Fate weaver’s convergence

“Is everyone ready to begin?”

 

Jozef asked aloud, standing from his seat momentarily. The sudden silence and waving of hands down the line signaled the beginning of the meeting. Jozef looked to Janusz for one last confirmation, receiving a quiet nod beforehand. Servants were still rushing about, placing plates and silverware, with the luncheon initiated Jozef pointed to a gentleman at the end of the table.

 

“Lord Janusz, we'll be opening with progression of the mine expansion.”

 

Someone carted in a large board, a series of  paper sheets hanging from metal hooks along its top. The first image presented was a charcoal illustration of the mine, side views with measurement of its diameter, and thumbnail drawings of a few different conversions for a rough idea of the goal. Vaughn tapped my elbow pointing to the thumbnails as he whispered.

 

“Looks like they're planning to make larger chambers like the one under Brenton's keep.”

 

The gentleman stood, walking to the board and pointing out each section.

 

“Mine expansion is on schedule, although thanks to the shorter timeline we may be expecting some injuries to the workers. Keeping time does necessitate a slight rush, though not in our safety procedures, just in anticipated slip-ups. We’re looking at a total of fifty new chambers in various configurations. The mage assisted water pumps for cutting the rock will damned near flood the lower chambers of the fourth floor, so we have crews set aside to process the slew for making concrete so as to minimize runoff into the caverns and rivers.”

 

He pointed to the first thumbnail.

 

“The priority now is the underground farms. Artificial light from mana stones furnished by Brenton, with sufficient air and ventilation via piping that will lead to the main shaft. We're looking at burying it this time around so as to keep overhead hazards to a minimum.”

 

Another voice.

 

“Why not the standard ventilation duct to the surface? The pipes will be wood or iron?”

 

The gentleman dropped his hand. 

 

“Wood, the forges are working around the clock to feed a surplus of parts for the lift system. Aside from that, the lord of the forge is doing his best to fulfill his agreement with Lord Janusz and Baron Fyodr.”

 

The two exchanged nods, the gentleman licking his lips as he thought over the numbers. 

 

“We're looking at roughly six thousand spearheads over the past year alone, with another thirty thou arrowheads. However, we lack the sufficient number of workers to complete the fletchings. I recommend we put these on contract to Brenton, as their elven population is higher than the state average, a number still clinging to their heritage through supporting the market there. It's only natural they're the best hire for this, m'Lord?”

 

Janusz nodded to the speaker.

 

“Our coffers are short by no means. I'll leave the affair of accounting to you. Be sure To place a commission with the guild for the more valuable hide-bearing wildlife further inland. The surplus payment on textiles, pelts, and skins should make up the difference.”

 

“Yes, m'Lord. As I were, we’ll be using wooden pipes leading to the main shaft; we just can't spare the ore, not when roughly half of it is going to Brenton.”

 

He placed his hands together, waiting for the next swath of servants to finish placing plates in front of each guest. Janusz, Sabine, and myself were the first, our plates set with the food in an ornate fashion, beef wellington, two pieces each, cut into half inch sections. The other two had a side of some sort of vegetable, sautéed with seasonings and coated in what must have been olive oil, whilst I was given a plate of roasted bones with a bowl of some kind of stew, small chunks of rendered and seared fat floating within. 

 

“Apologies, miss Kiyomi. I had my cooks do some research as soon as we got word. Was it correct that demons require much more of the nutrient-rich components of game? They advised against the exact same dish as the rest of us.”

 

Janusz picked up his fork, waving about his plate as he spoke.

 

“Yes, thank you, Lord Janusz. That's quite generous of you.”

 

I grabbed my own silverware, cautious of waiting for him to take the first bite.

 

Seem's they're pulling out the stops to keep me ingratiated. I doubt this would have been of much concern if I was still the ‘adventuring bodyguard.’

 

He nodded, pleased with himself.

 

“We'll be sure to keep that in mind.”

