Jenn sighed as woke up in the morning. She had wanted to get to sleep when she first arrived, but instead she'd just tossed and turned until Embris returned from wherever she'd disappeared to. Where she then made a request that Jenn hadn't seen coming. One to help her write a letter to her sister Feon.
While she wasn't opposed to agreeing to do that, she wasn't sure when they'd exactly have time. While she was pretty sure that they could spare the paper and ink, the fact that they were about to move back through the gate into the mountains with the ogres kind of made the time to write the letter for Embris a little tricky.
Although, she supposed that she could work on it right after the meeting. Especially if they didn't move everyone back through right away. After all, the nights were rather chilly and there was even fewer structures available to house people there. Which meant it might be better to let some stay here for the time being, even if it was only for a short period.
As she got up from her mattress of straw, which for some reason was starting to become much more comfortable than she'd expected, she immediately left the building. She figured it probably would be better to get the meeting started sooner rather than later.
That way they could be able to get started preparing what needed to go as early as possible. Otherwise Jenn had a feeling that something could very easily get forgotten. Something that might not seem important at the time, but still turn out to be important later.
Besides, she couldn't help but wonder if maybe they'd secured a source of materials on this side of the gate that would help them with the construction there.
Jenn made sure to avoid disturbing the three sleeping in the room with her. Partly because she didn't want to talk with Embris about the letter just yet. While part of it was also because she wanted to get the meeting out of the way first, part of it was also because she didn't want to get interrupted partway through and have to find another time to work on it with Embris.
She quickly made her way to the location where the meeting was to be held. Which was more of a central location for the hidden village, which Jenn wished was just a little closer to where she'd set up for her room. That way she'd be able to have less walking to do.
Not that it bothered her much, she just didn't care for the distance at the moment.
The mist above her, which really was her sky in the forest, was starting to let light through, which indicated that it was at least dawn. Which Jenn supposed was as good of a time as any to start a morning meeting. Though, she'd need to wait for her advisors to arrive to give them her report of the settlement.
Entering the building, she saw Cithis and Haln asleep in their own beds. Both slept here as they were the primary messengers among Jenn's advisors and stand-ins. Both seemed to like the position, though any addition to their workload was met with protests, even if it was to attend the class to learn to read and write.
Jenn had a feeling that they wouldn't be interested in learning to fight, but she was wondering if there was something that she could do to further their education. She wasn't sure what it might be, but she did worry that she wasn't doing enough for them as their mother.
However, those thoughts weren't helpful at the moment, so Jenn pushed them aside and shook both Cithis and Haln awake. As letting them sleep more wouldn't get her advisors alerted that shew as ready to start the meeting. Nor would it mean that they couldn't sleep more later. Especially with how they'd frequently woken her up at this time themselves anyway.
"Mother?" Cithis asked groggily, clearly not fully awake. "we didn't have something scheduled for now, did we?"
"We did when the meeting when I got back didn't happen right away," Jenn replied, giving both a kiss on the head as they got up.
"Wait, when did you get back?" Haln asked, looking like he was ready to fall back asleep.
"Not sure, but it was well after the sun went down," Jenn answered, helping both stand up.
They were frequently like this, especially if they'd had things to do throughout the day before. Although, once they started moving, they tended to wake right up.
"Who's going to be at the meeting?" Cithis asked as she yawned and stretched. "Everyone or do we ignore some people?"
"Go with everyone," Jenn replied. "I have to give my report about what I found out about the settlement we abadoned when we came here."
"Oh, okay," Cithis replied, taking Haln's hand in hers as she started to walk outside the building to get the others. Which would leave Jenn to wake up her stand-ins as they slept in this building as well.
Jenn was about to turn away from watching them leave, when she could see the wheels turning inside Cithis' head suddenly click as she realized what exactly Jenn had just said.
"You really mean it?" she gushed, dropping Haln's hand as she spun on her heel and rushed back towards Jenn, her face alight with hope.
Jenn nodded. "I won't say what I found until the meeting, though." Jenn replied, feeling a little bad at how Cithis' expression fell as Jenn's words hit her.
"But-" she tried to protest.
"At the meeting," Jenn interrupted, not wanting her to let something slip in her excitement.
After all, while this village was comfortable, they were still on the Duchess Versith's lands and no one was especially happy about that fact. Plus, everyone that had been with Jenn before they abandoned that settlement were all eager to return, even the ex-bandits that Tchisa had led. Not to mention a few of the newer recruits who were interested in seeing what it was about based on what rumors were circulating about it.
