Tamora Pierce owns the entire universe of this story, all the characters,
the world they live on and the very air they use to sustain life. Only the
vague plot and dialog I have attributed to TP's characters in this tale
belongs to me. I freely give my permission for anyone to use any or all of
the plot/story/dialog if they are so inclined.
Blame all lousy spelling and grammar on the California Education System.
Chapter 31
Riding in a carriage, headed back to Circle Four from the Sphere theater Tris was in a very happy mood, "I loved it, just think we just saw the premier performance of one of the great plays."
"Tris, almost everyone in the play dies." Said Daja.
"Bah," Tris said, "To be, or not to be- that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them."
"That is pure poetry."
"If that is how the nobility acts, I'm going to spend most of my time at Green Acres."
"What did you think of it Your Grace?" Tris asked the Duke.
"I enjoyed it, the ability to write soliloquies and dialogues is one of Shakepoke's most impressive achievements. In this play when faced with evidence that his uncle murdered his father, evidence that any other character in a play would believe, Baconlet becomes obsessed with proving his uncle's guilt before trying to act. But even though he is thoughtful to the point of obsession, Baconlet also behaves rashly and impulsively. When he does act, it is with surprising swiftness and little or no premeditation, as when he stabs through a curtain without even checking to see who is there."
"He expresses dissatisfaction with his mother, women in general, life and pretty much everything at one time or another. But, despite all of the things with which Baconlet professes dissatisfaction, it is remarkable that the prince of Denpeso spends relatively little time thinking about the threats to Denpeso's national security from without or the threats to its stability from within."
"So in general I would not choose Baconlet as a role model."
Briar suddenly looked around, "Where's Evvy."
"She decided to walk back with Moglee." Daja told him.
Sandry said, "I'll bet they are holding hands."
The carriage arrived at Circle Four and they disembarked to enter the store.
Once inside they saw that the balcony that ran above the stores on the south side of the building was a riot of color.
"What's going on?" Briar asked.
"We had a caravan arrive today so we took the surplus Green Acres clothing out the store and moved it up onto the balcony."
"Has Marion found a wedding gown?"
"Yes Tris, she found a blue ball gown that with a little work from the UPS seamstress's fit perfectly and is a beautiful wedding dress."
"Why did she pick blue?" asked Daja.
"Blue is the color of Yanna Healtouch, Goddess of healing and love. "
Sandry told Tris, Glaki and Daja, "Let's go up and check out the new gowns. We are buying out of season clothing from all over now."
Everyone headed up the stairs to the dimly lit common room. The ladies leading with the Duke, Igor and Briar following.
While the ladies went out to the balcony to look at the clothing the Duke, Briar, Igor and Keth walked down to the snack area where they all got mugs of tea. Taking a plate of sweet rolls and cookies Briar lead the way to a table and Keth brought a pot of tea for their use.
The Duke asked, "How is the book printing business going Igor?" as they set down at the table.
"Just fine most of the time, but right now we have a minor war going on about the punctuation of a single sentence."
"What do you mean?"
"We got in a manuscript containing the sentence 'Woman without her man is nothing' and a war has started about just how the author wanted it punctuated."
"And that caused a argument?"
"Yes, the men punctuate it, 'Woman, without her man, is nothing.'"
"And?
"The women punctuate it, 'Woman: Without her, man is nothing.'"
Laughing the Duke asked, "How are you going to settle it?"
"We have sent for the author." Igor told him.
"If I was him, I would rewrite that section completely."
"He probably will."
The Duke pinched a small piece of sweet roll off and nibbled on it with his tea. "Do you know what Sandry will do to you if she catches you feeding this to me."
Briar moved the plate away from the Duke as he said, "Not good for you since the heart attack is it."
"No and Sandry and the cooks keep me on a tight leash where it comes to food. If it tastes good it's not good for me. At least that is the way it seems."
"I see healers every week and they tell me that I'm in good shape for the shape I'm in."
Briar looked at him curiously, "Just what does that mean?"
"I have no Idea. It is impossible to get a healer to make a flat statement about the time of day let alone about health matters."
Keth picked up a cookie and dunked it into his tea, "I heard about a young woman went to a healer complaining of pain.
'Where are you hurting?' asked the healer.
'You have to help me, I hurt all over', said the woman.
'What do you mean, all over?' asked the healer, 'be a little more specific.'
The woman touched her right knee with her index finger and yelled, 'Ow, that hurts.' Then she touched her left cheek and again yelled, 'Ouch! That hurts, too.' Then she touched her right earlobe, 'Ow, even THAT hurts', she cried.
The doctor checked her thoughtfully for a moment and told her his diagnosis, 'You have a broken finger.'"
Keth ate his cookie while the laughter rolled around the table.
The Duke tood a sip of his tea and check on the ladies, "It's going to be a while yet, so how is it going at the manor Briar?"