 

He took a bite, just as Vaughn was presented with his own plate. His, Jozef’s, and Silwia's were all similar to ours, though the presentation was absent. With Janusz eating, Sabine began, and so did I, Vaughn, Joseph, and Silwia, beginning soon after. I dug free the marrow from the bones, using it as a smear for the beef.

 

Elbows in and off the table, can't break the veil. 

 

The next speaker.

 

“With the expansion of the mine, we've located two veins of lead, and another vein of silver. We’re preparing a full excavation of the silver, and we could use the lead in the new water infrastructure as soon as we’ve determined the silver is exhausted.”

 

I nearly coughed up my food at the mention as I was chewing. Sabine and Janusz both looked at me for a moment, freezing up as I coughed up the food.

 

“Are you fine?”

 

Vaughn whispered in my ear.

 

Fuck, I mean, if I can… here goes.

 

“If I may, Lord Janusz?”

 

He raised a brow, waving his hand over the tablecloth.

 

“As you will, miss Kiyomi. This is an open forum specifically to address concerns, you were invited in part for your insight as much as any other.”

 

Janusz allowed it, placing his fork down as he chewed. Regardless of the supposed word chess, and the congenial atmosphere, he seemed to put off an air of intolerance in the moment. He seemed to be practicing his patience, taking a chance at letting me speak.

 

This may just be a ploy to make me feel involved or to see if I’ve developed a sense of investment in helping Vaughn, so I’ll need to be careful. What the fuck can I do though? Let a city fuckin poison itself? Okay, let's hope we don't seem like a dunce. 

 

I nodded, placing my hands on my lap.

 

“If I may, is lead commonly used in pipework here already?”

 

The gentleman nodded, and although the others seemed casual about it, Sabine, of all people, seemed put off. Chewing slowly, she placed her chin on her hands like she was listening for something.

 

“Only on the uppermost floor, for drinking water and for plumbing. They're pipes left over from the imperial outpost Krakow was built atop.”

 

Fuck me sideways, lead pipes that old?!

 

“Are there any regular complaints from the surface floor? Anything regarding illness that's more common?”

 

The engineer nodded slowly, squinting as he no doubt tried to understand what I was getting at. Then, a woman spoke up.

 

“Historically, during the winter months, more people tend to visit the hospital, most of whom are adventurers and merchants lodging there. The symptoms can rarely be attributed to typical sickness, though the first floor is illest equipped to handle the winter. M’lord, does this question need answering?”

 

Janusz shook his head.

 

“I am curious of the line of questioning myself; it would not hurt to entertain it. Miss Kiyomi, go on.”

 

That was a fast turnaround, but he’s patient with me here. Okay, pray they don't take this as an insult.

 

“I mean no insinuations of this.”

 

A few odd looks were passed about the room, along with one or two muffled whispers. Sabine stared intently whilst Vaughn was actively tugging my belt at my waist. Jozef seemed to lean forward some, giving a view of his squinting. 

 

Oh fuck off with that, I’m rolling the dice here, but I can’t let these people poison themselves. 

 

“If I am assuming correctly, the lead pipes were standard for the Empire’s infrastructure. At least, before mana stones were more widespread?”

 

Jozef responded, attempting to direct the conversation the exact moment I stopped talking. He answered my question, biding me time to get to my point while excluding any distracting points raised by his colleagues. His expression read of ‘this better be a good reason to speak of this.’

 

“Historically, for the Imperial capital, as well as the early stages of any settlement. It’s true that is is more convenient for mana stones to be used on the shorthand, but why would we rid ourselves of the long-term infrastructure? Why the concern of sickness?”

 

Janusz looked to Jozef, then to me, awaiting my further inquiry.

 

“I’ll begin with the fact that I beg of you to consider this in theory before dismissing it in its entirety. Would anyone here be familiar with the term ‘lead poisoning?”

 

A chorus of shaking heads and muffled yet obviously confused ‘no’s’ ensued.

 

“Is this an affliction of concern?”

 

Janusz raised a brow, his tension melting away some at the mention, possibly finding empathy through the topic of ailments.

 

That may explain the tax-funded hospital. 

