Ch: 48 It’s Flimsy Under There

Upstairs, after they tucked the little ones in bed, Gary paused at the door to the kids’ room. “No pressure, we can start working on your gear. We can decide if and where you want a Contract later. We start in the morning, two hours before first bell.”

 

“You said ‘we’ a lot, Gary and there aren’t any hours before first bell, you freak.” She whispered with fear in her eyes.

 

“See you in the morning!” He gave her the same sassy wigglefingered wave she had given to her elders earlier. “Not bright, but plenty early!”

#

 

Gary woke at his usual unholy time, as usual the whole gang was there. How all three kids got in every night without waking him was a real puzzle. 

He bundled Becky in a summoned blanket and toted her downstairs, still out cold. A little conjuration and she was tucked in a daybed behind a screen. 

He worked with chisels and scribes, cutting lines and whorls too small to see, in the body of her harp while singing softly to himself and tapping with a tiny mallet to the intricate beat. 

 

Very superstitious…

Writing’s on the wall…

 

#

 

When Becky woke downstairs, the sun was up and Shai had the little ones eating at a table near the open shutters. 

Watery sunshine sprinkled her family with the kind of misty eyed nonsense Shai liked, in those dumb books she was always reading.

That was so lame. She rolled out of bed, summoned a robe around herself with a thought and joined the party at the breakfast table.

#

 

Becky conjured a robe for herself with a shimmering twinkle. Very different from what Gary and Shai expressed, it caught their attention. 

Even Wilford noticed. “Sparkles.” He nodded with finality and went back to his apples and yogurt.

 

“Sparkles, Becky? That robe is something too!” It was a startling garden of wildflowers and autumn leaves. “All the colors?” He pretended to count with elaborate gestures. “Yup all of ‘em.”

 

“Wait a minute.” He leaned closer, peering at her shoulder. “Nice work, those tea roses are astounding…” Gary mumbled something about ‘...her bullion knot is better than mine…’ under his breath, before smiling brightly. 

“You can’t conjure anything you couldn’t make yourself Becky… Ohh you are gonna love being in a sewing circle with me ladies…” 

 

Shai just looked at him with dead eyes. “I will nae spend me days wi an embroidery hoop stitching fancies intae yer smallclothes boy.” She snorted derisively at him.

“Thou shouldst hae the making o’ flimsies fer me wi those cunning fingers…” She paled at her own ill thought out words and gasped. 

“Nae, twas nae permission ye lecherous jackdaw o’ ill omen! Dinnae look at me so, there be children in this house!”

 

“Too late…” He whispered, his voice as soft as a spring breeze. “I didn’t join the cult of Secrets, the cult of Secrets joined me…”

 

“Shai, I worry about you sometimes. It's almost like you enjoy his weird otherworld…” Becky said, getting up to go. “Nope, don’t wanna know! I’m off to see Esperanza before lunch, gotta see what she has in stock.” 

 

“Wait for me… I now also need some… fabrics.” Gary said, with a smile unfit to be seen by children. 

#

 

That was how Shai wound up home alone with the little ones while her sister and man went shopping for fabric to make pretty dresses. 

“Fie, Yer father be an odd one. He  do fret o’er who does this or that, an then does break his own custom wi nae a thought.” She told Amy and Wilford, while admiring the smooth gleaming lines of precise stitches in cunningly braided spider silk, running down her collar.

“He do make a lovely, pretty dress though… an the flimsies I did see in his memories, naughty things frae the other world… Tis nae fer thee tae know of Amy.” 

 

She watched them play for a while, as she dreamed idly. lost in thoughts of craft and her foolish man’s passion for making things for those he loved. Sensible things, practical things and silly things.

Like silken gowns and sheer, delicate things that barely covered, while nearly revealing… The very idea of something so useless and extravagant was ridiculous. 

Wearing loose flowing things was constraining… and too sensual. Silk would be too delicate, too smooth. 

