Building a smithy

[Throk Mumson]

Early Darkening, 6th Brightening of Melora
Era II of the Celestine Mandate Era XI PF of the Age of the Darkening

Throk hadn't slept very well. He thought building a smithy was fun, but he didn't know that there were so many things to think about! This night he kept tossing and turning, worried about today. But there was no escape. He had made his promise, and he was the last one on this...this...lump of earth to break that!
He had to pull himself out of his jurry-rigged bed(wich were four 'normal' beds, put side to side). He had tried to wash himself, but didn't feel like it (after three attempts to clean his armpits). He gave up, and headed for the tavern, where he had agreed to meet with Mila to discus the smithy. Ands boy, did they had a lot to talk about!

He carried himself to the tavern. It was still very early, so there were hardly any visitors. An old farmer was having a meager breakfast, and a hungry dog was staring at the loaf of bread on the man's plate. He cast an angry look at the yelping dog and stuffed the last piece of bread in his almost teethless mouth.
So there was more then enough chairs to choose from. Throk carefully chose a spot he hadn't sat before. He wibbledf and wobbled on the chair for a while and after a minute or so, he sat comfortably.
Kind of nervous, he started playing with his belt a little. Even though it was actually a rope, it was belt-like enough for Throk. He was pulling strings out of it. They always tickled his tummy when he walked, and that bothered him. Sometimes.
Patiently, he waited for the arrival of Mila. That kind of cheered him up, so he hummed a disonant tune untill Mila would arrive

[Lichen]

The Inn was a quiet place in the mornings, with few guests rising until later in the afternoon, and even then there was silence as they nursed hangovers from the night before. The inn no longer had to ration their food as greatly and so the ale wasn't watered down any more... some people still had trouble adjusting to the different affects of 4 mugs then and 4 mugs now. Farmer Benton was an exception, but he'd a stoic stance against imbibing alcohol of any kind, which explained why he and his new over excited puppy always got some of the morning's freshest and best bread. Mila smiled at the yelp of complaint from the hungry dog; it had already eaten breakfast, but such animals were never truly satisfied.

Mila was up with the dawn, wearing a light blue cotton dress and an old stained apron. Her hair was freshly cleaned and tied back in a neat pony tail, falling in wet curls down onto her neck. The tavern owner and waitress was sweeping the floors, humming softly to herself. Morning was Mila's favorite time of the brightening, especially just after the suns had arisen and before even the early guests had awoken. It was then she truely felt the peace that her home now provided, and felt distanced from the din of the active Tavern that was her life. Acumin had held its share of horrors for the woman... but it was long ago enough that she could once again feel at home here, though the memories of that dismal brightening still lingered.

Throk walked in, and Mila's smile grew. She leaned the broom against the wall and walked over to where he sat, humming a tune she didn't recognize. She didn't quite recognize the notes either, but she didn't mind; she couldn't sing a note, so she didn't mind listening to others who couldn't. "Serale, Throk! How did you rest?" She said warmly but quietly lest she awaken the others in the inn.

[Throk Mumson]

The sight of Mila wiping the floor gave a feeling of serenity. It was so quiet here in the morning, and she was the only active living thing right now. Her dedication to this tavern really made her stand out. Throk scratched his emtpy eye socket. It kept itching! Oh well.
Throk still remembered the attack last year -how could he forget?- and how feriociously she defended herself and the town from the besiegers. It was even more admireble that she, and she alone, kept the town running after the attack. The fact that she had lost her own father did not decimate her dedication. Yes, Throk quite admired her. She reminded him of Mum.

He removed his index finger from out of his head, yawned for a second, and replied to Mila: "G'mornin' Meela. Ah didn't sleep very well cos ah kept makin' plans in me 'ead," he tapped the side of his head.
But don't worry. Ahm all set ta go now.
He shouldn't make her too worried. She had so much things on her mind already. He kept his thoughts to himself. But hey! Wasn't there supposed to be a druid too? Let's ask.
"Meela, where's dat drooid you talked about? Weren'tcha supposed to 'ave a drooid wiv ya?"
He scratched his socket.

