The next month passed quickly. And the first hay cutting had been completed. The various grains would soon be ready to harvest, and I was really hoping the new adjustments they made to the reaper would help it to work just as well for the wheat as it had for the hay. But duty required me to be in Malcomp rather than overseeing my projects.
The Great Hall of Malcomp Manor was filled with every noble in the County. Including the ones I didn’t like. Not gonna name names. Sunlight spilled through the tall windows high along the walls, cutting pale bars across polished stone and colorful banners, while every alcove flickered with the warm glow of beeswax candles. Servants hurried along the edges of the hall, balancing heavy platters and steaming bowls as food was still being laid out on the tables lining the walls. Roasted meat, fresh bread, melted butter, and sharp spices filled the air.
I sat at the high table in a splendid high-backed chair, one elbow resting against the carved armrest while my fingers drummed lightly against the polished wood. My three barons flanked me on either side like carved statues, though I could already see Baron Yarbeth occasionally adjusting the collar of his coat under the heat of the crowded hall. The room buzzed with the low murmur of North Cove’s returning nobility, officers, and their families.
“Lord Julius Malcomp, the Second, step forward,” I said in a loud and clear voice.
The conversations died almost instantly. Julius straightened before stepping out from the gathered nobles. His polished boots echoed against the stone floor as he approached the center of the hall. Reaching the foot of the dais, he lowered himself onto one knee, fist pressed against his chest.
“For your excellent service in your first campaign and your representation as a Knight of North Cove, you are hereby rewarded with the pin of the first campaign of North Cove”
A servant stepped forward carrying a Melkor cushion. Yes, I had eventually decided to keep one of them just for these types of occasions. Putting rewards on cushions was a cool trend I was going to start. Putting it on a Melkor cushion just confirmed North Coves ' awesomeness.
Resting atop it was a bronze pin shaped like a star, polished so brightly the candlelight shimmered across its edges. The pin was designed to attach to a sash worn at official military functions. I had commissioned many different pins, though not many would be awarded today due to the lack of true battle.
One small squad led by Captain Vance would actually be receiving the most medals for defending against an ambush. A shame the ambush came from another baron’s men rather than our true enemy, but that was the way of this world.
“You are also rewarded with an extra month's pay, a bag of salt and spices from the continent.”
That caused an immediate whisper to ripple through the crowd. Rumors about the magic my cooks worked with those spices had become some of the most discussed gossip in the county.
“You shall also receive a Nobles' deck of playing cards.”
This time, the reaction was stronger. A few brows lifted. Someone near the back audibly muttered in surprise before quickly going silent again. The Nobles’ deck was something only rumored about. Julius clearly had no idea what it truly meant to receive such a gift. His eyes flicked upward for only a moment before he lowered them again.
I smiled faintly. He would soon enough.
“Arise, Lord Malcomp. May you endeavor to always represent the house of Malcomp with honor and dignity.”
Julius rose carefully, accepting the pin and gifts with both hands before bowing his head. As he stepped back beside Uriah, who placed a hand on his brother's shoulder in congratulations.
Uriah came forth next, followed by the non-noble leadership, and finally the commoners who had distinguished themselves. Some stood stiff as boards, while others looked moments away from collapsing from nerves. Each received various pins, gifts, or honors depending on their actions and stations. Unfortunately, their station still mattered more than action right now.
Following the ceremony, there was a great feast. Servants moved constantly between tables, refilling cups and carrying away empty platters. The laughter at the lower table was unfortunately not present at the table I was sitting at. The barons and their families demanded a more formal atmosphere.
I sat at the high table with the nobles and General Draves. Draves sat perfectly straight despite the feast before him. Even though I wanted to speak with him, proper etiquette demanded I begin with Julius the Second.
Dabbing my lips with my napkin, I turned toward the young noble. “Lord Malcomp. I have heard the reports on the campaign, but I believe those of you who were there could give more insight.”
He nodded once before setting his goblet down carefully beside his plate. “My lord, the best I could say is that it was educational.” His gaze briefly swept across the other nobles seated at the table. “This was not my first campaign, but it was the first I have been on that showed me the benefits of the North Cove Defense Forces' standard operating procedures.”
I stayed silent, allowing him to explain further.
