It Stops Now

Writers: Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 4th December 2020
Series: The Hallmaster's Ladies

Characters: Thayde, Mertin
Description: Thayde confronts Mertin about Jalodwyn
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 7, day 26 of Turn 10
Notes: Takes place at Jade Harbor Hold
Mentioned: Jalodwyn, H'riv

Thayde

Mertin shuffled the hides on his desk, staring down at the roster he
was supposed to have done by the end of the day. Humming to himself,
he was satisfied with a few of the usual assignments, though there
might be some complaints about the duty roster among the younger
journeyman. Ah, Yasha...Mertin immediately put her on Fleet duty for a
sevenday. That made his choice for Jalodwyn even more difficult; she
couldn't do overnight dormitory duty, but...he mused, then marked her
off for diagnosis in the Healer area and dockside work. Satisfied, he
barely looked up when there was a knock at the door. "Come in."

"Mertin," Thayde said as he entered, looking the part of a Hallmaster
today. He put up a hand. "Please, sit. I'm sorry to interrupt your day
without notice. I just wanted to discuss something with you," he said,
taking a seat opposite the other Master.

Mertin's brows rose as Thayde entered and he was half standing by the
time the other Master took his seat. "Master Thayde, I wasn't aware
that you would be visiting us today." He sat back down. "You look
troubled. Is something the matter?"

"I have received some troubling reports and I am hoping you will be
able to clarify them for me." Thayde said simply. "I'd like for you to
explain to why you have a senior dolphineer only assigned to tasks
such as dormitory duty and," he peered over the man's desk, "and
dockside work?"

Mertin looked down at the roster, then back up at Thayde, his
expression reading a bit of surprise and irritation. "Well, as you
surely know, the duty roster is my responsibility, Master Thayde.
You must be speaking of Jalodwyn" He cleared his throat. "I have her
on Shore Duty at the end of the month. As you're aware, she's a
special case."

"She is not the first female dolphineer to also have a child. Please
explain to me why you have a veteran dolphineer, such as Journeywoman
Jalodwyn, only piddly junior journeyman level duties when she should
be on Fleet Duty or Salvaging?"

Mertin blinked. "Well, of course she's not. But she is the only one
here without a husband to help with the care of the child. Senior
Journeywoman Yasha does of course assist her, but she's a valuable
member of the Hall and quite simply, she's needed more than Jalodwyn
is." The older dolphineer replied calmly. "Salvaging is not an option
for her right now, especially with an infant in her care. And if I may
be frank, Master Thayde, and like I told her, no one wants to work
with her on Fleet Duty or Salvaging. She's not trusted and she's not
liked here. I'm making the best of the situation, making sure that her
child is cared for properly, and instilling some measure of
consequences for her behaviors."

"It's not your place to give her 'consequences' for her behaviors. Has
she committed inappropriate behaviors while she has been here?" Thayde
paused. "No? Then let her work. Being sent away from Dolphin Cove was
punishment enough. Surely there must be someone in your creche, or
some family, that would take the baby in while Jalodwyn is away on
duty?"

The irritation grew on Mertin's face as Thayde spoke and he spoke
stiffly. "She was sent here, by you and I still have the reasons why
on the hide you sent, Master Thayde. And she hasn't, until recently,
been very easy to deal with as far as her stability. There are
consequences for that; her reputation is horrific while yours is not.
The story spread and she admitted it to anyone who asked, so if my
dolphineers here don't want to work with her, it's no one's fault but
her own." He grunted. "Do you think I haven't tried that? No one wants
to care for a bastard baby, especially not hers. The creche does so
during the day; it's their duty, but no one will do so in the evening
except Yasha. So, her duties are limited because of her own actions.
And in my opinion, she's an upstart young woman who should have been
ushered out of the Craft already."

The words 'bastard baby' caused Thayde's hands to tighten on the
armrests of his chair. **How dare he call my daughter.....** That
drew him up short. **_My_ daughter?** Since when had he started
thinking of the baby as "his"?

"The only reason I have a good reputation is because I outrank
Jalodwyn and sent her away." Thayde muttered frankly to Mertin. "She
didn't get pregnant by herself." He sighed as he pondered the
situation. Clearly Jalodwyn would have no future in her craft at Jade
Harbor especially when Mertin couldn't even see Jalodwyn's skills or
potential as a dolphineer. The fact that none of the others would work
with her was also something that he could not control from afar.

There was only one solution that Thayde could see.

"Fine. Draw up her transfer papers. She'll come back to Dolphin Cove
where I can monitor the situation personally."

"No, but she admitted that she knew you were married," Mertin
attempted to soothe Thayde. "She's far from innocent and at least she
accepts the blame; you're certainly not at fault." He shuffled his
hides then paused, blinking at Thayde. "Transfer her back? But Master
Thayde, I'd hate to have her and what's she done clouding your Hall.
We can handle her here quite well."

"Well, Mertin, to be honest with you, I hate the thought of a talented
dolphineer sitting over here going to waste because people can't get
past their own prejudices. I'll handle the fallout of her moving back,
just draw up the papers." Thayde replied.

Mertin's lips thinned at the veiled insult. "Very well. I'll inform
her this evening of your decision after her duties are complete."

Thayde stood. "Thank you, Mertin. Soon all of this will be out of your
hair. I thank you for the discreet handling of everything up to this
point." The Hallmaster left the man's office, cursing his stupid luck.
Now how was he going to tell Enamra that he was bringing Jalodwyn back
to Dolphin Cove?

Last updated on the December 14th 2020

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