[Increase, Home]

  Mossbeard and I portaled directly from the gnome colony one to town hall. We went right to Arthur’s office and Michael, his assistant, went in to see if Arthur could see us. Arthur came right out of his office.

  “Welcome Rose, Mossbeard. Michael assemble the town council, tell them we are presenting Rose with a key to the town in half an hour.”

  “Really Arthur that is not necessary, we just came to buy the Harris’s vineyard, I really don’t want a big fuss, if I get a key, the gnomes, the trees and most of all Draco should get a key, all of them more so than me.”

  “But Rose, when the crisis occurred, we came to you and you fixed it. Sure you had help but you were the one who brought it all together, don’t you think so Mossbeard.”

  “Yes, Burgomaster.”

  “Traitor,” I muttered at Mossbeard. He just grinned.

  Michael was back, quickly and carried a tray of tea and cookies. After he poured us all a cup he left the room.

  “Arthur, how much do you want for the Harris estate? Has the price been decided?”

  “Rose, that's why I really wanted to assemble the council. You can tell us your plans for the hills and make an offer, then the council can decide right then and there to accept your offer or send the land to an auction.”

  “I, of course, want you to get the property, but I don’t have a vote.”

  “What price would make them sell outright and avoid an auction?”

  “I think they’d sell at fifteen hundred?”

  “Alright good, that’s what Alvyn thinks the land is worth. What are the chances you’ll win the lawsuit?”

  “Ninety nine point nine percent. The Harris’s that aren’t in jail have fled and those two brothers will be in the mines for a very long time. The judge was a lot more sympathetic before foreign armies threatened his home.”

  Then we finished our tea, before going into the town council. The Burgomaster made a big speech and presented me with a key. Which I thanked him for and accepted on the behalf of the trees, gnomes, dragon and civilians and guards who’d all had a part.

  “Before I let you all go back to your business, I just like to add that I’m interested in buying the Harris estate for the Non Profit Estate Foundation, the board of directors so far is made up of Elma, Mossbeard, James Davies prospective members I plan to ask after this meeting are Ruby, Lily, Eldara, Nim and Paula. I’ll offer two thousand gold if you sell today. Of course if it goes to auction I hope to pick it up much cheaper. I’ll be hiring a private guard force to patrol the hills because it is out of the town's jurisdiction, but after all the affordable homes are built and people start to move in, I’d like the town to expand its borders. I always felt that it was unfair that the people who live in the hills have everything the town has to offer but contribute nothing to the town. Of course if you did expand you’d need to hire additional guards, but the added tax revenue from five estates worth of affordable homes should more than make up for the extra guardpersons.”

  Orin asked, “If we accept your offer do we have to hire your private guards?”

  “No, but I’d make it a condition that they be given interviews with Dogberry before they are hired as private guards, who I pay for. I will also pay to have an auxiliary guardhouse be built on one of the estates. In essence they would be city guards before the town expands but the foundation would be paying their salaries until such time. I would be handing the town a whole new tax base completely free. Infrastructure in place including a functioning guard.”

  Orin asked, “If we accept your offer, when will the town be paid?”

  “As soon as you accept, or moments after as I have to go and retrieve the gold.”

  “Will you be keeping the vineyard even after you destroyed the value of its most expensive wine?”

  “Yes, councilman, I believe that the brand will bounce back after I stop selling my wine for one gold a bottle. Then again, I don’t see anything wrong with selling excellent wine at an affordable price. How many of us would pay five hundred gold for a bottle of wine. Not me, on my apprentice salary. Any other questions?”

  There weren’t any more. I thought they’d make me wait in the hall while they voted but Arthur indicated I should just wait by the podium. The only no vote was Orin who thought that six new guards would be plenty to cover the hills instead of seven. All the other council members voted in our favor. They drafted up a contract on the spot and I portaled to the gnome colony and had Alvyn look it over.

  “I told you it was worth fifteen hundred, why offer two thousand.”

  “Because I wanted them to accept all of my conditions and they agreed to hire my private guards into the regular guard once the town expands. Plus all that expensive wine is still sitting there. I drove its price down by selling one gold a bottle equivalent. Once that is gone, the wine should slowly rise in value again right? The older the wine the more it’s worth.”

  “Yes, you are right.”

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  “Plus I avoid an auction that might have cost me more or that I lost and there is some rich person back in between my other four properties. I actually would have paid much more just to avoid that.”

  Then I jumped to Juliet’s World and authored the two thousand gold and jumped back to the council chambers. Handed them the gold and got the signed contract in return. Mossbeard and I portaled to Journeys End. Ryder Fontaine was sharing a pitcher of beer with a few of the guards.

