by P. G. Thomas
Wandering back out to the front room, Lauren, finding a bar, poured herself a drink. “Alron, I was thinking. Our rent is almost up at the inn, so why don’t we just move down here? We can pull the extra beds out of the first house and bring them over here. What do you think?”
“It is more secure, and there is more than sufficient room. I think we can make it work, Earth Mother. What do you plan for the second house?”
“I was thinking of the Earth Scouts,” advised Lauren. “We’ll need more than ten if we’re going to communicate with the dwarves on a regular basis, and we’ll need to find more allies. It has to be done with the scouts. We can shelter them in the other house when they’re in town, and we now have sufficient funds to hire more. That should help, should it not?”
“Conflicts are not cheap I imagine. Your new funds shall go a long way to level the field,” replied Alron, “and we do greatly lack information, so your scouts should help. Though, Earth Mother, extend our obligations greatly you have. Shall this not distract us?”
“Well, we can’t operate with so many traitors amongst us, as I would never have guessed that there were so many in positions of power. Maybe people will start to believe in the threats. When I seized their property and possessions, it just seemed like a fitting punishment. Hell, it would have taken the mayor’s weeks to pack up before they would leave. With their wealth being ill gotten, they didn’t deserve to take it with them. I don’t want to run this town, but if we turn our back on it, anarchy will spill into the streets, and then we’ll have another fight on our hands. We’ll keep the peace in Newtown, working with the dwarves, and see if we can find some elf allies. The first chance we get, we’ll figure out how to give the town back to the people.” While Lauren heard her words, she wondered if they made sense, “Alron, have I gone too far?”
“Earth Mother, you have done what you promised. Find Mother’s children and show them the truth. I did not envision that it happens this way, but far we have come. However, we need to focus on the black-clad threat and not the town.”
“I know, but first, we need to make sure that we can operate here in safety and in secret.”
“True, but your actions last night shall reset the board. We may have won the first round, and our purse is better, but the stakes, they will now increase. I talked with Zack, and the black-clad he still smells in the town. Messages not favorable shall be sent to others.”
“I think we should move in here today. It’ll be easier to keep an eye on Hoyle. We can establish a war council room where we can meet to ensure our security.” Alron nodded in agreement. Lauren called to Aaro and Bor, “Can you send a message to the Earth Mothers? We’ll meet here tomorrow. Tell the others we’ll move in today. Bring them all, including Mirtza. Tell Pintar I also want to see him tomorrow afternoon. Have two of your brothers go through this place, making sure it’s secure; no hidden passages or secret rooms. Make sure that there’s no way that somebody can spy on us. Those two were sneaky bastards, and I imagine they incorporated their irrational behavior into their homes. Have any gold recovered from the others brought here where we can keep it safe. Anything else of value, like art, take it to the town hall and store it in the spare office. Alron, can you talk to the thief guilds? Telling them not to mess with my property?”
“All shall be completed as you have instructed, Earth Mother.”
“I saw a backyard. I’m going to make myself a cup of tea. If you need me, I’ll be thinking out there.”
As the afternoon progressed, the Earth Guard and the Ironhouse brothers showed up with their possessions from the inn, and Gingaar went through the bedrooms, changing all the sheets. Hakk and Fen scoured every inch of the houses, finding two smaller rooms also filled with gold.
Seeing a wagon pull up, she went out to greet the driver. “Mirtza, you’ve been a great help to us. We would be dead if not for your help. You’re welcome to stay here, or you can lodge with your old teacher if you wish. I’m uncertain what’s going to happen in the future, and I don’t know what role you’ll want to play. That option is yours.”
“Thank you, Earth Mother. To be honest, this lifestyle is a little more interesting than growing roots and raising pigs. I think I would like to stay, helping where I can.”
“I’m sure we’ll be better for your participation. There are many rooms here but not enough beds. We’re taking any furniture we’re short from Riblo’s house. Can you help with that?”
“It would be my pleasure.”
Lauren saw Gor bringing in items from the wagon, “My friend, I was wondering if we could call upon your skills in the kitchen? Without Pintar to cook for us, we’ll have to provide for ourselves. Hiring some help might lessen the burden, or if you preferred, we could hire a cook to look after us all.”
Gor looked around to make sure they were alone, “Lauren, the kitchen is my mistress. Much I miss her. Pleasure she brings me, and I will share that pleasure. None will cook but Gor under this roof. It would be an insult not to ask.”
“Thank you, Gor. For this and everything you’ve done for us.” Lauren went over to Ryan, “I’ve a favor to ask of you. Too much is changing too fast, and I know that. We need to get this town secured, so we can get back on track, but that means we’ll spread ourselves thin. I would like you to be the master of this house. We have gold now and can afford to hire help, so we can concentrate on the bigger picture. I’ve asked Pintar to visit tomorrow, and I want him to recommend possible staff; kitchen help for Gor, housekeepers, messengers, even some guards if we have to, to give the Earth Guard a break. We may need other things also. Can you look after the infrastructure?”
