John Ringo - There Will Be Dragons

“Rome wasn’t built in a day,” Herzer muttered.

“What?” Mike asked.

“They say that Rome wasn’t built in a day,” Herzer repeated. “But it looks like they’re trying.”

“Where’d all these crafts come from?” Courtney asked.

“Oh, the reenactors do all this stuff. It was their hobby before. Now, I suppose, it’s more than a hobby.”

“I guess these are going to be the people we’ll be working with,” the girl said. “I hope I’m better at this than woodcutting.”

“I want a farm,” Mike said. “I don’t want to work in a shop all day.”

“We’ll get one,” Courtney replied, soothingly.

“But which one?” Herzer asked. “I mean, do you just wander out and start one? Where do you get the tools you need?”

“I don’t know,” Courtney replied. “I’m not even sure what sort of tools you have to have. Or how you plant and all the other stuff you have to do. Where do you get livestock?”

Mike didn’t say anything, just grunted.

“Well, we’ll find out in time,” Herzer said. “I wonder if they’ve got a guard force?”

“Is that what you want to do?” Courtney asked.

“Something like it, yes,” Herzer replied. He gestured with his chin at a person who was apparently a guard, standing by the entrance to a rather sturdy building. The man had on a surcoat with an embroidered Raven and carried a spear, but he was slouched under the awning of the building, apparently trying to keep out of the late afternoon sun. “But not like that. That’s not a soldier, if you know what I mean.”

“Are we going to need soldiers?” Courtney said. “Why?”

“Bandits,” Herzer replied. “Eventually other towns will be causing us trouble, too. And then there’s the war.”

“Not much of a war,” Mike said. “ We haven’t been attacked.”

“Not yet,” Herzer admitted. “But if we’re going to oppose Paul, eventually we’ll either be attacked or have to attack him.”

“How can you attack a council member?” Courtney said, angrily. “They still have power!”

“So does Sheida and her group,” Herzer replied with a shrug. “From here it looks like a stalemate. And I don’t think Paul will let it stay that way even if Sheida is willing to.”

This talk carried them through the encampment and up to the bathhouse where some people were hanging around the entrance.

“Wash your clothes for you, sir, ma’am?” a boy who looked as if he very much needed to use the bathhouse asked.

“Clothes?” Herzer asked, remembering Jody’s advice. But the clothes did need work, not just washing but with a needle and thread. And he realized that they were the only thing, besides the basket and blanket Bast had left behind, that he now owned. No, he had a cloak that didn’t fit, but he wasn’t about to ask Daneh for it back.

“Oh, aye,” the boy replied. “I’ll take them and wash them when you’re in getting your bath and bring them back for you.”

“Dry?” Courtney asked.

“Well, I can’t be promising that, ” the boy replied. “But dry ish, yes.”

“Errr,” Herzer said. “I think I’ll try to figure something else out. Thanks just the same.”

“Only a tenth chit, sir,” the boy said earnestly, tugging at his sleeve. “And I know a lady that can mend them up for you, too.”

“How do we know we’ll get them back?” Courtney asked, pulling at her shirt which was, admittedly, filthy.

“Well, I’m here all the time, miss,” the boy answered with a smile. “If I went stealing my customers’ clothes, I wouldn’t have many customers, would I?”

“Is that rapscallion digging at you?” a woman said, coming up behind them. “Darius, when are you going to get a real job?” she added with a smile.

“Ah, Mistress Lasker, I have a job,” he said with a smile. “Would you be needing your clothes washed today?”

“Not today,” the woman replied with another smile. “How is your mother?”

“Fine ma’am, thank you for asking.”

“He’s safe enough,” the woman said. “I’m June Lasker. I’m sort of the town secretary. It’s his mother who does the washing and mending.”

“Is there a way to get some more clothes?” Herzer asked, pulling at his torn shirt. “These are getting raggedy. And I don’t really want to be wandering around in wet clothes.”

“There’s a few clothes sellers,” the woman said with a sigh. “But with no way to fab them they’re terribly dear. Hardly anyone brought anything besides what was on their backs. They’ll be fairly dry; there’s a hot room that he can hang them in to dry out. It depends how long you’re in there. If you wait an hour or so they’ll be dry enough.”

“All right, Darius is it?” Herzer asked.

“Darius Garsys,” the boy said, touching his forelock.

“How do we pay you?”

“It’s a tenth chit for a bath,” the boy replied. “When they give you your change and you get a sheet, just come out with your clothes. You can pay me when they’re done.”

“Works for me,” Herzer said. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

“I’ll show you how this works,” June said, stepping up into the first room of the bathhouse. There was a desk by the door and behind the desk were bundles of clothing and other gear. On the other side of the room were baskets with bundles of cloth and bricks of yellowish soap.

“Hello, Nick,” June said to the man behind the desk.

“Hello, June,” he replied looking them over. “Brought me some newbies have you?”

“And they’ve already been waylaid by Darius,” she said with a smile. “I don’t know you young people…” she temporized.

“I’m sorry,” Courtney said. “How rude of me. I’m Courtney and this is Herzer and Mike. We’re in apprentice group…”

“A-5,” Herzer said.

“Been out in the woods have you?” Nick replied. “Okay, take off your clothes and put everything you’re leaving in a bundle. Then I’ll give you a receipt for it and when you’re done come back and pick it up.”

“Undress right here?” Courtney asked, wide-eyed.

“Unfortunately, dearie,” June replied, suiting action to words. “You can use one of the sheets for modesty if you wish, but the baths are co-ed. They’re working on another bathhouse that will have separate sections, but everyone’s getting so used to bathing together I don’t know why they bother.”

Herzer hesitantly undressed then bundled his dirty clothes up. He quickly grabbed a bath sheet and wrapped it around himself. It was a thin piece of smooth material and he was pretty sure it wouldn’t be very good for drying.

“I’ve got this basket…” he said, holding it up. “And what about our money.”

“Well, I’m the one that sits on it all to make sure it stays where you left it,” Nick said. He took the bundle and wrapped a strip of ribbon around it, tying it to a wooden marker. He handed a similar marker on a cord to Herzer.

“Put the bundle over by the others,” he said. “Stuff your money well down in it so nobody can get it out without digging. I’ll make sure it stays there.”

“Okay,” Herzer replied, doubtfully.

“Before you do, the cost of a bath is a tenth chit,” the man said, holding out his hand. “That’s for the soap, the water and the sheet. If you want anything more it’s extra.”

“What else is there?” Courtney asked digging out her money.

“Well, there’s wine and snacks and body oils,” June replied for him. “But, again, it’s terribly expensive. I think once things get more established the costs will go down. But it’s a full chit for a cup of wine and a few cuts of meat. Most people don’t get it.”