After spending most of the day dealing with the mundane tasks needed for me to manage the tower, from speaking with Lilly to accidentally killing a man, I was ready to return to my research. However, I also knew myself well enough to know that if I did so, then I wouldn’t take on the handful of remaining tasks.

It had been a long day for me, though, so I called for several of the new runners my seneschal hired to arrange for a meeting with Alderman Kine over dinner on the rooftop of my tower.

I had missed watching the sunset and looked forward to a good meal, a good discussion, and a glass of wine while I watched.

I spent the hour or so I had to wait for the meal to come together considering different gifts I could give to the Count and his wife. Honestly, I knew little about the couple or their desires. I was aware of the Baroness’s ambition to reclaim her estate, and Count Wilchrest seemed to have more than achieved his own goals with his new title. I knew nothing of their hobbies or personal interests. Yet Baron Froom did. No doubt his wedding gift to the couple would demonstrate how much better the relationship between them was.

Nor could I call on the third adventurer of the trio, Baron Llal, for advice. Not only did I not know his current whereabouts, asking would be obvious to my former assistant Froom. It created quite the conundrum. I couldn’t gift an enchanted item, because Alred was also a better enchanter—for the moment.

A gift of gold or riches would be worse. The baroness had gone out of her way to spend her riches to obtain gems to gift to me to fight against the coming Pestilence. Giving her coins or gems would be considered an insult at best.

I couldn’t help but to sigh.

Matters of love and politics were not my specialty, and any involvement usually taxed me more than I cared for. I created and discarded many ideas over the hour until Kine arrived. When he did, he was led up by my seneschal and followed by my new cook.

The cook came bearing a large platter that held steaming food. The eel had been quartered and roasted over the fire. With it came cuts of baked squash and apples.

It mixed well with the plum wine that was served, and I could only nod my thanks at the man. Truthfully, I would have been more vocal about the great meal if I could remember his name, but that would come with time.

Kine and I ate slowly, though from his expression he had more to discuss than I had to discuss with him.

“Master,” he began between bites. “You are working Philipe too hard. The duties you require have only expanded since I served you, and I could barely do them alone. He is too scared you will dismiss him to speak to you of it.”

I nodded. It was something I knew and expected. I hadn’t had the opportunity to seek out additional assistants but had planned for it. I had hoped one of the new additions to Loralie’s tower would work, but none had the appropriate training. I was certain that one or two of the mages in the nearby Woodhoot would be willing to take employment as well, though I would wait to hear from Rhaela, first.

“I am aware. Do you have recommendations?” I asked, though I didn’t look at him when I did. The sun was beginning to set, and I had a reflection lake for a reason.

“No, but I shall inquire,” he sounded disappointed, but quickly changed the subject. “Is there something you wish to discuss with me?”

I nodded my head slowly, “There is, but I would hear your concerns first.” Not that I would answer them, but letting the man air any grievances he might hold should make him more open to taking on the tasks I would soon be giving him.

Kine took a large breath before he began. His speech had started slowly and methodically, but then his voice became more lively as he went on. “The villagers are concerned. The village I had planned is growing too fast. There is little enough food, and more and more people arrive every day. Homes aren’t being built fast enough. It’s nearly the size of a town, now, and I don’t know that I can keep up. I spent the last three weeks just making basic homes from mud so that people would have a roof over their heads. I barely have time to eat or sleep, let alone study my craft.”

Even though I didn’t respond immediately, that didn’t mean I wasn’t carefully considering his words.

There were little clues in it that told me all was not as it seemed. He said the villagers were concerned, not he was concerned. That he can’t keep building homes, not that the village can’t.

I spared a glance from the sunset to see his exasperated expression, and then returned my gaze to the waters below.

“Hmmm.”

With a miserable tone, he spoke again. More a mutter to himself than words to me, but my ears caught it nonetheless. “I wish I could give it all up and go back to just being an assistant.”

I didn’t respond to that at all. If that was truly his wish and not just a sign of his mood, he would have made the request clearly. Instead, I waited for several long moments so that the silence stretched between us, before I began offering my guidance. “How do you see yourself fixing that?”

“I—well, I hadn’t the time to even think that far along, master.” He said it honestly, but I could also tell he was thinking it over now.

“Hmmm,” I offered and waited.

Kine started again, this time speaking more to himself than to me, “If I asked—no. He’d just complain. If I asked the miners, they could help with the foundations. The loggers would probably start helping on their own even if Tilburet argued against it. I could also set her on him if he was.”

The way he said 'her' left no doubt in my mind he was speaking of the nosy old crone I had met before. Her name came out of his mouth as if he were cursing. I couldn’t help but frown as I listened. She wasn’t welcome in my tower, but that didn’t mean I had forgotten about the woman. Yet, I didn’t speak and continued to listen as he spent most of the sunset planning his work.

When he was done, he offered a bow, “Thank you, master.”

I snorted and waved a hand to dismiss it. I had already ruled out one of the tasks I was going to assign him. I needed to source more quartz, but I would give that duty to an adventuring party or merchants. Perhaps both to see who would have it done quicker. Instead, I moved on to the only thing I truly needed to speak with him about.

“Kine, I plan to raise the tower and village up soon, onto a plateau with cliffs around it,” I began, and motioned to the lands we could see around the tower. I hoped to get him to see it in his mind, that way he could prepare the village and supplies needed to live apart from the rest of the country.

Yet, instead of seeing the tasks needed he tilted his head back and exclaimed, “Oh, thank Elora! That’ll stop the refugees. I should have come to you a week ago!”

I tapped my finger on the side of my wineglass as I watched my former apprentice jump up and dance in excitement. I pursed my lips. Then I held the rest of my words back. If he truly saw my raising the plateau as a reward, then he would approach the tasks needed to prepare for it with excitement. I didn’t want to rob him of that.

Instead, we parted ways shortly after that, and I took a bottle of wine with me into the bath. It had been a long time since I had soaked in the hot waters, and after the events of today, I needed to relax.