The Coming of Tam O' Canter and Heather Bloom O' Red Hoof to Ponyville

by De Writer

Chapter 10 : From the Ashes of the Past: The Raising of Red Hoof

During the final clearing of the charred ruins of the ancient Great Hall of Red Hoof, some questioned who was sustaining who. Heather Bloom was constantly on the site and the strain of clearing the wreckage of a war 3000 years gone, was immense.

Daphne, in her Red Hoof livery, knelt before her and spoke, “My Lady, you are needed. We have found another. From what can be told, she was a mare, and not too old.”

A tear in her eye, and shaking as she followed, Heather Bloom came to the resting place of yet another pony who did not mange to escape when, ages past, the young Celestia broke the doors of the burning hall to rescue her friends. Looking down at the bones and untouched ornaments, Heather Bloom shook her head sadly. “Janifer, I ha hoped that ye were but gone another way. Ye shall be laid in honor now.”

Looking up with a pain that still stabbed her heart after the passing of so many ages, Heather Bloom asked softly, “Who among ye did find her?

“Janifer wa the youngest o the hoofmaids o my mither Peach Tree. She take the time to play wi me when duty allowed o it.”

One of the workers answered her, “It was Carl, here and me, together. We shifted that beam and we saw her bones. We called Daphne to tell you, Ma'am.”

“That wa well done, and tis rewarded that ye shall be.”

Tam came, picking his way across the remaining bits of what was once the Great Hall of Red Hoof. “Get ye some rest, Heather Bloom, my dear. I shall take the care o Janifer. We shall lay her to rest next to Holly Branch. A carved stane to mark the grave Oi shall order so soon as ye do show me that which is wanted.”

She nuzzled Tam and stroked his horn gently with her own. “It is too good ye air to me, Tam, my heartkept. I dinna know how I should keep on, wi'oot ye. Oi shall leave this ta ye and take me mournin’ to another place.”

With a deep sigh, Heather Bloom walked slowly away. Daphne followed, and then guided her to a quiet, well shaded spot.

Daphne produced a note from Houser. “Your Ladyship, I hope that you will like this news better. Houser says that he has finished examining all of the old supporting stonework. Your ponies built well. It can be used as soon as the last of the rubble is cleared. The new hall can be built from and on the old, just as you hoped.”

“Ye air too gud, Daph. Oi do see that ye ha sommat else. Wa be it?”

Daphne scraped a hoof in the dirt and looked uncertainly away. “You told me that you did a sort of feast with your funerals.”

“Aye, Daph. Tis called a Wake.”

“There was a Rom caravan passing through town on its way to the Mareimount fair. I asked them to come here and sell us their baked Ka'chek rolls, twists and rings with dipping sauces and a selection of their famous tea drinks.

“I hope that was OK. I already paid them.”

“Wi wha coin, Daph?”

Earnestly, she replied, “You paid me for the last two weeks. I used that.”

“Ye shall be paid it back fer this kindness to them ye knew not.”

Daphne bowed a full courtly bow and stated, “I did not need to know them, your Ladyship. You knew them. It is enough.”

“Oi ha said it afore this, Daph. If a Heartkeeper ye could be, ye should be one indeed.”

They heard the cheerful chime of harness bells as the Rom caravan pulled up to the gate.

With the workers called together, Heather Bloom gave a quietly moving eulogy for Holly Branch and Janifer. She ended with, “These Rom ha a saying goes The Loved Dead Air Always With Us. So it be fer Holly Branch an Janifer. In 3000 o years, it is that they air no fergotten.

“These gud Rom ha laid on a feast to celebrate their lives. Do join us, we pray ye.”

The Rom were kept busy tending the cooking fires for the hungry work crew!

The next morning, the first of the timbers that Houser ordered arrived at the Ponyville railroad yard. It was easy to see that Sawnax could not supply these monsters! They were easily three times longer than any in his stock.

Maneuvering them through town and out to Red Hoof’s hill was an adventure in its own right! Houser had two sets of steerable wheels on massive axles. Each one could be pulled by four ponies! The back set had harness that let the ponies pull, two on each side of the timber. When they started a turn, the rear ponies kept pulling straight up the street, while the front ones made the turn. When the rear wheels came up to the turn, the front held straight down the street, while the rear turned. It needed careful work to do it right.

At the end of the day, they had half of the big timbers up at the work site.
Heather Bloom suggested, “As expensive as ar timbers air, Houser, let us post guards on both sets.”

The next morning, Houser was grinning. “They tried to sneak into the rail yard. They had a big two pony saw. Today, they tried to tell Judge Coldheart that we would never miss a few meters off one or two so that they could get some firewood!

“They are going to be on the Royal Road work gangs for the next two years!”

