OOM: Taking Sameth to Gotland again

[ostro_goth]

Teja is in the forge, gathering a few things he is meaning to take to Gotland and show to Aligern -- for Adalgoth had told him that he would come to see them, soon.

It would, of course, be cheating history -- but then, Teja would gladly give his people any reasonable help he may.

No fire-arms, of course.

And then, of course, in the end, all his aid might result in could just as well be the development of the famous Ulberht swords that Teja has read about...

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[gotland_npc]

"I can go ask mum and Gotho if it's ready, and that the king is here," Hilde says, putting Count down.

[makesthings]

Sam looks over to Teja, he's not sure what to do and is feeling rather out of place.

[gotland_npc]

"Teja, I think you little friend needs instructions," Aligern says.

They are now actually folding the metal, but Aligern still notices Sameth's hesitation.

[makesthings]

The diminutive makes Sam think of Mogget and he hates it, this is foolish.

He knows what to do in a forge and moves to help, drawing in on himself like he does at Belisaere.

This is something he's useful at and this man doesn't know that he's a failure of an Abhorsen-in-Waiting, there's just something else he's doing badly.

[ostro_goth]

This causes Teja to speak up quite plainly.

"You might call Sameth my apprentice," he says to Aligern, "and he is that to me, a very useful and clever one. But you are not justified in calling him anything else. You are cynical where I am grim; but in this, you overshoot your mark."

He looks around. "What I am showing you, Sameth has learned long ago," he then says. "So would you two go in, Sameth, and ask about dinner, and then maybe send Hilde back to tell us how long we have until dinner, while we others stay here, Wachis working the bellows, and Adalgoth feeding the fire, so we shall be done soon?"

He wants Sameth gone before he truly realises what Aligern is insinuating.

[makesthings]

Its when Teja says something else that Sam realizes what's being insinuated and turns red before saying in his most formal voice,

"I'll do that and my Kait prefers me for her bed. I'm just glad to know Teja and all he can teach me about duty and work beside him in his forge."

Then he looks to Hilde and manages a slightly better smile,

"We should tell your mother how many to expect for dinner."

[ostro_goth]

Teja, for once, actually grins at Aligern, who looks a bit thunderstruck.

"Well, that was plainly plain," he finally says.

He doesn't argue about Adalgoth having had Gotho, because insinuating things about Adalgoth (even though half of everybody, including Gotho, always thought those rumours true) out loud, in front of Wachis and his little daughter, would be inexcusably rude.

Even though those rumours and insinuations might probably be true by now, if they were not before.

"Life and politics, on the other hand, sometimes are horrifyingly complex."

He looks around, sighs again, then turns back to the (amazingly!) still smiling Teja, and concentrates on the techniques of folding steel again.

Hilde, still holding Count and not certain what has happened, holds out her hand to Sameth.

"I'll take you to the house!" she says, proudly.

[makesthings]

Sam looks at her and grins,

"I'd like that and its not that hard to make Teja smile. Just surprise him."

[ostro_goth]

"You are doing well, Sameth; worry not!" Teja says, still smiling as Hilde grabs his hand and tugs him out of the forge, Count still happily sitting on her other arm.

He is quite happy not to get his paws muddy if there are humans willing to carry him around.

Especially such small, sweet and devoted humans.

[makesthings]

Being tugged along is a new experience and Sam laughs and tries not to slip,

"Count's never going to leave if you carry him around like that."

[gotland_npc]

"I like Count!" Hilde giggles. "He's cute. But he's the king's, and they're going to go away again. But Isis is going to have kittens soon!"

[makesthings]

"Then Count will have to argue with the kittens over who gets to sit on you."

[gotland_npc]

"There'll be a cat to cuddle for everybody!" Hilde says.

[makesthings]

"Yes, I hope they're all nice cats."

[gotland_npc]

Hilde has reached the house and pulls the door open.

"Isis is a very nice cat!"

Count, having reached dry ground, hops off her and runs to carefully but politely greet the very pregnant red cat lying by the hearthfire.

Gotho, Liuta and Rauthgundis are working on the dinner by the fire as well.

"Greetings," Gotho says. "Did you come with our guest?"

In case that he did not, she doesn't mention the king outright.

[makesthings]

"Yes, I did. My name's Sameth and I work with Teja in the forge where he lives now. We came in to see how dinner was going and also to offer our help,"

Its an incredibly homey house and Sam's smile gets bigger.

[gotland_npc]

"He's the king's apprentice!" Hilde announces. "And he's nice. And he helped dad repair the bucket Rauthgundis smashed."

"I didn't, you little toad!" the older girl protests. "I had to get my apron out."

Hilde sticks out her tongue.

"Thank you," Liuta says. "Girls, don't fight. Sameth, your help would be appreciated in putting up the big table. All the other men are in the forge, probably gaping and talking shop."

[makesthings]

"They are. Show me what to do and I'll help as much as I can. It didn't take too much to fix it since it was solidly made."

[gotland_npc]

"I'll be glad to have it back," Liuta says. "The trestles are over there, under the eaves, where the doors are open; and the table itself is behind the great bed, there."

She points to where they are.

"Alaric, Witichis, you help him!"

Two boys get up from a corner where they have been playing with stick figures. They're about ten years old, and roll their eyes a little.

"That's Sameth, the king's apprentice. I like him!" Hilde declares, proudly.

[makesthings]

Sam blushes but once he sees where things are stored, works to pull them down, doing his best to make sure the boys help while he takes all the weight.

[gotland_npc]

When he is done, little Hilde comes with a large clay goblet with mulled cider in.

"Now you get a drink!" she declares. "You're our guest. Sit down and drink, we do the rest. And I'll bring the king his cup again too!"

[makesthings]

"Thank you for having me,"

He sits down and takes the cider with another blush, its nice being treated nicely just because.

[gotland_npc]

There's another little girl sitting by the long bed slowly rocking the hanging cradle with the two sleeping babies in.

"I want to do that," she says. "You always get to be nice to the important people."

"Don't pout, Ursula," Liuta says.

[makesthings]

"I'm not that important and its good to share. I have an older sister who works to make sure everything's right. Sometimes its nice to not have everyone watching you."

[gotland_npc]

"Ursula can take the cup, then," Hilde allows.

Gotho and Liuta are getting the other kids to help set the table; as the babies are nicely asleep, even Ursula gets up to help as well, but makes sure she gets out the golden goblet so it'll be ready for her to serve to the king.