Chapter 2: Roadworks (2/2)

-” We shall not pass.” - said the tanai in an informative tone - “Hundred or so people are working ahead, moving stones from one pile to another. There's a lot more. We need to wait.”

-” Then we will wait.” - shrugged hoomin.

-” Then you will wait. I need to make notes.”

Brandt watched, with a dose of bemusement, as the tanai floated towards his mules and, after a short struggle, pulled out a stack of sheets and several writing utensils. Then he once again rose over the crowd and flew towards the roadworks. Most likely causing commotion for the second time, as his tools obediently followed him through the air like ducklings following their mother. Only more dramatically.

The obstruction lasted at least another candle and Brandt was beginning to glance at the Bivos' position in the sky with growing irritation. When they allowed the people to go through and the Nord finally passed the roadworks, the tanai was nowhere to be seen, but in just a few triskols he emerged from the crowd and hastily caught up. The road was now wide enough for three carts, its surface smooth and level, made of flat granite stones fitted tightly together. The roadside, made of compacted gravel, extended for another half a mer on either side, and in regular intervals stone bollards, engraved with some numbers, marked every kimer. It was a great improvement over the muddy tract over on the other side of the roadworks, thus Brandt happily sped up, trying to make up the lost time

For a very long time, Anh said nothing, but energetically shuffled his papers, occasionally ‘umm’-ing an ‘hmm’-ing to himself while reading or scribbling some further side notes. From what little Brandt could see, the sheets were covered in sketches and tight script.

-” What interesting observations have you made?” - the Nord's curiosity finally triumphed and he gave in.

The startled tanai looked sharply at the hoomin, but quickly recovered his confidence.

-” Ah yes. I spoke with the chief mason about the logistics of the entire operation. A tehei, really cheerful fellow. Anyhow, the road, a fascinating subject, to be honest. Did you know they need a cart's worth of stone, another one of sand, and a third with gravel, every two candles, otherwise work grinds to a halt?”

-”Makes sense.” - replied Brandt - “But we don’t see this cavalcade of carts going there.”

-” That is a very poignant observation! Mr Zerster.” - exhaled Anh - “Indeed. That was my question as well. I mean, not that question exactly, but in the same vein!”

-” Aha.” - said Brandt and then wanted to add something else, but it was too late. The tanai at this point turned into an unstoppable force of nature, the excitement practically spilling out of his ears.

-“ So it turns out that they operate by stockpiling continuously for the next day, starting in the morning, and moving towards the work front. It works like this: a convoy of carts, anything between twelve and fifteen, leaves Isdelburg and moves forward 30 kimers. The drivers then leave the loaded carts and return with empties. Another group of drivers takes over from that exchange site and drives them 30 kimers and so on. Did you know that to facilitate this, they had to expand the stables to three times their size?"

-” Uhum.” - muttered Brandt, half wondering if he made the right decision asking.

-" They used the existing infrastructure which was set up for the urgent courier services, but modified and expanded to suit the new requirements." - continued Anh, drumming his fingers together - " Essentially, each day they start with a fresh pile of materials and as they move forward, there is more ground to cover each day, so logically, more and more carts need to be added to the rota. They have a designated foreman who makes relevant calculations every day and decides on the number. And he's hoomin! The tehei also stated that they have not had any major delays yet. Minor ones like the one we have seen, happen rarely.”

-” That is well managed!” - added the hoomin, then looked sideways at the tanai and delivered a coup de grace - “ Does this alter your perception of us simple-minded creatures in any way?”

Anh did not expect that question. His eyes glazed over and he slowed down somewhat, a sure sign of internal struggle of some kind. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded more humble than before.

-” I must reluctantly agree that everything here is very impressive! It indeed is a great achievement for the hoomin." - there was a short moment of silence and then he added - "They learned their lessons well from us."

Brandt smiled with resignation, then shifted his tone to a dry and informative one.

-” I've decided to pick up the pace. We should arrive at our next stop on time, despite the delay. This will be our last rest before we reach Isdelburg gates tomorrow evening. The plan is to embark on the boat to Katzburg the day after tomorrow.”

Anh hesitated for a second.

-” Mr Zerster. Isdelburg is a trade city, right?”

-” Indeed.”

-” I need to restock on parchment before we go. I’m down to four sheets. So, we need to visit the shops.”

