Page 473: You Are Hired
You Are Hired
Summary: Tria meets the new inhabitants of the clearing she'd been living in.
Date: 08/Nov/2012
Related Logs: None
Players:
Einar Anders Tria 
Large Clearing, Highfield
It's a large clearing, surrounded by tree's, with a path that leads south and west. A trio of cabin pavillions have risen in the clearing, each bearing the colours of the House of Flint. There is a main cooking fire that sits before them with cast iron pots upon braziers stuck in the dirt. Ground tying lines are set for the horses, all of whom are work horses; sturdy animals ready to shoulder great burdens. Workmen all, here.. ready to build the foundation of what will be the first port in this Holding. The first building to rise? If one asks a worker, the answer will be, 'Young Lord Anders'.'
Thu Nov 08, 289

It's mid-morning and work seems to be progressing slowly but steadily. The weather is holding well but as per usual it seems to be that it's the slow trickle of milled timber that’s dictating the pace of progress. With his horse tied to a tree at the edge of the clearing, Einar has his crossbow slung over his back and is talking in a conversational tone to one of the armsmen who are guarding the site.

The Young Lord Flint can be found in either one of two places now.. the keep, where his wife waits to introduce the heir to the world, or here, where the manse is slowly being built; the home away from home for the Young Lord and his Lady wife. His horse is hobbled off at a short distance, grazing happily at the seemingly unending supply of grass. Anders is near the edge of the pit, the foundation for the house to come, and he calls up, "Might need to spare more for the mill.."

A small commotion comes from the path to the road, and soon is seen a young woman driving a wagon, which is hitched to two horses. The wagon is laden down it seems with barrels upon barrels, as well as the normal contingency of camp supplies. At the reins is a tiny woman, who pulls the horses to a stop as she sees the people here, her eyes going wide. She looks up at a big man who is on the seat next to her and hands him the reins before slipping off the seat and landing on the ground.

Seemingly content with what the armsman has to say, Einar starts back towards the building, or where the building will be at least. Walking up to his cousin he takes a moment to peer down into the foundations pit and before turning to Anders. "Is there anything you'll be needing or should I.." what he was about to ask though is lost as the sounds of the approaching wagon draws his attention instead. His attention now firmly on the track he raises a faint eyebrow before the cart comes into view. "Supplies?" he queries of his cousin. He's not been here at delivery time before, but that's what makes the most logical sense.

"We'll need to check on the mills, check with the Lady Liliana about the locations of fresh supplies of lumber." That hadn't been burned. Anders exhales in a long breath, his words a murmur, "The weir can't come here soon enough," before shaking his head, and he looks down a moment before swivelling his head to the side. Supplies? Brows rise and he looks to the newly arrived. The pavilions are set up, the cooking fires haven't ceased since their initial lighting, and the Flint standards are plain to see. "Come with," and Anders claps a hand onto his cousin's shoulder, setting off into the direction of the cart, and barrels.

The young woman looks around and then looks up to the man who is holding the reins and says, "It looks like a Flint Camp daddy.. perhaps they moved in after we took you to get better?" The large bald headed man gives a nod and then motions to the two that are now coming towards them. Not to mention the guards that are coming as well. The girl makes no movement to do anything, it seems she wears no weapons save for a small kitchen knife at her belt.

Given the look of the two on the cart, Einar waves the armsmen away with a brief motion. They don't seem to be the sort to start trouble, and should he be wrong, the combination of him and Anders should be able to deal with it. "Looks like beer or such," he offers as he turns to follow Anders, "possibly the foreman has be requisitioning?" As they draw closer to the cart he offers a brief nod in greeting to the occupants, but will let Anders do the initial talking, he's the boss after all.

Not a normal thing for the highest ranking noble to be the one to begin the parlay, and Anders looks to his cousin, brows rising in amused question. Still, he shrugs at Einar's question, "Check the requisitions from the foreman a little more closely, I would say." Approaching the pair, the Young Lord is dressed in more.. working clothes, but he has the manner and bearing of a noble; including the outward insignia of his knighthood. He pauses, and looks at the pair, knowing that their own guard has been released to a further distance. "From Lord Ashwood?"

Tria slips into a deep curtsey, "No m'Lord, please excuse us." She rises and folds her hands in front of her, "We were camped here about a month back, before my father grew ill and I had to take him back into town to the healing woman." She lets her big dark eyes flick from Anders to Einar and back again, "I am Tria Forester from Terrick's Roost, and this is my father Roth Forester, we were.. displaced after an Ironmen raid, that burned our inn to the ground."

"Terrick's Roost?" Einar answers in surprise, shooting an apologetic look to Anders as soon as he's done so. "I am glad to see you restored to health Master Forester," he offers to Roth then turns back to Tria, all talk of requisitions now forgotten. "The Roost is rebuilding," he offers, in case she hasn't heard, "I am sure they would welcome you back with open arms should you wish to return." He knows from his conversations with Justin that they're looking for smallfolk after all.

Acknowledging the curtsey with a nod, Anders looks to the girl's father, studying the man before he returns his attention to the speaking girl. "Weren't you afraid the dogs were still in these woods?" He watches the girl now, his head canting. "Places to hide," and he turns to gesture towards the woods behind, "A good portion of the forest burned," and he nods towards the sea now, ".. and there, where they came." In all, he doesn't sound as if he approves of the location for the displaced small folk. "Still," he exhales, "lesser of two evils, perhaps."