Jenn didn't want any more unfounded rumors to circulate without cause when no decision about anything had been made already. Besides, the people with Jenn when she returned were danger enough on that front, given the fact that they hadn't been told to keep their mouths shut. Not that they had any reason to suspect what decision about would be made about it.
Although, given what how they seemed to react to the morning chill, she doubted that they'd be painting that world in as glowing of a light as they might otherwise have. Even the ones who had been with her when she first became the Blue Rose.
Jenn watched as Cithis struggled with the direction she'd been given, the struggle especially visible on her face, before she sighed, looking resigned to the fact that she'd have to learn about it at the meeting with everyone else.
A minute after they were out of sight, Jenn took a deep breath. She wouldn't have minded getting breakfast before starting this meeting, but she'd first have to wake up the cooks to do that, if they weren't already up, and then wait for them to get something finished enough for her to eat. Which she wasn't eager to let happen before she let the others hear her report on the situation at their settlement.
The next task before her was to wake up her stand-ins so they could be part of the meeting. Though, she wasn't sure whose turn it was to be the Blue Rose today, it hardly mattered since she was present and they all bowed to her authority anyway.
It didn't take long before she had them woken up and ready for the meeting. Although, with the two who were married, it was a little more awkward for Jenn, as they had to also get something on before they were ready.
The longest part of the wait after they were awake had to do with waiting for Jenn's advisors. Jenn wasn't sure how long it'd take to gather them, but she knew Cithis and Haln would be as efficient as they could getting them up.
Especially Cithis, with how she knew that her learning about what Jenn had seen in the settlement they'd started and had to abandon. Jenn was confident that she'd ensure Jenn's advisors were back as soon as possible so she could learn what Jenn had to say about the settlement.
However, while she was confident about that fact, It still took longer than Jenn would have liked.
While there wasn't any way to tell the time here, other than the sun being up or down, Jenn could see others walking around outside, letting her know that time was ticking away while her advisors were either still asleep or taking their time arriving.
Eventually, Tchisa and Polelin arrived, expressing surprise that they were the first ones there, aside from Jenn and her stand-ins.
"Well, where do you think they went then?" Jenn asked, fairly certain of the answer herself.
"Probably to get something to eat," Tchisa admitted, sounding a little annoyed.
Jenn had planned on having either Cithis or Haln go and put in an order for breakfast to be delivered here, as it was an important meeting after all, but she couldn't help but wonder if one of her advisors were taking care of that for her.
Not that she put much hope out for that. She expected that they'd just show up with enough breakfast for themselves alone. Which would only annoy her, Jenn was sure of that.
However, when the others did start to show up, they'd each brought something for Jenn. Which, while a little overboard, she at least appreciated.
"So, what'd you learn from your trip?" Tchisa asked as she entered, given she was obviously the last one to arrive, adding a piece of fruit to the pile in front of Jenn.
Jenn sighed as she paused from eating. "We can move back there, but I think we should only move part of everyone there at the moment. The snow isn't bad right now, but I can't say that there won't be anymore snowstorms before summer arrives on that world, and maybe even then," she said, looking at those around her.
"So, who will go there?" one of Jenn's advisors asked, one whose name she just couldn't seem to remember.
"I'm open to suggestions. Though, I was thinking that we could head there ourselves and leave someone in charge here who would listen to complaints as they came. Much like my stand-ins have been doing," Jenn answered. She'd had other things that she'd wanted to say before getting to that, but she didn't see the harm in changing the order up a little.
Jenn listened to names being suggested, but quickly shook her head. "Sorry, but I really don't know everyone by name. If you want me to come up with a list, you'll need to provide a little more information than just their name. Although, I was thinking we need to pick people based on what they can do rather than anything else. Like we need those who are good with farming to get going on seeing if we can still grow what we'd planted before we realized we had been at the edge of winter."
Jenn wasn't sure why, but she wasn't feeling the same level of apprehension of all those at these meetings looking to her for answers to problems she really wasn't sure about, or sometimes how to even verbalize.
Yet, at the same time, she only noticed it when she actually thought about it. As if these meetings had become almost second nature to her or something.
When they finished with the topic of who to take back first, another question was posed, further destroying the itinerary Jenn had blocked out in her mind for this meeting. Which she couldn't help but feel just a little annoyed about. Even though part of her wondered why she really had expected any different.