Hoomin pondered the situation for a short while.

-” Out of the question.” - he said flatly - “It’s by Arneg’s acts we made it here on time.”

-” I don’t think I made myself clear enough.” - said Anh - “I need to go.”

Brandt deepened his voice and made it sound even drier than before.

-” The ferry to Katzburg sails only once per six days. If we miss it, we will need to wait for another one. The only alternative is to spend three weeks trekking through forests. I’m not happy with this alternative and I’m sure that neither are you, so we won’t be taking chances. Making a minor purchase does not justify wasting so much time. And time is money Mr. Trawins.”

-” I… need to object…”

The Nord glanced sternly at his companion.

-” I'll say it once again. Out of the question.”

The tanai didn’t say anything back, just grumbled something unintelligible under his breath and angrily returned to shuffling his notes. Brandt returned his attention to the road. Was that the first crack on the façade? Will it widen into outright disobedience? He shook his head. The horse cantered forward, and the ringing of horseshoes on the stones seemed to only punctuate his thoughts, like a slowly dripping candle glass counting down to some inevitable disaster.

The remainder of their journey to Isdelburg passed in uncomfortable silence. Anh seemed grumpy and distant, and the hoomin decided to completely ignore him. They didn’t exchange so much as a few words, in the evening, during their stay at the inn, and for most of the following day. Not even when they went through one of the newly built turnpikes, collecting fees for using the road. Brandt just paid what was due, only once glancing at the tanai who was busily using the last scraps of parchment in his possession, documenting the process for posterity no doubt.

The road kept on, winding its way through the countryside, which only now, so close to the river, started to change from the grasslands to a more forested environment. Clouds blew away, showing the blue skies and the pale face of spring Bivos in their full glory. The bookkeeper seemed to ignore all that most of the time, apparently choosing to use the sunny weather to sort out all his notes and drawings, undoubtedly using his proprietary and - from the hoomin’s point of view - impractical filing system. To that effect he stayed back, floating next to the mules and constantly unpacked, sorted, and repackaged some items.

Brandt didn’t have anything remotely similar to do, so he filled his time with staring absentmindedly into the distance, in an almost meditative state. Only when silhouettes of the town's fortifications started to appear on the horizon, Brandt decided to break the silence.

-” We will rest at the ‘Black Goose’ Inn, on this side of Niesse." - he said, speaking forward into the air -"We will probably arrive quite late, there are still about six or seven kimers to go.”

-” Sure” - came a flat response from somewhere at the back.

Brandt remained unfazed.

-” The wharf with the boat we need to get on is on the upper part of the Orda, so on the far side of Isdelburg. It leaves in the morning. We’ll need to hurry, otherwise we are going to be stuck here for the next six days.”

-” I’m sure we will make it there with no issues.”

-” We have space rented on the boat for our animals.” - Brandt pointed at Anh’s mules - “This should save us a lot of effort and time in Katzburg.”

-” It is a great plan.”

Brandt sighed. At no point in his past experiences with the tanai have they ever acted like a sulky child. He wasn’t quite used to such behaviour.

-” Listen. I am aware that you go through those sheets at a rapid rate. But, we really…” - he put a very strong emphasis on the word ‘really’ - ”...won’t have the time to shop for them. It’s a large city. It’s crowded. It's an unnecessary risk.”

Anh appeared in the Nord’s point of view, having floated forward from his pack animals. He looked at the hoomin and made a serious face.

- “I can see the necessity. The said necessity notwithstanding, I am with you on this excursion to do research. To do research I need to make notes.”

Brandt rolled his eyes in exasperation.

-” I took you to provide expertise during the potential excavation. Excavation. Which implies when we are there.”

-” But…” - protested the tanai, but the banker cut it short, speaking in a stern voice, just to quash any possibility for further negotiation.

-” You manage your supplies at your discretion. At the same time, your mismanagement of these supplies should not and will not cause delays in our schedule. You have used everything you had before we even reached Isdelburg and your lack of preparation does not constitute my emergency.” - then he took a couple of deep breaths and added, in a slightly more conciliatory tone - ”However. I’m sure there are going to be plenty of opportunities to buy parchment in Katzburg. When we arrive. Not earlier.”

Tanai grumbled something incoherently in protest, but then, in an act of outward resignation, gloomily hung his head and returned to the mules.

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