As Tabitha led them upstairs to meet the family, I stopped at the first office I came to and grabbed a quill, ink and parchment. I knew that taking in the strays from my province would require help from my family. I wrote a note to Father.
Father, Tabitha and I have put a stop to girls that are too young working in the pubs of our province. Now we have girls sleeping in the streets when their families put them out. We just brought a dozen to the castle, but there will not be room for them all, long term. If you could recruit Aunt Alice to make a building, that would be a lot of help. If you’re bored, you could get your plumbing crew and have some fun.
Let me know what you think,
Seth
I dropped the note on his breakfast table. He still ate in the kitchen with the help and I supposed that he always would, which made me smile.
I went out to the castle gates and talked to the Captain of the guard. He was a middle-aged man who looked as though he might have children of his own. I explained what Tabitha and I had decided to do.
“That is a wonderful thing, My Lord. Almost every year we hear of some girl freezing because she can’t find a warm place to sleep. The boys in the province can always find work tending cattle or working with the farmers. They’ll be given warm places to sleep, even if it is in a barn. The girls end up on the street or taken in someplace they shouldn’t be. I’ll make sure any girls that wander up are escorted inside.”
“Thank you, Captain. I’m expecting the King to show up soon and I hope he’ll bring Lady Alice and Davie the Mage. If he does, there should be quite a show out by the farmhouse. If you or your men make it out there, be sure they are quiet. Lady Alice is a very kind lady, but hates noise when she’s working.”
“I’ll pass that along and I hope I can see her work. We’ve all heard the legends, of course, but have never seen anything first hand.”
I smiled. “Then you really should try to catch her working. It will be something you’ll never forget.”
He saluted and I took my leave. I went back to my room, tapped lightly on the door and went inside. My room looked like a boyhood fantasy gone mad. Everywhere I looked there were young ladies talking and laughing. It was hard to believe that this was the same group that had looked so lost and hopeless a short time before. They’d gathered into groups with my consorts, the sisters, and Tabitha. Tamia was even there, running from group to group, getting attention from everyone. Tabitha was on the bed feeding David and waved when she saw me. I smiled and tried to make my mind think of this as a fantasy scenario, but my thoughts would only dwell on the responsibility that I was taking on. We had no idea how many young ladies were out on the streets around the country. I had a feeling that word would spread to other provinces that Starford would take in girls without homes. If that happened, we could be flooded with more than we could handle. As it was right now, some girls might be sleeping on the floor of my room and the girls’ rooms for a while.
There was a tap on the door and it opened as I walked to it. My father, mother, Davie, and Lia came in. The room went silent as the girls bowed their heads and curtsied, with one notable exception.
“Grandpa! Grandma!” rang in everyone’s ears as Tamia charged the newcomers. The solemn silence was broken with giggles around the room. My father hugged Tamia and passed her off to my mother.
“It looks a bit crowded in here, son. Let’s talk outside.”
I laughed and led the way out to the courtyard. The place was packed with wizards. My female siblings had all rallied to the cause and had volunteered to help.
Father put his hand on my shoulder. “This is a big responsibility you’re undertaking. Are you sure you want to do this?”
“Tabitha asked me to, Father.”
He grinned. “I understand and I know that you’ll call if you need anything. Why don’t you walk us out to where you’d like us to work? Aunt Alice is excited about getting to build something again, and we have crews for a water tower and windmill. Davie came along to make holes for heat, water or both. I think we have enough supplies with us, because I’ve been having stuff gathered since I got your letter.”
I smiled, happy that they were so enthusiastic about the project. “Father, the place that I was thinking that we should build on is really close to the farm on the west side. I have given that farm to a group of young ladies, and I should ask them before we just drop a building on them.”
“Good idea. Will you be able to get them or would you like Davie to help?”
“They’re in my room; I’ll have no trouble getting them.”
Davie was in my head. “With all that strange magic that’s been swirling around you and your sister, I didn’t think you’d have any trouble.”
I chuckled. “Having a Naiad in your family tree makes odd things happen.”
I focused on the four sisters and ported them out to us. When they got over the shock of the sudden transport, they looked around. They saw my father and curtsied.
He smiled. “Ladies, my son has told me that you may be willing to let us build on your land. We’ll have to build a very large building to house all the young ladies that will be sure to show up this winter. I’d like to compensate you by putting running water in your home.”
Heather glanced at me and then stepped forward. “Your Majesty, if Seth would like to have the building for the girls on the farm, that’s all we need to know. No compensation would be required.”
“Thank you, young lady, you’re too kind. We’ll run water for you anyway.” He looked at me. “She’s not a mere farm girl to you, is she, son?”
I laughed. “This is Heather, and she’s my newest consort. Her sisters had considered becoming consorts, but we had a situation that changed their minds.”
Holly and Jasmine blushed and looked at their shoes, but Rosemary stepped forward and put her hand on my shoulder. She spoke softly, “I heard about that, but it didn’t change my mind. I just wanted you to know that.”
