Hillary Ilyiomearra's page

Well, this is big. Really big, but it might be the right thing to do. I’ll go into Castletown tomorrow and work out the terms of the loan with Sabrine. I’ll need some time to make sure things are taken care of here, then I’ll hire someone to take me to Woodbridge, maybe in a week, and we can look at sites. If we are on the ball here, we can break ground in early summer, and have the walls and roof up before winter, might even be ready to open by the middle of winter. Of course, the offer of a tax break is nice, but I’ll need to make sure there aren’t other hidden costs, like locals jacking up the prices on basic foods or wages for the construction, and I’ll want to make sure that there are no local taverns pushing to drive me under by undercutting my prices. Will this be the first full service Inn in Woodbridge? How soon do you think a regular trade route can be established south of Woodbridge that I can count on?”

---Day 7, Castletown, Evening at the Rising Sun

Hillary takes the letter offered by Calex, and opens it. She looks at Dieredon with a smile, turns and tries to give the same smile to Calex, but it seems less warm, and then she reads the letter.

Her face goes through several different stages as different emotions show while she reads. Finally she says

So, I am to be given a loan of enough money to pay to build a tavern and inn, if, and only if I agree to build in Woodbridge, a place just conveniently where you two boys are from. Now isn’t that a hoot. And what about permits, and taxes, she makes no mention of that. Tell me, do you boys know who is in charge of Woodbridge? Why there? Tell me, Dieron, and Calex, I’m sorry I got that wrong earlier, tell me the truth. Is Woodbridge a place that needs a inn? What are my chances of making a successful go of things there?”

Day 7, Castletown, late afternoon, at the Rising Sun

For a moment the red haired elven girl doesn’t recognize the pair of travelers. She smiles, it is a casual smile, and then you can see her face change as a memory comes back to her, and her smile becomes warmer.

”Dieron and Calem, right? Yes, I remember you stayed here two nights ago. Welcome back.”

It suddenly dawns on her that Dieredon has said something about wanting to sit down and talk to her. She looks puzzled for a moment, and then says, ”Well I suppose I can give you a few moments. Let me see,” she turns away and looks across the tavern, and then points to a corner table shielded from most of the tavern by two walls creating a kind of alcove. ”Have a seat in the corner there,” she says, ”I’ll get something for us to drink, and I’ll be right back.”

She hurries off to the kitchen.

When she returns she is carrying a heavy glass jug in a woven carrier, and three small metal cups.

She sits at the table with you and pours a red wine into the cups and passes them around saying, “We get this from Ganheim, south of Alodoa, comes in only twice a year in the summer months and we save it for special occasions. It is about the best damn wine in the world, but watch yourself, it packs a kick. So what is this news you want to talk about?”

“I hope you can come by and see me again before you leave. If you do I think I will have something to ask of you. I need the help of someone like you, someone I can trust who will keep a secret. Can you keep a secret, Dieredon of Woodbridge?”

Calex and Dieredon, Day 5, evening

“I don’t think you’ll have any trouble finding a healer in Castletown,” Hillary says with a frown. “Seems that that profession is about the only one that is booming, well that and farming. Mother used to say, before she left us, that this ‘damned place’ she used to call it, well, she would say, ‘this damned place wouldn’t be worth anyone’s time or energy if it weren’t for the miracle of its soil,’ whatever that is supposed to mean. So everyone comes here to become a farmer, but with so much food available the prices are as low as they can be. With low prices no one is getting rich, well, and because no one is getting rich, this inn is empty. We’ve got no guests. No one can afford to travel. And yet everyone can afford to pay for a doctor. They complain about the climate, the food, the rain, everything gives the Aladoans a pain in the legs or a chill in the spine, a cough, or water in the eyes, and the doctors make money hand over fist. No, you won’t have trouble finding a doctor, or any sort of specialist healer in Castletown. Get them to travel into the country, well that might be a chore.”

Dieredon and Calex, day 5, evening at the Rising Sun

“Oh, him? He’s my uncle, Roger, my father’s brother. He helps in the kitchen, when he can, and his son, Keiran helps also. My father disappeared about six months ago. He went looking for my mother, who left us, what now, that’s almost two years ago. I think she hopped a ship back to Aladoa, but dad always believed she went off to the south searching for some treasure she had heard about from some people passing through the town when it was just a tiny place. The castle wasn’t completed then. I was seventeen at the time, and dad had just opened this place. But that’s enough of my story. Tell me about yourselves.”

”I’ve got a pile in the kitchen to wash up, and batches of dough that I need to set to rising so they’ll be ready in the morning, but if you are still up when I’m finished, when it’s time to clean up out here, I’ll sit down with you for a while and you can tell me where you’re from and why you chose to live in Castletown,” she says to Dieredon and then turns and walks away.

”This is all we have left in the kitchen, so I hope you enjoy it,”Hillary says after everything is placed.
Before she leaves your table, she places one hand on Dieredon’s back and adds, “I hope your stay is restful.”

”How would I know what you’ve missed? I don’t know how long you’ve been away.” She then gives Dieredon a smile and says, “All the rooms are available tonight, we have no other travelers. Pick any one of them, they are clean and have bedding already laid out on the beds. The doors lock from the inside, for your comfort. I’ll bring you a plate from the kitchen. We have chicken, duck and pork, breads, cheese and fresh carrots and turnips with raspberry dressing, and a bottle of Castletowns finest wine. It is a white wine, crisp and with a slight bitter bite on the end you should like it.” She winks when she describes the wine.

”Don’t worry about the bill, I’ll keep everything written down and you can settle your debt in the morning, or if you are staying for more than one night, we’ll just settle it when you are ready to depart. Are you staying here for a while, or do you have business in Castletown? Do you have a place to stay while you are there? If you find there is no room in the Inns, there might not be. I’ve heard that another seventy or so have just arrived on a large ship from the homeland a few days ago. If you can’t find accomidations then feel free to come back and stay with us. We’d love to have you as our guests.”

Day 5, at the Rising Sun

”Good and pleasant evening gentlemen, my name is Hillary, and this is my father's place. I don’t believe I’ve seen you in here before,” her voice is crisp and clear, and her eyes sparkle when she smiles. She turns her head, looking toward the fire in the center of the common area, and then says, You look like you’ve had a working day*. There is a table by the fire that’s just being cleared, come on now follow me, sit down and tell me what you’ll have.”

*a common expression meaning she believes you are farmers