An Unexpected Invitation

Writers: Estelle, Miriah
Date Posted: 27th February 2022

Characters: Asaile, Brina, Lusilk, Lorican, Silgan
Description: Lusilk is invited to meet the Ladies of the Hold
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 11, day 26 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Bryvin

Asaile

Brina

Lusilk

Lorican was preparing to set off for the smithy when the knock came at
the door of their rooms. His wife was still getting Silgan ready for his
day, so he went to answer it, thinking it might be an apprentice or one
of the steward's staff with an order. To his surprise, he saw an older
woman in the neat garb of a lady's maid.

"Master Lorican. My lady asked me to deliver this to your wife." The
woman made a shallow curtsey and offered him a folded paper. "I'm to
wait for an answer."

Lorican blinked. Her lady? "Ah - thank you, I'll give it to her. Won't
you come in and sit down?"

"Thank you." The maid came in, but she didn't sit, instead folding her
hands decorously at her waist.

"Silgan, shaffit all, look at your boots! They're covered in soot and
they're brand new and...Lorican! You let him wear his brand new boots
to the smithy? I'm going to take your ba..." The pregnant woman
emerged from Silgan's room, holding up an ash covered and stained
green boot with a scowl on her face, but before she could finish her
threat, she noticed the maid and her lips clamped together. Her hair
was loose, unbraided, and she hadn't donned her day clothes as yet, so
when Silgan dashed out, eyes wide, things appeared a little chaotic.

"Da! She hasn't had klah yet! Run!" The little boy darted behind
Lorican, staring at the boot. "I'm in trouble."

"I think we both are, lad." Lorican eyed the boot, then his wife, then
quickly offered her the letter. "Lusilk, this is for you. From Lady..."

"Lady Brina," the maid said with a little bow of her head. "My lady
hopes that Master Lorican's wife will do her the honor of taking tea
with her and her sister by marriage this afternoon."

The smith made an inarticulate sound, which he hastily covered with a
cough. "Ah..." He seized the chance for escape. "I'll take those boots
outside and brush them, shall I? They'll soon be as good as new. And
I'll bring back some fresh klah."

Lusilk's expression of anger quickly shifted into one of attempted
decorum, taking the letter and coolly handing Lorican the boot while
shooting him a warning look. "Thank you. Please don't forget the
cream." Her voice sounded prim as she adjusted her robe over her
extended belly. "Tell Lady Brina and Lady Asaile that I will be happy
to join them for tea."

"Yes, ma'am." She bobbed a curtsey again. "Would you like me to find a
drudge to clean those boots for you, Master Lorican?"

"Oh - if it's no trouble..." Lorican emerged from Silgan's bedroom
with the second boot, looking rather perplexed by the offer. He'd
never had someone clean his boots for him before, not since he was old
enough to do it himself.

"None at all. And I'll send for that klah from the kitchens. With
cream, you said?" As Lorican nodded, she bowed her head and departed,
leaving him staring at Lusilk, speechless.

The moment the maid left, Lusilk turned to both Lorican and Silgan to
give a pointed sniff. "Welcome to being a Master crafter, Lorican."
Her tone left no doubt that she was still annoyed with both of the
males in the home and now put out that she was required to appear more
civilized than she truly was. How on Pern was she going to be able to
wear comfortable clothes and do what she liked on the docks if she had
to put on a persona of being well-bred? Silently, she cursed Bryvin
and Lorican with a sudden pique of temper. **Stupid Lady Holder. Damn
Lord Holder. Stupid husband getting his knots.** She glowered at her
husband and then tugged her robes around her firmly. "I'm going to
need more blasted dresses." She stomped off to their bedroom and
closed the door to get dressed.

Lorican shared a glance with Silgan. "Sounds like we'd better be on our
best behavior today, son." Master or not, he wasn't sure even hot klah
was going to get them back into his wife's good books.

***

When their guest arrived, Brina was pouring tea for the Lady Holder and
her maid went to answer the door. She stood, her eyes widening a little
in surprise as she took in the woman's condition.

"You must be Lusilk," she said warmly. "Please, do come and sit down.
I'm Lady Brina, and this is my sister, Lady Asaile."

Lusilk drew upon every bit of play acting skills that she had ever
developed as she allowed a pleasant smile to cross her lips before
dropping to a curtsy towards both women. "Yes, Lady. It is a pleasure
to meet you both." She rose, to a stand, laying a hand awkwardly on
her rounded belly that the maternity gown displayed. It was a simple
dress; she'd not been able to snatch a more opulent dress and Faranth
knew that she wasn't moving as quickly as she had been. At the offer,
she did move to take a seat across from Lady Asaile.

"Thank you so much for accepting our invitation," Brina said as she
handed the teacup to Asaile. "I hope you wouldn't rather be lying down
and resting! We wanted to congratulate you on your husband's promotion,
but it looks as though there will soon be another happy event?"

"Another child is always welcome at the hold." Asaile assured Lusilk
with a smile as she took the teacup in fingers that looked far too
delicate. "You must be excited to add to your husband's household."

