Harkin arrives in the midst of yet more hastiness and several joinings

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Disclaimer:

The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended.
This story is copyright © 2013 - 2020 Julia Phillips. All rights reserved.

It uses some of the associated characters and situations that arise from the world called ‘Anmar’ created by Penny Lane, whose stories
are also copyright © 2010 - 2020 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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“Maker!”

That was all I could say for a little while. But I did say it VERY loudly.

That, and, more softly, things like: “But how?”

There was a silence as Master Schild leant back in his chair and simply waited for me to catch my wits once more.

Which took more than a little while.

“But how can I … What have I done? … That's too much to pay!? Surely much too much? It's more than my entire family has ever had. They would have had to work two lifetimes or more to earn that much! What am I going to do?”

I burst into tears. I made a strange wailing-type sound, again quite loudly.

I had arranged for Haka to be with me for this meeting, but she was otherwise occupied, which was not so surprising really, so I had remembered to go home and fetch Kissa, in order that the proprieties be kept.

Kissa looked frightened at my actions, but the brave girl stood in front of me, between me and Master Schild.

Still Master Schild kept silent.

The door burst open.

Kassama came in brandishing a kitchen knife, followed immediately afterwards by Em with a cocked and loaded crossbow.

Master Schild just raised his hands in surrender and shrugged in my direction.

I sniffed a lot, and wiped my face with the back of my hand. Kissa had not managed to keep up her bravery when that door had burst open so noisily and had grabbed at me for protection. This actually helped me regain some of my wits and I started reassuring her with hugs and strokes.

With a stronger voice, I mentioned to my friends that I was … what was it that I had heard that Mila... no, the Princess, would sometimes say? … oh yes ... that I was 'oh ell' … 'oh emm' ... no, that wasn't right … something like that anyway … and anyhow, I must ….

“'Lina, you are warbling. Calm down! I have never seen you like this.”

“Me neither,” squeaked a frightened voice below me.

“Oh Em! I … don't know how to tell you. How to explain it! I must thank you for your concern but really I am fine. Well, that is to say, as fine as I can be, considering, that is.” I felt my voice breaking again, but tried once more. “I owe ...”

I only got that far before I burst into tears again, and folded myself into her offered hug, which dragged poor Kissa in as well.

“Right you stranger, you. What have you done to Mistress Julina?” screamed Kassama wielding the knife threateningly once more.

I broke from the hug just long enough to call Kassama off. “No, no, Kassama – he is alright, really really alright, I promise. He has just given me a shock, is all!”

I nestled back into Em's bosom as my returned sobs wracked my composure once more. Em must have done something with her hands for I heard no words, just saw Kassama back suspiciously out of the room. I heard Em place the crossbow on a nearby table and felt her arm come back to comfort me.

“Now then, 'Lina,” said Em, rubbing my back soothingly. “What is this all about? You and this man, Master Schild isn't it? What has he done to upset you so? Your poor sister is trembling too.”

I shook a little in Em's arms, trying to find my voice.

Schild then broke the silence: “I have managed to shock Mistress Julina, I deem – but I regret that this is a matter between us, one that must remain private unless she gives me permission, preferably in writing!”

“She is in no condition to write anything right now.”

I took a deep breath and found some little steel within myself, just enough to bring myself back to my feet and to take a bit of my control back.

“I declare that Mistress Michet is permitted to hear my business. I have no problem with that. None whatsoever. The same goes for my little sister here, Kordulissa. Please do tell her, them, Master Schild.”

“This is most irregular, most irregular indeed.”

“Please do it, Master Schild.” My usual strength was coming back now, and I felt Kissa react to my regained assurance, even if it was less than that I normally displayed. “I honestly do not mind. Without Em's help, and financial backing, I would not have been able to set up this establishment. And Kissa is simply my sister, we are family.”

“Very well, but I should like a formal letter to confirm this … this … arrangement, as soon as you are recovered sufficiently to write one.”

“Of course, Master Schild.”

“Then I shall take a moment or two to bring Mistress Michet more fully into the picture, as it were. Mistress Kordulissa here already knows some of it, although I deem she has understood but little of that which she has heard.”

He paused but briefly.

“I am here today to discuss with Mistress Julina her finances. As you know, I am the town's 'banker' as we are now named professionally, a part of a larger organisation run ultimately by Master Moshan down in Tranidor.

“Mistress Julina opened a ledger with Mister Moshan's organisation down there just at the end of last year, and I agreed to likewise open one for her up here. This is the first occasion I have been able to arrange to discuss her finances with her. I have brought with me the full details, as of last week, of her accounts, both here and in Tranidor. I wished to discuss with her how she feels she should proceed. I can offer advice, all of which I would recommend that she double-checks as she may be able, but there is a small problem with all this. So I wanted merely to sort everything out.”

I nodded at Em in confirmation.

“I don't understand,” said Em. “Julina spends all her days working, either here in the Salon or teaching or something. Even advising the Assembly on occasion. She has no time for anything else – how then can she be in debt, to what is obviously so large an amount?”

Schild and I looked at each other,

There was a pause before we both started laughing.

It shook me up sufficiently to regain much of the rest of my normal poise and control.

“In debt? My dearest Em, oh no! I am rich! Rich beyond my wildest dreams!”

“But you said something like 'I owe …' which was why I assumed the worst!”

“No … no …” I shook my head vehemently, before explaining: “I was going to say 'I owe you an explanation'.”

