We'd reached Moreland's Rest and after thanking Jim and his sons we parted ways, or rather I got off the wagon in the middle of town while they continued on to their destination.
I'd tossed a silver up to them which Reggie had caught without thinking and told them their drinks and meal were on me tonight.
Jim had grumbled something about it not being necessary but had been pleased enough when I had waved his protests away.
He had stopped to do a kindness to a stranger so, to me, the small reward was only fair.
The summer sun was already setting in the sky, the hues making the clouds glow magnificently and while I appreciated the beauty of such a sight, it was also a sign that I would not get much done today in Moreland's Rest, the shops all either closed or closing.
About all I could do was find an inn, so I wandered for a little while until I found one I liked to look of.
A room for the night was easy to buy and after a quick meal in the common room, I retired for the evening, only to be up early the next morning and back out on the streets of the town.
Knowing what would take the longest out of the things I needed to do in town, I headed a little ways back from where I'd come from yesterday in search of some tailors.
I stopped in four of them, only three of which I actually purchased something from.
The second shop I entered had won me a glare by the haughty looking woman, I couldn't blame her too much as I did look like a true vagabond as far as my clothing went even if I had groomed a little, but it still wasn't something I appreciated.
I glared back at her before I turned and left.
I had enough gold and other precious things on me that I could buy her shop, her home and probably her as a person for the right price, but I didn't want anything more to do with her kind.
I had to stand around for a long time, several times, while I was measured in the other shops I found.
Even though I'd gotten my measurements taken by another professional, each new one insisted they take their own.
They were the experts though, so I accepted it without too much grumbling.
A little discussion about what I wanted and an exchange of coin was all it took before I was free to leave once more.
I didn't leave empty handed though, as well as paying for three different outfits to be made for me, I also bought some cloth and a few other things I could use make something for myself immediately.
It didn't take that long for me to find my way back to the inn and with another exchange of coin and some words, I was in my room, having paid for a full week now and I had a task to do.
The cloth I had bought was black and silky, it was very light which would be perfect in the summer heat.
I'd bought some black thread, some silver coloured thread and some 'silver' buttons that I thought were probably some kind of aluminium and steel.
They were pleasantly polished to a shine though, which I thought would look good against the black fabric.
I was no master tailor, in fact I was a barely passable butcher of fabrics.
I'd gotten a little knowledge on the subject from the grimoire and I do mean a little.
But I'd had to read up on making my own clothes myself and even then, I struggled to make the more common designs of clothing.
I had two small advantages though, the first being that I could use a little magic to aid me and the second being that I would only be making something very simple.
The outfits I'd paid for to be made would be much much better work than anything I could do because they were much more complicated, but for now and until they were finished being made, this would do for me.
I was sitting on the edge of the bed without any of my clothes on, the fabrics and various pieces I would use were laid out on the wooden floorboards before me.
The black fabric began to unroll and float into the air of my small room, at the same time I was gesturing with my hands, my focus upon what was before me.
Two wide strips of the fabric cut themselves away from the whole and I closed my eyes and raised my arms up higher, feeling the strips wrapping around my skin.
They moved slightly, as if alive, as they hugged my arms and coming to settle at my shoulders.
I didn't see with my eyes but felt all the edges of the fabric, and my will split to focus on multiple things even as small pieces of the fabric began to fold and split themselves further.
The excess fabric fell down immediately, no magic held it in place as it would just serve to pull attention away from my next task.
The two fabrics that clad my arms flew away, off my arms but holding their shape. I felt them stiffen up in the air as an incredibly thin, serpentine like thread of black moved off from it's bobbin and began to dart in and out of the seams of the larger cuts of fabric.
The colour's matched so well that once the thread closed up the cuts, it almost blended into invisibility.
I stood up as these two sleeves of my soon-to-be created clothing settled themselves onto the bed, even as that happened the largest piece of black silky fabric cut a single, much larger piece off that wrapped around my form.
