Hearthglen

by Daniel Schinhofen

  Sean pulled two silver from his pouch and extended them to Sam. “Paid in advance.”

  Sam took the coins slowly. “What are your plans?”

  “For today, move in. I need to see Tackett still, as well.”

  “Would you consider having dinner with us tonight?” Sam asked tightly.

  “You wish to have a feast to celebrate your daughter becoming an apprentice,” Fiona said.

  “Yes.”

  “We’d be happy to come,” Sean said, thankful that Fiona had spelled it out for him.

  “We’ll see you shortly after sundown,” Sam said.

  “We’ll return then,” Sean said. “Ida, take the day to gather what you need.”

  “I’ll get everything ready,” Ida said. “If you will excuse me?” With a smile, the young woman left the room.

  “Let me show you out,” Brendis said, clearly still unhappy with the way things turned out.

  “Bronzeshield,” Sean said softly as they walked to the exit, “I’ll prove through my actions that your fear is unfounded.”

  “We shall see, MacDougal. We shall see,” Brendis replied.

  “Myna, can you gather our things and bring them to the house?” Sean asked when they reached the street.

  “Yes. I will take care of it, Master.”

  “Thanks. I’ll make it up to you tonight,” Sean smiled.

  Myna walked back toward the inn while the others went the other way. A few buildings down the street, they found Tackett’s Smithy. Entering the shop, Sean looked at the display cases that held a wide variety of nails, tacks, pins, and other items.

  “Welcome to Tackett’s,” an old grizzled Dwarf greeted them as they came in. “How can I help you?”

  “I’m here to speak to Joseph Tackett,” Sean said. “I’m Sean MacDougal.”

  “Ah, you’re the fellow he was talking about,” the old Dwarf said, looking Sean, Fiona, and Ryann over. “I’m Jacob Tackett, Joseph’s father. I’ll let him know you’re here.”

  Jacob left them alone in the front room, giving Sean a chance to take a closer look at the products displayed. They were smoother than Sean had been expecting: he’d seen medieval and renaissance nails on display during a number of ren faires, and they’d all been solid, but rough. The nails here weren’t machine smooth, but they were good work.

  “Need any nails?” Joseph asked when he came out of the back.

  “Not at the moment, but I know where I would go to get some now,” Sean replied with a smile. “These are some of the smoothest nails I’ve seen.”

  “Not as good as my father used to make,” Joseph said, getting a snort from Jacob, “but I appreciate the compliment. Please come with me so we can talk.”

  They followed Joseph to a sitting room that was much like the one at Bronzeshield’s. While they were taking their seats, a Dwarven female entered the room with a tea service tray.

  “It is good to meet you, MacDougal. My husband has been looking forward to you coming over to talk business for a good portion of today. I’m Brunilda Tackett.”

  “A pleasure, Mrs. Tackett,” Sean said. He introduced himself, Ryann, and finally Fiona, who was the only person not sitting.

  “I didn’t expect you to have a Life Bonded,” Joseph said.

  “Life is full of surprises,” Sean replied, his ears still catching the faint ringing of hammer on metal.

  “Did you already conclude your business with Bronzeshield?” Joseph asked, taking the cup of tea his wife offered him.

  “I just came from there,” Sean answered, giving Brunilda a smile as he accepted a cup. “I have a house to get in order. That might take me a day or three, but after that, I should be in business. Who’s using the smithy currently?”

  “My sons,” Joseph grinned. “Hans is just about to reach his majority and will likely be staying on here with me. Stephan, my youngest, has a handful of years to go before his majority. I’ve been trying to get him apprenticed, but all the other smiths here in town have their own kids. I might have to send him to one of the outlying villages to learn under a smith there, in the hopes he can take over for an older smith.”

  “I’ve always wondered what it’d be like to have children. I hope one day to know,” Sean said.

  “It’s a blessing, even if some days you wonder what possessed you to think so,” Brunilda smiled.

  “I’m sure most parents would agree with that,” Sean laughed.

  “That took us a bit off course,” Joseph said. “You came to discuss potential deals we could make. What is it you’re in need of?”

  “Metals, woods, and contacts,” Sean replied, sipping at his tea. “All the things a new business needs to get up and running. The question from my end is what exactly are you hoping for from me?”

  “A touch of Talent for my sons,” Joseph replied, setting his mostly empty cup aside. “I saw you make that bronze figure as if it were nothing, we all did. Your Talent with metal is strong to be able to make a figure of that quality that quickly. Denmur would be able to do it, but he’d take longer. If you gave him more time, he could make it lifelike.”

  “Both sons?” Sean murmured. “That’s a lot to ask for.”

  “It never hurts to reach for the stars.”

  “You’ve got a point,” Sean chuckled. “If— and it is a very big if— I did give both of your sons some Talent for metal Shaping, what would that get me in return?”