Gary’s calloused fingers would rasp against it as he pulled it away from her. The contrast of his rough hands and her soft, pale skin, revealed slowly as sheer fabric crossed her trembling…

 

“Hello, Shai?” Tawny called from the common room.

 

“In the garden!” Shai sang out. Wilford and Amy had traded dolls for drums and were making a fine racket among the fruit trees. 

“Becky and that fool o’ mine hae gone tae the market.” Shai said, her face still flushed from her half dream, unrestrained emotions made her accent thicker. 

“They do plot making clothes fer all the orphan girls, I shall nae be surprised an he gets the tailors’ and seamstress’ guild in his hair as well.”

 

“Yes I saw him at Esperanza’s, looking at some interesting textiles.” Tawny smiled very slowly. “Sheers and lace it was. Making curtains?” Her smile became faintly sinister, as though some hidden agenda were taking shape unseen. 

“Something for the boudoir perhaps? To create an intimate atmosphere… in window treatments of course.”

“One wants something that drapes the frame, accentuating the unique attributes of that shape… architecturally speaking” She continued, smiling so cruelly, as though at some hidden joke.

“Light must pass through, granting hints of what lies within. Just glimpses mind you, subtle hints, faint suggestions. To tease and titillate.”

“From an interior design perspective of course.” Tawny said mildly, while her eyes danced with mirth.

 

“Tawny, what be yer point di… ye saw Gary an Becky did ye?” She growled. “Did that foolish pile of flyblown offal say summat unseemly?” 

She reached into her storage and pulled out the first gift Gary ever gave her. It was beautiful, a work of consummate craft and skill, enhanced by his gift, talents and innate desires. 

Steel and hickory melded together seamlessly, inscribed with whirling spiral grooves on the shaft, providing a secure grip, with or without gloves in any weather. The rolled steel step had enough mass to make a combat shovel worthy of a murderous, gardening gravdigger to haunt children’s nightmares.

 

Yorick’s spade, unique shovel/spear/ax. Digging/excavating/cutting/hewing/general shoveling receive bonuses to effect. In combat, shovel deals enhanced impact/cutting/piercing force against nonliving/unliving/undead objects/entities. Minor bonus when used for gardening.

 

The boy could not help himself, any master smith would accept this as a journey piece, enchantments be damned, were he not an orphan. 

He would never make a master smith… but he made pretty things… it would be a marvel to see what he stitched up, before burying him alive.

 

“Oh, what a lovely… shovel? I thought you did not enjoy gardening, Shai.”

 

“Tis a grave digging shovel Tawny me lass, an I shall bury that boy decently, after I do a bit o murder. Tis meet, fer blathering of me flimsies and his fancies in the market square. Dinnae fear, none shall find his corpse.” 

 

Tawny faltered, losing the plot a little. “Your what? Blessings Shai, I am lost with you right now! I came to wait for Gary, I wish to ask a personal favor from him when he returns.” She said slowly and clearly.

“Whatever has you so upset must be serious, do you want to talk? Oh, too late.”

 

“Tawny! Gary made Shai mad somehow! Hi! Wilford said you were coming!” Amy blurted out when she impacted the skirts of Tawny’s robes. 

Wilford bumbled over right after, scooting along surprisingly fast for such an unsteady gait.

 

“Healer.” Wilford said firmly.

 

“Yes, I’m a healer, Wilford. You remember me?” Tawny cooed, chucking him under the chin.

 

He breathed out through his nose explosively and stamped his foot. “Healer…” He repeated, holding her eyes with an unusual intensity.

 

“He’s not a baby Tawny, he just doesn't have the words yet.” Amy whispered too loud to conceal her words from anyone around. “He wants you to tell Healer to come by the house.”

 

“We don’t tell the gods what to do, we ask for their aid humbly or pray for guidance and wisdom.” She knelt, taking the strangely sober toddler by his leather clad shoulders.  

