Chapter 10 Scramble

“Welcome Home Mark!” Called my Mother. She hugged both myself, and Marie tightly, but froze a second after embracing Marie, then her hug seemed to tighten, and her smile stretched with joy. “Your Collar is gone!” The two hopped with joy, and twirled around with excitement for a moment before they separated. “I guess it wasn’t as expensive as I had feared, I figured that killing that Wyvern would count as an act of Merit, but I thought the cost was still prohibitive.” I chuckled. “With only the two of us involved in that, the reward was massive. The four Platinum coins is nothing compared to that. Besides, I’d have paid twenty times that, and still thought it cheap. Her freedom is literally priceless.” Mom stuttered as she repeated the four platinum amount. “I know how you feel Mom, I couldn’t believe he’d waste that much money either. He didn’t even tell me that’s why we needed to go to the Capitol, the escort was only a ruse, and it slowed us down a lot. Took twelve days to get there, but only one for us to return to the town where the Orphanage is. We even caught two troops of bandits on the way home. Then Jarreth did something idiotic, used monster lure to try and destroy the orphanage, if we hadn’t been there at the time, I shudder to think what would have happened. At least I got to put an arrow into his shoulder, and now he’s been sent as a slave to the salt mine, I’m sure you know the one I mean, with that one supervisor.” She winked at Mom, and her face paled a little knowing exactly which supervisor she was talking about. Apparently he was quite infamous.

Dad showed up, and instantly saw the more time pressing issue. “I guess it’s good that all the construction went faster than expected, they even have all the beds and other furniture installed into your house, just need bedding, and to get your kitchen setup and such. I take it that this is the Head Mistress of the Orphanage?” I smiled at Dad, and gave him a bear hug in greeting. “Yes, this is Jessica the Head Mistress of the Orphanage, and only staff currently. I don’t know how she managed up to this point. She’s got the paperwork for all the older girls, and one of the boys, Frank over there, with the Mace, is the blood brother of one of my new daughters, so I thought you’d be fine with that.” Nodding, Dad pried Mom away from Marie, so they could sign papers. “Absolutely, we aren’t separating two siblings, when we have the space, and love to go around. Frank, can you gather up all the older girls, the ones I’m signing for. I want to start getting to know my new daughters.” Frank nodded happily, and went to do his new father’s bidding.

“I think I’ll leave you to it, and have Marie mind the kids, while I run into town to get our chef, and miller. Might even look into some others to help in general. I have a lot of daughters after all.” I laughed, and Marie smiled as she went to tend the kids. Meanwhile, I was running full tilt towards town.

I arrived at the Inn where Blanche and her daughter worked, and upon seeing me Blanche quickly came out smiling. “Welcome home Mark, how was your trip?” I chuckled somewhat. “More eventful than I expected. The house is already finished, which is good, because all my adopted daughters, and sisters, as well as one brother, and all the other boys from the orphanage are here. As is the Head Mistress, who needed to get the kids out to do repairs and since the paperwork for my adoptive siblings also needed to be done, it was brought here, with the kids. SO, I’m gonna need your daughter to come as soon as she can manage, and I’ll give you money so all the kitchen equipment can be purchased. As well as food naturally. How’s ten Gold sound, should that buy everything she needs to cook, and serve to let’s call it a hundred places. There aren’t that many people, but having extra seems like a good idea. Plates, Bowls, Cups, Table Ware. Pots, Pans, Knives, literally everything.” Blanche froze for a second, then did some mental math, and nodded to herself. “I think Ten Gold should just cover all that, and she has the signing bonus if it doesn’t.” I shook my head. “Then I’ll make it twelve, that should cover a wagon to take everything out to the house. Ok, I have to see someone else too, get her out there A.S.A.P. I know Veronica has been approached by my Father to teach Grounds Keeping, but she can wait for a bit. Going to the Millers so their daughter can start managing my Grain Mill. Then I hope to find someone who can make Bricks, or Pottery. Need to get moving to get back in time to help with the kids.” Blanche reached out to stop me running off. “If it’s Pottery and Bricks you’re after, there’s a Slave Merchant traveling through town, and one person with them, is an indentured servant. I happened to talk to her myself, and was disappointed to learn that Pottery was her only skill, but if you buy her bond, then at least that conversation paid off.” I smiled widely. “On it, thanks!”

I ran off towards the market square, and quickly spotted the Slave Merchant. “Excuse me, I understand you have a Potter’s Daughter as an indentured servant who’s bond is for sale? Can I speak with her?” The Merchant smiled widely. “Indeed I do, and indeed you may. Harmony dear, someone is interested in your Bond.” A woman seemingly in her twenties approached, her brunette hair was kept neatly tied behind her head, clearly out of habit. “I’m Harmony sir, why would you be interested in my Bond?” “I understand your main skill is Pottery, or Brick Making, hopefully both.” She nodded. “Both sir, do you really need me for what I’m trained for?” “That’s part of it, and what your Bond would cover. Aside from your Bond’s requirements though, I’d also be hiring you separately as a teacher, and part of the care providers for my Adopted Daughters, and siblings. AND sometimes Orphans from the next town’s orphanage. Those things pay separately from your Bond, and you’d get the coin in hand, with the choice of applying it to pay your bond sooner, or buying things you want above what your Bond would cover. If all that is fine, and three sets of clothes per year, one pair of work shoes, room and board are all fine for your Bond, then I’ll buy it right now, and we can leave immediately. I need to get the Miller’s Daughter to come too, so I’m in a bit of a time crunch.”