[Lichen]

"No, the druid will meet us there a little later." She said with a smile. Dusting off her apron, she hung it up on the bar. "Farmer Benton, would you please tell Kalirren, when she gets here, that I'll be back later today?" The farmer nodded, and Mila smiled slightly. She didn't particularly like the vysstichi who helped out around the town, but she had a grudging respect for her and generally held her tongue on the matter. "Ok Throk, let's go, shall we?"

The area she'd had in mind wasn't very far from the tavern; a couple of minutes walk most days. The air was crisp and cool, and they could easily see their breath. It chilled their lungs as they breathed in, and this too made Mila smile. Mornings really were her favorite part of the brightening.

She led him down to the south of town and finally stopped on a fairly flat patch of ground shoved up next to a wall of dirt. The wall seemed to have been due to some sort of erosion and was about as tall as the giant himself, and though it wasn't now flat, a little bit of digging would soon make it so. The crumbled remains of an old stone wall connected with the dirt wall. "What do you think, Throk?" Mila said, gesturing at it. "We can build the remaining two walls out of vines or trees or whatever Lehan wishes, put the grass that's currently the floor on top so it makes the roof, redig that wall, and rebuild the stone wall slightly, and you've a nice building. The forge can go up against the stone and dirt walls, and you won't even have any trouble with fires." She said, looking very pleased with herself.

[Throk Mumson]

He was very curious of how the building area would be like when he was a bit closer to it. 'When he did come closer, he was slightly dissapointed. It wasn't as flat as he had hoped it had been. Oh well, he could always dig a little(and no one dissagrees with a giant sized shovel).

Throk had some difficulties imagining everything in his head, but he managed. Mila brought everything very clearly and after a few seconds, an image came in his mind of a beautifully, very good working tavern. Made By Throk, signed in the doorway! How proud Mum would be! Oh, his hands were itching to get started. It was great, actually, that here was still a wall standing.
Mila was right. With a bit of repositioning and digging, there were two walls already standing. All that the druid needed to do was make a roof.
Make a roof? Ofcourse! The druid was going to make the roof, not him! Throk felt an enormous load fall of his enormous shoulder. All of his reluctance dissapeared, and he was even more eager to build this smithy.

Smiling widely, he rubbed his hands together.
"Right, were do ah begin? Der's so much to do!", he blathered against Mila. He walked from spot to spot, manicly thinking were to begin.
" 'Ere? No. 'Ere then? No either."
He sqauted down near the wall. In a sudden moment of clearity, he came up with something.
"Meela, 'ave you got a shofl fer me? Ahm gonna dig out dat dirt mound.", he said resolute.

[Lichen]

Throk's enthusiasm was infectious, and Mila was quite pleased that she'd brought Throk here. The giant bumbled around, trying to figure out where he should start, and eventually decided to level out the dirt wall. "I do, back at the inn - if I'd known you wanted to start this brightening, I would have brought it!" She said with a grin. "Why don't you start on that stone wall instead, then come back to the inn for lunch, and then after lunch, you, I and Lehan - armed with the shovel - can come back and figure out what needs druiding. Sound like a good plan?"

[Throk Mumson]

Throk barely noticed Mila's comments. The work had absorbed the fraction of attention he had. The only thing he saw was the wall that had to be re-made. Mila's voice was just a ghost in the back of his mind.
"Yes, you do dat...", he murmered distracted while he picked up the very first stone from the wall, and put on it's new position with a single move of his arm.
A normel person would have need a cartwheel t move these stones, but that proved to problem for the big doofus. Single handedly, he repositioned the rocks of the wall so they were already forming a nice looking(solid) wall of about two yards.

Throk stopped for a moment. He took a few steps backwards so he could get a better look on the situation.
So 'ave got ta build dat wall like dat, 'n de uvver one like dat, he told himself. He pointed with his finger to help his mind form a clear picture. It worked. He could see clearly now how the building had to look, and how to build the walls!
With his previous vigour, he continued to repair the wall.

[Lichen]

Mila left Throk to his own devises with a smile. When the giant was so absorbed in his work that he failed to return to the tavern at noon, Mila obligingly brought over some sandwiches and a flask of water to him instead. She handed them to him with a smile and raised an eyebrow at the work. The majority of the wall had been rebuilt in a few hours, though he'd been forced to take rubble from several other sources as well. Granted, as it wasn't mortared, it wouldn't take much to tear the wall down, but it was up and it was stable.

