Its off to work we go! (Minerva)

[Ira]

Summer 11th, 512AV For a few days Ira had been a laze about. Even now she sat curled on her bed and stared through the window. She had explored the city, straightened out her home and yet she had not done anything really productive. Perhaps she was a being a bit childish but the people here seemed too proud or too nervous or too curious or just too much. They asked questions she would rather not answer or pushed too hard on her last non-existent nerve with their haughty mannerisms. Letting loose a groan she shifted out of bed, she preferred nighttime work, it was cooler and there was less people but to find a job she first needed to find daytime work. Flicking her gaze once around the room to ensure everything was mostly in place she grabbed her pack and placed her smaller items in it. It was light and clanked with each step but it reminded her of her reason for going out. She would find work. Somewhere… But saying something was always easier than actually doing something but she had said she would find work and so she would. Even if she had to wander the whole town on foot she would find work. Ira quickly found her patience wearing thin though. The sun beat on her, its moderate temperature and mild humidity making her feel sticky and slightly slimy. And feel the small gurgle of her stomach she patted it lightly—yes, and now she was hungry. Eating in public was not an option and they would not have anything she would find edible anyhow. Continuing her trek she tried not to grumble and instead settled for focusing on the sounds surrounding her. Whispers and shouts mingled with the constant sound of the waves. The breeze couples with bird calls. It sounded like a horrible symphony but it worked as a distraction and kept her ears perked for sounds of work. The city had slowly been rebuilding and she was more than certain she had seen the tidings of buildings ready to be built or at the very least houses. Of course, it was her fault for moving to a house so far from the others. But these were the areas she stuck too. The small circles and streets that seemed littered with cottages and flats. It would be the best way to find someone beginning a project. And her ‘intuition’ was not wrong. Shouts and a faint steady thudding lead her feet to a small construction site. They were building a simple house it seemed. Another small cot, not unexpected save for the people nearby excitedly going over plans. Not her forte, she didn’t seem to have the patience for design and plotting things out carefully. Ira was stalling and she knew it and without further mind ramblings she strode forward. Tapping the nearest worker on the back she spoke swiftly albeit a little too loudly. “I am looking for work here.”she did not bother to wait a reply and instead opened her pack to take out her sparse tools.

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

Some people said spring was the time for love. It was full of flowers growing, birds chirping, bunnies humping, and all that fun stuff. Whatever it was that people said was 'in the air'. Love, lust, or maybe just a desire to start moving forward once winter was past. Minerva had felt a touch of that herself. She had a color changing boyfriend she was quite smitten with. Not that she was thinking about marriage or anything. The thought had never crossed her mind. She was just happy with all the kissing, the magic, and the puppets. Other people in Zeltiva, however, were all about marriage these days. Between the usual effects of spring, combined with the tragedy of the Djed storm, people were looking to the future. Young people who had once thought they had all the time in the world were now deciding it was time to seize the day and get married and start popping out little ankle biters left and right. Minerva suspected a lot of them were not necessarily doing it in that order, either. Take today's clients, for example. Their wedding was later this week, but the ever so slight bump in the girl's waistline hinted that she might already be growing a little poop monster of her own. Minerva preferred to build her babies. For one thing, they neither ate nor pooped. The crew was working on digging out the foundation of the new house while Minerva was helping the lead architect with the plans. He was directing her as she sketched them out, since she was still learning this stuff. The soon to be newlyweds' families had helped spring for a larger house with three rooms, so they would have space for their growing family (another reason Minerva suspected the girl was already knocked up). She was in the middle of carefully drawing out the designs when the girl tapped her on the back and all but declared herself the right one for the job. Minerva looked the girl over. She seemed eager, she was direct with what she wanted, and she had her own tools. "Yer 'ired," she told her. The architect cleared his throat and gave her a look. She looked up at him blankly for a moment, then snapped her fingers. "Oy, right, done gotta told the Bossman what as she's 'ired." The man sighed and shook his head, then walked off to check the measurements for the foundation. "C'mon," Minerva told the girl, giving her a friendly slap on the arm, " gotta meet Jack. Jack's the Bossman. 'E's done gotta make ya all 'ired official like. Pain in the arse," she shrugged. She preferred when they could just skip.all the tedious procedures and everyone just listened to her. But she didn't actually hold any official supervisor rank among the crew. They had all learned, however, that she usually wouldn't let up until she got her way, and it was simply easier to just let her have it. She led the girl across the work site, pausing to yell at a couple of her coworkers along the way. "Oy, who done told ya ta put 'at 'ere?" she yelled, pointing to a cart full of bricks. The men stammered at her like idiots and she threw her arms up in the air. "'Ey's diggin' 'ere, ya dang bludgers! Oy, look, stick 'ose over 'ere," she pointed off to the side just past the edge of where the foundation was being dug, "an' where's all the trowels an' picks, aye? Still on the wagon I bet! 'Ow's 'ey s'posed ta git 'er done if'n ya lousy dodgers ain't what done finished unloadin' yet? Oy, look, git 'at stuff unloaded, put 'er right 'ere, 'en git the lumber piled up on the OTHER side," she pointed across the way, "so's as she's outta James's way but we can still git at 'er when we done needs 'er, aye?" The men scurried off to obey, and Minerva shook her head. If there was one thing she hated more than lazy layabouts it was a disorganized work site. She finally led the girl to where a tall, dark haired gentleman was speaking with the happy couple whose house this would be. "Oy, Bossman!" she called out. The man sighed, and turned to give her a well worn expression of forced patience. He turned back to the couple and said, "If you'll excuse me..." then stepped over to Minerva. "What is it, Miss Zipporah?" he asked. His tone implied it was always something with her. "Oy, Bossman, we's gonna 'ire Sook, 'ere, awright?" she said with a grin. She clapped the girl on the shoulder and said, "Sook, 'is 'ere's Jack, the Bossman. Jack'll take right good care o' ya, 'e will." "It's Jacques," he patiently corrected, causing Minerva to roll her eyes. "Oy, 'at's what I done said, Jack," she said in annoyance, completely oblivious to any difference in the way she was pronouncing it. Moving right along, Jacques extended his hand towards Ira and asked, "Now, what sort of position is it I'm apparently hiring you for?"