“Gary gets away with some things because he is moon touched and… why does he get away with all this nonsense?” She wondered aloud.

 

“Ducky.” He said firmly. 

 

“A duckie, did you lose some toy? Shai, Does Wilford have a favored ducky toy?” She asked her still flustered friend.

 

“Shh! Wilford, ye dinnae speak such.” Shai scolded. “We hae some things we may nae speak on freely yet. He do wish his name be left unspoken.” She explained sheepishly. “Tis some occult matter of names and Secret’s cult things”

 

“Regarding a ducky.” Tawny said mildly. “Like a duckling…”

 

“Aye, he do mean Marduk, god of Knowledge, whose name be nae yet known beyond we here. Dinnae spread that about please Tawny, tis nae yet time.” Shai had cooled significantly from her previous state.

 

“Wilford, I will pray to Healer, though I feel she will not enter the mortal world. You may Contract with her glory when you are older.” 

She was still kneeling, pinching his chubby cheeks and tickling his tummy, drawing giggles from the serious lad. When it was over he caught his breath, then carefully rearranged his shirt and jacket.

 

“Annie.” Wilford said with the mein of a judge granting clemency. Moments later the giant familiar came plodding out. 

She bit the boy’s collar in her enormous square teeth and hoisted him onto her back, where he clung like a monkey. 

Amy clambered aboard by some means not entirely clear to Tawny and they ambled away. Two tiny babes perched so high up and swaying to and fro as the beast walked around the garden.

 

“Well… I suppose now you can tell me what he has done to infuriate you.” Tawny said mildly. “We have a few minutes at least.”

 

“Ye know, thou didst vex me o’er it when ye came in, twere nae kind Tawny, ye know I dinnae… why be ye smilin so?”

 

“Shai, I came to ask Gary to help me with some…” She looked around conspiratorially. “Clothes. I can’t go to a tailor or seamstress in any town without my every purchase and detail being cast about for public consumption. Even my own sister cannot help but gossip and chatter like a magpie when her needles come out.” She looked around again, searching for eavesdroppers.

“I need Gary to make me some..” Her lips moved, but no sound came forth.

 

“Summat what? Mayhap I kin forge what ye need..”

 

“Underthings, Shai, I need new underthings woman, without Liam knowing what color I’m getting the day before I do.” She put her four fingertips to her pink lips with a tiny gasp of shock.

 

Shai’s murdershovel fell to the lawn with a dull clang. “Liam…? Knowledge? Ye can now… Aye T’would dilute war’s influence nicely an all…” Shai murmured to herself before she gasped, and swept her tiny friend up in a bone rattling, spinning hug. 

“Me apologies Tawny, tis new tae hae a god inside me. I dinnae think… Ohh! Aye! I shall crack the whip on that lad, an he troubles thee wi any sass do tell me an he shall be reckoned wi.”

“Shai, breathe, sick, Shai!” Tawny sputtered helplessly in the mad whirl. 

 

After an endless torment of crushing arms and the world spinning madly, Tawny collapsed on a couch.

“Fie, I did think… Gary did make broad hints of making some fanciful costume fer… Private time, I did think he bandied such talk in the market.” She said, sitting down beside the small golden woman with a huff.

 

“I know he would truly nae do such… truth be told, I do enjoy being cross wi him betimes. He do fluster so nicely. The making up be fine an all!” She said with a ‘just between us girls’ wink.

“Enough of mine, what of yours?”  Shai pressed close, invading what little space remained. “When an where? Do ye hae a plan?” 

Tawny blushed and nodded. “That is the other part of the favor I would ask…”

 

Shai’s face lit up with joy and amusement. “Ohh I see, Leave the where tae sister Shai. Ye decide the when, Gary need know nothing.” She giggled in a way that was new in Shai. it was particularly… Joyful.

