Chapter 41: Chapter 41 – Reluctance (reposted due to a glitch)

Up to chapter 51 for first tier on Patreon, and chapter 54 for second.

 

While her ladies were talking about sharing her bed at night, Aila had run towards Aros. She wanted to pick up that black panther fur, and felt it should be completed.

"I noticed their gate isn't repaired yet." Aila said as she walked in front of Rirn's stall, her cart behind her.

"Hmph." He said with a snort. "They rely on unpaid workers like slaves. That gate requires craftsmen, and they've offended every single one in Aros. That gate won't be repaired any time soon."

"Let me guess. They say they'll pay, but then find faults in all the work, and deduct penalties until they pay only a pittance. If you don't accept the small amount, you don't get anything. Since they are the dominant clan, they can throw their weight around, and no one says a thing." She rolled her eyes when Rirn nodded. "Stupid. Craftsmen will always be needed. Repairing a roof. Fixing damage from the elements. Or incorporating new devices, like this."

Aila lifted a wooden tank off her cart, and set it on the floor. Rirn frowned, and walked around.

"A container?"

"A shower." She lifted a pot that she filled with water, took off the lid and poured it in. She set the tank on top of his counter. "See this lever?"

"Yeah."

"If this tank is mounted up high, a person can fill it with heated water. Move this level and this happens." She moved the lever, and Rirn watched the water trickle out through the holes.

"Oh! It's like a rain shower outside!" He said.

"Yes. I've learned that this device isn't used locally. It's made of oak, not ironwood. Ironwood is more expensive, but the residual iron will have some issues being exposed to regular water." She said with a smile. "This can be mounted higher, with a ladder to fill with water, and a basin underneath. It helps to clean the body after working hard."

"This would do that." He said quietly. "I bet I can get Toril to make the specialized parts too." He ran his hand through his beard as he thought quietly. "Can you take it to Toril for me? I'd like his opinion on how much each part will cost. We can make a finalized design, high end for the rich, and share the profits." He looked her in the eyes to see if that worked.

"I hoped you would see the potential. They won't wear out quickly, but will need certain parts replaced from time to time. The handle and valve mostly. Once each place has one, the sales will slow, but they won't sell quickly due to the cost." She said and again, she watched his eyes.

"True, but they will sell. I'm sure of that. Don't think like those other merchants, Aila. If we try to flood the market, it won't work, but in the long term, it will make a nice steady profit. We can also make a deal with a barrel maker to make basins for us. The potential is there." Rirn said, which made her grin.

It was a simple device, and one of the few she could figure out. Most poor families just bathed using a bucket from a river, or a well. Unless a person was strong, or had some excess energy, most people wouldn't heat the water either. It used precious firewood.

Wealthier families had bathing areas, even bathtubs that slaves had to clean. The shower was an innovation that hadn't been considered as it wasn't a necessity.

For Aila, a bath was a necessity for good health. A shower was a more responsible way to clean their bodies, and it was a necessity for long term health.

The fact that her girls smelled really good after a shower didn't hurt at all.

 

* * *

 

"Master!" Ivadra said excitedly as she walked through the door to their private rooms. Alara was more reserved, but she was just as excited as her sister.

"You two look much healthier, but I'm getting some strange looks from those guards of yours." Aila said.

"There are a lot of dark elements revolving around them, Master." Alara said. "I don't know what is wrong, but they aren't telling us." Ivadra growled.

"It's like they don't even bother to listen to us now!" She said through grit teeth. Aila thought for a moment, and finally sighed softly.

"It's not finished, but I already have six people who are important to me there. If you want to..." Before she could finish, both women grabbed her hands.

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"Please! Don't leave us here alone, Master!" Ivadra grasped her hand and begged her to help them. Alara held her hand, and only used her eyes.

 

* * *

 

"Captain, are we just going to let them go?" The Vice Captain said angrily.

"I want to fulfill our duties as well, but she destroyed the Great Ancestor. The only thing we can do is prepare, train, and get ready to take them back." The Captain growled a little. "I looked forward to becoming a father."

The captain of the Black Guards should count himself fortunate. Aila didn't hear him speak, nor did she hear their future plans. Although she knew that she couldn't leave such a place intact forever, she didn't feel the necessity to erase them yet.

However, if she had heard them, she would have taken the girls home, and come back to erase them from existence.

 

* * *

 

"I've wondered where you lived, Master." Ivadra said as she rubbed the black fur under her bottom. She blushed brightly. "I can't believe you were going to give us such a precious gift."

"If they hadn't made it necessary to take you already, I would have given it to you today, so you and your sister could sleep in comfort." Aila said, and stopped the cart.

"Master?" Alara asked. Aila smiled.

"Just a moment. There are a few visitors." Aila dashed away, but came back a minute later with two flame wolves in her hands. "Damned fools just don't have any awareness." Ivadra smiled.

"Unless you're using your elements, Master, you don't leak. It is so unusual to see someone as strong as you...Master!" Aila had pierced the chests of the flame wolves, washed the cores, and swallowed them.

"Burp. Ah, excuse me. Those cores were delicious." Alara stared at her in awe, while the horror in Ivadra's eyes faded as she watched Aila's belly swell, glow bright red as the flame elements circulated, but were drained away before they could do damage.

"Master, please don't scare us like that again." Ivadra said softly. "We had no idea you could do that, and survive the explosion." Aila smiled.

"The first time I did it, I didn't know it would explode, or even know what it was." She rolled her eyes. "I was so scared as I had no training, and no idea what to do. Thankfully, even as much as it tries, this world can't seem to kill me." Alara pursed her lips.

"Master, it's not that Imera is trying to kill you. The natural world is just that powerful, in order to balance out the power humans can acquire. You know what would happen if humans were at the top of the power structure?" Alara asked.

"Yeah." she sighed. "Not all humans, but some." Images of the Industrial Age flowed through her mind, as well as the world before it started.

Humans had the ability to create, but they also had the ability to destroy. As much as creation was enjoyed, destruction was easier.

Aila touched the ground of the forest, and smiled gently. Now she knew why the forest behaved as it did.

To build was good. To create was good. Destruction would not be tolerated, or it would be met with the overwhelming force Imera could unleash.

 

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