Plot Post: Arrival at Tarl Dale's Estate
At first glance, Tarl Dale's manor was not an imposing structure. It was large, certainly, bigger than the Arbor Inn and only slightly smaller than the winery, but it was a rather squat, stone building with a slate roof and no external windows save for narrow horizontal ventilation under the eaves. It was a building designed with a purpose, the last defense of a besieged village.
Outside it, Tarl dismounted, and lifted Eshara out of the saddle.
"Would you carry her, please?" he asked Mercuriel. "I will need my hands free for the locks."
The lanterns outside were lit, and cheery light splashed across the threshold and a small flower garden planted near the door. A bench stood against the wall nearby, and a book rested upon it. Tarl picked it up and dusted off the cover before dropping it into his belt pouch.
"I've asked the servants to put the books back when they're done with them," he muttered, but there was resignation, not anger, in his voice.
He opened the door - it was unlocked - and ushered you into a cozy, fire-lit room before closing the door behind you. The door may have been unlocked from outside, but it had strong bolts within, and he slid them home before fitting a key into the lock of the inner door.
"This is the asylum," he said. "Anyone seeking shelter may enter and close out the world outside, but the inner door is locked to protect those already within. I'll open the bolts once we're all inside, but I thought you might want to know about the security of the building. There is only one door that opens on Vintiver, but we aren't trapped in here. There's a trap door in my office that connects to a tunnel which opens to the woods outside town. The first village wardens who fortified this place thought it might be prudent to have a way out of the village in case of emergency. None of the villagers know of it save my servants, not even the Mullins."
He pulled a bell rope before turning to address the group again.
"Please treat my home as your own," he said. "I ask only that you leave the locked chests in my office alone. They contain only documents - trade agreements, leases, and correspondence - and will therefore be of little interest to anyone anyway."
Two servants appeared at his summons, a human and an elf, both male. Their faces reflected concern as they saw who Mercuriel was carrying.
"How many rooms do we have available?" he asked as he led the party into the corridor, around a corner and into a comfortably furnished bedchamber. He pulled back the covers on the bed and gestured to Mercuriel that he should put Eshara there.
"All of them, my lord," the elf replied.
"We have families sleeping on the tavern floor and you tell me that all ten bedrooms are unoccupied?" he asked in disbelief.
"You were not here, my lord," the elf explained with no trace of apprehension in expression or tone. "As I anticipated that you would return soon, I thought it best to wait. Your guests may appreciate that we aren't full to the rafters."
"Hmm, you have a point," Tarl said, "and it might be for the best, at least for now. Tomorrow, I will speak with those who haven't found beds to sleep in, but it would be better that they go on sleeping on the floor than risk inviting anyone who has caught the recent paranoia about the Dalish."
He tucked the blankets around Eshara and smoothed her hair away from her face.
"I'll be back soon, my love," he said, "just as soon as your friends are settled in their quarters. Who would you like to stay with you while I'm gone?"
"Tempest, please," she said. "My magic seems to have little power to close these wounds, and it's probably time to change the bandages."
Neither of the servants flinched at her mention of her abilities.
"As you wish," he said, then put his hand on the elf's shoulder. "Marc here is my steward, and he'll see to your needs while you're here. Pel, please bring water and linen, then make sure the rooms all have fresh water and adequate firewood. Marc, please rouse the cook and order a meal for our guests. Bread, cheese, and soup, and the apples from Donald's orchard. Cold meat if we have it, but don't send for it if we don't. Our guests will be hungry, and might not want to wait for a state dinner. And ask Bella and Sal to get the fires lit, starting here. I'll want a household report, but that will wait until our guests depart."
Both servants left for their appointed tasks and Tarl turned to the party once again.
"It will take a few moments to get your meal ready," he said. "I usually take my meals in the library - which you are welcome to use, by the way, as well as any other room, fixture, or commodity you find. As eager as I am to become acquainted with Eshara's rescuers, I will not be joining you. I'll be a poor host indeed until I see that she is comfortable and hear for myself what befell her in the forest."
He walked down the wide corridor, opening doors.
"You may sleep anywhere you like," he said, "but the rooms along the western corridor are a little more spacious and comfortable, should the ladies wish to be quartered in the same area. If you need anything during the night, Marc or Bella, my housekeeper, can assist you, or you will find me in the room where we brought Eshara."
The walls of the corridor are panelled wood and patterned carpets cover the floor. Paintings of battles and portraits hang along the walls interspersed with antique weapons and heraldry, all lit by the oil lamps that hang at regular intervals along the corridor.
He brought you around to a pair of double doors on the left and opened them to a large central hall. A long table sat at the far end, and rows of chairs in front of it suggested that this was some kind of a meeting room or courtroom.
"The town hall," he said. "My office is through the door on the back wall."
He then led you across the corridor to another door, which was already open. Tall, well-filled bookshelves declared it to be the library. A round oak table sat not far from the door, and a comfortable-looking couch faced the fireplace in the back corner. The fire was lit, and a kettle sat steaming on the hearth.
"Which reminds me," he said. "If you desire a bath, Bella will see to it. And with that, I must bid you good night. Please call on me at any hour if you wish to talk, or if you need something my servants cannot provide."
With that, he leaves you to settle in.
{Floor plan reminder behind the cut.}
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