I think you should bring the walker, just in case, Sonia said as she stood by the door of the carriage. They were parked in front of Duel. The wooden boards covering the windows were still in place, and workers were going in and out with tools and supplies. Two guards stood on either side of the door, keeping an eye on who entered.
I can use the cane now, Tori insisted. A wooden railing that retracted against the side of the carriage had been installed to one of the imperial carriages they always used so that Tori could use it to help keep her balance when she was getting on and off. The walker is too bulky. It could get in the way.
What if you get tired? The walker has a little bench to sit on. Sonia frowned.
Since Tori and Henrik were going to visit Duel and Ilyana was going sight-seeing with her family, the rest of the little group also decided to return to Horizon, as well. The twins were going to visit their parents, Ewan was taking a break from his training, and Albert was leading Ilyanas family through the city.
Constantine remained in Viclya, continuing his hospitality work. He was determined to do so until the end. It worked out well, as it gave the others a chance to shop for his going-away gifts in secret.
Leave it in the carriage. If I do get tired, Ill find a place to sit. Sonia, Ill be fine. Tori gave Sonia a helpless look. It was her first ti back in Horizon after she began to walk again, but as she was still a little shaky, everyone was cautious.
Sonia didnt look completely convinced. Im here and there are knights with us, Henrik told her. And I have her brothers' comcrys registered on mine. If she doesnt listen and overexerts herself, I will call one of them.
Toris jaw dropped and she looked at him with indignation. Youre going to tattle?
I wont have to tattle if there isnt anything to tattle about, Henrik replied in a cool voice.
Tori tilted her head back and let out a groan. Since Henrik assud responsibility, Sonia seed appeased. She got back on Ciel Noir and JP handed her the reins.
Well see you two at Lord Sebastians flat in two days, Sonia said. Henrik. She gave him a stern look and he nodded.
I know. I know. Ill make sure shes safely at Lord Sebastians flat before going ho.
Satisfied, Sonia and JP headed off to the tenth district on their horses.
Tori gripped a cane carved with a lions head and two black tourmaline eyes in her right hand and walked ahead. Im touched that all of you care about my health, but Im not a child. I was patient enough to wait to ground until I could use a walker, which is far later than when the crystal masters recomnded I could.
You also get carried away when youre distracted, Henrik said as he stopped at the base of the steps to Duel and held out his arm on Toris left side. She reached out with her left hand and held on to his forearm as he helped her up the stairs. Youre not shaking with each step. Youre much steadier than last week.
I told you, Tori said. They stopped at the top of three steps and Tori looked on either side. Add a ramp on either side and so tal railings. The main steps should be in the center, leading up to the doors.
Countess Guevera! Guild Master Kivinen caught sight of her and put his tools aside to greet her. He gave her a small, respectful bow of his head. Congratulations on your peerage appointnt.
Thank you, Guild Master. I have a lot of responsibility on my hands now. Im afraid I will need to depend on you and Guild Master Blomgard more.
The towering, barrel chested master mason shook his head. It is an honor to work with you, my lady.
Henrik and Ilyana have told that youve been following our instructions well and even improved upon so ideas, Tori said with a pleased smile.
You are giving us a degree of flexibility and were able to use our abilities and creativity, the middle-aged man chuckled.
I noticed the main doorways have tal ramps.
Yes, my lady. You requested that we look into making as many of the rooms accessible as possible for those with walking disabilities and that you yourself were in a wheelchair for so ti. A cousin of mine is a smith, and we had these ramps that can straddle the doorways made.
Theyre removable?
Yes, in case they are damaged or need to be cleaned, they are much easier to deal with.
Thats wonderful. Where did you get the idea?
We have them in my ho. Master Kivinen lowered his eyes and seed to shift awkwardly. My youngest son was born unable to walk.
Toris brows shot up and she blinked. She knew that the masonry guilds master had several sons; the two eldest were working in the delta. Then, hes in a wheelchair?
Yes, when we were able to afford one, we purchased one that was suitable for an adult. When he was a child, he was carried or pushed in a wheelbarrow.
