12th of Saun, Arc 717
Xander stood before the two men who had come to him for help, to solve an issue the two of them were unable to do so peacefully themselves. This was the first time the young Baron had been in such a situation but it was an important step, a true test of his ability to lead and make judgement. Gesturing for the two men take a seat at the table Xander himself moved to sit opposite them, it was rare to see a noble that blended with the normal man so well. He was dressed simply in a shirt and brown trousers, the main difference were the quality and cleanliness of the clothes.
Still those before him were farmers, their clothes showed the toils of their day to day labours. "My Baron, I am Rickard Feldon, I own a farm just South of Astedia and this scoundrel has stolen my land!" There was unmistakable frustration and betrayal in the accuser's eyes, as he glared at the other farmer. "He knew the land was meant to be mine and yet he planted it with his crop while I was busy working other parts of my farm." His face was the epitome of rage in that moment as he hit his hand on the table. "It is unacceptable and the guards were unable to help me, so I am here to talk with you and beg you to see the truth."
Xander raised an eyebrow and looked to the accused, waiting for his response but he remained silent, looking down at his hands. "See he does not deny it, he is a thief, its clear!" Xander looked at the first man again and raised his hand from the arm of his chair. "Enough, please, let me here what he has to say." Xander gestured to the man's dropped head, quickly being the face of the man as he reacted. He was clearly more timid and a fair bit younger than the other, it was clear in his complexion. The second farmer bit his lip for a moment before speaking.
"Sir, what he fails to mention is that I am his younger brother and the lands we farm both once belonged to our Father, united as one large farm. When he died he split the land and left it too us, there were a few spots near the Northern reaches of our land that were not clearly allocated but my brother there already had more than me." The accuser let out a heavy breath and shook his head, not speaking but clearly expressing his beliefs of this statement. "So as they were not allocated I decided to put them to use, he had never used them before so I saw no harm." He pointed to his older sibling and shrugged slightly. "Do you have the will here?" Xander waited as each of the men removed their copies of the dead Farmer's last testimony.
The wolf-turned-dragon examined the two documents, each identical on what was given to who and no overlapping land. He took a brief moment to study the map in there two and could see the fields they were speaking of, for some reason they were not given to either son, in fact they were not given to anyone. Xander had been hoping that maybe they had just missed where it was stated but it appeared that they had not. Still Xander looked over the whole thing to make sure nothing was missed and then placed the papers back on the table. He rubbed his chin for a second before coming up with the first stage of his response.
"It appears that the land was not left to either of you, which I do find odd but can either of you think of a reason that may have been done? Something special about it perhaps? Maybe their Father had other plans for the land before he died, perhaps there was something secret that made the land better than the rest or maybe he had really just forgotten. Both the men shook their heads, clearly if the father had plans for the land they were not shared with anyone else. The situation was potentially easy to solve but at the same time Xander doubted it would go down that way, instead he could see stubbornness prevailing here.
He looked over the papers again as he thought about how to handle the situation, searching for a fair solution to the issue. In an ideal world with reasonable people he would say the land should belong to the younger brother who already had less but unfortunately people were not that easy. No instead Xander looked at the two and could see one willing to compromise and one who would not back down even when the battle was lost. So Xander continued to think, they could half the land, one half to the younger and one to the older but somehow the idea sounded more difficult than it should.
He looked over the map, noticing that splitting it in half would be easier said than done than with the fact it was 7 fields unallocated. So he continued to think, he could in theory take the land away from both of them claiming that it defaulted to the state when it was not given to anyone after the owner died. That was not something Xander thought fair though, it might act as incentive though if it were necessary.
"The way I see it the land technically belongs to neither of you, so your younger brother did not steal from you Rickard but the land is not rightfully his to take either." His piercing blue eyes darted between the two as he spoke, watching the older man go a little pale and the younger one sit forward in his seat. "In truth it belongs to the Barony but, I would rather it stayed in the hands of those experienced at working it and those who's blood have gone into working it in the past." Xander gestured to the two of them.