"Things are going pretty good, we have the six farms closest to the manor completely plowed and seed going in, the gang of plows are about three quarters done with the seventh."
"All of the farms have the house garden plowed and planted and all the farms have had the fences gone over and repaired, we have a gang of workers repairing the other farm buildings, you know we repaired the houses before we moved in the families."
"What are you going to do with the men when the plowing is done?"
"We are going to plant trees in the area that have been harvested for firewood, now that we have stoves that can burn coal we can restore the forests and that will keep them busy until harvest time."
"And then they will help with the harvest?"
"Yes, Your Grace, if they don't help with the harvest there will be crops left in the fields."
"How do is the extra crops going to be handled?"
"Normally a farmer grows and harvests his own crops and pays a rental fee to the estate for the land used, this can be up to 50 percent of his profit for the year. What we are going to do is help with the harvest and the estate will purchase the crops at the going rate. Since everyone is selling crops at the same time the price for each crop is at its lowest point. The estate can store the crops during the normal sale season and when prices rise during the winter the stored goods can be sold and the estate will profit. So at the manor we are working on storage areas for wheat, oats, barley, corn, beans, assorted melons and assorted squashes."
"There is enough land for that wide a variety of crops?"
"The wheat, oats and barley use the most land, with the rest we plant corn, when it is growing well we plant beans and let the beans use the corn stalks as trellises, the when the beans are well started we plant either melons or squash as a low ground cover."
"You and your workers are going to busy at harvest time."
Moglee and Evvy came in the door and went to get a snack, Daja, Sandry, Tris and Glaki came in off the balcony and joined the men at the table.
Briar yawned, stretched and rolled his head on his neck, when he saw the ceiling he sat upright and said, "What on."
The ceiling was covered with murals of magical creatures and plants painted in great detail and in bright colors.
Daja looked up laughed and said, "Mklanglo and Lenirdo are having a contest to see who can created the wildest images."
"Who's winning?"
"No clear leader so far."
"That is some outstanding work." Said the Duke.
"Time I was in bed, are you all going to come out the Cidadel for the night?"
"Think I will sleep here, Your Grace." Briar said heading for his greenhouse.
Keth, Glaki and Evvy left to walk home to Keth's house while the rest loaded up the carriage and drove to the Cidadel.
Briar entered EXOTIC PLANTS and moved to the rear of the aisles through the plants that leaned over as he walked past and entered his office. Against the wall was a comfortable cot full of overstuffed pillows that was used as a couch most of the time. Removing a blanket and sheets from a chest Briar tossed most of the pillows aside and made up the cot and went to bed.
Blame all lousy spelling and grammar on the California Education System.
Chapter 31
Riding in a carriage, headed back to Circle Four from the Sphere theater Tris was in a very happy mood, "I loved it, just think we just saw the premier performance of one of the great plays."
"Tris, almost everyone in the play dies." Said Daja.
"Bah," Tris said, "To be, or not to be- that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them."
"That is pure poetry."
"If that is how the nobility acts, I'm going to spend most of my time at Green Acres."
"What did you think of it Your Grace?" Tris asked the Duke.
"I enjoyed it, the ability to write soliloquies and dialogues is one of Shakepoke's most impressive achievements. In this play when faced with evidence that his uncle murdered his father, evidence that any other character in a play would believe, Baconlet becomes obsessed with proving his uncle's guilt before trying to act. But even though he is thoughtful to the point of obsession, Baconlet also behaves rashly and impulsively. When he does act, it is with surprising swiftness and little or no premeditation, as when he stabs through a curtain without even checking to see who is there."
"He expresses dissatisfaction with his mother, women in general, life and pretty much everything at one time or another. But, despite all of the things with which Baconlet professes dissatisfaction, it is remarkable that the prince of Denpeso spends relatively little time thinking about the threats to Denpeso's national security from without or the threats to its stability from within."
"So in general I would not choose Baconlet as a role model."
Briar suddenly looked around, "Where's Evvy."
"She decided to walk back with Moglee." Daja told him.
Sandry said, "I'll bet they are holding hands."
The carriage arrived at Circle Four and they disembarked to enter the store.
Once inside they saw that the balcony that ran above the stores on the south side of the building was a riot of color.
"What's going on?" Briar asked.
"We had a caravan arrive today so we took the surplus Green Acres clothing out the store and moved it up onto the balcony."
"Has Marion found a wedding gown?"
"Yes Tris, she found a blue ball gown that with a little work from the UPS seamstress's fit perfectly and is a beautiful wedding dress."
"Why did she pick blue?" asked Daja.
"Blue is the color of Yanna Healtouch, Goddess of healing and love. "
Sandry told Tris, Glaki and Daja, "Let's go up and check out the new gowns. We are buying out of season clothing from all over now."
Everyone headed up the stairs to the dimly lit common room. The ladies leading with the Duke, Igor and Briar following.
