The very next morning, I awoke still feeling a bit sore and tender, resulting from yesterday’s many exercises and maneuvers. Taking a bracing shower to restore a semblance of awareness, I made my way down to the dining room for that days breakfast. Once there, I saw a new addition to the tasty spread. Monroe himself was seated at another place at the table.
“Good morning, Andrew.” Monroe politely nodded at me as he vocalized his greeting. I returned his nod back with a, “Good morning, Councilman Monroe.” Then I turned to Victoria who was working up a frenzy in the kitchen. “Good morning, Victoria.”
He raised up a hand just off the table in supplication, “Please, dispose of the title councilman while here as you did at my home. I will feel more at ease if you do.”
“Haha” I had to chuckle at that. “Very well. It’s nice to see you here to join us for breakfast. I don’t know if you’ve ever had any of Victoria’s food before, but it is always beyond amazing.”
I caught a grateful glance from my teacher, peeking out from the kitchen as she worked away. I almost got up to help, as I frequently do when I woke up early enough, but a quick glare and a shake of her head had me retaining my seat.
“I do apologize for my early intrusion, however, I wanted to get things done early as I have a council meeting later this morning. I was uncertain as to what your normal morning routine was, and so I decided to come early to see if I could expedite things.” His lips twisting in a wry smile he said. “Your master was Very convincing at having me stay for breakfast before absconding with you.” Taking a deep breath to smell the aroma, he added. “I am feeling grateful for acceding to her request.”
‘Hmm.’ My mind was contemplating actions that I might take to be able to benefit from this interaction between my apothecary and new self-defense teachers.
Victoria obviously was infatuated with Monroe, and Monroe appeared very appreciative of Victoria’s food. I almost wanted to invite him to check out her paradise like backyard as we waited, to better stimulate conversation between the two. Having seen his organized yet peaceful front yard, I felt that this could be a good talking point between the two. However, I didn’t want to broach any details of Victoria’s life, that even potential lovers may not be privy to, due to its sensitive nature. So, I decided to start with a different track of conversation and see if she picked up the hint.
“Monroe,” I spoke up to break the short silence. “When I arrived at your home yesterday, I saw the really beautiful architecture and landscaping you had in your front yard. Did you design that personally, or has it always been like that?”
Monroe’s eyes lit up in appreciation as he spoke. “I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it. I was actually bequeathed the land and the previous property on its grounds, as the inheriting son of my now deceased mother and father. However, other than keeping a few memorable rooms and pieces of art from my mother, I had the rest fully remodeled and restructured.” Casting an intriguing if somewhat worried glance at Victoria from her place in the kitchen he added. “As for the yard you saw. Since I was a young adult and contemplated on the idea of having children, I had always wanted to have an enclosed front yard that could double as both a place of sheltered beauty for any in my home to enjoy, as well as a safe place of play and adventure for my descendants.” He then went on to say. “Although, the likelihood of abductions is incredibly low in my part of the city, I am a man who appreciates being able to protect that which I hold dear and precious.”
By this point I was intentionally ignoring the presence of my teacher in the kitchen as I didn’t want to get caught up in a war of non-verbal communication. I could almost hear her melting with adoration for this elven councilman’s words. “That is a really awesome idea that you implemented.” I struggled to find a way to not step on his toes while still finding a segue way for Victoria to capitalize on. Then as if inspiration struck, I asked. “How does the plant life in there handle wintering over with the snow and such?”
A light frown crossed his face before he answered. “That is the unfortunate aspect about many of the plants which I grow. In particular, the spongy ground moss that I have, is too susceptible to damage if tread upon too much in the winter. I unfortunately haven’t found a sturdy alternative as of yet.”
“Hmm. I’ll bet Victoria could help out with such. She has quite the green thumb as I’ve discovered.” I simply left it at that.
Monroe looked up to give my apothecary teacher an apprehensive yet appraising look, as if measuring the potential benefits with the suffering he may have to experience with her forwardness. “I. . I think would appreciate that.”
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I heard a loud clang in the kitchen before Victoria called out. “Pardon me, I dropped one of my utensils. No need to worry.” Then she added in a more girl next door tone. “Monroe, I’d enjoy helping you out with your garden.”
That opened up a nice if occasionally stuttering conversation between them both as breakfast started and progressed. I simply focused in on some of the things they said, while utterly enjoying the culinary heaven I was in while eating this morning’s breakfast. Victoria had really outdone herself today.
As the food disappeared and time went by, breakfast came to a close, while Monroe started to get a bit fidgety in wanting to go. I didn’t know how much of it was due to Victoria’s presence verses his time constraint regarding the upcoming councilmen meeting. It was actually Victoria who broached that topic. “Andrew.” She spoke. “I was able to borrow a decent pickax from my friend Hanna as she is very invested in the work of mining. I placed it and some dried snacks beside the apothecary book that you have been studying. Considering the work that Monroe has planned out for you, I believe that additionally bringing your carry pack with some water and that food, as well as a change of clothes just in case, might be beneficial.”
