Private Tales A River Through the Land

[Christian Albrecht]

The Taagi Baara Steppe - Near Dornoch

"Hey hey hey!" His voice boomed out over the din of a dozen men moving back and forth. Most of them carried heavy crates of preserved food, tents, and various other sundries. Yet others carried something that was far more important.

"Do you know how much this costs?!" Christian demanded of the brute of an orc carrying his Arreten Compass. "I could buy three ships for the cost it!"

The Orc frowned for a moment, looking at Christan, and then to the small device that he had been holding in his arms. Once unfolded it stood about the size of a halfling, with three strange magnifiers on the end as well as a large blue crystal. It's workings were a mystery to most people, including the orc who was still holding it as tightly as one might a bat.

"You sure? This thing don't seem much more than some metal and shiny glass."​

The orc waved it slightly, and Christian nearly burst. "YES I'M SURE!"

He shouted, shaking his head and immediately snatching the Compass from the Orcs grasp. Panic and rage equally priming his voice as he took a step back from the brute threatening to destroy his life's work before it even began.

"Just nevermind, I'll carry it." Better than having it be smashed to bits. "Go and...see to the carts."

Christian said with a dismissive wave, letting out a loud sigh of contempt as the Orc shrugged his shoulders and began to walk towards some of his fellows. "Kress. We couldn't have hired anyone with an education?"

He said to himself with a shake of his head, carefully taking the compass and heading back towards his own wagon. Mr Fiddlesticks quickly loping behind him.

 

[Azula]

"... And then he shouted at my son like he was some stupid serving boy!"

Azula tried to refrain from rubbing at her temples and her fingers flexed with the effort. Instead she forced herself to continue tearing up the tiny chunks of chicken for Keiko who perched watching her intently.

"And what do you want me to do about this, Mistress Cho?" she asked with as much calm as she could muster. The cooks tirade about Christopher had not been her first one this trip, not even the first this morning, and despite how much she made it clear she would not be doing anything about it, the people who worked here seemed to think she should. As his Keeper, as one of the Orc outriders had put it. The cook when she looked up was red in the face from all her blustering and she looked at Azula as though she wished she could skin her alive and add her to her pot. The former General winced; it was never a good idea to upset the person handling your food.

"I will speak with him," she relented and the cook nodded crisply then turned back to her tasks. Quietly, Azula gathered the chicken strips and left her to her duties. Keiko took flight and landed on her shoulder where the General quietly fed her bits. It didn't take long to find the source of her misery and caught the tail end of the exchange between him and the orc.

"Must you upset everyone here?" she asked calmly, stepping in behind him like an unwanted shadow.

 

[Christian Albrecht]

Azula stepped up besides him as he nearly reached his own wagon, still cradling the compass gently in his grasp. His free hand gently adjusted some of the mounts, a small tune carrying from his throat as he quite happily shifted one of the small gears back to it's proper place.

There was a slight jump in his step as she spoke, as though he hadn't quite noticed her. "What?"

Christian half whirled around, glancing back at the warrior and frowning at her. Confusion flickering over his features.

"Whose upset?" The Architect asked, apparently entirely unaware of the raucous he'd been causing throughout the camp. "I'm simply ensuring that everything is in place for the coming weeks."

The success of this project was the most important thing after all. "They understand that."

Christian said with a vague gesture towards the people around them. Stepping up to his cart and grabbing at the painted wooden door.

 

[Azula]

Azula tried not to sigh.

"You might find you have better results asking for it in a nicer way than calling people fools beneath your breath - in a not so quiet voice I might add."

Oh how far she had fallen to be counselling a... a... architect. She had counselled the Dynast herself - may she live forever - and Generals across the dynasty. People had travelled miles to hear what she might say about their battle plans. Now she was playing diplomat to a band of cooks, mercenaries, scientists and mages. Yet the Order had given her her punishment for her transgressions and she would bear it and bear it quietly.

The eagle perched upon her shoulder took flight to perch upon the side of the wagon and its head cocked to one side as it eyed up the cat prowling round Christian's ankles.

