Chapter 38

The Guild Rep

 

As the midday sun reached its zenith, casting a warm afternoon glow that bathed the land in golden light, the air was alive with the sweet fragrance of freshly bloomed wildflowers. Lansius was just returning from a memorable riding trip.

His black destrier carried him with power and speed through the verdant fields. The wind ruffled Lansius’ black hair and fur coat as he allowed his horse to gallop to her heart’s content on the final stretch toward Korelia Castle.

From afar, the castle’s walls and towering main keep beckoned them. The imposing structure was tall enough to be seen from tens of miles away.

As he approached, the main gates went alive with the guards and creaked open heavily. Lansius passed the gate and rode into the courtyard where Calub, unexpectedly, was waiting for him.

“You’re here? Will you be joining us for supper?” Lansius asked as he dismounted. A horse master was ready to take care of his temperamental warhorse.

“The Mason Guild representative has arrived,” Calub replied, as a small group of attendants gathered around Lansius.

“Finally,” Lansius remarked, surrounded by two pages who were ready with drinks, clean boots, or a change of clothes. “I’m okay, thank you. Go help Sterling. He might need some assistance.”

As if on cue, Sterling and the rest of the guards, whose horses weren’t as capable as Lansius’ destrier, arrived. The pages quickly marched toward Sterling before he even dismounted.

Meanwhile, Lansius walked with Calub. “What do you think about the rep?”

“He seems capable. The Midlandia Mason Guild isn’t one to do things half-heartedly.”

“Now let’s see just how far he can fix this castle,” Lansius remarked.

“And whether our pockets will permit it,” Calub said, much to the amusement of Lansius, as they bypassed the Great Hall and went straight to the inner part of the castle.

The reason for inviting the Masons was Korelia’s frigid winter and the castle’s appalling heating. Despite being tight on money, having spent much on salt purchases, armor, weaponry, and delicate parts for crossbows, Lansius felt the need to improve his staff’s living conditions.

The castle was in dire need of repair. Several rooms had holes exposed to the elements, leaks, inadequate fireplaces, and non-existent heating. Though he didn’t need to, Lansius wanted to, because he believed that people were the most important assets or resources, not just the physical structures.

It isn’t just about training or individual prowess, but also about their livelihood.

However, Lansius’ enthusiasm was quickly quashed a few minutes after their introduction.

Mason Caine, who looked more like an accountant with neatly combed hair and a sharp nose, sat relaxed in his padded chair. He used a handkerchief to wipe his lips after taking a sip of ale. “The guild has records of this castle, and it’s quite old,” he said while looking at the ceiling. “I’m afraid our options are very limited, My Lord.”

“Couldn’t you check or survey first before deciding?” Calub tried to persuade.

“Certainly, master Calub, but I prefer not to give false hope.”

“Fair enough, I look forward to your assessment,” Lansius said warmly, seemingly ending the conversation, but he was far from over. “Maester Caine, if you will, can you tell me whether the guild also has this castle’s layout?”

Caine shook his head. “The layout was always made, kept, and destroyed on-site upon completion. Otherwise, the nobility could pressure us to reveal our work on their adversaries’ defenses.”

Lansius nodded. “What about the siege of Ornietia Castle? I heard the attackers could breach it very quickly by attacking its weakest point. They didn’t even need tunneling.”

Caine smiled, making his sharp jaw even more prominent. “I assure you we had no part in that matter.”

“Aside from how Midlandia awarded your Guild a contract to enlarge two castles?” pried Lansius.

“The timing was most unfortunate, but it had nothing to do with us,” the maester replied, the same smile still on his lips.

Lansius smiled, looked around the chamber, sensing its archaic design, and asked, “I know a bit about design. May I ask what the main problem is in at least fixing the heating issue?”

“I may be able to apply the Centuria technique to install several pipes from the main fireplace to adjacent rooms, but that could take months and cause problems from all the chiseling on the stone structure.”

“Don’t chisel the stone. Just place the pipes hanging on the wall.”

Caine was surprised by the answer and for a moment couldn’t process what he heard.

Lansius continued, “Speak candidly. I won’t be offended; otherwise, many details will be lost, and we’ll be wasting time for nothing.”

“My Lord, the aesthetics would be ruined. The pipes, unfortunately, are unsightly, not to mention dangerous from the heat and potential leaks.”

“I don’t mind. Unburied pipes are also easy to fix. I prefer an ugly, functional solution rather than freezing in a beautiful chamber.”

Calub chuckled as he watched the Mason’s baffled reaction and added, “The Lord of Korelia is a man who values function over form.”

Caine’s usual smile returned to his lips. He was starting to like the new Lord of Korelia. “If that’s what My Lord wishes for, I think it can be arranged.”

“Can it be done before this winter? I also need a similar system for the workshop in town,” asked Lansius.

“Heaters for workshops?” Caine was uncertain. “It would be dangerous if they’re made of wood.”

“We’ll quarry small stones for the flooring. Korelia’s winter is far too long, and a lot of time will be spent doing nothing. I want a communal workshop where people can gather and work on their winter crafts.”

Caine nodded in understanding. “It should be easy to install. But, My Lord, are you sure about the cost?”

“Make an offer on paper, and we’ll discuss it. I’m aware that metal pipes take a long time to produce and transport; can you install it before winter?”

“I’ll try, My Lord, but...”

