An hour had passed from the aspect clock inside the meeting room as the meeting continued after the elder's introductions.
According to the letter of the Lord Baron, the madame would focus a lot about the current status of the village. The available coins in the village coffers, the harvest's yields, illnesses, infrastructures, manpower, and issues which might need immediate attention.
"Ahemm, the assembly today would be a simple question and answer," the madame said. "Remember I'll be the only one asking questions. You guys would just answer, as simple as that. Do you get it?"
"Yes madame," the elders replied in chorus.
"Ciera, please do write up all there answers in a paper," she asked her eight year old daughter intimately.
Hearing her mother's request, the little lady leisurely strode. Carrying a piece of paper, a bottle of ink, and a newly cleaned writing brush, she sat at a chair near the oak wood table as she act cutely like an adult.
"Okay elders, let's start the first question."
"How much do we have in the village coffers?"
"This Old Bose answers madame. We currently have 2 gold coins, 73 silver coins and 202 copper coins, all Rutherfordian."
"Next, what's the current status of the animal husbandry and the past season's harvest?
"We have 4 oxens along with two calves; 73 domesticated boars distributed throughout the households; 22 sheeps with 5 cossets; 7 goats with 2 kids; 63 egg-laying hens and an unknown amount of chicks. The figures were base on the last census before the winter." The old chief answered quickly. "For harvest; it's mostly lentils, beans, onion, parsley, peas, coleworts, and others. Most of them are already pickled in salt brine before the arrival of cold weather in order to last longer."
'What of the illnesses? Are there any epidemics? Do we have any doctors or herbalist here?
"None madame, aside from common colds and indigestion due to overeating. We have no doctor nor herbalist, but this old man knows a little due to my experiences in the town."
The infrastructures? Manpower? The knight asked.
"This little manor, the deep wells, and wooden walls in the outskirts are all we have Lord." It was built by an army en route to the forest of wilderness for a monster campaign a few decades ago."
Unbeknownst, a glint of coldness, arose from the madame's eyes peering pointedly at the elders. There actions and faces were gently crossed out with red paints in the madame's mind. In her eyes, the fidgets of an adult man were not so nice to see.
Meanwhile, hearing the unperturbed exposition of the old chief, the little Ciera's hand waltz with her feathered pen dancing throughout the dull paper. Nearby the knight and madame, Liszt proudly looked at the broad shoulders of his parents. Whilst, little Klive played with the dust-ladden mahogany table after failing to keep his back straight and chest puffed, unlike his elder brother.
"As per manpower, aside from those people in here. We only have another 33 people working in different areas;" Sighing the old man answered. "Please, punish the incapability of this old man."
The old chief then looked at the other elders. The elders, on the other hand, didn't reciprocate the gesture instead. Their heads lowered as they nervously gazed at their feet as if it was an unfathomable abyss.
The Knight and Madame simply looked at each other, then back at the old man and nodded. His brows and hair were graying white, his back arching, and wrinkles seemed to be starting to take over his palms.
He looked so tired.
A stifling bout of silence loomed all over across the four sides of the cold room.
Until...
Achoo!
Suddenly, a sneeze from little lord broke the silence, all the people present stopped and looked at the child tinkering a dusty wooden chair. Even the young lord and young lady, Lizst and Ciera, awkwardly glanced at their little brother.
Eh?
Seeing the focused look of everyone in the room, the child suddenly found his courage to boast.
Innocently scratching his tiny nose the child slowly stood up and proudly looked at the people in the meeting room and said.
"Dont'cha worry old grandpa. My mommy and daddy will blow all your problem away. You see, I even saw Uncle Baron begging my father for help. Also, they'll...
Hearing the shocking narration of the young kid, the people in the meeting room guffawed, burning away the once tense atmosphere.
"Stop Klive. Return to your sit. and wait. Pfft... Anyway, for the last question, any issue or problem that requires our immediate attention?"
For the final question, a not so old man took a step forward and answered. He continuedly peeked at the Lord. Though, hiding his sight immediately when the Lord looked at him. The Knight was enamored by the gingerly old man. Thus, he repeatedly glanced at the old man, teasing the nervous old dud.
"Th-this Ol-old Gazz will an-nswer the query madame;" Biting his tongue, the old man stuttered inviting mirth of cackles from the lord and the others. " The village is currently experiencing problems about the-the weakening land and lower yields during harvest. We already did our best to find a solution but still to no avail. We ask for guidance from the madame and th-the K-knight!"
♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣
The meeting concluded after a short message of encouragement from the knight.
The elders' shadows receded swiftly from the place as if veering away from the sun. Only the old chief along with his family remained to make arrangements for the knight and his group.
The knight’s contingent was given hospitable single-story prepared for village guest.
On the other hand, the knights family where asked to stay at the village chief's house for this night since they were still going to clean the old manor.
The old man and his family told the knight that they will sleep in one of their empty houses.
♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠
Tired from the whole day of work, the golden ball of fire tinted the sky with tangerine orange. The silhouettes of avians witness the heavens changing its color and view. The moon slowly crept up to take her place, sending drowsy spells to the sun's brightness, the night came.
“Levo, what do you think of this village?” Madame Annise asked as she looked seriously at the burly knight sitting in a barrel-like chair. “What’s your impression of the elders?”
“That’s a good question,” the knight replied as he sits in a wooden barrel as if it’s a throne.
The knight fell into deep thought. At first glance, the village seems to be functioning well. But after meeting them there was a little sense of incoherence among them. They lack passion, no purpose perhaps is a better word.
“The whole village seems fun to me. The main issue is they have no goals to speak of. Every time you asked a question, they all tend to look at the old beardy.” Levo answered as he touches his chin. “And that ain’t funny, they are too dependent on one person.
Though, the knight seemed to be a little dull about management issues it doesn’t mean he was dumb. He got his senses to plow him through. The knight was highly perceptive of the atmosphere, capable of sensing and capturing the minute changes in the faces of the villagers during the meeting.
His sharp instincts could tell if something was wrong or even if someone was lying. One of the things that help him earn his own fief through the battlefield and maybe the reason he managed to have such a beautiful wife.
In wars and campaigns, sharp intuition was considered as something extremely valuable, a luxury. It saves lives, saves time, and saves money. Oh, another thing, it saves the butts of some Lords when they need it the most.
“You’re right, it looks like we must instill some discipline especially the men and the youth. Hmnn…How about letting them train with one of your esquires?” The madame suggested, an unnoticeable smirk creeping on her face. “I will also slowly prepare and add some new things for the village. Then, we will call another meeting with the old bunches.”
“Fine by me!" The knight agreed as he grinned.
That very night, the first order of the Lord came down written in bold red paint.
-All men in the village except for children, women and the old ones. Be at the east village outskirts at dawn. Late comers will be PUNISHED!-
This should be the first chapter.