Cartis

“It’s not good. You have made a mistake here and here,” I said as I looked at the chair, my employee was making.

It is much easier working with only four employees, that I myself had trained, but now there are fourteen of them and some are not as good as I like them to be. They take longer to finish the product.

Let’s hope the five that arriving tomorrow will be good.

I had received a large contract from the city to make tables and chairs. It is the biggest job, I have ever got, and I have to do it perfectly as possible if I want the contract from the city again.

It is supposed to be for the schools that opening in the next month.

The people from the city hall come every few days to check on the progress and the quality of things we are making.

The contract wasn’t this big, but some had failed, and their contract was awarded to me. I didn’t want to fail when I had made such a big investment.

I rented a warehouse and brought tools and more employees, along with other things. If I am able to finish the contract, I will get good money.

Most importantly, more contracts from the city.

It is hard for people like me to get them before I could never dream of getting them. They go to the big stores and those with connections.

Here too, I had the same thought, and the only reason, I had applied was because Beckett had asked me to do it.

When I received the acceptance proposal, I was quite shocked. I had never expected to get it.

I checked the work of my employees before returning to my workstation.

Every hand is required to finish the contract, including mine. I have been working late every day; the last time, I worked so hard was during my apprentice day.

I was fourteen and a half when I finally was able to get the apprenticeship. I knew, I only had six months before I got the class, and I wanted the Carpenter Class instead of a peasant or serf.

Hours passed, and I was working when I saw the carriage stopping in front of the warehouse with the flag of the merchant guild.

I stopped working and looked at the bald man that came out of it.

“Producing crappy work, as always, Cartis,” said Beckett as he looked at the small table I was working on.

“Says the man who sells the spoiled goods,” I replied dryly before a smile appeared on our faces and I hugged my old friend. Intentionally, pressing myself on him, so that sawdust would stick to his suit.

I want him to take out his little brush to clean that.

“Don’t worry,” he said with a wave of his hand. A moment later, the sawdust falls down while I watch in surprise.

The sawdust not only cleared, but all creases had also disappeared, and dirt cleared from suit and shoes.

“Quite a new skill, you got,” I said, and he grinned. “Jealous, right?” he asked, and I nodded. Yes, I am jealous; I need cleaning skills; every day, I need to bathe after work to wash the sawdust and other things off.

“It had been quite a while since I had leveled up, much less got a new skill,” I said and sighed.

It had been years.

“Complete, this contract well and you might level up and even gain a skill,” he said as he sat down on the chair after cleaning it with his handkerchief.

“I really hope so. It was one of the reasons I had taken this contract,” I replied. It might not be a reason, but I really hope to level up, but it is not easy, especially at my age.

“So, how is it going?” he asked, looking around the warehouse.

“Slower than I liked, but five more coming tomorrow. Jameson is sending them,” I replied as I sat beside him. Unlike him, I didn’t clear the dust; there was no need to see it already sticking to every part of my body.

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“Your brother-in-law had good people,” he said.

He does and his business is also big, at least bigger than mine, employing over twenty people, but he had started to feel the pressure, with the state of empire, that affecting his business.

“So, why are you here? I mean, you are not the person, who would come to meet me in the middle of the afternoon,” I asked, and his expression turned serious.

Beckett is an old friend; I have known him all my life. I am the one, who brought him here. It is why, I could tell, that it was not a usual friendly visit.

“Yes, I need something. Haydens, to be exact,” he replied and immediately two people two people came into my mind.

They were neighbors; we had shops side by side.

“I want you to invite them to the city,” he said, and a frown couldn’t help but appear on my face.

“I am not comfortable inviting them here, given the state of the city, and I don’t think, they would come, even if I had invited them,” I replied.

I was leaving the city after the first battle; the only reason I had stayed was because Beckett had asked. He nearly begged me. Still, I had sent my wife to the children; I might risk my life, but I don’t want to risk hers.

I will not feel comfortable inviting Haydens to the city, seeing it could be conquered by the undead at any time.

“They might,” he said, and worry filled by heart. “Have you heard something?” I asked immediately and to that, he nodded.

