""Goluk!Here!Now!!!"" she called Goluk that was stunned frozen standing between people that were celebrating.""I...I am here.""He started stuttering. He didn"t know what was going on.
""What are these people doing here? I do not pay those that don"t work,"" she said while sitting down calmly.
""I really don"t know. They left with the food saying that they won"t work anymore. I swear I told them if they don"t continue they won"t get money."" Goluk said while getting angry.
""So what if you told us. We worked one day and got ourselves our few rabbits. It"s not forbidden."" said all righteously the man in front of the group.
""Goluk. Bring the cooks over here,"" she ordered.
Goluk"s wife and a few other women came in front all angry. They wanted to speak but Goluk stopped them.""Let her talk."" he said so they got quiet.
""I am grateful to all of you working so hard to feed all these people. Now may I know did these people got their full food the day they worked?"" she asked smiling at them.
Goluk"s wife went forward.""They got food like everyone else. They got the brakes like everyone else. They were never thirsty, hungry or overly tired as you ordered multiple breaks."" she answered truthfully.
""Thank you for answering. Now one more questions. How many rabbits and other animals did they take with, when they left?"" she turned her eyes at the group of people that started looking at each other.
""They took 43 rabbits,21 pheasant, and two deers,"" she said truthfully.
Kendra looked at her surprised.""They dared?""
The man smirked.""Its open forest. Why we can"t catch as many animals we want.""
Kendra nodded.""Sure you can. If it"s not private property and if it"s not forbidden animals.""
""This is no one"s land and the property belongs to n.o.bles. We got the deers and sold it to the n.o.bles house. So what?"" he said not even thinking what he sprouted.
One man in the group got angry. ""Wait a moment. I took just 2 rabbits and took them home as I feared that the child might not be able to pay us. But pheasants and deers. I have nothing to do with them. Even now you gathered us and told us that the child changed her mind and wanted to pay us for that day. But truth to be told I already took the rabbits as payment.""
""You are stupid. Of course, she will give us money. We are all strong men. We can just take it from her."" he said with slight smile. Most of them shook their heads and backed off.
The man that spoke before came in front of Kendra.""I am sorry that we left that day. It"s our fault. We are going back. I have no idea how I even trusted you the first time..."" said the man and shook his head.
""I actually indeed planned to pay you all the money but now I won"t. The money I should pay you he took from you by stealing from my private property. 43 Rabbits? 21Pheasnats? Two deers? Goluk .no wait, is Wollak here or Tholuk?"" she looked around and both of them came out.
""Great. Go take a horse and ride fast. Go get officer Luar and few guards. I think a few people will get in jail. And some n.o.ble will get arrested as well. He will need to provide me with gold lost from my land."" she winked at him.
The Provocative stood there frozen but then started laughing so did the few men behind him. ""So what if you call guards and officers here. The n.o.ble I am talking about is almost as important as the Lord of this city.""
Everyone started stirring including the man that got angry before. Goluk came forward and started yelling.""Shut your big trap. How can you say such a thing? The Lord is so far the one that changed our lives in just a few months since he came back. We finally can live comfortably since he came."" he was so angry that he got red.
Kendra started laughing.""I wonder what n.o.ble dares to compare himself to the Lord. Tell me his name, or better not. I think you will be talking a whole lot after the city guards come.""
They all started laughing at the group of people. Lately, they could see the effects of Lord"s rules. Who makes problems, jail. Who steals, jail. Who kills, dies. Who make problems...get arrested and disappears.
""Bring them. Let"s see who is more powerful. The Lord or ..."" in that moment he fell on the floor. Everyone jumped away from him as the man started convulsing and then it stopped.
Kendra looked around but couldn"t find who did it."" Goluk. No one is to touch the man. Get their people around him and bind them.""
She looked at the rest of the people and saw pure fear.""Don"t fear. No matter what we have now strong Lord and strong administration. They will find definitely what happened. And about the person who killed him... it"s their job so I don"t care.""
""Kendra, what happened here?""Officer Luar appeared suddenly with few guards.
