Part Nine
~Fan Fiction~
161.3.1
Hurvig's hand jumped a fraction, joggling a speck of ink onto the blotter, missing the finished manuscript by a hair. He carefully replaced the pen in its stand and sighed with relief that his painstaking work hadn't been spoiled by his nerves. He glared briefly at the servant whose approach had startled him, and instantly felt contrite. The man had done nothing to deserve ill treatment."What is it, Achur?" he asked mildly, altering his expression to show a more inviting warmth.
Achur cleared his throat gently and said, "Master Sigo requests you bring the papers when they're finished, Guildsman."
"Thank you, Achur. I'm finished now and will go at once." Hurvig replied. He rose and began to gather his things as Achur bowed and left him. His hand shook slightly as he put the manuscript into the dispatch case and he was glad no one was there to see.
For nearly three months since his return from Fontine, Hurvig had lived in a state of tortuous nervous tension, suspended between hope and dread. The cheerful greeting he received from Master Sigo upon his return brought temporary relief, for Sigo couldn't know of Hurvig's submission and remain so pleasant. As each day succeeded the last, his hope rose and fell gently with his waxing and waning spirits, but his dread was a chronic pall punctuated with fits and starts of acute alarm, for while the hope was tenuous, the dread was certain. Hurvig knew that his secret would be revealed eventually, the only uncertainty was when.
Hurvig took up the dispatch case and left his office for that of the Grand Master, where Sigo awaited him. A stretch of the legs and a breath of air might do him good, he thought. Never had the old office threatened to shrink and suffocate him as it had this day. Perhaps it would help fortify his spirits for the ordeal of working directly with Master Sigo for what would probably be hours.
As he strode through the corridors and crossed the wide lobby, he wondered briefly what possible use Master Sigo could have for these papers at this moment. Was it merely more busy work? His mind quickly reverted to the pending announcement and his own imminent doom. His hope of escaping Sigo's authority was nil. It only remained to be seen whether his existence would retain it's customary oppression or worsen. On this miserable afternoon his only desire was that no one beyond the selection committee would ever hear of his submission!
Hurvig presented himself to the reception steward in the outer chambers of the Grand Master. As he took his seat along the wall to await the call to enter inner chambers, he thought of his sister, Luesa. If only she were in New D'ni, he could go and visit her as soon as he was dismissed for the day. To be deprived of her company at such a low point in his life wore upon his depressed spirits and deepened his gloom, but, try as he might, Hurvig hadn't been able to think of any way to summon her back from her visit to Lady Ch'ana's Age before the appointed time. He would have to get through the rest of the day as best he could. Only a few more hours alone and then he could pour out his heart to his trustworthy confidant
He was startled out of his meditation by the Grand Master's chief assistant who seemed to have come to escort him into the inner offices. Hurvig's eyes widened at this shockingly great civility. He bowed deeply to the Guild Master and followed him meekly.
The inner office of the Grand Master of the Stonemasons was, as befitted his position, a work of the Stonemason's art such as would monopolize any artisan's attention. Never having been in this office since its completion, Hurvig would ordinarily have been engrossed with his observations and admiration of it, but today Master Sigo was the cynosure of his eyes. He thought he detected a veiled nervousness excitement in his Master's attitude, and he quivered slightly with apprehension.
Sigo nodded a pleasant greeting to his assistant, as was his custom when in the presence of his superiors, but he looked surprised to see Hurvig. Holding the dispatch case before him, Hurvig looked with uncertainty from Sigo to the others in the room. The Grand Master stepped forward and spoke.
"Senior Guildsman Hurvig?" he asked, confidently, laying stress on his title.
Unable to speak, Hurvig swallowed audibly, bowed deeply, and keeping his head low he again glanced at Sigo, who seemed as confused as himself.
"It's my very great pleasure, Senior Guildsman," the Grand Master continued sonorously, standing before them with his hands clasped behind his back, "to inform you that very great things are happening in your office."
Here the Grand Master, who was relishing the drama of the moment and wished to prolong it even by beating about the bush, rocked back on his heels and smiled broadly upon the assembled company. Sigo swelled a bit at the announcement, unsure of what it meant, but liking the sound of it. The Grand Master, catching the excitement and pleasure of Sigo's expression, nodded to him as he said, "Very great things, eh Sigo, but it comes as no surprise to you, I'm sure."
