A Late Night Adventure (1/2)
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Jane, Kaysea
Date Posted: 26th January 2008
Characters: Rikka, Causton
Description: Rikka surprises the Hallmaster with a late night visit
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 8, day 11 of Turn 4
She liked snow.
She did.
She even liked it snowing.
As it was.
But the wet boots were making her miserable and when she caught sight of a flickering light in a window of the main building of the Vintner Hall she told herself it was her duty to check on it.
Who knew what problems a shorting light could cause in such a place?
(She had some idea, in fact, but with her toes as cold as they were she was quite prepared to accept a large, roaring fire as a good thing.)
Cautiously she opened the small door set into the larger one and stepped inside.
"Hello?"
The place appeared deserted.
She was sure there were harper tales that started like this - and none of them ever ended up very happily.
***
He knew the papers were here somewhere, but where? He had searched all through his files and couldn't find the ones he desperately needed. A report to the Southern Crafthall had been sent, progress here had been swift and the Crafthall needed to be made aware that much of it was thanks to the previous Hallmaster.
He had learned a lot about Fielton since he had been here, the man would be pleased to know that despite the majority of feeling for him being in the negative, he still had the respect of the Hall as a whole for the work he had put in both before and after the move to Amber Hills.
The candle wavered as he moved about, and large shadows loomed over him against the walls. The Hall was silent, but he hadn't been able to sleep as he thought on his report, and an omission he may have made before sending it off.
***
The place wasn't entirely dark. Somebody had left some lighting on, way down the other end of the main hallway, but closer at hand there was another light source.
Rikka convinced herself it was her duty to investigate it, especially now that she was sure it wasn't an electrical fault. Whatever the light was, it was flickering. She tried to walk normally across the expansive hall but she had the feeling she was creeping.
Heroines in harper tales of this kind always crept across the hall toward the unexpected light ...
***
Standing up straight, he eased the muscles in his back, and stared from one corner of the room to another, as if the elusive report would suddenly materialise in front of him, like a dragon popping out of /between/.
A hand rifled through his hair, and he shook himself, he really should just give up and go back to bed. Turning, he picked up the candle and made his way softly to the door. He had been walking in nothing but stocking feet, not bothering with his boots since he wasn't going outside - that was the one advantage of sleeping here in the Hall, something he wouldn't miss at all once the family arrived. Once more he became lost in a reverie of life with his mate and family back around him, as he reach for the door handle.
***
The door wasn't quite shut but the handle was turning all the same making Rikka freeze with her own hand only a fingertip away from it.
Suddenly it wasn't only her toes that were cold. There were shivers down her spine that prevented her from turning on her heel and running for her life.
***
Opening the door he almost dropped the candle and holder as a figure appeared before him. He wasn't sure who got the greatest shock, Rikka looked as though she would faint dead away in front of him.
***
"Master Causton!" The journeywoman technician wished the words had sounded more like a greeting than a scream but given that her heart was pounding loud enough to be heard in the main Hold buildings she supposed that was too much to hope for.
Now, as long as he hadn't murdered anybody and she hadn't disturbed him hiding the body ...
She looked up at the big vintner, looking past the candlelight flickering even more fiercely in the drafts of the hall. Even with the light working against him he didn't look like the villain from the sort of scary tale harpers made up to entertain.
She swallowed and tried to sound less like a terrified ovine. "Is there something wrong with the electric lights?"
"What? Oh. No. No, nothing wrong, I just didn't bother turning them on when I came downstairs." He shook his head, more puzzled still by her appearance at the Hall. "Rikka, what _are_ you doing here so late at night?"
"Oh." She hesitated and then rushed in with the truth. "I came in to warm my toes up a bit. And to check on the light. Your candle. It just didn't look right. I've been working," she added as an afterthought. "There was a problem down at the irrigation sluices again."
Last updated on the January 27th 2008