 

“The lead pipes, while in the short term, may be structurally sound, over time they will corrode.”

 

I found a slightly higher source of confidence in my words, speaking from a point of view where the concerns for my own state of mind seemed to wash away.

 

“The lead will spread through the water supply, it is not a matter of if but when this will occur. When this does occur, it may only manifest as simple ailments at first. The complaint of a headache here, the onset of stomach cramps there.”

 

I thought a moment, crossing one arm across my stomach while I thumbed at the base of my right horn with the opposite hand.

 

Mortality, remember to harp on mortality… what else will drive home the severity?

 

“Bare with the subject, as the first here may as well be considered conjecture through hearsay accounts. This will lead to fatigue of anyone that consumes the water, issues of pain… loss of sex drive…”

 

I hesitated on the last fact, coaxing an odd chuckle from the corners of the table.

 

“At the latter end of the consequences, if this city were to make use of the resource in such a way, they are lethal, if not mortal.”

 

I scratched at the horn once more. 

 

“Lord Janusz, I do beg patience if this is out of turn. But to use lead piping would be akin to a drawn-out suicide of the city. The long-term effects for an adult alone will kill them. Seizures, coma, and death.”

 

The patient noblemen scratched at his chin, the room breaking out into whispers and the clattering of silverware as people continued to eat. Janusz 'gesture, as he thought, seemed to elicit to each of his representatives that he was considering my words, regardless if he believed them or not. He spoke after a few moments, allowing me to clear my throat with a drink.

 

“In adults, how fatal? How soon would it manifest?”

 

I placed my cup on the table, clearing my throat. Just in my periphery, Jozef seemed to be giving me a thumbs-up in his lap.

 

“Anywhere from a month to a few years.”

 

He scratched his chin again, his healer leaning in to whisper something into his ear. Janusz raised a brow at the words, nodding as he did. 

 

“Could you describe an age range for this? I understand higher demons may have a skewed idea of time, given your incomprehensible age.”

 

Oh, for fuck sake. The age range, we need to harp on it.

 

“In a child of eight, this would kill them as sure as any plague.”

 

This isn’t something that can just be healed away; that would be like healing someone with the arrowhead left in. If the shaft was out, it would push out, but if it's broken off, the flesh will heal around it.

 

“In an adult, anywhere from sixteen to the elder of any man, it will do just the same. The only difference is if one considers their complaints rather than brushing them aside.”

 

He nodded once more. 

 

“Pull a man from prison.”

 

He nodded back to the speaker that proposed the lead pipes.

 

“One who is put to death, suppose we don’t warrant this caution, we have everything to lose. Especially with the war amidst us.”

 

It was said aloud, by someone not just trying to hide it from us… It’s not just Brenton, not just Stannis addressing it, someone of power… Remember, the minefield, he may be trying to garner curiosity of concern. Don’t let yourself get dragged too far in. 

 

I kept my thoughts about me, trying my best to avoid the fact I influenced an execution.

 

“When you find a subject, replace his forks with it, his cups, his bowls. When giving him water, ensure it is fed from a bucket well eaten by rust and chips.”

 

Vaughn flinched at the sentence, only slightly, but enough to feel as he held at my belt with his off-hand. I was slightly thrown off by the casual mention of damning a man to such a death, but I could scarcely think of another way to prove the fact. I couldn't reference Va-ren, not when I could recall that even the nobility sought water from the wells, mana stones being such a rare resource there. Lord Janusz looked to me. 

 

“Lady Kiyomi, you do not hide your distaste for this method from your eyes. Your suggestion leaves me with little recourse. I can not let a valuable infrastructure resource go unused. Should this man survive with no ill effects, you would merely have delayed his execution and wasted my time.”

 

Janusz seemed to glare at me, before averting his eyes towards the speaker.

 

“Until said execution, be it from this ‘lead poisoning’ or from hanging, we will not use the lead for infrastructure. Use it as counterweights, tooling, and if as pipe it is to only be used for waste.”

