"I'll personally see to it that you get another child, I assure you. I will show you the way out and escort you directly to my lord. If you would give me the honor of guiding you.” Breno increases his politeness and removes his bored face. Notes that it was over the Viscount's limit and that it shouldn't go over it.
Ezer stands listening to his heartbeat without realizing it when the bars close and the procession leaves.
“He is suspicion of me, I can feel it. Seems like he can't offend the Karsins so freely after all ... I wish it had been the same with my family. I don't know how much he knows, but I don't think he found out who I am.”
“I told you it would work.” Nataña, who hadn't said a word, smiles.
“Yes, I don't even know how… But thanks.”
“It was nothing!” She says it with a slightly smug tone, seeming to enjoy the change in routine.
“I may have managed to get rid of this, but until when? It would have been a good opportunity to escape if the Viscount took me... But nothing is certain, I have no confidence in surviving a winter in the woods without equipment, especially one so cold. I just have to wait and look for my opportunity. Lyaria, where are you?” Ezer who once lost trust in other people, learned thanks to Lyaria to do so again. However,knew that he would have to do something on his own.
When his thoughts and nervousness cleared up, Ezer refocuses on the scent his head released.
“How do I clean this?”
"Good question...I didn't think of that." Nataña shrugs and smiles like it's not her problem.
---------------------------
The pounding of the hammer echoed all over the beach, even above that of the waves and the occasional seabird that hadn't left despite the cold. The man could be seen working on the same wooden boards for hours, he seemed to be very focused on his work.
“Working from early?” Grige asks as he walks whit Lyaria.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“These boards are not going to bend by themselves…. And it will be needed to repair the ship.” At the old carpenter's answer, Lyaria's face lights up.
"I'm glad, thanks for…" She doesn't let the happiness go to her head and tries to answer calmly, but is stopped by the carpenter who speaks in a deep voice.
“I do it for my son and for myself…no father should forget his son's face. I will take you to those islands across this devilish sea, but it will be on my terms and my orders are absolute once there is no land at our feet.”
“Of course.” Both Grige and Lyaria respond in unison.
"You will provide me with the materials and a few helping hands. That is if you want to set sail before the ice floes force us to wait until summer.”
“That's my job, don't worry and just make sure that that ship resists anything.” Grige replies confidently.
“Tsk …. Anything... he says it like it's easy. Does he at least have an idea about the forces of the sea? The man grumbles under his breath as he continues with his work, completely forgetting the presence of both of them.
"I guess now it's time to gather the materials." Lyaria doesn't sit still and is willing to help in any way.
“There is a list with the most important materials inside the cabin. Heh… your pocket is going to bleed money when you see it.” The carpenter intercedes when remembers the note. Then he continues with his work.
"Come on, the markets must have opened by now and the blacksmith must have fired up his forge." Grige returns from inside the cabin with a piece of paper in hand and a leather bag.
People walked the streets, some selling and others buying. Many wanted to have their cellars stocked, if they could afford it, before the full start of winter. It seemed that riots were a thing of the past or never happened, soldiers were few in number and many with bored or sleepy faces.
"There are no wooden boards on the list, weird." Lyaria points holding the note.
“No, no one but a carpenter can judge which are the best woods for a ship. We take care of the candles, nails, ropes, tar, supplies and a couple more hands.”
“I don't think there's a shortage of people looking for work, especially this season.”
“Exactly, but I want to reduce costs as much as possible.”
"Do you have someone in mind?"
“My brother and his two wives.”
“Two?” Lyaria asks incredulously.
The two-story building was not far from the city center, providing a perfect location for the sewing shop downstairs. The wooden facade was faded and this gave it a somewhat gloomy hue, although the colored fabrics that could be seen through the open windows brightened the atmosphere.
“Welcome! Oh! Grige… Dartan is not here now, he went to see a certain soldier or something like that.” A woman with reddish hair and a belly that announced a new life greets them.
“This time I come to find a beautiful lady whose figure does nothing but grow more beautiful with the passage of time.” A strange exaggerated polite greeting comes out of Grige's expression as he bows his back and draws one leg back, who knows what kingdom that courtesy was from.
"You know no one can get a discount..." The woman crosses her arms and smiles, apparently used to Grige's occasional eccentricity.
“I'm here for more than that. I need fabrics, a lot of fabric and experienced hands to sew them.” All amusement on Grige's face disappears and is replaced by a serious, businesslike expression.
"Is this about the family?" The woman asks intrigued.
“It is not, is personal.”
“So it's true…you both decided to go separate ways. I just can't believe it, where one was, the other was too. Always the youngest helping the eldest, no matter how strange it seemed.”
“Dartan was always the wiser of the two… Don't even think about telling him that I said it.” Grige smiles at the memory.
"What's personal to you is personal to everyone. That's family.” The woman approaches and hugs him, a little uncomfortable because of the belly that got in the way.
"And I couldn't ask for a better one." He returns the hug with a smile.
"Well, we can't leave such a pretty lady out of the conversation any longer. My name is Anali or as others call me Analí… although I prefer the former.”
"Lyaria, my pleasure." Se bows his head slightly in greeting.
“So… How much fabric are we talking about and what for?”