36th Fall 515
This time, she made sure she was the first up, donning work clothes that were old and already covered in that layer of soot. Her leather gloves and apron were ready in the smithy, the only thing missing. Her hair was up, pulled out of her face, ready for a long days work. She crept downstairs, but the staircase was unknown and she seemed to step on every creaky spot.
No one awoke, and she ate breakfast alone, munching on a piece of old bread and cheese, giving her the strength she would need. Then, it was downstairs, starting the fire and loading it with coal, working the bellows hard to get it large, warm enough to heat metal. Today, she would stock up, perhaps tomorrow as well. Fill those shelves a bit. The other days, she would be open for orders, but still work hard on filling the shop up, so items could be bought without the wait.
First, she had to wait for the metal, a loud knocking at the door announcing the arrival of the delivery. Alija opened it covered in soot, already looking like a blacksmith should. She gave a yawn, and guided the men in, who heaved metal towards the store room, and making it that much less bare. She thanked them, coughing up the required money, and they left, leaving her to get to what she wanted to do, happy and content.
She began to formulate a plan, deciding to focus on making spade and shovel heads today. Anyone would be able to use them, working in the fields that she had heard were harvested twice a year, not once. They would simple have to be attached to a handle, and she would do this is she had time. If not, she would leave it, for the customers would easily be able to add their own - she would make sure of that.
Alija would make the spade head, and two narrow strips that came off it, punched where a nail would go. They would be slipped on the wood, and firmly joined. After all, she was a blacksmith, not a woodsmith. She wouldn't be required to work with wood, as well.
As she thought this, she realised the use of knowing different trades, to complement her own. After all, auristics came into use often, and that wasn't in the slightest bit related. Simply knowing and understanding something like etching, or armour making would make her shop open with opportunities. There would be many new things she could do, to sell more or to raise the rpice of her products. Even being able to add a small etched design or a wooden handle could raise the price of half the items she could sell. Making a promise to herself to find someone, or something, to teach her these skills, she turned back to the task at hand. Better to do some work than fantasize on how to make things better in the future!
This time, she made sure she was the first up, donning work clothes that were old and already covered in that layer of soot. Her leather gloves and apron were ready in the smithy, the only thing missing. Her hair was up, pulled out of her face, ready for a long days work. She crept downstairs, but the staircase was unknown and she seemed to step on every creaky spot.
No one awoke, and she ate breakfast alone, munching on a piece of old bread and cheese, giving her the strength she would need. Then, it was downstairs, starting the fire and loading it with coal, working the bellows hard to get it large, warm enough to heat metal. Today, she would stock up, perhaps tomorrow as well. Fill those shelves a bit. The other days, she would be open for orders, but still work hard on filling the shop up, so items could be bought without the wait.
First, she had to wait for the metal, a loud knocking at the door announcing the arrival of the delivery. Alija opened it covered in soot, already looking like a blacksmith should. She gave a yawn, and guided the men in, who heaved metal towards the store room, and making it that much less bare. She thanked them, coughing up the required money, and they left, leaving her to get to what she wanted to do, happy and content.
She began to formulate a plan, deciding to focus on making spade and shovel heads today. Anyone would be able to use them, working in the fields that she had heard were harvested twice a year, not once. They would simple have to be attached to a handle, and she would do this is she had time. If not, she would leave it, for the customers would easily be able to add their own - she would make sure of that.
Alija would make the spade head, and two narrow strips that came off it, punched where a nail would go. They would be slipped on the wood, and firmly joined. After all, she was a blacksmith, not a woodsmith. She wouldn't be required to work with wood, as well.
As she thought this, she realised the use of knowing different trades, to complement her own. After all, auristics came into use often, and that wasn't in the slightest bit related. Simply knowing and understanding something like etching, or armour making would make her shop open with opportunities. There would be many new things she could do, to sell more or to raise the rpice of her products. Even being able to add a small etched design or a wooden handle could raise the price of half the items she could sell. Making a promise to herself to find someone, or something, to teach her these skills, she turned back to the task at hand. Better to do some work than fantasize on how to make things better in the future!