Her suggestions were sound logic, and so I rushed up the stairs to my room to gather my pack and the other suggested items. Returning to the dinning-room in which Monroe was surprisingly aiding Victoria with washing and putting away the used cutlery and dishes, I hid a smile and snuck out to the shop with the awaiting pickax and dried rations. I most certainly did not want to interrupt them.
The pickax itself was fairly hefty to hold and swing, but not unbearable. The handle was an old and gnarled wood yet appearing very sturdy. The attached pick was made of a pitch-black stone or dull metal of some sort. By the time I had secured it to my pack and had my staff in hand, Monroe appeared to have finished up assisting Victoria in the kitchen.
With a quick goodbye to my teacher and a promise to study later in the day, I followed Monroe to his awaiting personal carriage.
The trip to the Falls was uneventful as we both were contemplating our own thoughts. I was hoping that Monroe was thinking positively on his interactions with Victoria. It was weird, how even in a Fantasy setting such as this, that it can still sometimes require an outside influence to get a positive relationship going between two romantically awkward people.
Finally reaching the Falls, Monroe and I dismounted from the carriage and stepped onto the slick cobblestone pavement. Before fully heading out, Monroe pulled out a package from where we had been sitting. In it were two very roomy rain ponchos, ear covers, gloves, and what looked like safety glasses. Heh! I should have thought of that, not that I had that equipment to begin with.
After donning the ponchos and slipping the ear covers and safety glasses into my pack, I followed after the elven councilman down a secluded side path. It took us past the viewing deck to the falls and along an unofficial path strewn heavily with overgrown greenery. The entire way we were inundated by the heavy misty spray from the advancing falls. After traveling a semi short distance, there was an uneven landing to the right of the falls which had a scattered line of plant growth and rock fragments. The crashing falls which were in rock throwing distance was overwhelming in volume. I now understood the need for the ear covers due to the deafening noise of the water. For now, though I forewent the use of the ear covers in favor of hearing Monroe regarding what he wanted me to do.
Striding up to the sheer rock wall in front of us, he bent down and placed two larger rocks a moderate distance apart. Then yelling at a barely recognizable volume he informed me of his request to start working away at the wall between those two rocks and at about my height to form an entrance into the rock facing wall. He informed me that making that initial entrance was my first goal and that he would have more instructions as time passed for when I worked on the excavation.
I had honestly never done anything like this before in my life. Holding up the pickax and staring at the looming wall, I felt like I was getting in over my head.
Other than clapping me on the back and telling me to not overwork myself, in addition reminding me to never work past sun down, Monroe took his leave.
Now alone, I quickly donned the ear covers, which were a great relief in blocking out the majority of the great roaring noise of the falls.
Gripping the now moist handle of the pickax, I swung it dead center. An explosion of rock shards burst from the point of impact! I felt several pieced impacting my body and face. My eyes widened in surprise at this and I hurriedly withdrew and donned the safety glasses and gloves as well.
With the constant deluge of misty water crashing over me, I had to frequently wipe at the eye cover, but I’d much rather deal with that frequent inconvenience than having to struggle back to the Travelers stone with a blind eye or two for emergency healing.
I was unsure of the normal method by which miners worked away at stone back on earth. However, I was fairly certain that as far as non-powered hand tools go, this pick was far more efficient. Small sized divots as deep as 2 finger widths would be created along the surface of the wall as I struck away at it.
As I progressed, taking occasional breaks to give my hands and arms a rest. I began to feel a build-up of soreness in my hands and arms. I was certainly grateful for all the preparatory gear, however, even with it, this was very hard work.
Many times, I would set down the pick and venture further away from the falls along the shifty loose gravel covered ground. The childhood rock hunter in me gazed out across the many loose rocks contemplating if there was anything of value or interest in all of this loose pile. Generally, not finding anything of note, I would soon again return to chipping away at the vague outline Monroe made for me to work at.
The work continued to be uneventful and back breaking. With breaks becoming longer and longer before I felt refreshed enough to continue on, I began to have day dreams of what this sleeping Kraken below the falls was supposed to look like. Thankfully, at no point in my intermittent pounding did I notably awaken the sleeping nocturnal monster. I was honestly wondering if this was simply an excuse for Monroe to train me. I could not for the life of me, see how any creature would be able to discern any kind of noise or vibration, save for a nice chunk of C-4 or more powerful explosive being set off at ground zero. The noise of the falls was more than deafening at my relative proximity. I had to wonder at how much less noticeable it would be to a creature sleeping below the crashing waters of this super charged Niagara Falls.
Giving a weary head shake to myself, I simply continued on with my charge of digging out a hole in this massive stone cliff.