“I will admit I was skeptical of the effectiveness of North Point's training.” He gave a faint, almost embarrassed smile at the admission. “However, having trained for the last six months as we developed the SOPs, then observing the manners of the other nobles' troops along the border, I came to realize what a difference it made.”
His father nodded in agreement.
“The discipline instilled within the troops made everything easier. Orders were followed properly. Everyone knew what to do and when to do it. There were rarely fights among our own men, and the constant training every day helped burn off the energy the troops would normally be using to get up to no good.”
“That is excellent news,” I said, giving a slow nod. I turned slightly toward the second son. “Uriah, do you have anything to add?”
Uriah straightened in his chair, fingers brushing against the stem of his cup before pulling away from it. “I think what shocked me the most was the fact that we did not have a single death due to disease.”
The way he said it reminded me that men had still been lost due to betrayal. My jaw tightened slightly before I forced my expression smooth again and motioned for him to continue.
“The standards put into place by the health care professionals, I believe, are the reason.” Uriah folded his hands neatly in front of him as he spoke. “The fact that we brought people with us who spent their whole time making sure the water was safe to drink and that everything was clean was something I thought would be a waste of time.”
A few people exchanged glances at that.
“Casualties due to disease are part of military life. The idea of wasting resources to create a team to maintain soldiers' health even when they were not wounded seemed unwise. However, I now see the cost of keeping people safe is nothing compared to the benefit of having an even more experienced group of people coming home.” He paused briefly before continuing. “I look back at the time it took to train our men to the North Cove Standard and realize the value of each man. Next year, these men will be even better trained, and that means if we finally cross paths with our enemies, we have an even greater chance of defeating them.”
“A very good observation. Thank you for your insight.” I let my eyes travel across the high table. “Does anyone else have a comment?”
“The armor was extremely beneficial, even though it was used to defend us against our own,” the younger Malcomp said.
I nodded slowly, fingers tapping once against the armrest of my chair. “It ended up being a double-edged sword.”
I received several puzzled looks around the table.
“What I meant to say is that it is something that can harm you just as much as it can harm your opponent if you don’t use it right.”
“An interesting saying,” Draves said, leaning back slightly in his chair. “But very apt in this particular situation. And the armor worked well. I hope you got a good price out of Baron Sophis for it.”
I smiled faintly and lifted my goblet. “Did they not tell you the details of the deal?”
“We only have suspicions.” One side of Draves’ mouth twitched upward. “Nobles' deals are kept between themselves.”
That statement almost made me laugh. Every person at this table knew that for the right price, any information was for sale.
“I traded it for all of you.”
Silence settled across the table for a brief moment. No one looked surprised, but I could see the gratitude in their expressions. Uriah lowered his gaze respectfully while Julius sat a little straighter in his chair. Even Draves gave a small nod of acknowledgment.
“It was a bad situation,” Julius the Second said after a moment. He set down his fork. “If we retaliated, we would have been overwhelmed and then brought to court. They would have demanded the armor in compensation.” His jaw tightened slightly. “A no-win situation.”
He hesitated briefly before continuing. “If it is not too bold to ask, how do you plan to deal with the king? I am sure that he would not be happy with you giving some to Baron Sophis.”
I waved away his concern with one hand before reaching for my cup. “I sent him a letter explaining that we finished field testing our armor and sent him the latest version.”
“Latest version?” Julius asked, brows lifting slightly.
“We have improved the armor since you left.”
That actually earned a slight smile from Draves. “So you gave away the older stuff to equip our soldiers with the new items?”
“Yes,” I said simply. “And I will be leaving after harvest to negotiate further with the king.”
“Not that I doubt our king's magnanimity, but I am surprised he didn’t force you to give the whole production process to him.” Baron Malcomp finally spoke up. His fingers remained folded neatly on the table, though his eyes sharpened slightly as he studied me.
That put a small frown on my face. “That is yet to be seen.” I slowly set my goblet down. “He sent fifty soldiers from the king’s personal guard to protect the production of the new armor.”
My frown did not come close to the one that was now on Baron Yarbeth's Face. He was not pleased that the king was taking a personal interest in my affairs. It made me want to smile.
That surprised everyone at the table. Julius blinked while Uriah straightened slightly in his seat.
“When did this occur?” Uriah asked.