Holes appeared and my naked arms poked through them, the fabric shifted and turned almost violently and split and folded in more places. Soon my head emerged from a newly created hole and my eyes opened once more to see the things that I had felt without them.
Excess fabric cuts dropped down onto the others on the floorboards and before long a shirt of sorts hung from me, one as yet without arms or adornment.
It came down to just above my knees, the hem resting against my skin.
It was from a style of clothing long since dead, a simple but comfortable design that was almost like something between a robe and a shirt.
My body felt the entire expanse of fabric on it become firm as my two sleeves returned to my outstretched arms once more.
The black serpentine thread came back to life once more and began to join the pieces as I held still.
As the sleeves of my clothes joined the body, smaller cuts of fabric fell away from around my neck to reveal a neat but simple collar covering the skin.
My sleeves held, now joined, as the thread moved down the two large splits at each of my sides.
I found myself with my basic shirt that was very long by design. I took a moment to release my focus and after taking the shirt off, I sat back down on the bed.
I folded the cuffs back and attached two buttons, the shiny buttons looked just as good as I had hoped against the inky blackness of the fabric.
Next, my high, but simple collar got a small slash then it's own buttons.
I spent a while, standing once more to make some loose fitting trousers.
It was a struggle to make pockets but I managed it.
After the waistline was folded, split and pinned with another button added and the bottoms of the legs were tucked and sewn with more black thread, I got started on the more intricate work.
I looked at my new clothes, completely black save for the polished buttons. I held the image of what I wanted in my mind's eye, focusing hard as I willed the as yet unused silver thread to move at my command.
Much slower than the joining black thread that I had used before, this new silver thread worked in and out of the fabric slowly, staying very neat under my intense focus. Slowly, ever so slowly, the silver thread began to form a pattern on the black expanse.
It was an image from another life, not one of my own.
A hawk, twisting mid-flight was draped along one shoulder.
One of it's wings was embroidered down over the chest and the other down over the back.
It took a very long time to finish this and while it was simple, it had an appeal to it that I liked. It was stark in it's beauty and I wished I knew where the image came from.
I knew it was something that Althalan had seen, but I knew nothing of where or when he had seen it.
I didn't know whether it was something he had actually looked for or just something he had chanced upon and been struck my the visage.
When I released my focus to a less intense level, I was just finishing the small separate embroidered patterns around the wrists of the sleeves when I was struck with a dull headache and a pang from my gut.
I looked to the window of the room and saw that evening was fast approaching, the sun already mostly set on the summer night so I knew it was late.
I had planned to do more today but it looked as if I would have to wait until tomorrow.
I donned my new clothes that stood out starkly as being new, especially when my old and scuffed boots were put upon my feet.
Luckily though, I didn't have to go very far.
I went downstairs to find a good meal, not even an hour later I was fast sleep on my bed, both it and the rest of the room still covered in scraps of black fabric.
I awoke to the pieces of fabric everywhere, no magical or invisible creature having miraculously entered my room during the night to clean up.
So after grumbling a little to myself I cleaned up the room. The scraps were tossed into a new fire I rekindled in the small fireplace, while the remaining good pieces were put away in one of my chests.
A quick breakfast later and I was out on the streets again, this time in search of a shoemaker or cobbler.
I doubted much could be done to actually repair my dusty and worn boots so I just needed a place to buy new ones.
I ended up wearing my new boots out of the shop, simple black leather that didn't stand out against my new clothing.
The shopkeeper assured me that he would dispose of my old boots, judging by the way he had looked at them, I thought he might actually burn them and perform some kind of cleansing ritual on himself.
He had been very polite to me though, it was simple professional distaste for the state of my worn boots that had caused his reaction and not any personal dislike of me.
I was feeling much better than I had in a while in a way I hadn't really thought I could before. I hadn't realised that there was a small pride to come from wearing nicer clothes, oh sure I recognised that other people might feel that way sometimes, especially those who were less fortunate than I was.
