Learning to Fall

"Now the big question, Antillo. Why do you want to come out to the frontier? I imagine that there's plenty of work for a carpenter in the capital or one of the inner keeps."

"Journeyman carpenter, Master Aytin." He waved to himself. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm a little old for that title."

The carpenter looked to have about a decade on Aytin himself. Journeymen were just one step up from apprentices, only just considered competent enough to work without a master's assistance.

He had seemed a little on the older side for that role, but Antillo had come with some good recommendations and the apprentice process was more of a practice for the cities. Having grown up in Luffin Keep, he wasn't overly familiar with it.

"I assume there's a reason for that? The travel case you showed me was good work."

Indeed, Aytin's time on dragonback taught him what made for good construction of such things. It hadn't been fancy, but the joints were tight and well sealed. There wouldn't be a drop of water getting in, even during the worst storm.

"Well, about that." Antillo rubbed one horn and made a face. "Before she was a leader in the crafting guild, Guildmaster Greechy was in charge of my apprenticeship. We... didn't get along."

"Because...?"

"She... Well, she took over from my old master when he died of a plague. And everything had to be done just her way. And I already knew how to do things. And... we didn't get along."

"I can relate," Aytin said dryly, as he considered the confession. "But you can take orders, right? You're not going to go off carving sculptures when the keep needs beds?"

That got a chuckle. "Depends. You're not gonna try and tell me what sort of dovetail I need to make those beds with, right?"

Aytin gave a wry smile of his own. "I wasn't planning on it."

"Then all's well and good. I can do work. Great work. As long as you'll let me do it my way."

"Fair enough." It wasn't like the former noble had the faintest idea of how to do more than put a peg in a hole. He was just happy to find someone who did.

There was only one other thing...

"I don't suppose you've ever met a wildling before?"

"Hmm? Oh, no. I was born in a keep less than a day's dragon flight away from here. Why's that?"

"There's a tribe out our way. They're friendly, and we'll probably have some dealings with them."

Antillo considered that. "Well, I can't say that I've got a strong opinion one way or another. As long as they don't try and stab me or steal my mate, I think we can get along."

"Good to hear." Aytin glanced up as the door to the Sweet Dragon opened. The figure that entered looked familiar, and he frowned slightly. Average height for a woman, lean figure somewhat hidden by baggy clothes, and horns that curved back with a slight upward flick at the ends.

It clicked just as she spotted him and gave him an ironic smile.

'Lord Carnot sent Kesti here?'

Although, when he took a moment to consider it, her arrival did make sense. With just two and a half weeks until midsummer and still no answers to the question of why Faelon's title was being held up, he'd finally broken down and sent a message to the noble calling in his favor. But that had been just this morning, and he had been expecting to get a summons in response, not an actual visit.

Kesti glanced towards Aytin's companion, then nodded towards the bar. It wasn't particularly busy this early in the afternoon. Only a handful of dragonettes sat around, nursing drinks and talking in small groups. Reiker, the barkeep, was quick to greet her as she wandered over.

"So, about the pay?" Antillo asked, drawing his attention back to the prospective keep dweller. "Assuming I've got the job?"

"Let's say you do." Aytin wasn't about to let on that this was the only carpenter who seemed interested in flying out to the back of beyond. "Pay is in shares, guarantee of at least one gold a share for the first three years while the keep is getting started. I know it's not much, but there isn't going to be much you'll need to spend it on, either."

"Got it."

"As a carpenter, you'll automatically be coppered. That's normally two shares right there, but I think we can throw in another. To start."

Antillo nodded. "That's a good deal."

He didn't need to know that Aytin was prepared to go even higher. Maybe even promise silvered rank, although that was pushing it. His brief time with his Uncle Cork had at least driven home the need to start this sort of negotiation low.

"And you mentioned your mate. That she helps you around the workshop?"

"Yep. Stelis handles all the heavy stuff, and a bit of roughing in."

"Perfect." Aytin gave a firm nod. "I can put her down as a greenhorn with a share as well. So four between you."

The carpenter didn't even try to haggle. He just gave a broad grin and asked, "So when do we start?"

"Soon." He only wished he felt as confident as he sounded when he made the declaration. "Before midsummer is the plan. I'll give you at least a week of notice."

"Alright, then. I know where I can get some small jobs in the meantime." Antillo stood and bowed as Aytin followed suit. "You know where to find me when things take off."

"That I do. Be seeing you soon, Antillo."

"And you, Master Aytin." He raised his mug in salute and drained the dregs of the ale before handing it off to the barkeep, picking up his things, and heading out the door.

No sooner had the carpenter left, then Kesti was sliding into the seat he'd just vacated. She took a deep draught of her ale, then raised an eyeridge. "Interesting choice of accommodations."

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He shrugged. "Yeah, well, I've slept in worse."

"Oh, I'm sure. But why settle for this when you don't have to?"

"It's nicer than it looks."

She looked around and theatrically widened her eyes. "That wouldn't be hard."

"Hey, I'm serious." Aytin felt honor bound to defend his temporary home. "The beds are soft and they have good drinks. Besides, I've spent the last week meeting with potential colonists. They're not exactly the sort of people who would feel comfortable in somewhere like The Spire."

"Fair enough." The Carnot family negotiator raised her drink in acknowledgement of the point. "But I hope you understand that I didn't get dressed up and come all this way for the ale."

"Yeah, I almost didn't recognize you in the costume." He motioned towards her plain, loose fitting clothing. Besides being recently washed, they were indistinguishable from the sort of thing a laborer or shop assistant might have worn.

