Renovating Spatchi's new place

Michael James Watson·
Green Water Coves is the result of the clearing of the great harbor of Amber. Thousands of piles of debris moved around by wind, water, and magic created islands of many sizes. A great break water around the edge is a defensive barrier for the harbor and crates calm water behind it for the islands.
In the many years sine the islands became residences to many to escape the crowds on the city and the press of duty.
Among these is Cara's Cluster. A group of thousands of tiny islands with tiny homes built by the elites for their off times. Some are inhabited and vacated regularly. Some have pensioners living out old age or waiting for a new enthusiasm to make them young again.
Elites may apply for one of the islands and if one is available they usually get one.
Spatchi and Alvah ride the local harbor craft as it docks at the small dock on Spatchi's assigned bungalow.
Getting left at the dock at the rear of the building its general run down nature shows it age, and the weathering needs care. Glass panes are broken and the place is over grown with weeds.
The large tree on the west side needs care but is strong and thick.
The landing dowck looks like part of a derelcit ship and the yard is scattered tih ship furniture as it sailers tossed stuff on the deserted island as they passed by. a pile of ripped sails clump on the shore, showing tears but no weathering, sails of a one proud ship of the amber navy.

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah steps off and looks around.
Seeing the mess left in the yard and the state of the building she looks at Spatchi.
"Well it is a project but gives you a chance to make it more to your liking. "
She starts looking at some of the rubble in the yard picking things up.
"But pretty nice spot."

Michael James Watson
Spatchi walks up top the front door. A small keg sits beside it. Picking up the note.
"Navy Rum..and the deed. Its mine as long as i remain in good standing with the military. Good Standing... coming from where i did, i never thought that would apply to me. "
"i was never much of a woodworker. But it will do"

Amber Bronkhorst
"Well that is nice they offer the rum as well."
Alvah starts to drag some rubble to a make a pile.
"Oh i'm not a woodworker either but i'm sure the two of us can figure this out. And i understand your feeling about the good standing. If you come from a darker or lower place it might be hard to fathom that you can run along with the big guys and get the same perks."
Alvah then winks
"Don't worry i won't cause trouble for you that you might lose standing. "

Michael James Watson
She sets about cleaning and clearing.. Pilling furniture outside, clearing the rooms.

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah helps Spatchi following her lead in what she wants to have done first.
While working Alvah looks up to Spatchi and grins.
"Sorry that i ran out without letting you know the night of that dinner. Next time i'll let you know first."

Michael James Watson
"i'm not your wetnurse." She starts spreading out the sails to dry, looking over what's stained. "you have clean cantrips or magic? yes?"
"As for leaving me behind, well, each elite needs to find a balance with their principal. When we go together, when we don't. If you want to galavant around Amber i doubt there is much you can't handle. But if you head down the road, i'd at least like to know. I've a friend who will be coming by. He was recently relieved of duty as a Protector because his principal refused to deal with him. Not out of malice, but out of his sense of individuality. I call it his sense of fey arrogance. I spoke to him this morning and he will come either tonight or tomorrow. I intent to put him to work. He is good with wood and stone."
"I like being your friend rather then being treated like a servant. In the long run that will work out better for both of us. Take the east room. Get a trump made for it. Always nice to have a bolt hole to hide in"
"Farooq doesn't have the best luck with his details. He served with Gerard as his Elite, as if Gerard needed one. He said he learned a lot and they became friends, but there wasn't much he could do except be a common seaman. He served with Zarchary but got in an argument with him over elephants where Farooq knocked out the elephant then knocked out Zarchary. Then Donovan abandoned him in Nu Yark when he went on his recover of the Arden Stone. Eventually they relieved him and cut him loose. He's sort of in between assignments.."

