Constructing an Escape

[Caile]

Renea had learned a an incredible thing about herself since coming to Myrken just a few months prior, she liked to build things. It was a viscerally satisfying act, it was calming and meditative, it was simply a joy and it made her happy. Happy was something she had rarely let herself be in her life, it came with too many complications and too much of a chance to be heartbroken, but the happiness she got from building something was a simple and wonderful thing that didn't diminish if that thing was then destroyed, because she could just build it again. She could honestly let herself feel that joy without feeling the need to protect herself from it.

She had already built two greenhouses at the tavern and finally felt it was time to start on a project that had been boiling away in the back of her mind for weeks now. She was going to build an arena. The word 'arena' seemed to have a different meaning for her than it did for most Myrkenites whose minds immediately went to thoughts of blood and gladiatorial combat. What she inteded to build was more of a large empty area surrounded by walls and a roof to protect from the weather. It certainly wasn't a grand noble structure but it would have many uses, especially when she began to train the local militia. It could be put to use training horses or men, for festivals or weddings or parties, really anything that the imagination could think of a large empty space be used for if it was too cold or too hot or too rainy outside. Renea was fond of things that were useful and this building would be very useful.

She had already paced out and flagged the dimensions, 85 feet by 200 feet, and had purchased materials and tools for a veritable army which sat to one side of the flagged area. She had originally planned to do all of this on her own but had found herself inviting people to participate, wanting to share the joy of construction with them. She had also realized that this massive undertaking wasn't something she could do on her own and would eventually need to hire help and with her new responsibilities she couldn't be supervising the building 24/7 so she had hired a foreman for the site. She wanted people to come and go as they pleased, but they would need someone to show them what needed to be done and so she had arranged for the man to be available onsite at all times to give direction or answer questions as needed. His name was Matthew and Renea had sat with him for hours sketching out plans to be drawn up into blueprints, explaining what she wanted and why and how she wanted it done. Throughout it all Matthew listened stoicly, nodding and occasionally commenting in his quiet gruff voice when it was needed.

Matthew was a good, solid man who would be patient and helpful with amateurs but would abide no foolishness on his site. He had no fear of speaking up or correcting his employer when the situation called for it and Renea respected that greatly, she was a hobbyist and he was a professional. When he said that the foundation stones needed to be set into the earth rather than laid on top she listened, and when he said the ground was far too frozen to be able to dig until spring she had sent a note to her brother.

Dear Beta,

I have some ground that is too frozen to dig, please make it unfrozen.

Thanks awfully,

sis.

The next step was to set up a list of rules to be followed by anyone who wanted to help and after a few hours of thought and application of quill to parchment she had come up with a list that was posted at the site.

Rules

No magic is to be used to complete tasks that can be done by hand. If you aren't sure, ask Matthew.

If you aren't sure what needs to be done, ask Matthew.

If there is a problem, talk to Matthew.

Listen to Matthew.

If you can't find Matthew send for Renea.

If you break these rules I will kick your ass.

Renea.

With that task finished Renea had a final few words with Matthew, requesting him to build a shed to house materials and tools as well as an
office and living space for himself so he would be easily found when needed. She gave him a letter granting him access to whatever funds were needed for purchasing and hiring and then left regretfully to see to her new duties and responsibilities. She would be back when time allowed but for now there was too much to do and she would have to trust her pet project to the very capable man she had hired. It had been a great many years since she had needed to delegate and it looked like she would have to dust those skills off once again.

At least now, though, she had something to look forward to in her off time, she'd never had a hobby before and she looked forward to sharing it
with the people who were quickly becoming her friends.

[BetaFlame]

Oh, Beta gets the note. And once he reads the rules, his eyes narrow. "Oh. REALLY, now?" With that, he goes back to his room, digging in one of the bags he brought from his journeys back to his old home. A small bag of gold is tied to his waist, and through a portal he goes, to gods know where. He also looks.. irritated. No magic indeed.

So.. a few hours later, he comes into view, leading a horse drawn buggy, announcing he is here to thaw the ground. In the back of the buggy.. a number of barrels, and a pile of long metal.. planks?

So he goes about fencing the area in with the metal, shaping out the area that needed thawed. It takes a but, so he enlists a little help from the labor staff. Once that is complete, he starts to pour the barrels into the whole thing. Slowly.. it fills, and there is a familiar smell to anyone that has ever fought in a war. Pitch and naphtha. He positively FILLS the pool.. then casually tosses a torch in the whole mess, setting it into a conflagration that would make Rielle proud.

He pins a note to the bottom of the rules poster.

Sis.

Ground will thaw. Done your way.

much love.

