Flora or Fauna (2/2)

Writers: Eimi, Kaysea
Date Posted: 25th May 2007

Characters: Benaroy
Description: Benaroy adjudicates between two of his holders, over land rights.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 3, day 14 of Turn 4

Erivas could feel his anger building, when he thought of young Erivi - he could kill the man sitting in the chair an arms length away.

Benaroy reached out a hand pacifyingly to try to calm the man down a bit. "I remember my promise to you, Erivas, and it will be honored. Now, what is upsetting you?"

"Sir, his stock -" Erivas took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "My son..." he shook his head, "I'm sorry Sir, I know I'm not making much sense." He stopped again, took another deep breath, counted to three and started again. "My son was in the field, he was weeding down each furrow. There was a break in the fence, we don't know how, but suddenly Frinton's stock stampeded through the break and -" a shudder went through the man, "Erivi... was trampled."

"Sir! I did _not_ stampede my stock through his field." Frinton pounced up from his seat, "I know nothing of this...I...I..." Frinton appeared lost for words.

"Did you make this known to Holder Frinton?" Benaroy asked, raising a hand to silence the stammering man accused.

"He knew - he must have known!" Erivas protested, "That man - that son of his... he came through moments later abroad a runner!"

The Lord Holder turned expectantly towards his holder, his gaze demanding an explanation in a hurry.

"I _knew_ nothing, not until Patrine came back to the cot. Nothing, Sir, I promise." Frinton looked from one man to the other, his eyes wide and his demeanour earnest. "And I came as soon as he told me about...about the child." Frinton's head dropped as a flash of memory as he saw again, the image of the child trampled into the soft soil. He closed his eyes for a moment, his hands raised across his face trying to blind the image from his eyes with his palms.

"If not you, then your son?" Erivas asked, his own voice hoarse.

"He's _not_ my son!" Frinton almost spat the words out. "Patrine is useless. My daughter's useless husband."

Benaroy resisted the urge to cover his own eyes with his hands. This whole mess was giving him a pounding headache. But it would not do to show that to his Holders. "Was the hole in the fence there when you moved in Erivas?"

"No Sir." Erivas shook his head, "It wasn't there before the stampede. It wasn't there before Frinton showed his annoyance at us planting the crops." he glanced out of the window, his forehead creasing into a frown. He really needed to get back to the cot, he needed to be with his family, his son.

"I know what you're inferring, and it wasn't by my doing, or even my wish.. Yes, I was annoyed, my herd has grazed that land for turns, but, I wouldn't..." he shook his head in dismay, but realisation came to him. *The fool! Did he think this would solve the problem of grazing?*

"Yes, about that," Benaroy interrupted before this erupted once more into a heated debate over who was to blame. "What is wrong with your own lands, Frinton? Don't you have enough room to graze all your livestock?"

"My herd has grown well these last two turns Sir," Frinton's voice wavered; shock was setting in about the methods Patrine had used. "I am running out of grazing area's that they haven't already eaten bare, I was using Erivas land, before they arrived," he raised his hands in entreaty, " but not since. I swear."

"This is true, Sir, or was until the other day." Erivas had to admit the truth, his eyes took in Frinton, the other man seemed to have shrunk in stature right in front of his eyes. What had happened? Had he missed something? Once again thoughts of his son came flooding into his mind. He glanced outside, the sky was darkening, he had been here too long. He shuffled impatiently.

"Well, it seems as though this matter cannot be settled until I speak with Patrine," Benaroy sighed. He was starting to feel too old for this. "Erivas, what is your son's condition?"

"I don't know, Sir, I need to get back..." his eyes darted from the Lord Holder to the window behind him.

"Then I guess we'll all be going." Benaroy stood, feeling positively ancient. "We will send a message to Patrine to meet us there. Erivas, would you like me to send for Journeyman Chupsin to also check your boy?"

Both men stood, taking their cue from the Lord Holder. Frinton still had a deathly pallor, but his concern wasn't for himself or even for Patrine, his only concern now was finding the boy was healthier when they arrived at the cot, than he had been when Erivas had left.

"Certainly, your Lordship," Frinton acknowledged, "Patrine should face the consequences of his actions, though I doubt he did it meaning real harm."

"Whether he meant it or not..." Erivas began, than looked more closely at his 'enemy', and realised just what an effect his news had had on Frinton. "I'd appreciate your offer, Sir." he bowed his head, briefly, before following the Lord Holder from the room.

Last updated on the May 25th 2007

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Flora or Fauna (2/2)