Chapter 13
“Okay, so…Four for Lavender, four for me, four for the feed dray and six for you. That’s eighteen ponies, Harry. Can we manage that many?”
“Once we pick up Colin?” Harry answered. “Yeah, I think the four of us can do that. I mean that’s what? Four each for you and six for me? I managed ten until Fred fell over in front of me. With a baby.”
“True.” Fred nodded and Lavender laughed.
“You’re never going to let go of that baby, are you?” The girl added.
“Not unless it’s to his parents, no.” Harry grinned.
“I wonder what Colin will make of having ponies?” Fred asked.
“We’ll find out tomorrow.” Lavender laughed.
~~~
April 20th 2920
After Erui Crossing, there was only one settlement before they reached Harlond and the gates to Pelennor. Nice wide roads, few corners and cleared areas along the road, made for easy travelling.
Harry and Fred had re-attached the seat to the feed cart, shrinking all but one bag each of grain and chaff and one bale of hay, the shrunken bags and bales went into the feed-stasis-box, leaving enough room for the seat. It made clear to Fred that, no, the cart really wasn’t big enough for him to live in, to carry his excess timber and his completed stock. He would have to get something bigger and that was going to cost, he wasn’t sure he wanted to spend the money, but Harry assured him it was worth it.
They entered massive gates of Minas Tirith earlier than expected, barely an hour after midday. All three of them had looked at the city’s walls and shrugged. Sure, they were pale stone and sure, they were taller than Hogwarts’ walls, but they’d lived behind Hogwarts’ walls for at least six years, seven for Lavender and Fred. These were nothing new.
A guardsman pointed them in the direction of the Livery-yards, but otherwise took little notice of the group. In the yards, the livery manager, listened to Harry when he said they were looking to trade their feed cart and purchase at least two more wagons and another four, or so, ponies. He directed them to the far inner corner and suggested that they use the ponies’ yard as the divider between them and the next group, keeping the wagons along the wall. Once the wagon and Harry’s shop-cart were in place, they turned the feed cart and eased it to the front of the pen, they were going to see the cartwrights immediately. It would depend on what they could get, as to whether they would need the cart, but it was best to have it ready to hitch if needed.
Fred set about getting the pony yards up and roped off, while Lavender held the ponies for Harry to unharness, and between them, they had camp up and ready, inside fifteen minutes.
Then they were off. Harry in the lead, Teddy on his chest as usual, with Lavender and Fred on his heels. He wove his way past the main gates and through the markets, into the more industrial area, past the coopers and tanners, past the lampwrights and wheelwrights and into the small section that was predominantly for the cartwrights. The next challenge would be to find someone that they could work with, who wouldn’t try and cheat them, although Harry wasn’t above using a compulsion charm on someone, to get them to treat them fairly. He wasn’t going to abuse someone by cheating them, he just wanted to be dealt with fairly.
“Master dwarves, mistress dwarrowdam.” A heavy voice greeted them as they approached the first cartwright.
“Master cartwright.” Harry was erring on the side of caution.
“I am Terrel, Master of the Cartwright’s guild in Minas Tirith.” Terrel was short for a Man, but would still be very tall if he was a dwarf. Harry supposed that he could be a part-bred dwarf, but the lack of braids and beads made that unlikely. “What can we do for a pair of young dwarves, such as yourselves?”
“Master Terrel, we find ourselves in need of wagons.” Harry was unanimously tagged as spokesperson. “Our story is… unusual and with your consent, I would like to tell you of it.”
“My office is open to you.” Terrel gestured to a smaller building tucked up against a large shed.
Inside the office, Harry and Lavender sat where Terrel directed, while Fred stood behind Harry, relaxed, but clearly guarding his back. Over the half hour, Harry gave Terrel a brief version of what the three were calling, their ‘public history’.
“May Nienna have mercy…” Terrel sighed.
“Yes.” Harry agreed. “So, now I have Lavender and a younger lad under my protection, as well as Teddy, here. And that raises issues. Lavender cannot be expected to share a wagon with menfolk. While, technically, she is of my House, we share little blood, you have to go back at least seven generations to find a common ancestor. Her sharing accommodations with even myself, doesn’t show the appropriate degree of propriety that one would expect, from a dwarrowdam of her standing. If it were it to continue past an emergency situation, it would be detrimental to her future.”
“Indeed it would.” Terrel nodded.
“To avoid that, I need to purchase another wagon.” Harry said. “And have alterations made to it.”
