Well, Well

Silver opened his eyes and sat up, swinging his legs off his spartan bed. He wasn't really sleeping, but he didn't want to scare his three new workers, now did he? He stood and stretched. Speaking of those three, it was time to evaluate their progress.

He was proud of them, actually. When he retreated into his hut, he had expected at least one to try and escape, but no one did. That deserved a reward, the thing was, he just didn't really know what he could give them. He wouldn't release them, they hadn't done enough yet, and he actually still needed them too. He yawned, it was time to go do some work.

The moment Silver stepped out of his house, the three men who had been working all turned to him. The look in their eyes was shaky, as was the rest of the man Dom's figure. Silver scanned around, before nodding. "Good work! Dom, thank you for your prompt completion last night."

Dom shook. "Yes, of course!"

"Now, you're free to rest for a bit, in a couple of hours I will give you a new task." Silver smiled. "Continue to impress me."

Dom nodded, before walking to the black carriage they had arrived in and entering it, presumably to sleep. Silver's eyes flicked between the two others. Who was next? His eyes flicked to the sizable hole in the ground. "Who dug the hole?" he asked. He already knew actually, but he wouldn't let them know that.

"I did. Is it to your liking?" Kosmas breathed deeply. He sure hoped it was.

Silver took a long look at it, before shaking and then nodding his head. "It isn't really big enough, but for one night's work it is commendable, good job."

"Thank you, sir." Kosmas sighed in relief.

"Now, finally we remain with you." Silver nodded to Mitch, who was standing in front of the waste pile, which had grown considerably in size.

"Ye-yes?" Mitch's voice wavered.

"You worked with some vigor last night, huh? Well, can you continue or do you need a short rest?" Silver made a mental note to try and work on the fear these men had towards him. If they feared him, they would work, yes, but they wouldn't work as well. Fear is strong, but not tempting.

"Ye-yes sir, I mean, I can continue working." Mitch's eyes burned, appearing as if he wasn't tired in the slightest. Silver's brow lifted. Well, that's a pleasant surprise.

"Alright then. Take the shovel from your friend, and try to double the size of that hole before lunch." He looked up at the sky. "It appears you have around five hours."

"Yes, sir!" Mitch's eyes burned. It seemed a goal that was nearly impossible ignited his passion. Or something like that. Silver's eyes turned back to Kosmas. He hadn't been dismissed like Dom, so he didn't actually know if he could leave. As such, he awkwardly stood there, his attention on Silver.

"You, Kosmas. Come with me." Silver barked out a command and strode towards the house, soon disappearing within. Kosmas' eyes flashed with trepidation. 'Did I not do well?' he thought. Soon after though, he gave the shovel he had been resting on to Mitch and followed after Silver. He wouldn't want to make him wait.

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As Kosmas stepped inside, he took in the abode of his boss. It was spartan, only having a bed and chest, along with a desk and chair. Silver had moved the tool chests out front so the three men could use whatever they needed. Silver, sitting on the bed, gestured towards the chair. "Sit." Kosmas sat.

"Now, first of all, let me make something clear. I am being kind, but your life was forfeit the moment you crossed me. Should I see fit to dispose of you, I will, got it" Silver's eyes flashed, just as Kosmas' shook.

"Yes, sir."

"Great!" Silver propped up with head with his arm, leaning forward to study Kosmas. He was about average height, and besides his defined muscles, nothing particularly stood out about him. His brown hair was trimmed short, the touches of a beard gracing his face. To be honest, his face, while plain, was the friendliest of the three men, which is why Silver chose him first. "Tell me about yourself."

Kosmas blanked, "Um, what would you like to know?"

"Well, how old are you, what do you do for a living, do you have any siblings?"

"Uh, I'm 22, I used to adventure with Mitch, the guy digging a hole currently, and I have a little sister." Kosmas stuttered through, thinking 'Why does he want to know all of this?'

"Mother, father?"

"My mother died with the birth of my sister, and my father followed soon after to booze. For most of my life, it was just me and my sister, until Mitch came along and helped out."

"Great great. Honestly, you look much older." Out of nowhere, Silver had taken out a pocketbook and was writing notes. "Any other family, like a wife or children? Any other attachments?"

"Just a wife sir."

"Her name?"

"Miranda."

"Miranda." Kosmas was clearly reluctant to reveal anything close to him. Silver closed his pocketbook with a snap. "Alright then, it's settled. How about you work for me, for a period of ten years?" Silver looked at Kosmas with eager eyes, giving the latter the impression of a puppy dog. "Do I have a choice?"

"Not at all! Now let me give you the rundown of what you will be doing here." Silver gestured outside. "Clearly this place isn't much right now, and I do require quite a bit of help to meet my goals, but your job once we get settled in will be the tavernkeeper."

Kosmas blinked. "Huh?" Did he hear that right? A… tavernkeep? In the middle of a desert?

"Yes, a tavernkeep. Where that hole is that you and Mitch have been digging, I've decided to put a tavern. In the future, we will have many guests delivering supplies and such and a tavern is the perfect place to relax and rest for the night! For now, though, you and your buds will be able to rest there as well, after you build it of course." Silver stood up. "In addition, I will have someone go grab Miranda to allow the two of you to live together. Later I'll let you write a letter so she understands. Now, let's go outside, I have a need that should be addressed." With that he walked out the door, Kosmas following him, still confused.

Silver walked to the middle of the currently cleared area, about fifty feet from his cottage. Kosmas stopped a few feet behind, wondering what he was up to. Silver stood there for five whole minutes, muttering to himself. Just as Kosmas was getting bored and calling his boss a lunatic repeatedly, in his head of course, Silver turned to look at him with a grin that sent shivers down his spine. "Watch this!"

Silver raised his arms to the sky, chanting an incomprehensible language rapidly as his hands drew circles in the air, forming a pattern Kosmas couldn't see. The clear skies gave way to massive dark clouds, lightning flashing above. A foreboding feeling suffocated the three men following Silver. Silver, seemingly not noticing the fear frozen on Kosmas' face, finished his chant and turned to him with a mischievous grin on his face.

BOOM!

A strike of lightning came out of nowhere, blasting the ground in front of Silver and Kosmas, making the latter fall to his knees. Then, the clouds dispersed almost as if there was nothing there to begin with. In their wake they left behind a gift. A stone well, from which the bubbling of water could be faintly heard, lay in front of Silver. The smell of water began to permeate the air, as Kosmas blinked and stood. He stared blankly.

His boss had just summoned a well.