Banished Prince Charming

Chapter 83 - Breaking Grounds

The next following morning, after the citizens had taken their breakfast and had smiles plastered over their faces as of last night's nocturnal exercises that had resulted in a chain reaction, they gathered around to receive their next deployment of tasks or any urgent tasks that need their attention.

Since there wasn't much for me to say at that moment, Public Works Minister Frank took over initially for me and stated that their morning task is to erect 4 temporary paddocks made from the house structures. He pointed to the spot which was beside the four initial stores on the courtyard.

"Leave the front portion of the house, the horses do not need a doorway and it might be frantic in such an enclosed space. Lined the floor with hay and place a trough for its fodder and water. The horses do not need to be tethered too, or else it would drag the house behind it wherever it goes."

The visions of the horses pulling the houses behind it brought some imagination to the citizens as some were snickering at their own thoughts at that moment.

"All the materials for our Sir's house and the houses beside it along with the 4 stables were to be dismantled. Parts that could be rescued would be recycled and those who were not would be used as firewood instead."

"Once that area is cleared of any structures, some of the engineers would be assisting me to chop the trees down based on their designs to accommodate a space for the Sir's domain."

"I would be marking the trees on which ones are supposed to be brought down as well as their angles in where they would fall. Please observe the incision mark that would be left by my axe for all those following trees. Holker out 'T-I-M-B-E-R' once the tree was ready to fell as this would serve as a warning to others to give way."

"We would work 2 trees at a time, one to fell and the others would be to saw them according to size and transport it away to the sawmill. From there, the Industry Minister Ben would be in charge to convert those planks according to its size and thickness." Frank concluded his plans and I lauded him for his good work.

"Industry Minister Ben would be assigned throughout in the sawmill to receive the logs that would be precut 5 four and a half before it would be transported there."

"There will be a need of 3 manpower to assist the sawmill, one to operate the blades and the other three to hoist the log into the platform. The rest would be instructed by Ben himself."

Industry Minister Ben spoke up, "Those who were assigned to tend to the farms, please do so right now before heading back to your secondary positions. I need volunteers to pick up 4 structures to be built right after this. The temporary paddocks would face one another so at least the horses knew that their kind is around them and do not feel panic due to the sudden move."

There was a lot of instructions being passed down and everyone worked in a very systematic manner. The structures for the horses were brought in and was immediately put up with half a foot of shadow's length.

The horses were being moved after it was lined with hay to make it as comfortable as possible with quite a gap for the horses to move around in between the structures.

The children were waiting at the sidelines as the house I used to live in was dismantled and the workers informed the children which one is supposed to be kept and which one was to be turned into firewood.

The vacant houses of the Chowdry's, Gardner's and Levis' had no usable parts so the children brought the pieces of wood to their clay bricks area and gathered it at the collection point for firewood.

From there, the children need not move from that station as they helped the Grandpapa Jack to clear the clay bricks that had been fired the night before and send it to the storage shed. The youngest children helped to stack the clay bricks that was led to dry the night before and soon it was fired when the whole 360 clay bricks were being layered.

Once the children had done their tasks, they washed their hands and proceeded to the weaving production area where they would help out as much as they can before they were summoned by Sister Heather for the morning's mandatory 2 hours class.

Everything worked like clockwork and everyone seemed happy and joyful to see yet another change and improvements made to their village.

"Sir, would you think there would be a future expansion for the sheds? They looked like before when we came here and now their contents were overflowing." one of the engineers asked as he observed that the stores were still of a cruck house design.

"Our courtyard is sufficient to hold up approximately 2000 citizens as it is about 115 feet wide and 280 feet across, measuring end to end from the wagons to this stake that we had inserted in the ground. This marks the centre point of the house or the raised porch."

I nodded in apprehension as the engineers mentioned how it would be like for the domain that would be built later on. As there was no hurry to build it, certain stages would be implemented such as clearing of the trees, stumps and roots as well as wild vegetation around it.

"Sir, there would be a perimeter breach once the work is underway. Would it be best to move the defensive structures further back?" Eagle inquired as he saw the open forest after the houses been dismantled.