However, after growing up in Clearwater, having to wear ridiculously fine clothing at the command of another, simply to be seen wearing it, any kind of joy I could take from the fine clothes had been dulled rapidly by the rest of my situation.
Now though, these clothes were mine, they were quite nice looking and I caught more than a few people looking at the embroidered hawk with admiration. It felt nice to feel like I looked good, it gave me a small boost of confidence that I didn't know was missing.
I was sitting outside a small tea shop, in a little closed off ground level balcony where several tables and chairs were housed. I had devoured the small sweet cake I had bought with my tea and now I idly raised the cup to my lips occasionally while I was deep in thought.
I was troubled slightly.
I had plans.
But what I had heard about Marley was something I felt like I should help with. I knew I wanted to help and I knew I could help, but I wondered if doing so would add to or upset the plans I intended to carry out.
There was also the thought that Marley might not actually want any help, he might not even remember who I was and I also wondered just what I should do if I was able to help.
My first thought had been to give him gold.
I had plenty of it and I knew just how much it would help, but I tried to imagine myself handing Marley some gold ingots and I just couldn't picture him simply accepting them.
I came to the conclusion that I just didn't know enough about the situation, all I had was gossip really. I just knew enough to know that there was a situation but beyond that, nothing more.
I also knew that something in my gut told me that Marley was a good man, neither him nor the workmen deserved this kind of thing and that small feeling in my gut heated up, wanting me to act, wanting to fix the situation.
I would have to pay a visit to Marley & Ha-, to Marley's, to find out what I could. Maybe then I would have a better idea of how I could help.
I had a vague idea that might work but it would depend entirely on how it was received. It was something that could prove useful if paired with my other plans.
Without putting it off any longer, I left the pleasant tea shop and headed for the edge of town in search of a work yard I'd visited as a boy, years before.
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When it came into view, I could see clear differences right away.
Where there had once been huge stacks of lumber, heavy piles of stone and the occasional wagon coming and going, there was instead a mostly empty yard.
There was still some lumber and a little stone but those materials were the only two piles and they were right next to the warehouse that has housed the workshops.
The huge bay door that had usually stood open was closed but instead another one at the far end was open to the world.
I walked confidently passed the small office building without entering, I could see clearly that there was no light coming from inside the window.
I headed to the far side of the warehouse, to the open bay door.
*****************
Marley wiped away a little sweat from his brow and stood up to put the chisel back into it's proper place on the workbench.
As he did, he caught sight of a dark figure silhouetted and framed by the open bay door.
Raising a hand back to his brow to block out a little of the light, he watched a young man, probably a noble by his fine looking clothing.
“Can I help you, my lord?” I asked walking to meet the man.
“Lord?” The man asked with a laugh. “I think last time we met, I was just 'son' or 'boy'. Now I'm a lord?”
Looking closely at the young man's face it took me longer than it should have to pull the memories of a young boy and make them fit with the young man before me.
“A...Al?” I asked, slightly startled.
The young man grinned slightly then offered a hand to me.
“I'm here to do a little business.” He told me and I could see him looking around at the mostly empty warehouse.
Sighing and rubbed my face a little, I could feel some stubble on my cheeks. I was letting myself go with all this damned stress.
“Al.” I began. “Things aren't the same here as they-” I was cut off as the young man's eyes turned to look at me. They were sharp green eyes that held... something behind them, something more than the spark that the boy's eyes had.
It made me pause, though I don't know why.
“I heard.” He told me and I felt myself wince slightly.
Gossip.
Who knows what kind of ridiculous rumours he'd heard.
Not for the first time in recently, I silently cursed the name of Jenson Hall.
“I heard.” He repeated. “And that's partially why I'm here, can we talk?”
I realised that the lads behind me were trying to eavesdrop and at a glance I could tell that none of them remembered the boy... the young man.
Sighing once more, I nodded and gestured for him to follow.
I led the way to the office building, taking a second to pull out the keys and unlock it.
We went into the dark room and I set about lighting a few lamps, I took a few moments to examine the lad more closely.
