Character Recap, Ep. 6

Lorraine is noticing a slow, but steady dip in sales between Newton and the other three city-states. As such, while Lorraine is in favor of expanding Newton, trade is her main priority and she does not want to jeopardize that by pushing the city-states away. As such, she has been conducting diplomatic correspondence with officials from all foreign parties. Nothing too overt, merely putting out feelers for who would be in favor of Newton's expansion and what she would need to do to placate those who want to keep Newton under wraps. I will note that Lorraine intends to play the piper's tune as well as she can, but pluck her strings one too many times and she'll break. (Don't tell me that a piper's instrument doesn't have any strings.)

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With the bandits dispersed, Eva (feeling that her job may be in jeopardy) has converted the militia into a standing army. The bandits may be gone, but tensions are running high all around and it's in Newton's best interest to be prepared at all times. She has enlisted 50 men to work in the militia year-round. Some of them have their own land and families, some live and eat in the barracks of Fort Newton. A few have lived in Newton for years, but most are mercenaries. As soon as the last snows melted, she began in-depth training including firearms, artillery, tactics, and drills. She has also contracted to have an outpost built on the western path going out of Newton. While not complete, the outpost's construction is well under way.

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Ophelia is realizing the price of working for Corwin. Being out in the field again has made her constraints clear. She is anxious to have her independence again, but she is not quite willing to give up her new source of income. As such her only option is to make Corwin dependent on her information network so much so that he doesn't have a choice. She won't betray him, strictly speaking, but she doesn't maintain any delusions of undying loyalty either. In her time out on the streets, she has found that her contact in Greer has gone missing with not a trace left behind. Thankfully she has managed to secure several other sources. As to how trustworthy those sources may be is questionable.

Lorraine Newton, Downtime Ep #3

My good brother Jeffrey has come back from the dead. Unfortunately, our reunion was not as satisfying as one might hope. Perhaps Jeff will cool down after realizing how brazen the bandits have become. If Newton continues the way it has been, and if the bandits continue the way they've started, all that Bill wanted will have become the equivalent of the piles of horse shit peppering my ranch.

Fortunately Jeffrey's opposition provides me the opportunity of entrenching Corwin in my grasp even further. Thus far he's been thankful for the support I've given. In the coming weeks, convincing him that he needs me, as a Newton, to stand against Jeffrey shouldn't be too difficult. It would a shame if the rift between the two of them were to become too wide, but it might serve to benefit me. I mean, we all know who #1 is.

Lorraine Newton, Downtime #1

Glancing at the clock, 5 after 9, I realize it’s time to shut the books. I’d been pouring over them for the last half hour. Twisting and turning numbers to see if they might make themselves any more appealing than they seem to be, unfortunately numbers tend to be so goddamn stubborn. Winter has never been my favorite season, but with the pass being closed so long, it’s almost unbearable this year. I can feel my gut damn near twinge every time I contemplate how low those numbers have fallen. Not a single horse has gone since October. I let out a huff of breath as I push out my chair. Not a thing to be done, I’ll have to speak to Corwin. Lord knows, I’m not the only one suffering. That pass has got to re-open.

Just as I shut my desk light off, I hear a knock at the door and that same door starts slipping open. I turn the light back on. A slight early-twenties woman with feathery blonde hair and tall leather, buckled boots walks in.

I quirk an eyebrow at her and say, “hello?”

Little Miss Robin Hood replies, “Hello, ma’am. I’ve come… I heard you were in need of a new manager for Winding Creek Ranch.”

My quirked eyebrow turns shrewd as I slowly say, “Yes, that’s so.”

“Well, my name is Judy Dee and I know I’d fit the position just right.”

I gesture towards the chair across from my desk and try to hide my smirk as I pull out my own.