Em gawped like a fish for a little as one hand held one of mine while her other hand groped for a chair behind her. Eventually, that waving extremity found a chair back and dragged it in. She sat down slowly, her eyes switching from one of us to the other.

Master Schild indicated that perhaps 'twould better be me to begin the explanations.

“It appears that I have three major sources of income, Em.

“One is of course from you, for the Salon here. As we know, everyone who dines pays you and we trust you to pay us what we are due. We all feel that we are lucky with the great amount you pass over.

“Another source of income is from my thank-you payments I get from Tapio and also from Pocular and Papa, for the hand mirrors and the beam lanterns. They have been very popular items it appears down in Tranidor, and in the other towns where they are now being produced under licence. I know it sounds silly, but I had completely forgotten about them, and they have given me riches beyond anything I had ever hoped for. So I now know that Papa must also be richer than HE ever imagined himself to be. Hmmm, I wonder if he actually knows just yet? I certainly didn't!”

I dragged my thoughts back to my thread rather than consider Papa's business.

“But these items must surely have a limited appeal, the initial bursts of buying must eventually be replaced by a steady trickle of orders, so I see not that that source shall increase significantly. Indeed, I predict that income figures from this shall never be so high again.”

I paused again, this time to control my emotions which were welling up yet again.

“My third source is … well …. YOU tell her, Master Schild!” I said as I saw a little disbelief settle into Em’s eyes.

“Very well, Mistress,” he said, acknowledging my words which he correctly translated as being what amounted to a command.

He turned to Em: “Mistress Julina's third source of income is from the Wender systems that Master Tanon has initiated. An enterprise that is entirely of her own doing, her very own idea, she just required assistance in getting it started.

“Now, a small figure comes from the limited service running here in Blackstone between the Bunkhouse and the Town of an evening. A larger figure, but yet still relatively small, comes from the system set up in Teldor, and another, slightly larger, amount comes from that in Haligo, for that town is long but thin. The two towns have a similar population, but Haligo is so much longer because of the constriction applied by the surrounding valley walls which grow so close together there.

“By far the largest amount, though, comes from Tranidor, where the system has already been expanded three times, so popular has it proven to be.

“My job today is to ask Mistress Julina where she would like to have the bulk of her funds, up here in Town or downvalley in Tranidor, or even in the capital where an associate, Master Levanar, has recently set up shop, so as to speak.

“I am available to give advice as to what I think she should do with her riches.

“If she travels, then our banking organisation can send coded semaphores to her destination and arrange for funds to be made available there. I suppose,” he said in almost an aside, “from that point of view, it matters not really where the funds are actually held.

“Having observed her and her family, and the frugal way they live, then I would report that already, actually, Mistress Julina should never need to work again – in her entire life!”

“Maker!” said Em, which made me laugh out loud.

For that had been exactly what my first word was. Followed also by a silence.

“I know, Em. I need to remain sensible though. I am sure that Master Tanon has overpaid for the Wenders, there is so much of it. Those figures need to be checked, I deem.

“But even without the Wender monies, I have nearly 50 Crowns – FIFTY! - from all the rest.”

“That's enough for maybe more than a hand of building plots here in Town!”

Schild joined in again at that point: “Indeed, Mistress Michet. That was one thing I was going to suggest that she do with her coin. As we are being open here, then I would recommend that you too should consider that.”

His eyes sought permission from her to relate a little more, and she waved him on, saying: “Yes, I shall write you a permission!”

“Your main source of income has become the Salon, as we spoke about a little while ago, but you also get some from the hunting you organise. You furthermore have your pension from the Duke. You already know how much you now have, and should perchance make it work for you rather than let it just sit there until you decide you want to spend it. You also have the not insignificant amount that you inherited from your father, and you now own this very building outright.”

So it was that we three, and poor Kissa who rapidly became bored so I sent her to ask Kasssama if she could help somehow, sat down to a bell or more of earnest discussions and suggestions, fuelled by some pel brought by a much happier Kassama whose apologies to Master Schild had been waved off with humour – and an easy smile!

That smile!

All three of us needed to squirm a little.

… … ...

“… once it has risen. You can divide it up into roughly fist-sized spheres, see. If you want to serve a circular one, which is apparently the usual way, then just roll a sphere out into a circle, on a floured surface, so that it is maybe a little finger deep, maybe a little thinner. Like this ...”

I showed the girls how to do it as I spoke. Then got each pair to do one too.

“Does it matter if it is a little thicker, or a little thinner?”

“Good question, Paivi. I confess I don't actually know, for we are making some of the first ever in this entire town. My sense tells me that if they are too thin they shall burn, and too thick they might not cook through. We need to experiment!”

All the girls faces, fixed to mine and my words, nodded in understanding. Then they turned to their rolling out tasks before once again questioning me with their eyes.

“Now take this thick vegetable sauce we made earlier, and put a generous cooking spoonful of it in the centre of your circle. Using the back of the spoon, spread it thinly all over your circle, leaving free a finger's width around the edge.

“That's good Kelly, and you too Paivi. … There you have all done it now. Good jobs all of you! I see that we have different thicknesses of dough here amongst our first four test pieces, so it shall be interesting to see how they come out.

“Now we scatter the 'toppings' on top of the sauce. The one I was shown had slices of sausage and thin slices of cheese on top, so I will show you that one but, as I said earlier, you could apparently choose just about anything for the toppings. Kelly and Venket, you wanted to do a fishy one, just try it! I would suggest you also use the same herbs that we usually cook the fish in. Kords and Paivi, choose something, anything, just some combinations that you know work together, but are different from what anyone else has done. And then you do something different again Gyth and Frowka, remember we are just testing here right now.”