Tam looked askance and inquired, “Did Sawnax ha anywhit to do wi the crime?”

Houser nodded. “They are part time workers of his. The saw that they were carrying was from his yard.”

“I did think as much.”

The remainder of the huge timbers were transported through Ponyville. They arrived without incident at Red Hoof’s Hill, as the two peaked hill was now being called. Two more trainloads of smaller timbers and lumber came over the next few days.

The hilltop resounded to the slamming chop of broad-axes and adzes. For days, frame after huge frame was built, following the original designs but using modern iron fasteners.

Big A-frame cranes were being used to lift up the special end frames!

“Careful, there! Keep it under tension! Can’t let that shift out of position at all!” Ponies heaved on big blocks and tackle to hold the first of the frames in place while others labored feverishly to get it solidly braced!

“That’s it! Let the lines go!” Cables fell away and the first of the giant frames stood silhouetted against the sky!

The big A-frames were moved to the other end of the hall’s foundation. Lest any think it was easy, the griping and complaining ponies got the massive lifting frames into place but only got the lifting tackle rigged by quitting time. The second of the enormous end frames still lay on the stones as the flaming red evening sky made a dark arch of the first one!

Down in the somewhat seedy bar known as the LOW DOWN, Sawnax was starting his usual gripe session. “You see them timbers? I could'a ordered them, but NO! Her High and Mighty Ladyship is cutting out the LOCAL businesses and their payrolls! Building that big old barn of place with no benefit to the local economy!”

He was interrupted by a pink mare in the corner. “They have been ordering lunches for their workers. They share it around by turns among all the restaurants in Ponyville! It was our turn at Sugar Cube Corner today! What a madhouse! Profitable, too!”

A big blacksmith sitting alone in a corner chimed in, “They ordered those broad-axes and adzes from me. Paid cash, too.”

All over the bar tales of the free spending of Heather Bloom filled the air, making Sawnax growl, deep in his chest at being left out of the bounty of Red Hoof. The barkeep took his coin first, before pouring him another beer.

He commented, “You really should not have tried all those dodges and attempts to short Red Hoof. She did not get rich by failing to count or to check out the quality of what she was buying. That is why they won’t deal with you now. They gave you a chance, in spite of your rude behavior to them and Daphne. You tried to short count them. They caught you out, too.”

It was only a few days later that the whole town was abuzz. The sheer size of the ancient Red Hoof Hall could now be seen All of the giant frames were up and braced. They were spanned by the biggest roof trees that Ponyville had ever seen.

AJ was seen pacing about the room spaces inside the frame. She was examining all of the joinery in those big frames and the bare posts of the wall partitions.

To her surprise, she was approached by Heather Bloom. “I ha looked at wha yer Sweet Apple Acres produce an all that ye need fer it. I do see the need o a new barn fer ye. Am I correct in m’ understanin’?”

AJ stammered, “Y'all are, Sugarc … Yer Ladyship. Ain’t no way that we kin pay fer it or we’d of put up already.”

Heather Bloom led the way to a shady spot where a table, cask and mugs awaited. “Then, AJ, let us speak o terms. M’ money shall earn me yet mair money. Ye shall pay it me at rates gud fer ye too. Thus, ye shall pay it oot o the increase o yer farm’s business wi much left t’ ye. Gain fro th’ beginnin’ and only better gud when all be paid off.”

A slightly stunned AJ sat, seeing a way to do what had not been possible before. A way that let Sweet Apple Acres prosper from the outset.

The two sat quietly, discussing the necessary terms, including allowances for a bad harvest and such other problems while the sounds of hammer, saw, and the different chopping noises of broad-axes and adzes went on about them.

The outside walls were more than half up when it came time to quit for the day.

It was only two more weeks before all of the workers were lined up before Tam and Heather Bloom. Behind them the massive Great Hall of Red Hoof stood. Its bright wood and stout shingle making it stand out proudly. For the first time in 3000 years, Red Hoof was once again solid, straddling the top of its hill.

Heather Bloom paced before Houser’s crew and spoke, pride in her voice and manner. “It is foin werk that ye all ha done. This portion o the werk be finished almost a month early and it is most pleased that I am.

“Ye were all offered werk here on landscapin and garden. Those as tuk the offer, yer pay is as normal but that ye ha been give a bonus fer early finish o the job.

“Fer those who will move on t’ Houser’s other projects, Oi ha paid ye that month ye did save and give ye yer two week severance. Also, should ye need it, ye ha a letter o recommend.

“There be but one mair bit o business befair ye leave. Ye may ha notice t’ smoke an smells o t’ kitchen at werk. Ye must come inside and be t’ first t’ feast in this foin Great Hall that ye ha raised fro t ashes o t’ past!

Comments

[CoffeeRings]

A great and glorious feast!