  “Rose, I was coming to the store later to give you back the gold you gave me for the guard. I believe there is four hundred and thirty gold left, I’ll bring the ledger.”

  “Why are you guys quitting on me?”

  “No but the job is over, isn't it? You won the war, you don’t really need guards.”

  “Yes I do, I just bought the fifth estate and they all need to be guarded. Ryder, if you can, I need you to come with me to talk to Dogberry. You’ll all need to be interviewed by Dogberry. Then when the town expands its borders they will be obligated to hire all seven of you into the town guard if that is something that you want.”

  “Thank you Rose, we all thought that we were out of work.”

  “Your welcome and thank you all for responding so quickly when we were under threat.”

  Ryder, Mossbeard and I portaled over to the guardhouse, Nora was on the desk and waved us through to Dogberry’s office. I knocked on his door.

  “Come on in, Rose, Ryder, Mossbeard. What disaster looms on the horizon? You’ll be happy to hear the two Harris brothers each got twenty years in the mines.”

  “That’s good, it shows that justice really works in Wyldwood. Even the rich Harris’s have to pay the price any poor man would pay for the same offenses. I just bought their old home from the town and as part of the agreement, I’m hiring a seven person private guard force, with Ryder as the leader. The town agreed to have you interview each of the guards including Ryder. Then when the town borders expand to include the estates, the seven private guards will automatically become town guards. I’m also building an auxiliary guard house on one of the estates. Your choice, portal out and pick a location that works best for you, just let me know and I’ll have the gnome build it as the top priority.”

  “The town hasn’t even won the lawsuit and they already sold the land.”

  “Yeah I really want the vineyard, but I already own the other four estates so one way or the other I need the guards and we will expand the town so whether I own the land or someone else does you’ll still need the extra guards.”

  “Ryder, I have to tell you the town is probably nowhere near as generous with salaries as Rose, and I’d be happy to interview you all, say tomorrow morning at nine.”

  “That sounds great, thanks, I’ll have them all here by nine. I’m not worried about the salary, I’ll just keep saving the amount Rose is paying me and I’ll be able to live off it for a few years.”

  “Especially if you buy one of the new houses when they are built, Ryder. Plus those houses will be on the portal system, you can portal right to the town gate and from there you can portal anywhere in town you want.”

  Then Ryder went to find his men and advise them to get some rest before the nine am interviews with Dogberry. Mossbeard portaled to the warehouse to check on the gnomes delivering the free food. I portaled to the public library.

  “Hi Eldara, I have a favor to ask?”

  “What can I do for you?”

  “Will you be on the board of the Non Profit Estate Foundation, you won’t have to meet too often I don’t think. I already hired Mossbeard as interim manager of all five estates and next I’m going to ask Ruby to manage the winery, and I already hired a guard force for security. But the board will make lots of decisions that affect the lives of the residents. I already have Elma, Mossbeard, Bimble, James Davies. Please say yes, next I’m going to ask Lily, Paula, Nim and Ruby. The aim is to expand the town, make all that land out there taxable, and build affordable houses for people. There will be a portal located on each estate, so living out there will be as convenient as living in town is.”

  “Yes, I’d be happy too, maybe I’ll even look into buying one of these affordable homes.”

  “Excellent, the board will work with the gnome designer to decide just what is built and what exactly they will sell for. Thank you so much. Now I have to see if I can lure Ruby away from the teahouse, if she turns me down I do have someone else in mind but I’d love to see Ruby take it. She already has experience with a bunch of wine merchants.”

  Then I portaled to the pub and walked over to the tea house. I found an empty table and when Ruby came over to take my order. I asked her if she had enough time to take a break and have a cup of tea with me. She sat down and a cute little gnome girl brought us a pot of my favorite jasmine tea and some cookies.

  “Ruby, I’ll jump right to it. I have a job offer for you, actually two job offers. The first one is unpaid, you’d be a board member of the Non Profit Estate Foundation. I hope you’ll do it, it shouldn’t take up too much time but I think it’d be excellent experience for you.”

  “I’ll do it Rose, I’m really touched that you’d consider me for a position with that much responsibility.”

  “Well you are a very responsible young woman. I hope you say yes to my next offer too. I’d really like you to become the manager of the vineyard. I just bought it and I thought of you instantly, you already have experience with the vendors and you are such a good sales person.”

  “I’m sorry Rose, again I am so happy that you think that highly of me to offer me the position but when I was out selling wine, I really missed the teahouse, I’m just not ready to give up on it. I’m so sorry.”

  “Don’t be honey, first thank you for taking on a board position and I just want you to be happy so if you are happy here at the teahouse this is just where you should stay.”