Waiting...

Writers: Eimi, Yvonne
Date Posted: 8th October 2005

Characters: Thalia, Penryn
Description: Thalia and Penryn meet to discuss the Hold, and its future
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 7, day 23 of Turn 3

The waiting was the worst part. Every day, Thalia looked at her son, at her rooms, at the halls of her Hold, and wondered what would happen to them. The Conclave had not written back to her and each day without news frightened her more than the last. She already felt she knew the answer, but she knocked on Penryn's office door anyway.
Thalia could only hope that he'd heard something.

"Come in!" he called as he finished up his tallying of the smaller holding's tithes. Despite all the turmoil the Hold had been in, Penryn was relieved to see that it had been a productive fall, and promised to be an equally successful new season as long as the rains fell. He stopped immediately and rose to his feet when he noticed who had knocked on his door. "M'lady."

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything...?" She glanced at his desk, but couldn't make heads or tails of it. "If you're busy, I can come back another time."

"No ma'am. I am just checking our tithing records. I want to have a clear picture so I can make a full report to the new Lord Holder." He walked around the desk and pulled out a chair. "Won't you sit down?"

"Thank you." She sat, and hoped that he'd offered it out of courtesy than because of the dark shadows under her eyes. "How does it look, for the winter?"

"Very well." He was surprised she even wondered about such things. She had never seemed to take much interest in the Hold. Of course, since her husband's death he could hardly blame her lack of involvement. "We have more than enough to last us through the winter comfortably, and the farmers seem to think the signs are right for another good year."

Thalia nodded. That was good news, and there had been precious little of that of late. "I'm glad. I'm not sure any of us could take a hard winter after what..." She looked down at her hands, and was vaguely surprised to see that her fingers were clenched and her knuckles had gone white, and released the pinch of fabric that she'd been gripping. "I am glad."

Penryn looked at her sympathetically. It must not be easy hearing talk of a new Lord Holder, or of anyone trying to take her husband's place in anyway. "May I ask after Lord Aslian?"

"He's doing well. Growing quickly, and he's _healthy_." Thalia smiled a little, even though the simple question had put her on the defensive. "I'm very pleased to hear that." **At least there is some good news...**

"Have you.. have you heard anything, from the Conclave? About us?"
Although the thought was galling, there was every possibility that they'd chosen to write to a commoner who was a man, rather than a Lady of the Blood who was a woman.

"No ma'am, not as of yet. They have told me nothing whatsoever except to expect someone." He shrugged helplessly. "As to who and when I have no idea."

"I can't stand--" Thalia bit off the rest of her sentence. **I can't stand not knowing!** "I can't imagine who it will be. I've written to my father, but he has no news either."

"Whoever it will be, ma'am, I am _sure_ you will always have a place here at Garnet Valley for you and your son," Penryn said reassuringly. He didn't exactly know why he felt so protective of her lately. It's not like he ever really liked the woman who barely lifted a finger as Lady Holder. Perhaps it was the fact that she had lost her husband.

She smiled and accepted his words in the spirit they were given, although she didn't have much faith in them. "My son is still heir, and Garnet Valley is my home, now. I can't leave."

"And we don't want you to. Please, ma'am. Don't worry yourself over your fate or that of your son."

That was like telling a fish not to breathe water. "I suppose we'll know soon enough. And my visit isn't completely personal - I was going over Ver- the Headwoman's books, and there are a few small discrepancies. Most aren't serious, but I would like to have a few extra barrels of dried apples, and we could use thimbles and laundry soap."

Penryn caught himself before his jaw dropped. Thalia was taking an interest in the Hold? Since when did she even know where to _find_ the Headwoman's books? Let alone bother to interpret them. "Ah...
well, I will get on that right away of course. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. Anything else we need?"

"No. I don't think." Her brow wrinkled as she thought. "I'm still figuring out how the books are kept, here. It's different than at home."

"The Headwoman never explained the books?" Penryn found that hard to believe. No matter how lazy Thalia had seemed when it came to affairs of the Hold, he would have thought she would have learned at least _that_ much...

Thalia bristled at his tone. "Something always seemed to come up."
Usually at Verora's end... She stood. "I will let you know if I require anything else. Good day, Penryn."

Penryn stood and bowed respectfully. "Good day, ma'am."

She left the room without looking back.

Last updated on the October 8th 2005

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