Carpenter Required

As the short month of February began, Maxwell had visited Kiki Lane twice since checking on Piccolo. It had only been a couple of weeks, but the small village had certainly left an impact on him. There was something about the hidden village that was really quite special. Each time he visited he found himself feeling relaxed. It wasn’t that the village was super quiet and calm; there was certainly creatures who were overflowing with energy and excitement and everyone who lived there seemed full of joy. However, the creatures who lived there were so lovely and had created such a wonderful community that even if you were just visiting, you felt like you belonged there, that you could be yourself. It would be fascinating to see how the place developed as more people joined and learnt about the village in the Emerald Forest. It shouldn’t be such a secretive place, Maxwell thought. More people should get to experience the place.

Maxwell looked out of his window at the river nearby and sipped his tea. It was early so the mist over the water had not yet cleared and it was still cold. The temperature in the Emerald Forest had risen slightly so there was no longer lots of frost or snow, but there was definitely no sign of spring yet. 

The little duck sighed and made his way over to his small desk. After placing his cup of tea down, he began looking at the papers spread out in front of him. On one piece of paper was a carriage timetable and on the others were lists of inventories. He quickly began making a list of all the medicinal supplies he needed to buy and then planned out his schedule for the day. He had specifically booked no patients that day as he knew he needed to visit the city to restock.

Maxwell still visited the city quite frequently but most of the time he had appointments with patients, and little opportunity to do anything outside of work. This time, however, he had no other  errands to run after restocking so he had some time to do whatever he wanted. Thinking of what he could do, he was reminded of his old friend Jasper whom he hadn’t seen in a long time. He was filled with a sudden urge to tell his old friend all about Kiki Lane and quickly decided he would try to meet Jasper in the city during his visit.

Maxwell and Jasper met in Claymont City whilst they were both studying and quickly became friends. Maxwell was living with his parents whilst apprenticing as a doctor whilst Jasper was living on his own, trying to complete his apprenticeship to become a carpenter. There was a large building near Maxwell’s family home which had rooms rented out specifically to students. Jasper had come to the city by himself and rented one of these rooms, desperate to become a great carpenter and find good jobs but he quickly found himself feeling very lonely living by himself for the first time.

Jasper had been lucky to find someone willing to take him on as an apprentice but had struggled to feel part of a community in the city. Tigers were not very common in the city, with many only visiting as tourists, and many creatures found him too intimidating or strange and therefore kept away from the poor tiger. Jasper was avoided and often seen as an outsider which made him feel even more lonely.

Maxwell was also seen as a bit of an oddity due to his choice of profession. Many ducks chose to live in Pearly Shores, working as sailors or captains and those who lived in Claymont City worked in the postal service or as merchants. There had never been a duck doctor and many of his peers pushed him aside, believing he could never be a doctor. His parents, however, were very proud of him and so were some of the other ducks in the city, although many of them thought he was strange for his choice of profession.

Maxwell and Jasper had met in the city library whist studying and quickly became friends, finding comfort in their shared experiences. From that point on Jasper was often round having dinner with Maxwell’s family which helped with his loneliness and homesickness. They spent a lot of time together even after both completing their respective courses until Maxwell’s family moved out of the city and Maxwell moved into the forest and they only saw each other occasionally. It was Jasper who had built Maxwell’s A-frame cabin for him and it was something they were both very proud of.

Maxwell finished the last mouthful of tea as he re-checked the timetable on the desk before slipping his list into his bag and heading out of the door. It would be a couple of hours before he reached his first destination, enough time for him to think more about the wonderful village of Kiki Lane.

Maxwell’s house was situated in the Emerald Forest but it had been specifically placed near the edge to make journeys to the city easier. With a dislike for flying, it would be an awfully long way for one little duck to walk all the way to the city but there was one simple solution that made travelling easier. Between the forest and Claymont City was the beautiful Sapphire Lake. It was a stunning large lake with a small island in the middle which made it a popular attraction. Because of this, carriage routes had been set up each day to bring people to and from the lake as well as around it, stopping at different points.

Maxwell always kept a copy of the timetable at home as it was the only feasible way for him to make this journey regularly. He had remembered the most important times for his regular visits but always checked to make sure he would get where he needed to on time. The yellow duck knew when the first carriage would be available at the stop nearest to him and had specifically left with enough time to get there, hoping to waste no time and arrive in the city as soon as possible.

After one walk and a couple of carriage rides later, Maxwell arrived in Claymont City. It was just after lunchtime as he entered through the city gates and knowing it would be quiet at this time, he made his way over to the Physicians’s Guild. It was quite a large building with three floors, each

with different services. It served not only as a guildhall, but also as an infirmary with some doctors stationed there full time.

