3.14: Progress – 5

The hillside to our right was a sight both disgusting and majestic. Long ridges stretched across it in neat horizontal lines, covering it entirely. Each mound was made of tons of soil imported from Nobart. Collectively, they shrouded their surroundings in their wonderful scent.

Most of the mounds were covered with brush and foliage. That would keep some water off them, but not entirely. Every drop that escaped would carry away precious saltpeter with it, and I didn’t want to lose even a single gram, as it was the largest component of gunpowder.

Still, I understood why the people hadn’t prioritized covering the mounds of soil.

They were busy.

The houses had to be finished before winter set in. The docks and the castle had to be ready for the moment we had to host someone and the crossbows had to be ready before my marriage.

It’s not like I had told them how important that stinky soil was, except for a few.

“Come on.” I pointed to a spot away from the hillside. The air was dancing above some trees at a distance. They were already working.

I began walking towards it.

“I’ll stay here,” Aprilia said, planting her feet.

I nodded absently and gestured for the five teenagers to follow. Unlike her, they didn’t get a choice.

They dejectedly walked behind me.

As we approached the site, I took a sigh of relief. Danel and Levik had been resourceful. The stench got even worse. I could only imagine how terrible it must be for others, who couldn’t just make themselves insensitive to it.

Two miserable looking soldiers emerged from the trees. Their eyes widened upon seeing me. They saluted sharply.

“Thanks for your work, boys,” I said, patting them on their shoulders.

I had taken a step when I paused. Rummaging in my pockets, I brought out two silver coins and placed them in the men’s palms.

“Hazard pay.”

They looked at it with confusion.

“Soon,” I said, “it will actually buy things.”

They nodded in unison. Their confidence in me was frightening.

We pushed through the trees and entered a clearing.

A view that belonged in fantasy books revealed itself.

The tall and thin Levik, his leathery skin angry red and clothes stained, was standing in front of a massive wok full of murky brown liquid. The liquid that emanated unimaginably horrible stench as it boiled from the heat of the roaring fire beneath it. He was swirling it around with a large wooden paddle, his eyes focused, as he sweated buckets. He even had a bulbous nose. The only thing missing was a large pointy hat with a wide brim.

The squat Danel arrived, covered in sweat, carrying a large bucket of the liquid. He groaned as he hoisted it up and dumped the contents into the boiling mass.

“Be careful, you dolt!” Levik snapped, as some of the liquid splashed out.

“Shut yer trap. I’m tired.”

“I see you two have already begun the work,” I said, approaching.

Both men jumped.

“Milord,” they said in unison.

“You’ve done good work there,” I pointed to the hillside.

We could see more details from this angle.

Not only had they separated the soil into long horizontal mounds, they had carved trenches below them, which must catch the rain water that leached the chemicals out of the soil. Those trenches then led to a big one, which emptied its contents into a small pond.

That pond was almost full now, with brown murky liquid.

Instead of fighting rain, these two had utilized it to their own purpose.

“Not just good, but amazing work,” I said. “I was worried the rain would have washed away the chemicals.”

“Jus’ doin’ our work, milord. Nothin’ more,” Danel said proudly.

Then my pulse picked up pace. “Did you line the pond with clay?”

“We did, milord.,” Levik replied. “The trenches as well. We wouldn’t let the water flee into the soil.”

I took a sigh of relief. “As I said, amazing work.”

Their shoulders squared with pride.

“We’ve already made some,” Danel said, pointing to a burlap sack lying against a rock.

I couldn’t help but smile.

A whole sack. Not a lot for a cannon, but for a gun, that was hundreds of shots.

We were almost there.

“We’ll take it,” I said, taking a step forward.

“Let me, master,” Aldren said, pulling the sleeves of his tunic back.

The boy wasn’t as thin as before, but I doubted he could lift a sack that large and heavy.

Still, he walked forward and tried, and failed.

The sack barely moved.

He tried again, groaning with effort, and failed again. His face reddened.

Tobin snorted beside me, until I sent a glare his way.

Fennar stepped forward, but I stopped him with a hand.

I went to the dejected boy and lifted the sack myself, with one hand, which only made Aldren lower his head further. Only when I turned did I understand what was happening.

The two girls were making eyes at the quick-witted Tobin and the well-built Fennar, leaving Aldren alone.

“There’s plenty of fish in the sea, Aldren,” I said to the skulking teenager. “And you’ll soon be a bigger catch.”

He blinked in confusion.

I bet he already had the attention of some girls, given how he was my pupil, but must be just as oblivious as the rest of men were at his age.

I turned to the two men. “Keep up the good work. I’ll send more men to help you.”

They nodded.

“And Danel?”

“Milord?”

“Do try to not spill our future on the ground.”

He nodded sheepishly, while Levik sniggered beside him.

“Back already?” Aprilia asked, removing a handkerchief from her nose.

“Yes, my lady,” I said, bowing. “Thank you for making sure Danel and Levik had everything they needed.”

