A Domain for a Cup of Coffee

It started out simply enough...

***
We just noticed something has happened to the water pipes here at work and we
can get no water... and that mean - horror of horrors - that we can get no
coffee on our afternoon coffee break!!!! *shudder* I'm beginning to feel the
withdrawal already... the sweating, the shaking, the convulsions, the 
headache.... Aaaaaargh!!! I can take it no more!! A Domain! A Domain for a 
cup of coffee!! *growel*

Piedro Aillard-Syrtis, the Tortured Fool of Valeron Plains

You REALLY would give away the beautiful planes of Valeron for a cup of
coffee??? Does Domna Cristilyn Aillard know? I'll take it!! I'll take
it!!! And we strong proud MacArans can take over a new part of Darkover!!

   \  \  \             Soooo, here's your cup, where's my domain?
    |  |  |
    /  /  /
  ____________
 |            |_
 |            | \
  |          |  |
  |          |_/
  |          |
   |________|

(Maybe I can send this mechanic to you in a few days... But not before my
clan reigns the Aillard domain!)

It seemed, however, that the Fool had overstepped his authority.

Domna Cristilyn was not consulted. And as much as I feel sorry for The
Fool of the Valeron Plains, I really must return your coffee and keep my
domain. Rest assured he will be punished as soon as I think of something
horrible enough! ;)

Cristilyn Aillard
> 
>    \  \  \             
>     |  |  |
>     /  /  /
>   ____________
>  |            |_
>  |            | \
>   |          |  |
>   |          |_/
>   |          |
>    |________|
>

Piedro backtracks:

Uhmmm... I suppose Lady Cristilyn wouldn't look at such a feat very
favourably, as the Domain certainly isn't mine to give. But... I don't
remember saying which Domain I would give... soooo... would you settle to
the Elhalyn Domain? I think there's no Elhalyns around to claim it anyway,
so I don't think anyone would object the takeover. 

(Daimary)
>  Soooo, here's your cup, where's my domain?

Ummm... thanks, but I guess they fixed the problem already, since there's
again water in the house and I got my coffee already. So I guess the deal's
off... damn, you were SO close, weren't you... if you only had been a bit
faster... :)

But as I said, I don't think anyone would mind overmuch if you took the
Elhalyn Domain... due to its southernish location it shares many of the
amenable attributes with the Aillard Domain. :)

Later:

Ummm... sorry about that coffee thingie, cousin, but you didn't 
REALLY believe I would be so stupid as to try and give away our Domain, 
did you?  ;) 

And all was well... until an Elhalyn claimant appeared...

Markus Wagner wrote:

So then, my name henceforth on this list shall be:
Marius Mikhail Ardais-Elhalyn

...which disconcerted Piedro somewhat.

Ack! An Elhalyn! *frantic thinking* Ummm... I hope you don't mind, vai
dom, but it seems... errmmm... actually, I mean... as it happens....
uhhh... there isn't... or actully there is, but...like, there is no 
Domain for you, vai dom, as I happened to give it to domna Daimary 
MacAran as a down payment for a cup of *cough* coffee... I thought no 
one would mind as there were no Elhalyns on the list at the time... 
errr... do you suppose domna Daimary would give it back? *mumble* If 
we asked nicely, she just might... Ummm... vai dom... are you alright, 
vai dom? 
*beams with innocent concern* ;)

Piedro Aillard-Syrtis, the Fool who Sold the Elhalyns (quite in bona fide, of course) :)

But Daimary wasn't giving in that easily...

Ohhh! That's what happens if you don't watch careful! Yes, Dom Piedro, I
remember very well that now my clan, the MacArans (independent from any of
those high-ranking nobility wimps), owns the Elhalyn Domain! MacArans,
join together for fighting for our new land!!!!!!!!!
But well, on the other hand, we can talk about this. WHAT would you offer
me for giving back the domain? 

Piedro, as always, had advice for "Domna Daimary, nowadays the proud Lady of El Haleine:"

Ask for the crown, domna, ask for the crown!!!
It is about time the Domains finally get a REAL ruler instead 
of those Elhalyn puppet kings and the Hastur tyrants! :)

But "Dom Marius, that Domainless Elhalyn dude" had another suggestion.

Domna Daimary,

Certainly we can arrange for something. I have an elder brother who is of
marriable age. Surely the Elhalyn domain would make for a handsome dowry.
And think of the honor for yourself being married to an Ardais-Elhalyn.

Ever at your service,
        Marius-Mikhail Ardais-Elhalyn

Daimary was not amenable.