It would be so easy to shock this one, Lusilk thought. Her husband's
household indeed. "I have a few months left, Lady Brina" she
acknowledged. "We are, of course, very excited. My son is also very
excited about his first sibling. I understand that you have recently
added to your own, Lady." The girl looked so sweet and biddable. She
idly wondered if Brina ever grew bored with sitting with her. Surely
the young girl...woman wasn't holding _all_ of Bryvin's attentions.
She looked so...frail. "You both must be quite busy with the new
baby."

"We are," Brina said with an indulgent smile. "My niece is a very good
child, but babies do demand attention. Of course, we're lucky to have a
nanny to help, since Lady Asaile has her duties to the Hold. Would you
like some tea?" At the other woman's nod, she began to pour. "I think
we've met your son in the creche, haven't we? He's Brylex's friend."

"Thank you." Asaile answered and sipped her tea. She was exhausted,
but bore up well with only a slight trembling of her fingers as she
set the cup down. She gave a sweet smile. "He's a very charming young
man and very well mannered. I think he could teach Brylex and the
other children manners."

Lusilk inclined her head, accepting the compliment for what it was, a
comment on her parenting. "Thank you." A sudden kick to her abdomen
made her blink in surprise, but she resisted the urge to place a hand
to her belly as her dress bulged in little spots, then relaxed. "He
enjoys playing the creche with them, but actually enjoys being in the
forge with Lorican as much if not more."

"Perhaps one day he'll follow his father into the Craft," Brina said,
handing her a cup. "The Hold is fortunate to have Master Lorican. I
understand he has an excellent reputation as a craftsman, and with all
the trading ships that dock here, there's no shortage of work for
smiths." She paused to fill her own cup. "You were at the new Weyrhold
before, were you not? That must have been quite an exciting project for
him."

"Perhaps, if he has way. He loves the forge." Lusilk nodded, keeping
her smile even. "I agree that my husband, " There was only a slight
pause; she still had to adjust to thinking of Lorican as her husband
and all that it entailed, "is very talented, particularly in his
design work. Intricate metalwork seems to be what he enjoys most." She
set her cup down and exhaled, nodding. "Yes, we were. We met each
other at Barrier Lake."

"Oh, I see." Brina's eyes widened a fraction. If they'd met there then
the smith couldn't be Silgan's father; it had hardly been a Turn since
the building work had begun at the Weyrhold, and the boy must be four or
five Turns old. This must be a second marriage. Still, she didn't press
the subject, since it might well be a painful one. "So you've can't have
been married long when you were posted here. I hope the move wasn't too
difficult."

She saw the realization in Brina's eyes, but not in Asaile's, and
didn't flinch. She knew Lorican would be completely honest about their
marriage; a lie wouldn't have served her well if he was questioned
about it by either woman. "No. Lorican came here first." Her lips
curled as she remembered the "ease" of traveling to the Hold. "We
weren't, but when your husband is called for his craft, it's your duty
to follow him and keep his household running." The words were almost
laughable, and there was a hint of amusement in her eyes, but they
were the expected words of any Master's wife.

Asaile nodded in agreement. "A wife's duty is certainly important. We
do have to take care of our husbands in all that they need."

"Indeed." Brina's face showed nothing but the proper approval for that
statement, but there was a touch of levity in her voice. "What they
would do without their wives and sisters, I dread to imagine."

"Get into unspeakable trouble, most likely." Lusilk answered dryly.
"Not all men trouble themselves with thinking with their brains."

Asaile gave a little embarrassed giggle at the statement, covering her
mouth before re-assuming some semblance of decorum.

Brina's lips twitched. She thought she was going to like the new master
smith's wife. "Ah, yes. We're fortunate that my brother doesn't fall
into that category, but even he can't do some of the duties that a wife
may. Though he does have the Headwoman to help with his own household -
I imagine you've met her?"

"I have heard much about Lord Bryvin," And knew him well after working
for him for turns. He did have the capability of thinking with both
his brain and his other organs at the same time; she doubted he ever
let the other control his actions. "He seems a most involved Lord
Holder. I have briefly met the Headwoman. She seems...very capable and
knowledgeable about her duties and responsibilities."

Asaile spoke up then. "She is. I have to do very little," She
admitted. "Yriadha handles most of the household duties well enough to
allow most of the ladies nothing but leisure. It's very kind of her."

"She's done so much for the family," Brina said, remembering all that
Bryvin had told her, that she couldn't say. "We're very lucky. But we do
try to keep the ladies occupied, particularly the younger ones, with
suitable activities. No doubt you'll be very busy with the little one
soon, but you are always welcome to join us."

**I'm sure she has.** Lusilk hid her knowing smile and nodded briefly,
able to keep her thoughts far from her expression. The thought of
being around the Blooded ladies, with their boring embroidery and
lace-making, chatter about fashions, and the latest gossip was akin to
torture. "Thank you for the invitation, Lady Brina, Lady Asaile. I
will consider it after my child is born."

"Of course. We'll look forward to it." Brina smiled and picked up her
teacup. "Now, why don't you tell us both about how you and Master
Lorican met? I'm sure it must be a very interesting story."

Lusilk smiled primly and began a slightly modified tale of meeting
Lorican, keeping track of what she said so she could be certain to
inform her husband of the significant changes to the tale.

Last updated on the July 15th 2022

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An Unexpected Invitation