Something Old Something New
2057 Words
"Good morrow everyone. I hope everyone had their fill for tonight and if you are still hungry, please do visit our Gracehaven's Greasy Spoon for we have our specials and also biscuits and all those kinds of goodies that you can bring home and munch at home."
"Alright, I believe you had met with our Priest and Priestesses of Gracehaven, that's right... Of Gracehaven and not anywhere else. They are here so that we would be having a better life, better living conditions and also making new friends as well."
"Our dear Priests and Priestesses had been misinterpreted for many years and they were often associated with some evil and unearthly practices. So, some of you have chatted with them and also be acquainted and right now, we would like to properly introduce them to everyone."
"Could the Priests and Priestesses please stand and present yourself before our community?" I suggested and the group of Priests and Priestesses stood up and about-faced towards the citizens of more than 350 strong and bowed.
They introduced themselves and announced their names loudly and with pride as everyone acknowledges them by calling out their names after the introduction and greeting them formally. In this way, all the citizens would be able to know who they are from now on.
After the formal introduction, some of the citizens raised their hands to share their opinions. "Why some people in other towns have a misconception about Witches and Priests? Those two aren't the same, right?"
"Actually they are two differently used terms, one is nicer to hear and the other is used incorrectly would being adverse effect. If old Kayla is able to cure the sick, what should she be termed? If those working in the infirmary were able to deliver babies safely, treats the sick and injured and also dispenses medicine, what would they be called?"
"Witches...? No... But in accordance with their profession, my dear citizens. Take, for example, Andy. As he mentioned he wasn't a priest but he's an arrowsmith and a fletcher. So if he wears a robe with a golden tassel around his waist, is he still an arrowsmith and a fletcher?"
"Likewise, I may one day walk around wearing a hooded robe, would I be labelled as a Witch, a Priest or His Majesty?" I finished my piece as everyone was in deep discussions as hushed conversations could be heard.
"In that case, it is just a misunderstanding or maybe an overrated statement then." the same person from the crowd finally concluded and everyone agreed with him.
"That's right, my dear citizens. Just like the Irish Travellers, they were discriminated before because they travel about tending to their livestock, which was their livelihood."
"Building enclosures include resources and time. It would be better to lead this livestock around to graze freely, right? But people have a misconception about them and labelling them as people who evade taxes."
"But here this, Gracehaven does not impose any tax to its citizens from the first day it was being christened." I brought an example of the Irish Travellers that had been called derogatory remarks before.
They were once called as a bunch of irresponsible, homeless, shiftless people who don't have sense enough to settle down.
"However, we in Gracehaven, never chase away anyone who is willing to be our law-abiding citizens. Looking back, can you see how far you had come since the day you are here? Ashworth and Burns could relate to that."
Everyone applauded to this and even broke into a cheer, "For He's A Jolly Good Fella." to mark our benevolence to others, regardless of race, ethnic, skin colour nor religion.
I raised my two arms and try to simmer down the cheering because it was really earth-shattering when 350 strong citizens were chanting along.
Another citizen raised his hands and announced that he finds the new improved latrine pits to be more efficient. He remarked that the moment he drops the night soil inside the pit, it disappeared. "Don't you be drinking one night and drop inside the pit, you hear me. Or else you too will disappear. Hahaha."
The whole crowd roared out with laughter and since I have nothing else to conclude for the evening, I handed it over to the Ministers.
Frank informed the citizens that there is no need to burn the dry leaves inside the pits anymore because there's a new radiating heat inside to decompose the night soil in a more effective way.
He highlighted that the purposed duck pond at the far west of the zone was under improvisation. It would be ready by early spring next year. Hope the ducks would come and bring in fish eggs and fry that got stuck to their feathers into the pond then.
There's one more latrine pit that needs to be improved and that's the one behind the domain. Since it was obscured from view, the Ministers seemed to forget about it. "Don't worry, Your Majesty. We would be attending to it tomorrow morning. You have a flush system installed right? This should make things easier." Earl raised his hands and stood up as he made the statement.
He then turned around and addressed the community. "In God's Will, we would be making the community living here to be much better and we would be constructing privvies for everyone so that you would not be carrying the potties and dump it into the latrine pits anymore."
Earl then turns around and addressed us, "I hope you would mind it, Your Majesty. This was implemented in a place called Border Town and there are no more people dumping their night soil over their windows, on the streets and on people's head too."
Hearing privvies to be made for every household brought joy to everyone's hearts. The community cheered and backed the suggestion made by Priest Earl and once again the cheers came in "For He's A Good Fella" once more.
Earl and the group were elated and the same goes to us since we need more citizens to be more assertive in voicing their development plans for Gracehaven for more harmonious living.
