The First World Sphere

Chapter 118

Chapter 118

I sipped the wine. I studied the old Wolfsguard, who was almost completely white. Where he was not white, it was a silvery gray. I looked into his icy blue eyes and asked, “Before we discuss the orchards. What is the tale that brought you to these apple orchards?”

He had a full-tooth smile, and his teeth were in rough condition, and one top canine was missing. “Me? I am a nobody. I guarded Lady Mirabel for a hundred and ten years before she passed. Then the Bricio lord thought I was too old to guard another of his family. I was sent here some hundred years ago.”

I nodded and asked for more, “I thought the bonded Wolfsguard had trouble after their charge passed?”

“Ah, true. It wrecks the heart. The bond can sometimes be passed to a descendant with the blood, but it is a difficult process as well. Some Wolfsguard manage to live through the urge to join their charge in the afterlife,” he sighed. I considered it for about three years after Lady Mirabel. After the three years, it became easier, and I had a new purpose,” he sipped his wine, “Helping others through the same process.”

“So you are a good samaritan?” I nodded. I do not think he understood the word, but he nodded as well. “How many Wolfsguard do you have here?”

“Fifty-nine.” My eyebrows went up as the number was higher than Loriel gave me. He waved his hand, “No one ever cares to count too closely. At first, this was just a refuge for the Bricio and Citadel Wolfsguard. But we accept the Miaden and Torrent as well. We had a small influx recently,” he added with pursed lips.

“Fifty-nine,” I echoed. “How many can still fight?”

He gave a horse laugh, “None. When we come here, we swear never to swing a weapon in battle again.”

“The Wolfsguard have been freed. I would have to check to confirm, but you have been given a choice to guide your own future. Any oaths of service are voided. Most live on Stonefell Island now and will be crewing the skyship scouts. If you want, I can see about your number joining them,” I offered but hoped they would decline my offer.

“We have heard our kin have been freed.” He momentarily contemplated, “But I do not think that is our place. Unless you plan to remove us from the orchards, I believe all will stay here.” He looked expectantly at me for an answer.

Relief flooded through me. I felt my next question could go either way. “Would you be willing to work for me? I will pay you all a fair wage. Say five silver a week, with another silver for every five years of service already earned?”

His eyes widened, then narrowed suspiciously, “You would pay me thirty silver a week to work the orchards?”

“No,” I said, watching his suspicion turn slightly unfriendly. I grinned, “The foreman would make one gold a week. I hope you will take that role.”

Some shock, and he reclined in the chair creaked, “You know some Wolfsguard have been here more than fifty years. I have been here the longest, but to tend and pick apples sounds outrageous. I appreciate the gesture, but we can reach a more reasonable wage agreement. Mostly we need clothes and food. Provide that and a silver a week per person, and it would be acceptable,” Asger said with some thought.

“Maybe I am choosing the wrong foreman? Negotiating down? My offer stands, but I require more than just picking apples. I need skilled guards and want you to train them!” I said with a flourish of my hands.

“Train soldiers?” He leaned back in his chair and thought long on it. He finally spoke with a low tone, “It would help some here direct their energy and distract their grief-stricken thoughts. Some Wolfsguard are not made to be gardeners,” he admitted. “There are maybe a dozen among us suited for the task. Some others would but are crippled.”

“What if I could restore their lost limbs?” I held up my hands to stop his excitement, “I am a healer, and my lesser restoration spell is evolving. I can do it in a few months, but for now, all I can do is teeth. May I?”

Asger ran his tongue over his missing tooth. He seemed hopeful as he gave me his hand. I focused on my aether and, using the diagnostic tool of mend flesh, I found he had a lot more problems than visible. I fixed them all: cracked teeth, cavities, a missing tooth, an infection in the gums. I restored his teeth to perfect state and white condition. He started running his tongue over them, smiled, and went to a mirror.

“I had been learning to ignore the pain. The missing tooth had to be pulled because it got unbearable. Now,” he looked and felt the teeth, “just amazing.” He turned to me, and I think I had won him over. “I think I believe you are a High Mage now,” he smiled and sat back at the table with renewed energy on his face.

“I am glad you approve. You have a few in your number with the harvest skill?” I asked, returning to business.

“Yes, Juno, Oriana and Calix. Oriana is a stronger version of the ability, and she has a larger aether core,” Asger noted.

“Good, they will all receive an additional five silver a week for their ability. If others have abilities, we can discuss them at another time. Let us move on to talking about the grounds. They are in terrible shape. Gardens are overgrown, and weeds are everywhere. I will hire gardeners eventually, but for the next few months, I need your people to care for the grounds.” I licked my lips. “Also, I am going to be tearing down your residences. You will be moving to the aether fields closer to the Black Spire after we renovate them. Your talents are wasted on apples.” I said, expecting a positive reaction.

