Chapter 12

When we got back to Kelton, after selling so many goods, it was nice to relax only that isn’t what happened. What happened was there was a small army of women that had come to our town. It seems that word had been spreading far beyond our barony that women stone mages could come here to learn greater magic. Mage guilds were passing this on all over the nation and women were traveling as they could to get here. Some of the women present had been traveling for over a year to get here on the slim hope of being taught. Many had formed groups and this was a collection of five groups hoping I was still here. Suddenly some of my worries were gone.

Right now I had around fifty women who were trained as both high level stone mages, but were also good combat mages as well. All I needed to do was to talk to them, individually of course so as to not pressure them, and see who would like to build two construction crews. I needed one that would split as pairs to the different regions, and another that would travel with Baronet Howser to his territory and rehabilitate his territory. My oldest crew, the ones that were my wives and concubines, would stay here and act as teachers for the new stone mages.

When I told Jessa and Bethany about what I was hoping to do they both seemed to drift off, then they looked at each other and seemed to come to a decision. “That will be easy to do my love, most of the couples have already expressed a hope to get into the real world and use the skills they have.” Jessa agreed but added that they also knew that most places would never accept them as partners so keeping them in our territory where they would be able to have support would be perfect for them. The idea of being able to call either a town or a village home would be perfect for them.

The rest would be talked about to the singles who wanted to do the same. Some could find a different life, a husband, a family, or simply be loners who could find a safe job. The problem in the world is being a “defenseless” woman meant an easy target. With the skills they had now they could earn a living and protect themselves as well. Since all would wear the badges of my house they would never do anything to disgrace it, but it also afforded them protection as well. I was sure Howser would also give them something to show that these women were under the protection of the nobility. Even a bandit would think twice about touching a member of “The Butchers”. Hmm ... I could do my device in red enamel rather than silver and it would be eye catching as well as a protective coloration.

A few days later the women who wanted to be assigned to villages came to me ready to head out when I was ready. I talked with them to let them know that I was glad they were doing this, what it entailed, and that no matter what they had to remember they were part of my stone mages and I was always behind them fully. As part of the distinction all were given pins with the house device.

They asked why it was in red and I let them in on the meaning. “While I never want you to risk your lives, I also want to let others know that you are warriors as well as mages. The word is spreading that the combat mages here are butchers of the animals that try to prey on our people. Man or beast.” Not a single woman shied away from putting it on immediately and for some it seemed a badge of courage to wear with pride. The only instruction I gave them was never start a fight but be sure as hell to win when it starts.

The groups to be sent to villages were given full access to anything they wanted from the stores as part of their job. Most already had everything a home could need, and so in the need they only took a barrel of smoked meat and a few extra changes of undies from stock. All of them said those were the only things they would miss about leaving Kelton. I told them I would make sure someone here would carve out a share of both when we got new stock in.

I waved the carts away with pride as they all knew what to do, how to do it, and how to deal with things not already second nature to them all. Now was the second half of this project. I had another twenty women ready to head out when ready to help Howser. I sent him a letter and a week later a carriage came rolling up with Howser, Delain, Irene and their children. When she heard Glen was here Genny came running over with Daniel and everyone shared a warm welcome.

We all headed into the hold as that allowed all the kids to be little kids while we talked around them. It took a few moments for Delain to ask why many of them had a play set of rings they seemed to never let go of. Jessa sat up proudly and said “They have all shown to be future stone mages. Mikael made these and since he did they all seem happiest when they have them with them.”

Irene, the always observant one, asked why there were a metal and a wood ring as well. I stepped in an explained how all three are a part of the world. Stone was the basis, metal was a refined form of stone, and wood grew from the stone. They looked at me in a bit of confusion and a bit of wonder. “That is a very interesting way of looking at things.” Irene said and I explained that as a stone mage I could sense things through the stone. Her eyes grew large. “You can?” I nodded. “It’s not like can tell details but I can touch the stone and know where people are, which direction they are going, how big they are. Small people and children make small patterns while adults make large ones.”

This lead to me showing them, by me going in another room with Glen, to see if it was a trick while the women changed seats. I told him who moved and where, then he went in to see that I was right. Glen looked at me and seemed interested in how that was really useful. “When a child is lost I might be able to find them if they are hiding.” I looked at the women and sighed. “It’s also how I know where to raise a stone spike.” That opened his eyes knowing that anyone who tried to sneak up on my combat mages would lose every time since they could feel a person long before they could see them.

