The Diplomatic Dance

Writers: Clancey, Yvonne
Date Posted: 24th July 2006

Characters: Tsaera, Daynar
Description: Tsaera brings a commission to Daynar, and enjoys the visit a little more than he does.
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 12, day 27 of Turn 3

Tsaera shivered as she and Tabanirth came out from /between/ over the Smith Hall. The air was dry and the mountains capped with snow, and she wondered yet again why someone would choose to settle so far inland and away from the heat of the coast. Still...

}:Be charitable. They give us beasts to eat, and wood for you to burn,:{ Tabanirth said gently. The sun glinted off her wide gold wings as she circled the Hall once, then began to descend. Tsaera smiled into the wind. **I know. I'm just a little cold from /between/ and it makes me judge unfairly. You aren't hungry, are you?**

}:Perhaps a little...:{ Tabanirth eyed a small herd of panicked ovines below. }:But I will wait.:{ A moment later, and the queen dragon had landed in the Hall's courtyard.
Tsaera took her time undoing her straps before using Tabanirth's elbow to help her descend. She'd sent a letter to the Hallmaster a few days earlier to set up their meeting, and was looking forward to discussing her commission with him properly. The Weyrwoman ran a hand through her grey hair as she waited, trying to put it right, as the Hall doors opened before her.

Apprentices lagged on their way to their classes when the word spread a _gold_ dragon was descending into the courtyard. Murmurs and whispers flew all about, starting perhaps with some of the older apprentices that knew it was River Bluff's Weyrwoman and her lovely queen. Daynar had been expecting Tsaera, though admittedly it was with something like distaste. The Weyrs led good, decent women into promiscuity and the idea that they could be in a CRAFT! He _knew_ women had to ride dragons, and the part of him that was a good Pern man (well relatively good), accepted that and was alright with it, as long as they did what they were supposed to do and kept the skies free of Thread. He tithed generously to his Weyr, being quite the dutiful wherry's arse, although that didn't mean he had to trust dragonriders. But Tsaera!!

She was a Miner! And a MASTER! The gall of the woman! Wasn't riding a dragon enough for her? She had to go and get her Master's knots while her gold dragon birthed babies for Pern!

Daynar moved through the Halls, blustering as he went. "You lot act As if you've never seen a dragon before! Get back to your classes now!!"

One foolish apprentice said very loudly, "I heard she was a Mastercrafter!! A woman! She must be _OLD_!" Daynar growled at the boy and raised his meaty hand in his direction before throwing open the Hall doors and pulling his face into politeness. He would acknowledge her with the respect she was due as a goldrider and Weyrwoman, not a Mastercrafter. Not ever! And, true, her commission would bring in a fair sized amount of marks, and give his Journeymen something to do. "Ahh, Weyrwoman. Do come in out of the chill." He nodded to her politely, and with the proper amount of respect. "Thank you, although I think its more that I'm used to tropical sun than the weather's inclement." She smiled politely, revealing a set of strong, white teeth, and pulled off her riding gloves. "You look well, Hallmaster."

Daynar's dark eyes bulged in their sockets when he spied the Master's knots nestled alongside the Weyrwoman knots. The gall! He choked back scathing remarks; after all, she was his Weyrwoman, shardit. He smiled at her comment, leading her into the Hall. "Well Smithing does keep one in shape, Weyrwoman Tsaera." He said in what he thought was a friendly fashion, as if she'd never done any kind of Crafting in her life and would not know. Weyrwoman again. No, she would not get one Masterminer out of him. "Warmer inside isn't it? And we've some fresh klah, if you like it?
Although it might be a bit strong for your tastes." Meaning, of course, a woman's tastes. He went on inanely, "I am always slightly amazed that the weather is warmer at the Weyr than here at the Smithhall." Polite, yes. His teeth began to ache from it, already. He was babbling, and he was slowly turning an odd shade of purple.
Tsaera fought to keep from smiling. **Thank the Egg I don't have this effect on all men.** "The elevation gain here at the Hall, combined with the fact that you don't get the benefits from the warm water currents along the shoreline have left you at a bit of a disadvantage, Hallmaster. Still, I'd wager it has its advantages. As to klah; I'd love a cup. Perhaps laced with whiskey, if you have it." She smiled blandly.
"To take the chill from /between/."