Asger did not look too thrilled. It was a prideful habit if you spent one hundred years doing something. I backtracked seeing my error, “Asger, you are the foreman and can decide who works in which field and at the orchard. I will need you to move to the farmers’ house, though. These buildings,” I indicated the hovels, “are not good enough for your people.”

She interrupted, “Only the families can have more than ten guards.” She was quoting the law.

“I have special dispensation,” I pulled out the paperwork and showed it to her. She scanned it, and her disbelief widened.

I continued, “The farmhouse by the dungeon aether crop fields needs to be rebuilt. Nothing elaborate. Just updated. The real project will be by the orchards. There are some very old buildings there. I want them all demolished and a town built in its place. I was thinking small, just four square acres. A town commons in the center and buildings surrounding it. Most of the buildings will be small two-story duplex residences, enough for one hundred people. I also want a general store, a small factory for pressing apples into juice, and a small armory with a training yard.”

Isla paused as Remy knocked. “Come in, Remy. I have more people on my payroll.” Remy entered and smiled at Isla. She had a shy smile returned to him. I guessed things were happening I was not aware of. “Her is the list, Remy,” I handed him the roster of Wolfsguard.

“Wolsguard?” Isla said and scooted very close to Remy to look at the list. They were definitely closer than I remember. Isla looked at me in shock, “You have over fifty Wolfsguard?!” Remy had disbelief as well.

“It is not what it seems. It is more of a retirement community for the Wolfsguard. All of these Wolfsguard have been abandoned; considered too old, or maimed to do their duties,” I stated.

Isla still could not hold her disbelief, “And Loriel is letting you have them? Even an old Wolfsguard is a formable fighter.”

I laughed, “She gave them to me to hand off a problem. From my understanding, the Triumvirate is bleeding coin. Loriel is betting heavily on the open trade and taxes from it to bring Skyholme to prosperity again.” Isla nodded as it was becoming common knowledge apparently how over-extended the Triumvirate was.

I turned to Remy, “So when you fly out with Isla tomorrow, fill the hold of the Maelstrom with clothing and food for the Wolfsguard. Everything will be free to them, but once the town is built and a general store is established, we can sell them goods, and they can use their coin. They are in a somewhat miserable state, having been ignored since the Bricio revolt. So how long to plan and build,” I asked Isla while reviewing her plans for a park and outside dining where the adjacent warehouse was.

“There is not much building happening. I think people are holding their purse strings to see what is going to happen with the trade. I guess it is a question of how fast you want it down and what material? I suggest using builders from Titan’s Shield and ferrying them out daily with the Maelstrom. It would save you considerable cost as the builders in the capital get paid twice as much. Also, since you are not building in the city, you should be able to get around angering the Builder’s Guilds.”

“Faster is better. Stone would be preferable. Lock up as many build teams as possible.” I took out five platinum coins and put them on the table. “Here is a start. Try and secure as much building material as possible.”

Isla had a glint of excitement in her eyes at the project, “Stone is cheaper than wood right now. We have some unique lumber from the islands and our dungeons, and they are hoping it will sell well in the lowlands. So they are holding it in their warehouse. I can get the stone mage who worked on the Shiny Platinum. I already contracted him to add the balconies on the apartments facing the park.”

“We also have a day’s exclusive access to the nearby dungeon. It was a private Bricio dungeon, and I do not know what is inside of it. Maybe we can source materials for construction from there.” I checked the paperwork, “Every sixth day, we have unlimited access.” They were shocked. “Remy, do you need funds for the silver to pay the Wolfsguard and purchase food and clothing?”

“No, we have about twelve hundred gold in the safe. I will communicate with Leda to get everything loaded as I purchase it,” he confirmed.

“Isla, I like these plans for the gardens.” I passed her the plans with trees and marble dining tables.

She nodded and looked at the plans I selected. It was not her first choice because she did not seem too happy, but it was the one I preferred. Isla nodded and focused on the next project, “I will want to survey the land before drafting plans for the fort and Wolsguard town.”

I forgot something and added, “Plan for there to be two small farms for the Wolsguard on the far side of the town. Maybe two acres worth. I promised them some chickens, goats, and cows.” Isla noted it, and they both left.

I went and located Ullmark in the training room with the red-haired Namira and Mera. I was a little shocked to find Mera training with her staff. They all paused as I approached. “Ullmark hope things are going well. I have a new dungeon for the team to explore.”

His eyebrows went up in surprise, “Really? What dungeon is it.”

“The dungeon by the Black Spire on the capital island. It was the Bricio’s private dungeon, and I do not have much information on it,” I said.

He frowned, “I know it. When I worked for the Bricios, I often delved into the dungeon. Not many good memories. Can we go somewhere to talk privately about this?” He looked at the Namira and Mera.

I motioned for Ullmark to join me down in my room. I had known Ullmark worked for the Bricios in the past, so I was curious about this conversation.