“What sort of alterations are we talking of?”
“Well, as I said, it’s not just Lavender I need to provide for, but Colin, as well. I had initially planned to have Colin sleep in the main wagon with myself, however, after consideration, Lavender and I have decided to get a larger wagon, something still pullable by two ponies, and divide it in half. The front for Lavender and the rear for Colin. Each will have private space and their own access to that space, but my wagon will be our primary food supply, kitchen and social meeting space. I have a large awning to one side that nearly triples our undercover area.”
“Well, now…” Terrel nodded. “That would work, depending on the division, of course.”
“I was thinking of having that built into the framework of the wagon.” Harry explained. “A permanent storage system accessed from the front, leaving a solid wall from the back. The details on that can be hashed out later, once we’ve found wagons.”
“It can.” Terrel nodded again.
“But in addition to that, part of my compact with Fred, means that I need to house him, too.” Harry added. “For a year of his service, I will provide him a wagon that he can both live and work in, a cart that he can use to transport his wares to markets and four ponies to pull them.”
“That is some compact…” Terrel blinked.
“It is.” Harry grinned. “But for the next year, he’s at my call, all day, every day.”
“Ah, that’s… that's a harsh compact.” Terrel looked at Fred.
“It could be.” Fred nodded and shrugged. “But I’ve known Harry for years and this is the only way I can see, that will get me wagons and ponies, without getting into debt. I’d much rather this, I know Harry won’t abuse it, he’s not that sort of person. And at the other end, I have my wagons, I have my ponies and whatever stock I make, when Harry’s not needing me.”
“But it also means that as I’ll be purchasing more ponies, we need to trade the small wagon we’re currently using as a feed cart, for something larger. Which in turn, means more ponies to pull that.” Harry was happy to use almost formal language, as it implied that he was of a reasonably high status with a matching education, as was shown by his scribe’s bead.
“Tis a vicious circle, young Master.” Terrel agreed.
“It is.” Harry nodded.
“What sort of wagons are you thinking of?”
Harry grimaced. “If we can get them, two plains-runners, one for Fred and one for Lavender and Colin, something around a twelve-footer. A flatbed dray for a feed-wagon, ten-foot, maybe? That’s up for negotiation. And a modified box-cart for Fred as shop-cart, something between three and six foot.”
“Well, now…” Terrel tilted his head and thought. “I do know of a couple of plains-runners. A box-cart is easy, too. But a pony-dray? That could be a challenge.”
“No,” Harry shook his head, “the challenge is going to be time. As per the treaties between the Iron Hills and Gondor, we need to be out of the city in two nights. Unless I plan to register with the city’s trade-Master, and I don’t. We’re headed north, but as yet, we haven’t decided on whether to go to the Irons Hills, the Blue Mountains, or somewhere in between.”
“So you’d only have today, tomorrow and the following day?”
“And we’d have to leave by mid-afternoon, to get out of the Pelennor Fields, to where we could camp for the night.”
“True.” Terrel agreed. “Alright, I think we can help, but it’s going to cost, you understand? It’s a fair amount of work, in a rather limited amount of time.”
“I know, but I can see no way around it.” Harry huffed.
Terrel took them to see Jobe, who had one of the plains-runner wagons and within an hour, an agreement was made and work had started on what would be Lavender and Colin’s wagon. Then it was a couple doors down on the other side of the main road and into a blind alley to see Bittan, who had the second plains-runner. Another hour with him and it was back to the main road to see Sholan who had a box-cart that might suit Fred, after a bit of work. And finally, they were led to a drafty old building owned by Clofter, to check out a possible dray. Thankfully, Clofter was prepared to consider a trade, for Harry’s smaller wagon and Terrel agreed to check both the dray and the wagon over and tell them what he considered a fair price for each vehicle.
That meant, that they (meaning Harry, of course) had to go back to the livery-yards, harness up a pony and bring the little wagon back to Terrel’s workshop.
By the time he’d sorted all that out, it was late in the afternoon, barely an hour before dusk, but they needed fresh food, so Harry was off to the southern markets for shopping.
~~~
As he moved through the jostling crowd, heading for the exit with enough supplies for dinner, a trio of boys ran past, bumping into him as they went.
“Watch it.” Harry chided, his hands automatically soothing Teddy back to sleep.
“Sorry.” One boy called over his shoulder.