""The dead man and those people made problems. They seemed to have some background so tehy were filled with way to much pride. When he wanted to reveal who he was working for, he dropped dead. None of these people even got close to him.""
""I understand. We will take his body and his friends."" he nodded at guards and they took away the dead body and the men that were on his side.
Kendra turned to the rest of the people and smiled. ""Its Lords officers. They will take care of sc.u.m and our lands and homes will be safer. Now let"s give you payments and let"s celebrate."" she saw the group people leaving ashamed and laughed.""Sorry, I won"t pay you, but if you don"t mind the simplicity of the meal, let"s celebrate with us.""
They really feel ashamed so they helped to prepare for celebration as long she paid everyone their money and bonuses. Even the children got a full daily paycheck. The cheers could be heard far and wide.
Kendra asked Goluk to invite the people she asked for to the strawberry meadow.
He came with about a dozen people and over a dozen children.""h.e.l.lo. Goluk is a kind man that recommended you. Do you all know why you are here?""
A boy bit older than her go forward.""Because you need workers.""
Kendra nodded.""How many of you would work for me?""
Only two men and three children.""Are you sure?"" she looked at rest of them.
One man stepped forward and smiled apologetically.""Most of us work somewhere and took a few days free to earn some easy money. I work already over 20 years in one household, so I don"t want to lose my job. I am truly sorry.""
Kendra understood their predicament and accepted it.
""Don"t worry. I understand. Then go and have fun. Goluk indeed brought lots of meat. I am really grateful to all of you for your great and fast work.""
They laughed and bowed.""No no. We are grateful. When I think about how my wife will be grateful. This winter we will have filled pantry. Thank you."" They left and the few peopel that stayed looked at her expectant.
""The two of you, are you married?"" she asked the two men. They looked total opposites. One was short, bald and with a big belly, and the other was tall, with long lush hair and thin as a stick. Both of them seemed as simple men that just wanted to work.
""I am Chial."" introduced himself the short man.""I have a wife and five children. The boy and girl here are my own."" He pointed at two children that had somewhat his facial resemblance but she would not have taught they were his children if he didn"t say.
He started laughing as he saw her expression.""They are luckily more like my wife. Cute.""He said while lovingly looked at the children. And they looked at father with respect and love. Kendra nodded, she liked this family. She turned to the tall man with a smile.
""My name is Niram. I have a wife and two children."" he smiled shyly.""My wife gave birth a few weeks ago so I taught this job is perfect to have a few more things for us. By the way, this is my older daughter."" He took by hand girl that was just a bit older than Isaa. She looked cute and shy, just like her father.
Kendra liked actually both families. She nodded her head. ""In city do you own the house or do you rent it?""
Chial shook his head.""There is never enough money to buy a house. With five children and no job,I am still happy to have the roof over our head."" The boy wanted to say something but he stopped him.
""Let him speak honestly,"" said Kendra and looked at the fuming boy.""Speak.""
""That is not even house. A pigsty. When we rented the man promised us a nice apartment. We got the dirtiest apartment we ever saw in our life."" said little boy.""It took us weeks to clean the stuff in that apartment and now he want us to go to another as he found someone else for that one.""
Kendra suddenly had taught.""Did you come to the city shortly?""
Chial nodded.""We moved from the village here as my older brother has as well to many children and we can"t survive all on a small peace of land. He gave us all the money to buy an apartment but the man took the money and now he wants us out. I just planned to use the money you paid to buy some nice little house on another side of the city. I heard they are not as expensive.""
She looked at the other man and he got sad.""Actually, we live in the same house. I planned as well to buy a small house.""
She looked at the two men and smiled. ""I plan to make this place grand and need help. Would you be willing to work and live here? It"s not far from town and I can make two houses. I can give you peace of land to add some vegetables if you want and you can save a bunch of money if you live for free.""
The tall man looked at the little house that they could see. Kendra calmly looked at him.
""Truly speaking, is it better for you to build a house for your wife and live comfortably then live in pigsty. By the way, You can save up some money till winter and we can find some suitable houses in time between. Then you can sleep here doing nice days and when is bad weather go to sleep in the city house. I do the same. That house there is my summer house as I call it.""