[Caile]

Matthew had sent her a note letting her know what had happened, as the little note that Beta had left. She rolled her eyes and then sighed with her head in her hands just shaking back and forth. Really she should have known, if there was a way to deliberately misunderstand something just to be an ass about it then BetaFlame would find that way. Still, he had got the job done and, according to Matthew, quite effectively. The ground was now ready to dig and Matthew had promised a crew of labourers for the backbreaking work of digging the trench and building the foundation.

To her brother she sent a return missive.

Dear Beta,

You're an ass.

sis.

p.s. Thanks for the thaw.

True construction of the arena could finally start and she felt a thrill of excitement at the idea. Now if only she could manage to spend some time on the project herself she'd be a happy woman.

[Caile]

The days had passed and the workers had worked. With the ground thawed by Beta's little joke it had been easy enough to dig the trench needed to plant the foundation stones and mortar them in place and so the site that was to hold the arena was surrounded by a ring of stones sinking two feet deep. Work had begun on the walls now, massive things that were lain out on the ground to be built flat and then lifted into place and secured. It was easier to do it this way, less clambering around needed for once thing, and while it would take a little ingenuity to lift the frames so they can be secured to the foundation it would certainly be worth the time and effort saved.

Matthew had kept a log of who had worked when, and on what, sending a note to Renea at the end of each day so she could be kept up to date on the happenings. She continued to resent her absence there but only a little, work came first after all and there was always something else she could build if she didn't get the chance to work on this project. So far the rules had been followed and people seemed to be enjoying themselves, it wouldn't last but for now it was a new shining thing to take part in, and that went a long way towards distracting people from their troubles.

[Caile]

The earthquake had done some damage to the fledgeling arena, the earth cracking open right through the center which sadly had meant the entire thing had needed to be rebuilt. Luckily there wasn't much of the arena built at that point, having just had the foundation finished and while the walls had been started none of them had been in the ground yet. What this meant for the new building was that they'd had to choose a different area, sans cracks in the earth, and redo the foundation. That had taken a week with the thawing and digging and mortaring rock into place. Matthew had overseen the resituating with the same calm and quiet manner he'd shown throughout the building so far and Renea was doubly glad to have hired him, he even had his own little two room cabin built now with the larger room to be used for an office and a smaller room in the back for him to sleep. The shed for tools and material was nearly complete and today was the day they were going to secure the first of the walls into place.

Renea stood with various other laborers hired for the heavy task with a rope wrapped around one arm, both hands gripping tightly. There were ten ropes spaced 20 feet apart along the wall, looking skeletal with just the wooden studs showing, and on each rope were ten people ready to hoist the 20 foot tall wall into its place. Matthew was supervising ready to boom out orders with his normally quiet voice but when he yelled 'haul' it could be heard for miles in the still winter air. The workers, Renea included, began to pull on the ropes the moment the words left his lips and corded muscles tensed, feet dug into the frozen earth and the wooden frame slowly began to rise in the mists of the morning. The sight excited the former mercenary and she began pulling all the harder, watching as what had once only existed in her head began to take actual form before her. It was heavy, and it was hard work but it was exciting and it filled something in her that she hadn't even known was missing. Matthew began to bark out orders, telling the left to pull harder, the middle to slack off a bit. Once the wall nearly fell as one of the ropes snapped from the strain and they'd had to lower it back to the ground to tie another in its place. It took twenty minutes but it felt like hours and the moment it was finally up a group of men who'd been waiting anxiously in the background leapt forward to pound spikes through the wood into the ground to hold it into place while those who'd manned the ropes held the wall in place, gritting their teeth from the strain of it.

Once it was finally up and secured Matthew called a rest and Renea stood back and stared in disbelief. Building the greenhouses was one thing, satisfying yes but they were really just little shacks, this was something else entirely, it was big and it was going to make a mark, this was something that not just anyone could build and she was a part of it, it was going to be hers. It wasn't long before the sound of Matthew's barking voice intruded on her wonder, they still had three more walls to pull into place that day and the break was over for now.

[Dulcie]

The newly appointed Councilor for the Arts had been out on a stroll when he had first caught wind of the "arena" project that had been underway. It hadn't taken him long to see the potential in the concept and considering his new position it gave him all the more reason to pay the construction site a visit. As it were he was something of a sight come up along the path towards the work that was going on. While there were construction workers everywhere, Stefan Berdini was the picture of refinement and elegance. Dressed from head to toe in black he was easy to spot across the distance, his trousers crisply pressed and wearing a black cape that flowed as he carefully stepped across the snow dusted path, his cane tapping lightly on the cold ground as he continued forward. Behind him followed a pair of dark skinned men who spoke quietly to one another in a foreign language, each carrying a pair of flasks over their shoulders.

As the little trio approached the Councilor would work his way amongst those working, learning the names of those who were running the project and convincing others to point him in the correct direction. There would be nods, smiles and words of helpful encouragement until he finally found his way to Renea and Matthew.

