Hearthglen

by Daniel Schinhofen

  Sean chuckled, “Knox, what about the place you were talking about when I was looking for a shop. You own it, right?”

  “Yeah?” Knox said a little uncertainly.

  “I hereby convene the first Smith bathhouse meeting,” Sean grinned. “Knox owns the property. I suggest we all chip in to fix it up and make it a bathhouse right down in our end of town. Figure out the prices we’d need to sustain it, then double that and reverse engineer how many customers we’ll need to make that goal. Any extra over costs at the end of every year gets split into equal shares and passed around to those who went in equally to the endeavor.”

  “Won’t I be the one with the most invested?” Knox asked.

  “Depends, I know people who can Shape wood. Think about all the work that place needs and how easy it will be for them to renovate it into what we really need,” Sean said.

  “What would the rest of us bring?” Avery asked.

  “Coin to pay these two,” Sean motioned to Watercaller and Stoneeyes. “Copper pipes, which I’ll get into the perfect condition after you make them.”

  “I’d be interested in this endeavor,” Gertihs chimed in. “I’d pass on the coin at the end of the year for a discounted price on bathing for my family.”

  “Your family is huge,” Watercaller snickered. “That might lose them everything.”

  “I said discount, not free,” Gertihs said. “Besides, it will help cement our growing friendships.”

  “I could discount my service for the same thing,” Stoneeyes commented.

  “Fine, I’ll go in too,” Watercaller said quickly.

  “This is quickly getting out of hand,” Joseph said. “Is everyone here interested in this idea?” When everyone nodded, Joseph chuckled, “Fine. Knox, it’s your property, you’ll have to be in charge of it. You’ll get half of all profits before we split the rest.”

  Knox nodded, “Okay. I think we’ll need more wood for the Shapers if we want to really make it work.”

  “I have a few unique ideas I wanted to try for my bathhouse that I’ll test. If they work, our smithy bathhouse will be different than anything else in the city,” Sean said, thinking of hot running showers. “It’ll take me a tenday or two to work out the kinks, but I’ll get it figured out.”

  All eyes went to Sean briefly, but Sam’s laughter drew their attention. “I’m in. I’ll fund as much as needed. If Sean has ideas that are unique and has faith in them, I’m sold that they’ll work better than we can even dream of.”

  “Strong words,” Joseph said with a pensive look. “Okay, we’ll need someone to figure out costs first.”

  “I’ll gladly take that on,” Gertihs said. “I know the right people to have them work out what will be required. I’ll have an answer on Oneday.”

  “Sounds like the next few tendays just got even busier,” Sean laughed. “We all Agree to take part and pay our fair share of getting it running. Knox will take half the profit and the rest will be split amongst us, with Stoneeyes and Gertihs passing on their share of profits for discounted use of the bathhouse. Agreed?”

  Everyone Agreed and the weight settled over them. Knox looked stunned, but raised his glass. “To our new venture.”

  Cheers rang out around the table, causing other customers to look over at them briefly. Lilly came by the table to see if they needed refills with a smile on her face.

  Hours later when Ryann and Sean were heading home, Ryann finally spoke up, “Sean, was that wise with the healer’s debt hanging over the family right now?”

  “It’ll take Myna and Fiona to do some Shaping at the bathhouse, and maybe me, too. It’ll still go faster than people think. It’ll work out, because it won’t cost us a single coin. I’ll talk with Fiona tonight, but I think she’ll agree with me.”

  “Why take the risk, though?” Ryann asked.

  “Because my friends deserve something special. If I get my ideas to work right, it’ll be something special indeed, and I won’t be the front man, which I like.”

  “I’ll never understand you, but I find that I don’t mind that,” Ryann smiled. “You really do care about those close to you.”

  “Yes,” Sean said, patting her shoulder. “I care for you all more than the others, though.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Ida was fully recovered the next morning, so she, Ryann, and Fiona went to look in on the proposed bathhouse to get an idea of the work that would be needed for it. Myna and Andrea headed out back to get some sparring in early. Chastity went down to open the shop for the day and to get things ready for Maridis to take to the market.

  Sean, kettle in hand, went to the sitting room and got things set up for training Derrin Werrick. He was sipping some tea, but stood when someone knocked on the door. “Come on in, Derrin.”

  Entering the room, Derrin gave Sean a broad smile. “I’m ready to learn, sir.”

  “I’m sure you are,” Sean said, pulling Mage Sight up in his left eye. “You’re probably bursting with stored energy and ready to take on the day.” Energy swirled in the young man, even more than Hans had from what Sean could see. “Have a seat. We’re going to have you starting with separating metal today.”

  Once Derrin was seated, Sean handed him a one-pound bar of copper. “We’ll start slow. First, separate the bar into ten separate but equal pieces.”

  With a growing smile, Derrin cradled the bar. “Do I feel the metal to tell if they’re equal?”