The top floor contained offices and boarding rooms for some of the staff and full time doctors, whilst the first floor had different services for guild members. The ground floor, on the other hand, contained two reception areas and some treatment rooms for patients. Taking a deep breath, Maxwell entered the building.

Maxwell had been registered with the guild since the beginning of his apprenticeship, initially with student rank, before moving up to the standard physician rank. There was one further rank for the doctors with the highest skills or qualifications, who usually focused on the most important patients like the royal family and those with the money to pay.

With many guild members finding his choice in profession peculiar, he had often faced strange looks and snarky comments from other guild members since he first signed up. In the beginning, many chose to label him as the quack doctor which made it harder for some patients to trust him. There were some guild staff who were kind to him from the beginning but it was still hard for him to enter the building at the start. It had been a long journey, but many began to see his talent and dedication to his work once he moved up a rank and Maxwell found people began to treat him with more kindness, or at least accepted that he was qualified to be there. Most of them stopped the insults and confrontation, but some still gave him a strange look when he visited but it was something he had got used to by now, or at least that’s what he told himself.

As he entered he was pleased to see the foyer was quite empty; even the infirmary reception had no queue. Looking over at the guild reception his shoulders relaxed as he saw one of the kindest receptionist was on duty. He waddled over, saying a small hello before scanning his guild card which let him into the upper floors.

Reaching the second floor, he made his way over to the herbalist shop. The staff there had always been the kindest to Maxwell and it was his favourite area of the guildhall. The herbalist shop was often stocked from outside resources and so the staff there often had contact with other creatures and valued all of them equally. In fact Maxwell was one of their favourites and they were so proud of him for what he had accomplished and so grateful that he would take on any patient without asking for a fortune in return.

Maxwell reached into his bag and handed over his list to the sheep behind the desk. The fluffy woollen herbalist quickly went about collecting Maxwell’s order before handing over a sack of ingredients. Maxwell slipped the required coins over before saying goodbye and heading back into the streets of Claymont City, his load slightly heavier than when he arrived.

Walking through the streets towards his favourite cafe Maxwell skilfully made his way through the crowds into the central area. There wasn’t anything special going on but it always seemed like everyone had left to find lunch at the same time. It was one of the busiest times of day in the city but with years of living there, Maxwell understood how to work his way through the crowd like a professional.

As he walked, the yellow duck began to think about where he should go after lunch. He wanted to find Jasper but where would he find him? Would Jasper be at home? Perhaps at his workshop? Oh, but he could be anywhere in the city working on site! At least Maxwell still had time whilst having lunch to work out his plan.

Maxwell finally found himself outside his favourite cafe - the Hydrangea Cafe. The building was quite large and two stories high with the ground floor working as the cafe and the upper floor as lodgings for the owner.  The cafe had two large windows at the front with a beautiful blue and white awning overhead. There were a few outside tables which were all occupied despite the colder weather.

Stepping inside, Maxwell breathed in the delightful aroma of tea and cake. Inside there was a small queue blocking him from seeing the tables further back in the room. The few tables at the front were all full and the queue didn’t seem to be moving very quickly. Realising he would have to wait for a while, Maxwell focused his attention on the menu on the wall and the food in the display cabinets. What did he want to have?

About ten minutes later Maxwell found himself at the front of the queue. He could finally see how busy the cafe was. As the waiter approached him Maxwell’s stomach began to quietly growl. The waiter was a very elegant black and white cat with silky smooth fur wearing a pale blue apron. Much to Maxwell’s disappointment the black and white cat began to calmly apologise that they were completely full; there were no tables available for him.

Maxwell’s heart dropped to his stomach as he frantically looked around, reality setting in. No, surely there was space somewhere! Suddenly a creature with orange fur with black stripes caught his attention. They were seated not too far away from Maxwell, facing away from him. Maxwell’s breath hitched. He only knew one tiger in Claymont City. “Jasper?” he quacked trying to get the tiger’s attention.

Soon the tiger’s head turned around and Maxwell was greeted by citrine coloured eyes. It was Jasper! Jasper’s face lit up as he realised Maxwell was there and quickly gestured for the little duck to join him at his table. Without hesitation Maxwell quickly explained the situation to the waiter who promptly led the duck over to Jasper’s table with a menu. “Someone will be with you shortly” purred the waiter as he left them.

The pair sat and chatted whilst Maxwell ordered and waited for his food to arrive. Maxwell was so pleased to have found his old friend so easily but he could sense something wasn’t quite right with the tiger sitting opposite him. There was an uneasiness about him, a feeling that he was hiding something.

