38. Painter
1944 Words
We step into the back room at Johen's parents' store. Johen is sitting at the desk. "What are you doing?"
"WE'RE BUILDING AN INN. AND A PARK. AND A SCHOOL. AND A..."
Kane looks at him. "Someone found out about coffee this morning. We're doing research on the inn and parks. We're going to put them in the village."
"There are 2 parks here. I can show you around."
"WHAT ELSE CAN WE PUT IN THE VILLAGE?"
Johen raises his eyebrows. "Did you drink all the coffee this morning?"
Thora cracks up laughing so hard. Then she leaves.
Tye shakes his head. "Let's do the inn first before she crashes."
We get to the inn and Thora's already inside talking to people at the desk.
"OK 40 ROOMS." The man stares at her with his eyebrows up. "20 IN FRONT AND 20 IN BACK. LET'S WALK AROUND THE BUILDING."
Kane crosses his arms. "STOP YELLING. WE CAN HEAR."
Tye smirks. "She tried coffee today for the first time."
The man chuckles.
"Thora..."
She turns to me so fast. "WHAT?"
"I like the Egyptian inn better. I like the entry to the rooms being in a hallway. Then everyone has got balconies to sit on. This is 1 big balcony but no one gets to enjoy it. It's a hallway outside."
She writes something down. Then she runs back inside. We go after her and she comes running back outside. She counts something, then runs back inside. Then she speeds in a full lap around the building.
Kane stops her. "No speeding here. To many humans."
She rolls her eyes and runs in. Then we see her on the top floor balcony hallway. Then she runs back down.
"I got everything. Let's see the parks. Ours will have 48 rooms. 24 in front. 24 in back. Entries will be in a hallway in the center. Then the rooms can have their own balconies to actually sit on. Maybe only every other one. We have to go to Egypt today. I need to check those. KANE..."
"Right here."
"Make us a door to Egypt please. The entry will be in the middle. With 3 rooms on each side. Breakfast area will be directly behind the entry. 12 rooms total per floor. 6 in front, 6 in back. 4 floors. Yes that's 48 rooms total."
We're standing in the path in Egypt.
Thora walks to the middle of it. "They did balconies in every other room. I think we will have to do that too. Or we could make the sides of them like walls."
"It was nice. Watching the parade and everything." Tye nods. "Walling them off would make it feel like it's not a balcony. It would be more like a window."
Thora uses the ground as a table. "No balconies on the first floor. But the next 3. 8 out of the 12 rooms will have balconies. We would keep the center room of the 3 rooms on each side with no balcony. That way they would still be mostly private."
"Paris had an amazing inn. I seen it briefly while I was chasing my mate around." Tye winks at me. He's telling Johen to back off, but Johen's not doing anything.
Kane nods. "It was neat. I'll make a door."
"WHERE IS IT?"
Kane grabs her shoulders and turns her around. "Right there."
"Oh wow. It's really tall. And nice. Let's go break in to a top floor room. I want to see."
We don't even have to break in. One of the rooms is open.
"Egypt inn is nicer on the inside."
"Yea, they have nicer stuff. Bigger bath. This is basic."
"I guess it would depend on how much we want to charge a night. I don't think people will come to our village for a vacation. They'll probably want to stay a night for something going on in the arena. Basic would be better for us. For Egypt, people go on vacation and stay for a week or 2."
Kane nods. "That's true."
"But we still want it to be nice." I peek at her notes. "Maybe a middle area. We don't want to be this basic, I don't think. It's a bed and chair. I think we should make the room more like Egypt."
Tye smiles. "I think more like the arena village. It wasn't bad. For a night or 2 it would be perfect. A little seating area, desk, big bed, nice bath. Throw a couple of chairs on the balcony. That would be good. This is to basic, and Egypt is to much for a night."
"I think this is made to seem nice from the outside. Then they shoved as many rooms as they could in here to make more money. You should see how many rooms are in this one? It's about the same size as the one by the arena."
Johen opens the balcony door. "That one was 40. This view is amazing. Come check this out."
Thora and I run over to him. "Wow, you can see the whole city."
"I bet people pay extra for this view."
"We can still get ideas from the outside. It is nice, and we want ours to be nice too."
Her and Kane talk to the owner.
Then Kane finds us outside. "83 rooms in here. 150g a night except the top floor those are 200g a night."
"Damn." Tye stares at him.
"How much are Egypt and Johen's village?"
"Egypt was 250g a night. Johen's was 75g."
"We'll probably have to go about 75g a night too then. We're not Paris or Egypt."
We follow Kane again. "That guy said there is a nice inn over a few blocks."