“Just doing my part,” she said, smiling.

Hefting the sack on the front seat beside Wenik, I followed the rest into the cabin.

It didn’t take long for the carriage to reach the Bay.

We got out to a noisy coast, which used to be pristine and calm only a few months ago. Adzes, chisels, creaky wheels and voices clashed for dominance.

Women were hauling stacks of compressed earth blocks, children whatever they could lift, while men groaned under the weight of beams of timber.

The four insulae were coming along well, growing taller each day.

The construction was happening on only one side of the shore of Wendau. It irked my symmetry-obsessed mind, but we didn’t have the time and effort to spare for building on both sides.

As we approached, conversation died. Unwelcoming but deferential eyes looked at us, and lowered the moment I looked at them.

Careful. Evaluating.

Someone left to inform somebody.

As we walked past the construction site, the coast spread out in front of us.

Salt, tar and seaweed. Another overpowered them all; ammonia.

Aprilia gave me a dirty look.

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

Men were shoveling soil from the deck of the ship that had accompanied mine into small carts.

My own ship was moored at a distance. The other two were anchored in the harbor.

Small boats dotted it, catching fish.

Much to my dismay, it had become a staple dish.

Thankfully, I could just ask for something else to be cooked.

An older man approached us, a young man at his side.

I recalled the older one was the same sharp-eyed man who had questioned me on the behalf of the immigrants. Judging by his looks, the younger one looked like his son.

Aprilia instantly turned into my secretary. “Sire, this is Master Wolmar, the leader of the immigrants. He is also the senior-most shipbuilder.”

The man bowed deeply.

I inclined my head in return.

Sharp eyes, protected by thick, bushy eyebrows, carefully looked at me.

“Master Wolmar, how are your people faring?” I asked.

His jaw tightened.

“Well, my lord,” he replied in a guarded tone.

I waited.

He took a long breath before meeting my eyes.

“The people are uneasy.”

“About?”

“Everything.”

“That’s a bit too much. What were you promised?”

“My lord?”

“When you were sent here, what were you told?”

“That we were to help the Queen’s betrothed build docks and ships.”

“That’s what you will be doing here.”

“But—”

“You didn’t expect to be doing it in the middle of nowhere?”

He nodded silently.

“You aren’t in the middle of nowhere.” I pointed to the road behind the insulae. “We have certain facilities in Chadom that we will not allow anyone to see.”

His eyes went to my guards’ crossbows. He nodded in defeat, if not understanding.

“It’s not a permanent arrangement, Master. Once your people have built some trust with mine, we will welcome you in Cradle.”

“Thank you, my lord, but the people are afraid about animals snatching their children.”

“We have soldiers posted here every hour. And you’re not in the middle of a forest, where a predator can approach unannounced.”

“They are not here for the animals, but us!” the younger man besides him said out loud.

“Rennar, be quiet!” the older man chided him.

I turned my attention to the angry young man and realized he was one of the doofuses who had been eyeing the soldiers’ weapons when I arrived.

I sighed and looked up to collect my thoughts. Lying would ruin the foundation of trust I wanted to build with these people.

“Both,” I said truthfully. “Also, I specifically asked Her Majesty to send me men with families, so you couldn’t just run away.”

The younger man’s eyes glowed with triumph.

“So you are holding us hostage!” he shouted.

“Odd word for someone who came here by choice.”

“We—we didn’t know where we were going!”

“Rennar! You promised me you would behave,” his poor father hissed. Then he turned to me. “Forgive him, my lord. He’s a fool.”

I didn’t say anything, but it was hard to suppress a smile.

“As I said yesterday, those insulae are for you. Each can house seventy-five people.”

“Why would you give them to us?”

“Where else are you going to live? There?” I pointed to the town of tents to our left. “Those won’t be enough in the winter.”

He just looked at me, dumbfounded.

“I know you are used to powerful people who don’t give two hoots about those below them. I am not one of them.”

His scowl reappeared. Apparently that was the wrong thing to say. I didn’t have time and patience to convince him, so I looked at his father.

“If you don’t want to freeze in the winter, help my builders in finishing the insulae.”

“We will, my lord,” Master Wolmar said, bowing deeply. “About the ships…”

“What about them?”

“The timber that we brought with us was barely enough to build the docks and a few boats. Your men told us they don’t have any to spare.”

“That’s fine.”

His spectacular eyebrows rose.

“We don’t need new ships right now. The four we have will suffice. But… I do want to modify them.”

His eyebrows came together. “Modify?”

“Yes,” I said excitedly. “You were provided with rolls of canvas, weren’t you?”

His eyes darted away.

“Master?”

He didn’t answer for a heartbeat.

“We…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Used it.”

“For what?”

His hand rose up slowly, then pointed to the settlement.

My eyes followed.

I was confused at first, until I noticed the tents.

They looked rather new.

My heart sank.

“God damn it.”