Are We Ready
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: Chelle, Paula
Date Posted: 24th June 2011
Characters: Sarban, Zandan
Description: The steward warns Zandan about the people coming.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 2, day 4 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: Corowal
The Steward enjoyed the walk over to the guard tower. He knew he'd find Zandan and he needed to speak with him. When they had all those people at the Hold, there were likely to be problems.
Zandan was scowling at his desk. He just hated hidework. It was the downside of being the Captain of the guard. It gave him a headache that made him bad tempered. He wondered if anyone would even miss those sharding hides if he just tossed them into a fire.
"That's what you have lieutenants for, you know," Sarban said easily as he stepped into the open doorway.
"They are even worse with penmanship than I am," Zandan said, his face smoothing out. "Would you be terribly upset if these hides just went missing?"
"Depends on what they are." Walking inside, he took his usual seat, waiting until Zandan was ready to talk to change the subject.
Zandan checked the hides. "Uniforms. I suppose we can't walk around naked," he sighed.
"Probably not a good choice, considering you'd be redder than wine in a few
candlemarks." Sarban enjoyed the weather while it was good.
"Or cold in a winter," Zandan grinned. "So, what brought you to my lowly office, Steward?" Zandan asked. He didn't believe Sarban had just dropped in for a chat.
"Well, we're going to be having a gather next month. It won't be just a normal one, though. We're expecting probably about three times the people we would have for one normally." He paused, allowing that to sink in.
"That means three times more disorder then," Zandan remarked.
"Exactly, which is why I want to warn you. You may have to gather temporary
recruits from other Holds. I know Corowal won't want any problems." Sarban
didn't want the whole thing ruined by idiots.
"I have to do just that. My own men aren't enough for such a large event. Aren't the harpers moving back here too? I have to protect their safety too."
"One of my other thoughts, yes. Not all of them will be in their hall just yet, but there will be some." Sarban thought that would be better, to let the people get used to them a little at a time.
"Right," the guard captain grunted. "If I have to add Harper hall to the area under my protection, we may need to recruit more guards on a permanent basis," he warned.
"If that's what we have to do, then that's what we have to do. If time goes by and we don't seem to have any problems, we can always cut back. At least for now we can go with a temporary increase and then if need be, ask them to stay." Sarban knew that the Hold had grown and could handle an increased guard population, though not too many more.
Zandan nodded. "I'll start looking for likely boys."
"Let me know if any problems crop up that I need to handle. You've got the authority to expel anyone from the Hold if need be though." There wouldn't be much tolerance this go round.
Zandan nodded. "Good to know that," he said. Not that he hesitated to correct even the snottyist lordling.
"While I'm here, was there anything else that needed looking at?" Perhaps they had some prisoners who could be released.
Zandan looked at the hides on his desk and then pushed one of them over the table top to Sarban. "Here," he grunted. "If we need more staff, we also need more equipment to gear them up."
"Aye but..most of that will have to be sized and I can't do that without knowing who the boys are. So we'll have to make the appointments first, then get their things." He frowned, thinking it over.
"Well, belts, blades and helmets are pretty much same size for all," Zandan said.
"Blades yes...belts and helmets not any longer since we switched to the leather ones for almost everyone except you and a few others." Metal was in short supply and more expensive. And some of his men had big waists while others were slim and muscled.
"Metal is better protection," Zandan said, it was age-old argument he was not going to win. "Now, the new recruits must be trained too," he said, "Which mean senior members of the guard will be out of the regular duties and assigned to training instead."
"I understand." They would just have to make do while they prepared.
Zandan just grunted.
Last updated on the August 3rd 2011