How To Make Your Garden Grow

Writers: Eimi, Yvonne
Date Posted: 12th April 2008

Characters: Penryn, Thalia
Description: Penryn gives Thalia a little gift
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 9, day 12 of Turn 4

"Delivery for you, sir," a man with bluerider knots said as he handed the Steward a small box. "Master Notrak didn't seem to think an immediate reply was necessary, but if you would like I can hang about for a while."

"No no, that's all right," Penryn said, eyeing the box with a mixture of guilt and anticipation. "Thank you for delivering it safely. How much do I owe you?"

"No need, Steward," the bluerider said with a wave of his hand. "Master Notrak sends it with his compliments."

Ah, well, that was a relief. At least he wasn't _paying_ for them... "Really? Ah, well, please feel free to stop by our kitchens and take your supper then." "That's all right. They fed me at the Farmcraft Hall." The rider made no move to go. Penryn wished he would so he could open his box in peace.

"Some klah then? Or not as you like. Anyway, thank you for the delivery. If you need anything, please feel free to ask one of my assistants and they will attend you."

The bluerider thanked him for his thoughtfulness and finally sauntered back through the door. Penryn breathed a sigh of relief as he picked up the box and pulled at the strings that held it closed. He didn't know why he felt so conscience-stricken as he undid the wrapping. It's not as if he had done anything _wrong_. He carefully unpacked the contents of the box - four small sacks with tags tied into their draw strings, four stiff paper cards with dried flowers adhered to them, a printed pamphlet and a sealed letter addressed to himself. He eyed the bags curiously as he broke the wax seal.

"My Dear Steward Penryn -

I hope this letter finds you well. I understand the winter is at it's height at the moment, but I am sure you are staying warm and dry in your mountain Hold.

Thank you for expressing an interest in our new strain of large kernal wheat. I think it could easily be adapted to suit your needs considering the climate of Garnet Valley. I have enclosed a pamphlet which explains the advantages and disadvantages in detail, but let me give you a quick over-view..."

Penryn scanned ahead. He could look over the technical information later.

"As to your inquiry about flowers from the Topaz Sea Hold region which might thrive in your climate, I have found a few which I think would brighten up any garden. They are annuals, so they will not last more than one turn's growing season, but I can explain to you how to harvest their seeds and store them for the next turn. I have written their names, and instructions for their planting and care on the individual bags as well as included a dried sample of what each will grow to look like. These are seeds we have in abundance, and considering the warm relationship our Hall has always enjoyed with Garnet Valley Hold, please consider them a gift to you and your friend.

Warmest regards -

Master Notrak."

Penryn smiled as he packed the bags of seeds back into the small box.
**See, they are not from _me_. They are a gift from the Farmcraft Hall...** There was nothing improper in that...

~*~

The pillow was almost done; a few irises more and the border would be complete, and Thalia would have a new set for her bedroom. She was sewing in her own rooms while Aslian played at her feet and Liddy, his wet-nurse, sewed patches onto the knees of her boy's pants. The lady hummed as she sewed; a child's rhyming song she'd been fond of as a girl and never really outgrown. When someone knocked at the door, she exchanged a surprised glance with Liddy. "Who would that be?"

"Were you having guests tonight, my lady, and forgot?" Liddy asked.

Thalia frowned. "No. I'm... I'll go see who it is." She set her sewing aside and answered the door, and her frown was replaced by a smile when she saw Penryn standing on the other side of it with a small box in his hand. "Penryn! I wasn't expecting any company tonight, but I'm glad to see you none the less."

Her smile was warming, but he was half afraid he was intruding. "If this is an inconvenient time I could always come again. It's nothing important."

"Don't be silly! You came all this way, and really, it's just Aslian and myself this evening... and Liddy was about to take him off to bed, weren't you?" Thalia called over her shoulder.

Liddy looked disapproving, and she glanced at the future Lord Holder before holding up the tiny pair of pands she was patching. "Yes, m'lady.
I'm almost done with my mending." It was inappropriate for Thalia to be alone with a man, but Penryn was married and Thalia, a widow... but still.

