King Caraman the Second of Turabe

  "So, Cousin, how are things going in the North," I said as we sat in my parlor sipping on wine from the Vinyards of Oris. It was a forty-year-old vintage. It was of particularly high quality. Probably one of my favorite years for this particular wine.

  "Mmm, always business with you, Caraman," Arkorum said.

  I said nothing, just waiting for his response.

  He sighed and said, "Nothing has much changed. King Lenord is still holed up in his castle, trying to keep himself from looking the fool. His magisters and advisors are pushing him deeper into debt due to this war, and soon he may lose all his power whether or not the council does anything to him."

  "What are those rebels up to?"

  "They have most of Kimton under their thumb in one way or another, and although the king cannot prove it, Duke Githum is most likely a member of this Council."

  "The King's brother is no fool. Even if he is not a member of this council, Devon Githum will definitely switch sides if the Council moves against the king. The opportunity is too great. What about Hernon?" I said.

  "He is still loyal, but there are people ready to prevent his armies from coming to the aid of the king if the council makes a move."

  "This is all very good. I received a report from our agents in Hitub that Lenord's army is starting to make progress again. Something about their calvary." I said.

  Arkorum nodded. "Yes, our agents in the Falmoren army have attributed it to an invention they call the stirrup. It is attached to the saddle and holds the soldiers' feet in loops. We have acquired one, and our men are studying it. The tactics used by the Falmorens have been included in the last report as well. It is a simple invention, but from what my people are saying, it will change warfare."

  "This is the report I have gotten as well. This new invention must be studied quickly and implemented before we make our own move."

  "What of their vassal kingdoms?"

  "The agents are slowly stirring their desire for independence. If it weren't for the Harbin range limiting our access to them, we would have been able to use them as a staging ground," I said.

  "Patience, Cousin, all in good time. Let the Falmoren eat themselves from the inside for a while longer. The Asputs should have never gotten so greedy. Hitub was their buffer, and now they are destroying it. They will learn that having a border with us will not be as desirable as they think. And trading his sister for a peace agreement was one of the stupidest decisions that king could have made. I know you love interesting news, and one of our agents found some."

  "Are you trying to change the subject?" I asked.

  "Of course I am. I know you love your scheming, but sometimes it gets boring."

  "Fine, what is this news?"

  "Our agent in Vaspar reported that there is a baron in Vaspar who is gaining popularity through his paintings. They say the paintings seem alive."

  "Really, our agents are not known to exaggerate. Would it be worth kidnapping him?"

  "The last report I got was that he had been invited to paint the Duke of Kimton."

  "Pity, he is probably dead by now. If he somehow survives, we may want to find a way to invite him to Turabe.

  Amos

  The next morning greeted me at the crack of dawn. I got up and did my exercises and then began to spar with Chris.

  "Dang, Amos, you have improved quite a bit with the sword while you were away." He said.

  "I got some added instruction from two of the best swordsmen in Kimton," I said with a satisfied grin.

  "Ah, well, it is apparent that your spear work is still crap," he said, trying to take me down a peg.

  "Hey! I almost got you a few times during the fight."

  "Well, almost doesn't count if you have a spear in your gut."

  "Point taken, pun intended," I said as I wiped the sweat from my brow.

  "And another piece of advice. When the enemy comes, please don't try to be a hero. We don't need them capturing or killing you. Especially capture. They would ask for a ransom, and that would drain your coffers. Then you wouldn't have enough money to pay me."

  "Well, if I stopped paying you now, you could get used to it by the time they attack," I said.

  "Nah, I kind of like being paid."

  "How in the world did I end up being surrounded by such greedy people? I start introducing coin into our barony, and all of a sudden, everyone wants to be paid."

  "What was it you said last time we were together? We always see clearest in hindsight."

  "Alright, you win. But only because I need to wash and get ready to see my new citizens."

  Chris smiled, "A wise lord knows when to retreat."

  I shook my head and headed toward the river. My guards and a servant followed after me with my clothes and a towel. I greeted people as I walked down the street, asking their names and trying to memorize them. I would probably forget most of them, but if I only remembered one, I would consider it a success.

  After I finished washing myself, I got into the carriage. Benjamin, Barak, and his wife got in with me. Edward followed behind on a horse. We were about to leave when I remembered I still needed to talk to Suzy.

  Leaving the rest in the carriage, I went back to Paul's house.

  As I entered, I called out. "Suzy, I was wondering if I could have a word with you,"

  She turned from where she was kneading dough and bowed. "Of course, my lord, I wanted to apologize to you. I misspoke yesterday. Please forgive me."

  "It is quite alright as long as we keep that behavior out of the public eye. I enjoy the familiarity, but it would not be acceptable outside a private setting." Before she could get nervous, I continued. "It is concerning that matter that I would like to speak with you about. I am wondering where I made a mistake."

  "You didn't, not really. Most of it was due to an emotional teenage girl. But even then, it can be somewhat justified. She was most likely already nervous about your return due to the fact that she had been feeling extremely guilty about everything that happened while you were gone. Then you came home, forgave her, and made her a noblewoman. It was like something out of one of your tales. There is not a young woman in the world who has not dreamed of a handsome young nobleman falling in love with them and raising her status so that he can take her away to live in his castle."