Do strollers not exist here? Tori nodded. I see.... She rembered what Robert said during his interview and furrowed her brows. You should bring him when we open.
Master Kivinen smiled kindly and nodded. I think hed be very interested, my lady.
Good afternoon, Countess. Guild Master Blomgard ca out from the back room. He was older, but much more upbeat than Guild Master Kivinen. He walked through the dusty open lobby that was still being renovated to greet them. Are you here for a check?
Yes! Tori said. Show the back room first. I want to see the presses.
The master printer from Presidio has arrived, Guild Master Blomgard said as he led them forward. He slowed his pace so Tori could keep up. They walked through one of the doorways and into a large, sprawling back room that would make many papercraft crafters excited.
There were shelves and cabinets all along the walls, large worktables, massive printing presses, and an area for wood carvers. Woodcuts had been used for printing large quantities of images, such as cards, for so ti and part of Duel required artwork. Smaller tools had already arrived, including paper cutters, scissors, and embossing tools.
Countess Guevera! A tall, slender man with a limp walked over. He bowed his head and hit his chest with his fist. It is an honor.
A forr Guevera knight, Tori said with a greeting nod. On more formal occasions or first etings, the right fist hitting the chest was a greeting of a knight to their liege in Sur. Most knights greeted her father, mother, and brothers like this.
Tori was casual now-a-days and simple bows of their heads sufficed, especially amongst the younger knights.
Yes, my lady. I ended my service fifteen years ago, after I received a leg injury during the coastal raids, he said, standing up straight. I am Joaquin Villalobos and I have been working at your familys Presidio print shop since.
Wonderful! Thank you for your service and your dedication, sir, Tori said. I hope that the workshop here is suitable. We tried to allocate as much space as possible.
It is more than suitable, my lady. We have more equipnt arriving, along with two of my apprentices. I believe we will be enough to get your products prepared before the target opening date, Master Villalobos told her.
Did you receive the various samples of gas Ive sent? Tori asked. He nodded.
Before I left Presidio, I had begun to review them. My two apprentices are quite interested.
Thats good! It ans the gas have an appeal, Tori said, pleased. Master Villalobos, I will leave you to continue. Henrik and I are on a tour of the buildings progress. If there is anything needed, please have one of the guild masters let us know.
Of course, my lady.
The three buildings had been gutted and the old walls separating buildings had been replaced with load bearing columns and new walls to separate sections. As planned, the original three stories, or rather, two and a half or so, beca two, which let in more light and opened up the showroom. The showroom made up the center building and the one to its left. The right building was the connected cafe with a separate street entrance.
The back kitchen was connected to another kitchen on the workshops side of the wall that would be used for workers. Tori wanted to hire as many villagers from the delta as she could, but the commute was too long. Therefore, above the cafe was a small dormitory, similar to the back rooms where the guards for Lions Gate stores lived.
Above the other two buildings were private rooms that could be reserved for gas. Food and drink from the cafe could be ordered and served thanks to a dumbwaiter. The open area in front of the private rooms had more gaming tables for first co first serve guests.
Ga demos were done downstairs in the showroom and guests could rent gas to play upstairs or buy gas, ga guides, cards, and figurines. The special gaming tables were based on the one her friend had at her house, except Tori added tiles that could be mixed and matched at random to create new landscapes.
Shed introduced the table on her birthday weekend, and sohow, it ended up in the knights communal tent. Ewan and Albert couldnt find it for a few days as they were going to play a round with the kids. Tori told the knights they could borrow it for the sumr, but it would eventually move to Horizon.
The stairs to the second floor were next to the entrance to the cafe, from the lobby. A ramp was built along the left and back wall, with shelving beneath it to display products. It would be used for both people and things to be rolled to the second floor, such as trays of food and furniture.
The small details and decorations were not yet in place, and of course there were no products yet, but the general outlines of the store were now visible. So pieces were being fabricated off site to be brought in later. Light fixtures and tal works had not yet arrived. Large furniture was still in the process of being designed and made in the delta by Den craftsn.
What do you think? Henrik asked as they stood in front of the main doors and looked at the construction happening within. We open in four months.
