The Homecoming 16.

A Workshop...

"I don't know who is worse" says Bassark the foreman as he looks out the doors of the workshop to across the courtyard "Him or his master". "Definitely the master" says Tovis the war engineer who joins the foreman at the doors.
"Well yeah, i guess so" says Bassark, who though nearly twenty years older than the young engineer, defers to him, and not just on the work they're doing for the baron.
"But he's almost as bad" says the foreman "Now that i definitely agree with" says Tovis with a nod of his head as they watch Maren, the apprentice to the dark druid Palvarc, crossing the courtyard to the main keep of castle Harkonin.
Those in the courtyard, and others going in and out of the main doors of the large keep in the middle of the castle, veer away, and keep out of the way of the apprentice spellcaster. Who like his master, is bald. And wears a black, robe like cloak.
Even on what's a fine and sunny winter's day, Maren seems to be devoid of light. As if he's sucking up any sunshine that's striking down upon him.
It's a rather common trait for those who are dark druids. It's as though the sunlight doesn't particularly like them.
Tovis who is often wondered if that's where the dark druids got their name, glances sideways at the foreman of the work yards here at castle Harkonin, who spits in disgust to one side, then quietly says "Filthy dark ones".
"Don't be letting either one of them hear you say that" quietly says the engineer to the foreman, Tovis continues with "Or infront of one of their believers".
Bassark quickly looks around and is relieved to see that everyone else in the workshop are too busy to listen in on what the two of them are talking about.
"I will" quietly says the foreman, who like the young engineer, doesn't particularly care for the dark druid and his apprentice. Both of whom, are close to the baron, and most of his family too.
Bassark glances at young Tovis and finds him looking up at the main keep, the foreman of the work yards refrains from sighing, but he does roll his eyes as he can guess what the war engineer to baron Harkonin is thinking about.
"You know Tovis, you're important to the baron, i doubt there's any other commoner in the fief who's as important as you, well apart from you know who" quietly says Bassark, who when he sees he's got the young engineer's attention, he quietly adds in a slightly dry tone "But you're not that important".
Tovis winces, then he looks back into the workshop to make sure no one is listening, then he quietly says to his foreman "Is it that obvious?".
"For someone who knows, yes" quietly says Bassark who continues with "You've been pining over her since you were a young 'un, so it's fairly obvious to those who know".
The foreman slightly shakes his head, then says "You're an eligible young man, i'm sure there's plenty of young woman in town who would like to be your wife" he briefly pauses before adding "Like i said, you're probably the most important commoner in the fief, so trust me, you've got the pick of the crop, so to speak".
The young engineer nods his head, as he knows this to be true. He's been told by those who know this, including his father, plenty of times, to not pass up the opportunities that's available to him when it comes to marriage. But he's been stubborn about it, and refuses to listen.
"You know it has happened" quietly says Tovis, who continues with "The daughter of the lord of the high pass married that son of those wine merchants last year, so it is possible for a noble to marry a commoner".
"True" says the work yard foreman, who looks up at the main keep of the castle, then at the young engineer standing beside him, and he dryly says "But she wasn't the daughter of the baron of Harkonin".
Bassark does sigh when he sees young Tovis wince again, the yard foreman slightly shakes his head, and almost tells the war engineer to forget about it, but he knows that's not fair.
Instead he changes the subject, and tells him "Should we go and see how the cups are going?". After a moment, Tovis nods his head, and says "We probably should" the young engineer continues in a slightly dry tone with "Nothing like looking on the progress of a some catapults instead of thinking about the impossible, and the unfairness of life".
Bassark can't help but chuckle, and he says to the baron's war engineer "Too true" as he slaps him across the shoulders in a jovial manner.
He gets a faint grin from Tovis, and the foreman of the work yards tells him "Come along then".
The two of them exit the workshop, and make their way to the right through the courtyard. Heading away from the main keep of castle Harkonin. They're soon outside the south gates of the large castle, and in the work yards proper.
Tovis looks towards his home that isn't too far away, and hopes his father isn't too far gone in drink, as it's not yet midday. And that he's working on the tasks that Tovis has set for him.
His father Mallick is still a hard worker, and a more than competent one too. Until he's had too much to drink, that's when his work becomes shoddy. A trait that's detrimental for an engineer. Even one who is still as accomplished such as Mallick.
The young war engineer and the foreman walk through the late morning sunshine, on this cool and clear winter's day. The snowfall from a couple of days ago has melted away. And Bassark remarks" It's definitely getting warmer" the foreman then quietly adds "It'll be early spring in a months time" he gestures away to the west then quietly says "We'll be heading that way soon enough i guess".
"More than likely" quietly says Tovis who knows that they'll be on the warpath soon enough. And that an early spring campaign against the Lé Dic fief is a certainty. Word is that over in the neighbouring fief, they too are building up for war.