"Honey catches more flies, and my time is meant to be spent protecting you from bandits. Not our own cook."

 

[Christian Albrecht]

Christian pulled open the door to his traveling carriage, glancing back towards Azula. "Why be dishonest?"

He asked, a perplexed look crossing his features.

It was as if he didn't quite understand the very concept she was speaking about. The idea of not correcting someone being utterly absurd. His head shook as he moved up the three steps towards the small moving cabin, gently setting down the compass in his arms onto a bolted table.

"I suppose I can try more 'gentle' correction." He mused, finally looking back at Azula. "I once taught a class of kindergartners."

Christian said. "Perhaps if I apply the same methods here my results would in fact be better."

A hand came up to gently tap at his chin in thought.

 

[Azula]

Azula wasn't sure what a 'kindergartner' was but any method different to the one he was currently trailing had to be better, right? Keiko looked at her with her head cocked to one side then the other as if to say what do you think? Supressing another sigh - she had been sighing a lot since this particular assignment - she rested her hand on the hilt of her katana for comfort and nodded in what she hoped was an encouraging manner.

"Saying please and thank you is the custom in these lands too," wherever Christian had been raised had clearly lacked such common courtesy's. Deciding that was enough handholding when it came to the management of people, Azula abruptly ended the conversation by walking round to the front of his personal carriage to check on the animal who would be carrying them.

​

Despite the heavy load on its back, the Gürveliin was stretched out in the sun so those milling about would be able to easily load what they needed to onto the carriage upon his back but also, Azula suspected, so that he could enjoy these warm rays of late spring. His long tongue flicked out to taste the air before her face as she approached and petted the creatures scaled ears.

"Not long now," she murmured. Other gürveliin were getting to their feet under the direction of their masters, and the larger wagons were pulled by great tusked beasts who were hitched four to each great wooden structure. Those carried the materials they would need for the Great Canal.

 

[Christian Albrecht]

"Little bit outdated one though isn't it?" Christian did not notice that Azula had walked away.

His focus was instead on another one of the instruments in the small carriage. His fingers gently fiddling with a small metallic bauble that seemed to have eight outstretched arms. At the center of it lay a crystal as clear as a sunny day.

He looked through it as he continued to speak. "Intention often doesn't matter when providing information."

Christian said, his hand reaching for something on the desk even as he fiddled with the crystal.

"People will take you at your words when they know you-" He cut himself off as he looked away from the Crystal and noticed that his bodyguard had gone. His lips thinned for a moment and he shook his head. "So much for 'thank you'."

He said to himself with a sigh, then turned back to his work.

There was still much to do after all.

 

[Azula]

Whilst Azula went about performing the checks on their mount for the next few days, Keike stayed with Christian, her head tilting now and then from one side to the other as she switched her attention between him and the cat. If an eagle could lick its lips it most certainly would then.

The last few bits were loaded with a great final burst of activity and then the rather large group of workers, mages, army patrols, and general servants were finally ready to move out. A centaur stood upon a slightly raised bit of hill so that he could be seen and heard across the gathering caravan. Two long blows. That signalled they would be leaving in ten minutes.

"Time to board, Master Albrecht," Azula said crisply. Other Gürveliin's were rising to their feet and theirs flicked his tail impatiently. "Can you manage?"

 

[Christian Albrecht]

A piece of metal clicked into place on the wall, fastened securely like the other instruments alongside it. He gave it a rather self-pleased nod, as if complimenting himself in his mind. Attention turning towards Azula only when he was sure the contraption stayed in place.

"Why of course!" He said with quite the beaming smile.

"I have been preparing for this for five years." Christian bragged. "When I first proposed the project everyone thought me mad, but now?"

He laughed. "Now it's quite clear whose the fool, eh?"

Christian smirked at Azula, taking a deep breath as he patted Mr. Fiddlesticks on the head. He was sure that this would go well.

There was no way it couldn't, not with him in charge.

