Bard's Tale 07 - Making a Home

Each one of the four furniture dealers made at least a few hundred gold royals in sales. Some possibility of doing custom furniture was also discussed. Chairs and couches were examined, as were dining sets. An extra twenty gold to each vendor was paid to cover delivery expenses and hiring of manual labor to move the goods. Deliveries were promised the next day after the dinner hour.

As the afternoon passed, the four boarded the carriage and set out for 1010 Snapdragon Street.

They found a grocer representative and the four boys waiting outside for them. Tia exited first, and retrieving her key, opened up the warehouse. She then invited the grocer inside to the intake office.

"It's not much to look at right now," Tia admitted, "but in two days' time, construction crews will arrive to transform this into our new home. We will need frequent and regular food deliveries in the short term to feed everyone."

The others entered while the driver and carriage waited in the covered loading bay to get off the street. The driver was pleased the water pump worked and he was able to water his pair of horses.

The elf woman had Tia and the grocer exit the room a moment. With a few words of power, the entire room was freshly cleaned and dusted, making a vast improvement in the accumulation from a few months of having been unoccupied.

Sitting back down in the office, the grocer, Handel Fitch, was tense with the casual display of magic, but as Tia pulled out three lists, she said, "We are willing to pay good coin for the food you deliver to us, Mister Fitch. I don't care if you need to buy from a rival to make up the shortfall." She pushed the first list to the grocer, allowing him to read through the list. "This is not the entirety, but a selection of essentials for the short term. Once the kitchen is completed, which I intend to build to my own specifications, we will have amenities like a permanent cold room and freezer, and hot and cold running water. We will have more servants added to the two I've already hired as well as retainers to protect the home. Is this an account that you and your master will be able to supply on a reliable and regular basis?"

"Yes, I believe we can open your account, once we have sufficient funds to draw upon. We will need a minimum of five hundred royals to begin."

Tia pulled out a voucher from her wallet, pushing it across the small desk. "This banker's note allows you access to ten thousand royals, drawn on the Banking House of Griswold, Haggerty, and Haines. I will expect monthly statements, Mister Fitch, showing itemized entries for all expenses drawn against those funds. I give you notice right now that I am personally experienced with accounting and balance sheets."

"How... how shall I address you, Lady?"

"Mother Tia will be fine. I am a high priestess and most often act in that capacity. Today, I am acting as my husband's First Wife, and in that role, I am overseeing the renovation of our new home into something that is not only livable but also comfortable and safe. I am willing to pay for quality work and goods and trust your company to be an important part of that."

"Yes, Mother." He carefully put the voucher into jacket pocket.

"Now, over the next days, I will also need quality supplies related to food preparation. I assume your business has a relationship with such suppliers?"

"Indeed, Mother, we do. There are several adjacent vendors to our store that we use and recommend."

"Perfect." She pushed over the second list. "You will see a list of foodstuffs at the top. We will need those items at the top filled by tomorrow afternoon, and until the pantry is completed, we will need frequent deliveries due to lack of a cold room. I would like to see the vendor you recommend who can provide the items on the lower half. I will also need basic plates, cups, mugs, and the like. Draw on the funds to provide a set for twenty settings, including cutlery. They can be wooden or ceramic. Once the construction is largely done, we will get fancier things to eat with. You may pay the vendor from the funds I've just given you."

"We can do that. We happen to have a similar delivery just down the street some blocks away. The ambassador from the Duchy of Biyandi has settled in nearby, so we can combine your deliveries together."

"Are you speaking of the Lady Anya Starshine?" Tia asked.

"You know her?" Fitch said with surprise.

"I do. We traveled here together from City of the Suns. She's the daughter of a dear friend of mine, and I count her as a friend in her own right. I didn't realize we had ended up being such close neighbors. That's good news! Did you have to wait long for us to return, Mister Fitch?"

"An hour is all. I was losing my patience, but those four boys were insistent that I wait, and I'm glad I did. The two silver pennies were a good inducement. And the warning to not hold the poor apparel of the boys against them was also helpful."

Tia blinked as she stood up. "I see. Yes, it seemed prudent at the time. I've been hiring new people and it takes time to get them appropriate clothing."

"Understandable. I'm glad we have reached an agreement, Lady Tia."

