The Enchanter of Rangel: Child of War Book 1 (9 page)

             
“Aw damn, it would have been nice to actually have some youth here. Well Xander I am sure you have read all about the bandit problem we have. They are just getting bigger and bigger and way more of a nuisance than they are given credit for. I think from the numbers I have heard around here, they could take this town over, especially when most of us go on the convoy, the rear guard would be easily decimated. That’s what I would do if I were them, pretend to go after the convoy while the real fight is back here. By the time we return we would get slaughtered trying to get this place back. I want to make this fence a lot taller. As is, any man in decent shape can crawl over this thing without a ladder.”

             
“I don’t know if you have enough time to make the fence taller, Hoss is pretty busy making wagons. Is it possible to just make the ground lower?” asked Xander. Dig a trench or something maybe?”

             
“Kid that is brilliant, digging a moat! But we don’t have long. Maybe if we work around the clock we can really do some things. I am telling you, I doubt during the convoy they would get anything other than a token assault. Most folks judge me on my looks but I keep telling them I got a keen mind. Well it won’t dig itself. Go ask old Jack for some shovels and such, we may not dig a very deep one, but hell we got to try something. I’ll go ask Lady Shelia iffn’ I can pull every man here on the job.”

             
Xander found blacksmith Jack and informed him on the plan with the shovels. Jack thought it would be best if Xander just took a couple of shovels, and the rest of the men could pick theirs up on the way out to the field. Xander brought three shovels along and already had his plan worked out. Xander felt drained a bit after enchanting the axe, the work he did ensured the axe could be used by anyone but as his father told him it was more taxing. Xander brought out his dagger and inscribed the word strength/Xander in his alphabet and poured his ether into the handle of the wood. Not a stranger to digging ditches, Xander always wished he was stronger so the task wouldn’t take forever. If Xander, was correct, only when he picked up this particular shovel and pour a little bit of his aura into it, would it do the desired enchantment. Next He enchanted his shovel, making it stay sharp for him alone. As Xander finished he noticed his dagger was getting increasingly dull and made a mental note to enchant it at his next convenience. Xander prepared to dig as he noticed other men walking up led by Lady Shelia and Trevor.

             
“This here is the lad that came up with it my Lady. If we can dig a big trench and maybe put some water in it, we would only give them a couple of points of attack” Trevor said as he gestured along the outside of the gate.

             
“If that could be done, as soon as that is completed I want the same thing built on the inside, except fill the trench with spears pointing upwards. Only lave certain spots open for the archers and lookouts. That way anyone who does make it over the fence is in for a nasty surprise when they drop down” said Shelia to Trevor as they walked up to Xander.

             
“I didn’t see my hero at breakfast or lunch today, did you let Mesha scare you off?” Shelia asked Xander.

             
“My Lady, Lady Mesha put it in no uncertain terms she expected me to pull my weight and to begin so now. I appreciate your offer to take me to Meadow, and I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize that” Xander stated.

             
“Jeopardize my offer? It is in our best interest to have you by our side. I heard from Hoss about your work on the trees, you did save my daughter how ungrateful she may be and now this. Tomorrow you will dine at my table and I will hear no more of it. You gentlemen seem like you have a lot of work ahead of you, I recommend using all the dirt you dig up and pile it on the inside of the city next to the trench. It may not offer the best view of an enemy close to the gate, but a couple of arrows could still be loosed and if any attackers make it over the gate and across the inside moat, they would still need to climb up a dirt wall all the while being peppered by arrows.”

             
“That is a great idea my lady” said Trevor before continuing, “We will get started on everything right away.”

             
Shelia turned to leave as Xander tried out his shovel for the first time. The spring time had given the ground a lot of give, not at all like the frozen ground of winter. Xander went at the ground with a furious pace, before long all of the others stopped what they were doing just to watch him. Before an hour was up, Xander had dug a 9 foot deep hole six feet across.

             
“By the gods boy,” Trevor started “How do you have this much energy? You have done by yourself almost as much as all the lads here! I am sending you to get yourself some rest before you burn out, you can start again in the morning. Our washroom is the building located next to old Jack’s place. We share the wall with his forge using that heat to keep the water nice and warm. Now go get you some rest.”

             
Xander started towards the washroom and took a good look at himself, if he was dirty before he was downright filthy now. Walking into the washroom, he could see laundered clothes stacked up neatly on a bench. Silently thanking the Gods that simple clothing in Rangel was free, Xander stripped off his better made clothing and folded it, figuring he would wash it later. Xander walked into the room and could see it was little more than a hole dug into the earth surrounded by stones. Xander could not tell how they changed the water but figured they probably used the same system of canals and dams they used in Riley. Xander grabbed a bar of soap and retreated into the water. Xander found the water a little warm but appreciated the chance to clean off all the grime, he had never been this dirty in his life. Xander first started with his hair, he could fell the dirt pouring out of it and wished for a comb, he would have to see if someone would mind lending him one. After finishing with his hair, Xander leaned against the edge and was on the verge of dozing off until he heard the door to the washroom open, opening his eyes he could not believe the sight, it was Mesha.

             
“Well at least you know where to wash your behind at, now at least you won’t stink up the stables” Mesha said looking down at Xander.

             
“Lady Mesha, this is the washroom what are you doing in here?” Asked Xander as he hoped the water covered his modesty.

             
“I’ll go wherever I like boy, I am a female. My mother sent me here to invite you to dinner.”