The man behind the counter is fancy dressed in the next one. He shows us a room,
"This is very much like Egypt."
"Even the bath is about the same size."
Thora smiles. "Nice big bed. Big couch and nice chairs. Nice table to sit and eat at. Even a balcony with some furniture. How much is this a night? This is much better than the last one."
The man answers, "800g a night."
Tye smirks. "It's because we're in Paris."
Thora looks at the man. "It is beautiful here. Do you mind if I take a few notes outside?"
"Of course not." Then he ushers us out of the room.
Thora goes all over outside taking notes. I go over to a man painting on the side of the path. He's painting birds. He's excellent at it. He has a few other paintings set up along a railing. They have a price marked on them. Most are 50g or under. I wish I brought money, I would buy one to help him out.
Tye comes over and spins me. We dance. I can't help but laugh.
"What's funny babydoll?"
"There's no music, sir."
"I don't need music to dance with you. We can make our own." He gives me a deep sweet kiss.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
We hold each other and I lay my head on his shoulder. I watch everything around me. I watch the birds and the people. It is nice here. Many artists. Everywhere I glance someone is painting or crafting.
Kane and Johen are standing in the path watching Thora run all over.
"No way we can keep up with her."
Tye starts laughing. "Watch from a distance."
I snuggle into him again. That man that was painting birds is painting me. He's painting me when Tye spun me. I'm smiling at Tye. I am happy.
I hug Tye, and he tightens his grip on me and kisses my head.
The boys talk about prices of the rooms. I watch that man paint me so happy. I love that.
"Tye, do you have money?"
"What do you want babydoll?"
"That painting."
"Wow. Yea, we're getting that."
Tye goes over to him and comes back with the painting in a frame. "It's still wet. I need to take it home quickly. I'll be right back."
He comes back and wraps me up in his arms. "It's in my apartment baby. You can see it there."
The man turns his easel and faces us. Then he paints again.
Tye kisses my head and squeezes me. "You still doing ok? You act like you might be getting tired."
"I'm ok. I think I will need a nap. Maybe after we get back and eat."
He kisses my head. "I bet you won't drink that much again, will you?"
"Definitely not."
I put my arms around his neck and give him a big hug. Then I go back to snuggling with him. "Thank you for taking care of me."
"Anytime babydoll."
"I think he's painting me again."
"Thora needs to hurry up, or I'll be broke."
"Clear the money drawer. I do it all the time."
"Not sure Dipak would think it's cute if I do it."
"Well then, drag Dipak and make him pay for it."
The artist motions him over.
"There you go Tye. He's done."
He comes back with another one in a frame.
Kane smirks. "As long as you buy them, he's going to keep painting her."
"We're stuck here until Thora is ready."
He shows me the painting. It is amazing. It's the 2 of us holding each other snuggly. You can see my face and we're happy. He's kissing my head. "Take that to Dipak's office and show them. Then clear the money drawer because he's painting again."
"I'm about to bring him home with us." Tye goes over to make another door.
He comes back with Dipak. Dipak talks to the painter.
Tye picks me up then spins in a circle. "Dipak wants to hire him at the castle for something. Maybe the village. I don't know."
We go over to a little stream. I sit on the stone railing, and he steps up against me and holds me. We snuggle and kiss. We sit there for probably about 2 hours. Finally, Thora runs up. "I'm done."
"Good I'm getting hungry and thirsty."
"There's a drink guy right there."
I glance over. "I didn't see him."
"Yea, you 2 are in your cuddle bubble."
Tye smiles. "Let's go see how much the last one will cost me."
Dipak is sitting on the ground watching the man paint. "Are you having fun, Dipak?"
"Actually I am. This artist is amazing."
"Did he paint you?"
"No, he painted you and Tye 7 times since I've been here."
"Yea, I'm going to need to go get more money, Dipak."
"I already bought them. I knew you'd want them. One of them your mom will love."
"It's easy to see when 2 people are in love. These 2 are in love. That is easy to paint."
Dipak seems sad. "Are you painting another one of them?"
"1 more."
"Good. After that, I need to go back. Go away before he paints you again."
Me and Tye laugh.
The artist watches us. "Maybe 2."
Dipak smirks. "RUN."
We crack up laughing and run.
Kane makes us a door, and we are back at the castle.
Thora stretches. "It's lunch. I'm hungry."
We eat. Then Kane and Johen go search for parks in different places.
Tye takes me to his room.
"What we doing sir?"
"I thought you are taking a nap?"
"Yes."
He kisses my head and carries me to his bedroom. "I'll lay with you until you fall asleep. I need to go back up there though."
"Ok."
I snuggle up to him and he rubs my back.
- Writer