His hands came together over the table, fingers interlocked as Xander leaned forward a little to offer his solution. D"As the two of you do not wish to give it up in complete to one or the other I would suggest a rotation, each arc the planter is switched between the two of you, starting this arc with you and then with you, Rickard." Xander sat back and waited, he thought he could hear the mental cogs turning in the two farmers heads as they considered the solution presented to them. It was certainly better than a family feud which could span generations over a piece of land. "So what do you say?"
Neither of the men spoke, only a grumble escaped the lips of the older man as he chuntered about something, likely how unfair his life was. "If you would rather I can take the land and use it for something else or offer it to another neighbour?" Xander's hands separated into a kind of scales that moved left and right. "I would prefer not too but you aren't exactly helping me here." The younger man sheepishly nodded and went to speak.
He was cut off by the older man though, apparently not wanting to let his brother be the sensible one first. "Fine, I accept the deal, we will work on an arc rotation starting with him." He was not happy but it was a solution and over time maybe he would not mind it so much, Xander wished he knew what had made the man so sour, it felt like more than just the land. The Baron's face turned to the younger one who smiled softly. "I too agree to this deal, I think it is fair, thank you Lord Andaris."
Xander stood then and walked around the table as the others rose, the younger man immediately bowing. "That really isn't necessary, we are all men here." Xander reached forward and placed a hand on the man's shoulder before stepping back and offering a hand shake. "You are too kind Sir." He shook it and then walked by him, heading for the door to leave. "Take care and I wish you a bountiful harvest."
The new Dragon looked at the older man, he still had a somewhat glum expression on his face. "Cheer up Rickard, it is not such a bad deal and surely it would be good for you to share with your younger brother. It will not help anyone to hold a grudge against him, he is your blood." Xander clasped the Farmer on the shoulder and then offered him his hand to shake too, the same privileges given to the other Brother. "Perhaps, we will see how you compromise works noble, it might be okay." The man shook Xander's hand weakly and then made his leave too, Xander watched as he went and headed back to his chair.
"Family can mean so little sometimes, damn shame." Xander leaned against the edge of the table and started to look over some other documents relating to Astedia, financial accounts and military stats, it was not all that exciting being a Baron.
Dialogue.
Xander stood before the two men who had come to him for help, to solve an issue the two of them were unable to do so peacefully themselves. This was the first time the young Baron had been in such a situation but it was an important step, a true test of his ability to lead and make judgement. Gesturing for the two men take a seat at the table Xander himself moved to sit opposite them, it was rare to see a noble that blended with the normal man so well. He was dressed simply in a shirt and brown trousers, the main difference were the quality and cleanliness of the clothes.
Still those before him were farmers, their clothes showed the toils of their day to day labours. "My Baron, I am Rickard Feldon, I own a farm just South of Astedia and this scoundrel has stolen my land!" There was unmistakable frustration and betrayal in the accuser's eyes, as he glared at the other farmer. "He knew the land was meant to be mine and yet he planted it with his crop while I was busy working other parts of my farm." His face was the epitome of rage in that moment as he hit his hand on the table. "It is unacceptable and the guards were unable to help me, so I am here to talk with you and beg you to see the truth."
Xander raised an eyebrow and looked to the accused, waiting for his response but he remained silent, looking down at his hands. "See he does not deny it, he is a thief, its clear!" Xander looked at the first man again and raised his hand from the arm of his chair. "Enough, please, let me here what he has to say." Xander gestured to the man's dropped head, quickly being the face of the man as he reacted. He was clearly more timid and a fair bit younger than the other, it was clear in his complexion. The second farmer bit his lip for a moment before speaking.
"Sir, what he fails to mention is that I am his younger brother and the lands we farm both once belonged to our Father, united as one large farm. When he died he split the land and left it too us, there were a few spots near the Northern reaches of our land that were not clearly allocated but my brother there already had more than me." The accuser let out a heavy breath and shook his head, not speaking but clearly expressing his beliefs of this statement. "So as they were not allocated I decided to put them to use, he had never used them before so I saw no harm." He pointed to his older sibling and shrugged slightly. "Do you have the will here?" Xander waited as each of the men removed their copies of the dead Farmer's last testimony.
