by Allan Joyal
"Can I leave right now?" Natalie asked flippantly. "I'm ready, willing, and able."
"You were limping this morning," Esme said.
Natalie giggled. "I liked that you were willing to wait on me," she admitted. "It made this morning feel like we were on a honeymoon."
Esme shook her head as the original members of our band laughed. I waited for the laughter to die and then looked at Verval. "I'm not going to stop you on building the shelter," I said. "I do recommend that you shore it up a bit. For today I'll work on a fence to keep the cattle out of our fields. Tomorrow, we do need to work on the wall at the mouth of the valley. There is evidence that a humanoid creature was within a mile of the entrance. It could have been a scout. Without a wall and someone watching, we could be ambushed in the valley. Your shelters would be useless then."
"After that monster?" Verval scoffed. "There can't be any humanoids living nearby. It would have killed them."
"Remember who killed it," Heather said with an evil hiss. "There no person in this band who has shed more blood for the others than Ron. He's the reason we are all here and all alive."
"But will he really keep us alive," Verval muttered as he turned back to the men who had gathered near him. They quickly huddled with him. I watched them talk for a moment before looking over at Natalie.
"Nat," I called out. "How about grabbing a shovel, two axes and some of the nails we packed? I have an idea on how we can build a quick fence."
I turned and started walking towards the plowed fields. There was a bustle behind me as I strode away from the campsite. I turned to look and found Kariy trotting beside me. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
"For?" I asked.
"I agreed to help Verval," she said.
"We do need shelters built," I said calmly. "Remember that just a day ago I agreed to get the tent setup."
"I'll bring everything to the tent," Kariy said.
"Don't cause trouble," I said firmly. "We don't need a fight developing over all of this."
Kariy frowned. "I don't like Verval. He's always angry since we got to the valley. He fought with Natalie at first, and now he's picking a fight with you about the shelter."
"It happens," I said. "Hopefully once we get some shelters built things will smooth over. He is right that I don't have a great idea of how to build one. I keep hoping we can find some good clay so we can make bricks. I'd rather have a brick house."
"I would too," Victoria said as she caught up to us and began walking next to me.
"Um," I said carefully. "Won't Verval get upset?"
"Who cares," Victoria said acidly. "The man is backsliding badly. He's almost as bad as that first night when we had to use the tent to shelter from the snowstorm. If he decides to make a huge issue of it, I'll leave him. He knows that so I'm not worried."
"You could get hurt," I said.
"Ron, I trust you," Victoria said firmly. "You have done all you could to keep everyone alive. If you think that a wall is needed, you are probably right. Besides, I can help with the fence. I can't really help with the shelter Verval is building. And I don't think I want to sleep inside it. Those walls aren't braced and might fall on anyone inside."
"I did see them swaying quite a bit. I am guessing that Verval is saying that the crosspieces he's having everyone put up will provide the stability," I said.
"I guess," Victoria said. "He never asked me, and he hasn't explained it to anyone. It went up quickly and easily though, and that raised his stature with Corwar and Piemal. They are impressed by how fast the work was done."
"Fast work," Hencktor said with a snort. He was walking directly behind me. "Fast work is how my uncle died. You need to take your time and do it right."
We had reached the edge of the plowed fields. I looked around and realized that more than half of the adults and all the girls except Dafalia were gathered around me. I smiled as they looked at me. I could see the trust in their eyes.
"Today, the plan is simple," I said. "We have to build a fence that will keep the cattle out of the plowed fields. What I suggest is that we build a very simple fence. We'll put posts in the ground at regular intervals. We can use any log that is about four feet long for this. We'll then put in some nails at an angle. They don't have to be driven deep, but they have to be firmly attached. We'll use the nails to hold up branches we place between two posts. If we can't find long enough branches, we can split some of the smaller logs that are at least ten feet long."
"Why not nail the branches directly to the posts," Esme asked.
"Our nails aren't that long," I pointed out. "They might not get enough depth into the posts to be secure. This method won't be perfect, but it should be sturdy and that's all we can hope for. Now, How about Yveney and Oleiana gather branches while the rest of us find some posts. Please remember to walk around the fields."
Natalie giggled. "Yes, please don't tread on the crops. Even though I doubt there are many sprouts so far. We should see some in the next week though. And we still don't have a real irrigation system. I have a few channels set up, but nothing as nice as we'll want in the future."
"Next year," I said. "Next year. We can spend the winter building what you need."
"At least we know we'll be here next year," Natalie said firmly. "Let's get this done."
Everyone scattered to find the logs and branches we would need. I watched them go and then turned to walk along the fields towards the camp, looking for the spot closest to the grazing cattle. There I dug the first hole for what would be a simple fence.
Chapter 22: A Battle of Will
Everyone had pitched in with a will. It was as if Hencktor, Heather, and Lydia wanted to prove to Verval that I knew what I was doing. The fence went up rapidly, and by the time Kariy had to leave to start cooking the evening meal, we had over a dozen posts in the ground. Shaylin joined Yveney and Oleiana, and the trio crossed the river to bring back long bamboo shoots rather than branches. The bamboo proved to be perfect as crosspieces. Yveney even ran out to gather vines and used those to tie the bamboo to the posts for added stability.
