Striking a Bargain

Writers: Clancey, Emma, Paula
Date Posted: 30th September 2006

Characters: K'sedel, Dawyn, Daynar
Description: K'sedel visits the Smith Hall to arrange a commission with the Hallmaster.
Location: Smith Hall (NPC)
Date: month 13, day 9 of Turn 3

K'sedel

The bronze dragon spiralled down out of the sky as he came into a neat
landing at the Smith Hall. K'sedel knew he wasn't expected, so didn't
expect to see anyone waiting for him. It was a spur of the moment decision,
based around having won a gem stone of Tsaera in a game. The aim now was to
have the gem cut and set and placed into a necklace that he could give to
Ciara when their child was born.

Dawyn was passing thru the courtyard, when Chaldona's alarmed cry
Alerted him. He stopped to watch the bronze land. Riders weren't that common
sight at the hall. "Man, they are big ones," He said aloud, admiring the
bronze.

}:There is a young man here,:{ reported Nikornath to his rider. **So I
see,** replied K'sedel as he slipped down from the bronze's back. **He
complimented us.**

"The weyrleader himself. I wonder what brings him here?" Dawyn
murmured and asked Chaldona. But the green firelizard had no answers.

Usually his arrival brought people running, but today it seemed that
Just the young man Nikornath had noticed was here. **I should speak to him
then, ask him to show me to the Hallmaster.**

After a glance around, Dawyn realized he was only one who had seen the
dragonrider arriving. It would be impolite to ignore the important
visitor, so he stepped forward. "My duty to you, weyrleader," he greeted.

"And to you, Journeyman," replied K'sedel after a brief glance at the
man's knots.

"Can I help you somehow, sir?"

"Is it possible you could show me to the Hallmaster's office." K'sedel
was sure that he most likely could find the place himself, but it wasn't
done to just go wandering through someone's Hall like that. This at least
might give Daynar chance to prepare, he was sure that Nikornath had to have
been spotted by now.

"Sure I can," Dawyn grinned. His glaced for a moment when he metally
told Chaldona to go back home. The hallmaster still didn't want flit inside
the hall. the green obeyed and disappered from his shoulder.
"Please, come this way, sir."

"Thank you," replied K'sedel as he followed the Journeyman.

"So, what brings you to the smithhall, if I may be curious?" Dawyn
asked politely.

"I was after getting a piece of jewellery commissioned," explained the
Weyrleader briefly. "The Hallmaster should be able to direct me to
Someone who can help there."

"He certainly can. Jewelry is not my field," Dawyn replied.

"Might I ask what you specialize in?"

"Ceramics, sir," Dawyn replied.

Daynar was in his office, fussing and fiddling with a pile of metal
before he took it to his workroom. It would eventually become a beaten
silver necklace. He was also, as it happened, absorbed in thoughts of
his new bride to be.

The interruption, therefore, would not be entirely welcome. Especially
when he learned it was someone from the Weyr!

"Ah, here he is. Hallmaster Daynar, Weyrleader K'sedel is here to see
you," Dawyn said, with his most polite escort-manner.

Daynar almost growled that he should be undisturbed, but thought
better of angering the Weyrleader almost immediately.

It was with a bit of a strangle that he did look up and put his work
aside and summon a smile. "Ahh, Weyrleader. An unexpected suprise."
He had a great deal more respect for K'sedel, at least, than Tsaera.
At least this man was, well, a MAN.

"Do come in, and you too Dawyn. My last visitor from the Weyr had a
commission. Perhaps you will want it."

Dawyn followed the weyrleader in, thankful that he had remembered to send
his flit home.

"It was about a comission that I myself am here," said K'sedel.

Daynar nodded abruptly as his visitors sat down. He put aside the silver
for a moment and looked toward K'sedel. "The Weyr is becoming a good
customer. First your Weyrwoman and now you, Weyrleader. What might we make
for
you?" He glanced once at Dawyn, glad to see his sharding flit was nowhere
around, his voice respectful but lacking warmth.

Reaching into his belt pouch, the Weyrleader pulled out a small bundle,
which when unwrapped proved to hold a gemstone. "I was wanting to get this
cut and set as a necklace," he explained as he held the small stone out to
the Hallmaster. "Something pretty for my weyrmate."

Dawyn whistled appreaciatively when he saw the stone. "Lucky her," he
murmured quietly.

"I'm sure you gentlemen appreciate that the ladies in our lives like pretty
things. And as she's shortly going to have our child..." The Weyrleader let
his voice trail off, hoping that fact may help his bargaining.

As much as he would have liked to watch the Weyrleader and Hallmaster
haggle, Dawyn had a work waiting for him. "By your leave, gentleman, I need
to get to my work. It was pleasure to meet you, K'sedel."

"You too Journeyman. Thank you for your help."

Daynar narrowed his eyes at Dawyn. Hadn't he told the man to stay? After a
moment, he finally nodded. "Yes, I suppose you must, Dawyn. This is going
to be jewelry after all." The Hallmaster waved a dismissal toward the
journeyman then, and turned back to K'sedel, muttering about Jarthir, and
how he should have kept him _here_ .

After a moment, he nodded again to K'sedel. "Weyrmate hmm? Good to see
she's having children. At _your_ age though, Weyrleader?" The Hallmaster
couldn't resist. "Very impressive!"

"Thank you, and I hear congratulations should go your way as well. Perhaps
in a few months time you will also be a father again." News of the impending
marriage had begun to spread.

After being dismissed, Dawyn sneaked off.

Daynar narrowed his eyes after his journeyman, but said nothing. He turned
Back to K'sedel at his comment. "I'm not sure about that, Weyrleader. But
We can hope!"

His fingers tapped briefly. "Now, about your commission." It seemed clear
that having a child made little difference to the man. After all, women
were supposed to bear children.

He fingered the stone a moment. "Silver for the necklace?"

"I think silver would look best, yes," replied the Weyrleader.

"7 marks." Daynar grinned, knowing that was slightly too high, but wanting
to end up around 4 or so.

"Oh, come now, " began K'sedel. "I was thinking in the region of 3 marks
maybe?" Low to start with, but he knew from experience that the actual work
would be done for no more than five marks at the most. That and most Halls
had at least one individual that enjoyed the haggling.

"You dragonriders! Robbing me of a tithe and marks too!" Daynar offered,
but much more good-naturedly than he had been with Tsaera. "I couldn't take
less than 6 marks."

"Three and 3/4?" suggested the Weyrleader?

Daynar snorted. "I'll take 5 and that's final!"

"Four and a half?"

"Done!" Daynar stuck his hand out with a grin. "We can have it for you in
about
a sevenday. Is that soon enough?"

"Done indeed," K'sedel offered his hand in return to shake on the deal. "A
Sevenday would be more than soon enough."

Daynar nodded happily, and offered a smile as he took the stone. "Return in
a sevenday and it will be ready! I'll take payment then." He rose to his
feet, thinking the bronzerider would want to get back to his Weyr.

"Good to hear that, although it might be my son who comes to collect it, if
the baby comes early."

Daynar nodded absently, still smiling. If he only knew who was coming to
get
it...

Last updated on the October 1st 2006

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Striking a Bargain