They shook hands and the grocer double-checked the voucher's presence before taking his leave.

Stepping out into the main warehouse floor, Tia noticed that the smell of dust and emptiness had been replaced by one of cleanliness. Looking at the elf woman, she asked, "Did you clean this place up?"

"I did," she admitted. "It took several castings, but it's a simple spell, and has already improved the image of the building. Grain dust can cause breathing issues, and it is combustible."

"Huh! Well, thank you. I know it doesn't look like much right now, but we are going to turn this into our new home. Jo, will you let the driver know we are nearly ready to leave and to bring the carriage around front?" Then she switched to Greek." As for you boys, please step into my office here."

As the five boys crowded into the room, the four older boys kept looking at the new clothing worn by Master Allyn.

"Derek, Milo, Leon, and Kimon, what am I going to do with you?"

The four boys looked at her in alarm. Derek protested, "We got him to come and all four of us kept him here, just like you asked!"

"Yes, you did. I also gave you money to buy your lunches and instead, you gave that to him to keep him here. You not only did what I asked you to do, you went beyond that. I daresay you four must now be famished! You will ride with us to the Grey Wolf and I will buy you your long overdue meals." Reaching over, she dug out a small bag of coins and began making five stacks. "I promised each of you two silver pennies in wages. As a bonus, you four have earned two more each. Loyalty is a valuable trait and I believe in rewarding those who demonstrate it. Master Allyn, here are two pennies for your own earnings."

"Today was a special exception," Tia continued. "Normally, you will earn a much smaller wage, but as you continue working for me, I will provide you with food three times a day beginning tomorrow evening, and offer you a safe place to sleep. Once some of the construction is done, I will begin teaching classes on how to read and write and other skills. If any of you boys wish to continue living at your home and come to work each day, I have no objection to that arrangement. Because some of you are being forced to provide coin, I will give you the silver pennies you need to avoid beatings and worse. Just like I will get angry if anyone hurts Master Allyn, if anyone hurts you, you need to tell me and I will put a stop to it. Parents and kinfolk have rights to their children, but there are limits to that by the Queen's law. Derek, I know your circumstances and you are welcome to stay."

Derek said, "I... I think I will go home tonight. Can... can I leave some of my earnings with you?"

"How much?" Tia asked.

"I'll take half with me. If I give him the coins straight away, he will won't try to beat me, but I don't want to give him everything."

His three friends thought Derek's idea a good one, and immediately asked to leave part of their wages with her.

The priestess nodded.

Just then, Jo knocked with two raps on the door and poked her head inside. "The driver is pulling up front, Mother."

"Excellent. Will you record that Derek, Milo, Leon, and Kimon each have two silver pennies left in trust with me? For tonight, you can put the transactions on one sheet of paper."

Jo quickly wrote out the event while the four older boys handed back two silver pennies each. Tia stored the coins in her coin bag and returned it to her daypack. She took the time to show each both their name in Greek and pointed out the number of pennies stored.

After locking the front door, the three adults and five children squeezed into the two-seat carriage. Master Allyn ended up on Tia's lap while Kimon and Leon squeezed next to her. Derek and Milo rode on the floor. With the pair of horses trotting through the streets, the houses and buildings quickly flew by. In short order, they arrived without incident at the Grey Wolf Inn. The driver agreed to both wait for them to finish their meal before dropping the boys near their neighborhood, and to return in the morning for another day's wages.

Inside, all five boys ordered meals. Tia and Jo had snacks to tide them over while Galamindöl went upstairs to visit a bit with Tahna and her sister-wives.

After enjoying a meal of beef sandwiches and vegetable soup, they enjoyed slices of baklava and glasses of cold milk. Four extra wrapped slices were acquired for Allyn to take to his mother and sisters. Derek and his friends offered to make sure Master Allyn arrived safely before departing for their own homes. Tia and Jo escorted them outside to the carriage, and waved goodbye.

As they re-entered the inn, Jo said, "Are you sure those are the same boys who beat up Master Allyn yesterday?"

"Yes, I'm positive," Tia answered. "I threatened and yelled while they were captive by holy magic, but while they were given plenty to think about, they were not physically hurt in any way, despite the beating Master Allyn received at their hands. One assault does not excuse another."

They headed toward the stairs.