The pairs went off and did their different toppings – I noticed that Venket was more animated than she usually was, that almost suddenly she was showing a genuine enthusiasm. I filed that away in my mind.

We then discovered how difficult it was to pick up these discs of raw food and get them into the ovens!

They didn’t exactly stick to the work surfaces, because of the flour we had dusted those with, but a loose base was not strong enough for us to pick them up with just a pair of hands. We tried sliding several spoons under them, then swiftly changed to knives when we discovered how clumsy the spoons were. Then we tried to lift them with more than just one of us doing it, but the co-ordination required was just too great.

It was Kassama who eventually suggested using a thin, flat piece of wood, the base of a tray that had broken earlier. It would be large enough to carry the load of one of these things, and we should be able to shake it off onto the oven floor if we were quick enough. We just had now to get the wretched thing onto the thin wooden piece. Gyth suggested that in future we made them on top of the wooden piece, rolling the dough out there. We all agreed that that would be far quicker, in one way, but slower if we were making a batch of them, unless we broke up a lot more trays!

By then, they were most horrible to look at; the circles no longer looked too much like circles by the time we had finished tugging the edges and so on. One even had a tear across it in the middle which we were near to throwing away, but Paivi suggested we cook it anyway, just to see what would happen; she reminded us we were experimenting after all.

But eventually they were there, baking in the ovens, without having been torn apart – but it had come most close!

Sookie had told me that that Jothian officer has said the oven must be hot, so we used our hottest oven for two, and the less hot but still hotter than medium for the other two.

While they were cooking, we swiftly cleared up all the myriad of little messes we had created and I fetched our largest knife, which I started sharpening.

After several peeks, we had the sudden discovery that the food had to be turned whilst baking, to get an even application of heat, hence an even cooking.

We eventually reached the point when it was time to take them out of the ovens.

These bases were by then far crisper, which made them much easier to handle.

Talking of which, Kassama had taken the thin wooden piece outside and asked one of the men she found there to attach a handle to it, which suddenly made a lot of sense to us, particularly when we wanted to get the things back out of the oven.

They were laid, still steaming, on the largest work surface, and I showed them how Sookie had sliced hers, much like the spokes on a wagon wheel. This resulted in pieces that were almost triangular, with the sharp point of the triangle in the middle of the circle. When they cooled sufficiently for us to use our bare fingers, I took a slice, held it in the fingers of both hands (or, to be more accurate, balanced it rather than held it on those fingers) and then took a bite.

This one was better than the one I had had with Sookie, somehow – a little crisper, a little sharper definition in the various tastes to be expected.

We learnt a lot from that initial trial, like how the thinner parts of the base got crisper, that uneven cooking should be avoided and so on. However, they were all impressed with the ease of making them, and now understood far more about the toppings and so on.

I would say that maybe half of all we produced was thrown away though.

The fishy one didn't quite work somehow, it needed some other sauce entirely. Another one was a little burnt, so we had to cut away the black bits.

But for a first effort, looking back on it all later, they were really good.

They all wanted to make a second one, so I told them to go ahead. I would start the consolidation tasks and preparations for the restaurant food whilst they did those next attempts, for time was running short – again.

It was staggering really how much that second try improved upon the first.

One of the girls had decided that another suggested topping would also be good, so she decided to do hers half and half. That was an experiment that worked, and we were all thinking busily of even more variations. It was Venket who tried one that was just cheese, making quarters round the circle with each of four different cheeses we had to hand. That one was really good!

Then I had to get bossy, and got them to clean up all they had been doing. I made a mental note to go and ask Uncle for a flat metal plate with a long handle, for the constant use of our original giant wooden spoon had caused it to get too hot, and it caught fire as they were taking the last peet-zers out.

But then 'twas time to get all the necessary consolidation tasks underway.

This was, you will recall, a day, in fact the very first, when we would have no clients for an evening meal. 'Twas the day we wanted to replenish stocks, to polish here and there, to work out our lists of things to buy, to replenish, to replace. Em was also going to inspect the Dining Room for patches that might need repainting or chips in the furniture that might need filling and so on and so forth.

And I had to do some staff allocations for the morrow, for I was going to be busy elsewhere, and could only turn up to work shortly before the hectic time. Kords was also going to be missing, but not necessarily for as long as I, so there was some urgency to get a little more done today.

I got them all working on Salon matters and slipped out and up to the Forge, only to meet with a problem. There was practically no-one there, nearly all the work now being done across the Bray in the Artisans' Area. I found one of the apprentices there though, loading up a cart. He promised to get Uncle to call in to the Salon when he had time.

With no further excuses to stay away, I went back there and once again started in with the chores.

And once again, Em dropped in to chat with us – but this time, when she arrived, she came not alone.

I squealed and ran over to give Epp a hug, and then greeted Jogantha warmly. Kelly and Gyth followed close upon my heels. We were actually very pleased to see Jogantha, knowing she having travelled so far for what would have been the first time in her life.

I introduced the two women to the rest of my team.

When I had her on her own for a brief heartbeat, while Kelly took Jogantha on an introductory tour of our business, I said: “Epp, I have much to discuss with you, but you have your big day on the morrow. Perchance, you could send an urchin when you have two or three bells ...” She frowned so I continued: “... yes, at the very LEAST that length of time. There is much you need to know, and I need much advice from you. And it begins to come with some associated urgency.”

