Bard's Tale 06 - Tahna, and more

"Do your feet feel better?" she asked.

The boy nodded. "Won't they get mad if I'm not wearing shoes?"

"We wear shoes mostly to protect our feet from injury. And you are correct. It is indeed considered polite to wear shoes when outside your home, Master Allyn. However, your shoes are not only wearing out, they have become too small."

"You want me to walk barefoot?"

"I assure you, there is no danger to your feet inside this public building. I insist."

"I... all right."

"Maybe this will help." Tia leaned against the wall, taking off her own boots and socks. On the cool, polished tiles, she wriggled her toes. With a conspiratorial whisper, she told him, "I won't tell anyone if you don't."

The boy looked at her and beamed in delight.

Storing her footwear within her daypack, they continued up to the third floor. After some searching, they found they found the office of Geoff Ashburn, Architect.

Entering the office, they discovered the place was small, about six meters wide by four meters deep. At the front desk, a young woman sat with a book open; and prior to the arrival of Tia and the boy, she'd obviously been studying from it. Behind her, in the open area was a young man in professional clothing and glasses standing as he worked at a large drawing table while referencing two maps on easels. The rest of the office area looked rather sparse.

Tia nodded thoughtfully, quickly taking in many details. Young and hungry, indeed!

Jumping up, the young woman declared, "Greetings! Welcome to the office of Master Geoff Ashburn, Architect Extraordinaire!"

Then she paused at seeing the priestess and the small boy beside her, both shoeless, wondering whether this was truly a potential client or someone out soliciting for donations.

"Architect Extraorinaire, eh?" Tia said with a pleasant smile. "Is your employer available? I'd like to check his availability."

"What is this regarding?" The young woman's exuberances had turned suspicious.

"I'd like to hire Master Ashburn for a short-term job, and if that is completed satisfactorily, it will lead to a second, longer term contract for considerably more money. If he's unavailable, I need to know that. The work is personally urgent, so I need an answer as soon as possible."

The young man put down his straight edge and drawing tool, took off his glasses and slid them into a breast pocket as he approached.

"I'm Geoff Ashburn. This is my office assistant, Jennifer. And you are?"

"My name is Mother Tia Whisper Wind. My family and I have just purchased a warehouse at 1010 Snapdragon Street. What do you charge to reproduce floor plans? And, how fast can you complete them?"

He frowned. "Sight unseen? Minimum is three hundred gold royals, but could be a lot more, depending on the building's size, number of stories, and complexity. Hmm. That address sounds familiar." He moved to a cabinet and pulled out a city map, then laid it onto Jennifer's desk. The young woman hovered at his shoulder, watching. Moving his finger along the streets, he soon found the address. "That's in a mixed residential and commercial area. What are your plans for the place?"

The priestess nodded. "We plan to convert the building to a multi-story home, one suitable for a large family and several servants to live on site. It's currently two floors with a partial basement. I wish to hire you to make a duplicate blueprint from the files in the Land Office. Are two days sufficient with your other projects currently on hand?"

"Should be," he agreed cautiously. "I'll need some funds up front, of course."

Opening her wallet, Tia counted out forty platinum, Jennifer's eyes growing bigger as the pile grew larger.

"There's two hundred royals, for which I will want a receipt, young lady. The balance will be paid upon completion. My family and I are currently staying at the Grey Wolf Inn, Room 220. We'll be there until the end of the week. When you're ready you can either send a messenger and I will come during business hours or you can come in person to the inn. For urgent matters and I'm not available at the Grey Wolf Inn, you can leave a message for me at the Earth Mother's temple or at the Queen's Bench. Just mention my name and either place will happily take a message for me."

"They will know you at the temple?"

"Certainly, young man! I am currently the only Legate in the entire kingdom!"

He looked a little uncertain, and asked, "And at the Queen's Bench?"

"My sister is Chief Justice Theodonra Tanner. Don't let her appearance fool you - or mine. She's my younger sister by fourteen minutes."

"I see." Looking at the youthful and barefoot priestess standing before him, he clearly had his doubts.

Tia gave him a stern look. "Despite my words, you are letting what you see sway you. My appearance is irrelevant, sir! My coins should tell you I'm serious about both who I am and my job offer. Do you accept this commission, Master Ashburn?"

