[RUMOR] Weyr Corruption

[Arcane]

A foreign hold has cancelled the match between one of the High Reaches' lord holder's daughters and their son, citing concerns over the influence of the weyr culture (and their recent holdless guests). Holder high society sure is strange, isn't it?

[EW-NA]

Urbain of Bronze Uragonsk
--

“Well, that is an unfortunate turn of events,” Urbain crooned, shaking his head over the misfortune. His voice barely hinted at anything but mild amusement. “Not the end of the world though,” he added. “Perhaps this decline will offer the Lord Holder a far more beneficial match for his daughter now. They’re never short of them.”

Even though there was a calm and casual smile upon Urbain’s face, internally, he couldn’t help but fume and fret, atleast as much as he’d allow himself to. It seemed the ‘Holdless matter’ was starting to let its ugly heads rear up from the trenches, as he inevitably expected it to. He couldn’t blame the Holds for being less than pleased on the Weyr’s decision.

What it matter? Uragosnk silently questioned. Smelly Holdless with us now. We have to deal with mess! As usual, the Bronze missed the finer points that Urbain always did well to pick up on. That was why Urbain did the collective thinking and planning between the two.

‘The Holders are mad because we, as the Weyr, are collectively making them pay ‘tribute’ to them. Basically providing shelter, sustenance, and purpose to those that the Holds do not wish to engage with. They are ‘Holdless’ because the Holds didn’t want anything to do with them… Do you understand?’

Even with the slow and almost patronizing explanation, Urbain could still tell it took a moment for the pebbles in Uragosnk’s skull to rattle enough to correlate.

OH!! They made we have their trash!! the Bronze blared loudly in Urbain’s mind, causing him to flinch slightly. He hid the slip up with a casual rolling of his shoulders. Urbain hoped this didn’t turn into an withholding issue once again, like during the famine. He could easily see some Holds eventually choosing to not send tithes on account of the Weyr’s ‘guests’.

He wasn’t that worried though. Afterall, letting the Holdless stay wasn’t his grand idea, and he had no plans to be held accountable for it.

[Windra]

Adair gave a haughty little sigh. She was taking small sips of her hot wine while nibbling on a meatroll left to cool to room temperature. The buzz took very little time to reach her brain and she hummed, turning her head a little loosely. Urbain was a good looking fellow for sure. It was easy to rest her eyes on his form with a small upturn of her lip.

"Higher society," she scoffed. "The poor lad is missing out. She's a very impeccable darling, that one." Adair ran her finger along the wine mug's lip. "How unfortunate though. One might look upon our Weyr's generosity with respect and yet are, ah, turning a stiff upper lip at what would be considered benevolence. Truly it's a show of their own character coming through. If you ask me, High Reaches Hold could do without that sort."

[EW-NA]

Urbain was drawn back to the present by a much more elegant voice, than that of his Bronze. Turning his gaze, the Bronzehandler let his eyes casually shift to Adair, as she reclined casually with a mug of mulled wine. Despite how his lips pulled into a handsome and welcoming smile, his eyes quickly scouted on what details he could.

While Adair had a feminine grace about her, he knew a coy smile when he saw one. Her speech and mannerism hinted at being Hold born, but from the quality of her attire and lack of any fine accessories, she was notably common. Though, he could have guessed that from the knotting on her sleeves. A mere Greenrider, and while that didn't necessarily equate much in a place like High Reaches, he knew she was lacking any presence in the Council's circle. She was not anyone he had to particularly take note of, but Urbain could have casual talk among the masses from time to time.

So he did- his expression and own manners displaying anything but his calm, friendly composure.

Offering Adair his full attention, Urbain turned and extended a bow, as was befitting of a gentleman.

“Greetings, my Lady, I take it you are rather acquainted with the general affairs of Holder society,” Urbain remarked. “It's very compassionate of you to put such consideration into the feelings of Lord Holders' heirs. However, they're generally brought up with the understanding that such things are always a possibility. I'm sure it matters little to them, as their parents are the ones to make the arrangements of their future and not themselves. Sad, I suppose, but duty and feelings can not always coincide.”

For the time being, he would offer little in terms of his opinions. It was foolish for the Weyr to brush off the feeling of their Holds, even if they disagreed.