Arriving at Brighid’s Bows, Gregory wished Yukiko and Jenn a good day as they jogged off for their own work. Going to the door, he discovered it was locked.
“Guess I’m not late, then,” Gregory smiled.
“Early, by nearly an hour,” Bryn said from behind him.
Gregory stifled his surprise and turned to face the man. “Good morning, Bryn. Can I help you?”
Bryn was holding several wooden slats over his shoulder. “I have them, but,” he tossed Gregory a key, “come around the side and open up the other door.”
Catching the key, Gregory did as he was asked. The door he opened led into a workshop— once Bryn had made it inside, he closed the door behind them and followed the crafter. Bryn crossed the room and deposited the wooden slats into a bin.
“We’ll be starting on a composite bow, and then the string,” Bryn said, taking the key back. “I have a few in various stages of assembly, so you’ll get an overview of how they progress into different stages. The one you start today will not be finished by the time you leave, but I expect it to be up to my standards.”
“I will do my best, sir.”
“I believe you. I’ll also be showing you the most obvious flaws you should be aware of when purchasing a bow or crossbow. This will help you spot poorly-made ones.”
“You bring the wood in,” Gregory said. “Does the carpenter make them for you?”
“I could make all the pieces myself and have before, but having the base materials made by others gives me more time to work on the product itself. I have a deal with one of the carpenters to make me a set number of materials. I have a contract in place with him if I get a large order and need more than I normally get from him. I only have to use that if war breaks out and the empire needs me to produce a large number of crossbows.”
“Thank you, sir. Where do we start?”
Seeing Gregory’s eagerness, Bryn chuckled. “We’ll start at the beginning— shaping.”
~*~*~
Gregory followed the instructions Bryn gave him. He was wearing a smile on his face as he finished the first step. The wooden slats adhered together in the mold to make them take on the correct shape.
With that done, Bryn showed him what each next step would include, then had Gregory repeat back the entire step once he’d finished explaining it. Gregory was glad he’d been training his mind, as some of the steps were complex. He doubted he’d have been able to recall them if he hadn’t.
The bell from the front had Bryn stop his instruction on the last step. “Excuse me a moment,” Bryn said, looking displeased.
A couple of minutes later, Bryn returned. “Where was I?”
“The proper way to string a composite bow, as doing it wrong can prove painful and injurious.”
“Ah, right. After we finish this, I’m going to show you how to make the bow string.”
“Yes, sir.”
~*~*~
Gregory flexed his fingers as he walked back to the inn— making the string was finger work and time consuming. Bryn had explained each step and Gregory had understood them, but the process was tedious.
“At least tomorrow, we start on self bows,” Gregory muttered to himself.
“Dearest, what are you talking about?” Yukiko asked from behind him.
Gregory inhaled sharply before exhaling. “Shadow leapt behind me?”
“You were well ahead of me, and this was the fastest way to catch up. It’s also good practice.”
Gregory gave her a smile. “Fair points. I was talking about what I would be doing tomorrow. I worked on a composite bow today and the string for it. Tomorrow is going to be a self or simple bow.”
“Ah, yes… recurves take time because of the drying required, if I recall from the book I read. They’re normally only used for the cavalry units due to the time, cost, and other drawbacks.”
“Yes, but they’re very interesting to make.”
“Wait up!” Jenn yelled, causing Yukiko and Gregory to stop.
Jenn came running up to them, a large grin plastered on her face. “Today was so much fun!”
“What did you do?” Yukiko asked as they started walking again.
“She let me begin work on a sword,” Jenn replied, her face glowing with happiness. “I’m making my own blade! It’ll be terrible, but it’ll be mine.”
“It won’t be terrible,” Gregory said.
“It will be. Every first piece is,” Jenn laughed. “My father is a great smith. He still has his first dagger and it’s awful. It won’t matter if it’s horrible because it’ll be mine.”
Yukiko patted her on the back. “That’s wonderful, but I think it’ll be better than horrible.”
“I’ll be working more on it tomorrow,” Jenn said. “What about you two?”
“Well, I was working on recurve bows,” Gregory said before launching into what he’d been doing. By the time he finished, the inn was in sight. “I’ll be working on a self bow tomorrow.”
“I was learning how to work with boiled leather to make chestguards, and he also showed me ways to tell if a piece was badly done. It took him a little while to dig out the pieces he kept for training aids.”
