The Trouble with Tyreth Hold Part 1

Posted on Sun Mar 19th, 2023 @ 12:01am by Blue Rider Malearee & Chellis
Edited on on Thu Mar 30th, 2023 @ 1:28pm

Mission: 3531 AL
Location: Tyreth Hold
Timeline: M1 D13

Piercing ivory eyes sit well within the creature's scaled, long skull, which gave the creature a very ominous looking appearance that the children who were jumping around below as they tried to land did not seem to care about. It was a dragon and they wanted to play, especially with a blue dragon it was just the right size. His bottom was covered in narrow scales and was coloured slightly darker blue than the rest of him was. Four slender limbs carried its body and allowed the creature to stand graceful and tall when he was on the ground but currently his wing was spread wide trying to keep itself in the right place to land.

“Move.” The female voice on the blue dragon yelled below and the children looked up in surprise but promptly moved, allowing Malearee and Talaleth to land with their partner. Malearee jumped down and tore off her helmet and undid the straps looking around the hold that was the furthest away from River Cove in their search area. “What do you think?” She wondered sliding down as people started to come out to greet them.

As far as holds go, Tyreth was small and relatively isolated. Still, it was clean and well maintained from the outside. Expansive fields stretched out in any direction not claimed by pasture or orchard, and even those were hedged by neat little stone out buildings dug down into the ground a bit.

The people seemed equally cared for and tidy. The only outliers to the friendly bunch were the large number of guards that stood at the periphery. They largely paid no mind to the dragons or their riders, but did eye the population when not gazing off in the distance.

As the lord holder emerged from the hold with a young girl on his arm the crowd was quick to part. The guards stood taller. The tension rose- then fell again slightly as he smiled warmly at the riders. "Welcome, noble riders," he said as he stopped theatrically on the last step to the square. "I am Lord Freyr, and this is my daughter Vela. Please accept our hospitality. I'm sure that you'll find it most generous."

Malearee could do with some hospitality seeing the last cothold they had been at had been a washout and not at all what they had thought it was. They had been lucky to get away with two polluting candidates. The blue rider held out her hand to the Lord Holder to shake his as was polite despite the theatrics that seemed to be on display today. Some cotholds and holds took it all seriously whilst Holds like Kymos and Far Site because they were there constantly there was no real display to be done when they knew the holders by sight. “Lord Freyr, I am Blue Rider Malearee.” The woman introduced herself.

"A lovely name that is. Please see that your dragons know that should they need to eat, we will release stock into the northern pasture. Otherwise, we see to you two first." He turned away from the riders to speak to an older woman with graying blonde braids lingering near him. "Anhelise, we need a hearty meal. Send girls to freshen rooms for the riders, and warn the guard to make allowances for their movement. They go where they will."

As she moved quickly away, he turned, too, and waved that they should follow. "I can offer a tour at another time. For now, let us get *something* in your stomachs. Mayhaps some wine as well, and you can tell me of the purpose of your visit."

There were plenty of eye rolls and sighs amongst the man's workers as the guards made noises and gestures to send them on their way. A few took one last, longing look at the great beasts in the courtyard before heading on their way.

Malearee glanced at the two green riders with her and offered a smile as none of the glances both longing and jealous were missed from the trio. The rider quickly followed up the short set of stairs, her boots stomping on the stone as she tried to take in the faces around her. No one seemed to be repulsed by a female blue rider so it was promising.

“Our dragons have fed but their riders could certainly appreciate the wine. We are on search for the hatching my lord.” She explained quickly wanting to get it out of the way before wine got in his system as he was not known to her.

"Oh that is exciting. I'm afraid that you won't find anyone suitable here, though. Between our troubles with the holdless bandits and my late father's negligence in caring for the people that were his responsibility, we are running at a bare minimum. We have many old and a fair number young. Those in between are either graced with only enough sense for manual labor or the temperament of a lame herdbeast." Freyr left the way to a small comfortable alcove where servant's were already bringing selections of bread, cured meats and soft cheese to go with the promise wine.