[Ira]

She almost smiled at her immediate hire until the young woman proclaimed another as the ‘boss man’. She had always done small things privately and now Ira realized she had never actually had to work for someone. It left an odd feeling in her gut but she ignored it and followed closely behind the chatty young woman. She could barely understand her rapid speech and was also wondering what she was even talking about. She seemed the sort that could hold an entire conversation by herself. It both amused her and annoyed her. But the young woman got her to the ‘boss man’ otherwise known as Jack or was it Jacques? Ira decided it was none of her business and shifted herself, straightening to her full height and wondering if she had made the right decision to let this woman help her. It seemed to her the woman was quite a handful. The clap on her shoulder brought her to focus and she stiffly slid out from the hand and took a light step to the side. Opening her mouth to ask who in the world ‘Sook’ was but the man, Jack, boss—whatever his name was, spoke to her instead. Shaking her head lightly she slipped her tools back into her sack and slung it over her shoulder before gripping his hand in her own and releasing quickly as if it were on fire. “Carpenter, masonry or both, I have a hand in each. I’m not the best on my own because I’m still learning but I learn fast and you could use some extra hands.” she kept her face blank and was aware she probably looked like she couldn’t care one way or another. Taking a small step forward she flicked her gaze to finally meet his. “I have my own tools and I can work nights. I can do whatever part of the construction you need done.” She was aware both her and the young woman who led her here were being presumptuous and impertinent but building was what she did. It was her peace. It was methodical and soothing for her. It consumed her thoughts when they bothered her and seeing a construction piece finished always gave her a little bounce in her step. And even if he didn’t hire Ira—after all she was only a novice—she would only keep coming back until he did.