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah looks at the sails and shrugs
"i can try somethings."
Whiel figuring that out she smiles at Spatchi
"I didn't mean that you were a servant or that you are my babysitter or anything. I just don't want you to get in trouble because i am...."
Alvah tings for a moment.
"that i am sometimes a bit troubled and high emotional in my reactions. ofcourse i rather be friends then anything else really. I like you, and you don't treat me like i'm some dumb kid who just learned to walk. "
Alvah frowns
"well didn't know that was an option... thought Random was quite clear on the whole having an elite at your side thing."
She shrugs
"But would be great to have an extra helping hand here. place will be fixed in no time. And about that trump. yeah have to ask someone then. Can't do that myself. But thank you that i can crash here. wouldn't be a bad hiding place."

Michael James Watson
"They assigned me because i have a smiliar enough set of skills that i can help you and keep track of you. To whatever degree i can. Its not like a submit weekly reports on your movemtns."

Amber Bronkhorst
"Oh i know that, and i am not worried about that. And i have a feeling that they want to keep me a bit more in control knowing that if i royally screw up you might get the blame as well.
Like a whipping boy for a prince. "
Alvah laughs.
"I have a feeling they don't really trust me. "

Michael James Watson
"They? Who is They? At Fantalin they teach us to be careful of They. Is They Delwin, Random, Fiona, Benedict, Fisk?

Amber Bronkhorst
"Eh haven't been to Fantalin. They is.... Benedict yeah what i learned now from Jurt and Uta.. Random i have the idea he doesn't trust me either.
And it all has probably to do with a stupid oracle. "
Alvah waves her hand
"But that is just me being annoyed by the secrets that have been kept from me and apparantly people i don't know, know more of myself then i do. "
Alvah then stops and looks at Spatchi for a moment
"i think dad does trust me. But he is very protective which i get."

Michael James Watson
A few hours go by. Spatchi has you clean the sail magically and she starts figuring out whewre to set them up as sun shades.
In the distance a kayak is being paddled toward trhe island

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah shouts out to Spatchi
"ey Spatchi, i think your friend is here!" she nods towards the kayak that is paddling their way.

Michael James Watson
SHe looks up and nods, "Yep. Thats him"
Skimming up on the thin craft the curly haired dark skin man climbs from the boat. He is wearing a loos breeches of a linen cloth and Spatchi and Alvah see he is a fine figure of a dark skinned man. Alvah thinks he looks arab. He pulls a loos coat over his choulders and pullas a traveling bag, with long bed roll out, tossing the strap over his shoulder.
He waves, "Spat, looks like a nice hovel you have here...And who is your ....ah... your principal.. ah, is the no rank rule in force?"
She says, "Yes, Farooq, this is Alvah. Alvah, Farooq"

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah dragging probably some more rubble on the pile while waiting for Farooq to dock she then nods
"hey there, yeah i'm Alvah. nice to meet you Farooq. "

Michael James Watson
"The honor is shared and so shall be the tea. Ah, Honeyhips, its a joy to be here when neither of us is burdened by cruel duty."
She looks over at Alvah, "ah...Lets lay off on the honeyhips, please, unless your offer had less then platonic motives.."
He laughs, "Tis a true thing that my hammer is yours.. Now, the hovel looks better then you said. I'll look it over today, return to the city and gather supplies. Perhaps your companion can open a gateway to the castle for me? "

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah chuckles and looks at Spatchi her hips tilting her head in a approving nod
"heh, sweet nickname."
She winks to Spatchi
"Oh yeah i can open up a way for you. Need me to come along so you have a quick way back? The faster you get to... hammering.... "
Alvah shakes her head and grabs another piece of rubble dragging it off. chuckling softly "honeyhips."

Michael James Watson
She whispers, "Use it at your peril*
He says, "I'll look it over then we can go to the castle then to the work yard then back, if you please?"