 

“Your Liam now, he at least will nae be some fumbling oaf…” Shai began, before losing all focus. “He will hae some skill and knowledge of the game ere yet tumble him, nae like that poor boy o’ mine, so confused and lost…” She sighed.

“... wi clever fingers an a tongue of hot lightning… those trills…” She wandered off into thoughts of her own devising. 

 

A few minutes later, Annie deposited the children on a still ‘meditating’ Shai, who hugged them close on pure instinct. She then leaned on Tawny, pinning her in place as a pillow and nearly willing nap participant.

“Joy is outside the gate. She’s waiting” Amy said carefully, meeting Tawny’s eyes as the tiny girl blinked sleepily. “She wants you to know she will see you soon.”

 

Her big dark eyes and dusky brown skin made her so different from either of her parents, but still so clearly a part of them. Amy snuggled in with her brother and went to sleep with one tiny hand holding Tawny’s

#

 

When Gary got back with Becky and the cart, bristling with bolts of cloth in a variety of shades and textures. They found the knot of sleepers on the couch, unobtrusively being sketched by Dannyl.

Becky hopped off while Gary towed the cart around to his loading dock…

  The one that appeared when no one was looking. Not that it mattered, he finished unloading quickly. The cart rolled inside and vanished between eyeblinks. 

#

 

While any theoretical observer would have puzzled over that, they would have missed the disappearance of the loading dock as well.

Any observer witnessing the activities in the yard would find it interesting at least. With no outward effort, blankets appeared over the napping forms, settling only inches to land on them from nowhere at all. 

That observer could be forgiven for not noticing the massive red gold dog and the lithe, dangerous looking woman following behind. 

Such an individual would, however, fall gracelessly from their perch in a crooked olive tree, when hooked by the belt with a scabbarded spear.

 

With a thud, a slim young man in the off duty uniform of War fell to the muddy earth. Small sticks and withered olives rained down on him as he lay, gasping.

“Spy.” The scarred and tattooed woman said to the shadows nearby.

“No, Levin. What are you doing here boy? Did you run off? They won’t go easy on you unless you turn yourself in. Come lad, let's get you inside.” Khan said as he appeared from the darkness, clad all in brown leather now.

#

 

By afternoon Becky had arrangements made. A small corps of interested orphans would descend just after lunch twice a week to take over the common room for an hour of sewing and mending. Gary planned to loose his gifts on them, while laboring on his own projects down in the workshop.

Otho resumed his music lessons on the patio, moving them from the cavernous dining hall to accommodate his growing class of noisy youngsters. The dining room had the kind of acoustic profile you usually find in large open rooms. All echoes, all the time. 

Using the young musicians on the crafters inside seemed to be an efficient use of resources, so Becky and Otho conspired to have both  activities happen at once. By resources they meant Gary and his ‘tricks’. 

 

“You guys have anything else you wanna strap to my back before I lift this load?” He complained dramatically while helping the kids tune up.

 

Two tranquil weeks passed, flying by with exercise, training, lessons and crafts filling the days. 

Slow simmering kettles over the hearth and warm, yeasty loaves played counterpoint to those melodic days and peaceful evenings.

The ladies set about teaching Gary the beginnings of kitchen craft, consuming the long winter afternoons in warm, scented clouds of vapor.

 

Tallum, Ivy, Dannyl, Liam and a journeyman from the temple of Healer went on a five day patrol, with Luna, Khan and Annie supervising. 

They returned a day late, muddy roads slowing their travel, but with a nice haul of goodies in the pocket rings Gary had slipped them on their way out.

“Groundworms, a locust, two locusts! Wallowbear, spider silk, aww, even some lumber… you guys really care!” Gary enthused, swinging Amy around in a joyous whirl.  

 

The returning Bathers spent a good portion of their first afternoon back soaking in the bath, while the crafty members went over their gear. Gary and Shai sang together in the workshop, cleaning and mending their comrades’ gear in simple domestic bliss.

