Demesne

Despite her disquieting words, the camp under the dome seemed well enough. The tents were orderly and had plenty of space between them, and no one seemed to be causing trouble. The cleared space turned out to be where several people were digging out the ground, hauling up dirt and rocks as well as cutting through roots with axes. Yhal could see others taking the dirt out of the dome, where they seemed to be tearing up the ground there as well.

"What are they doing over there?" Nansi asked curiously, the Mentalist floating off the ground so she could look over the tents and making Yhal quash a familiar burst of envy.

Yllian glanced at Binder Shanalorre before answering. "They're excavating the ground so we can lay out the foundations for the shelter everyone will be staying in while houses are being built," he said. "Once it's deep enough, it will be filled with stone so that the Great Binder will have the raw material for building."

"A dragon shelter? Why are you building a dragon shelter out here? I don't think something above the ground will be secure enough when a dragon arrives," Ermel said.

"That will be discussed in the briefing."

"How long will the construction take?" Ghirkun asked, looking the work with a practiced eye. While all of the wizard had once been part of engineering banners at some point, only Ghirkun had spent the majority of his career in one.

"That will depend entirely on how quickly you and the other Whisperers can provide the stone," Yllian said. "This will also be discussed in the briefing."

It took a moment for Yhal to notice the glowing threads of light in the air, visible only when they were in front of something dark. He wondered what they were for. They didn't seem bright enough to illuminate the dome at night, but perhaps that would change?

They walked through the dome, and Nansi pointed at an innocuous-looking wooden house that Yhal recognized to everyone. It had the word 'office' carved into the door, and washing line had been strung between the house and the one closest to it. For some reason, a dead fursh—one of the local seels— was hanging from the line, blood dripping from it as a nearby pile of smoldering… something smoked to keep bugs away from it.

"So…" Tsad said hesitantly, "how have you been… Binder Shanalorre?"

"I have been well as can be, Deadspeaker Tsad," the Dungeon Binder finally replied. She still didn't turn around, but her words killed what little attempt at casual conversation there was.

The procession continued on, passing the large tree in the center. It was an abomination of a thing, at least seven paces wide but most likely a bit more, with stairs shaped out of the living wood that spiraled around the trunk. Yhal saw at least three houses seemingly built into the tree itself, with one nearly at the top of the trunk just before branches spread outward to weave with the rest of the dome.

"Huh… I wouldn't want to live up there," Aritlestn said, the Whisperer frowning at the thought. "Those stairs must be slippery as colors when it rains."

"I don't know," Nansi said, shrugging. "I'd live up there if I could."

"You can fly, you don't count," Ari retorted. "Some of us have to actually climb all those stairs. Who thought building that thing was a good idea?"

"Guess," Yllian said.

Ari let out a sigh. "Rainbows, Koshay. You and your thing for trees…"

Yhal had been watching Binder Shanalorre, and so saw it when her step faltered and stopped. Yllian raised a hand in the familiar militia-sign to halt the march as he stopped walking as well, and everyone followed suit, taking the opportunity to put down their packs for a moment. A few looked around, wondering why they'd stopped—

Everyone's gaze went back to Binder Shanalorre as her left arm rose and slapped her cheek hard, the impact resounding clearly. And then she was walking again as if she'd never stopped, going past the tree towards a hill outside the dome that had the obvious entrance of a structure at its side.

"That's the demesne's copper mine," Yllian said when he saw them looking at it. "It's also where the demesne's dragon shelter is located."

"What about the dungeon?" Otin asked.

"With this soil so close to the river? Any dungeon we could have dug would have been flooded in a day. No, we never got around to actually building a dungeon. It's why so many people died when the first dragon passed over us. We were all huddled under the dome because—" Yllian visibly glanced at the Great Binder, "—the demesne's founder thought the defenses of the dome would be enough."

"If you mean Ko—" Makoi began, only to find Xiasam's hand on his mouth.

"Makoi, he didn't say the name for a reason," the Mentalist said, eyes fixed on the back of the Great Binder's head.

Yllian nodded, glancing towards Binder Shanalorre again, who seemed to be ignoring the exchange that should be perfectly audible to her. "There's no avoiding it entirely, and it's not just the name, but you'll figure it out as you live here, along with everything else. Such as the fact that not pissing on any nearby wall when you can't use the latrine is something we take seriously around here."

"What, really?" Ari said as the women among their number made faces.

"The tanners need the goldwater," Yllian said, "and you're the only way we can get it. And also because the Great Binder—Binder Lori— has issue with public urination. It's one of the few laws she has."

