Title: Foundations For the Future
Author: homesweethomicide13
Rating: T
Pairing: Mentions BardaLindal, LiefJasmine, with brief mentions of MarilenRanesh, JackAliena, and ScoutAnna.
Warning: None
Disclaimer: I do not own Deltora Quest, or The Pillars of the Earth.
Summary: The building of the Eastern Deltora Guard Base lays down the foundations of family, friendship, and the future. Deltora Quest Crossover Challenge.
Author's Note: This is a Crossover story challenge from the Deltora Quest forum. If you wish to take part or want to read other submissions to the challenge, go to the main Deltora Quest forum and click on "Story Challenges".
Deltora Quest – A land of magic and monsters. Fantasy-Adventure series by Emily Rodda. Lief, Barda and Jasmine are three unlikely companions who met on a quest to restore the seven gems to the magical Belt of Deltora and overthrow the evil Shadow Lord. They then went on to retrieve the Deltoran slaves from the Shadowlands, and then to restore Deltora's Dragons and finally dispel the remaining evil in the land.
Now also an anime.
The following story will be based on events in the books ONLY.
The Pillars of the Earth – A historical novel by Ken Follett, about the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, England. It is set in the middle of the 12th century, primarily during the time sometimes called the Anarchy, between the time of the sinking of the White Ship and the murder of Thomas Becket. The book traces the development of Gothic architecture out of the preceding Romanesque architecture, and the fortunes of the Kingsbridge priory against the backdrop of actual historical events of the time.
Now also a TV mini-series.
The following story will be based on events in the TV mini-series ONLY.
Foundations For the Future
Lief had never seen Broome look quite as busy as it did now. Even during festival season, when the streets were lined with stalls and markets and people came from all over Deltora to visit the town, it had never felt so full. Men and women were pushing through massive crowds, all with a destination in mind and determination to get there. Children weaved in and out of the dense crowds, laughing and playing, some of them deliberately causing trouble, others accidentally making it happen. Dogs barked and darted along with them. Cats and other small creatures took their chances amongst the horde of moving feet, flitting around the stalls and making a dash for cover whenever they saw a chance.
He felt Jasmine tense beside him, and took her hand, squeezing it a little. Even after several years in the biggest city in Deltora, she was still cautious of crowds. At his other side, a small, delicate hand slipped into his other, and he turned to smile down at his daughter. Unlike Jasmine, who was drawing comfort from the affectionate touch of her husband, Anna was simply gripping her father's hand in amazement. She'd visited the Del markets many times, and she had even been to a Broome festival on more than one occasion, but this was unlike anything she had ever seen.
"I wonder what the occasion is." Jasmine muttered, lifting her other hand to touch the soft bundle of fluff hiding in her collar. "Did Barda not mention anything in his letter?" Lief turned to her, and shook his head.
"Not that I could tell." He shrugged lightly. "Only one way to find out. Let us move on, and find them." He smiled brightly at her, and she returned the smile with ease. "Come along, Anna." With a gentle tug on his daughter's hand, they were moving around the edge of the crowds, trying not to draw too much attention to themselves. There would be plenty of time to greet the locals after they'd settled down for a few hours.
Once they were clear of the market square, Lief let go of Jasmine's hand to stick his own in his pocket and retrieve the folded parchment located there. He slipped a finger underneath the fold and gently flipped it back, staring down at the ink on the page. Barda had stated in his letter that they should not go immediately to their home upon arrival in Broome, as both of them were likely to be out and working. Instead, he had told them to meet him at the northern entrance to Broome.
Leading the way, Lief strode casually through Broome, lifting a hand in greeting to all those who spotted them, and returning their calls of 'good day'. It took them several minutes to reach the northern part of Broome, and once they finally spotted the tall gates that marked the entrance, they stopped to survey the scene in front of them.
Many men and women were milling about, lifting huge blocks of stone onto carts, some of the men heaving them around on their shoulders or balanced in their arms. Other men and women were dragging timber in huge piles, a few of the larger piles attached to donkeys. Something was clearly being built, but Lief could see no plot or structure anywhere nearby. And from the size of the blocks of stone and the length of the timbers, it was going to be something big. He walked over to the closest worker – a tall woman.
