Spring arrived, and with it the completion of the road paving. As he had promised, Lord Randel hired every available impoverished elf who was willing to work for food and shelter while they labored, with the promise of a large stipend once the job was finished. He also brought in every available mage to assist on two fronts. One was working with the stonemasons, which shortened the time it took to create the paving stones. The second was to shield the roads from the harsh rain and snow storms while the stones were being laid.
When Tony went to Shalona to see if the merchants had followed his suggestions, he was greeted as a hero by the townsfolk who thanked him profusely for their newly paved streets. To his horror, tempered by amusement, he was feted at a banquet thrown in his honor.
“A
