CHAPTER 18
I don't have to listen to you anymore. I quit so you can go to the pit.
I have my own human taking care of me now.
I don't need that little home that you want to kick us all out of either.
I am staying with Gand in his new home and I have my own room along with people to clean, wash and cook for me.
So go bring your nasty attitude someplace else, Salaria.
Enjoy your time with the little human girl stuck alone in the great big house while I have a good time with my friends and go to parties.
-Naeve putting Salaria Fariday in her place
"This is what it is all about," Pressa said as she came downstairs.
The Salterians had left four days ago and Pressa was given the good news by Deven.
She now had a place to stay that was costing Deven three gold per month.
It cost Deven a little over a gold to hire someone to see to Pressa's needs.
She no longer had to work or clean and received the same pay she was getting from Fariday as an allowance.
Naeve had the same thing going on with Delano.
Just by renting to those two, Gand already had a way to sustain himself.
He wasn't making as much money as he was with the overhead but renting wasn't his only way he was getting coin.
Gand received an additional payment of two hundred gold.
Two gold a week belonged to him and two more gold a week was for him to hire workers and pay for materials.
Gand had a year to build a home and then split it in two.
It was easy work and Gand set his own hours.
No more working from sunup to sundown. Gand kept the same hours that Lawrence used to and hired Dalarien along with two other Elves and Tong the goblin's oldest son Relc.
Gloren missed working with Dalarien but did not fault him for taking the job.
It was the same pay that he was making except he got to learn a skill.
Dalarien wanted to eventually have his own home and needed the knowledge so he could fix it up.
Gand already had a plan on how to handle things if he screwed up.
Gand planned on telling Harlen Waits and his people that he would pay five gold a day per person to help him out.
He would then work with them and learn all he could.
Gand really wouldn't call on them, he would use his magic to see what he was missing and to gain that experience.
Gand thought that it would take three months at the most to have everything done.
None of the Mages cared about a personal well since they wouldn't be living there.
Gand thought that he could charge anyone trying to use his.
There was a public one, it was just blocks down the road.
"You are loving life?" Gand asked.
"Why wouldn't I?" Pressa said. "No more Salaria, no more Mr. Fariday, no more hard work. My job is to stay pretty and be pampered. I owe you for introducing us."
"When does he plan on coming back?" Gand asked.
"In a few months and he is bringing some friends," Pressa said.
"I am going to make sure that any friends I have meet them.
I know the girls that are still dealing with Salaria were angry that they weren't here the first day your Mage friends were over.
Mr. Fariday is going to be ticked to lose his toys but we can get him some more. "
"You can?"
"There are a lot of girls around here and other places that wouldn't mind that job," Pressa said.
"Decent money, nice food and a place to stay.
If you know what you are doing, you really don't have to deal with Fariday that often or for any amount of time.
He has to sneak around and can't be in the open because of his daughter and Salaria.
Even when he finds time he is an old man and too tired to do much afterwards.
It is an easy life when you don't have to deal with Salaria. "
"What does Naeve think about it all?" Gand asked.
"She made a big show of going back to grab her things," Pressa said. "That is where she is right now. Salaria knows what is going on here. She wants to ask more questions but no one will talk to her because she's a twat."
"Not my business whatever she has going on with y'all," Gand said.
"I wish I could be there to see her face but she isn't worth it," Pressa said.
"She had to hear about our grand parties with Orcs and Goblins and humans.
She is stuck in the house with that little human girl she doesn't want anyone to get to know.
Anywhere she goes, that girl has to go with her.
I bet she wishes that she can come down here. "
"Dalarien doesn't think that she is a bad person. Gloren doesn't even think that she is a bad person. She saw an opportunity and took it. Now she wants to fix any hard feelings."
"She left Gloren."
"And if he asked her for anything, she would get it for him. She wanted to find all of you work, she just feels betrayed."
