Gathering Tithes
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: Paula
Date Posted: 29th October 2009
Characters: Zandan
Description: Zandan helps in collecting tithes from reluctant holder.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 5, day 17 of Turn 5
The assistant steward had asked help from Zandan. There was a holder who had refused to pay his tithes. So Zandan and pair of his lads had followed the steward along to demand the payment from the holder. At first they just watched the steward argue with the holder, until Zandan got tired of it. "Let me handle this," he growled at the steward and forced him to step aside. He placed his body so that it blocked the whole doorway. He was big, muscular man, whose outlook was often enough to intimidate others. "If I understood correctly, you haven't paid your tithes for a half a turn?"
"Yes, I can't afford it, business is going badly!"
"Oh? Were those herds we saw on our way here yours? They seemed to be thriving," Zandan asked.
"Yes, but no one wants to buy them!" the holder insisted. "At least not to reasonable prize. There's no demand for that kind of beasts right now," his tone indicated that he didn't expect lowly guard to understand it.
He was seriously irritating Zandan. "His lordship has been more than generous and given your time to pay your tithes. But his patience has its limits, and he will have his tithes, one way or another," there was menace in the captain's voice. "If you can't get a good prize, then you just have to accept whatever prize you get. You owe his lordship and he wants his marks."
"Or their equivalent worth in herdbeasts!" The assistant steward managed to add.
"You'll make me a poor man! I need more time!" the holder whined.
"I'm sure we can negotiate something," Zandan leaned forward towards him. As six and half feet tall man, it was not very reassuring sight. He spotted someone behind the holder's back. "For instance, I see you have a pretty daughter. Give her over to us for few candlemarks, and we will forget we saw you and come back few month!s later," his tone was reasonable, yet there was something very menacing in him. Behind his back, the two guards were sniggering, nudging each other and making rude remarks of what they would like do with the holder's daughter. They also prevented the assistant steward from interfering. Zandan watched the expressions shift in the man's face. For a moment it looked like he actually might sell his daughter for little more time to pay his depts. Then he came to a resolution:
"No, never! Don't touch to my daughter!"
"One way or another, we get the tithes. We might also come back some night with torches This Hold has history of fires, doesn't it?"
The man cursed them beyond /between/ but gave in. "How many herdbeasts I have to give you to pay my tithes?"
Zandan stepped aside and let the assistant steward handle the matter from there. In the end, he delivered 300 heads of cattle.
"How we will get those smelly beasties back to the main hold, C'ptain?" one of the guards wondered.
"How hard it can be? They are herdbeasts, they like to stay in _herds_. We just guide them to the right direction," Zandan replied cheerfully.
Little did he know. By the time they reached home, he was sweaty, covered with dust and manure and pretty much ready to butcher all 300 heads all by himself.
Last updated on the November 3rd 2009