Four months is enough, Tori said. Everyone knows what theyre doing; the process is steady. We are making sure that there are no supply chain issues and that workers are being managed well by their guilds. I believe we can start letting villagers know that there are job openings here.
What about the cafe? Food and drink preparation is a bit more complicated, Henrik said.
Mama Js youngest son finished his chef and pastry chef training last year, but Mama J wants him to continue working at Cafe Fortuna, Tori said. He brought two friends from school with him when he ca to help with the cakes at the delta and wanted to know if we were hiring.
Thats Lukas Jager, right? Henrik held up his hands. If Mama J says no, Im not going to accept him. Everyone had the utmost respect for Piers nanny. She was like a warm grandma and took incredibly good care of them. How could they wrong her?
Ill talk to Mama J, Tori said. She lifted her hand to her chest and looked confident. Mama J loves and Im sure shed trust with her son.
Are you hiring him or marrying him?
Food is an asset to be considered in a relationship, Tori said firmly. Henrik rolled his eyes.
If you can hire Lukas Jager and his friends, without angering Mama J, then you have our full support, Henrik replied.
Thank you. Tori began to walk towards the unfinished cafe. Besides, Ive already spoken to him about thed beverages and snacks for Cafe Duel.
Henrik closed his eyes. Ugh....
Dont make that sound. Thats the sound Axton makes when Piers is being unreasonable.
So Ive heard.
Tori shot him a glare as they walked into the cafe space. The floor tile was already complete, and Tori looked down and smiled. There were simple gray, rectangular tiles bordered by a lighter gray, thinner sort of subway tile. No fancy mosaics or patterns. Tori wanted it easy to clean and sleek.
She felt the gray matched well with the exposed wooden beams and the wooden chairs and tables shed ordered.
Do you think we should start advertising now? Henrik said. Four months away isnt much if you think about it.
Our little endeavor is a bit different and Im not sure how wed advertise it outside of word of mouth, as the gas take so explanation, Tori said. I want to focus on our existing markets we have access to: Lyce, a few local nobles and aristocracy, and the imperial knights.
The knights?
The role-playing gas are very popular with the knights. Tori turned around to look at him. And like the students in Lyce, knights co from a variety of diverse backgrounds. They also have tension to release and playing gas can distract them. When we open in the winter, itll be just after finals. Id like to spread the word about Duel around that ti.
Ilyana can advertise for us during her reviews and arent you two going to help with first year orientation? Henriks eyes lit up. You can tell the new students about it.
We can tell them about it, but that doesnt an theyll understand. Tori shook her head. And also, dont make Ilyana take up review ti to advertise for us.
What about during orientation?
Orientation is to help first year students. They already have a lot going on. She pursed her lips. But what if we can display one of the gas at the Sword Association during the first week? We always have a lot of room even with the exhibition and the pinecone challenge.
Can we do that? The Sword Association wont be upset?
I can talk to Captain Kowalski.
Henrik knit his brows. That na sounds familiar.
Tiffs cousin.
Oh...Thats where the Kowalski cos from in Bucher-Kowalski.
Yeah, she joined because he got her interested in it, Tori said, distracted. She paced the empty cafe for a mont and paused in the center. We do have another option and that is to start a club for tabletop gaming. Then wed be allotted our own spot for orientation and the Spring Festival. The problem is we may not get the club approved in ti for orientation.
It would still be an effective way to popularize the gas, wouldnt it? Even if we dont get it approved for orientation, the Spring Festival also draws in outside crowds.
Then, you, Ilyana, and Albert can apply for a club. You need at least five people, though. Ilyana is popular, Im sure she can bring in so people.
Henrik nodded. All right.
Okay, well go with that plan. Ill call Tiff and ask her to contact her cousin for . Tori stamped her cane on the ground twice. Let's continue on with our reconnaissance.
Should we wear disguises?
What? No, were just going to look around the Golden Cow and his cafes. Tori looked at Henrik as if he were an idiot. Not infiltrate a nation. Just dont ntion that were from Lions Gate.
What if they know who we are?
Then they can suspect sothing and live in constant fear.
Reviews
All reviews (0)