"My greetings to you both. I've come to introduce myself and offer you some assistance in your cause. My name is Stefan Berdini, and I'm the Councilor for the Arts in Myrken Wood and your arena has caught my attention. Please, if I could beg a moment of your time, I have brought with me my hired men. I'm afraid they don't speak the common tongue, but if your workers will show them what they wish done you'll find them quite industrious. We have also come with warm cider, I thought you might enjoy something warm."

[Caile]

The disruption the man caused with his obviously out of context costume was noticed long before the small party made their way to the office where Renea and Matthew were conversing over a particular bit of architecture that they disagreed over. Renea wanted the internal grounds to be completely open and Matthew was insistent on adding pillars to provide support for the roof as it would be a much easier fix than developing another method of keeping the roof from falling around their ears. In the end, if Renea was stubborn enough about the point, she would win. She always did because she was the one paying the bills and she was being particularly stubborn about this point. Pillars, posts, collumns or poles, whatever they wanted to call them, would get in the way during use.

So it was into this argument that the gentleman and his companions were escorted and the heads that were huddled over blue prints raised to greet the councillor and his offer. It was Renea that spoke, Matthew being by nature quiet and recognizing his place in the hierarchy. "Greetings in return. I'm Renea, the new marshall, and this is my foreman Matthew. Your men are quite welcome to help, every effort is appreciated on such a large project. I'll have Matthew show them about and distribute the cider, I'm sure it will be a welcome treat for the workers. What brings the Councillor of Arts to my project?" She gestured towards the seat Matthew had vacated when the three had entered the little office while the foreman ushered the two men from the room with gestures of his own. Being a man of few words he'd have little trouble communicating with the two. Renea collected two cups from a counter before seating herself at the table and brushed aside the plans before setting them down. "Please have a seat."

[Dulcie]

Stefan Berdini was a man of details, and not a one was missed as the woman orchastrated the tour of his men and the distribution of the cider. As Matthew went to escort them out he'd speak a few words to his men in a foreign language, giving them a flashy smile before he'd take one of the canteens and make his way over to the table that Renea indicated.

"It is truly my pleasure to meet you Miss Renea." He'd offer a short half bow from his waist before he would accept the seat that she offered, settling himself there with nothing short of a flourish as he brushes his cape away. He'd take the cups that she brought over, filling them each with some cider from the canteen. He'd wait then until she was seated and had taken her first sip before he'd begin to answer her other question. "As Councilor of the Arts I felt compelled to come check on the progress that was being made towards this space. It's my understanding that it will be used to host parties? Perhaps concerts and festivals? I have to admit while the Gilded Lily, my theatre, has been doing quite well the past few months I had been considering the benefits of a larger space. I was curious as to what your actual intentions are towards it."

[Caile]

The Marshall would consider the man over the rim of her cup as he spoke, sipping lightly from the warmed cider. Only once he'd finished speaking would she set the cup down onto the table and fold her hands together beside it watching the man with a calculated gaze as she addressed his questions.

"My main intent for the arena is as a parade and training grounds outside of the influence of the weather. However I fully realize that it is a waste to utilize such a flexible space for such a limited scope of events." Look at her using big words and even knowing what they mean, not your typical soldier that was for certain. She shrugged a little, a movement designed to express a sort of humbleness. "I'm new here and I want to contribute to the place I've chosen to live. The arena has so much potential to be used for so many different things, and as far as I'm concerned the citizenry of Mryken are welcome to share in it. Space will be a first come first served basis except for special events, and there will be no cost to use it." That was her dream for it anyway, a space that could be used by anyone and everyone. Ideally there would need to be some sort of scheduling to make it all work smoothly but that was a detail for later, right now the building still needed to be finished.

[Dulcie]

The man studying the woman and the woman studying the man. It was quite the scenario. Indeed Renea was nothing like the soldier woman he might have expected, but then again no one in Myrken was really what one appeared at face value.

"An interesting plan, to have grounds both used for the training of those who bare swords and also as a source of more... refined.. entertainment. I applaud your efforts truly. Myrken is need of more intelligent leaders in the community such as yourself. It intrigues me that you have chosen winter as your season to break ground, but it appears that you have more magical means at your disposal." He paused to drink a little of the cider finally letting his hands rest back on the table when he had finished. "I do hope that we can be partners in this project. I should like to help in whatever means that I can, and of course lend you the services of my men. I have a vested interest in ensuring that your work is completed in an efficent manner. There is such great potential for this space after all."

[Caile]

Magical? Oh no, Renea wouldn't resort to magic unless it was as a last measure. Of course she'd originally intended Beta to use magic to thaw the earth but he'd misunderstood (either accidently or intentionally and she wouldn't put it past him to have done it on purpose) and instead had used mundane means to achieve the ends she'd hoped for.