"I should give a speech." Christian remarked. "It is a rather momentous occasion after all."

 

[Azula]

Azula's face was blank was Christian went on his self congratulatory prattle; she'd become accustomed to them by now. But when he mentioned giving a speech a muscle in her jawline feathered.

"I don't think that's a good--"

Three loud blasts on the horn sounded. It was time to go. Azula was very rarely relieved but she certainly was in this instance.

"It'll have to wait," she offered an insincere apologetic smile and all but pushed him back into the plush seats of the carriage, shutting the door behind her before climbing into the front section. With the size of the Gürveliin the carriage - such as it was - was like a large open room with seats and a bolted down table, then a drivers bench that faced out over the creatures head. She took up her position there and gathered the reins. With a command the beast rose and stretched, rocking their seats, and then lumbered after the others peeling out of the meeting ground.

 

[Christian Albrecht]

"Ah well." Christian said, head shaking as though he hadn't been married to the idea anyway. "Just as good, I've only half a page written."

The journey would at least allow him to create a second draft and make some edits.

Sitting himself down at the table the architect began to pull half a dozen different things from his pack. Most of them seeming to be cases for pencils and various sharpeners. Eventually topped off with a carefully balanced inkpot sitting on some sort of steadying contraption. "I'll make the speech tonight!"

He declared happily.

"At our first camp." How wonderfully cheering that would be for the tired crew. "Perhaps it will inspire them so much they won't want to rest at all."

They had a lot of ground to cover after all.

 

[Azula]

Keiko wheeled over head once and then soared ahead. For a moment, her eyes flashed white and she allowed herself to see through the eyes of the bird. Their caravan looked so small to the eagle from way up high, but she turned her sights ahead. Nothing stood in their way, no sign of danger. Today, it seemed, would be a smooth ride. Keiko suddenly veered having spotted a rabbit and Azula let the eagle's mind go. A good hunt was a good omen.

"As you say, Master Albrecht. Though I would imagine most of those here with us are more interested in the coin of the Dynast - may she Live forever - than in the... marvel you are creating."

 

[Christian Albrecht]

Christian began to scribble away at the parchment in front of him, though it was easy to see that half of it was already covered in neatly written ink.

The Architect managed to maintain shockingly neat handwriting even as the great lizard beneath them rumbled below. His fingers moving with a surprising deftness as he compensated for the creatures movements and the ever shifting tide of the carriage. "Small men care only for money."

He commented idly.

"Great men care only for legacy." Christian never looked away from his paper as he continued to speak. "And I will be a great man."

There was no smugness in his voice, just ambition. "This will help people, not just aggrandize me. Think of the flow of trade! The cities that could be built! The amount of food that will be sent down this canal."

Christian beamed, stopping his writing for a moment. "This will make a difference. More than any battle, more than any war ever has."

 

[Azula]

This canal will change the world, Azula. The Erdeniin Dynasty will be a part of that, with or without you.

Azula frowned.

Bhathairck, Alliria, Belgarth, Vel Anir, even Oban had all pledged funds to the canal in the hopes that the success here would increase trade, and perhaps lead to another on their own continent. If that happened the world might be linked in a whole new way. Were they ready for that? Such questions were not for the likes of her to decide, she supposed. It was best to focus on her job.

"It will certainly change the world forever," she conceded and glanced up at the sky to watch Keiko circle. "Perhaps you should include that in your speech," some of the people in their group might like the idea of their name being attached to such a thing.

 

[Christian Albrecht]

"Of course!" Christian declared with a wide beaming smile. "It will be the very center piece."

Though there was no question of his genius, Christian had never much felt the need to throw it in people's face. Most of the speech was about what they were going to build, how it would benefit the world and of course a tiny part about how he had made it all happen.

But that part really was tiny.

Mostly he wanted to impress upon those on this journey how important this was. How much things would change and what they would gain even as ordinary people. "The people here will be able to look at their children and say..."

He pointed, randomly, acting as the parent in this scenario. "I did that. I did that my child. I helped build Albrechts Waterway Canal."