"Excuse me," he murmured politely, smiling when she looked up and grinned at him. "We are looking for Barda."
"Ah!" She turned and pointed towards the gates. "He will be over there, your majesty." She told him. He thanked her and beckoned for Jasmine and Anna to follow him, and they wandered over towards the gates. As they approached, Lief could make out the familiar figure of his old friend, and he stopped in his tracks when he finally registered the rest of the scene in front of him.
Steel clashed against steel with a resounding clang, and the two men sprang apart again, both grinning widely. Neither man looked at all out of breath, and they both lurched forward, swords swinging. Lief raised his eyebrows as he realised just who exactly Barda was fighting.
"Grandpa Doom!" Anna called, a huge smile plastered to her face. Doom turned, surprised, and then had to quickly block a downward swing from Barda.
"Tch, honestly Doom, that was a foolish mistake." The ex-palace guard laughed, sheathing his sword as he turned to grin at Lief and Jasmine. Doom simply rolled his eyes, also sheathing his sword as Anna ran to him. He bent and scooped her up into his arms easily despite how tall she was getting. Lief and Jasmine hurried over and each embraced Barda quickly in a hug. Once Doom settled Anna back down on the ground, it was his turn to be quickly embraced, whilst Anna threw her arms around Barda's waist with a happy cry of 'Uncle Barda!'
"It is good to see you again, Barda." Lief grinned. "You too, Doom, though I will admit I am surprised to see you here."
"Ah, well." Doom smiled. "I was passing through here, originally on my way to Del, and I decided to stop by and see how my favourite soldier was faring." Barda laughed at this, and Lief's grin widened. Everyone present knew that Doom was not referring to Barda – though the two men had become close friends over the years. No, Doom's 'favourite soldier' was, in fact, Barda's eldest son, Scout. "Then I was informed of your expected arrival and thought I would remain here until then."
"Aye, as if our house was not full enough already." Barda teased, clapping a hand on Doom's back hard enough to pitch him forward a little. Doom retaliated by twisting and delivering a swift punch to Barda's arm. Grinning, he dodged Barda's answering swing just in time.
"Boys!" A voice called harshly, but in a light-hearted manner. Lindal strode over and quickly stepped between the two men, forcing them apart. "How many times must I tell you? Behave." She was grinning as she spoke. Lief got the feeling that she had done this many, many times since Doom's arrival in Broome. "You are setting a bad example for the twins, and they fight enough as it is!" Doom backed off a little, a smile on his face, and settled with putting an arm around Anna, who was now clinging to his side. Barda, to Lief and Jasmine's amusement, was doing a rather good impression of a naughty schoolboy who'd just been reprimanded. Lindal smirked and ruffled his hair playfully. "Honestly, sometimes it feels like I have a seventh child." She directed this last comment at Lief and Jasmine, who both laughed.
"So, what is it exactly that is going on here? I have never seen Broome so busy." Jasmine enquired, once again taking Lief's hand. Barda ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up in odd angles – which Lindal then abruptly flattened back down. The movement was so precise and well practiced that it was obvious it was simply an automatic reaction. Clearly done so often it no longer took any thought.
"You remember we discussed the possibility of having a Deltora-wide defence unit, in case of attack from overseas?" Barda reminded Lief, who nodded. "And we decided it would be a good plan to build four command centres for the force?" At another nod from Lief, he continued. "Well, the Eastern Base is due to start construction tomorrow. Some skilled architects and stonemasons from overseas are arriving in port this evening."
"I had not expected work to start so soon!" Lief exclaimed. "And you say they are from overseas?" Barda nodded. "Are they trustworthy?"
"Most definitely. One of my men heard word of them when he travelled in their lands, and when we sent word asking for their help, they agreed heartily and set off for Deltora almost immediately." He smiled a little. "They had a few terms for providing their skills, of course, but they were all reasonable – they require housing and feeding, which is of no problem. Plenty of room here." He glanced around. "And they are plenty of men and women here in Broome who are happy to lend their hands to help. It will take time to build, but we should-," he broke off sharply and frowned. "Scout! Put that down!" They all turned to look in the same direction as Barda, and Lief couldn't help but smile at the young teenage boy who was now replacing a large block of stone. He wandered over, scowling a little.