“Be the boss and spend money. It sounds rough, but I’ll make sure that everybody has whatever they need. Lauren, don’t worry about it.”
“Just make sure that furry Zack checks out everybody you hire. Nobody gets in this house without his approval. That rule is carved in granite.”
Lauren needed a way to make everything stop long enough so she could figure out what to do next, but she also needed to keep things moving, avoiding the loss of momentum. Get the town secured, find allies, and organize an offensive. Mother? Why do you not guide me? From the backyard, she watched as her new hive filled with her followers, moving in furniture and possessions. It may be cramped, but all should be able to find a space to call their own. It was towards the end of the day when a Dawnfalcon on the roof called to her, advising that Eric and Ramy were heading to the house. She met them out front, surprised by how much gold was in the wagon they rode.
Ramy reported that all of the valuable items were stored at the town hall, but there was also another problem. “Three of the guards had midlander children and wives, who were unaware their husbands were traitors. The town watch searched the residence for any items of value, but Eric would not let them seize all of the gold.”
“Why?”
“I wasn’t going to put widows and orphans onto the street. It would be wrong. The three will all move into one house, and yes, I left them some gold. You can’t punish innocent people for the mistakes their husbands made. It wouldn’t be right. Besides, a little bit of compassion will help send a message that things are changing for the better. I told them that if anybody gives them any grief to let me know.”
She realized that Eric was right, nodded, returning to the house.
Chapter 18
Lauren walked down the fine stairs the next day, smelling the hot bean juice and pancakes. Gor’s smiling face greeted her, “Lauren, fine day it is. How are you?”
“In a few minutes, I’ll be better. Do I smell what I think I smell?”
“Your favorite, the ingredients I found. Spreads not as good but they will work. Cooking fills my heart with joy. Sit, your belly I will fill with food.”
After Lauren had finished eating, she went into the backyard with a large mug of bean juice, finding John sitting at the table, “What do we do? We live in a town that’s infiltrated by traitors and spies. We found the
fleeing population, but they are literally scared children, who cannot defend themselves. The dwarves are on our side, but it could take weeks or months before they report anything. By that time, it could be too late. The traitors will' have sought comfort in the arms of the black-clad army within the week, but I imagine that that comfort will be short lived. In as little as two weeks, maybe a little longer, we could be under attack.”
“I don’t think so. They have already lost a huge army and a fort. This land will provide them with logistical challenges, which will slow down any large army. It’s highly unlikely that they’re just going to rush in. You probably have them off guard right now, and they need to figure out what to do next. Even if they do attack, there is Eric and Logan. Not to mention some of the interesting things you have done with your staff. It would make more sense for them to try and knock us off one by one.”
“Well, there’s a warm thought for me. I’ll just spend the next month looking over my shoulder until I trip over a threat that’s right in front of me.”
“There are six Earth Guards here,” began John. “I don’t think that’ll be an easy task. Even if they could get by them, I think the Ironhouse brothers would be a little upset if somebody tried to hurt you. Just be careful.”
“Isn’t that what Lincoln’s wife told him the night they went to the theater? I’m going to need your help. We need to set up some sort of intelligence organization. We need to find allies, specifically elf. We have the dwarves on our side, but messages by foot won’t do us any favors. We need to start gathering information about the black-clad army; where they are, which way they are heading, what they are doing. We can’t do that until the town is secure, but if we try to do both at the same time, both will suffer.”
“Pintar?”
“What do you mean?”
“Pintar used to run a town watch on the Bright Coast. We have the funds to hire Earth Scouts, so why not hire Pintar to manage them. We know who he is, and in this town, trust is a rare commodity. Even you or we can’t do everything alone. Hire Pintar, and let him build your Earth Scouts. While he’s doing that, we can concentrate on securing the town. We’ll most likely need him to find a threat to show the midlanders and elves before they’ll understand the severity of the situation.”
“Can you work out the details with him?” John nodded his head as Lauren continued. “I still think we need answers within the month. They know about us, and I doubt they’ll take kindly to the news of the recent events. I know they’ll be making plans, but what they are, I don’t know. Help him get the Earth Scouts operational and the sooner, the better.”
John had felt like an outsider in the group, as this world had blessed everybody with unusual abilities, except him. Feeling confident that he might be able to understand magic, it was a long shot, but helping Pintar to create the Earth Scouts, he would finally be an active participant in what was happening, “Let me work it out with him. I’ll let you know later what we discussed.”
As they finished, the dwarf clans and Earth Mothers filled up the large dining hall. Before they made their entrance, Lauren stopped beside Alron, “As of today, John is my Chief Council. If he wants to see me, even if I say that I want to be left alone, please grant him access.” Alron nodded.
John hearing the words Chief Council smiled, feeling like he was six feet tall.
The dining room was standing room only when Lauren walked in. “I would like to thank everybody for attending today. I know that it has only been seven days since we were all together, but much has changed in those few days. First, I would like to ask the new mayors about their first day on the job.”
Lindo spoke, “The town clerk brought the books like you instructed but so many numbers. Earth Mother, we are uncertain of what to make of it all.”