And like here in the Harkonin fief, it won't be a border skirmish as it was eighteen months ago, when the previous ruler of the Lé Dic fief, earl Maxiss Lé Dic, was killed.
"Really think that young lady of Lé Dic is making the decisions over there?" quietly asks Bassark as they watch the work being done on the throwing cups on a couple of the newer catapults "I rather doubt it" quietly replies the war engineer, who continues with "I have no doubt the child wants revenge for her father's death, but it's more than likely those around her are making all the major decisions".
The foreman of the work yards nods in agreement with that, and as they walk around one of the newer catapults and inspect the work that's been done, he quietly says "Hope it doesn't rain that much in the springtime".
"Same" murmurs Tovis who knows that wet ground, is the bane of his existence when it comes to his war machines. As moving them, even when broken down into more manageable pieces, across wet and muddy ground is more than a hassle to say the least.
It's something he's not looking forward to, as sometimes the rainfall here in the very east of the kingdom of Druvic can get very heavy during the spring.
Both the young engineer and the foreman help a group of workers reattach a wheel to an axle of one of the newer catapults. Which is a hell of a lot easier than putting a new wheel on the much larger trebuchets.
After doing that, and inspecting the remaining catapults that have been worked on throughout the autumn and now winter. The two of them head back into the castle that's the ancestral home of the Harkonin family.
After they have the midday meal, the war engineer and his foreman return to the workshop to help with what's being done there. It's in the middle of the afternoon, and as Tovis helps one of the work crews building a scorpion that's nearly complete. One of the workers quietly says to him "Sir coming this way".
The young engineer sees the fearful look upon the face of the man, Tovis looks over his shoulder and spots Maren, the apprentice to the dark druid Palvarc walking across the courtyard outside, heading straight for the workshop. A couple of soldiers are following the spellcaster, though at a distance, as if they don't want to be too close to the apprentice dark druid.
"Continue with this" says Tovis to the work crew, the young engineer looks over at the work bench that Bassark and a couple of metalworkers, are working on the firing mechanism of the scorpion.
The foreman who has also spotted the apprentice to the dark druid Palvarc heading this way. Has a grimace of disgust upon his face.
Bassark nods to him, and as Tovis nods back, and heads for the open double doors, the foreman, wipes the grease off his hands with a rag, then comes around from the work bench, and follows Tovis towards the doors.
The dark druid's apprentice stops just outside the workshop, looking into it with a sneer of disdain upon his face. It only slightly lessens when the young war engineer gets to the open doors and stops there.
With a folded piece of parchment in hand that's sealed with wax, Maren the apprentice dark druid says "My master wants this made" the young spellcaster doesn't bother greeting the young engineer facing him.
From a bit behind Tovis, the foreman Bassark says "That's master engineer, or war engineer to you" the work yard foreman pauses for a moment, before adding in a flat tone "Apprentice".
A brief scowl appears on the face of the bald headed spellcaster, who is actually younger than Tovis, then the apprentice to the dark druid Palvarc says "My master wants this made" followed after a brief pause by "Master engineer".
Ignoring the young man just infront of him, Tovis looks beyond him to the pair of soldiers who have followed Maren. The war engineer who knows both men, lifts a questioning eyebrow, and one of the soldiers reluctantly nods.
Great, Tovis thinks to himself, the young engineer sourly adds in silence, more fucking work to do.
Holding a hand out, the war engineer to baron Harkonin asks the apprentice spellcaster "By when?". "As soon as possible" replies Maren who would rather be doing anything else than run errands for his master.
After taking the parchment, and cracking the seal and opening up, Tovis slightly frowns as he quickly looks at the diagram on the parchment, then he slightly nods in understanding at what he sees.
"Tell your master it will be done within a seven day" says the young engineer, who continues with "The baron's war machines have priority, and my crews will only be able to build this once they've completed other things".
"Very well" says the apprentice spellcaster "Will that be all?" asks Tovis "Yes that's all" replies Maren, who without saying another word more, turns and makes his way back across the courtyard to the main keep. The pair of soldiers, who would rather be doing anything else, including cleaning the privy in their barracks, than the duty they have at the moment. Follow behind the apprentice spellcaster.
"What is it?" asks Bassark as he steps up to beside Tovis "Here" says the war engineer who hands the parchment to his foreman. Who frowns as he look at the diagram on it.
"Hmmmm looks similar to a frame for the heavy wooden fence posts" quietly says Bassark who continues with "The one you pound into a hole in the ground".
"That's basically what it is" dryly says the war engineer to baron Harkonin "Why the hell would the dark druid want something" says the work yard foreman who suddenly stops in mid sentence, then winces in disgust, which he follows up with a muttered "Fuck".
"Exactly" quietly says Tovis the war engineer, who shakes his head as he watches Maren the apprentice dark druid enter the main keep of the castle "Come on, let's get back to work" says Tovis, who turns back, and walks further into the workshop to continue the work he has to complete for the baron . . . . . .