“Then I shall find the time. But NOT tomorrow,” she added with a twinkle. “'Twill have to be the following day, or even the one after that but no later, for we shall depart to Tranidor again soon.”

“Very well. Please send for me when it shall be convenient.”

I later discovered that they weren't the only fresh arrivals in Town that day, for Uncle Steef had come up on the shuttle and was there when I got wearily home, somehow more weary than on a 'normal' night.

Now Steef and I, and Kords, we had a little secret that we were keeping from Swayga, but we had no chance that evening to discuss it. It would have to wait for the morning.

… … …

I and Kords got up early to help with the household management. Swayga was all in a fluster, which was fully understandable since she would be getting married to Papa in only a few bells.

It came as a little shock to me that actually the kids seemed nowadays more responsive to Kords than to myself.

Which was just one of the reasons that day I had a little cry.

I was becoming, it appeared, a stranger to them after all those years of being their mother. I needed a hand of moments to myself when I realised that.

Another occasion that day when I cried was when Swayga got into the gown that Hasinet and Haka had created – not simply sewn together, but created. It was based on the themes of her home town, from which she had departed so very long ago. Needless to say, 'twas a perfect fit and the use of delicately tinted material to create its pattern was most pleasing to the eye.

Dressed, Swayga was so much more beautiful than normal and Kords and I were both sniffling while smiling as we looked at her - proud, fearful and joyous all at the same time.

She was wearing the traditional (to us) wreath of flowers on her head, choosing to go with local customs in that respect; attempting to have something of her background (her gown) and her present (her headdress) all at the same time.

She herself cried when Kords and I presented her with that surprise of our own. This was the time to reveal the secret that Steef had joined in on.

We had consulted Steef a long time hence and we had had sent up in a special parcel some items from her home town of Viridor, that port city in the Kingdom of Vardenale. Steef had assured us that, there, the women wore to their weddings a shawl made to represent a fishing net with shells and symbolic fish woven into it. So the shells and other symbolic items had been shipped to us in a roundabout way, by involving Steef, his far-off contacts and Epp and her contacts. We made the shawl and kept it hidden from her until this day.

When we had presented it to her, as mentioned, she sniffled and cried; Kords and I took it out of her unresisting hands and draped it gently around her shoulders. She thanked us so often as she clutched it to herself and kept rubbing her cheeks on it.

“You are SUCH good children, you two. Oh thank you SO much for thinking of me so specially.”

I decided to wear the same gown that Nayet had made for my impromptu speech down in Tranidor, and Haka, despite her VERY round tummy nowadays had managed to make special gowns and suits for all my siblings. Papa was also finely attired in a freshly new outfit that made him look very regal to our hardly unbiased eyes.

I dare say we all made a most splendid sight as we made our way to the Steward's Receiving Hall. The weather up here was fine and sunny that day, although a band of cloud was blocking views of the trees downvalley.

Papa and Swayga were the first to be wed, followed shortly thereafter by Shemel and Epp. I was also chosen to be a witness to their ceremony too, so I could not just bask in the family glow of our own private sphere in our corner of the room, like all the others were doing.

It was strange to hear Epp being referred to as 'Megrozen' quite so often, but their ceremony was also delightedly welcomed by many of the Townsfolk gathered in the room and outside. Epp was a little sad that Jafferkin couldn't be there. Someone had told her of Jaffy's pyre, and also the outlines of my involvement, and so she spent a little while reassuring ME that she was fine with the inheritance I got, and things like that. I was supposed to be there to reassure HER about her future with a husband again, but it seemed to me that she turned the reassurances around, and was calming ME. We both reflected that perhaps 'twas better that Jaffy wasn't there, knowing now how he had felt about her.

Once the Steward had conducted a total of six ceremonies, then the traditional parade took place. The married couples led the great procession up Main Street towards the Camping Place, surrounded by clapping and cheering throngs, who laughed and skipped around them – much to the dismay of some wagoneers, the street was blocked to any traffic by the singing, chanting throng.

Now normally there would have been the full area available, but, for the first time in our town's history, the entirety of the Camping Place was unavailable, due to traffic, campers and the Shuttle Shed. As a result, the couples, forever changing the lead pair as was the custom, led us up to the Parade Ground, where more normal celebrations were held in the more constrained space.

It transpired that each and every one of the couples had engaged Mousa and her company to provide some food for themselves and the onlookers - and Sookie had provided some more liquid refreshments.

That Town party lasted two or three bells in all. I had to leave a little earlier than most others, for I needed to get home, change, and then go to the Salon for the evening's work.

And do some preparations for OUR contributions to the seven marriages planned for the following day.

I was not so heavily personally involved in those seven, so I could concentrate on providing some pies and pastries for the revellers to come afterwards. But that would be on the morrow.

As the team were all now in the Kitchens, the talk was naturally of the weddings that had occurred that day (and those on the morrow) and also those that had been held recently downvalley, when Gyth suddenly exclaimed with a tone mixed of shock, horror and determination: “Hold! 'Lina, can you describe the layout of the floors up at the Community Hall?”

“Of course but I could more easily draw you a diagram, not necessarily to scale you will understand, but here, I have paper and reedlet, come look as I draw.”

I reproduced the sketch of the top floor even as I was wondering what dear Gyth was thinking about.

(As a reminder, here I reshow you the Upper Floor plan

I hope it helps!)