"We want the same thing she does. If she can leave Gloren then she shouldn't have any problem with a little competition."
"Would you mind if your friends try to meet Deven or show him a good time?"
"That's different. I don't have Deven yet and Salaria was already married."
"Is it different?"
"Okay, maybe not but she still is acting like human girls," Pressa said. "And she will stay lonely while we have all the fun."
Gand gave her a smile as Dalarien came through the door.
Dalarien received an extra three coppers a week from Gand's own purse to act as foreman.
His job was to tear down the bad bits of the building that was bought.
Gand was sure after two days that most of it was done.
The next part was hauling it away, it would take them a while to do so but Gand was in no hurry.
"We are making a dent in it," Dalarien said. "About time for lunch."
"Go ahead and take it," Gand said.
"Only bad part about this job is that it doesn't come with food," Dalarien said. "But I'll trade that in a heartbeat. Working human hours is where it's at."
"You owe my man," Pressa said.
"We do owe him," Dalarien admitted. "I'm going to hate it when this job is over. Going back to work for Fariday is going to seem like a step down."
"Maybe you can get Fariday to hire all of you to fix that place for Salaria's family," Pressa said.
"He already has people on his payroll," Dalarien said.
"No reason to hire any of us. It doesn't matter, maybe Gloren will hire us to help him out.
He likes the little area that Gand set aside for himself here.
He wants to make his own and will stay there until his place is paid off.
I'm thinking about going ahead and putting some coin down on me a place.
I can pay for a place outright if I wanted to with a little help.
Glorie could buy it for me so I will get a good deal on a small place.
I decided that I'm not going to rent out to anyone. "
"I know why all of you are in a hurry to make your own little place," Pressa laughed. "It wouldn't happen to have anything to do with Vaeri, Syndra and Elania, would it?"
"Maybe," Dalarien laughed. "I don't have human money but I have been saving up for years. A nice small place is something that I could do. I can have it fixed up the right way and just keep working for Fariday after I have everything the way I want it."
Gand listened to Pressa and Dalarien talk until it was time for him to go back to work.
Afterwards, Gand went to join his crew until it was quitting time.
The sun still had a few hours until it was time to set.
Gand expected this day to be like the last. He would eat a good meal and then play his lute.
Using his magic, Gand had paid a few musicians four gold an hour to teach him.
In reality, Gand had kept that money and thought that he was getting pretty good.
In a few weeks he could probably be decent enough to play more than one song.
Gand played for a few hours and then put down his lute.
He would be getting company soon. Company that would surprise the rest of his guests.
“What are you doing here?” Pressa said angrily as Salaria walked through the door holding her stepdaughter Sylvia's hand.
“I am not in a fight with Mrs. Fariday or her daughter,” Gand said. “She is welcome in my home, at least on the first floor.”
“Don't be like that Pressa,” Salaria said. “Don't be that way.”
“Come in and take a seat,” Gand said as Salaria led a scared looking Sylvia over.
“I know that I look scary, little one,” Gand said as he smiled at Sylvia. “But I also know that you love music. I am going to play a song just for you.”
Gand started strumming his lute and could see Pressa glaring at Salaria.
Sylvia opened up and went over to hear Gand play and attempt to sing.
Salaria didn't attempt to keep her away either. Sylvia stared at Gand and then touched his skin. Gand stopped playing and gave her his hand to see. The girl’s hand looked tiny as she felt all over his big hand.
Gand let her do so and knew that Salaria and Pressa were just eyeing each other.
When Naeve came down in a bit, both women would glare at their former friend until Gand said something.
Then everyone would be okay and that would be it.
Getting rid of Sylvia would be tough, at least it would be until Tong’s wife Bessia came down stairs.
“Bessia, I would like you to meet Sylvia,” Gand said. “Sylvia has never met a goblin before and is not trying to be mean. She is just curious.”
Gand got up and walked over to the elven women. Salaria was looking uncomfortable as Gand sat down.