"Yes. Yes, I do." Standing straighter, he held out his hand and they shook.

"Blueprints completed by noon in two days?" Tia asked.

"That's perfect," he answered. His assistant quickly wrote out a receipt, handed it over, and then retrieved a ledger and recorded the transaction.

Tia took in her diligence and promptness with approval. She could see that Master Ashburn was still not quite believing her words, but he kept glancing back to the neat stacks of forty coins glittering on the desk.

Hard to argue with the reality of money, Tia thought. Then she turned to look at the boy beside her. "Come, Master Allyn, we must hurry to our next task. If you are to be my escort this day, you must have shoes that fit before we go to lunch. Does that sound agreeable?"

"I can't afford new shoes," he answered unhappily.

"Are you working for me?" Tia asked.

"Yes, Lady."

"Your shoe came apart while you were in my employ. You need good shoes to complete your tasks in a timely and safe fashion. I take care of those who work for me. As your employer, I shall provide proper replacements for you. I tell you true that this will not put you or your family in debt to me. Does this make sense to you?"

He nodded to her.

She knelt and held out her hand to him. "Then do we have a deal, Master Allyn?"

He stared a half second, then thrust out his hand and they shook. "Deal!"

Tia stood and said, "Good day to you, Master Ashburn. Miss Jennifer."

Architect and receptionist watched the exchange with amazement, wondering -- who was this barefoot priestess with so much money in the company of a poor boy in worn clothing a step off the streets?

The boy hurriedly opened the door, and Tia gravely said, "Thank you, young sir."

And the two exited the office.

As the priestess stood quietly in the hallway, but a scant five seconds later she heard Jennifer's muted shout, "We're saved!"

Smiling to herself, she thanked the goddess and Sir Jasper for his advice. She hoped the quality of the young man's work matched her expectations. If it did, they would be working with the construction crew needed to transform that warehouse into their new home.

The young boy looked up at her. She nodded to him and held out her hand. He grinned as he clasped her hand and they descended the steps.

As the lunch hour approached, the hallways became much busier. Some were wealthier citizens having business with the city offices and others were civil servants; some gave the barefoot pair a curious glance, but most ignored them, hurrying about their own tasks.

Nearing the exit, the boy said, "May I ask a question?"

"Of course," the priestess answered.

"What's a justice?"

"It's a special type of judge. My sister listens to people who have problems and decides who is right and who is wrong."

"Do you really have a sister that's a judge?"

"Yes, I do, Master Allyn."

He glanced up at her. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Because you look like an honest young man and a hard worker in need of a good job. Honest hard-workers are the kind of people worth knowing, Master Allyn. I'm also hoping that we can become friends."

"When I gave Ma the money I earned last night, she asked me a lot of questions about you and the others. She's afraid you might take me away from her and didn't want me to come back this morning."

On the ground floor landing, Tia stopped and knelt on one knee so she could look him in the eyes. She noticed they were hazel. His blonde hair could use a haircut and a good combing, but it wasn't too bad yet.

"Yet you came back to the inn this morning anyway. Why?"

"I'm the man of the family, Lady. I gots to help take care of ma and me sisters."

"But your Ma is afraid I will take you away from her. Aren't you worried about that?"

"No, Lady. 'Sides, what I earned yesterday is the most I've ever earned in four months. And I didn't have to pay Derek, either!"

"Who's Derek?"

"A bigger boy. He makes me give over whatever I have, but he can't always catch me."

"I see." Tia sighed, well imagining the true situation. "It appears that you have a lot of things to worry about, Master Allyn. The psalms tell us -- It is through family and friends that joys are magnified and burdens lessened. That means when we have family and friends, good times are better and hardships are easier to endure because we have someone to help us share the load. I'm glad we're friends."

The boy paused a moment as he pondered what she'd told him. "I'm glad we're friends, too."

Standing up, she held out her hand again. "We need to find you some good shoes, and then we must go to lunch."

They stepped outside, and seeing the driver across the street waiting with the gig, she waved him over. After he pulled up to the steps, Tia helped the boy onto the two-seat gig.

