Taking Accountability
1324 Words
"Old Jack, do you have a moment to spare?" I went to the Blacksmith and saw that the interior of the blacksmith had improved slightly and there were now new weapons and tools on display on racks. Even if they are not meant for sale since these tools were distributed freely to those who need them.
"Aye, Your Majesty, what can I be of service to you? Looking for a piece of weapon to for your accessories, eh?" Old Jack jokingly replied me when I asked for him.
"Hahaha. Old Jack, I need your assistance greatly in the next few days to come. We need to have woodcutter axes, large two-man bowsaws and machetes. We would be getting 100 or more families to join us since we need to clear the trees behind the orchard and beyond the perimeter."
"There is about 1 square mile to clear within the Town Square and then 3 Square miles beyond. Besides, Ben and Frank are plotting the lands for the western area now. It is going to be 1½ mile across and 2 miles wide...!"
"If you are thinking of getting more families to be working here, get them to bring their own tools. From there, we would be able to see their sincerity to be working for us and not taking us for a ride."
"No one would be able to see through a man's heart. He could be smiling in front of us and getting ready to stab us in the back. Always remember that, my boy."
Old Jack spoke through experience and I could see he still looked after me even though I had become a father myself. Frankly, a king is just a title and my respect for the seniors and pioneers were as high as the first time we met more than a year back.
"Yes, Old Jack. I had passed the message down to Marcel a few days ago. Besides, we need him to find those unemployed, looking for employment or simply lumberjacks, foresters or woodcutters."
"You've done a great job, my boy. A really good job and I am really proud of you." Only when there's no one around would old Jack and Old Kayla addressed me as their boy. I bowed my head as Old Jack patted me on my shoulders. "All these are for the future of Gracehaven. Generals go to war to claim lands but for us, we expand to accommodate our citizens and to conquer the faltering economy and make them stronger through trade monopoly."
"Hehehe. I knew you had a very shrewd mind, my boy. This expansion is not only for the citizens, but you make use of any opportunities to gain the upper hand in the agricultural physical trading. I heard that there would be 200 crop fields here soon and we would have a bountiful harvest every two weeks instead of seven to 8 months...!"
"Well, that would be all thanks to Priestesses Penelope for making things happen for us. If not for her, we would only be relying on a single harvest per year and be hampered by winter. Also, Priestesses Farah had designed the grains drying kiln and that makes it possible to dry the grains and hay round the clock."
As I was chatting with Old Jack, I was approached by one of the Shadow members and was informed of the arrivals of some messages by carrier pigeons to Gracehaven. In them, only 10 towns participated in the recruitment drive and had managed to get about 165 family names.
However, after the screening process and the reluctance of procuring their own tools for the trade, only 120 families were willing to purchase their own two-man bowsaws, handsaw, woodcutter axes and also machetes and chisels.
Upon nearing these, Old Jack smiled and told me that the 120 families are worthy to be employed and also worthy to be permanent residents when the time comes. "I guessed its time to close the first chapter for the census populace this moment. You had neared the quota for the 300 households for the first cluster."
Old Jack mentioned and I nodded my head in acknowledgement as the first chapter to gain the first 300 households had neared its target. So right now what we need to do was to maintain the order and to develop peace and order. In order to achieve that, water brigade and a police station would need to be built in the Town Square first followed by the first cluster and so on.
In order to maximise law and order at this moment, the next trusted people would be the Shadows and to have such implementation, we would be looking at 50 manpower for the aforesaid services.
"Thank you for the heads up, please allow the replies to be sent and to have the new Immigrants arrive by 21st June which would be a Monday by daybreak. Any later than that would not be entertained. This would give us ample time to delegate their work and other related matters."
The Shadow member saluted and left to send the messages a reply and to move the new influx of population in the next few days. All the pioneers and Eagle had been made known of the news and they got the necessary things in order as well.
I excused myself and went back to the domain and met Heather and also to greet the twins who were simply gurgling and giggling when they saw their father's face and hear the voice.
"Dear, I heard that there would be new Immigrants from 10 towns coming over here for work?" Heather asked and I answered her affirmatively.
"That's right darling, 120 new families are coming over to work. They would be given temporary residency here and once the project of deforestation had been completed around the 16 square miles, we would then embark on the construction of the new houses."
"Once we had built the first 300 houses around the perimeter of the first cluster, the old houses would be moved out to the second cluster where a new batch of 300 households would be allowed in."
"Before that could happen, we would inquire those 120 new households if they wanted to be part of Gracehaven, and if not willing, they are free to go but if they are willing, their families would be put to work and the children be put to school for further education."
"The immigrations for the second cluster would only be paid only if they are put to work. Unless... We have a turnover of more than 5000 gold coins a month, then only we would consider paying them 5 silvers a month for each member of the household."
"Besides the new set of household workers, our population would increase to close a thousand citizens. It would require monthly remuneration of 100 gold coins that would be gradually returned to the treasury through the sales of goods and services."
Heather listened to me and I noticed that the twins were listening to me intently as well as if they understood a single word I say. They blinked when they noticed I raised my hands to emphasised what I said and they looked at me and smiled when they caught a glimpse of me looking at them.
"Hohoho... Both of you are listening to Daddy right? Hahaha. Don't worry, you will slowly learn about this but you need to go to school with the other children and learn to mingle with them l, respect the citizens and the elders, okay? Don't be like some royals that held their noses high and when they return home, their feet would be smelling like horse s**t because they don't see where they are walking. Hahaha."
The twins hearing me laugh, giggled along with me too and Heather just shook her head and thinking, "Both children and their father think alike... Haish..."
- Writer