  Joseph sat back in his seat, brow furrowed as he seriously considered the question. “I’m not sure I could make an equal trade. To apprentice both of my sons—”

  “Not apprenticed,” Sean clarified, cutting Joseph off. “Access to the Talent, a bit of energy to use it, and maybe a couple of hours of instruction once a tenday to help guide them, but not an apprenticeship.”

  “Why not an apprenticeship?” Brunilda asked as she set her empty cup on the table.

  “Ida Bronzeshield is my apprentice already, and my price for that was high.”

  “The strong get stronger,” Joseph sighed. “She’ll be the best smith in the city in ten years if she can hold onto any of what you teach her. I can’t afford to have you take on both of my sons, even as non-apprentices. I’d desperately like for them both to gain what you could do for them, but even in a deal heavily favoring me, I can’t see it being right.”

  “One of your boys, then,” Sean said, setting his empty cup aside. “I’ll give him the Talent and some energy, and I’ll guide him a few hours once a tenday. In return, you give me ten percent of your metal stock every time you get more. Also, let your suppliers know I need to speak with them and let me know of anything I would deem concerning.”

  Joseph sat looking at Sean for a long time. “That’s it?” His tone was incredulous.

  “As I said before, Joseph, I need friends. The Bronzeshields and your family would be the first step in that direction.”

  Brunilda’s hand was on Joseph’s leg, her knuckles white. “What you’re offering can’t be real. This has to be a trick... something to bring our family down.”

  “It isn’t, Mrs. Tackett. I promise that I’m offering only a real deal, and that I’m not trying to trick you. If I’m lying, may I suffer an attack, right here and now.”

  A long moment went by before Brunilda began to sniffle, tears welling up in her eyes. “One of our boys can surpass you, Joe,” she managed with difficulty.

  “I never would have asked for that, MacDougal,” Joseph said, pulling his wife closer to his side as her tears began to fall.

  “Please, call me Sean. If it makes the deal any better, put in a good word for me with your suppliers and with anyone that I might benefit from.”

  “Ten percent of my metal stock every time I restock, a word with my suppliers on your behalf and arranging a meeting between you, as well as keeping you apprised of situations that would concern you, and finally, helping you grow socially in the city. In return, you’ll gift my son Hans the metal Shaping Talent and enough energy to actually use it, as we
ll as helping him learn how to best use the Talent for a few hours once each tenday, on Eightday. The deal will last for a full year, unless we both agree to break it. This is the Agreement that we are entering?”

  “I agree to those conditions,” Sean said.

  “I agree to this deal,” Joseph said, and the familiar weight settled over both of them.

  Brunilda sobbed, her arms tight around Joseph. Sean looked away, a little uncomfortable with the show of emotion from the Dwarven woman. Joseph stroked the braid against her cheek and whispered softly, trying to calm her.

  Once Brunilda managed to regain control of herself, she stood up abruptly. “I’ll go get Hans, please wait here.” Before anyone could speak, she was gone.

  “Even with your promise on the matter, Sean, I still feel like the rug is going to be yanked out from under me at any moment.”

  “My deeds will have to speak for me,” Sean said understandingly.

  Chapter Five

  When he returned to his new home after visiting the other four smiths, Sean was tired. He hadn’t been that sociable in a while, and he felt it.

  Walking beside him, Fiona spoke softly, “You did very well with them, Sean. Twenty percent of their stock and their pledge of silence on the matter. That is why you’ll be training them all separately, right?”

  “One a day, separated over the tenday, as you heard. Train one, then a day without, then a day training, and so on,” Sean agreed. “That will give us a decent amount of metal stock to work with... at least of copper, bronze, and brass. I’ll need to find a way to get hold of silver, gold, mithril, and adamantine.”

  “We’ll need to build up our funds before we can readily afford those,” Fiona added.

  “Hopefully, we’ll have time,” Sean sighed, rolling his neck. “We have dinner with the Bronzeshields tonight, and we’ll have Ida moving in with us tonight or tomorrow. We also have all the little stuff to take care of, like setting up food delivery, and such.”

  “Myna and I can take care of that,” Fiona said. “If we are truly planning on being here for at least a year, can I suggest getting a dedicated maid? If Myna and I are going to help with crafting, it would be better if we had someone to actually run our house for us.”

  “Add finding a suitable maid that we can afford to the list,” Sean nodded. “I’ll always listen to what you tell me. Like I did about upping the percentage and having them agree to keep the deal secret.”

  “I’ll do my best to help you, beloved,” the last word was said softly enough that only Sean could hear it.

  “Love you too, dear,” Sean replied, placing his hand on the small of her back.

  “After dinner, you’ll be going to the inn with Sam,” Fiona said, switching subjects. “Try to smooth over the hurt feelings from yesterday, if possible. I doubt it will happen once word of your Agreements with Tackett and Bronzeshield are known, but maybe a couple of them have calmed down.”

  “I was planning on going home after dinner,” Sean said, rubbing her back lightly.

  “You’ve started laying groundwork, beloved. You must finish that first,” Fiona murmured. “We’ll be waiting for your return to our new home.”

