Logs:Opportunism
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| RL Date: 30 January, 2012 |
| Who: Jivrain, K'del |
| Involves: Southern Boll Hold, High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: K'del proposes a deal to Lord Jivrain of Boll. |
| Where: Southern Boll |
| When: Day 3, Month 12, Turn 27 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Visrain/Mentions |
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| Southern Boll Hold, Boll Area The low-slung stone building of the hold sits atop a rampway lined with cotholds that leads up to the main courtyard. Here a fountain tinkles in the tree-scented breeze and captures rainbows from the sun during daylight hours. Firelizards frequently flit in and out of the water, bathing, playing and wetting their whistles. The doors to the great hall are frequently left open to invited cooling breezes indoors and the massive windows use sliding shutters of thick bronze instead of the type that swing outward to provide more airflow. Splashes of color from jewel toned stained glass sheets fall across the courtyard's flagstones from many decorative windows. Outside the hold, the immediate vicinity is kept as green-free as possible, though the jungle endlessly encroaches on the main structure and the outbuildings. A staggering line of cotholds tucked into the trees dots the landscape, alternating with open meadows and the tidy lines of fruit orchards. Beyond the cotholds, the roadway eventually slopes downward to the hold's golden sand beach and the docks. Branching off to the west, a side road leads the way to the Weaver crafthall and its outbuildings.
Lord Jivrain might, then, have seen Cadejoth's graceless landing, and K'del's more careful dismount. The Weyrleader is dressed formally: full leathers, a blue shirt barely visible beneath, his knot pinned so carefully to his shoulder. As he's shown in to the office, he gives his escort a careful nod of thanks, and then, in a formal tone: "Lord Jivrain. High Reaches' duties to your Hold." "And Boll's to High Reaches' and her queens," the Lord responds in kind, turning. His gaze flickers over the Weyrleader's dress, taking cues from it as to what sort of meeting this will be. Jivrain gestures towards one of the seats in invitation, then gives a nod of dismissal to the guards that escorted K'del in. They shut the door behind them, well trained. "I must say, I'm curious. I don't often get personal visits other than from Fort's Weyrleader." His lips twist at that, as he moves towards the other seat. "And few of those, at present, I understand." At twenty-five, K'del has a more authoritative presence than he once did; now, he takes his seat in a comfortable, if still formal, manner, pressing his hands into his lap idly once he's done so. "Which is--" Is that a flicker of uncertainty? Hesitation? He smoothes over it with a quick, careful smile. "The reason I'm here, I suppose. High Reaches has a proposal for you." Lord Jivrain's brows rise. Surprise suffuses his expression, firstly, then carefully calculated interest. "Do go on," he gestures. The insinuation about Fort Weyr's leaders is left alone, for the time being. K'del takes a deep breath before he begins, focusing his attention in on the Lord in an a searching kind of way: he's watching for reactions. "There's a difficult balance, during an Interval. Weyrs and Holds. Our services are less immediately vital, and yet... still useful. We've heard that Fort has withdrawn entirely from your lands, and while without Thread-- what I'm saying is," he frowns, "There are still ways having dragonriders around can be useful. High Reaches would like to step into that gap. Not," hastily, "in the model of tithes and obligation. But as needed. Pay per use, if you like." His expression, at first, is stoic. As the Weyrleader goes on, however, Lord Jivrain's eyes widen briefly, then narrow in interest. Finally, by his final words, Boll's lord is in the midst of a full-throated laugh. "Oh-ho. You dragonriders. I wouldn't have pegged you for an opportunist, but I suppose you're young enough to see and seek out an opportunity when it presents itself." It appears to be a compliment, anyway. He pushes up from his chair, and walks around to the cabinet, opening it up. He sets two glasses on the top, then pours out some amber liquid. "So, let me get this straight. For an agreed upon value, you'll provide transport, and other services as required... that right?" he offers one of the glasses to the Weyrleader. Struggling to keep his own expression neutral as Jivrain reacts, K'del can't entirely keep that mixture of relief and approval hidden. He accepts the glass with a restrained nod, waiting until he's leaned in to give it a thoughtful sniff before allowing, "That's the gist of it, yes. Can-- I can see benefits for both of us in such an arrangement." The liquid has a fruity sort of scent to it, and Lord Jivrain tips his glass towards K'del in silent salute before he takes a gulp. The alcohol gives his voice a slightly rough cast to it. "As can I. I'd be a fool not to accept, relations being... what they are." There's not a trace of regret in his expression, there. He leans forward, glass held loosely in one hand. A smile twitches his features. "Perhaps you'd be willing to do the first transport free... as a show of good faith?" He's pushing his luck, perhaps, but he's the sort of man who feels it's worth trying, all the same. The salute is returned, carefully; K'del takes only a small sip, tasting the liquid on his tongue before taking a second, slightly larger one. His nod to confirm the deal is little more than a short incline, and in response to that smile - and the words that accompany it - he raises his eyebrows. "You've something in mind, then," is his quiet suggestion, an unspoken encouragement to explain further. "I received a firelizard message informing me that a few of my residents are being held at Fort Weyr after delivering the tithe train." Jivrain manages to say it evenly, though there's a possessive on the 'my', that K'del, having been a Weyrleader so long, will recognize. "I think it beneficial for all if they are returned to the safety of their Hold sooner rather than later. I'll send a couple of men up to collect the wagons later. And a harper, with your riders, to negotiate the... release." K'del receives this information in silence, his expression largely unreadable save a faint wrinkle in his brow that might be hint of a frown otherwise suppressed. Whatever his opinion on the rights and wrongs of the matter, he keeps his tone even as he says, "Fort will be displeased." To see his riders involved? Presumably. "I would be a poor businessman to provide service for nothing, even to seal such a deal. We will provide the transport, of course, but-- I cannot have us do it for nothing, I'm sorry." "If displeasure is the /only/ thing they get from this, then /I/ will be displeased," Jivrain says, pointedly. At the Weyrleader's answer, he releases a breath, a wry, somewhat bemused shake of shoulders. "Well, it was worth a try. But if we negotiate a fee, before you leave, then you're amenable?" He asks, gaze settling on the Reachian. There's a twist of K'del's mouth, somehow rueful, at Jivrain's remark, but he keeps his opinion otherwise to himself. "Such things are always worth a try," he agrees, placidly. "Yes, we're amenable. I hope," and he lifts his glass again, "that it shall be a productive venture for both our homes. For as long as it lasts." "For as long as it lasts," Jivrain echoes, taking a gulp of his drink in salute of that. "So..." and he shifts forward, and they get to the business of negotiating a price. There's a bit of back and forth, but finally, the deal is sealed with a handshake. "A pleasure doing business with you," is K'del's closing remark, after that handshake. After that, there's only need for some pleasantries as he takes his leave. The young Weyrleader is smiling evenly enough as he departs, though before he mounts the impatiently awaiting Cadejoth, he makes one last glance towards the hold buildings and his expression, then, is more seriously thoughtful. It lasts only a moment, though, before he and the bronze are on their way again, off to - no doubt - colder climes. |
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