By midday the following day, as promised, gold changed hands and the builders' ledgers reflected Alfraed's substantial down payment.
The builders moved with military precision. Within a week of payment, wagons creaked under loads of equipment at the edge of Alfraed's territory, where earth mages and laborers conscripted from the previous lord's holdings gathered in the misty dawn. Tools caught the first rays of sunlight as the lead builder—face mapped with decades of outdoor work—climbed atop a hastily constructed platform. His commanding voice cut through the morning air, reaching even the workers at the perimeter.
"Listen up!" he barked, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd. "We've got a city to build, and no time to waste. Every stake, every stone, every beam, every alcohol that we would savor every night—it all matters, especially the last one. This isn't just another job. This is history in the making. So, let's make it count!"