  “That’s right,” Sean replied. “You’re a fast learner, Derrin. Let’s see what you can do.”

  Hours later, Derrin had advanced past Hans in both energy levels and skill. “You’re very quick on the uptake, Derrin. You’re seem to have a real feel for how the Talent should work.”

  Beaming, Derrin bowed his head, “You flatter me, sir.”

  “I don’t flatter. I’m being serious, Derrin. During the next tenday, I want you to use a little Shaping when you do your smithing. Don’t overdo it, just make little touches to help smooth out any rough parts.”

  “Yes sir… Um, sir, is it true you’re leading a new project to build a communal bathhouse?”

  Sean snorted, “Everyone at the inn last night is going in on it. It’s not me leading it.”

  “Oh... from what dad was saying at breakfast, it was your idea and you’d be handling most of the Shaping for it,” Derrin said, deflating a little.

  “Oh. Hoping to help out with that, were you?”

  “A little, yes.”

  “Maybe next tenday, if we have any pipes roughed out, we can see about perfecting them. Just remember to keep it secret from the others.”

  “Yes, sir,” Derrin said, standing tall.

  “Head on home. I’m sure your dad can use you in the forge.”

  “I’ll see you next Tenday.”

  Walking Derrin out to the front, Sean was surprised to find six very attractive ladies in the shop speaking with Chastity. When he walked in, one of them looked directly at him. “Lilly? I take it this is half the inn staff?”

  “Not even close, but it is half of us maids,” Lilly grinned. “Some of the kitchen staff asked us to buy some for them.”

  “You mean Roberta’s family? They are more than welcome here,” Sean said. “You’ve seen one of my wives.”

  The maids’ smiles all became a bit wider. “You really don’t mind at all?” Lilly asked. “I wasn’t sure if it was just your wife that you were comfortable with.”

  “As long as they aren’t trying to hunt me down and kill me, I’m fine with any Moonbound,” Sean replied.

  “I’ll let them know,” Lilly said.

  “I notice that the rest of you aren’t as talkative as Lilly,” Sean said, giving the others a wry smile. “Or does she just run roughshod over you?”

  “You’re her customer, sir,” Bemin, the maid who had spoken up for Ida during the magistrate trouble, said. “We try not to hamper anyone who has taken on a new customer, even if my customer base has mostly disappeared over the last tenday.�
�

  “Shapers?” Sean asked.

  “Yes, but I’m not mad about that. Most of them were not the most respectful to others. The ones who were are now with you over at the smith’s table.”

  “Ah, I cost you some of your business, then,” Sean said. “Chastity, give the ladies a discount.”

  “As you wish, sir.”

  “You didn’t have to do that,” Lilly grinned, “but we’ll accept it. Especially since a few of us were thinking of getting some custom-made clips done.”

  Sean took Chastity’s unused seat and pulled a few blank clips from under the counter. “If you tell me what you want, I’ll make them right now.” All six women crowded forward, trying to be the first to get a custom hair clip. Sean held up a hand, “One at a time, and we’ll go by seniority at the inn.”

  Lilly giggled, “Looks like I’m first.”

  “Somehow, I’m not surprised,” Sean replied as he placed the hair clip on the counter. “Now describe to me in detail what it is you want, please.”

  The maids all left a while later with new hair clips in hair and hand. Sean was still not sure what to make of the hair clip he had Shaped for Lilly. Why she wanted a figure of herself nude, he couldn’t even begin to guess, but her shock when he gave her his best guess as to her shape still made Sean blush.

  “We’ll be sending the others down in a bit,” Lilly said as she paused in the door. “I have errands to run, so if they take too long, I might not be here for custom orders. But I’m sure they won’t keep you waiting,” Lilly giggled as she left.

  “Those are the maids from the Oaken Glen?” Chastity asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “They asked if I was looking for extra work,” Chastity mumbled. “I couldn’t wear those low cut tops.”

  “I’m sure you’d wear it fine,” Sean said without thinking. Chastity’s face began to burn, and Sean realized what he had said. “I meant… hell.”

  “I didn’t know you looked at me in that way, sir.”

  “I haven’t… I don’t... I mean... I… I’m going to go check on the others.” Sean fled the room, his own cheeks burning at his gaffe and inability to correct his sentence.

  Now she thinks you’re a letch and a pervert. Fucking hell... I mean, she is one of the bustier women in the house, but I hadn’t meant to… ugh. He walked into the dining room and saw Myna and Andrea sitting there, having some tea.

  “Master, is everything okay?” Myna asked upon seeing him.

  “Just sticking my foot in my mouth,” Sean sighed. “We need to go collect your new armor from the leatherworker. We’ll pick up Ryann on the way and send Ida back here to Shape some more hair clips. More of the Oaken Glen maids should be by shortly.”

  “Very well. Andrea, after you finish, make sure to go back down and practice the drill I gave you. Once you do the repetitions, you can go back to your normal work,” Myna said.

  “Yes, Myna. I hope your day has been good, sir.”

