Good News
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, Vix
Date Posted: 28th February 2009
Characters: Mahantan, Leisenn
Description: Leisenn tells Mahantan that the Hall is getting a new staff member.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 1, day 25 of Turn 5
"Finally, I have some good news," Leisenn said as she walked into the Master of Apprentices' office with a bundle of papers under her arm. "And I'm not talking about having finished with all these training files," she continued as she deposited the pile on the man's desk with a satisfying thump. "Though that's pretty good news for my office."
"Not for mine," Mahantan noted, looking at the stack that now rested on his own desk. He glanced up at the Hallmaster. "Well? What's happened to put you into such a good mood?"
"I found us a Headwoman. Now that has to be as good news for you as it is for me. She'll take over a lot of the social issues for your apprentices ... I hope. No. I'm sure she will. She has _experience_."
"A Headwoman?" Mahantan frowned slightly. "She'll probably make changes, won't she?"
"She seems like a very sensible woman. Not too old and set in her ways like some recent arrivals here," Leisenn said, her face crinkling into a mass of fine lines at her amusement.
He tried to smile at her remark, but was still bothered by his previous question. "But that will make for even more changes, won't it?"
"I imagine it will make for some. Why? Isn't it possible that they'll be good ones? Take some of the load off you when it comes to the apprentices? Especially the female ones?"
"Well, there is that," he admitted. "But it's the uncertainty. Some things are going absolutely fine and don't need to be changed."
Leisenn frowned. "The Hall certainly needs a Headwoman," she said firmly. "And since I'll admit this woman has had no experience with apprentices before - not in a Hall situation - then if you'd prefer she left them entirely to you then I can make that a condition of her employment."
Mahantan stared at his fingers as he thought that over. "No. . . I suppose that's not necessary. There are probably some things that she can do with them better than I can." He glanced up. "But I suppose it would be best if the two of us were to meet and to lay some ground rules as to who does what."
"I'm sure she'll want to do that," Leisenn said, since even for the sake of getting a Headwoman she wouldn't have contracted somebody who seemed unlikely to get along with the Master of Apprentices. "She comes highly recommended"
"Oh?" He looked at her in interest. "By whom?"
"By the Weyr." Leisenn hadn't imagined when she had been appointed to the role of Hallmaster at Dolphin Cove what an influence the Weyr would have on her Hall, but she was realising it now. With a Hall seemingly half-full of weyrbred apprentices it was probably a good thing to have somebody in authority who understood their ways, for some of them were apparently quite different.
Mahantan nodded at this; though Hold-bred, he had worked in close proximity to dragonriders for long enough to have developed a strong respect for them. "I look forward to meeting her."
"I'll send her along to see you next time she appears but I'll make sure she understands that she's to defer to you in matters concerning the apprentices." Leisenn thought for a moment then added: "And I'm having that storm-damaged shed down on the waterfront converted into accommodation for her and her weyrmate. Her preference. Probably wise, to get right away for a break rather than letting it become too easy for people to call her back when she's finished for the day."
It wasn't the only reason but unless Ylisahn discussed that with people herself then Leisenn wasn't about to share the woman's business with anybody.
"I suppose we'll need to allow her to settle in for a while." Mahantan told the Hallmaster, comforting himself that there would be no major changes until that happened.
"I'm sure that will help," the old woman agreed with a smile. "I'll leave you to your work, then."
The Apprentice Master nodded. "I appreciate that you told me about this ahead of time." He tapped his stack of hidework. "And with all of this, I'm certain that with time to adjust to the idea, I'll be ready to meet her and to hand over some of my headaches."
"I hope she'll be able to relieve me of a few of mine, as well."
Last updated on the February 28th 2009