"Where to, Mother?"

"We need a cobbler shop with a selection for young men the size of my companion here. Do you know of such a shop, driver?"

"I do," he confirmed.

"Then please take us there. How much to hire you for the rest of the day?"

"Oh, with the holidays approaching, I could make a fair amount, especially in the afternoons." He paused to glance at the priestess. "Three gold royals?"

"Three! I know I should haggle with you, but I'm in a hurry. Drive while I dig out your payment."

After the coins were retrieved, Tia restored her footwear. The boy remained silent as they rode through the streets at a fast trot.

A lot of people bustled about. Besides the shopping crowds, there were many street vendors hawking wares. As the midday meal approached, scents from various cafes, street carts, and restaurants filled the air with many varied and often delicious aromas. It seemed too, that there were a lot of street musicians busking on corners; most worked alone, but a few worked in pairs or more rarely, trios. Seeing them brought back Tia's memories of when Mindal had been a young musician first starting out, and that she and her sisters planned to help Reison enter the same profession.

The day itself was pleasant, the nearly cloudless day warm without becoming too hot. She offered up a silent prayer, asking if she should hire the boy's family. The wages as a laundress would be much better for the mother, and she could then see that the boy and her sisters were decently educated; this would later open up doors for each child as they matured. The key would be getting a chance to talk to the mother. Allyn had a good set of values for a six-year-old. Without a good placement or a strong family to intervene, far too many such young men fell to thieving for food and money.

The cobbler shop, while small, turned out to have a decent supply of child-sized footwear in stock. In short order, they found some taller soft boots that had a decently thick sole on them. She purchased four pair of socks to help save his feet. After a few tries, the cobbler brought out a pair of boots that rose to his knees; they gave him a bold look. What amazed the boy was the cobbler showed him two places on each boot that could secretly hide a single coin. "In case ye gets robbed, you have some back up on hand," middle-aged craftsman exhorted. "What think ye, young sir?"

Allyn looked at Tia, and she nodded.

The cobbler then showed them a fur-lined pair for winter a tad larger in size, and Tia had him add it to the total.

"With the socks, it comes to ten gold and fourteen silver, your ladyship," the shopkeeper announced.

Tia rounded it up to eleven gold, and the cobbler was effusive in his gratitude, even to helping the boy put his new socks and boots on. After handing the boy the winter pair in a cardboard box, he tossed the old shoes, declaring them too worn to salvage.

The noon hour began to ring as they exited the shop. Their driver spotted them quick enough and paused outside the shop for them to climb aboard.

"Was the trip satisfactory, Mother?"

"It was indeed." She helped the boy into the gig before climbing in herself.

"Where next, Mother?"

"Top of the hill."

Turning to look at her, he said, "Pardon?"

"The A-frame at the top of the hill. You know of it?"

"B-but that's where Her Highness, Queen Dorothy, lives!"

"It is, indeed. I am expected to be in her presence before the next hour rings, driver. Think that's possible?"

"Err, uh, yes, Mother. It's mostly uphill, but Myrtle should get us there in time."

"Then let's go! Young Master Allyn and I are becoming famished."

For most of the drive across Charlottesville, nothing was said between the priestess and the young boy. Between taking in the sights, he ran his hands over his new boots as if to confirm they were real, and this rich priestess who spoke as an educated person.

Tia thought over her plans for Master Allyn and his family. Teaching she understood. She had spent many winters teaching the young of New Brittany, including recently many great-grand nieces and nephews. She silently prayed again as to whether her intentions were a good decision for both her family and the boy's. One could offer help, but only if they were receptive. She knew most wouldn't turn down a job at higher wages, and her new family would need someone to help with laundry and housecleaning, especially once the babies started arriving. She wouldn't know for sure until she met Allyn's mother and could ascertain how best to approach her and what the situation truly was.

As the driver crossed the bridge into Sharaton, the quality of the neighborhood quickly rose, the quality becoming discernably wealthier and larger. The boy's eyes became larger as well, and he began to get worried.

Tia leaned over and asked him, "Are you scared?"

He didn't answer, but he did stare between Tia and the top of the hill.

"It's all right if you are. May I put my arm around you?" she asked.