“So you should know that the women going with you are all combat mages I have trained well. I gave them all a special device that denotes they are my people.” He nodded and asked what it was. “A blood red version of my house device will be worn by them all. I have already been called the stone butcher by the lower criminals and mercenaries so I figured it would be a symbol to warn people of what they were facing when confronting my house.”

Glen nodded and even had a little smile. “So not only is it a warning, it is a symbol of the house’s honor they carry. That actually makes me feel a lot better knowing they will be able to defend themselves. I will have a good number of guards with them while they work, but there are still bands of rebels that could cause problems, especially since we are reforming the territory and possibly taking back peoples loyalties.”

“Well I have expressly told them not to hunt people down, or join any military actions, but I have told them to defend themselves with no hesitation or remorse.” Delain asked what that meant. I hated to let her know this but maybe it would be better. “As you know I love my people and family. You have never had to see me when my family is threatened.” She blinked.

Glen leaned over. “My love, Mikael doesn’t see threats to his family as human. To him, anything that comes at him or his family is seen as dangerous animals and treats them as I would a wolf. I would never allow a wolf to attack you, there is no mercy to be given a mindless beast. To Mikael anyone that threatens his family, is nothing more than a mindless animal to be eliminated.”

She put her hand over her breast and seemed shocked. “That doesn’t seem to be the Mikael I know. I have never seen anyone as gentle or loving as this man. How can you see things like that?” I shrugged and tickled a little ones belly. “Would you give mercy to anyone that held a knife to your child’s throat?” She grew cold at that though and then looked at me with a smile. “Not in the least.” I nodded. “Then remember that all the people in my territory are my family, they are my children. As their liege lord they live their lives like children and I the parent. They have enough to consider just surviving and producing enough to pay the taxes. Those taxes, the sweat and blood of my people, support the nation as a whole. As they support the nation with their blood and sweat, I will protect them with mine.”

Glen cleared his throat and looked at his wives before looking at me. “As a noble you are an example of what we all should strive to be like. Though to be realistic it is an ideal that is nearly impossible to meet. Your abilities and knowledge are both uncommon to say the least. Look at me, I thought I was doing good as noble and discovered that I was a failure. Now I am trying to start from scratch and finding that without your example, and help, I would probably be making the same mistakes.” I nodded and shrugged. “And that is why I am trying to build a force that can help other nobles meet that ideal.”

I leaned back asthe little one in my lap roamed off. “The financial burden has been less of a worry for me I admit, but how much of that could still be done? Build a major town or two filled with the talented people wasting away in towns and cities, pushing traders to go to your territories, finding merchants that will work with you to increase trade not just from the capital, but from other parts of the nation?” I turned to them and looked at them. “Work with the guilds to find people, create a royal department of migration so that those who are willing to go out into these areas will have the things needed to start up, but make sure they know that the equipment belongs to the town or village.”

Glen sat back and began nodding. “Maybe debt slaves could earn their freedom by serving in the rural villages and towns. They could move to fully equipped workshops and serve their non-criminal servitude debt by giving their labor to the public good.” I nodded and smiled at his suggestion. “See it’s not hard to do, it’s just hard to get started thinking of ways when you don’t think that way.” A smile grew on his face.

“I will talk to the baron about this, maybe he can even talk to the king about doing that as well.” He looked at me and seemed to have had an epiphany. “The more I look the more I see the different ways you are working to end slavery in this nation.” I just shrugged. “No, I can see that as good alternative to deal with criminals. Those who reject society, by breaking its laws, should serve society in some capacity. Term slavery, or full criminal slavery is a good deterrent. Debt is not something you can always avoid. A bad crop or two can ruin a family, a father who gambles and runs from his debt falls on his family, a business goes under shouldn’t lead to permanent slavery.” Glen nodded and saw a future for people he hadn’t thought of before.

“Mikael, you are such an odd man. Never in my life had I ever given a thought to slavery, or many of the things you talk about. As I look at our children I want them to live in the world as you see it far more than the one I was raised in. I now see how my outlook was like living with blinders on like a work horse. Never seeing to the left or right, just doing what all the ones before me did.” Delain said with a passionate conviction.

“Mikael has shown me that as well, that we as people have not moved forwards in centuries. The nobility is petrified, and that petrification spreads downwards to every level of society. Look at the light stone that was invented and rejected. The shop that developed something as revolutionary as the bra was just a small shop in the Kalador with little sales.” She turned her head to the side and pulled her scrunchy off and handed it to Irene who looked at it and then at Genny. “That little thing, something most would dismiss, has made life so much better already.” She took it back and showed them how to put her hair up with it. “With this I can move around more, bend over and back without losing my hair pins.” She swished her head back and forth a couple of times. “Not to mention it is kind of fun.”

