OOM: Taking Sameth to Gotland again

[ostro_goth]

Teja is in the forge, gathering a few things he is meaning to take to Gotland and show to Aligern -- for Adalgoth had told him that he would come to see them, soon.

It would, of course, be cheating history -- but then, Teja would gladly give his people any reasonable help he may.

No fire-arms, of course.

And then, of course, in the end, all his aid might result in could just as well be the development of the famous Ulberht swords that Teja has read about...

Comments

[gotland_npc]

"My daughter happened to it," Wachis shrugs. "Got chicken innards on her favourite apron, soaked it over night, and it froze. But she wanted her apron, so went at it with a pickaxe rather than ask anybody. Said she didn't want us to poke fun at her. Silly girl!"

[makesthings]

Sam laughs, "Well, she did a good job at it. I wouldn't want to have to face her."

[gotland_npc]

Wachis chuckles.

"Scariest twelve-year-old ever," he declares. "Stubborn as Hel."

[makesthings]

"Did her apron end up in one piece?"

[gotland_npc]

"Did, at that," Wachis says. "She hacked off the bucket, then the ice, and then thawed out the apron in a bowl by the fire."

[makesthings]

"She sounds clever along with being stubborn."

[gotland_npc]

"If she'd been really clever, she wouldn't have broken the bucket," Wachis argues.

[makesthings]

"She'll know better next time."

[gotland_npc]

"I hope so," Wachis says. "In the meanwhile, broken bucket, nagging wife."

He picks the things up.

[makesthings]

"It shouldn't take long to fix. If I can help let me so you and Teja can talk more."

[gotland_npc]

"The king and his cousin will probably stop talking when it gets too dark to see," Wachis shrugs. "I'd be glad to have the help of Teja's apprentice, at that. Thing is, can we fix the ring, or need we make a new one?"

"I would heat the forge, in any case," Teja says, from where he is talking to Aligern.

"I shall get wood and charcoal," Adalgoth offers. He's been sitting with Count on his lap, quite content to be near Teja and say nothing for a while.

[makesthings]

Sam picks up the ring and gives it a good look,

"Its probably best to make a new one if it gets a lot of use."

[gotland_npc]

"It's one of a pair Liuta uses on a yoke for fetching water, so yes," Wachis says.

Teja and Aligern have started stoking the fire, to get it hot enough to work the steel Teja brought.

[makesthings]

Sam's glad that they chose to bring a few tools with them, he wouldn't feel comfortable using another man's.

He quickly sets up what he needs, picking up the bucket and preparing it as he can, doing a quick Charter spell to strengthen a place where another ring looks weak.

[gotland_npc]

Teja quietly hand them a strip of metal from a corner. "That should make a ring for a barrel or ewer," he says, not even looking at Wachis as he hands over the metal; he knows that the man will take it.

And he does.

A little girl slips into the door to watch, and Count hops off the bench by the forge-fire, and goes to greet her.

[makesthings]

This is comfortable and soon the bucket is being fixed and Sam traces Charter Marks into the metal to make it stronger as he works.

[gotland_npc]

"That is shiny," the little girl says.

She's young enough to not dismiss the Charter Marks as optical illusions, like Wachis, Adalgoth and Aligern probably do.

[makesthings]

He looks up at her voice as the Marks slip into the metal and smiles as the Mark on his forehead glows gold,

"It is and hot, don't get too close."

[gotland_npc]

She is hugging a remarkably patient Count in her arms, and nods earnestly.

"There's sparkle on your face too!"

"Do not get too close to men working fiery craft!" Wachis warns.

"Yes, dad," the little girl says.

[makesthings]

"There is, its connected to the work I'm doing,"

That was the last spell he needed to do and the rings are stronger and tighter around the bucket so he sets it down,

"Do you like being in the forge?"

[gotland_npc]

"Oh yes!" the little girl says. "It's warm and shiny and they make nice things. Is that the bucket Rauthgundis broke?"

[makesthings]

"It is but it should be all fixed now. I always liked being in the forge too, there's always something happening and if the smith's nice, you can learn how to make things."

[gotland_npc]

"I can't make things from iron," the girl says. "I'm just a girl, dummy!"

Wachis looks up.

"Don't call the king's apprentice a dummy, Hilde, or you'll have to go back inside," he says.

[makesthings]

Sam frowns and looks at her,

"You'd have to find someone to teach you if you wanted to learn. What do you want to do when you're bigger?"

[gotland_npc]

"My dad won't let me call you what you are!" Hilde grins. "I'm a girl! I'll marry and have kids and keep house. Girls do that!"

Pause.

"He's a dummy," she whispers into Count's fur.