"You're welcome to look, though," he added as he sat. "We certainly don't lack for spirit here. Thus the guards."

Malearee smiled patiently. She was not at all sure on that even the smallest hold sometimes threw up surprises for people. “The holdless should be gone now as they were found and there stores and buildings burned to the ground so that should allow you a little breath space my lord.” The woman said pouring him some wine and then herself. “Thank you.” Malearee Said to the woman who brought it all.

"You have my thanks then. I've brought in a few of the Holdless, and that was nearly catastrophic. Still-" he stopped as a servant hurried over and whispered something in his ear. "Please excuse me. I'm afraid I need to go deal with something. Please enjoy the wine. Any of the girls can direct you to the guest rooms. Do feel free to wander."

The Blue Rider rose instantly and offered a bow to the Lord holder as he quickly rose to leave with hurried words with the servant who was following out. The absence of the lord holder left her alone in the room and she glanced around. It was not the biggest hold by any means, but it had to be the nicest furnished that she had been invited into to stay the night in a while. Nothing seemed to hold or broken at least in the entrance room. She jumped as the door opened and a young woman stood there. “Hello…” Malearee offered.

"I shouldn't talk to you," the girl responded bluntly. She didn't seem frightened, it was more like she was just stating a fact. The girl skirting the edge of the threshold had wild blonde curls and sharp green eyes. Her lip was busted, but her spirit was certainly high. "But I wanted to tell you that you shouldn't stay here. If he likes you, he won't let you leave."

“I am a rider. The Weyr will act if I am held or my riders are held here. The Weyrleaders do it take kindly to that type of thing. Are you being held here?” Malearee suddenly realise if she was being warned that others might have been held previously.

A bit bolder now after a glance over her shoulder, the blonde stepped just inside the door. She was a tiny thing: all sinewy muscle and leg clad in a simple wrap that was just a bit big on her. "I am," she said without hesitation. "For two years. He had my grandmother and I charged for poaching when we didn't, then made us scullery 'cause there wasn't enough. The place would be near empty if he didn't do that. He said my gran and I were addled in the head. Right about her, but not me. I'm not sick; I'm angry. I just didn't talk much more than to say no."

Malearee could feel the anger rising in her stomach as the looked the girl over. She had to be within searching age without a doubt but that did not mean thoughts always followed through on reality. "How old are you?" The woman demanded quickly. She could hear anyone coming this way so this conversation had to be quick and seem like nothing out of the ordinary was happening.

The girl's brow furrowed at the sound of steps heading their way. She quickly picked up a water pitcher and headed closer to the rider's cup. "Eighteen I think. I need to get back to the scrubbing."

"Come to my room later." The blue rider said quickly. "Why thank you for helping me, Drudge. Your help has been appreciated." She said louder as the Lord Holder's steward came into the room with the two riders that had accompanied her there. "You have such helpful people here Lord Steward." She praised as the drudge the brown and green riders looked at her confused. They knew something was going on from the light tone that the female rider was using.

Chellis nodded to the rider before replacing the water pitcher and hurrying out the door. The steward seemed a bit perplexed that the girl was being complimented. "Little Chell? Being helpful? You're more likely to get bit by that one. She likes maybe three people, and everyone else gets fang and claw. Be careful. She's also quick to grab a knife. Now, is there anything else that I may help you with? I'm afraid that Lord Freyr will be busy for the next two candlemarks in the least."

“Well, it seems she likes four now.” The blue rider said brightly not at all phased by what the steward was saying. She knew stories of drudges who were portrayed as worse and became of the greatest leaders that Pern had ever had. “That is fine. The Lord Holder said we can walk around so we can do that then come back.”

"As you wish. Please feel free to wander. Should you need me, send a girl or a guard to fetch me." He gave a slightly stiff bow before turning and walking away.

Malearee watched the man leave and turned to her fellow riders. "We have a problem." She said softly. There was no denying it was an issue that they would need to adjust in the searching to.