“Be willin to pay ya a copper per 10 pounds once we sell the stuff, love.”
“You’ll handle all the clean up?” Adabra quickly pointed at him.
“It’s been Ander’s dream since he met me.” Pete smiled.
Ander shook his head at Pete while he muttered something dark under his breath.
The discussion quickly turned to what Pete and Ander had brought with them. Once Adabra had a chance to skim the list, she made a few purchases. Mostly foodstuffs but she also bought a large table and all of his alchemical equipment. To include a few Alembic & Retorts.
Soon it was decided that they would be staying with Adabra for a few days. Because it would take a day or two to grind through all of that bone. She had room for guests on the third floor of her windmill, so it wouldn’t be too bad for any of them.
Chapter 6
Brawn McGable woke up in his jail cell. Oscar no thumbs snored in the cell next to him. Suddenly he could sleep fine now that he knew they weren’t going to be executed. Brawn laughed. The kid had been just a ball of nerves for the last two days. Until the news finally came in from that tub of lard they called a Townmaster, Harben Wester. Thank – the – gods no one had ever seen any of the horrid garbage Brawn had done. They all believed that he and his buddy were innocent down on their luck little cherubims. Who made the desperate decision to join the redbrands due to some privation. Ha! Still… As dark as Brawn might actually be? HE never would have killed a man for defending his wife’s honor.
His initial thought had been to slit Gigref’s throat and free the family. He probably could have convinced the others but he hadn’t been a Redbrand long enough to know for sure. And now there was nothing left to do but play it out.
“Whatchya doin?” He heard a gruff voice ask from the doorway.
Brawn turned to see Alger the Blacksmith standing there with a pair of manacles.
Brawn laughed. “Being grateful this isn’t my last morning on Toril.” He smiled.
“Ha.” Alger blurted out a laugh and nodded. Then he tossed the manacles through the bars at Brawn’s feet. “Get those on an lock em with these.” He dropped a pair of locks on the floor near him. “Then show me.” The Blacksmith said before stepping far away from the bars.
Brawn nodded as he began to put the manacles on his ankles. “What’ve you got me doin today?”
“Wood carver needs help now that her husbands dead.”
Brawn cringed. “You sure that’s wise? That poor woman…” He shook his head.
Alger shrugged. “She said she needed the help.”
Brawn nodded and showed the man his manacles once they were locked in place. He had about two feet of chain to walk with, but that wouldn’t be enough to run. Once Alger was satisfied he unlocked the cell and escorted Brawn to the Woodworker’s shop.
“Now listen up, this is important.”
Brawn looked at him as they walked down the main street.
“You remember Pete?”
Brawn nodded. “Uh, yeah.” He laughed. “Stabbed us in the back pretty good.”
Alger smiled. He’d heard the story. “Yeah, he did.” He laughed. “Couldn’t’ve happened to a better group of blackguards.” Brawn gave him a chagrined smile. “So, that Pete says he’s a bit of a tracker. Says if you or the young’un try to run? He’ll be more’n happy to track ya down. An cut on ya, the way he saw orcs do it.”
Brawn cleared his throat before commenting. “Well, that’s unpleasant news.”
Alger shrugged. “Just thought ya should know.”
“No. No. Thank you. Definitely wanted to know that.”
“Yeah.” Alger laughed.
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Pete was ecstatic. The kings were cautiously optimistic about his trade caravan. BUT were willing to sell him a few telescopes and owl eyes at half cost as a sign of trust. He would return another quarter of the final sale price. To confirm he could be trusted with their creations. If he returned. But Pete was also very excited about the consumables these gnomes had to offer. Mushroom bread that tasted like mushrooms.
“Some garlic butter and salt and these things are gonna be worth a fortune.” He told Ander. “We’ll take five 10 pound bags of the flour, Panana dear.” He smiled at the Gnomish woman.
Mushroom oil that was cheaper at a quarter of the price of lamp oil.
“We’ll take 10 barrels, Master Dimble.” Pete nodded.
And mushroom wine that tasted like… “Wow!.. That – is – awful! …Fill her again, Love.”
They sold quite a bit of the food stuffs they had left over from the Redbrands. But as they were helping to store the stuff Ander noticed a couple of devices in the store room.
“What are those, Master Orryn?”
Ander couldn’t stop looking at what appeared to be two large wooden barrels with six legs and two pincer arms.
“The Barrell Crabs?” Orryn shrugged. “Fibblestib and Dabbledob made them to help with loading supplies. But they’re more trouble than they’re worth.”
Pete followed Ander when he walked over to the vehicles. Ander opened the hatch on the top to reveal a seat with several levers inside.
“You can pilot this?!”
“Uh huh.” Orryn smiled and nodded.
“How much would you want for em?” Ander asked.
Orryn shrugged. “You could ask Dabbledob.”
Dabbledob felt 5000 Gold Pieces each was a good price. Pete thought that was an exceptional price but just didn’t have a use for them… Or 10,000 Gold pieces.
Aside from the mild disappointment of NOT purchasing two really interesting vehicles, the stop had been very profitable. From there they followed along the foot of the Sword Mountains. Meeting several miners along the trail and doing a few trades. Until they pulled up to Leilon in the afternoon.
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Working the saw with Widow Mirna was hot and sweaty work. Brawn could appreciate how attractive Mirna was when she was covered in sweat, her blouse sticking to her. Revealing all of her luscious curves, if it wasn’t for the hate filled stares she gave him. Almost as if she was imagining it was his body she was sawing through, as they cut the logs into planks. Brawn shook off the horrid imagery and looked back down to the log.
“Mama!” Her daughter Nilsa called. “Dinner’s almost ready!”
Mirna kept sawing. And casting malevolence filled stares at Brawn. “We’ll be there in a moment!” She yelled back, never taking her eyes off of Brawn.
Once the latest plank fell to the ground. Mirna took the two man saw and carried it to the woodshop, before hanging it on the wall. Brawn picked up the latest plank and carried it to the pile of lumber to stack it with the rest.
He turned around to find Mirna glaring at him. “Dinner.” She snarled as she pointed to her house.
“Thank you.” He said cautiously with a nod.
Then bumbled as best he could with his manacles to her and her children’s home.
“Hey Brawn, how was it today?” Nars, Mirna’s boy asked brightly.
Nilsa had set out two buckets of water with soap for him and Mirna to wash up with. Brawn used one to wash his hands and arms as he replied. “Good. Got a lot a good lumber cut from those logs. Should have something to work with now.” He smiled at the boy.
He tried not to look at Mirna as she washed up next to him but damn the woman smelled good. Still he couldn’t help but notice how she flinched when she used soap to wash her hands.