"I wish to help, Father!" He argued. "I am strong enough, and old enough, to work!" He growled. Lief tried to hide his grin behind his hand. Scout was almost an exact copy of his father, even down to the slight growl in his voice when he was irritated. They were very much alike, and it was obvious – especially now, staring each other down, both too stubborn to give in. Scout, like Anna, was nearly fourteen, although Scout already towered over other boys and girls his age. He'd inherited his parents' height, and his father's sturdy build. "You let Min work!" Scout was scowling even more now. Lindal sighed and sent Jasmine and Lief an exasperated glance.
"Min does not work. She offers assistance where needed, and happily fetches refreshments for the workers." Barda replied calmly.
"You still let her do more than me!" Scout snapped angrily. "Why do you refuse my offer to help, father? Do you not think me good enough?" Before Barda could reply, a tall teenage girl stepped up behind Scout and ruffled his hair.
"Aw, do not feel bad Scout. We all know that I am stronger than you." She teased. Now Lief grinned, and didn't bother to hide it. Min was just as tall as her brother, though a year younger, and twice as fiery. Not only had she inherited her father's stubborn attitude and sense of duty, but she'd also inherited Lindal's temper. Unlike most Broome daughters, who still followed the tradition of shaving their heads and replacing hair with tribal paint, Min had kept her long, dark hair – often kept out of her face in a messy side-ponytail.
"You are not! You are a girl. I am a man." Scout replied, folding his arms over his chest defiantly. Min just laughed.
"Brother, we of all people should know that men are not always stronger than women." As she spoke, she sent a pointed glance at Barda and Lindal, causing Doom to chuckle quietly. As Scout scowled even more, Min grinned and turned to Lief, Jasmine and Anna. "I did not know you were here already, Uncle Lief, Aunt Jasmine!" She rushed over to greet them, hugging both of them tightly. Then she turned to Anna, who was grinning just as widely as Min, and the two girls shared a hug. "It is good to see you again, Anna."
"You too, Min." Barda and Lief exchanged a fond smile. Ever since a young age, the two girls had been best friends. It had probably started due to the fact that, out of the nine children, they were the only girls. And they were almost complete opposites. Anna was very much a girly girl – though she had Jasmine's attitude and she was definitely a lot tougher than the average girly girl – and often wore pretty dresses or skirts, whereas Min was boyish – like her own mother – and had probably only worn a dress two or three times in her entire life. Currently she was dressed in loose, worn dungarees and a scruffy shirt, with rough knee-high boots that looked very similar to the type of boots Barda used to wear as a palace guard.
"Where are Jarred and Endon?" Scout enquired, taking his turn to greet Lief, Jasmine and Anna.
"Mother will be bringing them in a couple of days. Endon has a fever, unfortunately, and Jarred will not leave his brother's side." Lief explained with a soft smile. "They are very close, as you know."
"I wish my boys were that close." Barda muttered, to which Doom grinned and Jasmine laughed. It was no secret that Barda's five sons were always arguing and fighting, especially the twins, Jay and David.
"Where are the boys, anyway?" Doom murmured. "I have not seen them all morning."
"Causing trouble, I have no doubt." Lindal grinned. "Felix should be nearby. He never strays too far from his daddy." She gave Barda a gentle nudge when she said this, and Barda smiled, before turning and attempting to find the rest of his troublesome offspring amongst the people. "Scout, go and find your brothers, would you?" Scout nodded and disappeared a few moments later.
"I guess Broome is celebrating the upcoming building work then?" Jasmine smiled.
"Everyone is going all out to make sure the town is a perfect example of Deltoran life, in the hopes that these foreigners will want to come back, and possibly do business trading with us." Lindal told her. "In all my life I have not seen the market so busy and full. Every merchant possible is ready to sell their wares."
"Which is most definitely a good thing, since Lyndon is selling his best whiskey." Barda grinned. Lindal rolled her eyes.
"We do not need any more of Lyndon's whiskey in our house, Barda." She scolded. "He gives you enough of it for free as it is."
"Is a man not allowed to befriend a whiskey merchant?" Barda smirked.
"Not when that man is you, no." She teased. Barda was about to retaliate, when he felt a gentle tug on the bottom of his jacket. Glancing down, his face broke out into a wide grin, and he bent down. Seconds later, he had an adorable four-year-old balanced on one hip. Jasmine smiled and leant in a little, giving the little boy a small wave.
