Making Room (open all Ranchers)

[Matalina]

With all the new blood coming in Nathan set aside money and time for new out buildings to be constructed. He hired a man from Cairhein to oversee the process, but insisted that his own ranch hands help in the building process. There were camps set up for the various workers that he'd brought with him. Nathan introduced the ranchers to the crew lead. "This is Devon Grady. He will be your boss while you are working the outbuildings."

 

Devon moved around the crowd almost in discust, he hadn't expected to see females on the job. "I hope she can handle the work load." Nathan smiled. "I think you'll be surprised, Cari is one of the stronger of the workers here. And I'd not make her angry by assuming she can't handle the work." It wasn't a thread, but a statement of fact. Devon just shook his head. "She better not slow us down, any of them better now."

 

Cari was slightly miffed by the man's attitude towards the ranchers. He set them to moving rocks from the wagons to the houses that were being erected. Cari donned a pair of thick leather gloves and moved the blocks easily. It was after all one of her favorite training exercises for the trainees to increase their strength. She enjoyed the mundane work of building a house, and it brought someone else happiness, but that was another world gone and today they would be building their own houses. Cari was hoping for a bigger one, now that Fawne had moved in with her. She was happy the young woman was with her, still a child but growing into her own very quickly. She hoped that some of the others would be able to help her grow father as well.

 

OOC: No real direction for this. If you want your own house you are free to design it. I know I will be doing Cari's soon and show ya'll.

 

Cari

[Guest Celes]

What was all the fuss about? Aki opened her eyes and slowly removed the blanket she was hiding under, she had returned late the night before from a trip down south and had not wanted to know what everyone was up and about. She had noticed more people around the Ranch and as Nathan had said earlier, she expected there to be more residents. Aki liked the livelihood of the Ranch and slowly rose from her bed to see if there were some customers among them maybe. She was stiff from the two days on horseback and decided to take it easy when she noticed from a peek through the curtain that Cari was hauling large stones. The children were nowhere to be seen and Aki suspected she was up late and they were off to school already.

 

She got dressed in a pair of black breeches and donned on a warm vest over her white shirt so she was warm enough to travel outside and face the music. After taking an apple from her small kitchen table, she ventured outside to see what was going on. “Good morning Cari, or is it afternoon so soon already?” she said with a smile that Cari could appreciate. They had a special kind of friendship and Aki would never forget how Cari got her this place in the Ranch, she liked Cari and her fondness had grown as time passed on the Ranch. “I just got in late last night, would you like to get me up to speed, what is going on here?”

 

Aki

[Matalina]

Cari returned Aki's smile and laughed softly at the greeting. Didn't know what time of day it was, traveling did that to you sometimes. "Nathan is making room for more of our residents on the ranch to have their own place to stay." Cari placed the rock she was carrying on the pile and went to stand with Aki. "It seems we are growing and Nathan doesn't want us in his house."

 

Cari looked over at her new boss and saw him frown. "He doesn't think highly of me working here." Cari decided to take one of the larger rocks and hoist it over to the pile alone. Normally she'd have asked for help but she was proving a point to the stupid man.

 

Nearly out of breath Cari dropped the rock in the new pile and returned back to Aki and looked at Devon. "Maybe he'll shut up now."

 

Cari turned her attentions back to her friend. "It seems that he's building enough houses and these are larger, and we get the picks of them and the next new folks get the vacated smaller ones."

 

Cari was glad to see. "Travel hard? Or a long night?" It may have been both, but with Aki you never knew, much like herself it seemed.

 

Cari

[Guest Celes]

Aki grinned softly and stroked some hairs from Cari’s face, she was working herself too hard and the strain was visible in her face. But Aki knew that telling Cari this would do nothing to improve it, she liked the hard work and to push herself beyond her limits. Aki however was not that type of person and she would not be hauling any stones herself. Cari asked her what she’d been up to and Aki knew that both of them knew she could not tell. “I was off on a trip, visiting an old friend in the south, but I should be back for a few weeks at least.” She smiled at the man who was supposedly running this project and winked at him. It never hurt to be on his good side.