When I had finished it, it didn't take very long at all to do, I asked: “But why do you want it? What have you thought about, Gyth?”

She had nearly snatched the paper from my fingers and was scribbling a new design even as she replied.

“You have just described the weddings downvalley, and said that Milady Merizel is by now married to our Duke's son, so she is Countess Merizel.”

“Indeed I did, m'dear! But why is that relevant to …. Oh! Maker! They will probably be in the Royal Party, won't they? They will need a bedchamber too! Oh Gyth, you are brilliant to have thought of that. We must get word to the Steward and Master Bezan as soon as we can. I hope they can design something, or find some room suitable for our Duke’s son ...”

“I have an answer already,” interrupted Gyth. “It would be quite a simple alteration, here let me show you. This here is the Dressing Room. If we make it less wide, then we can have a passageway between it and the Maids' room. The Dressing Room can be stretched a little THIS way, if really necessary, making the ante-chamber smaller. Then an extra bedroom can be added in the south-east corner, here, like this, which would give good views to the west and south without disturbing the views from the main bedroom.”

(And here is what she hastily drew

which we all thought was brilliant, and so swiftly done too!)

I sent her off swiftly to the Steward's, as action would be required most rapidly to avoid any unnecessary and complicated alterations to existing plans. She was rushing out to do that when I reminded her to take the sketches with her! She is so brilliant in many ways, but sometimes a little scatter-brained.

So the rest of us had plenty to chatter about as we got on with the tasks I allocated each of them. Tonight, I decided I would spend most of it in the Dining Room, since we had no requests for dishes that we had never before done, nor ones that we only relatively rarely did. The girls were nervous about it, but I knew that Kelly in particular needed more exposure to the kitchen side of the business, and Kords was also there that night. I suddenly realised that actually Kords was asked at the beginning to come along only sometimes but was there nowadays almost every night.

I filed that away to think about, and to discuss with Papa, for she was still a minor.

But Papa and Swayga had hired a wagon to take them down to the Forest Roadhouse for their first night of married life, a shortened Vayterkan perchance, but nevertheless a Vayterkan indeed. Papa was in much demand as the roads were being built and maintained and plotted, so their private break would not be, at this juncture, any longer; not if all was to be done for the arrival of the Royal Party.

So my discussion with Papa about Kords would have to wait. I also realised that this was an extra subject I should discuss with Epp, when she emerged from HER seclusion with Shemel, enjoying THEIR newly married life. I wondered what they had planned for a Vayterkan.

I hoped I would remember to do all this, but spent the late afternoon and the earlier evening before clients arrived working on snacks, pastries, mini-pies and the like for the aftermath of the weddings on the morrow.

It was fun being in the Dining Room for a change, and I had much banter and little jests and jokes with the diners. I believe we all enjoyed it. Paivi and Frowka were with me that evening 'up front' so as to say and I deem their education was advanced a little.

But I was just SO weary when I eventually got home and helped Kords put the house to bed. I had sent her home when the first clients arrived, and she had then relieved Haka who had been looking after the younger ones for us. Kords reported to me when I got in that she wondered if Haka was going to burst soon, so large was she.

… … ...

Indeed, she, Kords that is, was proved right the very next morning.

I was honoured to be asked to forego my ride to stay with her whilst the Healer was sent for. Mistress Lendra and I both arrived at Suril's home at the same time. We beat the midwife, Gravax, by about two hands of moments. Haka's waters had broken soon after the contractions started, so we were both a little breathless after the urchins had arrived with such a message.

The birth was delayed by a few bells after our arrival, but little Harkin emerged soon after the noon bell, and showed the Town that he had a good pair of lungs.

Suril was overjoyed when he was finally allowed in.

I had been scurrying about, with a little help from Lendra and Gravax to make sure the mess was all hidden or removed before he came in. Gravax concentrated, as was right, upon the infant, Lendra upon the mother, while I upon the bedclothes and the general tidying. Lendra finished wiping Haka's face and tugging her sweat-stained hair into some semblance of order, then went out to give Suril the good news and to bring him in.

It was at this point that I signalled to Lendra and Gravax that I would slide away and let the happy pair have their moment to themselves.

When I emerged onto the street, the great Wedding Procession of that day was progressing up to the Parade Ground, so I scurried up there quickly using East Street to get ahead of them. I wanted to make sure that our food was ready for the hordes of celebrants that were about to descend. I was VERY impressed that Kelly had organised everyone and everything without need to refer to me.

I was further impressed that she had added to our stall, by arranging for a wagoneer's travel oven to be there and it was being heated. Paivi was hovering over it, looking nervous but also proud.

Before I could ask, Kelly just said to me: “Paivi is the best at peet-zers.”

How much was conveyed to me in that simple sentence!

Kelly had ALONE decided to serve peet-zers to the public, and knew that we would need an oven in which to cook them freshly. Paivi was selected as the peet-zers maker since she had shown the most aptitude for the topping combinations. And peet-zers were about to be introduced to the populace at large.

All that conveyed in those six simple words.

The stall we had was 'operated' by four of us that day – well, three actually, as I was there only for a much shorter time.

We learnt that day that a traveller's oven is not actually the best for making a peet-zers in, our closed ovens down in the kitchens at Em's produced a better, all round crisper version. But we further learnt that the results were still good enough for the public to discover them and demand them. So much so, that I feared that our other wares would not leave their shelves! Even some of the other stall holders came to us to try this novelty.