(forseeing myself dragged to a di catenas wedding with fear) Oh
wellllll... ahhh... *gasp* have you already asked your brother about this? 
(desparate hope appears) Maybe he refuses??? (thinking a little deeper
about the matter) And why should I bring my well-earned (ok, well-bought)
land as dowry into a marriage with a landless guy? That would bring all
the benefits to him and nothing for me, wouldn't it? (with growing anger)
And what on Darkover do you mean by "honor being married to an
Ardais-Elhalyn"?? (quite furious) I'M A MACARAN! I'VE GOT HONOR OF MY
OWN!!!! What an outrageous insult is this???? I DEFINITELY REFUSE! HA!
(Those Elhalyns! Same wimps like Hasturs, if you ask me... *grumble*
winning a domain simply by marrying a young, innocent, helpless (voice
breaks) girl... So they think!)

(Piedro)
> Ask for the crown, domna, ask for the crown!!!

Yeah! THAT fits! Ok, Dom Marius, Darkover needs a strong hand - you can
have your domain back, I'll take the planet! Gimme the crown!! 
  Greetings,
        Daimary MacAran (no, nobody will ever marry me without my will,
may he be Elhalyn or not!)

Jorik Hastur viewed all this with concern, especially when another Elhalyn, Clara, graced the scene.

(Daimary)
> I remember very well that now my clan, the MacArans (independent from
> any of those high-ranking nobility wimps), owns the Elhalyn Domain!

Mmmh, what is going to think domna Clara? Luckly dom Ardais-Elhalyn
holds Ardais domain...

> MacArans, join together for fighting for our new land!!!!!!!!!

Mumble, mumble... A war in the domains would not be good...

> But well, on the other hand, we can talk about this. WHAT would you
> offer me for giving back the domain?

If dom Piedro will not be able to solve this mess, it will be up to me
and domna Cristylin to solve it,... As usual when dom Piedro make it.

Mmmh, perhaps by giving dom Piedro in marriage... ^_-

Bye
a worried Jorik

Piedro responded to multiple concerns...

(Dom Marius, the Elhalyn from the mother's side, wrote re: domna Daimary:)
> And think of the honor for yourself being married to an Ardais-Elhalyn.

Huh!? I knew that all Hasturs and Elhalyns are a bunch of spineless
ne'er-do-goods, but that they are pimps as well... Merciful Avarra!
Where is this planet going to???!?

(Daimary)
> (Those Elhalyns! Same wimps like Hasturs, if you ask me... *grumble*
> winning a domain simply by marrying a young, innocent, helpless (voice
> breaks) girl... So they think!)

That's the spirit, girl! You show them where the closet stands and how
the land lies and how the chicken pisses!! Don't let them threaten
you, domna Daimary, You can be sure that I (if not anyone else from
the Aillards) will stand right beside you on the barricades when the
time comes to throw down the old regime!

*produces a red flag from somewhere and strikes a pose*

*ahem* *clears throath*

Arise ye workers from your Towers
Arise ye prisoners of want
For reason in revolt now thunders
And at last ends the age of cant.
Away with all your superstitions
Chervine masses arise, arise
We'll change henceforth the Domains
And spurn the Hasturs to win the prize.

     So comrades, come rally
     And the last fight let us face
     The Intercomynale unites the Darkovan race...

*voice cracks and the emotion overwhelms the singer*

It's so beautiful... *sniff* ;*)

(Valentina)
> Run away and join us in the Guild House, sister!

But domna, she can't possibly do that!! She's the Head of a Domain now,
by Aldones! And would you want that she abandoned her hard won prize
to those who so eagerly seek to spoil it and use it for their own
degenerate and reprobate intentions!!

(Jorik)
> Jorik
> very womanizing Hastur

See? Yet another proof of their corruption!

> Mmmh, perhaps by giving dom Piedro in marriage... ^_-

Aaaaargh!!!!! You will NOT do such a thing... cousin Cristilyn
promised... and if you try to do, I'll tell my Mum and she'll come
and spank you and there's no use to go and tell tales to *your* Mum
because *my* Mum is tougher than *your* Mum and if they fought, *my*
Mum would win, because she has the Aillard donas... besides, she's
bigger! So there... nyah-nyah-nyah!!! :) 

> Good choice: nobody claimed Ardais domain, by now... But for Elhalyn one
> there is domna Clara, yet.

That might very well be the case, but she is already too late to claim the
domain... the MacArans hold it now, as they did a millennia ago and as
is their immemorial right.

(Raina)
>   And I thought I was joining a Darkover list.  Little did I imagine
> that I was stumbling into a RPG. :)  Somehow I thought the role-playing was
> another list.    No matter.  

You did join quite correct list, vai domna. :)
But what do you mean by stumbling into a RPG? All that is written here
is as real as real can be... you will notice that at least when the
heads start to fall as the old dominion is overthrown! 

Piedro Aillard-Syrtis, the Rebellious Fool of Valeron Plains :)