 

The speaker nodded, Janusz once more directing his attention at me. 

 

“That said, Miss Kiyomi, if this poisoning is determined to be as you say. It will be recorded and accredited in your name–”

 

No, please don’t, I’d rather stay obscure.

 

“--And you will have averted untold deaths. If this man perishes under lead poisoning, I will personally finance the replacement of the piping on the first floor’s replacement.”

 

He seemed sure of his words, waving to the speaker again. 

 

“Thank you for your insight. Continue, speaker.”

The conversations continued for some time after that, hours of discussion over plans for ballistae, possible counters to sieges, emergency housing, and even earth magic to change the surface's landscape to hastily improve Krakow’s already meek surface defenses. We had all but finished each of our respective plates, save Sabine, who continued to stare at me through the corner of her eyes, briefly glancing at the various speakers as they highlighted key topics. Vaughn seemed intrigued enough, thumbing at his growing scruff as he watched and listened. As for myself, I was still coming off of the adrenaline high that peaked as my warning over lead use was headed. It was both exciting and terrifying. On the one hand, possibly averting a major self-inflicted crisis for Krakow through a simple suggestion that was actually considered. But on the other, simultaneously worrying about being credited with such a thing and drawing attention to myself and damning some poor soul, evil or not, to a much worse death than hanging. I was borderline dead tired of the entire lunch before the speakers seemed to bring the luncheon to a supposed close as a number of attendees began to excuse themselves, and the board of plans was taken from the room. Sabine and Marissa were the last of the crowd to leave, only our party and Lord Janusz remaining alongside his healer.

 

“That went better than expected.

 

Vaughn sighed, standing as he did. He stretched, pulling his arms overhead with a grunt. Jozef and Silwia made to depart as well, if not for the sudden intrusion of Janusz.

 

“If I may, Jozef and Silwia, I’d like to speak privately with our guest.”

 

He leaned against the table. Vaughn's eyes went wide as he glanced at me. Jozef himself hesitated, making a jittery nod as he did.

 

“Yes, Lord. Silwia, come.”

 

He tapped at her shoulder. As they both turned, Jozef mouthed his words in silence as he passed without a turn of his head.

 

‘Do not let him isolate you. He will run circles around you.’

 

“Young Vaughn, if you will?”

 

Janusz raised one of his brows, waving a finger towards Jozef and Silwia, the two halfway through the door. He seemed hesitant and unable to move as if leaving me would be his death. Janus raised his other brow in surprise that someone actually wouldn't listen to his command. For the briefest of moments, I felt pure spite roll up my spine and a very keen sense of being irritated by the demand.

 

Good god, I thought we were home-free!

 

“Vaughn, do you understand–”

 

“If I may, Lord Janusz? Kiyomi is a companion with whom I trust my life to and her to me. In that same vain, I would not leave her on her lonesome. You are in the comfort of your home, and she is not.”

 

Vaughn? Pulling out the protective card? That's new.

 

Janusz scoffed a moment, before I stood, joining Vaughn to secure my chances from being isolated.

 

“With sentiment the very same, I would prefer to keep Vaughn close. He we are each others companion to this meeting for one reason another. Would you not feel the same uncertainty if you were asked to dismiss your healer?”

 

What did I just say?

 

I looked to the healer, who seemed taken a back. The result of this we, thankfully, was considered either in ‘returned confidence’ or merely an entertainment of our whim as Janusz smirked.

 

“You carry one hell of a presence. I can see you shaking underneath your coat. But I cannot fault the loyalty you youth must carry. Its enviable in this day in age.”

 

Janusz sighed, leaning over and looking at the door behind us. Ensured not only that the servants were gone but that the doors had closed.

 

“Lady Kiyomi, you both seem very keen on keeping this a secret.”

 

He relaxed.

 

“This place is a quiet one, you can speak with confidence that your words go unmolested by unwanted ears.”

 

“And we would be expected to take you at your word, Lord? When the secret was brought to the open here?”

 

Janusz smiled as he rested his chin on his hand. 

 

“No, you are not.”