Banished Prince Charming

Chapter 31 - The First Immigrants.

It had been two days since the project of constructing the houses for the residential plot was underway. We were wrapping our work for the evening when we were greeted by the 6 miners which were pulling their wagon that was filled with sacks of ores and coal.

Behind them were 2 families that had trekked together for about 5 days and they looked weary due to the long-distance travel on foot. I had miscalculated when the miners mentioned that they had to travel 5 days to GraceHaven and I thought it would take a day for them to get back.

I inadvertently slapped my forehead when I realised my mistakes and was thinking whether the long absence was due to their disinterest in the offer of relocation.

"Hello, good people. I thought what yew 'ad forgotten abaaaht aaahr deal an' 'ad forgotten yaaahr way 'ere as well. My, yew looked bogged down wiv travel. Why don't yew go ter da caaahrtyard an' let us complete aaahr works? Kayla would be able ter accommodate yew first." I called out to the miners and the weary-looking families that was trailing slightly behind.

"Guys, clear away the stuff first and head out back out. These 3 houses would be completed by tomorrow then. Don't need to rush, let's welcome our guests first." I called out to the 5 pioneers, minus Kayla and Heather as they finished clearing their tools and heads back soon after.

"How was your trip, my good men? I wasn't expecting you to be here at this hour and why don't you take up a rest over here? By the way, since the residential houses were still underway, you wouldn't mind settling around the courtyard for the time being, don't you?" I inquired the miners and they were happy to oblige.

"These are the first two families that we managed to gather. They are not trained in any professions and they had been doing some odd jobs and found that it is hard for them to survive since they had no worthy possessions in their lives. All they have are the clothes on their backs and a bundle of stuff."

I led the way and the miners remarked about the progress that they had seen the moment the rows of stakes on the ground greeted them. They also bamboo-lined path that lined the edge of the area that leads to the bridge and to the courtyard.

In the evening sky, the visitors were able to notice the sprouts of tenderlings on the 2x2 plantations on both sides of the paths and it was a welcoming sight. This entices the miners the intent to move their families here as well.

"Kayla, these are the miners that I had mentioned a week ago or so and we have 2 families right now. Would we be able to have some loaves of bread to compensate for the additional 14 guests?" I inquired as she was the one who normally controls the kitchen.

"No worries young master, let me put a pot to boil some tea, the gruel is ready and I would get the fire going for the oven. Heather dear, could you get 3 cups of flour for bread? I'm going to make some sweet loaves of bread."

"The gruel is ready but I would also add another 2 more cups of grains and 1 flour please." Kayla glanced at Heather and she nodded her head in apprehension and immediately took 2 pots and hurried to the shed to retrieve the said goods.

"We will have our meals first and then start the formal introduction. It is our practice to not discuss anything during meal times and only would be discussing any matters over here in this courtyard." I explained as I observed that the 2 families looked famished and were slightly emaciated due to hardship that they had previously experienced.

From their facial expressions, the 2 families of 9 people were made up by a couple around 40ish of age with 2 teenage sons. The other family was made up of a couple around the same age group, a fairly young lady around my age group and 2 girls around the age of 6 and 4 years of age.

Ben had fashioned a bamboo twin-seater long bench with armrests for both me and Heather while he had made an additional 2 more additional benches of similar make and place it in a 2x3 formation. From the looks of it, it may look like a royal courtyard held in the outback.

An additional table and 2 long benches were being constructed with the combination of bamboo and Reed materials and were built as if he had a premonition of additional guests coming along after he had constructed them.

The 5 other pioneers arrived and made small talk as I helped to serve cups of tea to the guests as well as to others. Gwen and Crystal saw Heather was kneading the dough and offered to help. "Tonight we are going to have a fruity sweet bread. Can someone prepare me a pineapple and slice them lengthwise like a blade of a knife? That's going to be used as the filling with a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar in it."

With that, Crystal helped to prepare the pineapple and Gwen assisted by preparing the bowls and to set the table. Looking at how organised we worked and the synchronise of things being done, the new families can't help but feel astonished. This was the first time they had seen bread made in this way using a fruit as a filling and they shrugged at each other when they heard the word 'pineapple'.

The dough was ready and set aside to rise. The gruel was ready on the rocket stove as Gwen helped to scoop it into large clay serving bowls and set it on the 3 tables.