Well that whole discussion faded away quickly when they realized there was a new shipment of goods from Kalador’s clothing shops. Bethany reminded me to tell Glen about the new men’s clothing that I had brought as well. All three looked at me as Jessa ran from the room, only to come back waving a pair of unworn Y fronts. They looked at them and the women seemed very interested, Glen seemed to be thinking. Jessa showed, by a wiggling finger, what the front pocket was all about. “I got it, that looks like the loin girdle we use in heavy armor.” I nodded. “That was the source of the idea, but simpler and far more comfortable.” The women headed off to vault to go over everything new and Glen and I sat with the kids and the other mothers watching over the kids.

“Mikael I really need to thank you for everything. Since I became your friends and ally my life has improved. I have two happy wives, two wonderful children, and I am seeing why I have never been happy in my life as a man and a noble. While many are happy benefiting from the broken system we have, I have never liked watching people slaving away while others sat back and leeched off the crown because someone in the past did something noble.” I nodded. “There is the ancient saying of noblesse oblige. The obligation of the nobility to be honorable, beneficial, and benevolent to the people they rule and the kingdom they serve. The king should always be a perfect example of this, and the nobility should reflect their monarch.”

Glen nodded along with me. “Our king certainly is that, he has always been fair and honorable. He is the light that guides us all. It makes me wonder how he could have any nobles opposing him, but there are. They hide the corruption they profit from, promote back room gossip and rumors, and” he looked at me. “Do their best to sabotage anyone that might support the king.” I nodded along. “That is why I have worked to create the “butcher” rumor. I want everyone to understand that to my people I am benevolent, and to my enemies I am a merciless.” I leaned a little closer. “I don’t want to be seen as a cursed, but I am not going to hold back from taking down anyone that threatens me or my people. Either through puppets or directly I will take any threats down in the bloodiest way possible. That is because every threat to me is to serve as an example to others who would even think of attacking me.”

“Among the people I will be seen as a man who is as noble as my king, and those who attack me as defiling the monarch we serve. As those nobles who follow our example grow, the ones who are worthless will decline. Their people will move to other territories, their wealth will decrease, and without funds their power drops. There will be a point that they become desperate and try to recover, but that will expose them as they break the rules in the open and that will serve to eliminate them.”

Glen looked at me. “I thought for sure you were blind to the halls of power, but it seems I was very wrong. You know what lurks there and are slowly getting ready to purge them from the system.” I nodded and smiled at him. “Remember I was a teacher and historian. I have studied centuries of human history and I know human nature. We can’t create the perfect system because there are no perfect people. I recognize my flaws which is why I do not want power.”

“I have to wonder if that is why the king pushed William to elevate me, to put me in a position to clean a house that is filling with corruption. Rather than taking me in, or eliminating me, he released me to create the changes he needs to make.” I looked at Glen and gave him a smile. “I am sure you were brutally honest with the baron in your estimation and impressions of me. That evaluation would go to the king and he would then see the benefits of having me act as a loose cannon that didn’t fear a man’s social position.”

Glen looked like he hadn’t thought of that, or didn’t like the thought. “The problem for him is probably that I refuse to gain higher office. I love my family here, but he would have to force every barony and viscountcy to find me and elevate me to keep me in the nobility as I would flee and even go to ground to avoid that. As anything higher than a baronet I would lose the connections that make me want to do well for the kingdom. It would place me too high above the people and that is my foundation of will.”

Glen nodded. “You can be a baronet and still lose that. I can’t believe that people I trusted deserted my people and left them to the mercenary criminals and bandits.” I shook my head. “You trusted the people under you like many do. Look at how many were exposed by your efforts against slavery, and how high that went. The baron trusted the system and the corruption still flowed into the little cracks in the system. This isn’t on him, but the people below him that should have caught onto this. This is on those who were corrupt, incompetent, or ignorant. You my friend, like the baron, were too busy trying to keep everything working that it wasn’t hard to slip through the cracks like vermin usually does.”

The women came back with big smiles, and for the Glens wives naughty smiles. “Glen, please come with us for a few minutes please?” Irene said, and Glen looked at me. “Does this mean what I think it does?” I nodded and he left with his wives to my bedroom. About fifteen minutes later he came walking in, but I knew he was wearing the new jockeys as he walked differently with his junk tucked close to his body. “Mikael, please tell me you will be getting more of these later. My goodness this is comfortable and yet a bit naughty.” I nodded. “After the ladies response to them when I was buying them I am sure Aliza is going to increase the number produced when I go back.”