The two men looked at each other and the children got happy as well. Chial suddenly started stuttering.""Ehhh. If you don"t mind I would like to know my payment.""
""Lets set a rule. There is no he did more or he did less. I hate he said, she said things."" She really always hated that kind of situations.
""You two choose who will do what. There are big orchard and land. Orchard looks simple but it is not. In summer taking care of ripe fruits and when there are no fruits there will be work with cutting the not needed twigs and cutting gra.s.s around. Then there are bushes as well. Then there is the land. When I plant things your job is to take care of plants, water them, get rid of weeds and bugs, plow, cultivate,dig....so many things. Now you will have to choose between the two. I will pay the same for both jobs. You can as well share work and do it together. But if you do it that way I do not wish to hear any complains or arguments. Is that fine with two of you?""
They nodded.""Can we talk about that with our wives?"" then he looked at her with a slight smile""...and our payment will be?""
""I will ask the officer in the city how much is us a usual payment and then will set it on it. If everything goes well this year I will give you raise. By the way. You will get paid even in winter time. Is that fair enough?""She already knew the answer but still politely asked. They of course nodded.
""Now go and celebrate. By the way, where is Isaa?"" She didn"t see her since she arrived.
They looked at her and then looked at children.""Did you see Isaa?""
The boy looked at his sister and looked at the floor.""I think she is by the well.""
Kendra nodded and went to well straight away while they looked at her in astonishment.
Niram looked at his daughter and asked.""Where is Isaa?""
""Isaa played hid and seek at well and then we looked at her and then no one found her and then we all went because everyone has being called.""The two men looked at each other in fright.
""You left her there alone?"" yelled chial at his children.
The girl started crying.""We forgot her. When Kendra came we remembered and sent we bots to find her. But she was nowhere to find.""
""Let"s go after Kendra."" said Niram.""If we need we will look for her. If something happens to that child we will get in huge trouble.""
Chial nodded.""Let"s go fast."" he urged his children to run. Soon tehy saw Kendra and called her.
""Wait for us...We will come with you,"" said Chial.
Kendra saw that they tried to keep calm but she could feel anxiousness from their faces. She got scared. ""Hurry. Let"s hope she is safe.""
They went to the well and searched but found nothing. At that moment Kendra remembered something and felt relief after she saw it. She turned around and saw that the two men truly were scared that something happened.
""Wait, stop."" she called them.""Isaa hid and probably felt scared. Now I need to search for her alone. Go back to the meadow and wait a bit, please. Please understand she is just small child.""
They nodded and went to the meadow. When she saw them leaving she splashed at the well.
""Not coming out?"" she looked at the deep water at the corner of the well.
A head popped out the hole and jumped out the water. Isaa was wet like a dog from head till toe.
""I wanted to come out, but they searched for me so long that I had no chance. ""
She shook like a dog and all the water left her body and clothes. ""Brother I am hungry, can we go home?""
Kendra nodded and took her by the hand scolding her.""Do you know how scared those people an children are? You do have to apologize, understood?
Isaa nodded while she hopped around like wild geese. When they went to meadow they saw them breathing out in relief. Isaa went forward and gave bow in front of flabbergasted people. ""I am sorry. I fell asleep and then I feared everyone will get angry. So I stayed hidden. I knew brother will come back for me so I waited for him."" she said while partially hiding behind Kendra.
The children started laughing and everyone joined in. They went back to the house and after she greeted everyone and told the two men where she lives, she left back to the city house.
Kendra felt tired. The whole day some kind of running. She looked at Isaa and felt grateful.""Isaa why did you hide so deep in water?""
""Brother, I have to admit I really hid. But not from children, from bad people. I heard them mention my name and I knew there is a problem so I hid well till you come back. Did I do good?"" she looked at Kendra but saw the deatly white face an enraged expression.""Brother?""
It seems they really dare to touch her? They dare...Kendra"s eyes started turning dark...punishment...