Nodding in Einar's words, Anders echoes them now, "The Roost needs all they can get, though I will also say that Highfield is looking for able bodies with some ability, even if it is farming. As are we."

Tria nods her head and says softly, "I had heard m'Lords, but Terrick's roost is no longer home, my brother died during the fighting, and my mother some time before that." She reaches up to touch her father on the leg, a comforting gesture. Then plucking at his breeches, she gives him a look, and her eyes darting to the two noblemen, which causes the man to look surprised before he lays the reins down and slides off the wagon to offer a bow, "M'Lords." He says to them and then lets Tria go back to talking, "Truth be told m'Lord, is that the Roost has a flourishing inn, as does Highfield, Mistress Charlie was kind enough to let me and father stay there while he was ill. I am no farmer, but I can cook, and clean, and make wines and ale, when I have the supplies." She motions to the barrels on the wagon.

Einar returns the man's bow with a nod of his own. Anders gets a brief questioning glance for a moment longer but then his brain catches up to the idea that the 'dogs' being referred to are not literal. A faint nod in realisation and he turns back to the pair by the wagons. "We'll be in need of such," he notes, although if to Anders of Tria herself is perhaps ambiguous, "once the buildings are up." Not that he's sure how long that will take mind, this is his first building project after all.

Anders acknowledges the man now, "Master Forester," before continuing, his gaze moving back and forth between the pair. "Isn't working for an existing Inn, then, easier than working hard to create something from nothing? If your father is still," and he looks to the man now, though he still speaks to the girl, "ill, wouldn't living in relative ease be preferable?"

Still, Einar's not one to beat about the bush, and Anders chuckles softly, "Yes, we will. Once the manor is up, we'll need help there, as well. And slowly, but surely, the port." He looks to the pair, "Have you ever been in direct service to a lord?"

"We have always been Innkeepers, my grandfather, the Seven rest his soul, built our inn when my Father was but ten years old. He has worked it most of his life, I was born into it. I've known nothing but." She gives a curtsey, "If I may… All the wines here are Forester made." She motions to the casks and then says, "In direct service to a lord m'Lord? Oh no, all I know is what I've learned in my family's inn."

"And this Inn was in the Roost," Anders fills in. His eyes go to the casks at her gesture and returns to rest on the pair once again. He exhales in a sigh and checks again, "Can you work in the kitchens? Serve?" He's not got an Inn, not yet, and, technically, not quite a manor as of yet! "And you found no room in Highfield for your abilities."

"I can cook yes m'Lord, my mother taught me how… Seven rest her soul." She moves behind the cart and rummages for a second to find a cup, before she pours him a cup of deep purple wine, "Lord Robben seemed to enjoy this one the most m'Lord." She brings it forward and offers it to him with a curtsey, "If you'd like." She gives a nod, "There is room in the inn in Highfield but there is also a lot of unsavoury things that go there, woman offering themselves to men right in front of Noblewomen." She gives a disapproving tsk to that.

Anders takes the cup with a nod of thanks, and listens to the explanations, lifting the cup to taste the wine. It's a moment, and once the sip is taken, he nods his head in approval. "I'm uncertain, then, how to proceed. This will be the location of our manse, for the Flints," he inclines his head, "and I can't offer anything until the building is built. I can offer work in the scullery," the kitchens, "but that won't actually be built for another several weeks by the looks of it."

Tria says softly, "I don't ask for much m'Lord but if you are building a city, perhaps an inn would be lovely here as well." She chews on her bottom lip a little and says, "My father and I can help out in anyway you'd like, we have our own tents, and supplies, and at the end of the day, we can supply small amounts of libations to your workers. Small meaning not so much they wake with bad heads and sour bellies in the morning."

Another sip is taken, and Anders takes a step back to look at the small gathering of his workers' tents. "Then set yours and be welcome, Master and young Forester. Any aid to the workers is appreciated. They are far from home, and are likely to be for some time." He lowers his voice, "And most follow the Old Gods, and when in these woods, there is a certain reverence to them. While I do not mind honouring the Seven, that is, for the most part, not our way." Except, of course, for Einar. "One or two.. but be welcome regardless. Speak to the foreman as to where your tent would be best suited, and take your part."

Tria smiles and lets out a little squee and a clap of her hands. "Oh thank you m'Lord thank you thank you I appreciate it." She smiles brightly to both men and dips into a deep curtsey, her father giving a deep bow to both as well, "I will do my best to serve your family and city."

Turning about, after acknowledging the bow and curtsey, Anders nods towards the distant armsmen, and gestures at the Forester's cart, a silent command given. He returns his attention to the pair, "They'll help you offload, and the foreman will show you where to put your tent," as he'd said before. "We have hunters going out regularly, and meat is readily available at the moment. Any vegetables you grow would add to the larders, first food for your table, then food for the others." But he will be taking some, of course. "I accept your loyal service," is added with a smile. Now, of course, he's got business back to the manor's.. hole, and he nods in 'farewell' before turning to attend his workers.