Not Unless You're Well

Writers: Jane, Kaysea
Date Posted: 15th October 2008

Characters: Causton, Zandreu
Description: Causton asks the Tavern Master about the progress on the Turns End Ball.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 12, day 8 of Turn 4

Zandreu often wended his way through the neat, even rows of cots behind
the Tavern - a habit that had started after the first complaint about
the noise. Concerned, he made a point of zigzagging around the family
quarters any time he was passing, and listening intently to hear what
the inhabitants could hear from the Tavern.

At this time of the afternoon there was little noise to be heard from
anywhere. A crying child away on his left somewhere ... Perhaps a
faint sound from the refrigeration units that kept the cool rooms cool.
Nothing that amounted to much, anyway.

"Zandreu!" Causton leaned his head and shoulders out from the bedroom
window, but his call was a little on the muffled side. He didn't want
to alert Geni that he was out of bed, if he could help it.

The Tavern Master stopped and looked behind him, then took a few steps
onward and looked down the alley between the cots. He had certainly
heard somebody call his name, and yet there was nobody in sight.

Causton grinned at the perplexed look on the Tavern Masters face. "Up
here, Zandreu!" he called again. A cough followed his call, and he had
to muffle it against the blanket he had draped around his shoulders.
Once the coughing fit had stopped he had to listen closely for Geni's
feet on the staircase.

"Oh." The Tavern Master grinned at the sight of the Hallmaster leaning
out the window wrapped in a colourful blanket. "Hello Hallmaster. Are
you feeling better?"

"A little, yes." Causton replied in a hoarse whisper, he beckoned the
Tavern Master closer, "I was hoping to see you or Daigoro, I wanted to
know how the celebrations planning is coming along?"

"Er - no problems. Your lovely wife has volunteered to help," Zandreu
explained moving a little closer to the wall of the Hallmaster's cot.
Not too close, though, for if the man was still ill it certainly wasn't
an illness that Zandreu wanted any part of.

"She has?" Causton's eyebrows rose, "She didn't mention it to me. And
who else have you seconded?" he leaned a little too far out and had to
steady himself again, before another coughing fit attacked him.

"I've spoken to the cooks," Zandreu said quickly, wanting to let the man
get back to his sickbed. "Both at the Tavern and at the Hall. We think
we'll cook at the Hall and use the Tavern for heating and preparing to
serve. "Things are plodding along as they do in the early stages of
planning. You'll no doubt be up and about by the time we get into the
rush."

"I hope to be so..." he answered distractedly, "My first Turns End at
the Hall and I'm incapacitated," he said disgruntled, "This won't happen
again!"

How like a Hallmaster, Zandreu thought, to be so firm about what would
happen in the future. His own guesses and hopes were never as firm, and
he tended not to look very far ahead, anyway, having experienced how
fast things could change in a life. "Well, if you're well enough to
attend then you'll have the best of all sides - no organisation and all
the fun."

"Humph!" was Causton's reply, but then he took a moment to consider
Zandreu's words, "Hey! You might have something there, after all." he
called down, "But I'd still like a rundown of exactly what you have
planned, care to come upstairs?" he asked.

"Not unless you're well," Zandreu said honestly. "Are you sure it's all
right to visit you?"

"I'm doing fine..." he started, then the cough overtook him again.
"Well, maybe not.." he said, his eyes streaming with tears from the
choking that always seemed to follow the cough.

"I think I'd better stay away for now," the Tavern Master said firmly.
"I can send you notes or give your wife a verbal report. Whichever
suits you best."

"Notes..." Causton coughed out, "and ask Daigoro to make a note of all
he has invited so far, for me as well, please?"

"All right. Now you get back inside," the Tavern Master advised, edging
away a little further from the sick man. "I don't think all this fresh
air is doing you any good."

"Okay, I will. I will." Causton nodded agitatedly. He was loathe to
admit it, but he didn't feel he had done himself any good hanging out
of the window like that.

"I'll send lots of notes," Zandreu promised, still retreating. "You
just concentrate on getting well, Causton!"

With a 'humph' and nod, Causton withdrew back into the warmth of his
room, satisfied that Zandreu would follow through on his promise.

Last updated on the October 18th 2008

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Not Unless You're Well