| Small Claims Court |
| Summary: | A Minor disturbance is dealt with in the Roost and revelations are made regarding an apprentice's past. |
| Date: | 12/Feb/2013 |
| Related Logs: | Nothing specific |
| Players: |
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| Town Square, Terrick's Roost |
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| The town square of Terrick's Roost was once considered well-kept. The stone streets run right up to the building fronts around the edge and the locals have kept the spaces between free of grass and weeds that might otherwise sprung up between them, although dark streaks of stubborn soot have crawled in between the stones. There are several homes and shops located here which show the scars and cinders of the sacking of the town at Ironborn hands. The ruin of the town's Sept can also be seen from here with its ornate stone front rising above the surrounding structures just down the cobblestone road. |
| Tue Feb 12, 290 |
It is mid-morning and the sky is dotted with clouds promising rain if enough of them gather. A wind blows off the ocean and is heralding the promised storm. Individuals move around the town some carrying bundles others hawking their wares. Their voices create a chorus of life and sound. Tired and sitting on her horse Dania nibbles on a heel of bread as watches the sky. Her blue eyes just seem to take everything in.
With all eyes on the lookout for potential trouble-makers passing through to Stonebridge, Mortimer is on his way to do a round of a few of the surrounding villages, stick his head in their taverns, ensure they know to keep on passing. He's borrowed a horse from the keep again and is on his way through town when he spots Dania and offers her a nod in greeting, "Mistress."
Nathaniel is, for once, not on his mare but stepping out of the leather-worker's shop. An apparently new bridle dangles from his shoulder. The piece sways stiffly and its metal bits jingle while he walks along the edge of the square. A little boy running with his friends slams into the courier's knees, and almost knocks him backward with the force of the collision. Nathaniel catches the boy by the shoulders, not in anger but to steady both of them. "What's your hurry, lad?" he questions. He looks down at the boy, who holds one fist in a tight clinch. Nathaniel cocks his head. "Now them, don't tell me that you've swiped something that you shouldn't have taken." He reaches for the fist and urges, "Open up. I won't take it if it's yours, but The Roost needs good, honest lads."
"Good day to you Deputy, a lot of unrest?" Dania asks him. Her long hair is pinned up underneath a wide brimmed straw hat. She offers him a smile as she finishes her bread. She then picks up her water skin that was attached to her saddle. She takes a long drink.
She smiles as she catches sight of Nathaniel with the lad. "Bring him over this way Nat, before his friends tackle him into the dirt."
"Not too much Mistress," Mortimer answers, "an' hoping to keep it that way." His words are to Dania but he's now watching Nathaniel and the young lads. Turning the horse to get a better view he frowns a moment then calls over, "trouble Master Corbitt?" No harm in letting the lads know he's here he figures, might make them think twice about trying anything.
Nathaniel is already shifting his eyes to the thee boys and one girl who are now standing a few feet away from the boy, glowering at their intended target now that an adult has intervened. When Dania calls, he sweeps his attention upward to the tall woman on horseback, and nods. "Mistress!" he calls without releasing his hand from the boy's shoulder. Then he notices that Mortimer is near her, and he nods. He glances to the pursuers and beckons, "All of you come with me." His hand squeezes the boy's shoulder and he coaxes gently, "Come along. If they were trying to take what's yours, you have nothing to fear. If you stole it, we'll set things aright." He leads his little group toward the healer and the deputy. "Master Deputy Trevelyan!" He calls, using a purposefully formal tone that might persuade the children to speak truthfully for fear of authority. "This lad has something in his possession, and three pursuers after him. Someone needs justice, but I'll leave you to determine who it is." He bows to the man.
"We will see, I have never seen so much issues over a marriage." Dania shakes her head. "Hopefully they will not torch the place." She shakes her head. "If it happens I think it will be the Lady who feels slighted and those that support her. Stupid if you ask me." She shakes her head again. She offers her water skin to Mortimer.
Her gaze goes towards Nathaniel now and the children he is bringing towards them. Her facial expression softens as does her eyes. "Interesting morning it would seem you are having Master Nathaniel and it would see that gaggle of children are having one as well." She grows quiet then so as to hear what is said.
