• Solo • Missing The Sun

[Bronik]

22 Cylus 716

The constant state of twilight was maddening and Bronik found himself once again in Brujo's workshop, lighting all of the lamps to keep the space well lit in an attempt to fool his mind into thinking it was warm and sunny outside. He missed the sun on his skin and longed to bask in its heat. Keeping busy, he thought, would at least take his mind off of things for a time and soon enough the season would draw to a close and the sky would lighten once more.
With all of the lamps lit, Bronik returned to his work table and picked up one of the chisels he had been using to shape the leftover pieces of wood he had acquired some days before, scraps he hoped to repurpose and turn into something useful. His first few attempts had ended up a little messy and he had even managed to knick his finger during one of them. For a time he sat just staring at the wood, waiting for inspiration to strike. Already this morning, if one could call it that, he had tried to craft a coat hook and a spoon, both far too advanced for his current skill level.
Brujo stalked into the shed and stood in the doorway a moment with brow hitched, "shouldn't you be off home, lad?" He asked before closing the door behind him gently.
"Can't sleep," Bronik complained, "so I might as well keep busy."
"What are you making?"
"Something, anything, I'm just trying to learn how to use these tools to shape the wood right."
"Well I need some pieces for the boat that aren't too difficult to craft."
"What are they?" Bronik perked up.
"Just small wooden caps to cover some of the rivets."
"Could you show me how to make them?"
"Of course," Brujo offered, "flat on the bottom, curved on top."

The old man sat down at the work station and split the wood. He worked silently, only speaking up whenever Bronik had a question. Soon the young man found he had forgotten all about the weather and colour of the sky outside and set his mind to the task, using a small wooden hammer and chisel to cut out the pieces of wood just as Brujo had demonstrated.

[Bronik]

Brujo demonstrated how he liked to make his caps for the boat and told Bronik to go and fetch a clamp to hold the block of wood he had been working on with one of the chisels, "You will find working with a clamp gives you one less thing to worry about," he offered.
"Keeps it from moving about?" Bronik asked.
Brujo nodded, "Almost cut a finger off, or three, when I was younger," he chuffed and pressed his lips together, the hair on his upper lip fanned out.

They worked silently, though many a question went through Bronik's mind, things he would like to ask Brujo about his history and boat building past, why he had so few workers, what it had been like to build a business in Ne'haer, and his proudest achievement in the industry, "Ever worked on any tall ships?" Bronik inquired.
"Can't build many of those out of this shop," Brujo smiled.
"But you could build the parts to assemble on another location?"
"True," Brujo agreed with a nod of his head, "but it's been more profitable for me to work on the smaller vessels."
"I would like to build a tall ship one day."
Again Brujo smiled, only this time the gesture seemed sad, "I'm sure you will, my boy."

taking up a smaller chisel and the same wooden hammer, Bronik chipped away at the block of wood, finding it a lot easier to control his tools and shape the wood where he wanted. Long, thin, orange-peel-like pieces feel away from the block as he worked, cutting out the right shapes. He could imagine carving something with a lot more ease now, though he still wasn't sure his designs would be any good, that didn't seem to bother him as much.