Unexpected

Writers: Vix
Date Posted: 11th June 2007

Characters: Tanas, Polom
Description: Tanas is told that a bride awaits him when he transfers to Garnet Valley Hold.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 3, day 21 of Turn 4
Notes: Mentioned: Anredy (not by name) and NPCs Aniler and Anasia
Tanas' intro.

Tanas disliked disruptions to his restdays, but never so much as now.

He had walked the tables a sevenday earlier and with it received his
assignment: Garnet Valley Hold. He had also been told that he would not
leave until the beginning of the new month. During that time he was expected
to gather all of the materials he would need to continue studies in his
newly-chosen specialty, that of dying materials and threads. He had spent as
much time as possible poring over the recipes that the Master Dyer held,
using his new-found authority to direct apprentices to copy them for his own
use. He had visited the greenhouses and begged seeds and starts of some of
the plants he would need. All of those things had been easy enough to do
during the normal workdays as he continued his own duties, finishing some
commissions for simple coloring that had been assigned to him.

However, there was so much more he wanted to do, needed to do, to prepare
for this move. Some of the dyes that he used were derived from plants, but
others found minerals as their source. In particular, during his
apprenticeship he had enjoyed using clay to dye fabrics and had experimented
with that from several sources in the area. He knew that there would be clay
near his new Hold, but the composition of it would be unique to that area
and the results different from other clays. He really wanted to traipse into
the hills surrounding the Hall and collect samples to take with him, samples
from the clay pits that he had utilized most often. This was what he wanted
to do on this restday.

He sighed and looked longingly at the sacks he had assembled, sacks that
could hold the dry clay and be transported with his clothing to the new
Hold.

Unfortunately, that was not to be. He would not be able to spend the
afternoon hiking through the hills, ranging far to retrieve the clays he
remembered. Instead, he had been called to visit Polom.

Master Polom, he reminded himself. The man - a cousin to his mother and one
who had been instrumental in bringing him to the Weaver Hall - had been one
of his teachers at the Hall, one of the journeymen assigned to lead the
apprentices through their studies. Polom had done well at his duties, and on
the same night that Tanas had walked the tables to become a journeyman,
Polom had received his Master's knots.

Again Tanas sighed, though he started for the door of his room, knowing that
he could not refuse the summons of a Master.

He found Polom in that man's new quarters, still sporting more of the
possessions of the weaver who had occupied the space previously. However,
the newly-appointed Master seemed to be enjoying his new status, as he
opened the door for Tanas with a condescending look. "Journeyman - I've been
waiting for you." Polom settled himself into an over-stuffed chair.

"I'm sorry, Pol. . . Master Polom." He started to lower himself onto a
nearby straight-backed chair, but stopped as the Master cleared his throat.
Straightening once more, he opened his mouth to make excuses, but instead,
simply nodded. "Sorry."

"It's more your loss than mine," Polom replied expansively waving his hand,
"though I do have much to do today. I have news for you, news from your
parents, and I felt that it could not wait."

"Yes, Master Polom." Tanas puzzled over this, not knowing his mother to
correspond with her cousin except when making the arrangements for his
apprenticeship.

"We have arranged a bride for you." The Master's grin told Tanas that the
man had had much to do with this turn of events. "You will wed upon your
arrival at Garnet Valley Hold."

"Bride?" This was certainly not what the Journeyman had expected. "But. . .
I need to settle in. . ."

"And you will do so as a married man." Polom's tone brooked no argument.
"The girl, I forget her name. However, her father, Aniler, is a friend of
mine, a weaver himself. The girl is young, but of good character and of age
to wed. You can proceed with your work without worries of courting and still
do your duty to the population of the Hold. You'll move directly into family
quarters and your new wife can see to your needs."

"I. . . I don't know what to say." Tanas had not thought of marriage, had
concentrated entirely on his craft, though he knew that his brothers and
sisters were producing plenty of offspring back at the family holding.

"The proper response would be to thank me," the Master told him coldly.

"Thank you," he replied almost automatically, and then mustering a little
more enthusiasm, "Thank you, Master Polom."

"You're quite welcome, and I expect to hear of the birth of your first child
within the next turn." Polom rose from his chair with a wide smile to shake
the Journeyman's hand. "My congratulations to you." He led the younger man
to the door and opened it to usher him out. "And Tanas - I'd suggest that
you purchase a suitable gift for your new bride. A fine tapestry or a bolt
or two of cloth for dresses?"

"Yes, of course." Tanas found himself on the other side of the closed door,
staring down the corridor. "A wife." He started toward his room, still
trying to absorb this unexpected change to his life.

Last updated on the July 18th 2007

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Unexpected