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

Tock grinned and said, "Awright, so we done Jack? I done wanna gets 'er ta work..." Tock started walking off ready to tow Ira back to the work site, when Jacques stopped her by clearing his throat. "Miss Zipporah?" he said patiently, giving her a stern look. She sighed and her shoulders slumped. Jacques then turned back to Ira and said, "I could certainly use the extra help, particularly if you're also skilled in masonry. But of course I'll need you to demonstrate your capabilities." He turned back to Tock and said, "Have her work with James for the rest of the day." This sparked a sharp frown from Tock, but Jacques ignored it and turned back to Ira to add, "There's nothing wrong with someone who is 'still learning', provided you show good spirit and teamwork." He cast a sidelong look at Tock when he said the word 'teamwork'. "If James gives me a good report at the end of the day, I'll gladly keep you on." He shook her hand and offered her an appropriate wage, then Tock led Ira back to get to work. "Jack's a good guy," she told her, "but 'e's a bit whatchacaller, stuffed full, aye? Gots ta 'as 'is proper ways o' doin' stuff, an' all 'ats. But oy, ya done got 'er, aye? Aye." As they got back to the house, Tock started gesturing around and said, "Awright, so, 'at over 'ere, 'at's Eavin," she pointed to a man sitting on a barrel across the way, drinking something from a dark bottle. Tock leaned close to the girl and said in a conspiratorial tone, "'E's a worthless drunk, an' ya better watch yer arse, aye? Me an' yous, we's the only dames 'round 'ere, aye?" she gestured around at all the men. There wasn't another woman on the crew besides the two of them. "Gotta deal with a mite o' 'orse crap from 'em fer it, an' Eavin's what the worst o' all. But mostly 'e drinks 'isself so stupid what 'at we don't done gotta deal wit' 'im, 'til somethin' done riles 'im up, aye?" She paused to direct the men that were coming back in with the wagon load of lumber. "Right 'ere, boys," she said, pointing to where she wanted it. "Stack 'er up big 'uns ta lil 'uns, down the row, aye?" The men nodded and started unloading the wood and sorting it the way she told them. She leaned back towards Ira again and said, "'Is's s'posed ta be Eavin's job, aye? 'E's the supervisor. Butcha done sees 'ow 'e goes about 'er, aye?" she nodded towards the drunk who wasn't bothering to say a word to direct anything. Tock then patted Ira on the arm and led her over to hop down into the hole that was being dug for the foundation. One side was fully dug out, allowing them to get started here while the digging continued on the other end. This had been Tock's idea; it was more efficient to start laying the bricks in this end, rather than waiting until the entire hole was dug. She led Ira up to a sandy-haired lad with a handsome smile. At least, he was smiling until they approached, then a frown crossed his face. He kept his head down, not looking at them, and knelt down to start laying bricks. With a frown on her face, Tock said, "Sook, 'is's James. James, new girl," she waved between them. James nodded to Ira and said, "Nice to meet you," in a polite but short tone. Tock grabbed a brick from the stack that was set up on ground level near the hole. "Sook's wit'choo rest o' today," Tock said, handing Ira the first brick, then grabbing another. James nodded and waved Ira over to get started. He let Ira start laying the first bricks so he could watch her placement. Then over his shoulder without looking at Tock he said, "We've got this, thanks." Tock just continued helping hand down the bricks without acknowledging what he'd said. OOCWhatever wage the Price List shows for either carpenter or mason would be what Jacques quoted. Just make sure you get that squared away with one of the ST's and they'll put it in your Storyteller Secret thingy so they can track your official wages.

[Ira]

“My name is Ira. Pleasure to meet you.” Her voice was slightly curt and she did not offer a hand to shake instead grabbing the brick and turning away, effectively ignoring him and the woman. She could feel her temper flaring as he watched her. His gaze steady but she simply held the brick and stared at what was already laid out. The bricks had not been piled high but were starting the first layering around. Ira cringed a bit, circle structures were not her strong point she had barely finished learning simple squares! Still she knew the basic techniques and figured the hardest part would be the angling of the brick rather than the laying itself. Grunting softly she dropped her bag and the brick to the side and turned back to the other two and spoke briefly, “A trowel…please.” She was handed one silently by James and knelt down by the framing, she was lucky it was in a generally straight line at this point in the curve. Reaching out beside her she carefully shifted around the mortar contemplatively before flicking a decent amount beside the previous brick, moving slightly quicker she repeated her previous movement until she had a foot long line of the mortar. Grabbing the brick she had previously discarded she lined it up, cursing softly as it slid around a bit more than necessary. Eye balling the brick she leaned down close to the dirt and sat back up quickly, it was even enough for the moment and solidly gave it a few taps with the butt of the trowel. Her wrist flicking with practice to scrap off the extra on both sides before slapping it against the end of the brick and wincing when it flicked a bit of mortar a her before retrieving another brick. She continued to repeat herself for about six bricks before she smashed her finger with the trowel and pushed one end of the brick too far back. Glaring at the offensive structure she cursed loudly, words that were mostly Symenos curses pouring from her lips along with death threats in Common. Calming herself she refused to make eye contact with the other two, a faint flush creeping along her neck at the sudden outburst before she angrily tugged the brick from its place. She would have to relay it or there would be a gap in grout and it would probably cause problems later on. Sighing Ira used her trowel to respreads the mortar and laid the brick once more, aping it gently into place and scrapping off the excess. But when she held out her hand another brick was not placed into it and she turned to face James a tad nervously though she tried to keep her face blank. He only held out a stick with grooves lining up the length of it. A measuring stick to ensure that the bricks were evenly laid to the correct height. The silence of the Minerva who gave off the impression of never stopping and James mild frown prompted a small question. “What type of house is this?”

