Kelski was like a Kelvic under a strong hypnotic compulsion. She was flat out driven to get the Pavilion up and didn’t rest or do anything else until its canvas was in place and it was tucked into the sheltering bows of big trees up on the hill. It wasn’t in an ideal build space which was fine to the Kelvic since she wanted to leave all the ideal build spaces for the buildings that would be permanently placed. For now, all she wanted was shelter for the night and the temporary time being for everyone.
She didn’t bother Anja and Alex or their meeting. Both men and the boy were working hard, and a break to chat wasn’t begrudging them anything. Kelski didn’t try the Sea Urchins. She’d scrounged for them before and much preferred the meaty bites of clams and scallops over the delicate fragrant yellow insides of the urchins. She didn’t like eating animals that she had to slaughter dozens and dozens of to feel full. But she was glad everyone was enjoying them. Muscles, big clams, even geoducks were better meals though. And she knew the beach held all of those. She’d seen them scouting the location initially.
Those not putting up the Pavilion were busy hauling supplies and crated goods up the track Vasin had helpfully widened and turned into a cart track. Then Moth’s cart had been assembled and the horse was drafted to haul pile after pile of supplies up the bluff. To Kelski, it seemed that just as soon as the canvas was in place the inside was being filled. Caitlyn was directing Ebon and Dess to put together beds and had divided off the octagon ends into what Kelski decided must be a male and female side. Beds were assembled and even with the help of Moth, the piano was moved up and into the pavilion. Kelski looked at it with distaste and decided she’d best learn to play it if she was going to haul it around with her wherever she went.
That garnered her a slight laugh and she shook off her trepidation and went back to work. Vasin had fallen a number of trees that were six to eight inches in diameter. She used her axe to cut them to seven foot lengths. As soon as most of the supplies were in the tent, Dess and Ebon joined her and even Gilthas had stripped off his tunic and was lending his back to the work. They cut fence posts and pointed the ends like spears. Then, making a series of shovel holes three feet apart, the men started driving the new posts into the ground between the arms of the two octagons. The fence slowly went up, with smaller saplings nailed in place across its front to act as rails. Kelski dug out a huge tarp that she’d used as an awning at the front of the Pavilion for the party, and strung it halfway over the new enclosure. That took some doing, climbing both on a latter and later on Ebon’s shoulders to attach it to the guidelines of the main pavilion and secure it against brisk wind. At eight feet tall and slopping down to seven feet at the front with the edges guided downwards towards rain barrels at each pavilion wall to catch rainwater and automatically give someone a place to dip a bucket to replenish animal drinking water… Kelski looked satisfied.
Ebon and Dess fashioned a secured gate big enough for the horses to get through for they would be staying with the goats and chickens for a while at night. And when that was done, Kelski drafted little Zeric to help her cut armfuls of grass and once more transfer the water buckets to the pen and then release the goats and chickens within.
Caitlyn had nodded at the setup, but then had appeared after vanishing a few minutes and gave Zeric a set of her spare worn clothing and told him to stuff them full of grass and do whatever he could to fashion them to look like a real human. They took one of the wedges of wood Vasin had cut out of a bigger tree to direct where he’d fallen it, and painted a charcoal face on it using a bit of coal from one of the new fires burning in the firepit inside the pavilion.
When everyone was secured again, Moth back on the high line with the other new horses and Tack, Kelski called for a break and a meal. They’d been working hard for hours since the boat had unloaded and the beach was now virtually empty. She passed out jerky and fruit ration bars, water, and looked around at all they’d accomplished. Everyone had done their part. Even Mosa had kept Caitlyn occupied walking the beach quietly until they’d caught a ride up on Moth’s cart for the last light load up the hill. Caitlyn was napping, and Kelski suspected Mosa was as well.
She made sure Alexander had extra rations. He was half starved from the trip and had worked hard today.
The only things left on the beach were Gilthas’ lab and animals. Kelski decided they’d bring the animals up the hill to the outdoor complex for the night. Gil had an idea where he’d wanted to settle. While he was part of the Midnight Gem group, the mage liked his privacy and had been determined to explore a set of ruins on the edge of the Demesne land that he claimed were of vital interest. He’d told Kelski to watch his stuff – which in truth was almost as much as The Gem Folk had – and he’d be back in the morning for it.
“We need to get the wagon put together. We’ll need it to haul loads down the beach for Gilthas if he decides he wants the ruins on the western edge of the land. I think that’s more of a job for tomorrow though.” She said, looking at everyone.