Father chuckled. “Then we’ll have to do an extra fine job, since we’re working for family.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
When we got to the farm, Jasmine pointed out a huge area that would be fairly close to the well and wouldn’t be in the fields. She even made sure it wouldn’t block the sun from the herb garden near the house.
I put an arm around Heather and one around Rosemary. I guided them to a place where there was a pile of soft, dry grass and the four of them sat. I told them I’d be right back and ported to the apartment. I interrupted and told everyone that the wizards were about to go to work. They all wanted to go, so I had Raven, Lia and Celina assist me and we ported the whole group to a spot out of the way. I went back to the sisters and sat down. Rosemary took my hand and cuddled against me.
I whispered to her, “So, Holly did tell you her reason for not being a consort right now?”
She turned an adorable pink and whispered back, “Yes, she did tell Jasmine and me. Jasmine decided to think about it for a while too. I can tell by the way you look at me that you care about me. I think that because of that, you’ll be your normal, tender self and not hurt me. I still want to be your consort, Seth. Regardless of how… well-endowed… you are.”
I gently put my hand on her thigh. She jumped and looked at me questioningly. I winked, smiled and nodded at her. An ear to ear grin caused her eyes to crinkle and we settled down to watch the activity.
The wizards were swarming the area around the well and the open area that Heather had pointed out. I saw Aunt Alice begin stepping off an area and knew that the building was going to be huge. I was as fascinated as everyone else, because I’d never seen her work a project this large, either.
She finished pacing and stood at the spot from which she’d examined the field. She stood quietly, not moving, and a hush settled over the area. The birds even seemed to feel the power that she was preparing and quieted their songs. I looked around and saw the guards from the castle lining the road.
Aunt Alice put h
er arms out to focus and the ground started to rumble. I watched the faces around me and saw emotions run rampant. Everything from fear to awe was in the eyes of the audience. At the site, four rock walls rose in a giant rectangle. At ten feet high, they stopped and then raised another half foot with an even louder rumble. She stepped to the south and the rumble started again as a rectangular, solid stone slab pushed itself to the surface.
I activated my telepathy. “Raven, come with me, please.”
I flew fifteen feet into the air so Raven could spot me and she flew to me. I took her hand and we flew down to the building site, landed and walked up to Aunt Alice. I scanned her as I walked and could see her magic was already over half way down from the huge undertaking.
“Aunt Alice, I’d like you to meet my consort, Raven. She’d like to shake your hand while you’re between projects.”
Aunt Alice gave me her long-suffering smile and extended her hand to Raven. “It’s very nice to meet you, Raven.”
Raven knew why I’d brought her and gave her magic a push when Alice took her hand. Raven commented, “This is a very impressive skill you have, but it does use a lot of magic.”
Alice looked at me and then back at Raven. She pulled Raven into an embrace. “My stars, you have a wonderful talent! Does that take much out of you?”
Raven laughed. “It doesn’t seem to drain me at all, My Lady.”
“Alice, my name is Alice to you! This is going to be a huge project, but if you wouldn’t mind lending a hand, it will go a week faster.”
Raven grinned and happiness shone in her eyes. “It would be an honor to work on this project with you, Alice. I’ll stay back out of the way and you can signal any time you need me.”
Alice turned to me. “Thank you, Seth. I guess since you’ve become the family expert on magical drain blackouts, you’d need a girl like her around. I would have had to stop for a couple days on every floor, and your father would like a four-story building here. With Raven to help, I should be able to get the project done in three or four days.”
I hugged her. “Thank you for helping me help these girls, Aunt Alice. I would have had to pile them all over the castle, but I can’t let someone freeze if I can help them.”
She laughed. “You’re a young softie, just like your father was. I’m going back to work, now that I’m all charged up and ready. I love you, Nephew.”
I winked at Raven and flew back up to the sisters, found my spot and Rosemary found my hand. After the initial base for the building was raised, the construction started on a windmill tower. I could see Davie staring at the ground, making a heat sinkhole for the hot water. Father attached pipe to a pump and set it up on the well, then flew over to assist inside the box as Aunt Alice lowered huge slabs of stone inside. Aunt Alba spotted me in my blonde circle and ported over.
She sat in our group. “This is a wonderful thing you’re doing, Seth. You’re going to have to change the name from Starford to Women’s Shelter. There are three of you living here that can do magic. Have any of these girls considered testing? If you had a few wands around, they could help out with things. I heard about the men bothering these lovely ladies, and that wouldn’t happen with a few stun spells available.”
I laughed. “You hear about everything, don’t you, Aunt Alba? Feel free to ask any of them that you want. You’ll either have to take them to Wizard’s or train them here. I know there are some who wouldn’t be willing to relocate.”
I got nods from the sisters who had become consorts or been given their own farm. I didn’t think that any of them would want to go to Wizard’s and I was glad they didn’t. Even though Holly and Jasmine didn’t want to share my bed, I still had that protective feeling towards them.
Aunt Alba smiled happily and started mingling with the group that we had brought in this morning. I stood up to look at everyone and saw the Captain waving at me from the road.
