The blacksmith and the apprentice [Closed]

[elizabethofclun]

Who: Leofric, Joan [NPC]
What: Leofric is approached with a proposition.
Where: The smithy in Locksley
When: 2nd October, midday

Comments

[leofric_smith]

Leofric slammed his hammer down on the glowing metal of what was going to be a pair of tongs. As he drew back his hand, the expected answering tone of Peter's hammer didn't come. "Pay attention to what you're doing!" Leofric yelled, looking up to see his nephew glance at him guiltily. "Don't look at me, look at the iron!" Peter brought his hammer down, a rather weak blow, and Leofric had to correct it before he flipped the iron rod over

[elizabethofclun]

Joan paused in the doorway to watch as the blacksmith- Leofric, she'd been told his name was- scolded the boy who was supposed to be helping him. No wonder he needed an apprentice, if that was all the help he was getting. The boy couldn't even pay attention long enough to strike a hammer. Thankfully, she'd trained her children to be more conscientious than that. If one of them were that negligent, they'd feel the sharp side of her tongue before long.

As Leofric looked up, she pushed her hood off- the heat from the forge was becoming too much for her- and nodded at his greeting. "I don't believe we've met before. My name is Joan- I'm a servant at the manor in Clun. I was told that you are in need of an apprentice?"

[leofric_smith]

Leofric stopped as the woman introduced herself; squinting, he could make out the plain but honest features of a matron. Her question was unexpected, but welcome. "I am. Why don't we go outside and discuss it?" He turned to Peter. "Fill up another bucket of water, then you can go get your lunch." The boy nodded, obviously relieved.

He gestured towards the door; just outside were benches in case the woman wanted to sit. She must have been up before dawn to get to Locksley at this time of day. Usually it was fathers or uncles who made such arrangements, and Leofric would have been more comfortable with that, but he imagined that in these times, especially in Clun, that there might not be a man to do it.

The cool October air felt good after the close heat of the forge. Leofric tried to rub the dark smudges off his hands, evidence of the morning's work, and was moderately successful. "So do you have a boy you're looking to apprentice?"

[elizabethofclun]

Joan tugged the hood back up around her face as they left the forge, the chilly morning air hitting her sqare in the face. It was a relief after the stuffiness of the forge though, and she took a deep breath of it to clear her lungs.

She nodded in response to his question, seating herself on the bench he offered. "My oldest boy, Ned. He's eight now, and a hard worker- he wouldn't give you any trouble." She paused. She had no intention of begging for the position- she had her pride- but she wasn't at all certain what she would do if she couldn't place him. Their resources were strained as far as they would go. "I have a younger son as well, but I think you'd be better off with Ned- he's bigger, he'd be better able to handle the tools."