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

"You're laying it too hard," James offered as a correction, though he looked quite uncomfortable at the stream of curses that spewed from Ira's lips. Minerva, on the other hand, watched the girl with a mixture if amusement and surprise, her eyebrows climbing and her lips quirking into a smirk. She silently mouthed a few of the more obscure terms Ira used, trying to commit them to memory for her own future use. "A little smoother, like this," James demonstrated, laying out the mortar for the next brick with practiced ease and an easy motion. "See?" Minerva handed down the next brick and told Ira, "She's fer a couple o' love birds. Nothin' too fancy, aye?" The awkward silence resumed as the brick laying continued, with James demonstrating a more gentle, smooth method until he felt Ira had the hang of it. Then as the length of the foundation grew he moved off to the far side to start building up the bricks in the other direction, leaving Tock and Ira to handle that end. As soon as he moved away, Tock asked Ira, "So, whatcha new 'round the city, Sook?" She started helping set the bricks in place after Ira had spread the mortar, since it was more efficient that way. She carefully worked them into place and checked to make sure each was aligned properly, then grabbed the next and waited for Ira to have the mortar spread and pull her trowel back before planting the next one in place. "Ya don't strike me as a local girl, aye?"

[Ira]

“I see.” It came out more clipped than she intended but she did not apologize and instead watched his movements, practicing when allowed and keeping a careful eye on each movement he made so as to learn. The brick was tapped in place with light apps and no he hard jabs she had been using. A simple mistake but I bothered her so much she ignored everything save for the task she was being shown, working carefully, slowly her taps and attempting to use the same flourish James had. Her hand shook lightly as she tried to lessen her force and so focused in that she nearly forgot to scrap the sides. Ira nearly let loose another curse when Minerva’s lying of the next brick surprised her. Jerking back slightly she eyed the other woman before accepting the help. They worked in silence, slightly uncomfortable but Ira was used to such silences and she simply continued. Buttering the sides of the bricks and trying to ensure the bricks were properly aligned, leaning down frequently to check the eye level. Once more losing herself to the near monotony of the task she paused in her work at her companions’ question. Shifting to make herself more comfortable and her legs tired from squatting Ira flicked her gaze over to the other woman, speaking in clipped tones. Her answers short and to the point, not volunteering any more information than necessary. “I am new. I previously lived in Ravok but the aftermath of the storm made things difficult. I left to the nearest port and ended up here.” Without another word she refocused her attention on the construction and watching in slight envy at the ease with which her companion placed the brick and the way she seemed to fit in with her profession. Yawning slightly she shoved the emotion down and continued to the next area, flinging the mortar a little off to the side and sighing. Restarting she scrapped the previous batch off and re-laid it, waiting for Minerva to lay the next brick and biting her lip in concentration as she tapped it gently on all four sides. Flicking her wrist to scrap off the extra and then with a pleased smile buttering the birch and continuing. But when she gazed at the other she felt the urge to return the attempt at conversation, clearing her throat in mild nervousness she spoke, “And you then. You are a native?”