The new families looked on with deep anticipation and looked forward to dinner time and at the same time, Sir Blackie strolled in and took a whiff from the new visitors as a sign to distinguish them from friends and foes on the future. The children saw that we had a dog and quickly petted its head and ribbed its luxurious fur while Air Blackie wagged its tail in delight.

It was then time for our meals.

It was a tight squeeze since there were 14 additional bodies and mouths to feed. The ladies and children decided to sit on the long benches and use another bench as a temporary dining table.

I saw the ladies and children began to introduce themselves and get acquainted as the new group of men also did the same as well. As there was a strict rule of non-discussion during mealtime, it was a solemn affair and everyone had seconds of the gruel and emptied the large clay pot. At least everyone had their fill as supper is yet to come afterwards.

After the meal, Kayla set the bowls aside as she, Crystal and Heather began to roll the small ball sized dough and started to roll them flat, a piece of pineapple placed in the centre and dusted with cinnamon and sprinkled with sugar and some salt before it was folded into two and arranged on a clay pan. There are about 8 loaves of bread per pan and it was pushed into the oven as the fire was stocked with some more wood.

The same process was being repeated for another 8 more loaves of bread and was set in the lower part of the oven. The balance loaves of bread were being set aside on a clay pan and placed on the dining table. It won't be long before the bread would be ready and would switch places alternately before it was uniformly baked.

During that time, the sacks of coal and ores were being offloaded and stored inside Jack's Blacksmith store. Jack was waiting for me to settle the payment as there was some decisions to be made if it would a 10c,15c or the revised 20c for the miners" compensation.

When everyone had finally settled down, I began the general conference first as we discussed the ongoing projects and the projection of the works that would be due to be done in the next few days. Ben and Frank reported the progress of the works and informed that the current 3 houses would be completed before mid-morning.

Gwen reported that the dozen of hunting bows had been set and waiting to bind for at least 3 days before she would make the drawstrings for it. She casually reported that a new dozen of hunting bows would be on progress from tomorrow onwards since she had made a batch of frames for the hunting bows.

Crystal reported that the livestock has no problems and the eggs were incubated to produce young chicks. She informed that she had sighted some geese and Willards were in flight and might make their way nearby.

Kayla reported that the first farmlands had been doing great and we would be having our first crop of fresh vegetables soon. She reminded that the first batch of vegetables would be set aside to gain seeds for the next plantations. Upon hearing her report, I nodded my head.

The four children reported that they had successfully made 4 batches of clay bricks and Harry announced that the clay bricks would be available for firing the day after next. Looking at his fingers, he counted that there would be 64 bricks altogether and they looked happy at the progress.

Then everyone's nose was tickled by the freshly baked what bread and I could smell the distinctive fruity pineapple and the cinnamon smell emanating from the oven. Soon the readied pan of bread was taken out and left on the dining table to be air-filled while the one that was taken out had been replaced. The empty space now was used for the third pan.

Eyes followed the pan of bread when it was brought out by Crystal and the children were excited as it was quite rare to have bread for supper. Kayla learnt about the weary travellers and decided to compensate them with a simple treat.

After the initial discussion has ended, I decided to welcome the new guests. I called out to the families to introduce themselves and to state their decision of why they decided to be here and the contributions that they would be able to make for the community.

I soon learnt that the first household name was Ashworth with 2 teenage boys that are strong enough to work the fields. Their 4 professions were general labourers.

Next was the Burns household and the young lady was the younger sister of the man, and the couple had 2 young daughters aged 6 and 4. At least there are 2 more children to add to the youngest generation.

The couple's profession was also general labourers but the young lady was a housemaid and tasked in general cleaning, cooking et cetera.

Their reasons for leaving was due to lack of work and money. They were living in a small town and had barely enough to depend on and survive as the small town was raided by rebels a month back.

"How far is that town from here?" I asked with a concerned look and was informed that the town was at least 4 days away from where the miners came from, and that means the rebels were about 9 days away on foot. I made a rough calculation means their town was between 200 to 220 miles away based on a walking speed of 3 miles per hour on a straight 8-hour trek for 9 days.

"So what else could you do? We have a store for a tailor, a brewery and a stonemason." and I explain the mechanics of putting up in GraceHaven, the professions, taxes as well as the cabinet ministers role and responsibilities when the village grew.

"TAX...?! That means we have to pay taxes to you even when we are working as general labourers...?! There's no tax from where we came from..." the Ashworth and Burns household voiced their disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e of hearing the word 'TAX'.

Who in the world would be willing to pay tax when one is not even properly employed and have an insecure future, ain't it?