  “Derrin is coming along fast,” Sean said. “We’ll be back, hold down the fort while we’re gone.”

  Myna and Sean were out of the house a minute later. “Speaking of coming along quickly, all of our family is coming along when it comes to weapons training. It’s a little frightening to see how much we’re all improving.”

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Always, Master.”

  “When Ida was incoherent and mumbling the other day, she mentioned having to wait for Ryann. Do you know what she was talking about?”

  Myna gave him a confused look, then shook her head. “Both of them are thinking about Bonding for more than just a year,” Myna said slowly, knowing how Sean would react if she spelled it out.

  “Oh. Ida doesn’t have to wait for Ryann for that, but I’m not sure either of them should be thinking of extending their Bond yet.”

  Myna just took his hand in hers, “I’m sure they’ll come to an arrangement soon. Don’t worry, Fiona and I are watching them both to make sure there aren’t any issues.”

  “Thanks,” Sean said, giving her hand a squeeze. “You and Fiona have really made things easier for me.”

  When they made it to the building being turned into the new bathhouse, the front door stood open and Sean could hear people inside. Entering, they saw Ida sitting against a wall with a cup in her hand, while Ryann and Fiona were talking softly across the room.

  “How’s it going?” Sean asked.

  “It’s going to take a lot of work, but we can manage it,” Fiona said. “I’ll be down here for the next two tendays probably, fixing and rearranging. If you can give me some more energy, that would make things easier for me.”

  “I could use a little more too, sir,” Ida said.

  “She was trying to do too much,” Ryann commented.

  “I didn’t think it would be that hard... Fiona made it look easy,” Ida frowned.

  “For me, it is. I have years more experience in this than you, Ida. The fact that you managed it— even if you did overexert yourself— is amazing all on its own, but don’t do it again.”

  “Yes, Fiona.”

  “How about you, Ry? Do you need more?” Sean asked.

  “I’m fine. I take it we’re going to pick up the armor?”

  “Yeah, and I was going to send Ida back to the shop. The other half of the Oaken Glen employees should be coming in for hair clips. I did a lot of custom orders already for them this morning, so I expect they’ll want the same.”

  Rising up as energy flooded her system, Ida bowed her head. “I’ll handle it for you, sir.”

  “Don’t do too much on the first day, hon,” Sean told Fiona before giving her a kiss. “We still have sparring later today.”

  “I’ll be fine, dear. Go get armor for your guards.”

  Ida went back to the shop, while Sean, Ryann, and Myna went on to Jefferson’s Leathers. When they arrived, Jefferson was in an argument with a rough looking man holding a hide.

  “I don’t care what others have said: I can’t pay that kind of price for any hide, even if it is Canine Moonbound. I’d have to get it tanned and that costs money. Now piss off.”

  Growling, the man stormed out and bumped into Sean, who didn’t move at all. Staggering back, the man reached for a sword on his hip before his hand fell away. “Watch it.”

  “You ran into me,” Sean said stiffly as he stepped aside. “I wasn’t expecting you to charge the door like that.”

  Storming off, the man grumbled and complained the whole way. Sean shook his head and gave Jefferson a shrug as the door shut. “People, am I right?”

  “Them hunters are a rough lot, but he should know better than to try selling me uncured hides,” Jefferson snorted. “You’re here about the armor and sheaths, right?”

  “Yes,” Sean nodded.

  “Come on into the back, you two. We’ll double check that it all fits like it should.” Jefferson opened the door and motioned them to follow him.

  “I’ll be right here. Once you’re kitted up, we’ll head home,” Sean said as Ryann glanced at Sean. “I’ll be fine.”

  True to his word, Sean was fine the entire time. When Ryann and Myna came out of the back, Sean took a good look at them. The leather armor consisted of chest protector, helm, arm guards, and thigh guards. In Ryann’s case, it also included the sheaths for her two blades.

  “That looks good,” Sean told them. “Move okay?”

  “Everything fits perfectly,” Myna said. “Ryann is still getting used to the feel of it.”

  “Not used to having the extra weight, nor the straps holding it all in place,” Ryann said. “It all fits well. I’ll adapt.”

  “Sounds good. Did my payment cover it all?” Sean asked.

  “The sheaths came from the leftover leather from the armor, so we’re fine,” Jefferson nodded. “Your wife said you might send more work my way in the future.”

  “I just feel we should all have a set, in case,” Myna told Sean. “It’ll come later, but I think i
t’s a good idea.”

  “Probably not a bad idea to get chest guards, at least,” Sean nodded. “We’ll be back once more coin is available, Jefferson.”

  “I’ll look forward to it. It’s nice dealing with people who just pay and let me work.”

  “Ain’t that the truth,” Sean laughed. “Let’s go home, ladies. We have sparring and then the bathhouse to hit tonight.”

  “When are we getting ours?” Myna asked.

  “Tomorrow,” Sean chuckled.