Book 1: Chapter 16: New faces.

Book 1: Chapter 16: New faces.

The next several days passed in routine. Get up, milk the cows, check on the plants and proceed with menial farm work. Ishila helped construct scarecrows that were pretty much just poles with cloth and dead bird corpses hanging from them. Crude, but effective.

Carefully, and nervously, we walled off the mandrake plants as a temporary measure. We had been lucky insofar, but I refused to let something stupid like a rabbit yanking them free kill us all. That would be an insanely stupid way to end my new life, but I brooked no chances.

Even more carefully, we siphoned some of the acid from the pepper plant into metal flasks. It took considerable effort to attach thickened bags over the sprout of a puffer plant and let it furiously puff away all day to fill it with spores. Harvesting some metallic spheres from the bomb-plant was a loud and violent process, but we did it in the end.

The crops were sprouting, yet I had a feeling in my gut their progress would have been much faster if I hadnt spent as much gold.

Might be a good thing, that. Faster growth meant faster water consumption. After furious debate, we had decided to backtrack on our previous decision and instead go with the original crop irrigation method. My last visit to Hullbretch had, thankfully, acquired my greatest asset yet.

The mighty steel shovel.

A common trend in all my mundane tools. Wood was too flimsy for me to work with, sadly. It cost more, but all my new tools were solid steel. Perfect for a minotaur. It was also during this time that I met Ishilas father.

The bearded, muscled elf looked me up and down, distinctly unimpressed. He looked nothing like what I envisioned an elf to be, aside from unusual eyes and pointed ears. Instead, he more resembled a tall, thickly muscled viking with a bushy crimson beard and braided ropes of red hair. The loose shirt he wore didnt fool me a bit; the man rippled with muscles on every exposed surface. He moved with the fluid grace of a serpent and with the light step of a cat.

Everything about the man tripped alarm signals inside Gareks mind.

Pa, this is Garek. Ishila introduced the two of us. The hand I shook was firm, even when I applied my own strength. We were next to the stream we intended to dam, materials stacked about us.

Havent seen one of your kind in years. The man spoke briskly. Didnt imagine one would move in right next to me. The Gods are hilarious like that.

I nodded politely. There was some subtext beneath the surface I was lacking here. That much was certain.

Please to make your acquaintance, mister? I trailed off pointedly.

Grenzwald. He spoke bluntly. My girl didnt call me out here for endless pleasantries. Dispense with them and lets get to business.

I did just that and turned to the running stream behind me. Unclogged, it now ran deep and wide, easily up to my waist in the center and several body-lengths across. We had already dug out large holding pools on this side. All that remained now was to erect the dam and let the river overflow into them. Gouged trenches would then carry the water downhill toward my crops and into the funnels we had dug there the day prior.

There remains one final step in all this. I gestured at the river. And though your daughter is exceptionally resourceful, we cannot figure out a solution as to how we might dam the stream without all our materials being swept away.

And so you have come to me. He puffed at a small pipe and looked up and down the stream with a pointed eye. You require magical means. I require gold for my services.

Well, Pa, Ishila interjected. I was actually hopin youd do it as a neighborly gesture, see?

It was slow going, no two ways about it. Probably would be faster if I pulled the cart myself.

But we rumbled down the dusty roads all the same, the sun at my back and naught but roads, trees, and fields before me.

The Gursenhein family already had company, we found. There was another cart out front when he approached, this one pulled by a single horse. Its covered cargo sat right in the middle of the single trail that led to their modest house. After briefly conversing with Ishila, I took a small jug of milk and headed off to introduce myself.

I wanted nothing but the best impression, and so I chose to come bearing even more gifts. A young couple on their own was already a hard enough life, and what better way to cement myself in their good graces than by providing them with much-needed aid? I was firmly aware of the incredible power of gossip as well, however. Better that it be positive things being whispered about me than fearful mutters.

-already sold my sheep to pay you, Pert. What more do you want?

The sound came from around the corner as I approached. I was aware that I moved quietly for someone my size, but even then there was no lul in the conversation as I drew near.

I am a bunsinessman, Leon. And we have a deal. A contract, even. I know how difficult it is to be a loyal family man in times like these. I really do. All these dangers that lurk on all sides. These temptations that might lead good men astray. You wouldnt do that, would you? Go back on your word, renege a signed contract? I am a good, peaceful man who would hate to see any misfortune befall my neighbors.

I rounded the corner just then a found a thick, burly man with his back to me conversing with another, much younger fellow who stood in the doorway, his arms folded.

Now, I have this milk here, which you have agreed to buy from me at these absolutely meager prices I am offering it for, Leon. Understand that I passed up another, much more lucrative contract just so I could sell to you at such a discount. And here I stand, having learned you no longer want my milk?

We already have milk this week, Pert. The young man spoke, voice weak. Don need your supply. Mighty thanks for supplyin us so far, but we won be needed any right now.

Leon. Leon, my good man. See, we have an agreement. And part of that agreement is that you buy every week. Now I dont care if you have an entire herd of the finest milk cows right in your backyard and an ocean of cream, you will give me my Gods-earned gold.

No, Pert. The young man insisted, focused on the other person. We know you been sellin to us for way higher than we could get in Hullbretch, and that you been musclin your way into gettin other folks to stay away. We don want none of it.

The bigger man laughed deep in his gut.

Hullbretchll sell you anything, Leon. But Hullbretch isnt here, is it? And I dont see a way for you to get there. And what business other folks have with me and their decision aint none of your business now, is it? You just keep that thin nose of yours buried in your business and everything will stay just fine.

I could see a pail of milk next to the man, and it didnt require a genius intellect to piece together context as to what was happening here.

Now, you be a good lad and tell this new uppity supplier of yours to git, so we can all go back to the nice, peaceful arrangement we had, you hear?

It was at that moment that a babe wailed from inside the house, and the young man noticed my massive form. His eyes widened as I fairly towered over the third man, who yelped as I clapped one hand down on his shoulder and spun him around.

Why dont you tell him yourself? I rumbled.