“Hi, Deena!” Deena was a little bit surprised to see how good Llani now looked. The shadows in her eyes had disappeared, and she looked happy. The little girl beside her had also filled out, even though she was still painfully slender. When she took a casual look around, she also noticed a few other things that surprised her.

“Llani, didn’t you guys just get here? How is there so much already done?” Elias chuckled.

“That man moves like the wind. The last time I was here, the foundation for the cabin was almost completed, but now, the entire base is finished, and the roof is framed in with split slats. What is he going to use to cover it in?” Llani smiled and pointed to a pile of roof tiles.

“We make them, and he fires them in the basic kiln he made over there. We don’t have quite enough to tile the entire roof, but tomorrow, he’ll put up enough for me and Coral to sleep under a roof.” She also pointed to another cleared area. “He just pulled the stumps over there. You can set up your tents over there, until you decide the proper place to build.” Elias nodded.

“Thank you, Llani. Have the masons arrived yet?” She shook her head.

“Not yet, but Leon knows when anyone is near.” She looked over Deena’s shoulder. “Leon, has anyone else arrived?” Deena turned her head to see if Leon was near. Her eyes bulged in her head, which caused her father to chuckle.

“Not yet. I think they might wait until tomorrow. When everyone sleeps.” He put a stone down on the ground, and set it down carefully.

“That....that’s bigger than me!” Coral giggled.

“He does that a lot. Father is really strong.”

 

 

“Father. You can’t sleep out here.” Leon looked down at Coral in surprise.

“Why not, Corrie?” She grinned. She liked when he called her a nickname.

“Me and mom don’t like sleeping alone. It’s not right that my father sleeps under the stars while we sleep in a tent alone.” He looked at Llani, but she wouldn’t look at him, and she wouldn’t tell Coral that it wasn't correct.

“And what does your mom say about it?” Coral grinned wider. She knew she had won.

“She didn’t say no.” Leon sighed softly. He had no strength to fight this little girl, let alone the one he cared for. “Aren’t we a family now?” He knelt down in front of her.

“Alright, Coral. I’ll sleep in the tent with you and your mom.” She smiled and lunged forward. She wrapped her arms about his neck, and relaxed.

“Thank you, father. Mom wouldn’t ask. She was afraid you would say no.” She whispered in his ear.

“If she wants Belford razed to the ground, I’ll do it for her. All she has to do is ask. Now go to your mom. I have a bit more work to do.”

 

 

“Yo, Elias!” The smith raised his head after he set the stone in place. It was the first one for his new forge.

“Tomas. I thought you would get here in the morning. You brought your family too.” He looked at the cart Tomas pulled, as well as the boy and girl on either side, and the sturdy woman behind the cart. She wasn’t idle. She helped to push when it got stuck on a root.

“Things are real weird in Belford right now, Elias. The guards are spooked, and each governor that rises up, quickly falls in a pool of blood. I don’t think they will get their wood stacked for the winter.” Elias chuckled. It was a simple statement, but it spoke about how disorganized someone was when they refused to stack the wood that would keep them alive.

“What about Randall?” Tomas rolled his eyes.

“That fool will try in the morning. I hope you don’t mind, but I invited Henri the potter, and Jukka the carpenter. They are decent folk, with a good work ethic.” Elias sighed.

“I didn’t invite anyone else because the lord of this area didn’t tell me to invite anyone else.” Tomas frowned.

“Where is this guy anyway? Why would he not invite good people?” Elias chuckled.

“It’s not because he wouldn’t invite good people. He just didn’t give his permission yet. And the guy you’re looking for is behind you.” Tomas walked to the side and saw a man with three long logs on one shoulder, and an axe in the other.

“Hi. I’m Leon.” He walked passed the cart and a now pale faced Tomas. His wife rushed to his side, and punched him on the shoulder.

“Idiot! What a great first impression!” He rubbed his shoulder, and frowned.

“Ah, Akko!” She growled again, and punched him harder.

“My name is Alina! Not old woman!”

 

 

“Leon, what about regular folk? The ones we’ve invited are skilled people, but regular people are needed as well. They provide labour or guards.” Leon thought for a bit.