  That made me pause. It really was like something out of a fairytale, wasn't it. "Ah, yes, I didn't consider that. The fact that she has a crush on me probably added to the idea that she thought it was a dream amidst all the nightmares she has been having about Marcus and what I would say when I return. I guess I shouldn't have sprung that on her as soon as I got back."

  "She has calmed down. Now, she is just embarrassed. She is back at the manor. You can smooth things out when you get there. You should also talk to her about how you feel. It is not good that she views your relationship differently."

  I sighed, "I know. I just don't want to hurt her."

  She smiled kindly, "You are a good man, Amos. Just be honest. And remember, she is now a noble among peasants. You are responsible for finding her a husband now that you have made it almost impossible to find her one here."

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  That thought did not sit well with me. I wasn't going to let just any ol' knight marry her. And I would have to entice them with land here. There was no way I was going to let one of my best friends move away. I didn't have very many to start with.

  "Thanks, Suzy. I have to go." I said. "Take care of Tumlus while I am gone. I am hoping that by having Paul and you introduce him instead of me, people will feel more comfortable approaching him.”

  "He is a sweet boy. We will take care of him. Be safe, my lord. We missed you."

  I nodded and left.

  Getting back into the carriage, we set off for the village between Kerisi and Cofi, which was about an hour away. The village was hidden within the trees, and the sound of timber falling could be heard even above the noise of the carriage rattling along the uneven path.

  We were in the village as soon as we exited the forest. It had probably once been a large grove, but now I could see men cutting down trees to expand the area. Edward had explained that this was going to be another source of lumber. They would be transporting the hardwood from here to the lumber mill. With each acre that was cleared, another field was plowed. The village roads were once again lined out in neat rows with street signs denoting each one. There was, of course, a main street and a public square. It was a shame that most people still couldn't read, but I was hoping to change that. Once these people's basic needs were met, we would build the school.

  There was no cheering as I came into town. In fact, the looks on people's faces ranged from concern to curiosity. A few even had hopeful expressions on their face. I am sure some of these people were there yesterday when I entered Kerisi. They were probably just caught up in the excitement of the crowd or maybe just doing what they thought was expected of them. Now, however, they were concerned about why their lord was visiting them. I remember hating it whenever my bosses would stop by for a visit. It made half the people in the office worry about whether we had done something wrong.

  I stepped out of the carriage and looked around with a smile on my face. Most people who were present were women and children, with only a few men scattered among them. Most of the male population currently in town were members of the BDF. I assumed that the male residents were out chopping down the forests. The work on the palisade had not started yet.

  I waited for people to gather before I began to speak. "I wanted to personally welcome you all to Bicman. I am amazed at what you all have accomplished in such a short period of time. I want you all to know you are all an important part of this barony and my county. I will make a promise to you. The same promise I have made to all my citizens. If you are faithful in your loyalty to me, I swear on my honor as a count that I will strive to treat you fairly. The laws of Bicman are set, and I abide by them."

  This caused a murmur among those present. There would be disbelief. Trust had to be earned.

  "I give you this land to cultivate. I will do all I can to help you prosper," I said. Then I turned to Kal, the soldier who was currently acting as headman.

  "Kal, you are to gather the people together in the square tonight. Have them decide on a name for their new village. Then send the name to me for approval."

  He bowed, "It shall be done, my lord."

  I nodded and then began to walk among the people. I asked them where they were from, and once again, I was sad that I had no candy for the kids. I talked to them about what brought them to Bicman. Most people lied, saying that they had heard of my greatness and my greatness inspired them to travel to Bicman. Greatness was the word of the day when it came to Count Bicman. But some were honest, saying they feared starvation, and this was their last chance. I thanked them for their honesty and asked if there was anything they needed. Surprisingly, most of them said they had more now than they had ever had in their life and needed nothing else.

  Afterwards, I went back to Kal's home, and we sat down to go over things. "So, how are things going? Will people be ready for winter?"

  "I think so. Since we are hiding the spinning wheel, not everyone is completely clothed, but we have received a few shipments of cloth from the fort. Now that the looms are back up and running there, it shouldn't be long. Most people wept when they saw the new clothes. And don't worry they realize that they will have to pay back the cost of the clothes with work. As far as food goes, things are going well. There were a lot of people who, I think, assumed that once you got them here, you may stop feeding them as well. But when they realized that as long as they worked, they were still provided two meals a day, they redoubled their efforts."

  "Any problem with people?" I asked.

  "A few people ended up on the service crews for misbehavior, and we had to hang someone for defiling a young woman, but things started to quiet down after that. The people had the laws read to them several times, and once a few people were punished, people started reporting any problems. The priest had been very busy helping us pass judgment. He complained that he may need another judge to help."

  "Do you agree?" I asked.

  "A week ago, I might have, but things have been quiet recently. I have been able to handle most things, and Edward has been very responsive when I have sent him letters." Kal said.

  I turned to Edward, "Thank you, my friend. Maybe I should give the job I have in store for you to another."

