Asgeirr made his way down to the common room, which, except for the more amorous couples, served as sleeping quarters for all who lived in the keep. This was done during the winter season in effort to conserve firewood, since a large firepit was the rooms centerpiece, but now that the planting season was only just a few more weeks away, everyone would be back to their own quarters. He mingled among the Servants with comfortable ease, his Father had taught him that just because a person serves another, makes them no less worthy of respect,"Keep a firm hand", he could hear his Father saying,"But be fair, equal in justice, and speak a kind word now and again, and they will be more faithful to you then to their own lover's", Asgeirr sighed deeply, he missed his Father greatly and tried his best to honor his memory, by overseeing the Southlands and its people in much the same fashion as his Father did.
Asgeirr was talking with the Blacksmith about needing more iron for the making of plow shears when a guard came hurriedly into the room followed by what appeared to be a courier of the King, as they approached him the guard spoke,"A courier from the Palace, Lord Renouf, says his an urgent message for you". The Courier, began to go into introduction as if they were at a Royal Court affair, but Asgeirr waved the man off, "Get on with your business lad, we're not at the Palace, now what brings you to my Keep?". The Courier, slightly taken aback by the casualness of it all, held out a parchment with the Kings seal,"From his Majesty, M'Lord", Asgeirr took the parchment with a bemused look, "So I gathered, my thanks", he turned to the guard, "Show this man to the kitchen, no doubt he's in need of a hot meal", then he turned back to the Courier, "Return to me once you've eaten and rested awhile". Asgeirr broke the seal, unrolled the parchment and read it, then read it again, then moved to the center of the room and called for silence. Once the room had quieted, he began,
"I have just gotten word that the King is coming here and will be staying awhile to conduct matters of the Crown with the Queen of the South, I'm certain he will bring his own people to tend to his personal needs, as will the Queen, but in any event, all manners of Court etiquette will be in place, anything heard or seen DOES NOT go outside these walls, or repeated amongst yourselves, as your Lord, and member if the Kings court, it will be my duty to administer punishment upon any offender and I will not be lenient in my duty, now rest well this eve, for on the morrow there will be much to do in way of preparation". With that said he called for his Head of Household, Chief Cook, and stable Master and talked to each in turn, to the Head of Household, he gave orders for the Keep to be cleaned from top to bottom and fresh bedding and linen to be brought in, and for his belongings to be removed from his room, for the King to use. To the Master Cook, he gave leave to gather whatever was needed to prepare his best dishes during the Kings stay. And to the Stable Master, he gave orders for his own animals to be moved to neighbouring farms to make room for Kings men's and horses, and to bring in as much hay and oats as he could.
He called for his own horse, he needed to see the Garrison Commander next, patrols and outposts along the borderlands had to be posted, as he rode he chanced to see a familiar head of red not far off in the woods, of course everyone that lived in the Southlands knew of the fiery red haired woman with the fiery temper to match, those that crossed her once, rarely dared to do it twice, or so the rumors were told. He reined in his horse and called to her, "Good eve Frija, Daughter of Gratir, I trust you and your Father are both well?, I would ask to call upon him this eve, for I have need of his barns to the north of his fields and will pay a fair price for the use of them for the next several days".