"Sometimes blending in is part of the job. As far as anyone here is concerned, I'm just another prospective colonist. Better for both of us that way. Anyway, to business." She shifted, leaning forward in her seat. "Uncle Odit said you needed a favor?"

Aytin sighed. "Faelon's title still hasn't been confirmed."

"And I heard that you can't exactly use your own anymore."

"No, I can't."

When the silence started to drag on, Kesti's expression turned sympathetic. "Are you doing alright?

"As crazy as it sounds, yes. It's like..." He paused, jaw working before finally giving a shrug. "I don't know. I don't have to pretend anymore, to be a part of something that never wanted me there in the first place."

"Oh, I'm more than familiar with family drama."

"You would be." Aytin chuckled dryly before his face fell slightly. "I do regret not being able to say goodbye to my sister Lin. My other siblings, too, but especially her. She was the only one who actually cared about me."

"To Lin, then." Kesti raised her mug, and Aytin joined her.

"To Lin. I hope you forgive me." The last he added in nearly a whisper.

He had thought that the words would be too quiet to rise over the noises of the other patrons, but apparently Kesti still heard them. "Oh, I'm sure she will. It might take some time, but we always forgive the ones we love."

"Thanks. I appreciate it." Aytin took a deep breath to steady himself, and then in a deliberately louder tone, said, "But back to Faelon's title."

"Uncle said the family owed you a favor, but getting the king to hand out patents of nobility goes a little beyond that."

"I'm not asking you to get him a title. He's already been promised one. I want to know why no one's telling me anything about it!"

His voice rose to a frustrated snarl at the end, but Kesti didn't so much as bat an eye. Cooly, she took a sip of her drink, then pulled a scrap of parchment and a dencil out of a small bag. "Okay, then, let's start with what you do know."

Aytin clenched his fists, before relaxing them with a sigh. "Not much, unfortunately. Trademaster Raleigh thought it was an issue with taking the oath at first. Usually you have to present yourself at court for that, but Faelon..."

"Won't be traveling to the capital any time soon," Kesti finished when he trailed off. "That shouldn't be a problem, though. The king can just send a cousin or nephew out that way to take the oath in his place. Enough of the royal guard officers are related to him that he shouldn't have much trouble steering a patrol in that direction."

"Especially right now. Haiko." Aytin jerked his head towards the door. "He's one of the guards here. But he has a sister out in that direction. The way he tells it, the whole eastern frontier is flooded with royal guard and even the inquisition."

"With good reason."

Aytin raised one eyeridge. "Oh? I didn't hear you sharing anything at the jubilee."

"Because I collect secrets. If I gave them away, they wouldn't be secrets anymore, now would they?"

"I guess not." After a moment's hesitation, he asked, "So what would this one cost?"

She gave him a coy smile. "If you have to ask, it's more than you can afford."

That had been more or less the answer he was expecting, so he just shrugged. "Not even worth a favor?"

"From a commoner who only might end up as someone important in a tiny little frontier keep?"

"A tiny little frontier keep in the direction all these rumors are coming from. You can see why I'd want to know."

Her voice lost some of the teasing tone as she reconsidered the request. "Sorry, but still no," was the eventual response.

"I understand. It's just, well... can you imagine having to deal with a darkling attack after everything else?"

"Just focus on one thing at a time. Faelon isn't leaving the island, and you're not going to abandon him, right?"

"Not a chance."

"Then good or bad, nothing I can tell you would make a difference. So let's get back to the problem at hand."

"Right. Right." With a firm nod, Aytin set his expression and asked, "What do you need to know?"

"Let's start from the beginning. How was Faelon's petition brought to the crown?"

So he explained the whole thing. How Trademaster Raleigh sent an endorsement from the free traders guild. The initial positive response and a promise by some senior functionaries to bring it to the crown's attention. Then the tentative decision that a new title would be announced at the jubilee.

Followed by silence from the crown.

An inquiry from the trademaster about preparations for the announcement had been met with a terse message about it being postponed. Further questions were answered with some form of, "The request is under consideration." Aytin had even tried investigating himself, spending most of a day in the public parts of the royal palace without any luck.

"Without a title, no one would even talk to me," he complained. "If I was lucky, they were 'busy' or they'd point me to some other person, usually on the other side of the building. Still better than the ones who threatened to call the guard on me."

Kesti winced in sympathy. "Ouch. But I'm not surprised. You have to know the right people to get anywhere."

"And I'm hoping that's you. Am I right?"

Her head twisted back and forth before nodding. "I have a few ideas where to start. Then it's just a matter of working the system. Even if it's the king himself who's taken a dislike to you, I should be able to find out. I probably won't be able to help if that's the case, but at least you'll know."

It felt like a weight had suddenly been lifted off Aytin's wings. He sagged backwards in his seat with a long breath. "Great. So where do we start?"

"I start by talking to some contacts. You stay here."

"But-"

She held up a hand to forestall any argument. "I know what I'm doing here. It will go faster and smoother if I don't have to guide you around like a hatchling."

"I just... there's nothing?" He looked plaintively at the disguised noble.

For her part, Kesti just shook her head and drained the last of her ale. "I know it's hard, but this is the way it needs to be. Stick around here, get your things in order." She rose and stretched. "I'll be back in a day with news. Maybe two. No longer than that."

A little dejected, Aytin just nodded. Kesti stepped over and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Cheer up. In a couple weeks we'll have you out of this nice warm inn and on your way back to freezing your tail off on the frontier. I promise."

He gave a weak smile. "I'll hold you to that."

With a laugh and a final wave goodbye, the disguised noble hefted her bag and strode out the Sweet Dragon's door.