Amber Bronkhorst
She grins wide at Spatchi
"mmmhmmm own peril got it,"
Alvah thinks
"well thinking about it, i don't have trump back ofcourse... so i'm afraid that we have to go back the long way. I can take you easily back to the castle though. "

Michael James Watson
Spatchi says, "Or...We see if we can get Arlo to come and create a trump for you? He has been fairly helpful."

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah nods
"sure we can always ask. Shall i ask him while Farooq goes to check on what we need? Don't know if a trump would be that quickly made but hey the sooner he gets started. if he is willing ofcourse. "

Michael James Watson
Farooq wanders around the island, which takes about 5 minutes..

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah will take out Arlo his trump and focuses on the image on the card.

Michael James Watson
"Alvah? And close by. What do I owe the pleasure to?

Amber Bronkhorst
"Hey there, have a favor to ask of you, Spatchi has a nice little place in Cara's Cluster. Could you make a trump of the place? "
Alvah smiles as sweety as she can.

Michael James Watson
"Sure, pull me through. Im making sketches now anyway."
Arlo looks around the place. "Farooq? What are you doing here?"
He says, "Carpentry. Spatchi wants the trump so Alvah and I can go to the workyard in the castle for supplies. Probably down to storage for furniture. The trump is to get back."
Arlo looks around, looks outside.. "Ah, Spatchi, there is a nice tree outside. Mind if i make the trump for there? I'll make a sketch so Farooq can squire Alvah around the castle.. I'll finishe the trump by the time you return.
Arlo stops, says, "You know..better yet. Trump to the castle, arrange for supplies, then trump me. I'll have the trump done by then. "

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah nods.
"Thank you Arlo."
Looking at Farooq she nods
"You know what we need now? If so i'm ready to bring us to the castle."

Michael James Watson
"Siding, roofing, flooring. Paint. Spatchi, we are friends but this is looking less like do a little wood work and more a renovation. You said..."
"Oh please, Faro. What else do you have to do?"
Arlo laughs. "Well, better get a supply of beer from Margot. This might take awhile."
Spachi, "Ah, Arloxedra, i didn't intend to rope you into this."
He shrugs. " Isn't the first house I've renovated. Won't be the first I've burned down. Let me do the trump for Alvah and think about some construction spells. Have to step away to a fast time to hang them but its worth it. Hell, while I'm there I'll pick up pizza"
Alvah and Farooq arrive and he takes her to an area the elites have run through but she didn't pay much attention to. Behind the great stables is the Castle Work Yard. Lumber, ropes, blacksmiths, and such. Wagons being repaired. Harnesses constructed. These common people seem happy with their trade unlike other such places she might have seen at home.
Farooq talks to a foreman who gets a wagon brought over. Soon lumber is brought from storage. Different grades. Some for siding some for roofing. Boxes of shingles. Much of it has the look of the buildings in parts of the castle away from the parts the nobles and royals spend time in. Barrel of nails, a variety of hand tools are put in the wagon. Soon several barrels of wine are brought down. All in all it takes a couple hours to sort it all out. During that time they pay little attention to Alvah, her being a new face anyway.
In time Farooq come over with a mule pulling the wagon. "Alright, we are stocked. Call Arlo"

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah just happily tags along helps out where she can and is happy to just be the ride back and forth.
When everything is gathered Alvah pulls up the trump of Arlo again to ask for a 'ride' back.

Michael James Watson
Arlo opens the trump and farooq drives the wagon across. Arlo and Spachi are laughing as they seem to have removed the siding to half the house.
Arlo says,"you get the front and tree side. "Handing the Alvah.
He starts setting up to cut boards for the two cleared sides.

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah steps through as well, looking at the house impressed with the work ready done.
She then nods starting on the other sides where Arlo directed her.

Michael James Watson
Farooq works handily, clearly familiar with the trade. After a time he asks, " would you be willing to take a short shadow walk? No place exotic. Trump to Diego Raks then walk off a bit and find us a supply of rounded river stones? I'm sure Arlo can conjure cement but I don't want to leave the appearance of them to chance. Rounded, ovals, granite, I'll put about 4' of them around the house and build a nice fire pit and some planters..Spachi will like those. We'll Trump Arlo and have him float them through.