His clothing was fine, but of a cut and style I'd never seen before, but that hawk on them looked like something a noble might wear. The softness of the boy's face had been replaced by a more lean and harder young man.
And those eyes held a surety in them that came with reaching manhood.
He looked around the office briefly before waiting for me to finish, when I'd lit the last lamp I gestured to the desk.
“Have a seat...” I said and took my own behind the desk. I took a moment to shift a couple of potential contracts around on the surface but quickly stopped when I realised I was stalling. Deciding to just get it over with, I jumped right in.
“So, I don't know what version of gossip you've heard, but I can tell you that things aren't the same here any more.” I told him, best to get it over with quickly. “Most of the lads don't work here any more, so we don't take on work like we used to.” I explained, trying to push the memory of having to let even more of the lads go just last month.
“So I'm not sure if whatever it is you're after can be done. We've got a list of things to do a mile long and not many of us to get through it. The wait-” I was cut off.
“I might be able to help with that.” Al told me, raising a hand for me to give him a moment. He started looking through the pockets on the front of the leather satchel he'd set down next to him.
“Help with what?” I asked, unable to think what he meant to suggest. Did he bring those apprentice tools he'd been so proud of? Was he going to offer to work here?
“With your lack of man power.” Al told me, then he turned back to the desk and put down three ingots of gold.
I was stunned for a minute, just looking at the ingots before the implication hit me.
“Just hang on a minute.” I said, I could hear an edge of anger in my voice but couldn't help it. “I work for my coin and I'm not a beggar who-”
“Stop!” Al said, his voice firm as he waved away my words. “Before you get angry, just listen. It's probably not what you're thinking.”
I struggled for a moment to hold my tongue but I eventually nodded once for him to continue, I would not accept charity, no matter how well meaning.
I earned what I had, that would not change.
“I want you to build something for me.” Al began and I opened my mouth to remind him that I'd just told him there was a list and that there was an order to how things were done but he spoke on before I could. “What I want building is very complicated, it will also be very expensive. I'm willing to pay this much for it if you can manage it.” Al told me with a wave to the ingots that sat between us.
“Just what the hell do you think I could build that is worth three golden ingots?” I demanded of him. “And I told you, we've got a lot of other work we need to get through before we take on any other projects. I don't know what you're expecting to get for three gold ingots but we can't just drop everything to work for you!”
Al sat silently through my words just giving me a nod to say he was listening. It irritated me even further, it's like he wasn't listening to me at all, just humouring me.
Something must have shown on my face because he sat up straighter and looked me in the eyes.
“Two things.” Al told me. “I'm going to commission you to build wagon for me and I'm going to help you design it.”
“Are you not hearing what I'm telling you? I don't have the men to-” I spat back at him but was cut off again.
“No.” Al said, his voice rising a little and I realised that I'd been shouting at him myself. “I'm listening, but you're not understanding.” He told me.
“I'm going to pay you three gold ingots for it, I'm going to pay them to you right now. What do you think you're going to do with the ingots once they're yours? Juggle with them? You can rehire the men, you idiot!” Al told me and I sat back at the sharp words but he continued.
“Once you've rehired the men, you can get those other workshops opened up and have them going through your list of projects!” Al said, still with heat in his voice but rapidly calming. “Look, I know you've had a hard time of it lately. I don't know what specifically happened and to be honest, I don't care. I'm not here to pry into your business, I'm here to help if you'll let me.” He seemed to look slightly defeated as he sat back in the chair across from me.
I closed my eyes for a moment and sighed.
“Son...Al.” I corrected tiredly. “I get that you're trying to help and I'm sorry for losing my temper.” I apologised. “You're right, I've had a shit time of it lately but it's no excuse to take it out on you.” I gestured around at the office, the yard, everything really. “I guess the stress has been building for a while now.”
Al nodded and waved away my earlier outburst.
“I'm grateful you're trying to help but I can't take this!” I said motioning at the ingots that still sat between us. “No wagon is worth this, no wagon is even worth one of these things. No, I can't take all your gold, I just can't do it.”