             
“I’m sorry Lady Mesha it sounded like you were inviting me to dinner.”

             
Mesha grinded her teeth before asking again, “Xander would you like to join us for dinner.”

             
“Only if you will sit by me and not toss out another insult” said Xander figuring out that her mother must have had words with her about her treatment of him. Figuring this was too much to let her off that easy, Xander increased his demands. “And that you will engage me in polite conversation and take a walk with me later on.”

             
“I will do no such thing! The nerve of you speaking to a lady like that, I shall have you flogged for the insult” Mesha screamed as her face started to turn red.

             
“Then I must decline your offer Lady Mesha, please explain to your mother I am scheduled to be flogged and cannot make it to her home.”

             
Mesha stared at Xander trying to calm herself down. After a couple of moments she began to speak, “I would be honored to spend time with you. See you at dinner Xander. Mesha then walked away as Xander giggled silently to himself.

             
Xander soon got out of the bath feeling like a new man, putting on some more clothes, he figured he had a couple of hours to kill before he had to go to dinner. Xander picked up his old dirty clothes and looked them over.

             
His mother knew what she was doing when she had them made in the style most men who wore the free clothes wore. Now that Xander had on a set of free clothes, he could tell his, even when filthy were vastly superior and more comfortable than what he presently wore. The free clothes were thin and scratchy, his were thick and supple. Xander knew the normal fashion when your clothes were dirty was to just leave them at the washroom, the launderer would pick them up and wash them prior to redistributing them. It did not matter because every man wore the same clothes. Only the rich could afford to have theirs personally done by a clothing shop, normally for a sizable fee. Any others who wanted to keep their clothing had to launder it themselves; luckily Xander’s mother made sure that was one of the skills he acquired.

Xander found his way to the launderer’s and started washing his clothes since the man who ran it was probably out digging the trench. After Xander finished he brought his clothes to the stables and hung them up. Around this time he figured dinner was ready, and knocked on Shelia’s door.

              “Xander won’t you come in, I see Mesha must have found you” said Shelia as she ushered Xander inside.

             
Xander came in and sat at the table, no longer feeling as self-conscious as he had before, when he was dirty with a growling stomach. Mesha took a look at him longer than Xander would have liked, perhaps thinking of new ways to kill him or because she had never seen all of his so clean.

             
“You look lovely today Lady Mesha, Xander said as he stood and pulled out the chair next to him for her to sit.

             
“What game are you playing boy? Cozying up to me won’t get you out of commitment” said Mesha roughly.

             
“My lady I am simply remarking on a beauty, I meant no offense” said Xander happy his mother made him read all those books on courtship. “Forget I said anything, I am not trying to upset you.”

             
“Xander I have been nothing but cruel to you, why would you say something nice about me”

             
“My Lady I have met your mother, a very kind heart as females go. I doubt she could raise a child as horrid as you pretend to be. Besides I have been in town all day and have not heard one bad remark about you” Xander said looking into her eyes.

             
Mesha started blushing and looked away quickly, not wanting Xander to see the effect she had on him.

             
“I do have a question though my Lady, are you and your mother the only females in this town?”

             
“Why do you want to know, no other woman here is going to get you out of your duty.”

             
“It’s just that I don’t believe it is safe out here in a town full of men, we may be second class citizens, but we still are the stronger sex physically. What would stop a bunch of them from doing awful things?”

             
Xander could tell Mesha’s shoulders lowered a bit, some of her earlier rage leaving her. “Xander no other woman would be caught dead out here in this hole. Back in Meadow, we were not noble or anything just ordinary women. Although we did enjoy the perks all women receive, we were not special until the Queen started looking for volunteers to create new towns in the wilderness to help ward off bandit attacks. Of course no one volunteered until it was announced she would bestow the title of Baroness to any successful towns that can last without any help from the crown for a period of five years. We have been here for three years off and on with my mother given the title of mayor. After which she will be made a Baroness we me inheriting that title shall I wish to stay. No upstanding female though would leave nicely made buildings, rich food you do not have to cook yourself and along with all the amenities just for a title. When my mother left, she handpicked everyone that was to follow her. Most of these men have already completed their commitment but grew weary of living in Meadow. The men that are here now are mostly those who volunteered to be out here, attacking us is the furthest thing from their minds. They like their freedom here away from the nobility, the watch and others and would do nothing nor allow anyone else to jeopardize what they have. They want my mother to succeed and become a Baroness, that way they could enjoy her protection.”

             
“You seem to hate it here though, one day you could become a baroness if the title passes down.”

             
“I would be Xander, but life in Meadow even as an unknown was much easier compared to this, if I go back now I could receive a house and live an easy life.”

             
“Well then why don’t you go back to stay then? If you don’t really like being here” asked Xander.

             
“Because I would be humiliated, my longtime boyfriend left me for a girl that was discovered to be a witch. She went to his mother and asked for his hand in marriage which of course was granted provided she could secure a writ resolving him of his commitment. She already had one drawn up before she went to his house, he chose her over me.”

             
“Well that sounds like a blessing to Lady Mesha, imagine if you had married without knowing his true character? My mother told me life of a witch affords you little time to actually spend with your family. He will be stuck raising kids if she decides she wants them and keeping house while she is out adventuring. He will get what he deserves and a pretty Lady like yourself can find someone truly worthy of your station as a future Baroness. I bet once this place takes off plenty of mothers will be trying to marry their sons off to you.”