While Solveis was spending much of her time dwelling on the events of Brutoin and Yu’s most recent visit, and on people groups and their identities, and the passing of her own little life, and the nature of life itself, her brother was taking action.

The most recent visit of the intruders had left him determined to better fortify his little home. He was spending every free moment making handheld weapons, or setting snares, or stocking his favorite hiding spots.

When he realized that Solveis was capable of making him some kind of armor, it became his forefront obsession.

“Solveis. I need for you to make it for me,” Arlendr stated sternly at his sister. “You can do it. It could maybe just be leather or something. You know about that, so you could do it. – Yes. You know that I need it.”

Solveis was interested in the project, but she always had many little projects of her own going on. Pausing work on her own projects for him didn’t seem particularly fair. He really should earn her involvement. “Maybe I can do it, but how long do you think it would take?” Solveis questioned her brother.

Arlendr, not understanding how this had anything to do with what he had been saying, began to be frustrated. “You do it. I don’t know times.”

“Well, try to know. You are asking me for my help and my time, aren’t you?”

Arlendr began to understand that she was trying to barter for her services. Why she hadn’t just said that though was baffling to him. “You wish to barter.”

“You aren’t supposed to barter with family. – Or at least, it’s always supposed to be a fair trade.”

The idea of the value of things and of economics temporarily distracted Arlendr from his sole goal of having his armor made. His obsession floated back to the surface of his mind and bubbled into words. “I have to have it though. You know. We must be ready for the intruders.” Arlendr paused and looked a little wincing, “What is your price?”

Solveis was taken by surprise. This was almost empathy. He seemed to be understanding her perspective and meeting her in the middle. She temporarily didn’t know how to respond. Recovering herself, she answered, “You would have to do a lot of the work… and you owe me to make something later… and you have to include me in whatever you plan against the intruders.”

“I was expecting moneys or such goods. This is less bad. Although… me crafting something for you is like moneys. I don’t know about it. How can I know it will be fair?”

“Hmm. We will get a mediator in, that is, if we can’t decide on whether what I ask for is a fair trade. – The old man could be a mediator.”

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The old man was the only real potential mediator, so it seemed a fair promise. “Yes. But since this is bartering, I will barter back. I don’t want to include anyone in my plans. I only want for you all to obey my orders. I am the commander of our militia.”

“That is not bartering. That is not a middle ground. It’s none of what I want.”

“You are less horrible than the others,” Arlendr thought aloud. “You can have some knowledge.”

“I want more specific parameters, so I can call you out on it later.”

That made sense to Arlendr, and honestly, he was planning on using the looseness of the terms to justify telling her virtually nothing. He thought privately that he should improve his bartering and debating skills so that he would not be so equally matched next time. “Ok. My parameters: Top level, most generalized plan information will be shared with you, when you request it,” Arlendr yielded. Then he added evilly, “only if you remember to ask…”

“I agree on terms,” Solveis spoke confidently. “Do we need them written down?”

Arlendr was half repulsed at the idea that he would need a written document, that he could ever be accused of going against his word. He was him, and he shouldn’t be questioned. But, he also was interested in completing the negotiations to its legal end, signed paper and all.

Solveis saw the internal struggle in her brother and tried to help. “Do we need it? I think not.”

“No. Not,” Arlendr agreed.

Solveis started working on body armor for her brother. She started by researching what fauns used to wear, what their light armor had been in days gone past. Her initial steps were reading, sketching, and taking the boy’s measurements. She did this partially because it helped her and partly because she knew that her brother would see it as doing nothing. She watched him get frustrated with the lack of progress. She spent less than a week on that phase though, and let him out of his suffering quickly.

She informed Arlendr of what was needed: leather, straps, and some tools for leather work (some she already had). Somehow, miraculously, he obtained them in under a week. Every time she needed things for a project, she either saved up for many moons, or else got old cast away parts from friends and family. She couldn’t understand how he had obtained these seemingly new and costly things so quickly.

She showed Arlendr her sketches and explained the materials to him. He was unusually engaged with her. They began experimenting with smaller bits of leather and scrap materials to make a smaller version of a chest plate, which he could give to one of his army men.

Since Arlendr was spending all his time on fortifications, plans, and armor, the other young inhabitant of the island were abandoned to entertain themselves.

Solveis made an effort to have time available for Livia, but most of the rest of her time on the island was spent working on the armor.

Much of the time though, Solveis’s mind was distracted by her previous communication with Sir. Lou. She was also still worried about Brutoin and Yu coming back, and potentially bringing more dangerous people with them. She was waiting every day to see Sir. Lou and get some news from him, some plan. She became more worried over time, as she saw nothing of Lou Tin for weeks after their conversation. She would choose to trust him, but still she was not at ease.

She was also constantly dreading a ‘talk’ with the parents, where they would explain the situation, make her more afraid, and take away freedom privileges. But she heard nothing from them either. The growing expectations made her young mind ill at ease.

A project, working with her hands, was really a good distraction.