“Yes. Two days ago, Edruin attacked several cities in the rohm region. Mavkal being one of them; they were not able to conquer it, but they had destroyed quite a lot of it, including boris lane, where their shop was,”

“I heard they have lost everything,” he replied, and I shuddered. “Are they fine?” I asked. “Yes, they are fine,” he replied, and I heaved a sigh of relief.

I received their letter, three months ago. The business was going well, and they had even told me about the expansion they did to their store.

Now everything had gone to ashes, including the savings they had spent on the expansion.

“Ask them, whether they are willing to come to the city. The city will fund their travel and even help them get a small loan to start their business,” said Beckett, and forwarded the pouch toward me.

“For message,” he said, and I was about to curse at the bastard when I stopped seeing the emblem of the merchant guild.

“I will ask them, but I can’t guarantee it. Whether they will accept to come to the city,” I said finally, and he smiled.

“That is all I want,” he replied.

For a few seconds, there was a silence. I looked at my friend, who was wearing a suit; it was not a new suit. It is an old one, I had seen him, many times wear it, but he never looked so confident wearing it as he is right now.

He also seemed happier than I had ever seen him.

“It seemed like, you are enjoying your job vice-guildmaster,” I said, and he smiled. “I am. I like it; I had dreamed about it,” he said, and I nodded.

There is no one in the city who knows it better than I do. For years, he tried for the merchant, but he could never become more than a member.

It is here, that he became a deacon. Though it was an empty position with no responsibility, which he hated.

“I am glad,” I said. For a few seconds, he didn’t say anything and just looked around before turning to me.

“Inform me, when they reply,” he said and walked away. Soon, his carriage disappeared, and I went back to my work.

I will go to the messenger guild in the evening. I wanted to send a message to my wife. I will send one to Haydens too.

I hope they don’t come here.

I had stayed because I was desperate. The shop is my everything, and I had no savings. I didn’t want to depend on the children, who had just started their own families.

Still, I miss my wife, but I couldn’t take the risk of her staying here.

After the second battle, I want to call her back, but it is too dangerous. The undead have captured half of the cities of the region and they won't stop till they capture all.

It is pretty dreadful, but what I could do other than have faith in the city and the lord to protect the citizens.

Hours passed, and soon it was five.

I stopped the work and left the warehouse. I first went to my small apartment and showered before walking toward the messenger guild.

I looked around and couldn’t help, but get surprised seeing the changes happening around the city. It does not feel like the city is broke; it feels like the city has the money and being broke are rumors started by enemies.

Even when Count Darrow was in charge; there weren’t such big changes happening as it is right now or any changes in the city.

Now, the roads are widening and the sidewalks getting built. The streets remained clean and there was proper security, even at midnight.

Speaking of which, I nodded at the orc and the human man wearing a grey uniform passing by me. These city guards or the police they are calling themselves now are a lot more polite and respectful.

It was the shock of my life when I heard them call me sir.

The guards never refer to people like me, sir. They would shout and even hit if they were in a bad mood. These ones not; just yesterday, I had seen them bandage a small injury on a child, who had hit his head while playing.

Soon, I reached the park and took a turn.

It was an open space where young people used to drink, now, it is a children's park, with slides and all.

It had opened three days ago, inaugurated by the lord himself. Now, instead of drunk youngsters, there are children playing.

Seeing them, I couldn’t help but think about my grandchildren.

It had been six months since I had seen my children; they had come to the city to visit me and their mother.

We had gone to the Owlspring for a small family trip. It was a good trip.

I sighed and pushed the memories away. It will be months before I will meet them, but first, I need to finish the contract and gain a few more.

I need to have enough money to shift, along with my children. The place, they are at is not that safe. Merchant State is safe and Namdar, but both of these places require money, which I don’t have.

A few minutes passed, and I reached the messenger guild.

There, I sent the message to my wife and Haydens. I told them about the help the city is willing to provide if they shift here and also the risks associated with it. Leaving, the decision to them.

After I sent the messages, I went back to the warehouse and started working.