"Who's going to tell her?" Ermel said.

"I can perceive where everyone is in the demesne," Binder Shanalorre's voice cut in, cold and even as a frozen lake. She still hadn't turned to look at them. "I can tell when a bladder is being relieved, and whose it is. Suffice to say, by the time you have finished relieving yourself, I will have informed Lord Yllian and he would be on his way to administer the prescribed disciplinary measure."

Everyone stared at her.

"Are you serious?" Shelena said.

"No, I'm Shanalorre," was the immediate reply. "Dungeon Binder Shanalorre."

For some reason, Yllian smiled.

"This is the only dragon shelter of the demesne," Binder Shanalorre said. She stood like a boring statue, the kind that was made and forgotten because the person it was depicting wasn't anyone people really cared about, with feet apart and one arm hanging by her side while she gripped her cudgel like a staff… which was probably what it was supposed to be. Her head was the only part of her that turned, meeting the eyes of the wizards as she spoke. "We have ascertained that it is capable of housing over seventy people in reasonable comfort for several days once fresh water has been carried in, and all the defenses and infrastructure bindings are imbued and active. Given that is only one-fifth of the current population of my demesne at this moment, this must be corrected as soon as possible, otherwise over three hundred people will die when the next dragon passes overhead. Until this is corrected, all of you can consider yourselves assigned or seconded to this task."

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The wizards all stood in a semi-circle facing her, while the rest stood a little behind laying down packs and trying to set them up in the lights that the Whisperers had made after entering the mine, blocked from view because this briefing wasn't for them. Most of the smaller group had simply chosen to follow the wizards because they had family among them. Hioli, for example, was allegedly Rilianne's brother, which would be much more believable if they looked anything alike. His wife Zari and her sister were there as well, because he had the tents and there wasn't much use knowing where they were assigned without the tent to set up. Since Yhal was there, his wife Jhalem had accompanied him as well, staying by his side in case his headache moved on towards dizziness. Sumerki and Firot had followed Mylls so they could set up their tent.

Yhal wasn't sure they were supposed to be hearing this briefing, but they weren't being told to leave, so…

There was a pointed silence as all the wizards turned towards Rilianne. She didn't sigh, but it was a pointed lack of sigh. "Great Binder," she said, "we have not yet even settled down. Surely this can wait until we've set up our tents?"

"That will not be necessary. For ease of logistics and enforcement of building standards, you will all be staying here in the dragon shelter. Set up your bedrolls here."

"… Enforcement of building standards?"

"If you excavate the dragon shelter incorrectly, it will collapse on you. I recommend you excavate it correctly."

"That's why you're making us sleep here?" Ari exclaimed indignantly.

"It was what the Great Binder ordered, and so it is what will be implemented. She has decided that being the most immediate victims of a cave-in will make you more diligent in ensuring that there will be no cave-ins. As I am familiar with the lax building standards of militia who are not part of dedicated engineering banners, I agreed with her assessment. Does your concern over your possible death mean we were correct in assuming laxness on your part?"

Madsmif raised a hand. "I won't be part of the construction beyond the surveying, so can I sleep somewhere else?"

That got him immediate annoyed looks from the others save for Rilianne, who kept her attention completely focused on Binder Shanalorre.

"Unfortunately, current arrangements require Tafit and yourself to remain in the vicinity," Binder Shanalorre said. "The dimensions of the food storage vault as it stands are currently insufficient to store all the supplies we have, and any other location that we could have kept it in is currently occupied by children. A vista expanding the vault's internal boundaries will need to be maintained until the Whisperers can physically expand it with excavation. As this will require maintenance at all hours, proximity to the vista will be most convenient to remove the possibility of being late for your shift. I am also informed that it increases unit cohesion to suffer together."

Everyone's gaze turned towards Yllian, who shrugged with a too-innocent look on his face.

"Even so, does that really require us to begin immediately?" Rilianne asked.

"Winter will arrive in approximately two months," Shanalorre said. "If we are fortunate, they will be storm months. Given our luck so far, they will likely be blue months. In that time—" she held up a hand, thumb touching a knuckle, "—we must expand the mine passage to increase its capacity to admit people into the dragon shelter; expand the dimensions of the food storage vault; expand the dimensions of this chamber to allow it to accommodate five times as many people; excavate a water reservoir sufficient to contain enough water to sustain everyone in the demesne for two weeks, including cooking and washing; move the excavated stone into the dome so it can be used as raw material to build a shelter sufficient to house everyone so they no longer have to reside in tents by the time the winter snows arrive; expand and increase the number of our fields and plant them with crops; accelerate at least one crop from all the expanded fields so that we will have a supply of fresh grain for the winter; expand the dining hall to be able to cook for and seat everyone in the demesne; position and dig sufficient latrines for everyone; prepare a place to take the latrine black that will not poison the demesne; see to it that everyone has sufficiently warm winter clothes and bedding, which requires that we; grow more ropeweed for thread to weave; actually weave that thread into cloth for sewing; and continue hunting and seeling to add more food to our supplies."