I ported over and he shrugged, with a smile. “I had a feeling this would happen, Seth.” He pointed down the road toward the castle. A guard was walking toward us, leading six young ladies out to the construction site. I went down to meet them and then led them back to the group. The girls that had been there all day and were comfortable welcomed the new girls, and they started getting to know each other.
I went back to my spot with the sisters. “I may have problems, ladies. I know I can fit eighteen girls in the empty rooms in the castle if they double up. This is only our first day taking girls in and we already have that many. Aunt Alice won’t be finished with the building for four days. If more show up, they’ll be sleeping on the floor.”
Jasmine spoke in her quiet tone, “Tabitha said that the west side inn was yours, now. You could fit another thirty in there, if they doubled up.”
I motioned Jasmine to me and when she came close, I hugged her and kissed her cheek. “Thank you, that took a huge load off my mind. I should have thought of it myself, but that’s why we need women around.”
She gave me an odd look. “Really? I took a load off your mind and I get a kiss on the cheek? I said I was afraid to lie with you, not that I didn’t want to be kissed by you!”
I pulled her close again and kissed her firmly on the lips. She pulled away with her eyes shining. “Much more of that and I’ll have to change my mind!”
I grinned. “Really?” And I kissed her again.
She pushed me away, laughing. “Go nibble on Rosemary. She’s not as intimidated by your… by you as Holly and I am.”
I glanced at Rosemary and she waved me to her. “If you want to nibble, I’m here and willing!” She then turned a deep crimson and all her sisters laughed.
I excused myself and ported to the castle. I knew Alec would have something to say about me not walking, but everything was a rush situation right now. I informed the staff that we’d have at least eighteen girls staying with us and had the maids prepare all the empty rooms. I asked Rostand to prepare twenty pouches, with twenty-five platinum coins in each, from my personal vault. I went behind the maids and made sure that the rooms were comfortable and had all the bedding and pillows that our guests would need.
By the time I finished the rounds, Rostand was done and had the pouches in a big bag for me. “I think this is a really kind thing you’re doing. And since I know you’re using your own money to do it, it makes me think even more highly of you. You’re a very good man, Seth.”
“Thank you, sir. That means a lot, coming from you. When you want me to take of the Lordship part of my job, let me know. I thank you for covering for me for all this time.”
He chuckled. “All there is to running Starford is making sure the staff shows up when they should, but the cook and housekeeper take care of that. Since your wife has taken over payroll and purchases with the aid of the consorts, my life’s been gravy. Without this job, I’d have to locate work in a shop and I like it here better. Just continue doing what you’re doing and I’ll be perfectly content.”
I laughed. “I’m really glad to hear you say that. It makes me feel much better. Now if you’ll grab a gold coin for yourself and each of the staff, I’ll feel even better. They should get a bonus for all the extra work they’re going to have to do for a few days, and so should you.”
He grinned. “Thank you very much! I’ll pass on a pat on the back for you, too.”
I nodded and ported back out to the field. I found a large group of my female siblings and waved Lia over. The boys had always been closer to Lia than the other girls; I guess it was because she was so mean.
“Hey, sis, why don’t you take this bag and pass these pouches of money out to our sisters. They could go shopping for beds, mattresses, blankets, pillows and whatever else the female mind can think of. You could set up a landing spot for items to be ported into. If it rains before Aunt Alice is done, I’ll spend the night in a dome shield.”
“Wow, little brother! This is a lot of money. Is this all from your personal account?”
I nodded and she smiled. “I tho
ught that Davie was the tender-hearted one, but now we find out it’s you. I’ve also noted that you’re sitting in a crowd of blondes and haven’t whined about not having a girl.”
I laughed. “Now the castle won’t even hold all the women I have. Actually, I have a few and I’m content with them, because they love me. I’ve given up on that cultish dream of having any woman, at any time. Now I just want to take care of them and make sure they are happy and healthy.”
“Oh my stars, could it be that our little Seth has grown up?”
I rolled my eyes. “You should walk through the crowd to check sizes and then grab clothes that will either fit the girls as is, or could be easily altered. I don’t think that many of them have more than the clothes on their backs and winter’s coming.”
“Whew! He did grow up. You know I’ll do all I can, big little brother. I love you, Seth.”
“I love you, too, sister. Have fun shopping.”
The crowd of my female siblings began porting out for cities and towns across Eredwynn. Lia cleared the grass from a huge circle of ground between the construction site and the spectators. With a grin, she marked a large ‘X’ in the middle. Then she ported out, too.
I caught up with Father as he was coming out of the building. “Would you mind giving me a basic layout of the place? I think I have an idea for staffing the shelter, if you’re building it like I hope.”
All business, he answered, “We’re putting two offices with large apartments inside to the left. The right and center are going to be left open for cooking and dining. Near the end, along each wall further in, there will be a row of six rooms on each side. That should house two dozen right there, and Alice and I thought that your youngest could stay on the bottom floor. At the back, there will be stairs to the second floor. There it will just be rooms, twenty of them, which are fifteen by fifteen, per floor. Worst case, you could house over a hundred young ladies here.”
Seth, A Naiad's Son (Generations of Eredwynn Book 3) Page 26