“I had a lot of fun, but I’m not sure it qualified for the mind path,” Jenn said. “Empire’s Gambit should help with that, though.”
“I felt like it was last night,” Gregory said. “Getting a handle on the differences has been interesting.”
“That’s after dinner, and Dia said we’re having a feast tonight,” Yukiko reminded them. “I was so happy for her this morning.”
“Greg, did you do that?” Jenn asked, glancing around as they approached the inn.
“No, but Darkness might have. I don’t have any conscious control over it.”
“Let’s get clean and go enjoy the feast,” Yukiko said. “I wonder what Gordon has made for us?”
~*~*~
Yukiko and Jenn were chatting about what food they thought they might be getting, stripping down as they did. Gregory was facing the other way, hoping that seeing them less might keep his libido under control, for a while at least. As soon as he finished, he headed for the bath chamber.
“See you both inside,” Gregory said.
“We’ll be right there,” Yukiko said.
Opening the door, Gregory stepped in, shut it behind him, and hurried over to the washing area. I might be able to get this done before they join me, he thought as he quickly pumped a bucket of water. That was proven wrong when the door opened as he was finishing with the pump.
“Will you get us buckets, as well, dearest?” Yukiko asked. “I’ll gladly get your back in return.”
“Sure,” Gregory said as he set the first bucket aside. “This one is ready. I’ll have another one in a moment.”
“Jenn, go ahead,” Yukiko said. “I’ll get your back first.”
“Okay,” Jenn replied, moving over to grab the steaming water. “Thanks, Greg.”
“No problem,” Gregory said, keeping his eyes on the bucket he was filling. He tried to, anyway, but Jenn bending over to pick up the filled bucket caught his attention. He glanced up to find Yukiko giving him a soft smile and he flushed.
“You can get my back for me when I finish hers and yours, dear one,” Yukiko said.
“Yeah,” Gregory said, forcing his gaze back to the task in front of him. “I’ll bring yours over with mine.”
“That’s fine,” Yukiko said. “Oh, Jenn, they have two soaps in here today. This one smells faintly of citrus. Would you like to use it?”
“It looks like a new bar, so yes, please?”
Gregory felt slightly less awkward when Jenn went to get in the tub as he was washing up. Having just finished with Yukiko’s back, he sat down to finish his own washing.
“Is it still difficult for you, dear one?” Yukiko asked softly.
“Yes, but not as bad as yesterday. She seems to be doing better than I am.”
“Only because you aren’t looking at her. Her face is as red as yours, but her smile is hopeful.” Yukiko stood up, now completely rinsed off, and bent over to kiss his cheek. “We’ll be waiting for you.”
“Uh… yeah,” Gregory coughed.
“Yuki, are you being mean to him?” Jenn asked from the tub.
“No,” Yukiko giggled. “I’m helping him with his embarrassment.”
“‘Helping,’ she says…” Gregory grumbled.
Jenn laughed. “Be nice to him, please? I’m not doing much better, after all.”
“Because you asked,” Yukiko said, going to the tub. “I just hope you both feel comfortable before the month is over.”
“Me, too,” Jenn agreed.
“Me, three,” Gregory added, earning laughs from the other two.
His face was an inferno when he got into the bath, as both women had watched him cross the room intently. “That didn’t help…” he muttered.
“Sorry,” Jenn said, looking away, her face as crimson as his. “I’m just trying to get used to seeing you nude.”
“Maybe we should have all of us stand up and just look at each other for a bit?” Yukiko suggested. “It’ll be embarrassing, but maybe it’ll help.”
Jenn cleared her throat. “If Greg’s okay with it…”
Taking a slow breath, Gregory swallowed and got to his feet, putting the water halfway up his thighs. He was all too aware of his manhood straining toward the two women like a spear. He kept his eyes forward, even when he heard Jenn’s breath catch in her throat.
“I’d say he agrees,” Yukiko said, standing up.
Gregory’s eyes shifted to her. Water dripped from her body, and his eyes tracked a rather adventurous droplet from her neck all the way down her body.
Jenn stayed sitting for a long moment, her eyes going from Gregory to Yukiko and back. She surged to her feet, licking her lips. Her legs trembled and she kept glancing between them. “Okay, we can do this.”