It didn't take long for Throk to inhale his lunch or for the druid to arrive. Lehan Y'las was dressed in all green, wearing a tunic and leotards and practically blending into his surroundings. The man stepped down into the clearing and smiled at the two, nodding in acknowledgement at Mila. "Serale. I don't believe we've been introduced, though I have seen you in town. I am Lehan." The man said, extending his arm for the giant to shake.

[Throk Mumson]

Throk grabbed the man's underarm and shook it. Even though he was tired of all the days work, he felt happy that there was so much progress. The wall was up and standing, and this druid would grow the rest of the...the....the stuff that was necessary to build the rest. Yup, he was kind of proud of his very own wall. It would probably take another giant to tgrow it down. Yup, building was easy. Perhaps he would build a new town hall next. He had to ask the mayor about that.

It was great that Mila brought him some grub. She was nice enough to bring it to him as well. Apperantly, he had worked through the better part of the brightning without even noticing it. The sun was hanging dreadfully low on the horizon when the druid came by. It was an odd man. And his choice of clothing was terrible. But, Throk welcomed him anyway. If a person as nice enough to help, he could pick whatever clothes he wanted.

" 'Ello mister Druid. As you can see, ahm almost done wiv de rocks. By de way, ah want to sank you fer all yer 'elp. Ah couldn't 'ave done it wivout you", he said. He gave him a very soft pat on the shoulder to express his sincere thanks.
"Did Meela tell you de planz? Or should ah tell you what it's gonna look like?"

[Lichen]

Lehan shook his head. "No, Miss Mila and I have not yet spoken on your plans, other than the fact that you have some."

"Tcha, Throk, do you think I have all brightening to gossip?" Mila said, trying to keep her face stern. She didn't mean it, however, and so her face rebelled and fell back into the soft smile Throk generally elicited from her. "I've got an inn to run, you know."

"Please, what do you need my assistance with?" The druid asked, looking at the general area of the future building.

[Throk Mumson]

He had plans? Well, if the druid said so, it was probably true. Or perhaps building something counted as having plans. Or was it just the fact that you needed someone to do a bit of that building for you like the druid here was going to do for him since he already built the wall but needed his assistance for the roof and walls?

It made him a little dizzy, altogether.

After the dizzyness wore off, he remembered what he needed the druid for.

"Righty den. Thanks fer commin' Helan. Ah really appreshate it dat yer 'elpin' me out wiv dis. As yer can see, ahm buildin' the smivvy. Most of dem walls are dun, 'n de oven too, but ah need some 'elp wiv da roof." He pointed upwards to where the roof should come.
"Meela told me dat you can grow it fer me. It be really swell if ya could do dat. It would really finish de smivvy 'n all."
He was honoustly grateful that Lehan came to help. It solved so much of his problems!

[Lichen]

The druid cleared his throat as Throk spoke. "Lehan." He corrected quietly, though the giant likely didn't hear him as he was talking rather loudly and quickly.

As Throk finished, and before Lehan could respond, Mila shoved forward another item to the giant. It wasn't edible, but it was interesting nonetheless. "Throk, you will need to dig that wall out somewhat, make it nice and straight. Lehan can reinforce it with roots so that it doesn't fall down later as well. Oh, and you're still missing two walls, both of which Lehan can probably grow for you, in addition to a roof. Perhaps," and she turned to the druid for whom she was answering, who looked a little bemused at it, "some of those lovely interlocking trees would work well here?"

"Ah... yes, I suppose-"

"Good." Mila said, cutting him off. "Well then, here's my suggestion - and it's only a suggestion mind, so you don't have to take it if you don't want to," even though the way she was saying it made it perfectly clear that her feelings would be hurt if they didn't and she didn't expect they wouldn't anyhow, "but I suggest you dig out the wall today and then tommorrow Lehan here comes over and does the rest. Tommorrow morning, to be precise... lets say, four hours after the suns have risen?" Lehan looked a little startled, and then nodded, knowing when he'd been bested.