1st 2020

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Arrival of a Lady's Maid