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

Elsewhere on Pern
NPC Weyr
River Bluff Weyr
Seacraft Hall

Story Listing
Series Listing

Weyrling Training

Writers: Estelle, Nici
Date Posted: 14th September 2005

Characters: Enrizial, Kohler
Description: Enrizial writes to Kohler, offering him the position of Steward at Emerald Falls
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 8, day 8 of Turn 3

The letters of complaint were piled high on Lord Enrizial's desk. There were petitions from woodcutters angry at the departure of their most valuable customer, the Harper Hall, terse notes from farmholders asking why their reports had not been acknowledged, and an urgent missive from a holder desperate for help to deal with the bandits roaming near his home.

Even though he worked from early morning until the letters blurred before his tired eyes in the night, the pile never seemed to get any smaller.
Without a Steward since the last man had retired, without a Lady to comfort him or a loyal guardsman he could trust, he began to wonder if he should simply give up. He could take a runnerbeast and ride out down the long road and never return.

If not for duty - and for Thread - he might have been tempted. Instead, he wearily pushed aside the letters and took out a clean sheet of paper. There was, after all, one man he could trust...though it hurt his pride to ask the man for help.

***

To Holder Kohler of Green Valley, greetings.

You must know that I owe you and your family a great deal for offering me sanctuary in a time of trouble. Forgive me, therefore, for writing again to ask for your help. I do so in desperation.

My Steward has recently left the Hold, and my Lady has gone back to her family at Bayside. I fear that the Hold is not well served by myself alone, and you are the only one remaining of those I trust. If you would reconsider the offer I made to you on the day I regained my Hold, of the Steward's position, I would be most grateful - even if you can only take up the post for a short time.

Should you accept, I would ensure that Green Valley was compensated for your absence. Your wife would, of course, be welcome at Emerald Falls. I would also appreciate it if, whatever your choice, you would bring my nephew to me at Emerald Falls. He is likely to be the sole heir to the Hold, and before long he should begin to learn his duties.

Enrizial
***

Kohler stared at the letter, wondering just what Enrizial had done _now_ to chase his Lady back to her home hold. Whatever it was, it had to have been serious!

It was the offer that intrigued Kohler more than it surprised him, however.
Become _Steward_ of Emerald Falls? All his life he'd been a simple beastcrafter, then he'd become Holder of Green Valley. Although he enjoyed it--was almost obsessed by it, the idea of moving closer to where the 'action' was exciting and the challenge itself enough to make him want to do it.

If things did not work out, then there was always Green Valley--he trusted Enrizial's honor enough to know that much.

What bothered him was Enrizial's desire to have Cazlik there to learn his 'duties'. He'd known that he'd only been fostering the boy, but both he and Mirdra had gotten close to him and the boy was like the son they'd yet to have together. Kohler's father had been a peer of Lord Ziadriel and his 'training' had chased Kohler straight to the North--and Enrizial had learned interesting concepts from his own father. Surely Kohler had to be there to help guide how the boy was trained.

Sighing, Kohler reached for his writing implement. Depending on her mood, Mirdra was either going to kiss him--or stop speaking to him for a while.

'Lord Enrizial, greetings from Green Valley, I was saddened to hear that Lady Anaia has once again left the Hold, this time returning to her family. I have great hope that you will once again convince her to return to where she belongs so that you can be with your children and her as well.

Your offer intrigues me I must admit. After hard work, Green Valley is running at peak efficiency and the stock is better than ever as you can tell from my recent tithe. Holders fill all but a few more remote cots and we recently gained a healer here. My current steward, Rendick, ran it before I returned from the North and did a better than good job and I have great faith in his abilities to maintain the quality of stock and work flow.

Therefore, it is with only minor hesitation--for what man wishes to leave his birthright?--that I will accept your offer. Give me time to discuss it with the household, my wife and the other holders and then I will write you with an estimated time to expect me, Mirdra and your nephew. We have grown quite close to him over the months that he has live here and we would have mourned the loss of him had we been required to return him so abruptly. He's been through quite a lot for a lad his age and has come through it an intelligent and energetic young boy who you can be proud of.

I hope this letter finds you well and I will contact you as soon as I am able.

-Kohler, Green Valley

Last updated on the September 15th 2005