Mortimer waits a moment as Nathaniel starts to lead the children towards him, then slowly and with deliberate movements dismounts. Turning to pass the reins to Dania for her to hold he shakes his head slightly at her words. "There'll be nothing so dramatic Mistress, burnt feelings maybe but there'll be no repeat of the Ironborn's destruction." He seems confident on that and offers a reassuring smile before turning back to the youngster with Nathaniel. Opting to start with the softly-softly approach he lowers himself to one knee to put his eyes on a similar level to the lads and reaches out a hand for whatever it is the lad is grasping. "Come now Master Cooper, lets have a look."
The little tow-headed boy eyes Mortimer warily and then looks down at his fist. He looks at Nathaniel and then Dania before he raises his fist and slowly opens it to reveal a five-copper piece. "I earned it, ser," he protests. "I run errands for the blacksmith to buy me mum a present for 'er name-day." The other children continue to glare at him.
"He stole it!" the little girl accuses, pointing a stubby, grimy finger at the boy. "No one pays that kind of money!" The other boys with her nod their heads vigorously in agreement.
Nathaniel frowns and looks at the four children, first the accusers and then the boy with the coin. "I know that the blacksmith recently lost her apprentice, master," he confirms. "It's likely that she would need someone to run errands."
Dania hold the reins of Mortimer's horse. "So instead of thinking and asking and talking to an adult you decided to take justice into your own hands? Apparently all of your children are too idle." She frowns again as she says this. But she does not offer any more as both the Deputy and the Nathaniel have this well in hand. She watches the children with a shrewd eye.
Nathaniel looks from the child with the coin to the Deputy, and finally to Dania. "If you'll hold them here, master, I'll check with the blacksmith," he offers. THen looks at each of the three children in turn. "If he's right, and you accused him wrongly, don't think that you'll escape." He nods to Dania, and then back to the threesome. "The mistress is right. If you have time and energy to chase boys, you have time and energy to muck out stables. If you want to claim coppers, the paddock master down the street might hire you with a good word from someone."
Mortimer eyes the coin a moment, listening to the explanation given and then the accusation as it comes flying in. "That, Mistress Warden, if for me to decide," he replies, glancing briefly to the girl as she speaks before he reaches forward to close the boy's fist back over the coin. Pushing himself back to his feet he pats the lad's shoulder a moment releasing him with a simple "Run along now Master Cooper, and be sure to keep that safe."
That done he turns to the other children and dismisses them with a nod in the other direction, away from the lad's route home. "Go on, be off with you, an' be sure to tell your fathers I'll be wanting a word with them later." Once he gets back from scaring off real thieves that is. On the plus side though it does give the kids time to confess to their parents themselves, rather than simply have the law pitch up on their family doorsteps. Character building or some such. THe matter seemingly dealt with he turns to offer Dania a faintly amused smile, "You see what trouble you cause us? Stealing Master Fullbringer away like that?" At Nathaniels offer to hold them though he shakes his head, "It's alright Master Corbitt, I've seen the lad about on Mistress Black's business before."
Nathaniel passes his hand over his mouth to hide the smile that is growing while Mortimer holds his small claims court, and dismisses the plaintiffs with a threat of greater punishment than the law can deliver - stern words or a thrashing from parents. He nods after the fleeing errand-boy, and inclines his head to Mortimer. "I was a lad like that once," he reflects. "I ran from my share of bullies, not because I was a coward, but because I learned early when the odds didn't favor me." He hitches the bridle on his shoulder again, and looks up to Dania. "Now then, you were saying something about burning? I'm sure that a fire hasn't broken, or we wouldn't be standing here talking."
With a laugh Dania grins. "Master Fulbringer will do you much good once he is trained properly. It just takes time. I would be a delight though if the Lord of the roost were to offer him the herbalist shop. He is a Master Herbalist in his own right." She points out. She takes another drink from her water skin. She then looks to Nathaniel. "Good thinking my friend. To snag them and bring them here, hopefully the boy will be taken on as an apprentice." She tells him. She then looks up at the sky as the wind picks up and the sun is blotted out. The first drops of rain fall to the dry ground. "I was saying hopefully the division in the Roost over this marriage will not cause a fire to break out."