"No, we haven't used any magic in the construction at all. I'm not really a fan of it to be honest." He wanted to be her..partner in this venture did he? That particular phrasing put her on edge and she studied him a little more warily now. "I started now because this project is just as much for me as it is for Myrken. I needed some form of distraction and building the arena provides this for me." While the idea of others using the space was perfectly fine, even encouraged, the idea of someone having equal control over it didn't sit as well with her. It wasn't as if she needed the additional resources after all, she had more than enough for the job at hand, and so the mans offer was met with polite dismissal.

"I appreciate your offer Councillor but I'll decline it with thanks for your consideration. If you want to assist in the building for your own pleasure you are, of course, welcome to do so. You are also welcome to use the space just as any citizen of Myrken will be, but I'm not looking for a partner in this venture. I'm sure you understand." She didn't really care whether he understood or not if she was being honest with herself.

[Dulcie]

He was a good listener, his eyes focused on her face as she spoke, a hand resting upon the glass of cider. He nodded at all the right parts, offering a smile and a comment to her conversation about magic. "Ah, a woman after my own heart. You really must come see my show the next time I perform. I am not a fan of magic either, illusion is much more entertaining. It's much more pleasurable to have a puzzle to solve." He offered her a dashing smile at that, again returning to that quiet, attentive listening.

At her refusal of his offer he started to laugh slightly lifting a hand a bit to try to pause her conversation. "No no my dear, I fear you've misunderstood me. I have no financial interest in your venture, nor do I care to oversee what you're doing here. I simply would like to be involved, to be a part of what it is that you're building here. I would like to be a part of how you schedule things, so that I can help guide the many talented performers we have passing through this little gem of a town of ours. Surely you understand that interest?"

[Drache]

Stefan Berdini was not the only one who was a good listener. A shadow moved next to a large stack of lumber, not terribly close by, but close enough. It was the thoughtful swish of a long serpentine tail as a certain red-scaled half-dragon watched the activity with interest. Leaning casually against the fragrant wooden beams, it appeared that much of her frame was obscured by the draping lengths of a thick black cloak pulled securely over the wings that normally glimmered golden and resplendent. Not to be denied a chance to display at least one shining bauble by the frigid weather, it was a large emerald set in gold filigree that sparkled at her throat where it pinned her cloak closed. Her hot breath drifted from her nostrils in thin ribbons of white that faded rapidly but didn't fail to constantly remind of the heat she carried within.

It would be impossible to say how long she had been standing there unless her arrival had been observed, but it seemed that she had picked a spot that, while easily noted by the Marshall and her conversation partners, the main bulk of the workforce had yet to spy her. Observing with intermittent stillness and a panning of her snout, she might have even been unaware of the current discussion. That was until the flash of her fiery amber eye flicked in their direction. The other eye was still bound up in a silk strip of an eye-patch, but its absence only made the other more intent. She made no move to join them or interrupt, but it was clear that she was waiting for something. An audience with the Marshall, perhaps.

[Caile]

"As I said before you are welcome to help, but scheduling will be handled by myself or my representative. I'm sure you can be accomodated however and you are welcome to request a time slot just the same as everyone else." She didn't want someone with their own motives and designs deciding who got to use the space and when, this was supposed to be an open space for everyone to enjoy and she didn't know this man well enough to trust his motives to be pure. No, he could take his chances just like anyone else.

It was at this point that she noticed Drache through the open door and raised a hand in greeting and beckoning, a friendly smile on her face. Once she had recognized the dragon woman she then turned back to the councilor and bowed her head a little towards him, the most deference she would be showing to the man, really to nearly anyone so he should feel honored if he knew much about her. "It was a pleasure meeting you Stefan, if you have any other questions regarding the project please feel free to bring them up to me or to Matthew." The presence of the dragon was surprising, she hadn't expected her involvement in this and wondered what the woman wanted to speak with her about. Well time could only tell.

[Dulcie]

He mulled over Renea's response and finally nodded his acquiescence. "I must admit m'lady that I am horribly disappointed that you will not allow me to join with you in this matter over the schedule. My experience is extensive from the scheduling that I attend to at the Gilded Lily and I have already begun reaching out the gypsy community to ensure that they feel welcomed in bringing their entertainment to our lovely town, but as you are the founder of this space I give to your authority. Please do consider reaching out to me if you need in the future months. My experience is vast and my connections are many."

He would move to stand up then, collecting the empty canteen, just as everyone seemed to notice the dragonness in the rafters. "My now, what a beautiful creature we have lurking above us, with a talent for silence it seems. Though my lady, I am quite certain it is not me you are here for, so perhaps I should bid my lovely companion here farewell so that I can leave you both to your business." It was clear to him that the Marshal obviously knew this dragon woman, and there was no indication that he was going to get much of what he wanted out of Renea anyhow.