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah nods
"Yeah ofcourse no problem. I can do that. Let me get my coat and Cicero and i'll go search. And i think that would look really lovely. "
Alvah gets her things together her coat her belt and Cicero to go on a little hike.

Michael James Watson
Farooq wages his hands in the surf, gets his sword belt and comes over, ready to travel as Allah opens the trump to Diego Raks.

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah steps through the trump taking Farooq along.
She nods to him
"Well lets just start walking in a direction then. I'll be honest not the most experienced in shadowwalking but for something as simple as granite round river stones i'm sure i can manage. "
She makes sure Cicero is comfortable and starts heading away from the waymet. Wanting to have walked a bit before starting to change aspects.

Michael James Watson
The land around The Raks is heavily forested. she starts uncertainly as the power of the pattern starts feeding her desire.
"Ah....less trees....more rocks....a river..huge river...a rock place near a river..."
Farooq says, "it just occurred to me that between
average and Zachary, I might have been on more open shadow walks then you. Ok .. The river looks good but the rocks are huge. Try ...this river with smaller rocks of mixed granite and colored quartz. ...yes...better....smaller rocks and s rose of hard dirt beside it...you are so close....below these rocks a layer of similar tiny stones flat for skipping over water...yes...ok..ah!!! Less bears!!!!!!".

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah keeps moving as she was once explained that she ahd to do also with shadow walking. Hense the word walking is used.
When Farooq gives her instructions she looks to her side first a bit annoyed then she figures that a little help would not be bad, since he has experience and she doesn't.
Softly she chuckles as she focuses on her surroundings and aspects of the shadow.
"well not hard to have more experience then me. my active days in Amber i can count on two hands. "
Alvah then jumps when he yells about bears
"WHat bears? where? i'm trying!"
Her hand goes to her weapon on her side just to be sure

Michael James Watson
Farooq says,. "Ah...ok... i supposed bears in shorts with cocktail drinks are better.. OH HEY! Look! they have drink waiters! " He waves them over.
"after we get our drinks lets take a step to where this world doesn't have intelligent humanoid bears... but... lets remember where to find them.."

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah looks astonished at the bears, shakes her head and then shrugs at Farooq,
"sure lets have a drink. if they are good it is fun to come back. "
She looks around and laughs.
"well guess my mind goes interesting places."
"but i have to ask, now we are taking a break. HOneyhips? you two been together?"

Michael James Watson
"Maybe you like drunk hairy men. ah... thats better.. over there.. nice size. good idea to keep the road..and lose the bears...ok, maybe not all the bears... oh... they're so cute.. size of cats.".

"Well, no... Its something Rede called her..."

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah laughs
"drunk sure, hairy. eh not that hairy. "
Alvah looks to the bears and shakes her head
"ah at least a bit more manageable size. "
She nods
"i see, Rede. She told me about him. "

Michael James Watson
"Rede is a friend. But he is something of a poor elite. He served in First Legion-Third Cohort-Artilery. Good at it. But his father wanted him to be first cohort, the Elites, then serve in Second Cohort-Amber City Police. He wasn't having it. He was pushed through Rasak kicking and screaming, when he could kick and scream of course. Then Assigned first to Fiona, then Flora, then a disastrous term with Geryon before getting Vander who was great for him. Still, even though Rede ended up attending Star Fleet with Vander he wasn't lifetime start fleet material so after an extended term in Vulsar he returned. Vulsar at 60 to 1 let him have a 20 year star fleet career in 4 months. He was put on Castle Duty where he and Spatchi met and the rest in hearts and knives."
He starts sorting rocks as he talks, "Lets sort out about 2,000 medium stones. Then we can shovel in a few tons of the tiny ones. Ah.. these bears look friendly enough"
He reaches to pet one and it rolls on its side, purring.
"Purring miniature bears? Nice...."
One comes to rub up against A;vah's leg unless hse boots it away.