"Mother? I'm not sure I understand."

"It's perfectly fine to defend one's self. Derek and his friends have been taught to take what they can by force, especially from those they see as weaker than themselves. I put the fear of magic in their heads for hurting Master Allyn, but I also made them the offer to get away from the poverty of their lives and a chance to feel better about themselves. This morning, they took a chance that my offer was real. Not everyone is willing to take a chance when it's offered, and such offers rarely come around. I can't save everyone, but I can touch the lives of those around me."

"Like you did with me," Jo responded.

"Yes, exactly so," Tia agreed.

"I grew up sometimes hearing stories about you and your sisters. It's a dream come true for me that I've not only met you, I'm working for you."

"So, I take it you enjoyed your first day?"

"Immensely, though I confess that having eaten a little, I'm ready for a nap."

"Me, too," Tia said. "We are both still recovering."

Stepping onto the second story landing, they headed to their room. Once inside, Tia barely got hugs from three moms when Frínulas announced they needed to return home, but would be back in the morning.

"You're coming back tomorrow?" Tia asked, surprised.

"Of course," said her mom. "Mindy will open the portal for Morgan and I to visit. Charmain and Mindy get to spend time with your dad tomorrow, and they don't want to miss that."

Shaking her head with wry amusement, Tia wryly observed, "No, you wouldn't want to miss that. But you're coming back again, Mom. Why?"

"So, I can spend some time with you, Tia. Why else? Besides, tomorrow you are rescuing Master Allyn's family, and I'd feel better going with you to the meeting. Either Morgan will be our backup or Mindal and Reison can do so and Morgan will keep Tahna company tomorrow evening."

"All right. Having some backup sounds good," Tia said. "Meanwhile, Jo can wait at our new house to direct deliveries."

Her mother gave Tia a good hug, followed by hugs from Charmain and Galamindöl. "It's a plan!"

Without much ado, the elf woman conjured a portal spell. Portals created by divine magic were circular and bordered by blue flames that generated no heat. Magical gateways created by secular methods of magic - like this one -- were rectangular, their edges lined in dim, bronze-colored light. Three women stepped through the rectangular gateway, and once through, the portal vanished with an aspirated whoosh of air.

Tia turned and looked at her sitting sister. "Did you have a good visit?"

Tahna nodded with a grin. "I did. It was much better than I thought it was going to be."

"Oh?" Tia set down her daypack with a sigh, then stretched and yawned.

"Look, I can tell you're tired, Sis. We can talk later. Use the bed. When Mindal and Reison get home, they can go to dinner downstairs and bring me back something to eat, and I can sit at the desk. You need more sleep so you can recharge your spells."

Tahna moved to the desk. Persuaded, Tia and Jo agreed to share the double bed for a nap. In the summer heat, they put away their clothing and both stripped down to their panties. For modesty, Jo also wore a night shirt in case Reison and Mindal returned while they slept. Settling down back to back, they were soon fast asleep.

* * * * *

Part 7 - New Beginnings

* * * * *

About six hours later, while Tahna, Reison, and Mindal talked quietly, Tia woke up. Stretching, she yawned and slowly sat up. They'd apparently brought Tahna a snack and a juice drink rendered ice-cold courtesy of one of Mindal's helpful mage cantrips.

As she rose from the bed, Reison stood and drew the priestess into his arms.

"I have morning breath," she protested.

"It's a good thing it's not morning," he countered and kissed her. "It's about two hours till midnight. I've hardly spoken or seen you all day, First Wife. Are you going to properly greet your husband?"

Amused, she murmured, "All right."

He lifted her chin and feeling his mouth on hers, like a summer breeze, sent ripples of warmth throughout her body. After they broke the kiss, he held her close, and she nuzzled into his chest, inhaling the smell of him and feeling contentment settle over her heart. From the scent, he had stopped by the public bathhouse earlier.

"Feel better?" he asked her.

"Much," she replied.

"Would you like some tea, Tia?" Mindal asked. The priestess nearly refused, but the bard then added, "It's chamomile."

"Yes, please! Where did you get it?"

Mindal opened the teapot, waved her hand over it while murmuring a cantrip. Steam began to rise almost immediately, and Mindal lowered the tea ball into the teapot and covered the lid. "Tahna told Mother Charmain you ran out of your tea just as we arrived into town. At lunch, she went out and visited the herbal shops and picked up a large tin box for you. The rest of the tea stored at the top in your trunk."