Daynar frowned darkly at her. "Whiskey, Weyrwoman?" He said, disbelieving. "How .. improper." He swallowed the rest of his comment but waved at a drudge as he let her to his office. "Bring klah and some of that whiskey Geronio likes for the Weyrwoman. And quickly!"

He tried to recover his thoughts as he went on speaking. "I would not want to live near the Weyr, lady." His stumbling over the word 'Weyr' managed to contain all his ill-formed notions. "I am quite happy here. Besides, my trade comes to me. You have to go out and flame yours from the sky." His office was half cluttered with a work in progress.
There were chairs around his large, well-made desk, and he took one behind it, waving her to a comfortable one across from it. "Well, now I do. But before I Impressed, I went out to seek my work just as anyone did. And as I'm sure that you once did, as well." She decided to ignore the 'improper' comment - some men would never change, and she wasn't here to pick a fight. "But I'm sure you're as busy as I, and I doubt that you wish to exchange pleasantries all afternoon. I'd like to commission someone in your Hall for a piece of jewelry for the next Hatching. I have a bit of amber I'd like set."

Blunt, wasn't she? He was taken aback for a moment, then decided he wanted her gone as much as he wanted her business. She made him _nervous_. "You're exactly right, Weyrwoman. Pleasantries are for the womenfolk.." He stumbled then went on. "Well, other folk. We have business and it seems you know exactly what you'd like."

He paused, running over the list of journeymen currently available.
"Jarthir would have been the best choice, but he is not currently at the Hall. One of my sons is showing a gift for jewelry, though, and I'm a metalsmith by specialty. We can do something for you, very nice."

He knew they would settle somewhere under 10 marks, so he started high for fun. "20 marks normally, but since you've the amber already.. 15." He grinned ferally, liking this part of bargaining. Tsaera snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. I could go to the Northern Hall and have something made for an eighth of the price. Less, since anything I wear will be seen by Lords, Ladies and Crafters all over Pern. I'll give you five marks, and that will include working time and additional materials."

Daynar snorted in his turn. "You took all the fun out of that, Weyrwoman. Its supposed to take us a little while to settle on 5 marks." He rolled his eyes. "I thought women were supposed to be _good_ at bargaining."

Tsaera arched her eyebrows. "We just settled at five marks. I'd say that's sharding fine bargaining on my part."

He gave in with poor grace. "But it's the process, woman, the process!" He snorted again for good measure. "You've got a deal. When do you want it?"

"In time for the Hatching." She fished around in her pockets to find the piece of amber she wanted set, and placed it in its little bag on the desk between them. "I'd like a few suggested designs to choose from as well. Oh- and if I may make a proposition?"

Daynar blinked a couple of times, his eyes drawn down to the pile of amber. "A nice piece, Weyrwoman." He paused, ticking off days. "Designs to you in a sevenday, the work a couple of days before the Hatching." He paused, considering her second question. "A proposition? Go on." He said, a little warily. Despite her being a woman who dared Craft, and a dragonrider, he would take her marks all the same. "I wouldn't mind another gold bangle. To wear at the Hatching, of course. I have one or two already that could be melted down and reshaped. I was thinking, perhaps, of offering the commission to any of your Journeymen who wish to apply, with a three-mark honorarium for whoever gets the commission. Not only do they get paid, but their work gets displayed at the banquet afterward. What do you say?"

Daynar considered this for a moment. "You wish them to compete for the commission with a design? I would be glad to offer it up to them; they definitely need a project. Some of them have even taken to Impressing flits! Too much spare time I say." He grumbled, then was quiet another moment, musing again over the pool of talent. "Dawyn's specialty is ceramics, but Linor can do some gold." He also thought of two promising apprentices, Krystafir and Nyblek, but they were far too unskilled for this, as of yet. Tsaera shrugged. "I don't particularly care _who_ gets the commission, as long as I get something that I like." "Very well, Weyrwoman." He said finally, deciding they made each other equally uncomfortable. "It sounds like we have not one, but two, deals. I'll have my son bring the designs out to the Weyr by the end of the sevenday, aye? Payment upon delivery of the finished product." He added, with a respectful - for him - nod. "That sounds perfect, Hallmaster." The Weyrwoman grinned. "Now... it's been a while since I've visited the Smith Hall. I don't suppose that you have time for a tour, hmm?" Sometimes she couldn't help herself.

Last updated on the July 26th 2006

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The Diplomatic Dance