“It’s going to be dark soon. We should divide up the night into watch shifts. There’s enough of us that all of us should get some good sleep
She didn’t bother Anja and Alex or their meeting. Both men and the boy were working hard, and a break to chat wasn’t begrudging them anything. Kelski didn’t try the Sea Urchins. She’d scrounged for them before and much preferred the meaty bites of clams and scallops over the delicate fragrant yellow insides of the urchins. She didn’t like eating animals that she had to slaughter dozens and dozens of to feel full. But she was glad everyone was enjoying them. Muscles, big clams, even geoducks were better meals though. And she knew the beach held all of those. She’d seen them scouting the location initially.
Those not putting up the Pavilion were busy hauling supplies and crated goods up the track Vasin had helpfully widened and turned into a cart track. Then Moth’s cart had been assembled and the horse was drafted to haul pile after pile of supplies up the bluff. To Kelski, it seemed that just as soon as the canvas was in place the inside was being filled. Caitlyn was directing Ebon and Dess to put together beds and had divided off the octagon ends into what Kelski decided must be a male and female side. Beds were assembled and even with the help of Moth, the piano was moved up and into the pavilion. Kelski looked at it with distaste and decided she’d best learn to play it if she was going to haul it around with her wherever she went.
That garnered her a slight laugh and she shook off her trepidation and went back to work. Vasin had fallen a number of trees that were six to eight inches in diameter. She used her axe to cut them to seven foot lengths. As soon as most of the supplies were in the tent, Dess and Ebon joined her and even Gilthas had stripped off his tunic and was lending his back to the work. They cut fence posts and pointed the ends like spears. Then, making a series of shovel holes three feet apart, the men started driving the new posts into the ground between the arms of the two octagons. The fence slowly went up, with smaller saplings nailed in place across its front to act as rails. Kelski dug out a huge tarp that she’d used as an awning at the front of the Pavilion for the party, and strung it halfway over the new enclosure. That took some doing, climbing both on a latter and later on Ebon’s shoulders to attach it to the guidelines of the main pavilion and secure it against brisk wind. At eight feet tall and slopping down to seven feet at the front with the edges guided downwards towards rain barrels at each pavilion wall to catch rainwater and automatically give someone a place to dip a bucket to replenish animal drinking water… Kelski looked satisfied.
Ebon and Dess fashioned a secured gate big enough for the horses to get through for they would be staying with the goats and chickens for a while at night. And when that was done, Kelski drafted little Zeric to help her cut armfuls of grass and once more transfer the water buckets to the pen and then release the goats and chickens within.
Caitlyn had nodded at the setup, but then had appeared after vanishing a few minutes and gave Zeric a set of her spare worn clothing and told him to stuff them full of grass and do whatever he could to fashion them to look like a real human. They took one of the wedges of wood Vasin had cut out of a bigger tree to direct where he’d fallen it, and painted a charcoal face on it using a bit of coal from one of the new fires burning in the firepit inside the pavilion.
When everyone was secured again, Moth back on the high line with the other new horses and Tack, Kelski called for a break and a meal. They’d been working hard for hours since the boat had unloaded and the beach was now virtually empty. She passed out jerky and fruit ration bars, water, and looked around at all they’d accomplished. Everyone had done their part. Even Mosa had kept Caitlyn occupied walking the beach quietly until they’d caught a ride up on Moth’s cart for the last light load up the hill. Caitlyn was napping, and Kelski suspected Mosa was as well.
She made sure Alexander had extra rations. He was half starved from the trip and had worked hard today.
The only things left on the beach were Gilthas’ lab and animals. Kelski decided they’d bring the animals up the hill to the outdoor complex for the night. Gil had an idea where he’d wanted to settle. While he was part of the Midnight Gem group, the mage liked his privacy and had been determined to explore a set of ruins on the edge of the Demesne land that he claimed were of vital interest. He’d told Kelski to watch his stuff – which in truth was almost as much as The Gem Folk had – and he’d be back in the morning for it.
“We need to get the wagon put together. We’ll need it to haul loads down the beach for Gilthas if he decides he wants the ruins on the western edge of the land. I think that’s more of a job for tomorrow though.” She said, looking at everyone.
“It’s going to be dark soon. We should divide up the night into watch shifts. There’s enough of us that all of us should get some good sleep