“Right before I left for here.” I let out a quiet breath through my nose. “I was almost late because I demanded their exact orders. The orders were somewhat ambiguous, and I think that was so they could bully me more.”
A few grim expressions appeared around the table.
“Unfortunately for them, in their orders, it said nothing about being allowed inside my facilities. So we are building a large complex, and they will guard the outer wall.”
“A wise decision.” The heir of Malcomp gave an approving nod. “But I doubt they will be happy about it.”
“Probably,” I admitted with a shrug. “But we are giving them our best accommodations and trying to feed them better than they have ever eaten before.”
That caused a few amused smiles.
“I also persuaded them to take up patrol duties for the Great Northern Road between Bicman and Hillside.”
“How did you manage that?” Uriah asked.
“Simple.” I leaned back slightly in my chair. “I pay them half the amount that I would a regular patrolman, since they are already paid by the king. Then I gave them the same perks as any other member of our military.”
Several people around the table looked curious.
“The first round of drinks is free at the local establishments on the fifth and tenth day with a military ID.”
“Wait, when did that start?” Draves looked absolutely shocked. His eyes narrowed slightly at me over the rim of his cup. He knew exactly how I felt about alcohol.
“When Jarum, Jonathan, and Fredrick started sending me a few brewers.” I kept my expression calm despite the attention suddenly directed at me. “We have been experimenting with various drinks and established the North Cove Brewery.”
I did not bother talking about the experiments we were undertaking with alcohol. Yarbeth and Malcomp should only hear about things that were common knowledge. I was trying to create a medicine-grade version, and we were getting close. In the meantime, we had also been attempting various distillery versions. The men who worked in the brewery were under as much scrutiny as any of our other secret projects, especially since we had just made our first high-proof liquor other than Applejack.
The still that was finally able to do it took a month and a half to create, and only the brewers themselves had actually tested it. They were now working on a way to stop the harsher side effects that I knew could be removed somehow.
Yet another missed opportunity. I should have spent more time on alcohol brewing reels and less time on conspiracy theories.
It was funny working with all the new brewers. They learned that I didn’t drink, which was blasphemy in itself and lowered my credibility in their eyes. Then I, the sinner, was giving them ideas for new things to try. If I weren’t the boss, they probably would have ignored everything I suggested.
Instead, my suggestions actually produced results. Even my own people were surprised when the coil helped concentrate the drinks.
After its success, the request to find a way to remove the heavy sediment from the alcohol and reduce the side effects no longer seemed impossible.
I was sure that the new, higher-proof alcohol would be liquid gold.
From what I heard, even without the distillation, the quality of alcohol had risen severalfold from what we used to have in Bicman just by bringing in seasoned brewers.
General Draves brought me back to the present. “So you are able to reduce your costs by hiring the Royal Guards who would otherwise just be sitting around.”
I nodded once. “Exactly.”
The discussion continued in this vein for a while, winding down only when the second set of candles had been replaced at the table. The servants moved quietly among the nobles, swapping melted candles for fresh ones while conversations slowly drifted into smaller side discussions.
*****
After a good night's sleep, the general and I rode in my carriage, reaching North Point by the afternoon of the next day, long before everyone else. The new steel springs and smoothness of the Great Northern Road made for a quieter journey than usual. Draves spent most of the ride looking out the window while I sorted through reports spread across the bench beside me.
Once we arrived, I took the time to go over reports with Elizabeth and Saron, Kevin’s sister. Elizabeth stood beside the long table in the office with her sleeves rolled slightly past her wrists while Saron organized stacks of paper with practiced efficiency.
“The crop yield will be excellent this year,” Elizabeth said, sliding a parchment toward me.
I scanned the numbers while Saron pointed to several marked areas on the map. All surplus beyond what the villages were using and storing was being purchased by me to support the growing populations of Hillside, Pine Ridge, and our ever-increasing military.
After our quick stop at Plimgus Manor, we pushed on.
I was eager to get back to North Cove, but I wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to show off North Point to Draves.
When we finally stepped out of the carriage to view the town properly, I could swear Draves’ jaw would have dropped had he been any other man.
The training field held even more people than when he had left.
Men marched in organized formations while others drilled with spears and shields beneath shouted commands. The sharp thud of wooden practice weapons echoed across the field. Along the edges of the grounds, workers hauled lumber while new buildings continued going up at an almost alarming pace.