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Harmony was stunned for a moment, then eventually responded. “How many adopted children, and siblings are we talking about?” I laughed heartily. “I honestly haven’t counted. I adopted every girl under age nine, and my parents adopted all the girls ten and up, and one boy who happens to be the blood sibling of one of my daughters. The entire Orphanage is visiting right now too, so it’s going to be a bit of a mad house for a few days. Well lets face it, it’s always going to be a bit of a mad house, and it’s more so right now. My Parents own the Farm next door, and will also be helping out teaching things. I’ll need more care takers as well, but I want to get as many trades as possible represented by my Care takers. That’s unimportant to you though. Do you accept the offer?” With a look of Wonder at my intentions, she nodded. “Certainly sir, it seems like you are my fastest way to pay off my Bond, and you’re asking first, instead of treating me like one of the slaves.” I turned to the Merchant. “What’s the Bond Price?” With the typical grin of the greedy Merchant, he responded. “It happens to be one Gold sir.” I almost stopped. “One Gold,…that’s it?!! That’s what I offer as a Signing Bonus. Which means,…Harmony, here’s your one Gold signing Bonus, it’s yours to do with as you please, which includes paying your own Bond. So I can Pay your Bond, then you pay me, or you can pay your Bond now, and just be my employee from the start, whichever is easier paper work wise.” Both the Merchant, and Harmony were stunned. Then Harmony handed the Gold coin to the Merchant. “I believe I’ll pay my own Bond then, since I have an Employer.” Shaking his head, the Merchant wrote up the receipt for Harmony’s Bond being paid in full, and we left together.

“Harmony, can you come on your own tomorrow to get any supplies I failed to get for the Pottery Barn? If not, I’ll come with you, unless you’d prefer my Mother, she knows her way around town too. Either Way, I’ll give you the coin for purchasing the equipment, and any supplies, such as Glazes.” She looked at me strangely. “Glazes, what are those?” I looked back at her. “Really, you don’t know about Glazes? They’re mixtures which when you paint them onto already fired Clay, and fire it again, will make it shiny, water proofed, and give it colors. You can make a bowl of fruits from clay, and paint them with glazes in order to make them look like the real fruits, aside from the shininess that is. Luckily I remember how to blend glazes, so I can teach you all that. It’s really an extra step, but greatly expands your artistic options.”

Harmony was new excited for learning something new about her own craft from her new employer. “There’s currently no brick makers, or potters here, so you’ll be able to earn quite a lot here I think. Ah, here we are, shouldn’t take long to get her on her way. She knows where to go, just didn’t know her Mill was ready yet.”

I spotted Penelope immediately, and she smiled happily to see me. “Good news, the Mill is finished, and you can come as soon as you’re ready. Though I’ll need to get you some grain to grind. My Farm still needs planting after all. Dad hasn’t harvested yet, but I’m sure one of the neighbors has a few bags that haven’t been brought in yet. They tend to plant a lot of Grain there, and too much for even four wagons to bring in. I’m sure you know who I mean. Maybe I’ll buy an entire Wagon load, so you can grind a lot, and I’ll have plenty for planting too.” She laughed excitedly. “I know exactly who you mean, and um…I was wondering if I could maybe live on sight somewhere? I’d like more time to actually work.” I sighed in relief. “That would make things even better, I have all my adopted daughters now, so the more supervision the better. Extra pay for that too. Say ten silver a Month for helping with general care of the girls?” Penelope’s smile stretched if that was possible. “I only need ten minutes to get my things. Mom already agreed that I should move if it was possible. Can you wait, so I can walk with you two? Also who’s this?”

“Please, forgive me for the late introduction. Penelope, this is Harmony. She’s agreed to teach Pottery, and help with the Girls as well. I hope you’ll be great friends going forward, though all that’s required is respect naturally.” “Harmony, it’s very nice to meet you, how did this come about, I don’t remember anyone doing pottery here about.” “Miss Penelope, it truly is nice to meet you as well. I was a Bond Servant, until Mark’s Signing bonus allowed me to pay off my Bond today, so I’m staying for at least a year, though seeing as how there’s a Kiln to use, and Mark seems to know things, and no competition, I probably won’t move. More likely I’ll just buy a small piece of land from Mark later to build my own little house, if for no other reason than to have one place to not be surrounded by the little ones. I love kids, but it sounds like over half an Orphanage is always going to be there, and the other half visiting some times.” “That sounds great, maybe I’ll do that too.”

I shook my head. “No need, the Mill is too dangerous to risk leaving it unattended, so there’s built in housing for the Mill, and for similar reasons, the Pottery Barn also has a Lodging built in. Can you imagine a kid touching the hot Kiln, and nobody there to respond to their screaming and take care of them. Kids aren’t exactly stupid, but they don’t know what’s too risky without being told you know. I didn’t want to risk any of the kids with the more dangerous crafting buildings, so I planned ahead.” They both looked shocked again. “So, we each have our own housing automatically because our crafts can be dangerous to the kids if not overseen?” I nodded, and both girls lunged at me for a hug. “Alright, you’re happy with me, I understand, but we still have to get moving. Marie and the Head Mistress are probably close to pulling their hair out by now. The Kids are understandably excited about being somewhere new. Penelope get your stuff, and let’s get going.” They let me go, both a little flushed, and Penelope’s mother, having only just heard enough to not get upset nodded approvingly at my quick insistence that we get back to it. “Mark Dear, do let me know if anything more,…Personal develops in the future. I’d rather start planning right away. I approve if things end up going that way you know, and frankly, so does my husband, her Brother’s not so much, but they’ll come around.” Penelope’s flush turned into a major blush, and she practically screamed in impotent rage as she ran to get her things