 

“I want to help,” she said to Cari as she turned on her heel, the look on Cari’s face was priceless as Aki explained that she did not mean with the hauling of the stones. “I can make curtains, bed sheets and help with the moving of the stuff once the houses are built. It might not mean the same as building the stones and the foundation but I feel I should contribute.” She then placed a hand on Cari’s arm, “I like being your neighbor here, but do you mind if I stick to my small place, I quite like it and don’t need a lot more room.” She then kissed the woman lightly on the cheek and started to walk over to the man who had now turned his back to them and was drawing in the sand for two other men to see. “Some refreshments maybe?” she asked with a light voice and then walked to the main Rashad house to help Sara Rashad with the fresh water for the hardworking men and woman.

 

Glancing out of the window from the Rashad house, Aki could see that Cari had gone back to work as if she had never had any disturbance. Aki thought of how they sometimes spent long evenings staring at the night sky and talking about life in general and the Ranch. Aki felt safe here and was glad that even in a small way she could contribute. The cups and chalices with water were put on a tray and Aki passed by everyone, ending near Cari to make sure she at least drank one cup of water. She waited for her friend to quench her thirst and then sat down near Cari to keep her company for a bit. “So, have you decided where your new place will lie?"

 

Aki

[Asfaloth]

Asewr stood with all the other residents of the Ranch as Nathan introduced Devon Grady. So they would be getting their own homes would they? That was definitely good news. Aser didn't require much in a house since he knew he'd be gone often on missions but it would be nice to have a place to call his own, a place he could keep things away from prying eyes.

 

As they were set to the task of moving stones Aser overheard Devon complaining to Nathan about women helping, specifically Cari. He laughed so hard he could barely keep the stone in his hands. Cari? Soft and weak? If the man only knew. Cari was the strongest woman Aser had ever met and was more than competent training him to be an assasin.

 

Aser had high hopes for this house he would build for himself. He let his mind wander as he worked, daydreaming of the house and the possibilities granted him by designing it himself.

[TaeaDawn]

Demus had never minded hard work. In fact, when everything else seemed to be crazy he found the work around the ranch tended to clear his mind and help him focus. It seemed like a good day to be at this sort of thing, though Demus took a dislike to the foreman as soon as he began talking. Demus ignored him, recognizing him as a hypocrit and antagonizer. He did say anything about Cari or to her about him. She could take care of herself better than anyone he knew. Part of him hoped the fool actually tried to make a point with Cari. He'd find himself carved up and down before he could realize his mistake.

 

He kept an eye on her though just to make sure she was good. He knew her well enough to see that she was pushing herself hard to prove the man wrong.

 

Demus himself was quite happy to stay where he was. His little house was more than enough for him and he was comfortable there. Instead he was helping others to build, helping Nathan to build this retreat that he now called home. It felt good and right to be doing so. He decided to help to check on one of the newer people so he walked over to Aser and smiled. "Nice day to build a house don't you think?"

 

[Matalina]

Cari watched Demus moved, it seemed she always watched him. She had no idea what it meant but he fasinated her beyond most men or women for that matter, but Aki was still there and they were friends. Cari smiled at her. "If you'd asked that when I first got here I'd say I wanted to be far from everyone else. But now, I hope to have it close to where I was before. My friends are all there and I'd hate to be too far from them." It was the truth and Cari hoped that Aki would know that their friendship meant alot, Aki had helped Cari in so many ways, she wondered if she'd ever repaid the favor, she would have to ask one day.

 

Cari watched the young men talk and work. Aser was showing promise and Demus was always improving his skills, but that man confused her and that was always a trying moment. "Aki, why are men so confusing at times and other times can be lead to water like lambs?" It was a retorical quesstion more or less, but Cari had never understood men, even Alex had his issues and they disagree alot on many things. Cari looked off into the distance to where Alex's grave lay. It was odd having Fawne here and not him. Men were always causing her problems.

 

Cari

[Guest Celes]

Aki was surprised at Cari’s comments on men, as their friendship was party based on their mutual agreement that man were great fun and toys. Cari was not afraid of men, not only by her strength but also by her beauty did she know how to turn a man’s head and keep it turned. Spinning in fact as Aki would see men with clear heads move in on Cari’s territory and come out dazzled and confused. Aki liked that about Cari, that she had a strength that she did not hide, it reminded her of her mother and her teachings as a child. She herself liked to dazzle men and women alike, but always with the purpose to gain something from them, which Cari did not seem to want. Was she actually looking for something more than what could be given, love maybe?