I gave him a broad grin as he slowly turned toward me. A hundred questions sat behind his eyes.
“The little town grew up,” I said.
“I can see that.” His gaze swept over the crowded training grounds. “Where did you find all these people?”
We began walking toward the training grounds together, boots crunching against the dirt road.
“At first, we had second and third sons of people migrating here looking for work.” I motioned toward a group drilling with practice spears. “The same kind of young men who might otherwise become mercenaries since they cannot inherit their fathers’ land.”
I shrugged slightly.
“I never really thought about it before because there is so much land here, but in the more populated baronies, good farmland is not always easy to come by.”
“I see you are beginning to understand,” Draves said.
I let out a short laugh. “I have only been here a year, and yet I have learned so much and not enough at the same time.”
We continued to walk past a group that was unloading supplies from wagons. They all bowed, and I thanked them for their dedication and hard work.
“But back to where the people are coming from. We have second and third sons from our own people who do not want to farm, as well as those from immigrant families. Then we started getting a few mercenary companies.”
“So the knowledge that North Cove is expanding its military has begun to spread. And you have decided that mercenary companies are the way to expand quickly.”
“I have learned a lot about them lately.” I stepped aside to allow a squad jogging past us to continue down the road. “Yes, they can make decent money, but they lack stability, and even a mercenary company can starve during the winter. Most would rather have a patron or be folded into a nobleman’s forces.”
“Mercenaries come with bad habits sometimes.” He warned
We reached the top of a hill overlooking the sprawling field below. Hundreds of men moved in organized patterns while banners snapped in the wind.
“A lesson that we learned early.” I folded my arms across my chest. “I had to dismiss the first company because they refused to conform. However, the fact that mercenaries come with experience outweighs the baggage they bring.”
I nodded toward a formation drilling near the river.
“Well, as long as they are willing to learn. I implemented a policy stating that I will not keep them if they cannot integrate within two tendays. It is not a lot of time, but we have many mercenary groups trying to prove themselves.”
“The expense of this has got to be incredible.” Draves finally looked directly at me. “Why are you doing all this?”
“After Baron Sophis visited, I learned a few things.” My expression became more serious. “He has been passing me information. The number of troops each baron and count has in Kimton. The political attitudes of various nobles and what they want.”
“And what have you learned that has so dramatically changed your policies over the last few months?”
I could hear the concern beneath his calm tone.
“Many things have been shifting.” I rested my hands behind my back as we continued walking. “First, the backing of the king. I will admit I am not keen on the forced engagement, but I have resigned myself to the fact that there is nothing I can do about it.”
I looked out across the training fields.
“It may not be the best option for me personally, but for the county, for my people, it is a lifeline I cannot ignore.”
There was a knowing look in Draves’ eyes, and I could tell he was proud of me.
“With that backing, most people are less likely to move against me. This means we can be bolder in our actions.
“With the knowledge that we can make better cloth and subsequently better armor, I have been receiving letters requesting sets from other nobles. We are now the center of attention, whether we want it or not. That means we have to switch tactics. I am telling people that the king is responsible for who receives the armor, and shortly, I will visit him to negotiate.”
“In the meantime, you need an army to protect it.”
“Not quite the reason this all started, though that certainly plays into it.”
My expression hardened slightly.
“Yarbeth is trying to make his move. He has transferred farmers from his other fiefs to Bicman. It makes sense from a practical standpoint. With the new plows, our fields are more productive. However, a portion of the people he is bringing in are actually part of the Yarbeth military.”
Draves’ face somehow managed to grow even stonier.
“So this is our countermeasure?”
I nodded.
“For this and future problems. The reports I have been receiving have been enlightening. Most barons have fewer than sixty trained men. A count calling on his barons and personal forces can usually gather between one and two thousand men.”
I looked down over the field again.
“If we can raise two thousand, equip them with higher-quality armor, iron weapons, and crossbows, that will make our country a very tough nut to crack. While everyone is distracted by the war in the south. Afraid to move their people out of their own lands due to the uncertainty of what is to come. It gives us the opportunity to expand both our military and production lines."
“You also have superior training,” Draves said. “And I saw the outposts going up along the Polman River. They look good.”
A grin slowly spread across my face.
“Wait until you see the Nore River wall.”