Gregory’s eyes had gone to her out of reflex when she moved suddenly. Standing only a few feet away, her smaller frame was fully on display as he was to her. His eyes again locked onto a droplet of water as it began a trail down her body.
“Is, uh… is it always so stiff?” Jenn asked with hesitation, her eyes low.
“No,” Gregory croaked. “Only when I’m excited.”
“Which around us, is a lot,” Yukiko said, getting them both to look at her. She blushed under their joint gaze and shifted in place. “Maybe this was a bad idea…”
Gregory chuckled as he watched her grow even more uncertain, and started snickering as Yukiko’s blush grew. “Oh, when we’re embarrassed, we can work through it, but when you are, it’s different?”
“Yuki, no backing out now,” Jenn giggled.
Jenn talking got Gregory to glance toward her again, and he exhaled slowly. “Okay. This is helping some,” he said, looking back to Yukiko. “Jenn, are you really okay with this? Being seen by me?”
“Yes,” Jenn said softly, her eyes back on him. “It’s difficult being naked in front of you, especially beside Yuki. I feel so plain compared to her.”
Yukiko shifted over so both women were side by side and kissed Jenn’s cheek. “I think you’re beautiful, Jenn. Why don’t we stop for now, though?”
“Please?” Gregory asked.
Yukiko and Jenn both sat, and Gregory was swift to follow them.
“You really think I’m beautiful, Yuki?” Jenn asked.
“Yes. Greg?”
“You are beautiful, Jenn. Different than Yuki, but not any less beautiful,” Gregory stumbled over the words. He looked over at Yukiko and wondered if he was hurting her.
“No. It’s fine, dear one. I agree with you,” Yukiko said, understanding his expression. “You aren’t upset with me for looking at her, so why would I be upset with you for doing the same? Just as I’m not upset with her for looking at you.”
Before more could be said, Dia’s voice came from just beyond the door of the room, “Dinner will be ready in five minutes, Apprentices. Please meet me in the private dining room— two doors down, on the left— by then.”
“We will,” Gregory said.
They didn’t speak as they got dressed, each lost in their own thoughts about what had happened and had been said in the bath. They arrived at the private dining room shortly after being told.
“Sit. Dinner will be here shortly,” Dia said, giving them all a searching look. “I know that the shared bath is difficult,” she went on as they took their seats, “but it will help you down the road. If it becomes a problem, don’t force yourselves. It is fine to bathe separately.”
“Thank you, Dia,” Yukiko said. “We’re fine. A little awkward, but fine.”
Seeing Gregory and Jenn nod in agreement, Dia smiled. “Very well. As long as you are all sure.”
A knock came on the door before it opened to reveal a thin man wearing spectacles perched on his nose. His thinning hair and scruffy beard gave him an almost disreputable appearance.
“Ah, Brown, it is a pleasure,” Dia smiled. “Apprentices, this is Magus Gordon Brown, the most talented chef I have ever known.”
Brown’s lips twitched into a brief smile. “Magus Ursinda, it has been many years since Aether’s Guard was here. How have you found the food?”
“Delicious and as aether-filled as always. Breakfast was new. When did you create that recipe?”
“Five years ago,” Brown said as he pushed the cart into the room. “The interesting part of that dish is that the aether infusion comes from the herbs alone. It means I can make separate dishes for magi and non-magi side by side.”
“That is different,” Dia smiled. “It was delicious.”
“All of my dishes are,” Brown said. “Tonight, we have a feast, since you requested one. It will be served all at once for you to enjoy at your own pace, and at your own discretion. The high point is the grilled koi.” He looked at the apprentices. “Take small pieces only, and make sure you alternate bites with the other foods. Understood?”
“Yes, Magus,” the three replied in unison.
“Dia, they are your problem, but they have been warned. Now, the rest of the feast is a salad spritzed with purity plum juice— just enough to help with what you are taking in tonight only. Charid, lightly cooked with butter and herbs so it’s still crunchy, the only way it should be served. There are also crispy potatoes sprinkled with rosemary and dusted with powdered hard cheese.”
“It all sounds delicious,” Dia smiled.
“The beverage is green tea to go with,” Brown added as he finished setting the food on the table. “When you are done, pull the rope, and I shall bring out the dessert. Enjoy.” With that, he swept out of the room.
“Dig in, but sparingly with the koi,” Dia told them before serving herself half of the fish.