“We’re going to have to head out on the road soon, or at least me. Ducky and Thirp say I need to revisit the marsh, or somewhere near it to find a clue.” 

“They think there’s something there I need to investigate.” Gary told a small group in the bath that evening.

 

“I mislike taking the wee ones on the road…” Shai began.

 

“I was thinking just me, maybe a few volunteers, a couple days snooping around and back home before the week ends.” He took a deep breath and stood firm… while reclining in the bath. 

“I want you and the kids to stay in town and stay close… you too Becky, I have no idea what is going to happen.” Gary sat up higher, focusing on Shai. “I’ll play it safe, no risks that can’t be avoided.”

 

“Aye, because we shall be along, shepherding yer arse. No backtalk.” She snorted. “Wi thee an me tae pull the wee ones an Becky wachin’ o’er frae the cart, we kin be there an back ‘ere three nights pass.”

Becky backstroked by, towing Amy and Wilford as she lazily paddled along. “Yup. Family outing, you will be coming back intact. You really think we can let you wander off?”

 

“Esperanza sets out for port Sunderland, around the narrow sea and back home. We planned to depart in two days. Let us carry you to the joining of the waters and anchor there for a day or three.” Her smile glowed from below those sparkling brown eyes. 

“A family outing, as you say. Then you need only trot home on pleasant country roads.” She shuddered softly at the thought of ‘trotting’ and ‘roads’.

 

“Even better, I ride with you, then I scoot home solo, safe and fast.” Gary enthused, until the entire crew cut him off at the knees.

 

“Aye, ye shall wander the road alone. Tis a marvelous thought, till ye hae a fit or confusion an become truly lost.” Shai’s rueful laugh cut deeper than she intended, she pulled him to her and softly spoke. “I am nae done wi thee an am loath tae let thee wander unattended. Dinnae vex me on this, ye shall nae win.”

 

“If Tawny will allow Winslow to come along, Luna and I could ride in parallel on the River Road and accompany you.” Khan offered, sealing the deal as far as Shai was concerned. 

 

“An Tawny shall house mind whilst we are away, lest some vagrant should move in. Tis settled.” Shai announced with finality. “Kin we leave earlier, I would be done wi this an home ‘ere midwinter feast be upon us.”

 

From the corner where the quiet sailors lounged, the round rolling voice of one of the boat crew rose. 

“Esperanza is fit to sail at any time and has no pressing need. Since we shall not begin distribution of the sweets until midwinter. It is your next cargo of cacao and sugar we sail for, and some other things.” Dante said from his nearly submerged position by the waterfall.

 

“Why is Tawny house sitting? We can just pack up…” Shai kicked Gary under water while he was mid question. “Ohh, do you think if we move, they won’t let us build in town again… good thinking Shai.”

 

“Aye.. that were mine thoughts exactly…” She lied, while eyeing Tawny significantly.

 

“Well, I’m still packed from the last trip, why don’t I come along too?” Liam asked. “If there’s room…” 

 

“Esperanza is not rigged for passengers, but we have only light cargo going out. We shall make a comfortable place for as many as wish.” She said, bouncing happily. “We seldom allow guests, as you may imagine.”

 

For some reason Shai sent a fiery glance at the gregarious merchant. “Liam be needed here fer… administrative things, yes Otho?” Shai asked in a rush for some reason.

 

“Well I had thought to accompany this expedition and see for myself what might be unfolding. If Liam would remain in my place…” The old man shared a knowing glance with Shai.

 

Tawny, for some reason, had turned from golden, to the shade of molten bronze in embarrassment. She sank down in the pool until only her nose was above water.

“That settles it.” Becky slammed the deal closed with authority. “The Wards, Otho, Khan, Luna and Annie, we sail on Esperanza tomorrow and Tawny watches the house. Liam, You’re in charge of the orphanage.” 

She lounged back in the water smiling wide. “The high priestess has spoken.” 