 

The thought made Akasha smile as she watched Cari’s eyes move over the men who were working. Love? No, none of that shone on the other woman’s face and she knew that it was better this way. “I think that men see us like lambs, waiting for their hands to gentle us and then to take us to the slaughter, maybe we see them like that because we act like men and take control,” she realized that the supervisor was watching them and may have overheard what she said, so she rolled her eyes and tilted her head. “Oh what am I saying, speaking my mind like a wench in a bar, I should get going if I want to do some good here,” she did not rush to head back to the kitchen and watched as the men continued to haul the blocks. They did not look tired, full of energy and Cari was nothing less, she looked warm from the hard work but not tired by far. Aki took a seat on the bench in front of her house and started to draw the patterns for the curtains and blankets she wanted to make for Cari’s new home. The measurements she expected to need and the colors that would fit her friends’ home. Maybe others would also make use of her talent, but for now they were occupied by the hard work of masonry.

 

Akasha

[Matalina]

As Aki took her leave Cari went back to work, toning it down a bit so not to over work herself. Demus watched vigiantly as any friend would and Cari would hate to pull him away from the work anymore than she would Nona's from hers.

 

It would be time soon to have the children help out. School would be out soon and the kids would have their normal work out schedule changed in order to help. She was sure they'd throw a fit, but it was all going to be worth it.

 

As Cari set a medium sized rock down she felt a tug at her shirt. Aiden was waiting patiently for a hug, while Kate pulled at her shirt. Aiden spoke quickly before his sister could interrupt. "I told her to at least wait till you put the rock down." Cari grinned.

 

Cari looked up and saw the small group of children, including Aiden, Kate, Taylor and a few of the town boys had showed up for their training. One of the older boys spoke up. "What we doing to day Miss Cari?"

 

Cari smiled. "Today you are buidling houses." And the look on their faces was priceless, chores were not part of the arrangement.

 

Cari took the small group of children to the rock pile they were all working from. "Today you will work on your strength. You cannot be a good fighter if you are weak. Instead of lifting weights or swinging around weighted weapons we will be lifting rocks and moving them. This will not only improve your strength in your arms, but also in your back and legs. All of which you need to be a good fighter."

 

They all still looked dismayed. "Do this for half of your lesson, then you can spar one another the other half. Don't over work yourself, and use the gloves in the pile over there." Cari pointed to them. "Now get to work so you can begin your other lessons."

 

They all sighed but set to work just as the boss came over. "Hiring out children is against my policy."

 

Cari turned and looked at him. "They are training, and in the process helping you for free, so unless you'd like to test their skills against your men, I seriously suggest you give them a few miniutes of your so called precious time and let them have this work out."

 

"Is that a threat?"

 

Cari smiled at him. "Maybe, but you aren't getting any work done by standing here debating this with me now are you." Cari was baiting him. He was an ass of a man and she intended to show him the wrong of his actions.

 

Devon just stood and stared at Cari then broke out into a glare. "I'm the boss here, not you. Get these children out of my work site or I'll be having a right minded converstaion with Nathan."

 

"You going to make me?"

 

And that was all that it took to get him to make a swing at Cari. She easily ducked the swing and grabbed the man by the throat squeezing the breath from his wind pipe. "I would seriously suggest you re-evaluate who you are dealing with." Cari pulled the man down to her level and brought him eye to eye, nearly touching noses. "I could have you in twenty peices before your men even got close."

 

Cari

[TaeaDawn]

It was exactly the thing that Demus has been waiting for. Not that he thought Cari needed his help, but he wanted to show the foreman that Cari had his backing at least. And he wasn't about to stand by in case the man turned nasty with the kids around.

 

He didn't do anything when the man swung at Cari, but he dropped the rock he had been carrying and walked over, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched. Just showing Cari support and letting the fool know he had more than Cari to deal with (though she seemed to be far more than he could handle, he noticed with great pleasure) if he kept his attitude up.