AHH: Permanence (4): Anything and Everything

Writers: Bree, Eimi
Date Posted: 11th March 2006

Characters: Benaroy, Shadux
Description: Lord Benaroy's steward brings him news of the destruction of their neighbor, Amythest Cliff Hold.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 11, day 2 of Turn 3

"Ah, Shadux. What's the news?" Benaroy asked as healer finished bandaging his hand. "Tell me everything. Don't hold anything back from my boy. I know how you like to try to spare an old man, but this time I need to know everything."

Shadux nodded. The news wasn't so bad that he had to feel any concern in telling it straight. "The Hold is in better shape than we had expected.
There are cracks in floors and along a couple walls in the towers and all the wings, but aside from fallen furniture and shattered windows, the buildings themselves are fine." The Steward's son smiled at the Lord Holder to show that he wasn't giving him any false reports. Their Hold was still standing strong.

"Thank Faranth," the Lord Holder breathed. "But we're still without power?"

"The technicians say that they will work to restore power in the Main Building first. They believe they can get that back up in within the next candlemark if all goes well. One of their technicians is checking the heating system now, but there was no sign damage. The Family Wing will be next on the list, and then the Serhox and Sanshira Wings."

"Fine, fine. How long until everything is restored?" The Lord Holder winced as the healer pulled the bandage's ties tight. "Old bones break easier, young healer," he said with a glance up at the young man.

"Yes sir. But old men are tough," the healer grinned. He had known the old Lord Holder all his life, and though he was aware of his gruff exterior, he knew the man's humor was still intact, if a bit buried.

"Hmph," Benaroy snorted. He turned back to the young Steward Assistant.
"How long?"

"I'm not sure sir. But your sons have been rounding up the Holders and bringing them to the Dining Hall and the Multipurpose rooms. Fires can be built there, to keep the Holder's warm.

"Set someone to sound the bridges," the Lord Holder said almost as an after thought. He didn't want to have loads of people passing between the buildings if the bridges were not safe.

"Everyone is using the main entrance sir. The bridges are being sounded now," Shadux reassured him.

"Good, good. Go tell my sons to start making a head-count. Royan should take the Family Wing, Benaran the Serhox Wing, Royah the Sanshira wing...
Who else is there?" Shards, but sometimes it was just hard to remember the easy details sometimes...

Shadux was used to his Lord Holder's temporary lapses in memory. He hadn't been quite as strong after the strokes. "Nimroy, Milroy, Benamil, Benil..."

"Yes, yes," the Lord Holder nodded. "Have Nimroy be in charge of the crafters, Milroy the cotholders, have Benamil work on finding the firewood and starting the fires..."

They both turned as the Steward burst threw the door out of breath. Shadux ran to his side. "Father. Are you all right?"

"What news? What happened?" Lord Benaroy asked, waiving the Healer away and getting to his feet. Shards, he knew the news had been much too good to be true. His Hold was just not lucky enough to ride out an earthquake unscathed.

Shayven shook his head, struggling to catch his breath. "No, no... it's not the Hold. Not _this_ Hold anyway... shards, sit down, Benaroy!" No young man himself, Shayven bent over for a moment, bracing his hands on his legs as he recovered from the frantic run up here. Even if he _had_ been young, he'd have felt old enough after this day. Finally he straightened, waving his concerned son away with one hand. "It's Amethyst Cliff. Part of the Hold has collapsed, including the entire family wing. There's no telling for sure how many are dead, but they need help and they'll need a refuge."

Benaroy took his Stewards advice and sat back in his chair, his high brow wrinkled with a myriad of emotions. Thank Faranth it hadn't been _his_
Hold... But Alalir... "And this came from Lord Alalir himself?"

Shayven shook his head again. "It came from Cyrek. Lord Alalir... has not been found, as of yet." Despite his father's protests, Shadux brought a chair for his father to sit in. This sounded serious. He remained standing at the ready. He knew he would be called on soon enough.

Lord Benaroy closed his eyes and sighed. He had not approved of the man at first. _He_ was more closely connected to the Amethyst Cliff bloodline than Alalir, who was only related by marriage. But Lord Alalir had won his respect fairly quickly. He was a fair dealer, and a good Lord. "Shards, I hope he's in there somewhere."

"What sort of assistance can we offer?" Shayven asked, rubbing at his shoulder slightly. His heart was still pounding in his chest, though it seemed it had been like that since the ground had first started shaking. "Anything. Everything. Shadux!" the Lord Holder called.

"Right here, m'Lord," the young man said taking a step forward. "I need to know exactly how long it will be until we can get the Hold's power back on. Tell them to work on Serhox wing next. The Family Wing can wait." The Lord Holder's memory might fail him half the time, but when push came to shove he was still sharp as ever. "Move our people over to the Dining Room to make room in the multi-purpose room, and get the staff to light fires in any rooms that have fireplaces in the building. Then send my sons to me."

"Yes sir," Shadux nodded and strode out of the room.

The Lord Holder smiled approvingly. "You have a good lad there, Sheyven.
He'll make a fine steward one day."

"An even better steward than I am," Shayven replied absently, still rubbing at his shoulder. He must have pulled something during the earthquake...

But the healer who'd been attending Benaroy was studying him through narrowed eyes. "I think you should take the seat your son provided and rest for a moment. You aren't looking all that steady on your feet yourself, Shayven." "Listen to the healer, Shayven," Benaroy frowned. "I can't be having you get sick. Not if we're going to be of assistance to Amythest Cliff."

"I'm fine," he protested faintly, but he all but collapsed into the chair his son had set behind him. The healer moved to his side and set a hand on his shoulder. "You need to rest." "I would listen to him, my friend. Let Shadux be our legs. We have a lot of planning to do."

Last updated on the March 13th 2006

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AHH: Permanence (4): Anything and Everything