Brook also shared the same devastated look, “It is not like we are trying to fix a garden or forest, Earth Mother. Their words we understand, but the language spoken, we do not.”
“They’re trying to bamboozle the Earth Mothers,” began Logan. “They talk fast, repeating themselves, and I’m pretty sure they’ve been lying. For me to catch on, you know they aren’t trying that hard, and as for the reports, I can’t read them.”
John instinctively knew what the issue was, “Let me spend a few days with them. I should be able to make sense of everything and get them on track. That way we can leave the Earth Mothers to deal with the social issues.”
“I need you for the Earth Scouts,” replied Lauren.
Secretly John smiled, as he saw his responsibilities increase, and to once again be reunited with his first love, math, it almost made him cry. “I’ll do both. This is one area where I can finally apply my talents.”
While Lauren was unenthusiastic about the plan, she knew that he was the only one who would be able to see through the trickery with numbers. “As you all saw and heard, we have traitors and spies in Newtown. We need to make this place secure, otherwise, any plans that we make, we might just as well mail them to the Royal House. Eric, can you act as the Earth Mother’s advisor on the town watch? If there are spies sending out messages, or if outsiders are trying to get in, we need to be on top of it. We already know that the guards will take bribes.” Eric nodded in agreement. “My dwarven clan brothers, you’ve been here longer with ears to the ground. We’ll need your help finding those who mean us harm. I would ask Aaro and Bor to help coordinate these efforts. You can discuss it with them in greater detail after this meeting.” Alron could not help but smile, as Lauren had become the force that Morning Rose Huntinghawk said she would become. “Other than the twenty that traveled from the Ironhouse Mine, no one has seen the black-clad army’s movements, and even we don’t know what they’re up to. After this meeting, I’m going to try to start the Earth Scouts that I mentioned. Their task is simple; find allies, communicate between all, and most importantly, find the enemy. When we meet next, I’ll update you on that. Lastly, we need to prepare for war. We told you of the buildup on the east side of the range. With the recent events of us cutting off their ears, plucking out their eyes, they’ll be anxious to stop any momentum that we have created. It’ll only take a matter of weeks for them to realize the changes we’ve inflicted on them, and an equal number of weeks before they begin to carry out their plans, maybe sooner. If they do advance an army on us, we won’t be able to fight them with pitchforks and shovels. We need to build weapons, and for that, I call upon the dwarf clans and their mighty forges. I need dwarf metal to defend the west. Can you meet this challenge?”
“Earth Mother, cost mountain steep,” advised Cick, “and burden is too great for dwarf.”
“Eric, Ryan. Can you please withdraw twelve bags of gold as a deposit in good faith. It seems only fitting that we should arm ourselves with traitor’s gold since they left us a great deal.” Returning with the bags of gold, they passed them out.
Cick looked around to the other clans, who all nodded. “Earth Mother, burden not so bad, and dwarf help we will.”
“I will leave the negotiations to Aaro and Bor since finances aren’t my concern right now: information and weapons are. Spread the orders over all of the mines, so no one builds more than the next. Now, I believe that Gor has prepared a meal for us to celebrate our new alliance. Afterwards, please discuss how we can secure this town.” Seeing Pintar in the front room, she excused herself from the first meeting.
“I’m so glad you could visit us.”
“I told you when you arrived that if you all left early, no refunds.”
“I’m not interested in that. I want to resurrect your past. Let’s go into the backyard where we can talk in private.” As they headed into the backyard, John and Alron followed.
Lauren began, “First, I need a list of people that you know to be trustworthy. My small group has taken on additional responsibilities here, and I don’t want them stretched too thin. I want to hire some help for the house: kitchen staff, runners, maybe more. I need a list of longtime residents that you w
ould trust to work at your inn. Give the list to Ryan, and he’ll look after the hiring.”
“That sounds simple enough, but I fear that that was the easy part.”
“You told us that when you were on the Bright Coast, you ran a large town watch. I need a man capable of doing similar here. You remember the town meeting where John used the black card to describe the invasion. Well, he didn’t tell everything.” Lauren briefly explained about the mass graves, and the armies building up on the far side of the range.
“Not what I was expecting, Earth Mother. Should I ask how you made it through the fort?”
“We’ll save that story for later. We want you to create an intelligence force. We’ve already started an alliance with the dwarves, but any information they obtain could take weeks to get back here. There could be other Royal House posts in the west, and we need to find more allies. I want you to create a force that I’m calling the Earth Scouts: to find and communicate with allies. I’ve no idea how to do this, but it has to be similar to running a watch, but instead of a single town, you’ll have the entire west to think about.” Pintar’s jaw had gone slack, “I need this all done within the month. There’s nobody from this town that I trust more. You can run your organization out of the other mayor’s house. Now, I need to get back to the other meeting, so I’ll let John explain the rest.”
“She is not right in the head. You two are doing this just to amuse her. This is a joke. Play a prank on Pintar, right?”
Neither John nor Alron spoke.
“I knew that you would be trouble the first night you walked into my place. I have my inn to take care of. Do you have any idea how much work it will take to do what you want?”