They were still arguing about the name, of course.

 

[Azula]

"The Trans Taagi Canal," Azula corrected in a tired manner. The Dynasty would not stand for someone's name to be attached unless it was their own and with how many investors there were involved now, the possibility of that was dwindling. Yet another bit of politics she didn't want to be involved in and yet found herself constantly in the middle of. She missed the ease of her sword and the battle. The simple mantra that she might not live to fight another day. Absently she brushed her finger over the puckered scar on her cheek.

Before he could launch into his speech on the merits of his chosen name, Azula continued.

"We should reach the base camp tomorrow with this many people, the Udirdagch might not stop until late in order to cover more ground," she was more musing aloud than anything but she knew her charge liked to know the schedule and if it should change. "Plenty of time for you to write your speech in any case."

 

[Christian Albrecht]

"Yes the Albrech Taagi Central Canal." Christian said with no hint of irony or mockery in his tone. As though he hadn't even heard what she'd actually said and simply replaced it with something fro his own mind.

Something that was entirely likely given how he'd actually responded.

"Oh it's already done." He told her with a wave of his quill. "Now it's just the editing."

A frown touched his face. "Do you you think Incredible or Awstriking is a better word?"

That was how the day went. Christian wrote, rewrote, and edited his speech. The sun turning and the clouds above shifting as they continued on their path. By the time they reached their base camp the next day the subject had been talked to death, Azula had attempted to throw a book at the Architect(which he was entirely unaware of), and things were generally uneventful.

Hopping down from the lizard Christian smiled as he looked around.

"Seems a fitting place for camp." He said, glancing back towards Azula. "No?"

Of course, Christian didn't know that where they stopped for now wasn't actually the base camp, but a watering hole for the animals.

 

[Azula]

Azula echoed the huge sigh the gürveliin gave and the pair exchanged a look.

"It's just a break spot, Chris. To water the Gürveliin," she indicated the lizard who blinked at Christian and then used its long tongue to lick its eyeball. Azula tried not to laugh as she tugged on the reins and motioned for the beast to follow her over to the watering hole. "We'll have to carry our things the rest of the way to the camp, it's not too far from here," she called over her shoulder.

Sure enough others were beginning to unload from the giant lizards onto smaller carts they could push up the narrow slope. Up on the ridge was where they would make their camp.

 

[Christian Albrecht]

"Christian." There was no heat behind the correction, it was said with such an absent mind that it almost seemed as though it had been done automatically. Like he hadn't even entirely registered she'd said it wrong in the first place.

"Oh." He continued immediately. "Well of course!"

Christian said as he gently slapped in his own forehead. "Wouldn't want the ocean to fall on us if it rains!"

It took him only seconds to realize that with the angles of the valley and the shift of the river this place would likely become a flood plain within seconds. Really quite extraordinary that it had already been planned for, perhaps his team was more competent than he'd given them credit for.

”You there, my strapping, intelligent fellow. Please carry my things to camp.” He gestured to one of the orc workmen nearby. A man already clearly busy with a large crate of what appeared to be feed for the animals. "But please, do be careful! The equipment is delicate. Just take your time! There’s no rush to getting it to the top. In fact, maybe stay here and simply Guard it."

As he finished being generous Christian turned, catching up to Azula with a swift walk and giving her a thumbs up. He was really nailing this being more generous thing.

Behind him the Orc he had addressed stood in place, staring at Azula with complete lack of amusement.

 

[Azula]

Azula's face seemed to spasm as she tried not to grimace.

I'm sorry, she mouthed over her shoulder once Christian was a little way ahead of her, no doubt eager to see where the work would start. The Orc gave a grunt before begrudgingly turning to unload the items from their carriage. No doubt there would be more than a few 'lost' or 'accidentally broken' smaller items. The orcs could be a petty lot.