“You alright Jasper? Truly alright?” inquired Maxwell before take a bite of his recently arrived food. The tiger in front of him sighed, his smile slipping. “I can’t get past you can I Max?” he replied, his shoulders slumping before explaining everything to his close friend.

Jasper was struggling. Money was becoming tight as work became hard to find. There were larger  businesses with lots of workers scooping up most of the work leaving little for the independent carpenters. These companies were able to offer their services at such lower rates somehow pushing out the craftsmen who put their prices as low as they could.

To make things worse, almost all of the friends he had finally made from working had decided to leave the city. Some of them had left for family reasons or a change of pace from city life, but most had left in search of better work, or because there was no work for them left. Jasper once again felt alone.

His only solace was found at the Laughing Lantern, his favourite tavern. He only went there occasionally but the music there from one particular performer comforted him and the barkeep had slowly become somewhat of a friend to the young tiger. However it wasn’t enough; soon he would struggle to afford to visit. Something needed to change.

Maxwell listened intently as Jasper chatted whilst he ate and soon an idea began to form in his head. One that seemed perfect. Maxwell knew Jasper well. He understood the jobs Jasper enjoyed, the things that brought him joy, and the sort of people he found comfort in. If Jasper could trust him, he might have the perfect solution.

“That’s tough, my friend.” began Maxwell taking a sip of his tea.”Hear me out, I may have an idea”  he quacked setting his cup down before enthusiastically explaining about Kiki Lane, trying not to be too loud. The Emerald Forest was a secretive topic after all.

Maxwell began with the tale of little Piccolo but what he wanted to showcase to his friend was the wonderful community in Kiki Lane and how everyone looked out for and cared for each other, whatever creature they were and wherever they came from. He explained how the village was growing, with new visitors and an expanding market square. Everything he said was true and from the heart, showcasing how lovely it was; but at the same time, the little duck was building up to something else, something Jasper would be even more excited by.

In his last visit to Kiki Lane, Maxwell had taken the time to truly take in everything about the hidden village. Although he had been understandably blown away by the amazing library, cosy inn and growing market, he had also noticed the smaller details which were showing signs of wear. It was an old place which had been left derelict for years. There were benches that needed replacing, fences requiring to be fixed but even bigger than that, many of the buildings needed repairs and so much more.

Maxwell knew the village didn’t have much money but it was also a place that went above and beyond for everyone. Ultimately the village needed a carpenter and Jasper needed work. Maxwell was sure a deal could be done.

Jasper listened intently as Maxwell outlined everything that needed work as his eyes began to twinkle again. He was still very hesitant. Nobody seemed to dare enter the Emerald Forest and travelling somewhere new with the uncertainty of what would await him scared the tiger, but he was interested nevertheless. He had built Maxwell’s cabin in the forest and nothing strange happened then. It was unusual for Maxwell to be so enthusiastic about somewhere; Kiki Lane had to be very special.

Sensing the tiger’s hesitation, Maxwell suggests a trip to the inn and Kiki Lane to Jasper, even just for one night to see if he was interested. He didn’t need to pack his life up and move to the village, but simply assess if there was work and if he enjoyed it there. Thinking it over quickly Jasper did some calculations in his head. He could probably afford at least one night there.

With a nod of his head, Jasper agreed to his friend’s idea before they made a plan for what to do next. Maxwell still had a few errands to run at the market so they decided to split up. The little duck headed to the market whilst Jasper rushed home to pack a bag for the trip. Just under an hour later the pair met back together at the city gates ready for their journey.

The carriage rides back to Sapphire Lake seemed to pass more quickly with company and they found themselves at their final carriage stop as it was starting to get dark. Jasper was a lot faster at walking than little Maxwell so he offered to give the yellow duck a ride on his back to Maxwell’s cabin. With the light beginning to fade it would be too late to travel to Kiki Lane; they would have to finish their journey in the morning.

The next morning, Maxwell and Jasper woke early, greeted by a misty morning. The temperature was slightly warmer so they decided to sit out on the deck with a cup of tea before starting their day. As they sipped their drinks and looked out over the river, Jasper asked Maxwell what the village was before Kiki Lane. Maxwell had little knowledge on the subject but he did know a little so he began to tell the story of the fairy village that used to be was there, about the guardian fairies and his first visit to one of the sick guardians a few years ago. His story was jumbled, with lots of missing information, but it was fascinating to Jasper who had only ever heard the old folk tales of the Emerald Forest. Who would have thought there was a village in the middle of it!