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah listens to the story of Rede.
"Yeah that sounds like a character. but heard that his father is more of a... character. Yeah lets say it like that that is nice enough.
It is a shame that they are no longer together. Spatchi seems to still be.. well in love or at least very much attrected to him. "
Alvah then shrugs
"but who am i to give love advice. She would know best what to do."
She starts helping gathering the rocks. When one of the bears rubs against her leg she crouches down and holds out her hand
"as long as you are not actual cats... cats and i are not friend. But you seem indeed friendly enough."
Alvah ruffles the head and ears of the one near her.

Michael James Watson
It cuddles up to her and a second comes bounding over for skritches. They are very much not cats but have some cat-like attitudes. They also seem, physically, to be fully grown.
In time there is a huge pile of stone and Farooq has marked out an area almost as big as the island of the tiny stones. He signals to call Arlo.
Arlo steps through and hands Alvah a crude trump sketch. "Try that...If it works i'll do the finishing touches later, make a couple. "
He looks over the stones and he and Farooq talk. Arlo laughs and shakes his head.
Alvah opens the trump and steps over. Soon after Arlo leads a flying parade of medium river stones and tiny flatish rocks, finally sending a dozen large stones over.
While there Alvah sees her two little friends and the two that came to Farooq bound through the trump and run to splash in the water.

Amber Bronkhorst
When on the island she moves out of the way to make sure that the stream of rocks can be gatehred in a central spot.
SHe laughs seeing the four bearcat creatures come through as well and play with the water. SHe looks at Ciciero
"do you mind more company? They are kind of cute. "

Michael James Watson
Cicero doesn't leap to strangle them.

Amber Bronkhorst
Taking that as a good sign Alvah ruffles the two that were following her and guides them out of the way so the building can commence.
She will just follow lead with the building because she had never done such a thing herself. But she is going to work hard and help out.

Michael James Watson
She was shown just how strong she was and what her endurance was at Rasak. In many ways she had never pushed herself as much, especially the Long Run, as the Elites call it. It comes to mind sometimes, the moment on the beach when the memory control was released after the Long Run, the 3 year, 10 month run, and the exhaustion and exhilaration of the feeling.
Arlo mixes cement and he shows Alvah the process of building the pillars on the corners of the house, the stair case and front and back patio. It covers the lower foundation to about 2' to make the building proof against flooding and weather.
After conversation with Spatchi a fireplace is built in the center to provide heating and to cook on.
Arlo has brought frozen pizza and magically heats them.
The endurance and strength of the 4 of them is all pointed so they push on for hours. Spatchi is a bit bemused to have to royals help build up her little bungalow but is grateful and enthusiastic. Her first real home.

On the outside they build a fire pit.
Lastly the small rocks are scattered around to make easy walking as the stones press into the ground firmly.

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvha kind of proud to be part of having fixed Spatchi her house, even if she can stay here as well she is happy that Spatchi has something to call her own.
When the building is done for the day she claps her hands.
"So Spatchi, you want to enjoy your place on your own? or shall we get something to drink fire up the firepit? "

Michael James Watson
she laughs,"pizza,drink, fire, and apparently beardogs. Arlo, can you conjure meat for the fire, and. Pineapples?"
He laughs, "Indeed. I know just the place. Not conjured. You start the fire. Alvah, I'll be trumping you in about 10 minutes here."
He pulls a Trump and steps through
After 10 minutes he trumps and steps through. He has several baskets of meat, pineapples, roasted peppets

Amber Bronkhorst
Alvah looks at the bears and shrugs "bearcats beardogs... just cute little fuzzballs. "
Pulling Arlo through she exlaims
"dinner has arrived!"
She grins to Arlo
"don't expect a tip "