“Sorry, Harry.” A second boy called, only to skid to a halt a few yards on and turn around, in shock. “H-Harry?” The blonde boy was crouched down as though to hide from someone.
“There you are, Colin, get your backside over here.” Harry knew that people were watching and he wanted to make downplay the incident. “Lavender’s waiting for us. Why do you always have to run off?” The last was muttered, just loud enough for the nearby spectators to hear. One snorted, as they tried to smother a laugh. But it did what Harry wanted and they were no longer the centre of attention.
“Harry?” Colin had crept closer, but he was still wondering if he was imagining things.
“Colin…” Harry frowned and huffed at the younger boy.
“Sorry, Harry.” The blonde boy straightened up and approached Harry.
“Hey, Col?” The third of the boys stopped beside Colin. “You coming? Bon’s only going to wait so long, you’re still on trial-run. You don’t turn up with us, you don’t get another chance. Not with Bon, anyway.”
“You got anything you want to bring?” Harry asked. “Lavender and Fred are waiting.”
Colin looked from Harry, to the other boy and back, before shaking his head. “Nah, I got nothing, Harry.” He turned to the boy. “Tell Bon thanks, but my ride turned up, I’ma go with Harry. Every time.”
“Your loss.” The boy shrugged and ran off.
Colin sidled up to Harry. “Hey, Harry? What’s going on?”
“Shopping for dinner supplies. Come on, let’s get this back, it’s my turn to cook and I’m hungry. Then I’ll explain.”
“Ah… okay…” Colin blinked a few times.
“You’re serious?” Colin gasped. “Really? Minas Tirith? Gondor? Seriously?” Harry wasn’t sure the boy’s eyes could get any wider.
“Yes.” Harry nodded. “I’m really serious about this.”
“Oh, wow…” Colin whispered.
“Eat your dinner, Colin.” Harry ordered. “Then I can see about hunting up some clothes for you, good thing you’re still smaller than either Fred or I. That means there’s plenty to choose from. In the meantime…? We’re dwarves. Yes, we’re Tolkien’s dwarves, but it means that we need to think about some beads to go in your hair. That’s how dwarves determine Id and Family lines. If we come up with some designs, I think Fred and Lavender can transfigure something.”
“What sort of beads? How?” Colin asked.
Harry gave him a two-minute explanation and when he finished, Colin nodded.
“So, I need something for mum, something for dad, something for Dennis and something for me. Designs for all of them and me.”
“Yes.” Harry replied, even though Colin hadn’t phrased it as a question. “And utrab beads for scribe and once we leave the city, I’ll start working with all three of you in hand-to-hand. Maybe some other stuff, too.”
“Okay, I can do that. Then what?”
“While Fred and Lavender see to your beads, I’ll help you with clothes and a wand.” Harry answered. “We might get lucky and your wand might be in the box, Hermione said that Ollivander put in some of the wands from those that fought at Hogwarts.”
“My wand?” Colin nearly cried at the thought of having his wand back.
Harry nodded. “If we’re lucky, if not, Ollivander also put in the entire contents of Hogwarts’ lost wand room. A thousand years’ worth of wands. I have no idea how many are there. Particularly, as Hogwarts’ used to have her own wandmakers and all their stock was put in.”
“Oh, wow…” Colin was almost silent.
As the three boys bedded down for the night, Teddy’s cradle hanging form a hook near Harry’s knees, Colin leant up on an elbow to speak to Harry.
“I died, didn’t I?”
“Yeah…” Harry answered.
“Do you know… how?”
“No, but you weren’t injured, so we figure either a Killing Curse or a Heart-Stopper.”
“But… quick?”
“No injuries, Colin, not even a scratch, so, yeah, quick.” Harry drew in a deep breath. “And what in Merlin’s name were you doing there?! You’re sixteen, for God’s sake, you should have listened to McGonagall. You shouldn’t have been there. Think about what would happened if Dennis had followed you. Think about how he feels, right now. Gods above, Colin…” He didn’t stop the mini-rant coming out but he didn’t continue it past that one explosion, either.
“… oh…” Colin’s eyes went wide and his chin trembled.
“Oh, for… Come here, Colin.” Harry pulled the other boy, and his bedroll, across and into his arms. “I’m not angry, I’m just… I was scared for you. Scared something could happen to you and it did. But right now? You’re alive. If you’re not, then neither are Fred or Lavender or me, and I feel alive. So I’m going with… we’re all alive.”