“Speak openly,” Lansius reassured him.

The Mason sighed softly and explained, “Working in Lowlandia is inherently dangerous, especially in a fief that has just recently experienced a change of power. There are rumors that Korelia will soon be engulfed in a war. Because of that, it’s difficult to convince skilled workers to come here.”

Lansius nodded his head lightly and said, “It’s not that big a deal. I’ll win the war. In fact, I’m hoping they come so I can use their money to fund more projects.”

Caine was impressed by the bold answer. He had heard the news about the eccentric Lord of Korelia, but maybe it wasn’t so bad after all. The man clearly spoke the language of a tradesman, not a noble. “Your words please me, My Lord. I shall do my best to assist you and Korelia.”

“One more thing,” Lansius said, trying to find the right words. “Do you have a device to spin fleece with a wheel?”

“Spin fleece with a wheel, My Lord?”

Lansius nodded. “Yes, the device that could spin fleece into yarn almost effortlessly. I have those in my homeland. The device makes clothing so cheap that everyone can afford it.”

Now, everyone was intrigued, even Calub.

He continued, “I can describe roughly how this device works if you can secure the rights and trade secrets.”

“Leave it to me. I know just the master carpenter for this kind of work,” Caine replied in a heartbeat.

 

***

 

“My Lord, a word, please,” Calub requested after the Mason Guild representative had retired to his guest room.

“Yes, speak freely,” replied Lansius, as they were the only ones left in the Great Chamber. The only attendant they had was escorting the guest.

“Do you truly know about such a device?” Calub inquired.

“The spinning wheel?” asked Lansius. Seeing Calub nod, he explained, “Yes, the device does exist, and I plan to make many of them.”

The problem is, I know what it looks like and have a general idea of how it works, but not the specific mechanism...

“H-how efficient is that thing? Is it faster than two women working together to spindle the yarn?”

“Probably more, way more. With that device, one person can produce as much as ten times the yarn.”

Calub was left speechless. “My Lord, Lans, why didn’t you tell me you knew about such a thing? We could have started making one when we were in Midlandia.”

Lansius hesitated, then scratched his head. “Well, something just today reminded me of it. You see, I recently rode south and met a lovely shepherd family who gave me a remarkable shawl. I’ve never felt anything quite like it.”

“And where is this shawl, My Lord?”

“Sterling has the bag. Come, let’s find him.” Lansius motioned down the corridor. “And, oh, you must join me for supper. Half the staff are on leave, and Audrey is eating in her room.”

“Is there something happening?” Calub wanted to inquire further, but Lansius’ expression was telling enough. “Alright, I shall accompany you.”

Together, the two strolled down the corridor and arrived at the Great Hall.

Korelia Castle had limited living space, so most of the male retinues stored their gear in a series of cabinets in a small open room at the far end of the hall, hidden from guests behind a pillar. Sterling emerged from there, having put away his riding coat. “My Lord, do you need anything?”

“The bag. I need to show the shawls to Master Calub.”

Sterling quickly retrieved the two shawls he had stored in a separate compartment of his bag. As he pulled and waved them in the air, Calub was mesmerized by their lightness. They floated as if they were weightless, even lighter than the thinnest linen.

“Almost like silk,” the alchemist commented as he reached out for the nomad’s shawl.

“They’re also good for warmth, don’t soak easily, and like silk, they offer some protection against sharp edges, even arrows,” Lansius explained.

“Arrows?” Calub couldn’t believe what he just heard.

“Their legend has it that even if an arrow pierces the skin, the garment made from that material would often remain intact, making it easy to remove the arrowhead and lessening the risk of poisoning or infection.”

“Fascinating. Even if only half of it is true, that’s mightily impressive,” Calub commented, eagerness in his voice.

Lansius nodded, happy that someone else could see the potential.

“So, is this why, My Lord, you asked for the spinning wheel?” asked Calub.

Lansius grinned. “I want to unite them into Korelia. Alone, the town has a difficult future. We have no natural resources other than a sea of grass and a stone quarry to the east. However, if the two communities cooperate, we could start a better path.”

Not only Calub, Sterling, and the other retinues gathered around were intrigued, even though they didn’t know what a spinning wheel was.

The Lord continued, “I want a strong, mutually beneficial relationship between the townsfolk and the pastoral community. They can provide the fleece, the town provides them with sustenance and hospitality. Then, with the town’s expertise, we could produce these shawls faster and with more intricate patterns for trade.”

Calub was impressed. He never thought that Korelia had the potential to make a good product with its scarce resources.

Sterling felt a nagging in his mind, dared to ask, “My Lord, I thought you wanted them as allies?”

“I don’t want just an ally,” Lansius explained passionately. “I want a true ally, not just scouts or light cavalry. I want one that is inseparable from us, sharing our front lines because they have a vested interest in our survival.”

Calub couldn’t help but grin and rubbed his chin, feeling honored to be part of Lansius’ plan. Last winter, he had considered advising Lansius to leave Korelia due to the impending war. He had heard from merchants fond of Lansius’ rule that five neighboring lords were mustering armies. Of the five, four were likely only to guard their interests against war, but one in particular, the Three Hills, was building siege engines.

Calub wished he could see Lansius’ vision fulfilled and would gladly give his left hand to make it happen. However, he knew that Korelia’s future was still held hostage by the neighboring Lords. Blood feuds ran deep in these lands.

 

***