 

With the story over and their teas finished, Jasper and Maxwell began their journey to Kiki Lane with the tiger carrying the yellow duck on his back once more. They had a longer, slightly uncertain journey ahead of them as Jasper was adamant he did not want to swim across the river. Maxwell thankfully knew there was a bridge somewhere, it was just finding it that could be a problem. Maxwell had some experience travelling through the forest but with no pathways or signage, this was a route he was not familiar with. He just had to hope he could work out the right direction.

Thankfully the journey went smoothly and the pair soon found themselves at the entrance to the village by the hand-painted Kiki Lane sign. Jasper grinned at the sign. It wasn’t fancy or very well made, but he could tell a lot of love had been put into it and that made him happy.

After climbing off Jasper’s back, Maxwell guided the excited tiger to The Great Tree Library. It was the most unique part of Kiki Lane and he wanted to show his friend how spectacular it was inside. Secondly, Maxwell was hoping he would find Kiki there as he wanted to talk to her before giving the tour to Jasper.

As they arrived at the library, Jasper pushed open the door and was immediately blown away by how amazing it was, and how much larger it was inside in comparison to outside. They were greeted at the door by Kai, the large red dragon, who happily offered a tour to the newest visitor. Jasper excitedly accepted before looking back at Maxwell who gestured for them to go on without him.

Maxwell smiled as he watched the pair walk away, already deep in conversation. He waddled over to the reception desk where he was happy to see Kiki before discretely explaining to her why they were here. He wanted to converse about what work there might be for his friend before assuming his plan would work. It would be terrible if he promised his friend something or got his hopes up if it wasn’t going to work out.

Kiki was so pleased to see Maxwell had visited again. On his last visit they had seen each other in the library and had each shared stories which had made them closer friends. Kiki was especially excited to see the doctor had brought a friend with him as it showed what they were creating in Kiki Lane was something to be proud of. She was even more excited to hear Jasper was a carpenter looking for work. It touched her heart to know Maxwell had thought of them immediately after hearing Jasper’s predicament.

Kiki had been writing a list of all the tasks that needed to be sorted out in the village and was beginning to wonder how she could get them done. There was lots to repair but she didn’t know anyone with the skillset to help. She was eager to talk to Jasper about it all but she also understood on a more personal level that the talented tiger would want time to adjust and understand the village as he had never visited before.

Hearing that Jasper would be staying at the inn for at least one night she was delighted to know the villagers would have time to get to know him. Quietly she began to hope that he would stay longer, perhaps she could think of a few small jobs he could look at the next day. She had heard money was tight for Jasper, but it was also tight for the village. Perhaps they could offer him free rooms and food as payment instead?

As lunchtime approached Jasper’s tour was over and it was time for them to book a room at the inn. Making their way to the inn, Jasper found the old village to be quite beautiful; he could see it was in need of some care but the structures were simply wonderful. As they reached the inn and entered he silently made note of the old sign. With years of wear it was no longer legible and in need of a replacement. Maybe he could make a new sign if he stayed long enough?

When they entered, the pair were excitedly greeted by Hattie the tan dog behind reception. It was their third visitor at the inn and the first two hadn’t even left yet! Piccolo stood in the corner sweeping the floor and gave a large smile and wave to Maxwell and Jasper. Maxwell was delighted to see the little mouse was back to full health.

With lots of empty rooms, Hattie gave Jasper the opportunity to choose his own room before booking him in. Jasper flicked through the album of room photographs Rowan had taken for the inn and finally decided on a large room with deep emerald green walls, dark wood and gold accents. Something about the colour scheme reminded him of home and it called out to him.

With his room booked and the promise of a hot meal at the inn that evening, the pair headed back out into the streets towards the market square for lunch. Jasper was very impressed by how friendly everyone was even to him, a stranger. As the pair tucked into their lunch from Mishka’s bakery stall he took in the wonderful workmanship of the stall and coffee cart. A small symbol carved into the wood at the bottom of each one caught his attention as the familiarity dawned on him. He began to remember seeing it in his shared workshop. One of his friends had work on it the previous year a few months before they left Claymont City. A small smile played on his lips. This place was already beginning to feel more and more like home.

With their food finished Maxwell said goodbye to his old friend, needing to get back to his cabin to work that afternoon. He was confident Jasper was in good hands and wouldn’t be cast aside in this wonderful village. With the promise to check in on everyone the next day Maxwell began his journey home.

For the rest of the afternoon Jasper spent his time wandering through all the streets of the village looking at all the buildings as well as all the smaller details. As time progressed, he slowly began to feel the spark to create reigniting in his belly. He was finally inspired again and excited by all the opportunities he could see. He still needed assurance as to how it could work financially and understand if he would be willing to stay for the length of time needed to work on everything; but something inside him told him this was his job, he was meant to help out here.