“I thought you might feel that way.” Al said, he leaned forward and looked at me intently. “What if I gave you a way to earn those ingots fairly?”
I frowned, I didn't think there was anything I could actually do to earn that amount of gold so I asked. “How exactly do think I can manage that?”
“I want my in.” Al said. “I want my name on your business and I want you to start spending gold.”
The nerve of this-
How dare he think he can come in here and try to buy-
***************
I could see the anger building up in Marley's face and I wondered if I had pushed too far. I thought I could convince him to go along with my idea but only if I could get him to really hear me out.
I raised both of my hands and looked him in the eye.
“Look, will you at least hear me out?” I asked. “If you don't like what I have to say, I'll never bring it up again. Hells, if you don't ever want to see me again after I'm finished taking, I'll leave.”
I watched the older man struggle to bring his tempter under control.
He didn't look well.
When I'd first seen inside the warehouse, I'd noticed that most of the workstations were unused. All the tools packed and stored away, gathering dust in the dark. When I'd first seen Marley, I'd been a little surprised.
His neat moustache was still there but his face had stubble on it, his eyes had deep bags under them and he looked to have lost some weight. Everything about his demeanour said he was a man who was being worn down by the world.
It had only made me want to help him out even more.
Even the workmen had seemed subdued, no jokes or wise cracks flowing between them.
I had only recognised one of the workmen who had been working behind him, though I don't know if I ever found out his name. It was clear in the looks he sent in my direction that he didn't recognise me though.
I was resolved to helping out, I just had to convince Marley.
When Marley breathed out heavily from his nose and nodded tightly without speaking, I started to talk.
“Alright, first thing to get out there is that I'm not here to try take your business away from you, I'm not here because I want to try make some easy coin. I'm not trying to pull some kind of trick or anything like that.” I said while continuing to meet Marley's gaze, hoping he could see the truth in my words. “I've got a lot of gold, Marley.” I said and gestured to the ingots. “These ingots here, they're not even something I'd care about if I accidentally lost them.”
Marley raised a sceptical eyebrow at that.
“I'm not telling you that to brag or anything, I'm just letting you know that even though that amount of gold would be a great boon to you, it really isn't anywhere near the great gift it seems. Not from my perspective.” I said then took in a deep breath before continuing.
“I'm proposing that you let me buy into your business, I don't want anything to do with how it's run and I don't really expect anything in return from it. I said that I wanted you to spend gold right?” I asked Marley who nodded in acknowledgement that he had heard what I had said earlier.
“Well, basically, any coin that is made that would be 'my share', I want you to either put straight back into the business or use it on expanding.” I said and Marley's expression changed for the first time to something other than silent brooding, he looked surprised.
“You mean like buy out another yard?” Marley asked me, seemingly unable to help himself.
“Yes and no.” I said, already knowing what he was thinking. “Another yard, but not here. Expand to another town or village.”
I could see on his face he didn't like this idea.
“And just what do you expect to happen if another workshop opened?” He asked me, the was a note of challenge in his voice.
“You put people you trust to running them and you let the business do what businesses do. Sink or swim.” I told him.
“You expect me to just buy up places and hope they will work out?” Marley demanded, slightly incredulous.
“What does it matter to you?” I asked then pointed out. “The coin put into them will be from my share, if they fail then they close down but if they managed to work out then it just means more coin for you and more coin to keep expanding.”
Marley was frowning once more as he watched me, I just waited and watched him back.
“What aren't you telling me?” Marley asked.
“What do you mean?” I asked but I already knew where this was going.
“Why the expansion? Why do you want your name on the business?” Marley asked, his eyes were gazing directly into mine and I knew that he wanted the truth, nothing else would do here. “What are you trying to do?”
I sighed deeply and looked around the office before turning back to look at the older man.
“Do you have anything to drink? We're gonna need it because this will take a while.” I told him.
Truer words had never been spoken.