"So, threatening everyone with being a cranky bitch this morning gets me chamomile tea? I'll have to remember that. I'm assuming that after my cup, you'd like me to do my devotions and prayers and make the bed? No, I'm mindful that the spell bed of rest is a great deal more comfortable than the traditional one I just slept on."

"Thank you!" Mindal said with quiet sincerity. "Reison and I will go back downstairs to the commons. The musicians playing tonight don't mind jamming with us."

"Just a reminder that tomorrow we're checking out," Tia said. "While you and Reison go to his training tomorrow, I'll hire a wagon and a couple of lads from the livery to collect our trunks after lunch. We'll still probably buy prepared meals, but it's time for us to get used to living in our new home. It'll be rather like camping until the furniture and other goods arrive. With some of the travel spells, I can keep the noise down in that small front office, but I expect it to be quite noisy during construction. With the portable cook stove, we can muddle through some meals, and hunt around for nearby restaurants till our kitchen is finished. I expect the remodel to take six to eight weeks, but I'm just guessing. The outside will get a make-over, too."

Mindal slid in on the other side of Reison, and Tahna joined them in standing together.

"To our new home, Whisper Wind Manor," he said.

"To our new home, Whisper Wind Manor," the sisters happily echoed.

* * * * *

The next morning, Tia and Jo were down early again in the commons. Jo was in the second set of her fancy upper-class blouse and skirts; Tia wore her high priestess robes. As seven bells approached, Frínulas and Morgan entered through the front door, followed by five boys. The sword master grabbed an empty table and pushed it closer, then grabbed a pair of long benches for her, Morgan, and the boys to sit on. Kimon moved stiffly, and Derek had a shiner. The auburn-haired warrior quietly asked if they would let her heal their injuries.

"You can do that?" Kimon asked. "But... you're a warrior and warriors can't do magic!"

"I am a holy warrior in the service of the Lawgiver," Frínulas answered. "A paladin. I am not anywhere near able to do what my oldest daughter can do, but I believe I can ease your aches and bruises."

The waitress took their orders while the boys were amazed when her touch made them feel better. Tia counted out ten gold royals for the breakfast meal, which the waitress scooped up before leaving.

Morgan, speaking elven, "That's so much money for one meal!"

Tia shrugged. "All the inns, restaurants, and even the street vendors hike their prices because of the many holidays. Yes, it's greed, and some grumble, but most put up with it."

A short time later, a pair of waitresses came with some of their food and both coffee and black tea. Tia had cider. The boys were given a choice of cold cow milk and watered beer to go with breakfast. Master Allyn took the cold drink while the older boys accepted the weak beer.

Halfway through their meal, Reison, Mindal, and Tahna arrived. Instead of her usual gi, the injured monk work calf-high soft leather boots, a long skirt, and a backless top, with the bottom part affixed to the skirt. Her scabs and welts from her flogging were plainly visible, and more than a few patrons paused to stare as she went by.

Three more meals were added to the two crowded tables, and the group chatted and talked about the day's plans. Reison and Mindal soon bid goodbye as they departed for his training at the fighting grounds and the fighter guildhall. Morgan accompanied Tahna back upstairs, for the monk found that her downstairs trip had taken a lot more stamina than she'd imagined.

The carriage driver arrived in good order, and once the three adult women and the five boys squeezed in, they went to shops so that Tia could purchase durable new clothes for Derek and his friends and good shoes and socks to fit. Afterward, a diversion to the public bathhouse was made, and after four boys had their hair tamed, all five boys were sent to the baths while Tia paid for massages for Jo, her mom, and herself.

As they re-dressed, Frínulas said, "You really didn't have to do that, Tia."

"I know that, Mom. I did it because I wanted to. How often do I get a chance to do something nice like this for you?"

"Meanwhile," her mother said with a grin, "you continue saving people around you, a few at a time. What are your plans for the older boys?"

"I won't know until I've had a chance to assess their skills and talents, and ask them what they want to do with their lives," Tia answered. "Besides, an aggressive gang of young thugs operates in their neighborhood. If I can save four, I will do so."