I nodded and he got someone to make use of a yardstick to measure from the point till to the farthest end to set up the perimeter. It was set to 200 feet back, well away from the intended structure. Once the barricades were moved, once again he commended me for the improvisations and the ease of use.

"Those trees would provide a good anchor for the defensive structures. It seems the wild beasts would not go through here but from the other side. Alright sir, its time to clear out."

"The start of falling the trees would resume soon once we leave and heads to the safety zone," Eagle advised as he led me out from the forested area and it seemed that there would be quite a load for Ben to handle the sawmill alone. However, with the many hands involved, it would not be a problem. How heavy would a 5 and a half foot tree trunk be, anyway...

"Would you like to come this way, sir? I have something to discuss with you first before I open it up in the open discussion tonight." Eagle motioned me towards the windmill and I followed him.

=*=

As soon as I settled down on the upper level of the windmill, I noticed sacks if what's and also three large leather trunks that I had missed earlier when it was brought in.

I take a look at the contents of the leather trunks and found that it was filled with clothes, winter clothes, that were meant for the citizens soon during the coming fall.

"These are fine clothes don't you think? By the way, this wheat inside these sacks have some abnormalities, don't you think? Is it safe to eat?" I inquired as I scooped a handful and let it fall through my fingers and found some of the wheat had turned blackish.

"That's signs of ergot infection in grains, sir. It is not safe to eat and will lead to egotism or gangrene. It is not safe to consume and even livestock would be affected if fed with it."

"Right now we would be putting these aside first before we soak them in brine. Those that float would be disposed and those that sink could be dried and thus turned into flour and feed for livestock." Eagle explained while he removed the note that he had kept on his person.

"You're quite knowledgeable for a Shadow as well as an engineer. What else do these men's qualities would be then?" I inquired and sat down on the top of one of the leather trunks as Eagle handed me a note he had received the night before.

"This just got in last night. This is to inform that a group of Irish Travellers also known as nomads would be arriving here within 3 days time. These nomads made up of tinklers as well as other trades that they ply from town to town to earn a living."

"They speak English generally but when they were to converse between themselves it would either in Shelta or in Cant. It is their unique universal language shared among the nomads of other regions as well."

"They would refer us as 'Buffers' as they would introduce themselves as 'Minkiers' but not as" Pikeys" as it is quite a degoratory remark for them as they might consider themselves lower than the serfs. Hope you would be aware of it."

"I understand a bit of Shelta and Cant so they might not be able to hide certain information from me if I were to mingle with them, somehow. However, the decision is up to you to receive them into the population or not for I stand neutral at this moment."

Eagle narrated in the origins and mannerism of these nomads as well a bit of their culture. These nomads were generally or should I say, usually are itinerant people. The tinklers are those who mend household items back to its original state.

Nomads usually were made up of a group of people that moves around in groups and live in tents or horse-drawn covered wagons. They move from place to place, herding their livestock to pasture, avoiding frozen solid grounds and would render their services to fix pots and pans from clay to tin and cast iron.

They were hunter-gatherers and would make excellent foragers where they could lay traps, hunt small animals as well as identify wild plants, fruits and vegetables. Their presence would be of great assistance to Kayla.

Generally speaking, these nomads were excellent with their hands and avoid trouble as far as they possibly could. Once they got the hang of things, they could easily copy what was supposed to be constructed et cetera.

These group of nomads usually called pastoralists would compromise of at least 6 families and their livestock would range from cattle, sheep, goats, horses, yaks and rams as they regard these livestock as important as their own lives. Furthermore, it would take some negotiations to persuade them to hand over their livestock to be kept in enclosures.

"Sir, dealing with these nomads would be quite difficult. Their presence here would be providing pastures for the livestock and also see what kind of jobs available for them throughout their stay. To make them stay here would be near impossible."

"Do you think if I issue a decree would make a difference? To provide opportunities for a better way of life for itinerant, to promote their absorption into the general community, pending such absorption, to reduce to a minimum the disadvantages to themselves and to the community resulting from their itinerant habits and to improve the position generally, and to make recommendations."

"That's quite a mouthful but we could try. Most likely they are curious about this village though and see what they could make use to their advantage." Eagle explained to my suggestion for a decree and I thought to myself, "Well, we were nomads too before we made a settlement."