"There. See? Come in and sit down. Shall I call for klah?" Penryn hadn't missed the silent reproof Liddy shot his way. Or was it an image his guilty conscience had conjured up? "I... actually shouldn't stay long."

"No klah, then." Thalia sat down herself and looked curiously at the box he was carrying. "Well then, what brought you to knock on my door at this candlemark of the evening?"

He sat down on the chair next to hers and carefully opened the box. "Master Notrak has sent you some seeds from the Farmer Crafthall for your garden. They just arrived this afternoon and this was the first chance I had to bring them up."

"_What_?!" Thalia pressed a hand to her breast in surprise. "No...
Master Notrak? I've never met a Master Notrak - why would a Master Farmer send _me_ seeds? I can't-- what are they?"

"Well, I sent him an inquiry about a new strain of wheat the Hall was developing that I hoped could be adapted for use in our fields, and I happened to mention that you had a garden and might be interested in some new flowers come spring." He pulled out the cards of dried flowers for her. "He said they had lots of seeds in store and so sent them as a gesture of goodwill."

"Oh... what a sweetheart!" It was unclear just who Thalia was talking about, and she didn't seem to want to elaborate. She was already peeling back the paper to examine the tags on the packets of seeds. She exclaimed softly and gently touched each pressed flower label before setting it aside. "These... I recognise all these! They're all from Topaz Sea Hold!"

Penryn couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. He had hoped she would recognise them! "Well, I might have mentioned that you had spent time there."

"You didn't!"

"Like I said, I might have mentioned it," he shrugged, inwardly very pleased with himself.

"On Penryn -- thank you so very much!" Thalia sat helplessly with the seeds in her lap, wishing she could wrap her arms around him in a hug and plant a large kiss on his cheek the way she used to do to her father when he brought her a particular treat. But Liddy was in the room and Penryn was married, and undoubtedly wouldn't want to deal with her affections, especially now that he was married. "I cannot adequately say how touched I am that you thought of me!"

**I think of you more often than I ought...** "Well, you've talked about the time you spent at Topaz Sea Hold so many times, I should like to see a piece of it at least. I'm looking forward to the spring when I can see them growing in your garden." "Well, I hope they do. I'm sure I can make them grow," Thalia said, a little more confident than she felt. "They're from Topaz Sea Hold, though... I wonder if they'll even sprout so high in the mountains."

"They may require a little more water and less shade, but Notrak said that they should do well here. There are instructions on each tag." "How thoughtful of him... and of you! I simply cannot thank you enough!"
Thalia said.

The look in her eyes was enough, Penryn decided. That was all he had been hoping for. She looked so happy. Her blue eyes seemed to sparkle, and her lips looked so soft when she smiled like that. They _were_
soft, he remembered. "I should go."

"So soon?" It slipped out before she could stop herself. Thalia smiled, feeling a little vulnerable. "I'm sorry, I have no claim on your time.
But thank you, all the same, for the flowers and for delivering them so late. I know I shall dream pleasantly of spring tonight!"

The steward reluctantly stood to his feet. "I will tell Master Notrak you were pleased with the flowers. It would make him happy to know, I'm sure."

"Please send him my regards, and thanks," Thalia said.

He nodded and took a step towards the door. "I can see myself out."

"Of course." Thalia hesitated. "Oh, and Penryn?"

He stopped and turned back around. "Yes, m'Lady?"

"Goodnight," she said sweetly.

If she gave him any reason to stay even a little longer... "Goodnight,"
he replied, and added without thinking, "and sweet dreams, Thalia." Thalia smiled. "And to you," she said, and she meant it.

After he'd closed the door, Thalia looked over to see Liddy giving her a dark look. "What?"

"Oh, nothing," Liddy muttered. She finished mending in silence as Thalia did her best to go back to her embroidered irises. As soon as Liddy finished she picked up Aslian and fled the room, leaving Thalia alone with the seeds and her thoughts.

Last updated on the April 17th 2008

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

How To Make Your Garden Grow