She guided Christian up the narrow pathway to the crest that overlooked the ocean beyond. In the setting sun the water of the Gulf of Laid glittered with hues of burnt orange and red. Ships became black silhouettes that bobbed on the open water as they anchored for the night, no doubt wanting to enjoy one last evening near a tavern before they set out to the open sea. The camp itself was far from the nearest town, however, which could just be made out in a curving bay to their left.

"We shouldn't disturb anyone tomorrow when we start at least," Azula commented, her hands clasping behind her back.

 

[Christian Albrecht]

Christian watched the sights in front of them, though not for any pretty view.

In his mind he was already making the first calculations. Overlaying the plans left back at the carriage with what he was witnessing. His mind never really stopped working, not when his entire lifes goal lay directly in front of him. "Perfect."

He whispered, more to himself than to Azula.

"We'll start blasting first." Adro had invented a number of wonderful chemicals to facillitate such things, but this wondrous invention actually came from the dwarves. "Progress will be slow at first, but it will pick up."

Turning, Christian continued. "The Surveying will take most of our time after I set the boys to work."

He commented, walking to find a place where his tent could be erected properly.

 

[Azula]

Azula's lips pressed into a thin line at the mention of blasting. Her own history led to a natural distrust of the dwarven chemicals; she had seen the darker side to their uses.

"I'll be more comfortable when the mages are involved," she admitted, her hand unconsciously stroking the hilt of her blade. It wasn't that she didn't believe a mage could go rogue and do as much damage as the chemicals, but a mage was a singular threat. Any idiot could use these chemicals giving it a whole new level of danger.

The orc trundled up the hill with one large crate on his shoulder and several bags squeezed into his meaty hands.

 

[Christian Albrecht]

"Nonsense!" Christian waved his hand dismissively. "Magic, is all well and good, but hardly enough."

From his pocket he fished out a small pipe, digging further for his pouch of tabacc. "This project will need more, Miss Tamiko."

The architect contended.

It wasn't that he didn't see the value in magic, just the opposite! He knew how useful wizards and sorcerers could be. Adro, his home, lauded the merging of science and magic, and although he definitely leaned towards the former he knew the latter would be important.

"The blasting powder will be essential." He pointed at her with the pipe. "Magic can give us neither the speed, nor the distance we require."

All of this, of course, had a timetable.

Investors wanted to see results, and even with the dedication of several cities, Noble Houses, and merchant guilds there simply weren't enough mages to go around. Even if they had a hundred of them it would take the group years to make any sort of progress.

That was where science came in. Where Christian came in. "Do be careful with that!"

Christian said suddenly, departing from the conversation as he noticed the Orc. His head turning for a moment as he regarded Azula, and then the architect added. "Please."

 

[Azula]

Azula's face said she agreed but that she didn't like it one bit.

She turned to follow after him when he spotted the poor orc. The large blue-skinned hired hand paused in what he was doing when he heard Christian's voice and cast a glance in his direction. The please earned a slight raising of one bushy brow but he did take a lot more care with setting the things down than he had shown loading them earlier. Azula gave the architect a "see" look.

As the orc lumbered off to fetch more, another came up with more of Christian's stuff, and another followed close behind. With three working on it it wasn't long before the whole carriage had been unloaded and Azula had begun to lay out the tent to be erected. If Christian could decide where he wanted the bloody thing.

"Christian, I really don't think it matters too much where you are camped," she said in an exasperated voice.

 

[Christian Albrecht]

Christian looked at Azula as though she had just struck him across the face. "Doesn't matter?!"

He repeated.

"Doesn't matter?" The incredulity in his voice was a bit much, but there was absolutely no mockery in his tone. Head shaking he stepped out, and over one of the tent pegs that had already been placed in the ground. "I'm not a savage, Miss Tamiko."

The Architect gestured. "If we're to camp here I must get proper sleep."

He pointed to his head.

"The mind requires proper rest." Christian nodded, agreeing with himself. "And to get proper rest, things must be put the right way. Thus the tent must face east, the ground has to have the right consistency."

His foot stabbed at the dirt beneath him. "And of course Mr. Fiddlesticks has to have a place to lay in the sun."

Obviously.