So it was with a light heart that I left Kelly, Paivi and Venket to it and went down to Em's to supervise the evening's activities and preparations. The other three came back just before the eighth Bell, explaining that the entire stock of food they had taken with them was all sold.

So we all discussed what had occurred and what we might do about it in the future. We went to and fro in our talking, sometimes even keeping to the subject in hand!

It was Paivi who raised at quite a late moment a topic that was eventually to change our lives considerably.

“I know that we can in effect only have this Salon for clients during the evening, until the Schooling and the Assembly move their businesses across to the Community Hall, but those peet-zers were just SO popular earlier that I wonder if we shouldn't open the Salon at a lunch-time just for peet-zers, when we can. The school stuff is scheduled to be moved next week, and the Assembly meetings are now only about one a week. Our reputation for being a foremost restaurant has meant that many people do NOT come here for 'tis too expensive, but they really wish they COULD afford to come in. Peet-zers need not be so expensive. We could open for say a bell and a half or two bells for LUNCH-TIME and I am sure our reputation as having a sort of exclusive group of clients would bring many others in, just to see what it is all about eating in here.

“I'm convinced that we could get a month or mayhap even two before the novelty wore off. What think you, Julina?”

“I deem this to be a most sensible suggestion, we must make a presentation to Mistress Michet. You, Paivi, as it is your idea, must work upon what requires to be said. I can tell you now, you should make an estimate of the costs involved, costs that range from heating the oven, through all the ingredients and down to paying the staff required not only to produce the peet-zers but also serving them and to cleaning up afterwards. And then do the same for the income expected. How many peet-zers need to be sold to cover the costs? How many do you expect to sell? What will be the final profit? I will lend you what help I can.

“And then come up with a scheme for sharing those profits around amongst those that have helped, even if it is helping by keeping out of the way so your scheme can function. You must THINK, and then think again. Try to cover every aspect.”

Paivi, I confess, looked a little daunted at the task, but if she wanted to learn more of this world, then here was a golden opportunity to do something about it.

I deem that these discussions would have continued for the rest of the already late afternoon and evening had not Molly decided to drop in on us at that heartbeat.

“Why Molly, my dear, we haven't been seeing much of you in recent days. Have you been distracted somehow?” I asked sweetly.

… … …

The following day started with a good Tai Chi session with my family, and then a good ride which was just a 'checking out' ride really. We, the eight of us that morning, including the Captain, went more swiftly than before up the West Street, up to the rail experiments at the valley head, and then back to Town past the quarries, the water works, the Market Place as it was rapidly being named nowadays, and on to the Community Hall.

As we went, Masters Bezan and Simman along with Papa answered the Captain's always intelligent questions. Indeed those questions of his were such that we all could understand and appreciate that he had been listening intensely since his return, and had missed very little in the myriad of reports that must have been given him.

Also, as we went, Master Simman was rapidly included in the fold of our so-called 'riders club' and the formal ways we were using to address one another soon reverted to the more familiar.

We not only discussed the developments but also various timetables that a few of us had. For instance, the Captain had determined that there would be time before the Royal Party arrived for him to make a quick trip to Brayview to conduct some marriages there, and to sit in judgement, then, after one night overnighting there and conducting his business from early in the morning, he could get to Bezlet on that second afternoon, and do much the same there. He could then overnight there or at the Forest Roadhouse and get back to Town within a day.

He decided on all that even as we were riding that day, his decision aided (he said) when I told him again how we had managed to get to Brayview in a single day when mounted.

So, when we got to the Semaphore station, he arranged for a message to be sent to Brayview that he would do so on the 12th, allowing the marriages to be in the morning of the 13th. He felt that Master Mesulkin was fit enough to make a journey more gently by using the Shuttle, it would be good for the old man to get about. So he would require two rooms at Brayview for the night of the 12th, and Master Mesulkin could leave tomorrow, the 11th, on the Shuttle with his precious ledgers and files and certificates and seals and the like. That way both men would arrive at Brayview the same evening.

Whilst sending that semaphore message, he also received several which he scanned as we rode on towards the Community Hall.

One made him exclaim aloud. “Maker! I wonder what trouble there is now?”

“Captain?” said Papa first, voicing the question we all had.

“Oh, nothing too serious. It seems the Royal Party are travelling ever steadily towards us, but it is apparently not the happiest of processions, for reasons that they have not mentioned in the message. I'm sure Her Highness will be cheered when she reaches her lands and her Town. This is merely a courtesy note dictated apparently by Countess Merizel. She mentions inclement weather, so mayhap that is all it is.”

He changed the subject as we walked on, by saying: “Now look there off to our right, you will see several persons there marking things with staves and twine. That shall be our first Park in the Town. I desire the layout to be at the very least fully marked up before Their Highnesses arrive.

“I have also given orders for the building plots we shall have available to sell to be marked up along the road sides. There shall be one between the Dam Road and East Street as well, the Market Place south side, if you like, some are calling it 'Market Point' already. That plot will not go all the way to East Street though, to allow an easier access to the Park. That plot is reserved for a special purpose which shall be revealed once the Royal Visit is concluded.”

He turned to Gyth who was riding alongside Sookie at that moment, deliberately ending that part of his explanations. He smiled at her approvingly as he asked: “Now, Gythy, please help this old man understand how you came to have the brilliant idea about the Countess Merizel.”