By the time Kariy called us in to eat, the fence ran from the woods in the east to the northwest corner of the field and then stretched almost halfway to the river. Everyone was laughing as we headed to the north wall of the valley where Kariy had the stew cauldron setup. I could see that Verval's helpers were not as happy as they sat around the fire and at their evening meal.
I looked at the shelter and had to remember not to shake my head. It was clear that the west wall had shifted at some point. There were a couple of logs driven into the ground at an angle being used to brace the logs. No one seemed hurt, but Verval scowled at me as I took a seat next to Cimbra.
"Where do you get the vines?" Verval asked.
"They grow from the top of the cliff," I said. "Oleiana and Yveney collect them from a spot just north of the valley entrance. There is a span of about fifty feet of cliff that is covered in vines."
"Can one of them show me tomorrow?" Verval asked.
"I'm sure they would be happy to," I said. "They'll be going there anyways as we use the vines to help shore up the wall as we build it. It's not perfect, but until we come up with a way to weave rope, it’s all we have."
"We should have purchased rope," Verval complained.
"We did get some, but not enough for everything we are trying to do here," I pointed out. "Next year we'll plant flax. We can use that to make rope in the future. Until then the vines we have work well enough. You can see by the fence we are putting up. We are using vines to secure the bamboo."
"It will work," Verval said grudgingly after glancing at the fencing. He then looked down at the stew. "This stew is a bit bland."
Kariy looked down at her lap. I could see Joelia put her arms around our cook. Joelia glared at Verval. "It’s not Kariy's fault," she hissed. "We are running low on herbs that can be used to spice the food up. We also need to hunt for meat or kill livestock."
"We need th
e livestock for the future," I pointed out. "Can we make one more day without meat? I haven't seen any rabbits in this part of the valley, so we'd have to send out a hunting party. I'm sure there are deer and other animals around, but that monster probably kept large game from living in the valley."
"Krysbain will probably bring something back," Kariy said. "I let Lenoir know we needed more meat."
"And they should be returning late tomorrow if all goes well," I said. "So that's settled. Any other sources of argument tonight?"
"I want to claim the first shelter for the families that built it. We'll build several along this wall for the builders and the cattle," Verval said. "Do you have a problem with that?"
"Nope," I said firmly. "I'm willing to use the tent for now, and welcome anyone else who wants to use it. I'll worry about building something once the wall is up."
I could hear a chorus of responses to that. It sounded like half the group was going to join me at the tent, while the rest took advantage of the new shelter. This generated several conversations about the need to start organizing tools and goods for each household. Verval sounded annoyed when everyone agreed that I had the right to disposition anything that the group had purchased, but backed down After Ximenia whispered something to Borlan, and the young man refused to support him in demanding control.
Verval's outburst did end all conversation as everyone intently ate their meals and then started drifting off. I found Heather and Cimbra waiting for me at the edge of the light cast by the campfire. They looked at me for a moment before taking my arms and marching me toward the grove and the tent concealed within.
"You must stop this rebellion," Cimbra said. "Verval will take over and ruin everything."
"He won't," I said. "Look at the shelter he built. It's going to be drafty and cold. It's small and not very well built, and any fire will be a danger due to how close together the walls are. That's why I'm still hoping we can find clay so we can make bricks."
"Why not concrete?" Heather asked.
"I don't know how to make it. It's a mix of sand with other minerals. I believe one is some kind of limestone that has been through a chemical process. We won't find much limestone around here," I pointed out.
Heather looked around the valley. "You're right. I never thought about that."
"Limestone?" Cimbra asked.
"It's a softer stone than the granite of this valley," I said. "There are alchemical tricks you can perform on it to make a moldable substance that hardens until it’s stone-like. We've seen it used to build things."
"I'll try to figure it out," Heather said as we reached the tent. I was surprised to see that our remaining cart and wagon were parked in front of the tent.
"Heather?" I asked nodding at the wagon.
"We moved those this morning, while Verval had everyone moving a couple of logs," Heather responded. "They never even noticed that we were doing it."
It was a great idea too," Lydia said as she walked up behind us. I looked over my shoulder to see that the entire group loyal to me had gathered. "It will keep the goods away from Verval."
"He just wants to protect his family," I said.
"And to run the farm," Lydia snapped. "I managed to wrangle a bit of information out of Corwar. Verval lost his fiancée partly because he bragged to everyone that once he was married he'd move to take over the village. The girl was then forced to marry another to prevent that. The man knows how to farm, but he has an ego."
"I have an ego," I said haughtily.
Lydia started laughing. I could hear Esme and Natalie join in. I looked over at my old friend. She put a hand up. When she got her laughs under control she took a big breath. "Sorry, but that was funny. Ron, you are so focused on everyone else that no one feels you have an ego."
"I have desires," I pointed out.
"Yes," Heather said as she put her arms around me. She had snuck up behind me and pressed her body against my back. "But everyone knows your desires include one for everyone here to be safe and happy. The rest Cimbra and I take care of."