  "Forgive me, my lord, but I think I could use a change. I am a little wary that you haven't explained the position," he said.

  "Oh yes, I want you to head up the publishing house business in Vaspar."

  This caused his eyebrows to rise. "You want me to move to Vaspar?"

  "Yes, I need someone to keep track of things there and pass me information. I need all the info on important events going on there."

  "Forgive me, my lord. I am grateful for the opportunity, but I don't know anything at all about publishing your books. You have only given me a brief overview of what a publishing house is."

  I lean over and whispered. "You'll be fine. It's exactly like working at a fish market, except you won't be cleaning and gutting fish all day,"

  Edward sighed. "I had forgotten how bad your jokes were, my lord."

  "That's the spirit," I said, ignoring his comment and slapping him on the back. "Trust me. If you can take care of a barony for two months, you can handle a publishing house. We need to gather more scribes and send them down to Vaspar with you. Each book is going for a minimum of five gold, and they can't keep up with demand. You can also look for more skilled craftsmen and supplies to send to Bicman while you are down there."

  "I will do my best, my lord."

  "I know you will," I said.

  I wish we had enough time to create a printing press. Right now, each of my scribes could write a few pages per day. I demanded a high degree of perfection on each page, and anyone who thinks writing with a dip pen is easy has never tried. Getting just the right amount of ink for each stroke is an art.

  I planned to hand the printing press project off to someone else, but there were just so many more pressing issues. We definitely needed to train more people. Speaking of which…

  "Kal, do you have any people with specialized skills who came up here?" I asked.

  "Yes, we have carpenters, stone cutters, and a man who claims he knows the process for extracting salt from seawater. Among the women, there is a seamstress who has worked at a highly respected shop in Falmor for many years. Most people, however, were just peasants who either lost their land or were not given any due to overpopulation in baronies. People who had escaped being used as fodder on the battlefield but would die anyways due to starvation."

  "Well, let's go talk to the specialists. We need to know their skill levels."

  As we talked to the people, I assured them we would find them work and pay them for any work they did for the barony unless they wanted to use their goods as part of their taxes.

  The salt worker's story was interesting.

  "I hear you are the man who knows how to make salt," I said as we approached two men who were working on splitting logs. The short, well-built man with salt and pepper hair looked at me in surprise and then bowed deeply.

  "Yes, my lord," he said.

  "What is your name, good man?"

  "Zed, my lord."

  "Well, Zed, what brings you here? Would it not be more profitable to make salt closer to civilization." I really was curious.

  Zed grimaced. "My father, my brothers, and I had a thriving salt business for many years in Pith, a small town east of Vaspar. We were experts in extracting fine salt cream from seawater. Unfortunately, a friend of Lord Vaspar's son had expanded a salt business closer to the city. They undercut our prices and took away most of our business. Fortunately, our salt was of better quality, so we were gaining back most of our previous customers. They put pressure on us to sell our business, and when we didn't, most of my family died. Fortunately, my wife and children were away at the time, and I was…" Here, he blushed. "I was deep in the bottle at a tavern. I fled with my family, as well as my niece and her husband, after our baron refused to help us. I think he had no choice."

  "Where did you go?"

  "We were in Decmoor for the last few years, and my niece's husband and I have been working in the field there. We were trying to save up enough money to open a trading business, but Decmoor isn't the best place to go if you want to save money.”

  “And what do you hope to accomplish here?”

  “My lord, we were told that you would help us find work, and we hoped to be able to save enough here to start trading.”

  I was a little disappointed. “So you no longer wish to produce salt?”

  This caused his bushy eyebrows to climb up into his forehead. “My lord, I would love to return to the salt business, but I have learned that your coasts are cliffs.”

  “They are, but Baron Plimgus has a few beaches further south. We could set you up there next year.”

  Zed looked stunned. “My lord, if you would be willing to do that and give us protection, you will receive the finest salt in the kingdom.”

  “It will be done. In the spring, remind Kal, and we will speak with Baron Plimgus about getting you set up.”

  I really wanted to set him up at the cove, but we needed to evaluate his character before we moved him there, so I didn’t want to make any promises.

  I would have Kal pay close attention to Zed and his family. If they were trustworthy, we would send them to Fort Cove and have our salt farm. If not, I will put them in Plimgus.

  After we left Zed, we began our walk back to the carriage. “Kal, I am impressed. I approve of Edward and Draves's choice. I give you the title of headman.”

  Kal bowed, “I am grateful for your praise and will strive to be worthy of it.”

  “I know you will. We are off to Cofi. Please let me know if you need anything.”

  After I was out of earshot, I turned to Edward and Benjamin. “I want you to work with him to help him find a good steward. I will also need a recommendation from Draves.”

  “Are you sure, my lord?” Benjamin asked.

  “Of course, I am not sure. I have only had a few interactions with him before today. But I have a feeling he is going to work out, so I want to get the ball rolling. If we need to find somewhere else, we will.” I said.

  “Wait, I’m confused,” Edward said. “What is going on?”

  “Edward, my friend, we are going to build a true county for ourselves. That means it is time to get ourselves a few loyal knights. We will start with those who have proven themselves trustworthy stewards.” I said with a smile.