"So, how are the buildings we left behind?" Maelia asked.
Jenn couldn't help but shrug. "Some are alright, others aren't. Most will need to be rebuilt, but the main building is still good to go. So, if we need to house people there for the time being, that's fine, otherwise we'll need to secure a source of hardwood to make those structures last longer."
Jenn wasn't sure why they needed to use hardwood for the buildings, but as far as she knew, it was a cultural thing rather than anything else. Although, she did accept that hardwoods lasted longer than soft woods, at least in regards to flooring. So, if the entire structure was made with hardwood, then it stood to reason that it might last longer. Not that she really understood any of that.
"We haven't been looking since most of the money that we have left over, after the wages of our mercenaries, from the monthly payment of guarding the forest is used for buying slaves. The rest is used to cover other expenses that let us run the mercenary band as we have been," Tchisa replied, her gaze seeming to pierce through Jenn. As if she should have remembered that fact.
Jenn merely sighed. She would have liked to have responded to that in a way that wouldn't sound like she was complaining, but she was certain that she wouldn't be able to do that. Not without lying to herself first and she was certain that her advisors weren't going to let her lie to them when they already knew that it would be a lie.
"What if we slowed down buying slaves?" Jenn suggested. "Just long enough for us to build the necessary amount of shelter that we currently need." Jenn paused as she looked around her. "Once we have that done, hopefully we'll have found a deposit of metal or whatever other resources we still need and can harvest it ourselves."
"That would work. Though, we can't be sure how long it would take to accomplish," Zirisia remarked.
Jenn nodded. "I'm aware of that. It's more a matter of priorities. While I want to save more slaves, unless we can figure out how to increase out cash supply or satisfy the needs we have in regards to metal, hardwood, and all that, it's going to have to…" Jenn hesitated for a minute, knowing that the expressions she knew from Earth likely wouldn't come across very well here. "…to have to wait another day to continue."
Jenn hoped that her adlib wouldn't create more problems for her, but it was the best she could think of. Something that she knew those around her would understand and not have to ask questions about.
"Alright, though you did promise me some lands to rule myself," Tchisa reminded Jenn. "When will you show me what you have in mind for that?"
Jenn nodded. "I was thinking about doing that after I met with the chief of the ogres," she answered, a little surprised at the reaction she got from those around her. She could tell that they were shocked about it, though she wasn't sure why. After all, it wasn't like any precedent had been set in regards to when she'd meet with the ogre chief or not.
"Why would you want to meet with something like that?" Maelia asked, her expression mixed with disgust.
Jenn wasn't sure why Maelia reacted quite like that, but she wasn't going to back down from it. Especially since she was hoping for more friendly relations between her people and the ogres.
"Because I'd like to avoid any conflict between our people and theirs," Jenn answered calmly. "I accept that not all of you are willing to accept any number of issues that you might have with the ogres, but I'd rather not have to fight them if we don't have to. Not only would it make it harder for us to get what we need in those mountains, but whose to say that we won't be spelling our doom in that world if we do that?"
"What're you talking about?" one of the advisors who normally was quiet demanded. "You were able to command the Lost! What're a few ogres to that?"
Jenn hadn't thought that the perception of what she'd done when she'd taken out those who were guarding them in the slave cages as 'commanding' the lost. Especially since she'd had to make an agreement with them before they'd actually do something. Yet, it would appear that that's exactly what some thought.
However, that hardly mattered since the Lost certainly didn't live in those mountains.
"Putting aside the issue of whether or not I 'commanded' the Lost, how many ogres do you think live in those mountains?" Jenn asked, feeling like the answer could tell her exactly how to handle this situation.
The woman merely shrugged. "Maybe ten at the most?" she suggested, looking unsure of herself at that moment.
Jenn couldn't help but sigh at the answer she heard. If there were just that many, Jenn wouldn't worry so much about the ogres, even though she would worry about how many of her people would be killed if they fought them. However, she at least knew that ten was nowhere near the amount that even the single tribe of ogres that they'd had contact with had.
"My guess is that you've only seen that many, correct?" Jenn asked, feeling a headache starting to appear.
"So? What's that matter?"
Jenn took a deep breath to keep herself from going off on this woman. Jenn tried to convince herself that the woman meant well, she was just hopelessly misinformed and wouldn't likely understand just how far from the actual number she was.
Even though Jenn knew that it was up to her to try and convince this woman, and any others among her advisors how important it was to keep the ogres friendly towards them.