“I’m not saying that we don’t invite regular people, Elias. I don’t want this area to be a refugee camp. I have no interest in people who commit crimes, or those who can only sit on their asses and wait for death. I was in agony, but I did what I could. I read books as that was all I was capable of. The people in your small town have two feet, two hands, and breath in their lungs. They can go out and dig out herbs, or root vegetables to feed themselves. What do they do though?” Elias sighed sadly.

“They wait for death.” Leon nodded.

“I prefer people who fight against it. If they sell their children, eat them, or leave them to die in the forest, they are not worth the effort to help.” Another voice came from the path to their camp.

“Good words. I hope you can live by them. I am placing a large amount of trust in you by bring my family with me.” Elias smirked.

“Hey, Tero, I wasn’t sure you were going to come with us.” Tero was outspoken, and blunt, but not a fool.

“When I saw what he did to the guards, I knew he might be able to prevent raids on my crops. I don’t want to keep planting in the forest. The yield is too low due to a lack of light. Its all I can do to feed my family though.” Leon was now quite satisfied with this farmer. He wasn’t lazy, but much smarter than the others of that town. He did what he could to protect his family. Leon could respect that.

“You can plant here for now. In time, this area will be where the first families have their personal gardens. It should be enough for you to farm until more land is cleared.” Tero frowned.

“First families? Nobility?” He watched Leon’s face grow grim at the mention of nobility.

“No. First families to move in here. Artisans and craftsmen are more valuable than those wastes of skin. Each family head will help with proper plans for the layout of the houses.” He looked at Tero, and decided to test him. “The ground here is black, from all the pine. Can you work with it?”

“The land is good, and fertile. I’ll have to add lime to sweeten it up, but it's still good farmland. It’s late in the season, but I should be able to plant a few things that could mature in time for the snow.” Leon smiled a bit.

“You work the land, I’ll get the materials ready for your home. Choose a place to set up camp. Just don’t go too far from my area for now. The wild animals around here are stupid, and should provide enough meat for us, but I can’t protect you if you’re too far away.” The young girl behind her mother tugged gently on her sleeve.

“Momma, do we have a safe home now?” Tero nodded at the question in her eyes.

“Yes, Alisa, we have a home that’s safe now. We have to work hard though.” Llani approached them from the side.

“There’s meat over the fire. When you’ve eaten, the children can help me to make roof tiles. The ones they make will be used to tile your own houses.” The woman smiled, but looked a bit misty. “Come on. Eat first. The stew over the fire has bubbled for a few hours. The vegetables are still firm, and the meat nice and soft.” Tero smiled warmly.

“Hella, introduce yourself and our children.” She looked at her husband and mock growled at him.

“I will, Tero!” She then looked around. “If you don’t mind me asking, what is that pile of stones over there for?” Llani smiled.

“For the walls that will surround our town.”

 

 

The small group of families were gathered around the fire, all members had a bowl of stew in their hands, and for the first time in a long time, some flatbread made with wild oats that had been found not far from the edge of the forest.

“I don’t remember the last time we went to bed with a full belly, momma.” Hella smiled down at her young daughter, a tear in her eye.

“It has been a while since we’ve eaten so well. There was a time when such simple meals were only for the poorest of people, but now, such simple bread is better than most people will eat this year.” Tero nodded, and looked at Leon.

“Even if we are attacked, or have to fight the wild animals out here, this thing that you’ve done for us....” He gestured to those around the fire, and the food in their hands. “I will remember this for the rest of my life. Thank you for allowing my children to eat a good meal.” He cleared his throat, as he felt it clog with emotions. “Their cheeks are so hollow, and their bodies far too small for their age.” Leon squatted down beside Llani and ruffled Coral’s hair affectionately.

“I understand how you feel. My daughter was barely a skeleton with skin when I first saw her.” His eyes blazed brightly, although Tero thought it was a trick of the fire flickering off the surface. “I work hard for her, and Llani. You work hard for your family. I respect men of moral character.” Then he stood up.

“Where are you going, father?” Leon looked out into the forest.

“I have something to take care of.” He left the axe by the fire. “Tero, Elias, make sure you stay armed tonight.” Llani sighed softly and put her head onto her knees.

“Where’s he going?” She lifted her eyes.

“He’s going hunting.”