We'll Take It

Writers: Francesca, Paula
Date Posted: 1st October 2009

Characters: Jadorin, Lymria, Zelanka
Description: Jadorin and Lymria go to Zelanka to see if there is a larger cot available.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 4, day 23 of Turn 5

Jadorin and Lymria made their way to the Headwoman's office right
after the morning meal. It still felt strange to him, that this was
really his life now. Before, he had considered living at Amber Hills
Hold to be a temporary arrangement before he returned to the Hall to
teach. Now, a move would involve a lot of planning and uprooting his
wife and their children.

So far, everything had gone fairly smoothly. The wedding night had
been difficult but he had been prepared for it, and between his work
and her caring for the children there was fortunately little time for
just the two of them. However, one immediate problem was the lack of
space. Even before he had arrived, Lymria's living situation couldn't
be called spacious, but now with him and a baby on the way, it was
obvious that they needed new quarters. He just hoped there were some
available.

"How are you feeling?" he asked Lymria. She seemed to be past the
nauseous stage of the pregnancy but that didn't mean she wouldn't have
any more difficulties over the sevendays.

"Just fine, for now," Lymria replied with a small smile.

"Good. I hope the Headwoman is free," he said as they arrived to the
door to Zelanka's office and he knocked.

"Please, enter," Zelanka replied and lifted her gaze out of the
records. "Ah, Jadorin, and Lymria, the newly weds. Congratulations,"
there wasn't much going on in the Hold she didn't know about.

"Thank you." He had been saying that a lot lately.

"So, what brings you to my office," the headwoman asked with friendly voice.

"I know the Hold is fairly full," he said, thinking of the room he had
shared with another Journeyman prior to the marriage, "but we were
hoping that there might be a cot available for all of us." He debated
whether or not to mention Lymria's pregnancy but decided not to, at least
for now. It wasn't something they had announced publicly, but at this
point clothes couldn't really hide it.

"Well, you did get a family as a bonus. I take you still want to keep
your fosterlings, Lymria?" Zelanka remarked and asked her.

"Yes, ma'am, it that is possible."

"I can't see why it wouldn't. We don't have enough fostermothers for
all the orphans that terrible earthquake left. Let's see what I have
available." Zelanka rummaged thru her files until she found the list
she was looking for.

"Let's see, Taisalon's old cot just came available, since he decided
to move to live with his daughter, but it might be too small for you.
Then there's the cot at the western corner. It's large but in need of
repairs."

"What kinds of repairs?" Minor touch-ups wouldn't be a problem, but
if the cot was falling apart, and if repairs took a lot of time, maybe
it would be better to stay where they are.

"It's needs new porch, new threadfall shutters and the rooms need
painting. Otherwise it's a solid stone building, that's been left
empty too long," Zelanka replied.

Jadorin looked over at Lymria to see what her reaction was. If this
cot was the right size, maybe it would be worth it to wait until the
necessary repairs were made. "Do you have an idea of how long repairs
would take?"

"I'm afraid not, I'm no woodcrafter. I should ask some do an estimate,"
Zelanka said and wrote herself a note.

"Can we take a look of it? I know little bit of repairing a house,
since we went thru that at Omagi's hold," Lymria asked.

He looked at his wife, surprised. Obviously, there were many things
he still did not know about her.

"I'm full of surprises, " Lymria murmured him, when she noticed his looks.

"I can show it to you now, or make an appointment for it to later date,
whatever suits you?" Zelanka suggested.

"Now is fine with me. Lymria?" He should know her schedule by now
but, he was ashamed to admit even to himself, he didn't.

"Now is perfect," Lymria said.

"All right," Zelanka said and picked up her large keyring. "It's bit
remote but on beautiful spot," she said and gestured them to come
along with her.

As they left the Main Hold, Jadorin put an arm through Lymria's to
help hold her steady. The path they were walking on was flat but he
didn't want to risk her falling.

Lymria thought that he was being bit overprotective, but on the other
hand it was kind of cute, so she didn't mind it.

Zelanka led them to a house. Lymria saw from the first glance what the
headwoman had meant with repairs. The porch was falling apart and
rotting. There was something sad in those empty, dark windows.

"Watch your steps," Zelanka warned when she opened the door. It gave
abominal, rusty creak.

>From the outside the cot was a mess, but as they stepped inside he saw
that the stone walls were still in great condition. He took a quick
look around. "Well, it's certainly big enough." He would leave
Lymria to calculate repair times since, apparently, she was the
expert.

Lymria walked from room to room and spotted all then things needed
repairing. "It's certainly spacious enough." She went to the kitchen
and fell in love with it from first sight. "Ooh, Jadorin. Have ever
seen such a kitchen! Plumming and running water and all!"

He couldn't help but smile at her excitement as he walked over to see.
"It is very nice," he agreed, although with less exuberance. "I
think that might mean we'll take it," he said in a low voice to the
Headwoman.

Zelanka chuckled softly.

"I think it will take a month or two to make it habitable, if we have
enough men to do the job," Lymria said. "We can simply tear down that
rotting porch, have temporary stairs set up instead and new porch made
in next summer. That would save the time and marks," she continued.
Porch was nice but not nessessary.

"A month or two," he repeated, thinking. "That should be fine." As
long as they were moved and settled before the baby was born.

"Sounds like it's settled then, " Zelanka said with satisfied tone. She was
happy that this cot had finally found residents. She removed the key from
her ring and gave it to Jadorin.

He accepted it with a smile, glancing around again at what would be his
new home. They had a busy time ahead of them, but this extra space
would make everything a bit easier.

Last updated on the October 17th 2009

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We'll Take It