"I'll bring the goats around in the morning, and the first load of feed and hay. Will you have someone available to shovel the manure into my wagon?" asked the farmer.

"I will definitely have several workers available," said Bob with a laugh as the man nodded and left.

"Farmer Joe seems to have calmed down, now that he knows his kids are terrified of scarecrows," said Trudy.

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"I'm glad he's willing to deal with me. Lord Richmond stopped letting him buy the manure from the other inns, because his wagons spilled too much on the roads as he left town. By going through the Western gate, he won't have to worry about that."

"What do the inns have to do, sell the manure to the trash people?" asked Vivian incredulously.

"Pretty much," said Trudy with a shake to her head.

"Primrose should enjoy the extra milk we get from the milk goats, and Cookie will be able to use milk in all of her recipes. We just need someone who knows how to milk a goat. Trudy, could you get ahold of Martha? She would probably know someone. And I also need to talk to her about hiring some other workers. Sam is going to be building us a wood shed behind the inn, along with the goat pen, and all of the furniture we're going to need to furnish the rooms."

"Do you want me to contact the locksmith too?" she asked, grabbing her cloak.

"That would be fantastic. Thanks."

As she headed out, Bob spied the kids coming and going through the door, darting around the adventurers who were trying to come in to check out the mission board. He would have to talk to them about using the back door now, so as to stay out of the way of the customers.

Before he could call for them, he spotted his aunt making her way in, again, and sighed. He couldn't avoid her forever.

"Vivian," she said, stepping inside and making her way to the counter, sniffing in distaste at two older women who were picking through the older food on the shelf by the door.

"Mother," said Vivian politely, giving her a strained smile.

"Have you told that ungrateful nephew of mine, that I wanted to speak with him?" she asked, eyeing the group of adventurers as they discussed the merits of going after a small hydra versus another band of orcs.

"I'm not aware of how, exactly, I would be considered ungrateful?" mentioned Bob, raising an eyebrow at the woman.

She turned her dark eyes on him, and he died a little on the inside as he saw his mother in this woman's face.

"Robert?!" she exclaimed in surprise, looking him up and down. "Haven't you put on a lot of weight! The last time I saw you, you were a bare slip of a boy!"

"Losing my mother took a lot out of me, but I'm not sure calling me fat is winning you any grace," he commented dryly.

She cleared her throat, and shrugged uncomfortably. "I've come to free you from your father's slavery. You need to pack your things so you can come back with me. Vivian, you too. I have a room prepared for you, and will have someone come by this evening to see about getting you proper clothing for your stature."

Bob smiled at her, and leaned onto his counter. The woman was shorter than he was, but wider, too. All of the adventurers had ceased their discussions to listen in to his conversation with this obvious mad woman.

"You act as if I didn't have a choice in this decision," he said calmly.

"What do you mean?" she said, startled. "Of course, you don't have a say in this! You're but a boy!"

"And yet your oldest son is about my age, and is running a business just outside of town. How is he not just a boy?" asked Bob.

"He's married! You're not!"

"So, the difference is nothing more than that?" Bob couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of her thought process.

"You will get your things right this instance!" she declared, stomping her foot, as if that would snap him to his senses.

"Let's a.s.sume I do just that, get my things, then what of my store?" he asked, looking around at the shelves of goods and his obvious customers.

"Well, obviously you would have to close it down until your father found someone else to run it. This is no place for a boy of 12." She nervously glanced at the adventurers again.

"Ah, but you see, this isn't my father's store, at least, not anymore. I've been handed it over as my own business. And I'm not going to be 12 much longer, I have a birthday in two days. So, in answer to your summons, no."

She opened her mouth a few times, looking very much like a fish out of water, before turning to Vivian, as if she could talk some sense into her.

"And before you ask, Vivian will not be going back with you either. She's my manager, who will be running my store, for me."

Bob watched as her eyes bugged out. The concept of a woman running a store, such as this one, no less, was almost too much for her to bear.

"But, you…" she tried to say, but couldn't seem to get past the first word. After trying several times, and not getting any further, she looked on the verge of tears as she whipped around and rushed out of the store.

Bob frowned. That wasn't just her being upset he wasn't coming with her. That was more. He made a mental note to have Trudy check on it as soon as she got back.

A town crier came inside and cleared his throat as he opened his scroll. Everyone stopped talking again, to listen.

"Hear ye! Hear ye! There is to be a 10% increase in all taxes for the next month, to cover the upcoming birthday festival, held in honor of His Majesty, Prince Michael. There is to be free food and ale during the festival, along with plenty of entertainment, at the bequest of Lord Clark Richmond. That is all. Thank you!"

As the adventurers started talking again, Bob motioned for the town crier to come closer.

"Have a free bowl of soup, at the kitchens next door. I appreciate that you were willing to deliver the news all the way out here," he said, also handing the man a cookie off his counter.

"Thank you, very much!" he beamed, taking the cookie and heading next door.

"Why did you do that?" asked Vivian.

"He probably hasn't had a chance to eat yet today, and I want to encourage him to come back to deliver all his news out here."

She nodded in understanding as Sam came into the room.

"Alright, Bob. You're getting to be my favorite person, beyond my wife, and some days I think I like you more than her, though I would deny it if she ever asked."

Bob chuckled. "I need a wood shed out back, along with an area for some goats. I'm getting milking goats, to have fresh milk for my inn. I also need furniture, and a butcher shop put in next door."

"That's intriguing, have the details for me?"

As Sam left a while later, Bob spied Trudy heading in, and had her quickly leaving again, to check on his aunt.

"Hey, Bob, have any idea who put this mission up here for a missing cat? The writing is kind of hard to read," asked one of the adventurers, pointing at a small slip of paper that had a poorly drawn cat on it.

Bob smiled. "A young girl came in with that mission. I imagine you can find her for more details near the bakery. She had a light blue dress, and pigtails with matching blue ribbons."

The guy nodded thoughtfully, and headed out the door.

"How do you know she was from the bakery?" asked Vivian. "You never talked to her."

"No, but she smelled of bread, and that's the only place she could have picked up such a strong smell."

"Fair enough," she said with a nod, turning to the elven woman who paused at the counter.

"Excuse me, but do you carry any torches?" she asked.

"We have several," answered Vivian, grabbing one for the elf to examine.

"Hmm, these will work. I need five of them, please, and a backpack to put them in."

While Vivian dealt with her, several people came in through the eastern door, and Bob moved over to see them.

"Welcome to my store, how may I help you?" he asked, pleasantly.

"We are servants of Lord Winston. His head butler, Dorian, was here just the other day, and found a bed you had for sale?" said one of the men. "We would like to purchase it for him, for his birthday. Is there any way we could get it delivered in secret? It would need to be tomorrow, about noon."

"I can arrange that," said Bob, showing them to the back, where the bed was still leaning against the wall. "It comes with a matching side table."

"We would love that as well. How much is it?"

"With the side table, it would be 75 gold."

Nodding, they headed back to the front, and counted out the money before leaving.