Lissan eyed the sword critically as he turned it in his hand. It was, he felt, the best he'd made yet. A commissioned gift for Lord Holder Leander's oldest son, his own father, mastersmith Argus, had trusted him to make it. It was an honour for the newly made journeyman and he did not want to let either man down.
"Lissan!"
His father's voice cut through the clamour of the forge with the knack he had for making himself heard without seeming to raise his voice. The young smith lay the sword on his workbench and turned towards the door to the yard.
"Sir," he replied, affording his father the respect due to him as master.
"Have you finished Lord Edaen's sword?"
"I have, if it pleases his Lordship. I await his approval."
"Good. Then I have a new task for you. Come over here."
Argus stood in the doorway to his office, a room a little quieter than the workshop or forges themselves, though scarcely less crowded thanks to the varied projects spread out over the massive table. The mastersmith wasn't alone.
Standing near the table was a man he recognised from previous visits to the hall. Holder Tomas was masterof Desert River Hold and often came to buy equipment or parts for the hold. Beside him on Argus' one and only chair sat a young woman. She was scarcely more than a girl, at least three or four years younger than Lissan he reckoned, yet she held herself with a poise he envied.
Lissan bowed his head in acknowledgement but said nothing. As usual when faced with someone he didn't know, someone so obviously out of his class, his brain lost all facility to process any thoughts.
Tomas, well aware of the young journeyman's social shortcomings, simply nodded in reply and got down to business.
"The mastersmith has suggested you can best help me with what I require," he said.
"I-I..." Lissan stammered, taken aback. He glanced round at his father who stood in the doorway watching. Argus gave a brief nod then turned and walked away, leaving his son to handle the business. Lissan swallowed, and straightened up. If his father thought him capable he couldn't let him down. This was just another test he needed to pass.
"How may I help you...um...Holder Tomas?"
"Relax, lad," the holder said, amused.
"You know I don't bite, and neither does my daughter. Well not since she left the nursery anyway. Jassenthe has asked for a new hunting knife as a birthing day gift, and who am I to refuse her wish. Your father tells me you have quite the skill with weapons and are able to make a suitable blade."
"My father is too kind,"Lissan murmured.
"But I will do my best. Now what kind of blade would be best? Something purely for skinning, or more multipurpose?"
He reached for his father's order book and a pen to make a record of the details, then turned to look at Jassenthe. Nervous as he was about speaking to her, he needed to know what she wanted.
"Definitely multipurpose,"she said, her voice clear and decisive.
"I hunt with a bow so I don't want it to get in the way of that. Strong enough to defend myself if need be, with a good cutting edge so I can finish off a beast quickly or skin it if I want. A good working weapon, not a silly decorative thing that's good for cutting nothing tougher than a Lord Holder's lunch."
Lissan nodded, trying his best not to grin at her determined declaration.
"I can make that. All my blades are weapons. I leave the trinkets for the apprentices to make."
For a moment Jassenthe stared at him solemnly, uncertain if he was teasing her. Then Tomas burst out laughing.
"He has the measure of you, daughter."
After a moment she smiled.
"Thank you for taking me seriously, journeyman,"she said.
"You have no idea how seldom that happens. Most tradesmen leave me feeling as though they were merely humouring an ignorant child."
"That is their fault, not yours, my lady. All customers deserve equal respect no matter their rank or the marks they have to spend.
"Now, I need to know what weight you can manage."
Fetching a shallow box from a shelf he sorted through the blades it held, apprentice pieces, not good enough for sale,but useful enough for this purpose. Laying a selection on the bench he invited Jassenthe to try them. Standing she walked to the table and studied them for some moments before lifting one and testing it for weight, she handled it easily, but replaced it and tried some of the others before returning to her first choice.
"This feels best and I like the grip of it, it fits my hand nicely."
Lissan replaced the rejected blades back in the box and pushed it to one side.
"How do you want it finished?"
"Nothing fancy. I'd like the hilt bound in our hold colours and a sheath for my belt."
Lissan nodded, writing all the details down.
"I believe we already have some leather in your colours. May I show you?"
With Jassenthe's assent Lissan went to another shelf and pulled out some pieces of leather which he laid out on the table. Jassenthe reached out and ran her fingers over it. The hide was soft to the touch and perfectly dyed in the muted tones of blue and yellow that were Desert River's colours.
"Perfect," she said.
"I'm happy with that. And I like the shape of that blade (she indicated the sample) so if you could make that for me I'd be grateful."
Lissan nodded, jotting all the details in Argus' book.
"As you wish, m'lady."
"When will it be ready? My birthing day is in two sevendays."
"That shouldn't be a problem, although I will have to order the leather for the sheath as we have none suitable at the moment. I'll send word when it's ready for you."
"Thank you."
Jassenthe smiled and let her hand rest briefly on Lissan's before she turned away.
Lissan watched the holder and his daughter walk away, not moving, scarcely breathing.
"…Lissan!"
His father's voice finally broke through his reverie.
"Sorry, did you want something?"
"Are you all right, son?"
Lissan nodded vaguely.
"Back to work then. I've taken a look at Lord Edaen's sword. I'm happy with that so you can get started on Lady Jassenthe's knife."
"Yes, sir."
The mastersmith watched as his son returned to the workshop.
"I hope you're not going to get hurt," he said softly.