"Hello there Felix!" She said softly. Felix giggled and waved back, before resuming his grip on Barda's jacket. "Gosh, he is getting bigger! Last time we saw him, he was still really little."
"Yes, he is growing rather quickly." Barda grinned, shifting the boy's weight on his hip. "Though not nearly as quickly as the others." The sounds of boyish laughter came from somewhere behind them, and in a few moments, Scout was returning, chased by three other boys. The smallest of the three stumbled and fell just as he reached them, and – still holding Felix on his hip – Barda reached down and managed to catch him before he hit the floor. "And that is why we do not run around carelessly, Laz."
"Oops." Laz grinned. Then he noticed the other adults, and he grinned. "Auntie Das-min!" Jasmine knelt down and accepted a hug from the six-year-old boy. Laz – short for Lazarus – was the second youngest of the family, and very fond of Jasmine, though he still had trouble saying her name.
"Hi Lazzy!" She ran her fingers through his scruffy hair before picking him up. "Are you being a menace again?" He shook his head vigorously. "I did not think so. You are a good little boy."
"I have been playing with Day and David!" He told her, gesturing wildly with his hands as he spoke. Barda sighed.
"Those two are a bad influence on him." He muttered, turning to look at the two identical boys standing beside Doom. Lief also glanced at them, and realised with amusement that he still had no idea which one was Jay, and which one was David. Unlike Jarred and Endon, who had different coloured eyes and a slight height difference, Jay and David were completely identical. They had the same haircut – their choice – the same eyes, same height and build, and the same devilish grin.
"We are not!" They both exclaimed in unison. Doom laughed and put one hand on each boy's shoulder.
"Of course not, boys." He smiled. "Right, now that we are all here, shall we get Lief, Jasmine and Anna settled?"
"Where are Jarred and Endon?" One of the twins asked. "We were hoping to show them some more sword fighting techniques!"
"They will be along in a couple of days." Jasmine told them with a smile. Lief grinned. The two sets of twins were always together whenever the two families met up. Jarred and Endon looked up to Jay and David as older brothers.
"Well, when they get here, I will show them how good I am at swordplay!"
"I am better than you."
"You are not!"
"Am too!" The two boys faced off, both poised ready to fight. Barda quickly passed Felix to Lindal and strode over, grabbing both boys' arms and pulling them apart before they started getting physical.
"Alright, alright. We talked about you fighting like this when we have guests." Barda growled. He turned to the boy who had started the argument. "Jay, do not provoke your brother." 'Jay' looked up at him and frowned.
"Uh, dad? I am David." Barda stared at him for a moment, surprised. Then he glanced at the other twin.
"Jay?" Jay waved at him with a smile. "But… I…"
"Still cannot tell them apart, aye Barda?" Lief laughed. Barda sighed.
"Well… they are identical!" He whined. Lindal slung an arm around his hips and – in a very rare public display of affection – kissed his cheek.
"I can tell them apart."
"You are their mother. Mothers know everything. Trust me, I know." He smiled at her. "Now, come on. Back to the house. I am sure these lovely people can last a few hours without me."
"Honey, they could last a day without you. You just like to feel like the boss." Lindal laughed, starting to walk off. Barda scowled.
"I am the boss!" He called after her. When Lindal simply grinned at him over her shoulder, he rolled his eyes and smiled. Doom took Anna's hand and began to follow Lindal and Felix. Lief walked alongside Scout, and Jasmine carried Laz. Jay and David chased each other towards their mother, leaving Barda with Min – who, in a very practiced motion, jumped gracefully onto her father's back, draping her arms around his neck. "Come on, sweetheart." He murmured softly to her, carrying her back to their family home.
He did adore his family.
Author's Note: Just a quick note - my regular readers of DQ fanfics will probably have noticed the changes I've made to my version of Barda's family. Originally there were two daughters and four sons, and all but one of them had different names. As much as I loved my old family, I prefer this one. Just in case you're confused:
Liam = Scout (13)
Mariah = Min (12)
Jay = Jay (9)
Joeley = David (9)
Kade = Lazarus (6)
Divinity = Felix (gender change here) (4)