He knew enough that the area they were headed to was where the rich and powerful lived.

"Tell me about your sisters," Tia said with encouragement, drawing him to her side. "I want to know their names, ages, and anything about them."

"Emmy's five, Ginny is seven, and Marie is eight. They work hard with Ma. Usually after dinner, they fall right to sleep. We used to play when we were younger, but Ma didn't like leaving us home alone. Besides she gets more coin when they help her work."

"Sounds like you miss spending time with your sisters. Your ma sounds like a hard worker, too."

The young boy nodded in agreement.

"Are they good girls? Hard workers?"

"They never miss a day of work!"

"Tell me, how many copper pennies to a silver penny?"

"Ten," he answered, unsure at the sudden change of topic.

"Very good. And how many silver to a gold royal?"

"Twenty."

"That's right. So, if you tell me your sisters are hard workers, and they are earning three copper pieces per day for all three of them working, and I offered your mother two silver a month, plus a place to all of you to live and three good meals each day, which do you think is the better deal?"

"What would they have to do? They aren't fast runners like me."

"I used to be a teacher, Master Allyn. Your sisters would go to school with you. All of you would learn to read and write and how to work with numbers. I would pay you and your sisters to attend school. You would also get a few chores that each of you would be responsible for. As their brother, you could make sure your sisters are safe, and each day you would have time to play together and visit with your mother. What do you say?"

"I will have to check with Ma first."

"That's a great answer. I want you to know the offer is serious."

The driver cleared his throat. "Mother? We're approaching a guard post."

"Excellent," Tia answered. "Breakfast was filling but it was also some hours ago. I'm ready to eat! How about you, Master Allyn?"

The boy just looked at her.

He's probably overwhelmed, she thought. Too much at once for such a young boy to think about. He wants to trust me, but also wants to make sure his mother and sisters are taken care of.

The road's gate was open, and while the armed guards allowed everyone leaving the area to depart without issue, they checked everyone passing beyond it. A pair of male guards moved in front of the gig, the one in front holding out his palm outward, indicating they should stop.

The driver halted, nodding his head. "Taking a passenger up the hill at her request, good sirs."

Raising his eyebrows, the guard turned his attention to the priestess and the boy at her side. "What's your business here, Mother?"

"You must be new here," Tia replied. "May I retrieve my credentials?"

Nodding cautiously, the guard said, "Move slowly, please."

The second guard issued a pair of short whistles, and three more guards came out of the guard house.

Tia reached into her day pack and retrieved her documents, handing them both over.

Reading the first one, his posture immediately stiffened. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to need to verify this. This looks official and says you're a Queen's Minister, but you're unfamiliar to me."

"Happens every year, Corporal," Tia said calmly. "Takes a few times before the newest guards on duty learn who I am. I encourage you to get an officer here to make a decision."

"This other one says you're a Temple Legate?" the corporal noted. "I don't even know what that is. How... how should we address you?"

"While I am the Queen's Minister, I prefer to be addressed as Mother Tia."

The corporal turned. "Higgs! Get the Officer of the Day! If you can't find him, get the Lieutenant. He went to the Royal Stables a couple of hours ago."

Higgs ran in past the gate, disappearing for a few moments, then reappeared on horseback, galloping uphill.

"If you're done with those, Corporal, I'll need my credentials back."

"Oh! Uh, of course, Mother!" Flustered, he handed them back and then saluted.

Turning her attention to the boy, she handed the boy a gold piece. "Put that into your boot. That way if Derek causes you any trouble later, you can get that money to your mother."

Obediently, the boy slid the coin into one of the secret pockets in his new boots. When she winked at him, he began to relax. She'd been honest and up front with him, and had treated him with respect the entire time, and besides the three silver pennies, he had an actual gold piece! He wasn't so sure about going to school, but earning so much money every day would at least mean there would be enough to eat for dinner and maybe for breakfast, too. It would certainly be good for his sisters. No more waking in the middle of the night from hunger.

The corporal cleared his throat, getting Tia's attention. "Umm, Mother? You never told us what the purpose of your meeting was today."

"I have a lunch meeting with Her Majesty. It's been a half-year since we last talked in person, so we have a lot to catch up on."