The wolf-turned-dragon examined the two documents, each identical on what was given to who and no overlapping land. He took a brief moment to study the map in there two and could see the fields they were speaking of, for some reason they were not given to either son, in fact they were not given to anyone. Xander had been hoping that maybe they had just missed where it was stated but it appeared that they had not. Still Xander looked over the whole thing to make sure nothing was missed and then placed the papers back on the table. He rubbed his chin for a second before coming up with the first stage of his response.
"It appears that the land was not left to either of you, which I do find odd but can either of you think of a reason that may have been done? Something special about it perhaps? Maybe their Father had other plans for the land before he died, perhaps there was something secret that made the land better than the rest or maybe he had really just forgotten. Both the men shook their heads, clearly if the father had plans for the land they were not shared with anyone else. The situation was potentially easy to solve but at the same time Xander doubted it would go down that way, instead he could see stubbornness prevailing here.
He looked over the papers again as he thought about how to handle the situation, searching for a fair solution to the issue. In an ideal world with reasonable people he would say the land should belong to the younger brother who already had less but unfortunately people were not that easy. No instead Xander looked at the two and could see one willing to compromise and one who would not back down even when the battle was lost. So Xander continued to think, they could half the land, one half to the younger and one to the older but somehow the idea sounded more difficult than it should.
He looked over the map, noticing that splitting it in half would be easier said than done than with the fact it was 7 fields unallocated. So he continued to think, he could in theory take the land away from both of them claiming that it defaulted to the state when it was not given to anyone after the owner died. That was not something Xander thought fair though, it might act as incentive though if it were necessary.
"The way I see it the land technically belongs to neither of you, so your younger brother did not steal from you Rickard but the land is not rightfully his to take either." His piercing blue eyes darted between the two as he spoke, watching the older man go a little pale and the younger one sit forward in his seat. "In truth it belongs to the Barony but, I would rather it stayed in the hands of those experienced at working it and those who's blood have gone into working it in the past." Xander gestured to the two of them.
His hands came together over the table, fingers interlocked as Xander leaned forward a little to offer his solution. D"As the two of you do not wish to give it up in complete to one or the other I would suggest a rotation, each arc the planter is switched between the two of you, starting this arc with you and then with you, Rickard." Xander sat back and waited, he thought he could hear the mental cogs turning in the two farmers heads as they considered the solution presented to them. It was certainly better than a family feud which could span generations over a piece of land. "So what do you say?"
Neither of the men spoke, only a grumble escaped the lips of the older man as he chuntered about something, likely how unfair his life was. "If you would rather I can take the land and use it for something else or offer it to another neighbour?" Xander's hands separated into a kind of scales that moved left and right. "I would prefer not too but you aren't exactly helping me here." The younger man sheepishly nodded and went to speak.
He was cut off by the older man though, apparently not wanting to let his brother be the sensible one first. "Fine, I accept the deal, we will work on an arc rotation starting with him." He was not happy but it was a solution and over time maybe he would not mind it so much, Xander wished he knew what had made the man so sour, it felt like more than just the land. The Baron's face turned to the younger one who smiled softly. "I too agree to this deal, I think it is fair, thank you Lord Andaris."
Xander stood then and walked around the table as the others rose, the younger man immediately bowing. "That really isn't necessary, we are all men here." Xander reached forward and placed a hand on the man's shoulder before stepping back and offering a hand shake. "You are too kind Sir." He shook it and then walked by him, heading for the door to leave. "Take care and I wish you a bountiful harvest."
The new Dragon looked at the older man, he still had a somewhat glum expression on his face. "Cheer up Rickard, it is not such a bad deal and surely it would be good for you to share with your younger brother. It will not help anyone to hold a grudge against him, he is your blood." Xander clasped the Farmer on the shoulder and then offered him his hand to shake too, the same privileges given to the other Brother. "Perhaps, we will see how you compromise works noble, it might be okay." The man shook Xander's hand weakly and then made his leave too, Xander watched as he went and headed back to his chair.
"Family can mean so little sometimes, damn shame." Xander leaned against the edge of the table and started to look over some other documents relating to Astedia, financial accounts and military stats, it was not all that exciting being a Baron.
Dialogue.
