The Trouble with Tyreth Hold Part 2

Posted on Fri Oct 4th, 2024 @ 9:21pm by Blue Rider Malearee

Mission: 3531 AL

Tyreth Hold was not like a normal Hold at all Malearee decided as she checked through the list of people that she and the dragons had decided could be potential matches for dragonets. Hold's were usually situated on a plateau or a hilltop and surrounded by walls and defensive structures to protect the inhabitants from the dangerous creatures known as Thread, which periodically rain down from the sky and destroy all organic matter they touch but the Hold was out in the open. It was a newer one that was obvious so maybe that was what it was. The dragon riders also work closely with the Holders, providing them with early warning of Threadfalls and assisting them in repairing any damage caused by the Thread but she had very much not been to Tyreth before and likely would never be welcome there again after she was just relieved that they had not taken offence to a female blue rider. Malearee sat down at the table and folded her note for the waiting fire lizard. "Weyrleader A'ren." She instructed and watched the little flick disappear between.

As she said she would Chellis had busied herself with scrubbing and washing. She took her usual escorted walk with her favorite guard and talked about the coming berry season, picking wildflowers to thread into his beard until he chuckled. Only after that did she break her daily rhythm to offer to take up a handful of extra chores that would put her in the right side of the hold to see the dragon rider again. Once they were done, she tapped on the woman's door with a pitcher of warmed water for her basin.

“Enter,” Malearee called loudly standing up to face what was coming her way. It was hard to avoid everything that was happening at the hold.

Chellis ducked into the room with the pitcher tucked to her chest. "You wanted to see me?" she asked as she headed for the basin set atop the carved wooden chest to the side of the bed.

Malearee rose as she took in the girl and offered a small smile relieved that it was the girl and not something worse. "I did." The blue rider agreed. "Thank you for bringing the water." She closed the door and allowed the silence to reign for a few moments before she sighed. "Tell me everything."

"Everything?" Chellis seemed to rattle that around in her head for a moment as if trying to parse exactly what she mean before speaking again. "Most of us drudges were made to come here. Visitors, holdless, servants of other traders... Most of the guards were the Lord's men before he married the Lady's mother and took control of the hold. When she died most everyone went on, they say, with the traders because of him, so he had to get more. Some of the guards are good, but not more than three. All of these rooms, but no nobles except him and his daughter. No one stayed. Lots died. There's-" she struggled visibly with he words before finding ones that worked for what she wanted. "-bones in the ground burnt up near the great rock over the hill. You can't make him too mad."

TRUNCATED