“Alive…” Colin murmured into Harry’s shoulder.
“Alive.” Harry repeated. “While I was on the run with Ron and Hermione, I found a book that said that the Veil of Death isn’t actually the Veil of Death, but the Veil of Justice…. Or Judgement, they both translate the same from parseltongue. I know I got sent here, by the Veil, and I’m assuming that because of our connection to each other and that as he was in my arms when I entered the Veil, Teddy came with me. But you three? I know that you, Fred and Lavender didn’t go into the Veil, so I have no idea how you got here. Nor Hedwig, for that matter. No idea, at all.”
“Could Lady Magic have send us, because… I mean… we would have followed you, Harry, even if we knew it could mean we died.” Fred asked from his own bedroll.
“I don’t know, Fred.” Harry sighed. “And I don’t know, if we’ll ever find out.”
“Hmmf…” Fred grunted.
“Yeah,” Harry agreed, “but that doesn’t change anything. We’re here and we have to live here.”
“Hmmf…” Colin grunted this time.
“But we know what’s coming.” Harry said. “We know about the hobbit and the Ring. And I don’t think that any of us are going to let innocent people die when they don’t have to.”
“So…? Another war?” Fred asked.
“Another war.” Harry answered. “Not for years, though. We’ve time to build lives before then. And do some proper planning. We can’t avoid the mountain’s fight, but we might be able to stop it, before it becomes a full-out war between nations. I’m going to try, anyway.”
~~~
April 21st 2920
Immediately after breakfast, Harry lead his little troop through the market that wasn’t quite up and going, some stalls were open but many were still making their preparations for the day. They wove through the few early morning customers and then through the other industrial areas, until they reached the cartwright’s sector.
“We’ll see them in order.” Harry had said when the subject was raised over breakfast. “That will give each of them the same amount of time to work as the others had. It’s only fair.” And while it had earned him a pouting whine from Fred, the other two had agreed.
So, Jobe was first.
“Master dwarves, mistress.” The rangy old man greeted them. “Come see. We’ve got the ribs up and the siding for the off-side done, windows for the near-side cut out, but we’ve only got the off-side ones marked out. The slide-out-and-down ladders are done, but the doors aren’t.”
Harry studied the wagon. “What about the roof?” He asked.
“The roof will be very fine boards, two layers, the first going along the length of the wagon and the outer layer will be laid from side to side. Then painted with ship's-black and a layer of canvass goes over that, we can paint that red, green or black.”
“Red.” Was the instant answer from Colin and Lavender.
“Red, then.” Jobe nodded. “Now, the lady’s section in the front? We’ve got the usual step-through from the drive-seat to the wagon-bed closed off, again two layers of fine board, with ship-black and canvass over it, on the outside. No windows there.” He led them up onto a platform that sat alongside the wagon and gestured to the opening where a door would eventually be. “Mistress dwarf, if you’d like to take a look.” While Lavender stuck her head in the door and beckoned Harry over, Jobe continued his verbal tour. “We’ve placed the bed behind the drive-seat, this gives the young mistress the full width of the wagon for her bed. There’s a small, fold-down table beside it, that can be used for writing, or as a dressing table. Some shelves between the front and window, on the near-side wall for her pretties’, and the shelving and wardrobe space is the divider between the young mistress’ space and the young lad’s. If the young mistress likes we can add insulation in the form of low-grade wool and enclose it with a single layer of the fine board. It’s only a little thicker than a traditional veneer, but we use it as individual layers. That way if the mistress wants, she can cover it in fabric or paint it, to make it prettier.”
“I do like the idea of that.” Lavender turned to Harry. “Can I, please?”
“Of course, you can.” Harry assured her.
“If you’ll come around the back, here?” Jobe said. “The lad’s section is placed sideways to the mistress’, because of the where the door is. You enter here, in the middle of the back. The bed is to the left and the wardrobe and storage area is to the right, with the folding table and shelves, opposite the door. Windows will be above the bed and on each side of the door, high up.”
“I like it.” Colin was nearly bouncing, he was so excited. All that was missing was the camera and Harry could have expected to look out the door and see Hogsmeade.
“Very nicely done, Master Jobe.” Harry said.
“Thankee, sir.” Jobe ducked his head. “Me lads have done well. We expect to be finished by midday.”
“Oh, lovely.” Lavender beamed at the man, earning herself a smile and a little bow.
“Definitely.” Harry also smiled at the man. “Do we have a better idea of the final cost, yet?”