The next day he had the mages that were going to accompany him to his new territory meet with him individually to get to know them as people, rather than just a construction force, which greatly raised their opinion of him. I offered to have them take one of the wagons but the women said they were not taking anything with them other than what they could carry. I agreed with them, to a point. I knew there would be a larger train of wagons going with them from the capital so I loaded half my wagons with goods, and the other half with the construction crew and we all headed to the capital. Along the way the two leaders of the crew joined the baron, while his wives and kids joined us, the reason being that our wagons gave a smoother ride than his carriage thanks to leaf springs.

We did brisk business in the capital with the latest shipment of clothes. I turned over five barrels of salted and smoked meat labeled as goods of my people. They could share if they wanted, but these were not to be common goods. When I met with William he told me he was planning on visiting his wife soon and I told the assembled to know it would be an honor as always. If he wanted to talk about more he made sure not to give a single hint.

I met with the ladies working the workshops there and they told me to head to the guild hall and meet the women that were collecting there. I told them we had already met the ones who were in Kelton and they all giggled saying that was just the ones that spent the winter here. This latest group had only been in the capital for a few weeks and it was only getting larger.

I went to the guild with a few of my mages and they were quite snuggly in public with me. In a society that frowned on public displays of affection my ladies had no problem holding both my hands as we walked along. We got to the guild and as we walked in people saw us and many moved away. Others saw us and came right over. These were some tired looking ladies and seeing me with the mages must mean I was probably the man they came to see. “Are you Baronet Kelton?” the leader asked softly.

My ladies let me go so I could offer my hand to her. She seemed a little confused and then lightly gripped mine. “I am. I have heard there are a lot of women that have traveled to come to my territory, do you represent some of them?” She nodded. “My name is Lizbeth, and word has spread that you are looking for any women with any talent working with stone. Is it true, you don’t care how strong a mage we are?” I looked around at all the men around and told her we ought to go somewhere we could genuinely talk. “How many are there of you here now?” she shrugged. “Currently we number about twenty five, but every day one or two more come drifting into the capital.”

I went to the main desk and asked to talk to the master, but the old man was already coming to see me. “Baronet, so good to see you.” He said with a smile. We chatted and then I got to the point. “Considering how word has spread, when you get stone mages please send them to the glow stone workshops. I will set things up so they can stay there until they number twenty or so and then have them taken to Kelton.” He agreed that would be best as many men were starting to hang around looking to take advantage of them. In a slightly loud voice he said “I’m glad to hear they will be staying with your people. I’ve worried we would have a tide of men being turned into castrated animals by your women for pressuring them.” The sparkle in his eyes told me he was having fun with this.

I told Lizbeth to get her people here to find all the others and head to the glow stone workshop. She did so and then we all headed back to the workshop. Along the way Lizbeth asked me as politely as she could why I only wanted women and girls. This was probably because of the way these ladies were acting so possessive of my on the way.

“Women are an untapped source of skill that is overlooked because of some men’s fragile egos.” This caused her eyes to grow large. “I have yet to see a male stone mage nearly as powerful as my trained mages. Just today I sent almost thirty as a construction crew with Baronet Howser to rehabilitate the recently devastated Viscountcy he took over. He specifically asked for my trained mages rather than going through the guild as they all have the experience of doing that.”

As we walked she asked me why the ladies with me were so openly affectionate with me. I looked at them and said she would have to ask them. Then they both said that they came to me as girls who were used to clean sewers and patch small jobs. Now with my personal training they were able to build a home, dig a well, create glow stone, and defend themselves or a village.

I suddenly stopped and they looked at me. “I totally forgot to give you ladies these.” I reached into my pouch and pulled out three of the red badges. “These are for all the stone mages who had the combat training to wear.” They pinned them on and smiled. “Why are they such a red color?” Lizbeth asked. “Because if anyone messes with us they know they are messing with the Kelton butchers.” Lisbeth blanched at this pride of nasty sounding name.

“Our combat trained mages are given long lessons of self and public defense. I earned the name of the “stone butcher” as well as the “hero of Alaman pass” a few years ago. The women who want training will be able to do what I did there.” The women smirked. “The ladies here have also gotten the reputation of sending any man that tried to force them into an unwanted situation to the physicians as eunuchs.” Oddly this didn’t seem to bother her as much.

We made it to the workshop where she and the ladies all talked together the whole time. They discussed with her that all of them volunteered to come here and work, to show others how to make the glow stones, and to work as purchasing agents for Kelton. When asked about that they all went on and on talking about how Kelton, and the entire territory, was serviced through us for all their trading needs. That a few times a year we made trips to both the capital and Kalador to buy things that the villages needed or may want.

