Mistborn #02 The Well of Ascension

have lost their titles in the first place."
    "Is that what it's about, then?" Elend asked. "The title?"
    "Isn't that what we were discussing?" Tindwyl asked.
    Elend didn't answer. What do you think makes a man a good king ? he had once asked of Tindwyl. Trust , she had replied. A good king is one who is trusted by his people—and one who deserves that trust .
    Elend stood up. "Thank you, Tindwyl," he said.
    Tindwyl frowned in confusion, then turned to Sazed. He looked up and met Elend's eyes, cocking his head slightly. Then he smiled. "Come, Tindwyl," he said. "We should return to our studies. His Majesty has work to do, I think."
    Tindwyl continued to frown as Elend left the room. His guards followed behind as he quickly strode down the hallway.
    I won't go back to the way I was , Elend thought. I won't continue to fret and worry. Tindwyl taught me better than that, even if she never really understood me .
    Elend arrived at his rooms a few moments later. He stalked directly in, then opened his closet. The clothing Tindwyl had chosen for him—the clothing of a king—waited inside.

Some of you may know of my fabled memory. It is true; I need not a Feruchemist's metalmind to memorize a sheet of words in an instant .

42
    "GOOD," ELEND SAID, USING A charcoal stick to circle another section on the city map before him. "What about here?"
    Demoux scratched his chin. "Grainfield? That's a nobleman's neighborhood, my lord."
    "It used to be," Elend said. "Grainfield was filled with cousin houses to the Ventures. When my father pulled out of the city, so did most of them."
    "Then we'll probably find the homes filled with skaa transients, I'd guess."
    Elend nodded. "Move them out."
    "Excuse me, my lord?" Demoux said. The two stood in Keep Venture's large carriage landing. Soldiers moved in a bustle through the spacious room. Many of them didn't wear uniforms; they weren't on official city business. Elend was no longer king, but they had still come at his request.
    That said something, at least.
    "We need to move the skaa out of those homes," Elend continued. "Noblemen's houses are mostly stone mansions with a lot of small rooms. They're extremely hard to heat, requiring a separate hearth or a stove for every room. The skaa tenements are depressing, but they have massive hearths and open rooms."
    Demoux nodded slowly.
    "The Lord Ruler couldn't have his workers freezing," Elend said. "Those tenements are the best way to efficiently look after a large population of people with limited resources."
    "I understand, my lord," Demoux said.
    "Don't force them, Demoux," Elend said. "My personal guard—even augmented with army volunteers—has no official authority in the city. If a family wants to stay in their pilfered aristocratic house, let them. Just make certain that they know there's an alternative to freezing."
    Demoux nodded, then moved over to pass on the commands. Elend turned as a messenger arrived. The man had to weave his way through an organized jumble of soldiers receiving orders and making plans.
    Elend nodded to the newcomer. "You're on the demolitions scout group, correct?"
    The man nodded as he bowed. He wasn't in uniform; he was a soldier, not one of Elend's guards. He was a younger man, with a square jaw, balding head, and honest smile.
    "Don't I know you?" Elend said.
    "I helped you a year ago, my lord," the man said. "I led you into the Lord Ruler's palace to help rescue Lady Vin. . .."
    "Goradel," Elend said, remembering. "You used to be in the Lord Ruler's personal guard."
    The man nodded. "I joined up in your army after that day. Seemed like the thing to do."
    Elend smiled. "Not my army anymore, Goradel, but I do appreciate you coming to help us today. What's your report?"
    "You were right, my lord," Goradel said, "the skaa have already robbed the empty homes for furniture. But, not many thought of the walls. A good half of the abandoned mansions have wooden walls on the inside, and a lot of the tenements were made of wood. Most all of them have wooden roofs."
    "Good," Elend said. He surveyed the gathering mass of men. He hadn't told them his plans; he'd simply asked for volunteers to help him with some manual labor. He hadn't expected the response to number in the hundreds.
    "It looks like we're gathering quite a group, my lord," Demoux said, rejoining Elend.
    Elend nodded, giving leave for Goradel to withdraw. "We'll be able to try an even more ambitious project than I'd planned."
    "My lord," Demoux said.