"Priest Earl, would you and your group come and discuss this construction later in our conference hall. I am sure you do have a good idea on how it would be like since you were once a Municipal Hall employee, right?"
"We would be glad to, Your Majesty," Earl replied as he bowed to us and resumed sitting. I could see that the group were clenching their fists and were pumping them in front as they excitedly discuss their upcoming projects for Gracehaven.
I raised my arm once again and announced to conclude the nightly conference, "I would like to see more of our community to be more assertive and outspoken in the future, yes? At least your ideas would be put to use and see if it's practical or not. Before we end this conference, could Strongbow bring half a keg of ale inside the conference hall?"
Strongbow peered from the corner of Gracehaven's Greasy Spoon and hollered that he would do that soon. It seems that he was busy at the back as he was preparing the next batch of ale.
I finally stood up and clapped my hands and everyone was dismissed from the courtyard. The benches were cleared and stacked aside and the night was still young. Some of the men invited the Priests for a drink after the meeting with us soon.
It seems that after the changes made and also a proposal announced during the conference sparked an interest to befriend the Priests and Priestesses since they bring benefits for everyone.
The Priests were surprised at first because they never thought anyone would invite them for anything and they obliged and told the men that they would hurry to Gracehaven's Greasy Spoon for a mug of ale later on.
"Don't worry, mate. The ale's on me tonight. When you receive your first reimbursement, don't you forget about us, yeah? Hahaha. Just joking there mate. What is 2c per mug ale when friendship is more valuable?"
The man who spoke to the Priests clapped his back and went to the Gracehaven's Greasy Spoon to wait to have some ale and chat.
The Priests never imagined that the citizens could be so generous. 2c was like a ⅓ of a day's wages but they knew that the citizens were reimbursed with 5s a month. That's quite a lot of money for a King's employee...!
=*=
Strongbow came in and carried half a keg of ale to the conference hall. He was asked to stay and to evaluate his findings. He scratched his head and placed the keg in front of him on the table and hugged at it as he placed his head on the top of the keg.
"Imelda, could you do the same thing as what you did to that Ice-box for Crystal earlier?" Imelda heard me and rose from her chair and then went forward near Strongbow. She smiled when she held the keg and closed her eyes like 2 breaths and announced, "It's done, Your Majesty. This is temporary since it is in a keg, I believe there's a tun just like Wendy had told us before when she was an aleswoman before."
"Uh? What's done? Wendy is an aleswoman as well?" Strongbow looked confused as he watched Imelda returned to her seat. "This Priestess is about my daughter's age and what did she do just now when she said it's done?" Strongbow thought inwardly and when he peered inside, he saw a thin layer of ice insulating the interior of the keg and he could feel that the ale inside was a bit chilled.
"Scoop a bit and tell us what you think, Strongbow."
"Eh...? Ice surrounding the interior of the keg?" Strongbow asked in confusion as he took a small cup and scooped just a bit of ale to taste. The moment the chilled ale struck his lips, he closed his eyes, a smile curved in his lips and he smacked at it as he places the cup back on the table.
"By Golly, Your Highness...! I could never imagine that this ale, with the ice around the keg inside, could bring out a better taste...! I could drink more than a keg alone... Hahaha." Strongbow was clearly delighted as Eagle went to take the cup and scooped one for himself.
"GOD SMACKINGLY GREAT...! Your Majesty, this would be a morale booster for everyone...! I could taste the kind of kick, this chilled ale brings. It is not too cold and could even be drunk during autumn but definitely not in winter. Hahaha. This is a great innovation, don't you think, buddy?"
"Strongbow, do you require this for Gracehaven's Greasy Spoon? This could generate more income because everyone needs a chilled ale once they completed their work in the field and this innovation could be used as a non-exhaustive medium.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I would like to have this innovation for Gracehaven's Greasy Spoon for it will make people dine more and generate more revenue back to you, Your Majesty."
Strongbow replied excitedly and I instructed Imelda to unfreeze the keg and use the same medium over at the dispensing copper tun instead in Gracehaven's Greasy Spoon. The duo went back to the eatery and a short while later, Imelda returned.
A sudden roar of delight could be heard from Gracehaven's Greasy Spoon and from those shouts, we could hear distinctively that the ale tasted even much better than they had earlier.
Shouts of invitations were heard from the Gracehaven's Greasy Spoon as the men dining there called back their neighbours to share their new findings. And of course, that means — more coins...!
=*=
"Earl... Could you come forward here to the drawing slate and draw your designs. The materials used et cetera. How would your designs be, my dear Priest?"
I stood near the drawing slate and Earl, having used to sketch his work, bowed to me and took the piece of chalk from my hands as he began to draw.
In fact, he could also write...! This happened when he wrote the dimensions of the standalone privvy and even I was surprised, not to mention Eagle.
- Writer