“How do you all afford to do that?” They looked at me and I filled in. “Well we have our own salt mine in Kelton. The profits from that go into the trading system we have. Unlike some, I believe the profits of the salt mine, the glass works, and anything else belong to the people of my territory. I have been given the right by all the crafters in the area to take any profits we make and use it as I see fit.”

Lizbeth looked at me. “And you take all that money and give it back to the people in the form of trade goods?” I nodded and she shook her head. “That seems good and right but so very different. What about the taxes owed to the barony?” I smiled at her as we all took a seat. “Those are paid promptly and in full every harvest season. Our crops feed the people here so we would never try to get out from that.” Lizbeth just seemed confused but no longer worried.

“What kind of things do you get for them.” Well after that the ladies went off on all the great things we have, and even told her we were the capitals source for the new under clothing that was so popular. “Don’t tell anyone, but we always get the first picks of anything we want.” She looked at me and bit her bottom lip. “But those are so expensive, even one of those bras would cost me more than I make in a month.” Everyone smiled at her. “Well how are the supplies back home Mikael?” I chuckled. “Well as long as we haven’t had too many taken by the time we get home, I am sure Lizbeth will be able to get two or three.” Well from there it seemed like the girls were just building me and Kelton up to an impossible level, but considering how nothing they said was a lie, maybe we were that good.

Eventually a constant trickle of women began to appear and little by little they seemed to relax. Just as that really began to fix itself Cassie walked through the door, saw me, and ran into my arms. She pulled me down into a deep and passionate kiss, and asked if she could come home with me on this trip. “Kara is going to take my place from now on, it has all been arranged, that is if you still want me?” This time I pulled her into my arms and dipped her as we kissed. When I brought her back up she clung to me and sighed. “I have missed you so much my love. It has been nice here, but I miss home so much.” I lifted her chin and she had tears in her eyes. “Welcome home my wife.” She looked at me, her eyes got huge, and then she fainted in my arms. I lifted her up and excused myself from the people around us. I carried her upstairs and closed the door to the office and sat on the couch with her in my arms.

I remember promising she could talk to Bethany about becoming my wife, but seeing her and her love for me, told me that I couldn’t make her wait that long. She was so beautiful and so loving that after everything she had done for me and the family she deserved to become my wife. Looking at her sweet face I suddenly felt a great urge to remove her charm in her sleep, but that really wasn’t my decision at all.

Her eyelids fluttered and they she was looking up at me. “My lord did you really say that?” I shook my head at her and she shivered. “The correct way to talk to me is to say Mikael or my husband from now on.” She lifted her trembling right hand, I slid the ring from her finger, and then I slid it onto her left one. She clasped her hands to her chest and began to cry I held her tight and told her over and over that I loved her with all of my heart and always would.

When she quieted down she looked up at me. “I know you said you would still love me, would sill accept me back, but I still worried after being here with William...” I kissed her to quite her fears. “I do have something very important to ask and I need you to be completely honest. No secrets, no holding back ok?” She steeled herself and was ready for what she knew was coming. “So are you in love with Genevieve?” She looked at me blinking rapidly as this was not the question she was expecting. I could see the question bouncing in her head looking for the answer.

“I really can’t say, I have only been with her a few times...” She mumbled trying to wrap her head around what I just said. “Ok, are you very attracted to her, as in you want to get to know her more and maybe get closer to her?” Now I saw her initial reaction, a slight flushing of her cheeks. “Well...” I stopped her again. “You just told me everything you need to.” She blushed even more. “But...” I pulled her close and kissed her again. “My little wife, don’t think for a second that bothers me the least. You know that a few of your fellow wives also have female lovers right?” She bit her lip and I kissed the tip of her nose. “Maybe when we get back the three of us can discover new things about each other some night.”

She looked at me questioningly. “What?” I blinked at her. “Opps. I guess William never told you about that little secret?” Her face went slack. “Do you mean that you and the baroness?” I shook my head. “No, that is not what I am talking about. How about we talk about it more once we are back home.” She nodded and cuddled into me. When we were out of the city, we would talk more.

When we went downstairs she looked at everyone and showed that her ring was now on her left hand which caused the Kelton women to run over and hug her in congratulations. The new ladies all seemed confused about this all. We explained that Cassie had been living in the capital as a representative, and had been one of my concubines. Now that her duties were done here I had taken her as a wife. That changed the confusion and she received the obligatory congratulations.