Sigo cleared his throat deferentially and stammered, "I wouldn't presume..."
"No, no, of course not." The Grand Master continued, cutting him off hurriedly. "That's one of the things I've always liked about you Sigo. You know your strengths and you stick to them, humbly giving your best efforts to every assignment and never presuming beyond them."
Sigo's pleasure declined at the unencouraging sound of that assessment of his abilities, and Hurvig's confusion grew. The others in the room, accustomed to the Grand Master's manner and already informed of the news, waited patiently and calmly with knowing smiles upon their faces.
The Grand Master seemed to notice for the first time the dispatch case in Hurvig's hands. He held out his hand to Hurvig and asked, "Is that something for Master Sigo?"
Hurvig surrendered the case as soon as the Grand Master extended a hand toward it, and managed to force a word of assent from his parched throat.
"Well, lets just give it to him, shall we?" The Grand Master said, smiling smugly as if he'd said something witty. He kept his beaming eyes upon Hurvig as he held out the dispatch case towards Sigo and waved it impatiently until Sigo hastened to take it from him.
Liking the sound of things less and less, Sigo moistened his lips and tried to catch his bated breath. A slight gurgle of agonized suspense escaped him.
Glancing quickly at him and seeing his distress, the Grand Master relented. "Oh, but it's cruel of me to keep you in unnecessary suspense. I do apologize! I was enjoying the pleasure of being the bearer of good news a little too much!" he cried as he clasped Sigo on the shoulder, giving him a friendly pat. "I'll not prolong this a minute longer!"
Resuming his stance and his pontificating manner he announced, "Guildsmen!" looking back and forth between Sigo and Hurvig, "It is my very great pleasure to tell you that the selection committee has made it's recommendations to the Great Lords, and, with their approval, plans submitted by a member of your office," glancing at Sigo, "have been chosen to be incorporated into the grand design for the New Cavern!" He finished with a triumphant flare, as if he felt he'd thereby explained everything, and signaled his aids to uncover the papers on his desk so they could get down to the next bit of business.
Hurvig felt as if his insides had turned to water. He could barely stand, and had to keep his teeth clenched tightly to keep them from chattering. From where he stood, he couldn't see the contents of the papers on the desk, and he was still uncertain if they were his or Sigo's.
Still smiling, the Grand Master clasped Sigo once again upon the shoulder. Sigo, unconscious that Hurvig had submitted on his own, felt he understood why his assistant had been summoned. "They are promoting me to the New Cavern project, and are promoting Hurvig to take my place as head of the office." he thought.
Turning his smile towards Hurvig, the Grand Master said, "You'll miss this young assistant of yours, I'm certain, but the good of the Guild and of D'ni comes first with you, as it does with us all, I'm sure."
Sigo's smile froze on his face. His hands, which he had been unconsciously rubbing together, clenched so tightly that they whitened to match the color of his complexion, as the full impact of the Grand Master's words sunk in. "Hurvig... submitted plans of his own... Hurvig's plans chosen by the Council! Hurvig... promoted over my head," he thought.
A jealous rage welled up in his heart. His face flushed red for a brief moment, then drained to its former blanched pallor. A latent shred of humility in his character objected to his attitude. This, bolstered by the alarm of his sudden realization that he was being watched by the Grand Master of his Guild, tempered his anger. His conflicting emotions struggled within his breast, but self-preservation, as always, came to his aid. He forced himself to renew his smile, and tried to say a few appropriate words of congratulation, but only a succeeded in forcing out a squeak and a gurgle.
The Grand Master's assistants, knowing Sigo as well as he could be known outside his office, were alive to his discomfiture, but dared not even smile. The principle assistant kept his head steadily bowed over his work, only allowing himself an occasional sidelong glance at Sigo's sick glacial smile, thinking he'd dine out on the tale for weeks.
Grand Master Dah'meth didn't get where he was by being oblivious to what was going on around him, nor to the characters of the guildsmen he worked with, but his manner of handling people and situations often gave the unperceptive a false impression of his acumen. As Dah'meth led the activity away from Sigo towards the desk, screening Sigo behind their backs to give him time to recover, Sigo felt his shock and discomfiture had escaped the Grand Master's detection, but Hurvig was very much aware that the Grand Master knew all.
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