“Aye, sir.” Jobe said. “Gonna be about Ç9, Š5. Give or take a little for the paint. I’ve got enough for the roof but not the sides. Not in red.”
“Do you have golden tan?” Harry asked. “Red and gold are the colours of Gryffindor House.”
“Oh, aye, I’ve plenty of light tan. Will you be wanting gold gilt?”
“No, not for travelling.” Harry shook his head.
“Fair enough.” Jobe agreed. “Painting may take an hour more, though.”
“How about we say two hours after midday?” Harry offered.
“Excellent, Master dwarf.”
From there they went across to Bittan, he and Fred very earnestly discussed all sorts of things, with the two coming to an agreement and shaking hands.
“Well?” Harry asked. He’d made it clear to Bittan that while he was paying, Fred was the one that he had to please.
“All good.” Fred nodded. “I’m going with the golden tan for the side, but also for the roof, just having the trims in red. Cost is Ç9, flat. Mostly because the rear section is just shelving, no windows.”
“Sound fair.” Harry nodded. “And collection?”
“Same as for Jobe, two hours after midday.”
“Brilliant.” Harry grinned. “Sholan, next. That’s all yours, too.”
“Great, thanks, Harry.” Fred huffed.
“Well?”
“I like it.” Fred nodded, “paintwork is the same as my wagon. Cost is Ç3, Š8 and I can pick up at midday.”
“Great.” Harry nodded. “Back to Terrel’s to see about the feed-dray. Then we’ll hit the markets and get the three of you, everything else you need for your wagons. Maybe try and get out to the horse-traders and see what they have.”
“You don’t need us for that, Harry.” Fred said. “None of us have any pony or horse experience, so we can hit the markets, while you do that. I’ll escort Lavender and Colin can push the hand-wagon.”
“Sure, I can do that.” Colin nodded energetically.
“Alright with you, Lavender?” Harry asked.
“Sure, but what about money? Have we got enough?”
“Oh, right, yeah. I didn’t give you your purses, did I?” Harry grimaced and dug into his satchel, pulling out a pouch and opening it up. From it he handed each of them a coin purse. “You all know the coins used, so you should be fine. There’s fifty of each coin in there. Pennies, ten-pences, florins, sovereigns and crowns. Buy whatever you need, but just remember, we’re travelling, weight and space are at a premium. I can shrink things but only so far. And my weight reduction rune sequence only halves the total weight, so don’t go too overboard.”
“Yes, Harry.” All three of them spoke at the same time.
“In that case, I can deal with Terrel, if you want to get a head start?” The three looked at each other and grinned. Lavender grabbed both Fred and Colin by the arm and was dragging them toward the markets, almost before Harry finished. “Don’t forget that you have to rent the hand-wagon from the Livery-yards.” He called after them, but only got a wave from Fred.
“They seem eager to shop, Master Harry.” Terrel laughed, from the door of his office.
“Not sure whether it’s the shopping, or just not wanting to go and look at ponies.” Harry muttered and crossed to join him.
“Ah…” Terrel nodded. “Not an uncommon reaction.”
“No, I suppose not.” Harry agreed. “How are the wagons?”
“I have to say, better than I expected. Clofter’s wagons aren’t usually in as good of a condition as the dray is. And your little wagon is fine. I spoke to Clofter last night and told him my opinion and what I would recommend as price on both vehicles.” He waved Harry to a seat.
“And?” Harry laid a hand on Teddy’s back as he slid onto the seat.
“And he’s agreed that both are reasonable and signed papers allowing me to act on his behalf, on this matter.”
“Right, and the costs?”
“Ç3, on your wagon and Ç4, Š7 for the dray.” Terrel said.
“How do we do this?” Harry asked.
“Easiest way is for us to both put receipts on the table and lay the coin with them.” Terrel suggested. He placed the receipt for the dray on the table and waited.
Harry nodded and laid his carefully written receipt on the table beside it. He then pulled out his purse and laid Ç4, Š7 in coins beside the first receipt and watched as Terrel laid Ç3 beside the other receipt.
“Nicely done.” Terrel held out a hand for Harry to shake. “Feel free to leave the wagon here, until you have ponies or you can collect it immediately, your choice.” He scooped up the coins Harry had laid out and slid the receipt closer to Harry.
“If you don’t mind it being there? I’ll go check out the ponies first. Save me having to backtrack.” Harry replied, gathering up his coins and the receipt for the dray.