She held up her hand, ever knuckle touched and the thumb sticking out to count one more. "Tell me, Wizard Rilianne. Even counting just the tasks that can only be performed by wizards, do you believe we have sufficient time ahead of us to accomplish all that is necessary, on the scale necessary to sufficiently provide for everyone in the demesne? Because in my experience, we do not. Given that, do you still wish to waste time 'settling down'?"

"Surely just one day to adjust will not be too much of an imposition?" Rilianne pressed.

Binder Shanalorre stared at her, then turned her gaze towards the other wizards. "Is everyone else of like mind?" the Great Binder said.

"I have a patient that fell into the river to take care of," Makoi said, pointing at Yhal. "He's been in pain all week for some strange reason, and his recent little slip no doubt exacerbated his condition. As I cannot heal him as I usually would, I'm pressed to instead monitor his condition and use slower methods."

The look he received was withering, and the glance that Yhal received afterwards somehow gave the impression of being sarcastic. "He's fine," she said.

"With all due respect, Great Binder," which meant no respect at all, "you have neither examined the patient nor trained to properly conduct such an examination in the first place, so I must disagree with your diagnosis."

"I need to check on my family," Yhim said stiffly. "I haven't seen them for some days, so I need to see if they're all right."

Binder Shanalorre nodded. "Very well, then. You may begin working at your leisure. Yllian, inform the kitchen that none of the wizards are to be given food for lunch, dinner, breakfast tomorrow, or any other meal until I countermand the order. Do not provide them with their ration of soap and see to it that they are barred from the baths. Any attempt to take fruits from the dome or the orchards is to be considered theft and any hunting or seeling is to be considered poaching and to be punished with deadly force."

"What?-!" more than one person exclaimed.

The frozen lake returned to Binder Shanalorre's gaze. "Given the coming winter, this demesne does not have the resources to waste on those who actively choose not to contribute to its collective well-being. Those who do not work do not eat, and bathing in warm water is a privilege, not a right. However, I will be generous as you have nowhere else to go and grant you permission to set up your tents on the other side of the river so you can rest for the night. It's on the other side of the ford."

Yhal saw the two Horotracts look at each other. "A survey of the dimensions of the hill and expanding the food storage vault was it, Great Binder?" Madsmif said.

"We'll get on that right away, Great Binder," Tafit said, the two Horotracts ignoring the looks they were getting. "Wouldn't want all that food too go bad from being left out in the open."

"Your helpfulness is noted," Binder Shanalorre said evenly. "Yllian, please provide these men with a tablet and some char for them to sketch out their survey properly, as well as necessary work access to the food storage vault. I bid the rest of you a pleasant day off, you useless bloodsucking slugs, and farewell for now. I have more work to do." She turned to walk away.

"Great Binder."

Binder Shanalorre paused in her steps at Yhal's words, turning her head just the slightest bit so she could see him out of the corner of her eye, but said nothing.

"I'm sure everyone has no real objection to any of the tasks you've set out," Yhal said, giving Rilianne—and all the other wizards who met his gaze—a pointed look. "It's just that some have concerns they want to see to for their own peace of mind before they begin working. Yhim's request to check on his family is not unreasonable, don't you think? Rilianne has a wife and sister-in-law to consider as well. And a little time for some rest, a drink, and a visit to the latrines after this morning is hardly uncalled for."

There was a brief, tense silence. Finally, Binder Shanalorre said, "Wizard Rilianne. Does he speak for you all?"

"…yes, Great Binder," the Deadspeaker said eventually.

Another silence. "Very well. I am not unreasonable. You may all have half an hour to see to any personal business before you begin working. After we finish this briefing, which was interrupted by this… misunderstanding." Binder Shanalorre turned back to face them. "Unless understanding is still deficient?"

The wizards glanced at each other. Some like Yhim still looked vaguely mutinous, but no one actually voiced a complaint, at least not yet. Rilianne looked at Yhal but he simply stepped back, rubbing his head. "I believe that we understand one another, Great Binder," the Deadspeaker said.

"Wonderful," the frozen lake said. "Then to continue with the briefing…"