Huge Ajax's Arc

Chapter 217 of 619

Ajax came through the gate at first light with the ring of hooves loud on stone. Grayson stood at the gatehouse slit, one hand on the bar, and did not smile. He waited until the last horse was in before he dropped the bar and turned. "You're back," Grayson said. "How many days?" "Two, maybe three. Fresh horses if she has them staged." Grayson nodded once. "Eat. Then the hall." Ajax washed at the trough and went to the hall with Grayson and Chalam. Tucker brought bread and salt fish and set them on the carved table. Ajax cut the bread in half and pushed one half across. "What's left to build," Ajax said. "Before she comes. Sit with me." Grayson sat. He pulled a slate from his belt and set it flat. He had been keeping count while Ajax rode. Ajax had not asked him to. He was not surprised. "Silver first," Grayson said. "Then wood, iron, stone. Then men." "Silver." "Purse in the vault. Eleven hundred and change. Woman's coin from the basin ride adds two hundred. Call it thirteen." "Wages through spring?" "Bran, Rell, Cody, the port men. Six wages. Feeds them too if the dryad brings roots." Grayson tapped the slate. "Thirteen holds it. Nothing left over." Ajax chewed and thought. "What's not built." "Smithery. Armory. Bran's house after thaw. Bunk roof needs pitch before the rain turns." Grayson looked up and told him to put the have the workers pitch the roof tomorrow. “Smithery and armory before she comes, or we fight with what's on our belts." "Days to build?" "Smithery three if Bran cuts and Chalam shapes. Armory two after. Five days. We don't have five." “We’ll make it happen.” Ajax said. Chalam set his cup down. "I have four vials full. I can cut stone with my staff and refill all the vials overnight. Ajax pushed the slate back at Grayson. "Then smithery then the Armory.“ "Iron," Grayson said. "We have no smith." "Send to the grove at dawn. The gnome owes us a name. Pay a season's wage up front." Grayson wrote it on the slate with a stub of chalk. "Two hundred silver for a smith through spring. Leaves eleven." "Do it." Grayson stood. He walked out to send the rider. Ajax sat with the slate. Thirteen hundred silver. A smith coming or not coming. He had counted what he had and named what he lacked. The gap was the smith and the armory wall. He wiped the slate clean and went to find Bran.