"I take care of my own," Cimbra said haughtily. "I care nothing for the worries of some insignificant human."
Everyone turned to look at Cimbra. I was shocked by the disdain dripping from her words. Surprisingly she had a wry smile on her face. She turned to look at Al. "Did I do that right?" she asked shyly.
Al started laughing. "Oh, to see the looks on everyone's face. Sorry about that, but I talked Cimbra into doing that. As a joke. She's not that way." Al glanced over at Cimbra. "Are you?"
Cimbra had a huge smile on her face. "Of course not," she said. "I don't want to lead. I'm happy to be part of a group that welcomes me. I've said before that this is completely different than what I grew up in, and I feel more accepted here. My only worry is what will happen next."
"Next we build the wall so we can be safer in the valley. From what I could understand from the dwarves, it’s unlikely anyone will try to enter from the west."
"What about north or south?" Al asked. He had a knowing smile on his face.
"Cliffs for several miles to the west," I said. "I doubt we'll see any armies trying to scale it to get to us. The only real danger is through that open mouth. And we can wall that off if we put some effort in."
"But you want me to venture west?" Natalie asked. "Shouldn't I stay to help build?"
"We need to know what's there," I said. "I'm hoping that we'll find a larger field than the one we are currently living in. Especially if it’s right along one of the rivers. The animals will eventually foul the water downstream of where they drink, so we want to live upstream. And we could farm there too."
"Verval won't want to leave once his shelters are built," Joelia predicted. "He seems confident that by building them everyone will want to follow him."
"We shall see," I said. "We have a lot of time before shelter becomes a huge issue. The wall will have a larger effect."
"So what shall we do?" Heather asked. She bounced on her heels, pushing her body into mine. "I have an idea."
I shook my head. "Maybe tomorrow. After we see how much wall we can build in a day. I want everyone working early. We have a lot to do."
"But," Heather said pouting. "I wanted."
"Something you already have," I said putting a finger to her lips. "You have my love. We shall bring passion once the current strife is dealt with."
Heather smiled and hugged me again. "What about Cimbra?" she whispered.
I held a hand out to our dark elven friend and lover. "I think she has the love of both of us. However, tonight we sleep; we have a lot to do tomorrow."
Cimbra took my hand as we completed the walk to the opening in the grove. The tent had been set up with the door faced away from the meadow, so we all walked around it. I noticed that there was a lot of laughter from our group as we headed off to bed.
I found the reason for the laughter when I entered the tent. Someone had found the time to spread some of the excess canvas we had. Curtains from the roof split the tent into several private rooms. Each room would be small, but useable. Heather pointed to one to the left of the entrance. "Surprise, this one is ours."
I followed her lead as we entered the area separated by the canvass. I found that all of our clothing had been neatly stacked near the tent wall, and our bedrolls were spread in the small area. Heather immediately began disrobing as I scanned the room.
Heather was sliding under the bedrolls when I got around to removing my clothing. She giggled in the dying light and looked over at Cimbra. "We'll make him pay tomorrow right?"
"Definitely," Cimbra said using the same haughty tone she had used earlier. "Our minion must show his devotion to us."
"Hey, no giving Aine ideas!" Al called out. "Now it’s about to get dark. Let's sleep."
I felt Heather start to sit up, but put my hands on her shoulders and silenced her with a kiss. She struggled for a moment, but Cimbra helped push her down and then slid the bedroll over all of us. "No," Cimbra sa
id. "We can get him back later as well."
I closed my eyes and just held my two ladies. They soon had me sandwiched between them as we dropped off to sleep.
***
I woke the next morning to an empty bedroll. I looked up and could just barely see the wall of the tent just a few feet away. Outside I could hear a hushed conversation going on. As I began selecting a shirt to wear I listened to the conversation.
"What can we do about Verval," Aine hissed. "He's going to ruin everything. Ron led us here, and he's the one who provided all the tools we are using."
"He had help looting that first battlefield," Esme said.
"But Ron was the one who found the coin," Heather said. "And without that I don't think we get to Linktrum as quickly or safely. We needed that night in the inn and having Kariy and Hencktor meant we didn't make as many mistakes on the road."
"Or get lost," Lydia said. "Ron has meant a lot to the group. I know I wouldn't be free and with Hencktor if he had not spoken up when we were in the glade we arrived in. Now he won't force Verval to listen to him."
"That would be bad," Cimbra said. I was pulling on my shirt. The conversation outside died. I slowed down my dressing trying to make sure that no one realized I was awake.
"What?" Heather asked.
"Look who is following Verval," Cimbra said firmly. "It’s not the people who were with him from the start. It’s the people who joined later."
"Victoria is over there," Joelia said. "And I understand she was with you from the start."
"She's also Verval's wife for now," Lydia said sadly. "I don't think she agrees with the man, but she's hoping her child will have a father. I expect she's thinking that Verval will back down once he had shelters built."
"I doubt that," I called out as I pulled my pants on. "From what I can tell Verval is unhappy that things are so out of his control. In his village everyone was hemmed in by tradition. Here, the only thing determining how much power someone has is what they have done. Once he has the shelters built he'll try to find a new way to assert authority."