  “I guess... the little bit of time after dinner until I get home—”

  “No. We won’t be attending dinner, either. Myna and I are Life Bonded. We are not included in those kinds of invitations unless specifically asked for,” Fiona said.

  Sean ground his teeth in irritation. “We’ll need to invite the other smiths over for dinner one at a time, so they understand that you two are to be included. You’re my family, not just Life Bonded.”

  “If you really wish to make the point, we can come with you tonight,” Fiona said. “It’ll be rude, but it will drive the point home. Same with the dinners you’ve been invited to at the other smiths we visited today.”

  “I’d rather be rude and have you there,” Sean said, his arm going around her waist. “Fuck what others think. As long as you’re with me, I’m fine.”

  “If that is your wish, Sean,” Fiona murmured, letting herself relax into his arm.

  The main room at the top of the side stairs was furnished, thankfully. Two small sofas, three chairs, and a low table took up most of the space. To his left, a door led to the dining room and through to the kitchen, while the door on the wall across from him went to a hall that led to the bedrooms.

  Myna smiled when they entered. “Welcome home, Master, Fiona, Ryann. You still have a quarter hour until you should head over to the Bronzeshields. Did you wish to rest?”

  “Sounds lovely,” Sean said, sinking onto one of the sofas. “You’ll be going with me to dinner, Myna. All of you will be, unless you’d like to take the night off, Ryann, since I’ll have these two with me.”

  Ryann shook her head, “I think I’ll go with you tonight, Sean. You did mention something about a day off before. I’d like to take it tomorrow, as it seems likely you’ll be teaching Ida.”

  “That’s fine,” Sean nodded.

  Myna took the seat beside Sean. “Do you wish us to go as your Bonded?”

  “No, Myna. I want you to go as a woman I love,” Sean replied, putting his arm around her. “You’ve said that it isn’t unheard of for Life Bonded to end up in love with their Holders.”

  “My heritage—”

  “Shh, my silly kitty. Yes, it might lower my standing in some people’s eyes, but those people can get bent. I won’t turn away from you or Fiona. The Bronzeshields seem to be a bit more receptive, if their daughter is any indication. She accepted the idea of Fiona having authority over her readily enough.”

  “Because of what you can give her,” Fiona said softly as she perched on the arm of the sofa.

  “That may be true, but I want to think that not everyone is a closed-minded ass.”

  “If we are all going, then we should bring a gift for them,” Fiona mentioned after a moment.

  “I was thinking of one of the hair clips for Sam; she needs to keep her hair contained when working. If I spend a few extra minutes on it, I can make the artwork reflect her job.”

  “That’s a very good idea,” Myna said, taking the clip out of her short hair. “Use this one. Even with the clasp, it’s almost come out a few times today.”

  “I’ll make something for you to wear tomorrow, Myna,” Sean said. He took the offered clip and focused on changing the artwork on it.

  “Master, I found the letter from my mother in Fiona’s bag yesterday,” Myna said when he finished re-Shaping the hair clip. “Thank you for getting it from Oaklake. I wish I had known about it before, but I know we’ve been on the move since…”

  “I’m sorry, Myna… I completely forgot about it,” Sean said.

  “Fiona did as well. I’m not terribly upset, but I do need to send my mother a reply. Hers said she was thinking of coming to visit once the Winter Queen passed. I should get a letter to her before that so she knows not to. I am curious, what can I tell her about you saving me, and about us?”

  Seeing the uncertainty on her face, Sean stroked her hair between her ears. “Anything you think she should know is fine, Myna. Just remember that you’re technically dead. We all are, as far as the conspirators are concerned. Make sure you let her know that, so she can take steps to protect that information.”

  “I will... thank you.”

  “No need to thank me,” Sean replied, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

  “You’re the one of us with family that needs to be told,” Fiona added. “You might want to limit who I am in the letter. Maybe just say that I’m another woman from the village.”

  “Okay, Fiona,” Myna said, smiling and leaning against Sean while he continued to pet her.

  “I think it’s about time, Sean,” Ryann said, coming out of the hall to the bedrooms. “I’ve selected my room and put my things there. I’m assuming Fiona and Myna will be in the master bedroom?”

  “Yes,” Myna said. “I’ve settled all of our things there already.”<
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  “Myna, we’ll be going out to shop tomorrow while Sean is busy with Ida,” Fiona said as they headed for the door. “We need to put together a list while he’s at the inn tonight.”

  “I’ll take care of it,” Myna nodded.

  They walked together over to the Bronzeshield’s, and Sean knocked. Ida answered the door, her eyes widening when she saw the four of them. “Come in. Welcome to my parents’ home,” she said, recovering quickly. “I need to let my mother know you’re here, so please, make yourselves comfortable.”

  There was one large sofa, which Sean promptly claimed for himself and his two lovers, while Ryann took the closest chair to them. A minute later, Ida returned, with Brendis right behind her. A much smaller, younger version of Brendis was close on his father’s heels.