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

"Oy, Ravok!" Minerva replied. "I done spent a season in Ravok, I did. Jus' last fall. I done met 'is bloke, what were the most stuffed up shirt ya done ever saw. Thought 'e were the big shot o' the 'ole city, 'e did. Pain in the arse..." She shook her head, glad that she didn't need to be around Valerius Nitrozian anymore. "Me?" she asked. "I ain't from no Zeltiva. Came 'ere what fer the Uni, I did. Actually," she paused and scratched the back of her head, "what been cause o' 'at bloke in Ravok what as I gots 'ere. So's maybe as 'e weren't a complete waste..." Valerius had been the first person to suggest she come study at the University of Zeltiva. She technically owed him her thanks for that. "I didn't know the storm done made 'er way all the way up ta Ravok, though," she continued, setting the next brick in place and carefully aligning it. They were getting further away from James the more they worked on the foundation, and Tock was becoming more talkative. "Thought she were just 'round 'ere, is all. I were off on a boat what when she 'appened. Maybe lucky, 'at? Course we were done tossed up a mite durin' 'er, but we done 'ad a good Captain, an' 'e gotcher done jus' fine." She turned to look down the line of the dirt wall they were laying the bricks against, then stood up and snapped her fingers at one of the nearby men. "Oy, ya done missed a big ol' root, right 'ere!" she shouted, pointing to a large, thick root sticking out of the wall not far from where her and Ira were working. "Git 'er out, aye? Yer done gonna slow down the 'ole works!" As the man moved to finish the job, Minerva shook her head and sighed. "Worthless layabouts sometimes, the lot o' 'em."

[Ira]

She nodded her head to the girl’s chatter, nearly but not quite regretting asking any questions. It was like soft music playing in the background, it steadied her hand and made it only a bit easier to tap the bricks into place and it gave her reprieve from her still throbbing finger. She wondered if she may have done more damage to it than she thought but Ira hoped it was only bruising. Looking back their progress she was pleased to note they were getting farther and farther away from the start point. Of course she frowned pensively at the thought of having to do each row with so little hands. When their progress halted due to the plant her frowned deepened, her question drifting to Minerva sharply and louder than necessary. “If their worthless perhaps they should be replaced?” She could feel eyes burn at her back but paid them no heed. In her eyes you did your job to the best of your ability or you did not have one. It was also far from her place to say such things but she was never one to hold her tongue. A slight awkward silence fell for a few moments before Ira commented softly on Minervas earlier ramblings. “The storm seems to have been a large one. You are a sailor as well then?” They stopped their progress as close to the root as they dared and waited, Ira a tad impatiently along-side Minerva. Unsure of what to do with herself and begin to feel the mild heat of the afternoon wearing down, a sticky dampness filling between her shoulder blades. She watched the man work quietly for a few moments before letting loose a small grunt of aggravation before standing and stalking over. It almost looked as if she was moving to strike him and the man tensed as well. “I apologize for my earlier words. I meant them only in the sense that…” she shook her head, anymore words and her apology would require another, “My apologies.” Without another word she turned sharply and returned to her position beside Minerva, waiting for the man to finish his job and tentatively posing another question. “When is the house due to be finished?”

[Minerva Agatha Zipporah]

Tock snorted at the woman's outburst and replied, "Oy, Sook, if'n were up ta me, 'at one over there," she nodded towards the supervisor Eavin, who still hadn't moved from his barrel or stopped sucking on the bottle of hooch, "woulda done been fired way back 'fore I even done started 'ere..." "Sailor?" she snorted again, shaking her head and laughing. "Oy, Sook, I ain't no dang sailor. I's a woodcarver. Sailin's only good what fer gettin' someplace. I's already 'ere though, ain't I?" she snickered, quite amused with herself. The man working on the root was struggling with the cut, and taking a damn long time. Progress on the bricks halted. Tock looked around, wondering if there was anything else worth doing while they waited, but by the time she got another task started, the root would be removed. So she decided to take a rare break, and lifted herself up to sit on the ground at the edge of the broad hole. "She'll done take some days," she told Ira. "'Ouses don't done get built overnight, aye? Specially if'n 'ey's bigger ones." She patted the ground next to her, so Ira could sit and they could rest while the root was being cut out of their way. It was then that Eavin finally decided to get up off his useless arse and stalked over to them. "No sitting down on the job!" he shouted, slightly red in the face. "Get the petch up and get back to work!" Tock just leaned back on her hands and continued resting. "Go blow it out yer arse," she told her supervisor. "I done been doin' my job AN' yers all mornin', I done earned a break." Eavin glared at her, and shook his bottle of liquor at Ira, yelling at her as well, "Don't you be like Red here, Sweetcheeks! Get back to work!" While he yelled at her he didn't once look in her eyes, instead trying his best to stare down her shirt, which was quite easy when he was standing up on ground level and she was down by the hole.