“Not at all. I’ve nothing else on my schedule today, but paperwork, so I’ll be here all day.”
“Thanks.” Harry gave the man a smile and stood up, he had ponies to find.
~~~
Harry wandered up and down in front of the pens that held the ponies for sale. He already had an idea of what he was looking for, so wasn’t quite as lost as he was pretending to be.
“Mister dwarf?” Finally, someone approached him. It would depend on the conversation, as to whether or not Harry would need to resort to a confundus.
“Sir?” He asked.
“You’re looking a little lost there.”
“I have to get some ponies and while I’m not the most experienced of handlers, I’ve a fair idea what I need.” Harry said, not really admitting to anything.
“Well, young dwarf, it will depend on what you’re after, as to whether we have what you need, here.”
Harry did a lightning fast legilimens on the Man, just enough to check his intentions. “I need four heavier Cobs, mares by preference.” Harry gave the Man a slight smile, knowing that he was honest and was paid by the city’s market office to help customers deal with temperamental traders.
“Four heavy cob mares…” The Man repeated. “Right, that’s likely to be Kellan or Maxim. Down this way, if you please.” He led Harry to group of pens tucked down a blind alley. “Not much call for heavy ponies.” He said as they approached the pens. “Kellan?” He called.
“Ah, Market Guide Ethed.” An older man stuck his head out of a door. “Welcome, what can I help you with?”
“I’ve a dwarf here, that’s looking for four heavy Cob ponies.” Ethed replied.
“Well, now, I’ve got a few. Mares, geldings or studs?”
Ethed turned to Harry and raised a brow in question.
“Mares by preference, Master Kellan.” Harry answered.
“Mares, huh?” Kellan pursed his mouth and nodded. “I’ve got four, but one’s not nearly as good as the other three. Come check ‘em over.” He left the office and led them to a long narrow pen. “Here we have Ginger and Spice, and no I didn’t name them.”
Harry did another quick legilimens and found that Kellan was honest in his business dealings, even if he wasn’t in his private life.
“I’m assuming that you’re talking of the chestnut and the liver-chestnut, not the buckskin and the roan.” Harry said.
“Aye. And the dapple roan’s the other mare that I was thinking of.”
“Yes, she quite nice.” Harry nodded. “I’d like to handle them for a few minutes, if I may?”
“Aye.” Kellan nodded. “You can do that.” He opened the pen’s gate and Harry slipped through. “Oh, the babe?” Kellan looked concerned.
“If I can’t handle them with Teddy strapped to me, they’re no good for what I need.” Harry replied.
“… right…” Kellan and Ethed looked at each other and sighed.
It took Harry only a few minutes to know that the three mares would suit him well. “What’s their cost?” He asked as he left the pen.
“Ç3, Š5 a piece.” Kellan said and Harry’s legilimency spike said that the trader wasn’t going to charge Harry top price, mostly because of Teddy. His comment also drew a subtle blink of surprise from Ethed.
“Ç3, Š5?” Harry repeated, then hummed as he rocked his head, studying the mares a bit more. “What about shoes and harnesses? Do they have harnesses, are they included and when were they shod last?”
“Aye, their harnesses are included and they were shod, just a few days ago.” Kellan answered.
“Papers included?”
“O’ course.”
“Done.” Harry nodded and held out a hand. “Where can I get a mare to match the roan?”
“Maxim’s got two nice mares, but I know he’s gonna try and cheat you, he always does.” Kellan warned, as he pointed to a pen across the way.
“Not a problem, trader Kellan.” Harry grinned. “Give me ten and I’ll be back.”
Both Kellan and Ethed were a little surprised when, true to his word, Harry returned with a dabbled buckskin in tow.
“Harness and papers, too?” Kellan asked.
Harry gave him a cheeky grin. “Of course.”
“Can you manage four ponies?” Ethed asked.
Harry snorted. “I left Black Rock Fair with ten and just myself to tend them, now I have three other people. But I also need another four Standard Cobs, too.”
“As well?” Kellan blinked.
“Yeah…” Harry sighed. “I’ve had to add wagons, to my main wagon, one for my wards, another for my vassal and that means I need a heavier feed wagon instead of a light cart.”
“Ah.” Kellan grunted. “The bane of the traveller. More wagons, mean more ponies, means a feed wagon, means more ponies.”
“So, I’m learning.” Harry sighed.
~~~