Blushing slightly at being the centre of attention, she swallowed, cleared her throat gently and began to explain: “Well Captain, we were discussing all the recent marriages in the kitchen at the Salon and someone mentioned that Milady Merizel would have become Countess Merizel by now. I thought to myself how nice she had been when she was here before and how much I found myself looking forward to meeting her once more. I sort of wondered to myself where she would be sleeping and then this explosion sort of happened in my head. I knew that 'Lina had seen the Community Hall so I asked her to describe the layout of the extra floors. She quickly sketched it out, and I saw, because for some reason I seem to be quite good at things like this ...”

“Ah yes. You designed the layout of the Dining Room and the colouring thereof, did you not?”

“Indeed Captain, that I did, always with 'Lina's and Em's approvals and help, of course.”

“So your idea for a redesigned top floor just came to you?”

“Well, yes, I suppose so Captain. I just sat down and drew a new plan there and then. 'Twas 'Lina who insisted I come to you so swiftly, and I apologise again for interrupting your evening.”

“Julina had the right of it. Had you not come so soon, then Simman here would have had a lot more work to do, removing rooves and the like. We just managed to get to him in time. But I would know more of your thought processes, if I might inquire more closely?”

“Well I found I had to consider several factors. The size of the floor beneath was one, but it seemed clear to me that if there was to be an extra room up there, then some of the existing rooms would probably have to be reduced in size. When I saw the sketch that 'Lina drew, then it all became obvious really. The north side couldn't be touched basically because of the positioning of the stairs, which caused a fixed line to be the lower north walls, and the upper north walls were directly above those, hence we had no room for expansion that way. There was indeed a … a ... smaller floor area for the uppermost story, an underlap so as to speak in all the other directions but not in that one.

“An expansion on the west side should be ruled out as 'twould ruin the designed views from the Princess' room. Which was also true for the south side of that room. The Dressing Room was fairly generous in size and could be reduced ever so slightly, as could the even larger ante-chamber. The only viable place for an extra room to not interfere with the other rooms was in the south-east corner, and 'twould need a passageway to permit access to it. Such a design would mean merely an alteration to two existing walls and the addition of a door. So you see, all quite simple and obvious really.”

We all exchanged eye glances at that, and nodded and murmured agreement with Simman when he said: “All that in what, five or six heartbeats? I doubt another could have done so so quickly!”

“Well it must have been a little longer than that!”

“Not so,” I jumped in quickly. “'Twas shorter than that, even! You practically tore my diagram from my hand and started drawing your own there and then.”

Poor Gyth was blushing fiercely by then.

And then Simman amazed us all further: “And you thought of the outside balcony for the Princess' room even as we were speaking about it, did you not?”

This was the first we had heard of any balcony! I certainly pricked up my ears as it were.

“Well yes, I suppose so. It just seemed so … so … so obvious somehow. There was a space to the west there, where the top of the wall of what is to be the Office rises to the Upper Level, and that was away from the wall of the Princess' bedchamber, so I suddenly remembered the speech Milady … beg pardon, Her Highness made when she was here, from the balcony down at the Claw. Why not give her another balcony?”

“And another flagpole, huh?”

“Well, yes, of course! I just ...”

She broke off as we all laughed at her and started clapping in appreciation.

She did not have time to react though, for we had arrived at the Community Hall by then, where Simman showed us what was going on, and the slight amendments he had made to Gyth's design. We did not dismount for 'twas nearing time when we all had other appointments, but we still listened to the Project Leader raptly.

“The first upper floor there, you see, we are extending the wall of the office down slightly to the south, so that the Office shall be more 'L-shaped' wrapping slightly round the west wall of the servants quarters. This will also then have a balcony there as I deemed Gythy's ideas to be splendid. This will then allow for a slightly larger area for the bedchamber above, giving us a spacious surrounding balcony for up there. The dressing room walls have already been adjusted and indeed a passage way made up there to a new room placed as specified in the south-east corner. For ease of construction, I have decided that this room shall have a double door to it, which seems so wonderfully grand, but is actually a bit of a cheat on my part. It means I do not need to order a specially measured piece of plain walling.”

His delighted laugh set us all off laughing along with him.

He pointed out the other few, but very slight changes and had just about finished when we had to make way for a laden wagon. “Roof parts,” explained Simman economically, before returning to his explanations.

“I deem that these changes are good and proper for the Visit that shall happen soon, and we have, just, time to implement them. Please remember this, I approve of these amendments. I need to say that for I am about to get a little negative!”

He took a deep breath before starting again.

“There is, however, a big lesson for us all to learn from this. For those changes that Gythy suggested solve a problem that we had not considered. Now I repeat I am not in any way decrying Gythy's valuable contributions, but in doing those alterations we have trampled roughshod over the original design.

“The entire upper floor complex was originally devised to provide Her Highness with a private suite, just that nor more and no less. There was to be a bedchamber and a sitting room. We then had to add to that configuration a small room for her maids, and, after further consultation, we had to add a small guard room as a last ditch defensive measure for the direst of emergencies.

“We deliberately did NOT include any room that would require water usage, for we wished to have noise disturbances minimised. This upper floor was, if you like, to be her private castle – her keep, her safe home, her quiet haven. It could be serviced from the facilities to be provided on the floor below. Even a small pantry to allow for the production of, say, pel was removed from consideration because of the requirement for fuel storage and so on. We wanted this to be a self-contained private sphere.

“This meant that the lower of those two upper floors would have to be much larger than that above it. A bathroom would most definitely be required at that level, and a squad room for the larger part of their Highness' guards. Which meant also privy facilities for THEM as well as for the pair ensconced above. It makes sense to keep the rooms that require water close to one another, for several obvious and some more obscure reasons.