"I think Master Fullbringer will have to prove himself to have settled down a bit before such an offer might be made," Mortimer answers to Dania. "He and his wife already asked for, and were gifted, the Rockcliff to run. I'm not doubting his skills, nor his commitment to his family, but he needs to stick at something for a while before they'll think of giving him such responsibility once more." Nathaniel is given a brief nod before he states, "Youthful exuberance mostly, but it needs to be checked when it gets out of hand. I should think that by this evening it'll all be straightened out and I'll have to play no further part."
"I did not realize he was given such a gift. It now makes me wonder how truly dedicated he is to this art." Dania frowns a little. "Hrm…perhaps he will leave and stop his teaching within a weeks time." She shakes her head. "Why does he move from craft to craft, he will be too old to be taken in as an apprentice soon. In fact I almost did not because of his age, the only reason I did was because of his knowledge of herbs."
Nathaniel smiles at first when Dania and Mortimer speak in turn. The question of Ciaran dims that smile somewhat, however. He bites his bottom lip and glances toward the inn. "Absent owners make for bad business," he remarks. "That is a large weight for someone who only a few months ago avoided his responsibility." he remarks.
Mortimer can only shrug at that, "I can not claim to know him well I'm afraid but I suspect he's still trying to find where he fits in the world. His wife arriving with their daughter in her arms and then this son as well can't be helping that. Give him a couple of years or so and like as not he'll have settled at something. Even if just for his family's sake."
"It takes years to be able to break free from the mold of an apprentice, I also would hate to think that my teachings are going to waste when they should be offered to one who is more deserving." She says softly. she puts her water skin back onto her saddle. "The inn will not suffer if he is not there, but he should be managing it better it really is a grand gift. It would also explain his manners." She frowns a little bit more. "I am tired of being played the fool."
Nathaniel gnaws his lip again and sighs. Lowering his voice, he explains in confidence, "While Mistress Caul was here, she and he were quite … friendly, and that was after he admitted to fathering Kaycee." He looks specifically to Mortimer and guesses, "I'm sure that you've heard about her way of being … friendly." He looks up to Dania, and asks, "Is he kind to those in need? Does he care as well for them as for the herbs? If he's to be an herbalist, it's not so important, but a healer needs a care for the patients."
Mortimer reaches to take the reins of his borrowed mount back from Dania and then hauls himself up into the saddle once more. "Then I'm sorry to have been the one to have to tell you Mistress, I had thought that he would have mentioned it himself before now." Nodding once to Nathaniel he replies, "I get your drift but please, spare me the details. Mistress Caul seems to believe I am intimately acquainted with her .. exploits .. but unless she has been breaking the law I really do not need," or want "to know." Stepping his horse a pace or two away in preparation to depart he offers a respectful nod to the pair of them before stating, "If you'll excuse me though, I'd rather be back while there is still light and I have enough miles to cover to keep me busy."
"Who has not been friendly with Mistress Caul." Dania points out pragmatically. "Honestly I do not care who he dips his wick into or who mistress Caul allows to take her. What I care about is different. None are without fault, I have them. I have made what others would deem as a mistake. But, I do not mind as do not see them as that, but as learning experiences. I just dislike being played the fool and wasting my time. I have precious little of it as it is." She looks to Mortimer and offers him a bow of her head. "Thank you, for your kindness and I hope we will see each other again, before I depart." She smiles as she says this.
Nathaniel inclines his head to the deputy. "I'm sure that you know enough, master, and wouldn't worry you about it. She works in Highfield now, if she hasn't moved from there, and neither of those are crimes." He shrugs at Dania's comments, and clarifies, "I'm not questioning anything except how well he would remain true to his work."
"There are some of us who have resisted her wiles Mistress," Mortimer replies with a faintly raised eyebrow. Not that he seems terribly offended by the implication, but he feels the need to make the point. "I will be back again this evening," he then offers, tone lighter, "I know you were wanting to speak again." He raises an eyebrow to Nathaniel's comment about Highfield, given the last he had heard she was at Broadmoor, and indeed had been when he was for the wedding, but then he just shakes his head once and returns his attention to the task at hand. "Good day to you then," he offers simply then turns his horse and heads for the road.