While the ladies went out to the balcony to look at the clothing the Duke, Briar, Igor and Keth walked down to the snack area where they all got mugs of tea. Taking a plate of sweet rolls and cookies Briar lead the way to a table and Keth brought a pot of tea for their use.
The Duke asked, "How is the book printing business going Igor?" as they set down at the table.
"Just fine most of the time, but right now we have a minor war going on about the punctuation of a single sentence."
"What do you mean?"
"We got in a manuscript containing the sentence 'Woman without her man is nothing' and a war has started about just how the author wanted it punctuated."
"And that caused a argument?"
"Yes, the men punctuate it, 'Woman, without her man, is nothing.'"
"And?
"The women punctuate it, 'Woman: Without her, man is nothing.'"
Laughing the Duke asked, "How are you going to settle it?"
"We have sent for the author." Igor told him.
"If I was him, I would rewrite that section completely."
"He probably will."
The Duke pinched a small piece of sweet roll off and nibbled on it with his tea. "Do you know what Sandry will do to you if she catches you feeding this to me."
Briar moved the plate away from the Duke as he said, "Not good for you since the heart attack is it."
"No and Sandry and the cooks keep me on a tight leash where it comes to food. If it tastes good it's not good for me. At least that is the way it seems."
"I see healers every week and they tell me that I'm in good shape for the shape I'm in."
Briar looked at him curiously, "Just what does that mean?"
"I have no Idea. It is impossible to get a healer to make a flat statement about the time of day let alone about health matters."
Keth picked up a cookie and dunked it into his tea, "I heard about a young woman went to a healer complaining of pain.
'Where are you hurting?' asked the healer.
'You have to help me, I hurt all over', said the woman.
'What do you mean, all over?' asked the healer, 'be a little more specific.'
The woman touched her right knee with her index finger and yelled, 'Ow, that hurts.' Then she touched her left cheek and again yelled, 'Ouch! That hurts, too.' Then she touched her right earlobe, 'Ow, even THAT hurts', she cried.
The doctor checked her thoughtfully for a moment and told her his diagnosis, 'You have a broken finger.'"
Keth ate his cookie while the laughter rolled around the table.
The Duke tood a sip of his tea and check on the ladies, "It's going to be a while yet, so how is it going at the manor Briar?"
"Things are going pretty good, we have the six farms closest to the manor completely plowed and seed going in, the gang of plows are about three quarters done with the seventh."
"All of the farms have the house garden plowed and planted and all the farms have had the fences gone over and repaired, we have a gang of workers repairing the other farm buildings, you know we repaired the houses before we moved in the families."
"What are you going to do with the men when the plowing is done?"
"We are going to plant trees in the area that have been harvested for firewood, now that we have stoves that can burn coal we can restore the forests and that will keep them busy until harvest time."
"And then they will help with the harvest?"
"Yes, Your Grace, if they don't help with the harvest there will be crops left in the fields."
"How do is the extra crops going to be handled?"
"Normally a farmer grows and harvests his own crops and pays a rental fee to the estate for the land used, this can be up to 50 percent of his profit for the year. What we are going to do is help with the harvest and the estate will purchase the crops at the going rate. Since everyone is selling crops at the same time the price for each crop is at its lowest point. The estate can store the crops during the normal sale season and when prices rise during the winter the stored goods can be sold and the estate will profit. So at the manor we are working on storage areas for wheat, oats, barley, corn, beans, assorted melons and assorted squashes."
"There is enough land for that wide a variety of crops?"
"The wheat, oats and barley use the most land, with the rest we plant corn, when it is growing well we plant beans and let the beans use the corn stalks as trellises, the when the beans are well started we plant either melons or squash as a low ground cover."
"You and your workers are going to busy at harvest time."
Moglee and Evvy came in the door and went to get a snack, Daja, Sandry, Tris and Glaki came in off the balcony and joined the men at the table.
Briar yawned, stretched and rolled his head on his neck, when he saw the ceiling he sat upright and said, "What on."
The ceiling was covered with murals of magical creatures and plants painted in great detail and in bright colors.
Daja looked up laughed and said, "Mklanglo and Lenirdo are having a contest to see who can created the wildest images."
"Who's winning?"
"No clear leader so far."
"That is some outstanding work." Said the Duke.
"Time I was in bed, are you all going to come out the Cidadel for the night?"
"Think I will sleep here, Your Grace." Briar said heading for his greenhouse.
Keth, Glaki and Evvy left to walk home to Keth's house while the rest loaded up the carriage and drove to the Cidadel.
Briar entered EXOTIC PLANTS and moved to the rear of the aisles through the plants that leaned over as he walked past and entered his office. Against the wall was a comfortable cot full of overstuffed pillows that was used as a couch most of the time. Removing a blanket and sheets from a chest Briar tossed most of the pillows aside and made up the cot and went to bed.