“As the upstairs area was smaller, there would be only a small number of maids, maybe two, perhaps three, so space would have to be provided for the rest of her entourage on the lower floor. We have made the 'Servants' Quarters' there relatively large. We have until now kept the layout open, intending to use some of those movable walls as used on the ground floor.

“We always knew that the entire party would be unable to be accommodated in the Community Hall, but it was designed for their Royal Highnesses, and those who must be close to them. Specifically for HER Royal Highness, and her husband.

“And also for as secure a suite as we could make. In the unlikely event of any attack, then the attackers would have to fight their way up a narrow stair to the first upper floor, meet there the bulk of the defenders, fight their way to ANOTHER narrow stair, somehow get up THAT and meet fresh defensive forces at the uppermost level.

“That was our original thinking.

“Now, however, we have agreed to add another room up at the top, which has immediately taken away the designed exclusivity up there. It shall no longer be the exclusive domain of the Royal Couple. Which itself changes the function and layout of other areas. But it is something that we can no longer amend, for we have run out of time for any other alterations. Even these will be difficult to achieve in the limited time we have available.

“Had we indeed had that little more time, then perchance we could have arranged things slightly differently, but our original thinking has been shown to be inadequate.

“Again.

“For there are other examples to be found as we examine the various projects going on all around the town.

“I deem that all our development projects may well have to be amended as experience shows areas for improvement.”

There was a general murmur of agreement from all of us, and some deep thinking from several. We all thanked him for his lessons.

“Now, I thank you all for your company and for the information I have gleaned on this early morning ride, but I shall rest here now, where my duties call me. I wish you all good day.”

“Now, now,” said the Captain kindly to Gyth, “there is no need to look so downhearted. Had you not thought on't, we might have been embarrassed when Her Highness' party arrive. You thought quickly, clearly and came up with a sensible solution to a problem the rest of us had never contemplated.”

Gyth smiled her thanks, but we could all see that her heart was not behind it, even with us all encouraging and again congratulating her.

I could understand her problem, for I had never considered the great honour the original designers had been intending to give Her Highness. I think we all felt the same.

We took our leave of Simman and rode down the wiggly-waggly track that they were beginning to surface more permanently and which was to be called South Cross Lane. This led us directly to the Claw where we parted as usual from our animals.

I would just have time to drop in on Haka and Harkin for a reasonable visit before I needed to start work.

… … …

Work didn't last long for me that day.

We had a single sitting that night, and there were no special requests, so all we would be doing was preparing stuff that we served regularly. I left Kelly in charge when an urchin arrived, asking me when I could go to meet Epp. I decided that I could do so there and then so sent the urchin back with a message to that effect.

I double checked everything with the girls and then set off somewhat nervously for my long-overdue chat with the person who was my friend, my mentor, my adviser and possibly someone who was going to be annoyed with me.

I marched over to her house rather than sauntered, keeping my resolve and spirits as high as I could.

I was greeted warmly by Shemel and Mohini a cast or so before the door. Termerik came bounding and beaming out and we hugged fondly, but as friends I hastened to add. I had obviously realised that Termerik himself would have a large amount of coin from the Wenders down in Tranidor. He was overly thankful to me for his relative riches. I felt a little awkward for I knew I had so much more, but nevertheless he was wonderfully grateful, as were Shemel and Mohini too, and I soon got accustomed to being showered with thanks.

The men actually escorted me to the door where Jogantha herself actually curtsied to me before smiling warmly at me.

After which she welcomed me most prettily, and ushered me into Epp's living room.

“Julina! Welcome. My family thanks you for your wonderful idea that has meant we are so much more wealthy now. So anything I can do to help, I shall be only too delighted. And you did request that we had some discussions. I suspect that I know one point, and that shall be poor Jaffy. Shall we commence with that subject? Jogantha, some pel please, served in here. Shall we also have some pastries, Julina?”

“Thank you, Epp, that would be lovely.”

“Now tell me how poor Jaffy ended his days.”

“I was in the Salon when ...”

And so I launched into the tale of the K-woman and the summons to the Claw. I described Jaffy's last moments, but kept quiet, for the moment, about his last words. I hurried on to describe the pyre ceremony. I didn't have to hold so much back with regard to THAT story.

When I finished, Epp had a few tears rolling down her face and it seemed right just then to cuddle each other for a short while.

But it was a little uncomfortable for me to do so, a reaction that Epp picked up upon.

We separated and Epp looked at me queryingly.

I hesitated for two or three heartbeats, but could not put it off any longer without creating even more awkwardnesses.

So I gathered up my courage and went into it. I reported his last words as faithfully as I could.

“Oh, Julina! I believe I can understand your hesitations, but they really are baseless. I rejoice for you even while I am sad that a friend has gone. Just as you said at the Pyre – I'm glad. From what I now better understand, then my marrying Shemel here would have been incredibly painful for the poor man. I never had the slightest inkling of his feelings, but now it has been mentioned, many little things fall into place.”

She broke off and sniffed away a few tears.

I broke the short silence: “As we have now got onto the subject, I wish to discuss with you what I should do with my inheritance that was granted in front of dozens of witnesses, many of whom said 'heard and witnessed'. I know you know about it, for we mentioned it briefly the other day. However, I must needs give you more detail for I need your advice, and possibly that of Shemel too. And Brydas and Sookie came up with an idea that I feel I should discuss with you too, which is closely related ...”

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