A vast tidal wave washed Becky out onto the pavers without warning, her family laughed as the ‘high priestess’ scrambled back into the water. “Gods it’s cold out there.”

#

 

It was cold and misty on the river, the still air bit the children’s cheeks where their faces poked out of woolen blankets. 

Becky and Khan held the kids while Gary and Shai loaded the Mystery Machine on Esperanza’s forward cargo deck. Luna pretended to hold the reins of Annie, Winslow and a donkey named Flora, on loan from Harlan.

With a whistle from Esperanza, the crew cast off from Wheatford’s lone, slightly shabby public dock and set out down the current. Falco joyously took the lead, showing the way. 

 

Khan and Luna mounted, and rode off briskly, with Flora following along happily, carrying only a token load. They set off down the road following after the slow drifting vessel.

#

 

Esperanza’s largely empty hold quickly became a comfy home. A few tarps from the ship’s locker created walls, with a little clever rope work from Yuzef. Before long the young sailor had hammocks and bedding arrayed for the whole family.

 

Shai and Amy were creatures of comfort, they stayed below, wrapped in blankets and near the iron stove Yuzef  installed. A clever iron flue carried the smoke out through a small round porthole. 

The two boys and Becky took station on the foredeck, watching the mist rise and the trees slide past in complete silence.

Wilford sat on Gary’s lap, bright red cheeks and keen eyes taking in everything. Gary had his flute out, just idly letting his fingers roam over the holes, enjoying the subtle puffing sound, playing an almost silent tune just for himself.

 

“What is that? It sounds familiar.” Becky asked, listening closer.

 

“Christmas.”  Wilford said with his ‘hangin’ judge’ voice.

 

“Yes, Christmas. It needs a piano, when we get home I’ll try to do it justice.” He shifted awkwardly. “If we were home I could hit the pianoforte and conjure the sheet music from my memories… I’m getting spoiled.”

 

“I’ve been studying that at night, it’s weird but I think I see it helping with that polyphony thing you keep talking about. It’s really complicated.” Becky said, while getting as much of herself under the blanket they shared as possible.

 

“Complicated is where things get really fun. You’re studying enchantments right? It’s just like that, when you get different parts working together. They don’t need to be in true harmony, but they need to stay on the beat and come all the way home together.” He nodded as though that cleared everything up. “Everything is Jazz!” 

 

He turned his face fully to her, letting his fingers stop their movements. 

“So, who is the boy? Is he nice? Do I know him?” Gary smiled wide. “I don’t pay attention to gossip, so I thought hey, why not ask. If you say butt out, I’m butted out.”

 

Becky sighed softly. “It’s not a secret, remember trooper Levin?”

”Whoah! Dude is in his twenties!” Gary sputtered, disturbing Wilford. “No way, did he do something? I made Shai a special shovel once…”

 

“He’s sixteen Gary, and only just. He’s not an orphan, he’s a debt indenture, They have different rules.” 

Becky stretched out in the warming sunshine. Watching as the mist became ragged lace, rather than a felted wool blanket. 

“His parents are still in charge of his remaining contracts, but he works as a groom and horse handler to pay off his family’s debt.”

The cold mist and soft wind of their steady passage made it easy to talk for some reason. As though anything negative could just be left behind in their wake or lifted away by the breeze.

 

“So, is he nice, that was still the question. He was with Brennan, that’s not inspiring.” Gary hugged her gently. 

 

“He’s cute, he likes horses and Annie likes him, Otho is on the fence. The dog, old man Otho can go jump.” Becky reported dutifully. “I like walking in the market with him.”  She shrugged. “That’s enough for me right now.”

 

Gary gave her a big squeeze. “Lemme know if we need your sister’s shovel.” He whispered.

 

“Me and Shai have the same deal, same shovel. Something about killing you some morning.” She mumbled sleepily.

“That’s my girl.”