Chapter 9

After William went home, of course with a few barrels of jerky to keep him happy, the entire town began the long process of locking everything down for the winter. Families moved most of their food into cellars, the last of the hay and feed were harvested from the fields and brought into the feed barns to see the animals through the winter months. Old thatch was fixed and repaired, while new insulation was installed. Everyone was very busy and all I was doing was playing with the little ones. Bethany had explained that I was loved, but my presence would be a distraction. So now I was to sit on my thumbs and wait till I was needed, only I wasn’t needed. Everyone had become so comfortable with the new system of doing things that it was all done before the first snows even fell.

As winter hit, and the world was buried in ice and snow, my town’s life went on as usual. I realized people had become so used to the tunnel system they had used it all year round as a way to avoid rain and other weather. At one point the ladies from the glass works came to me with the design they had for the king’s chandelier

It was far bigger than the baron’s, and it would probably be a lot heavier. My only worry was that it wouldn’t be able to be hung anywhere. With this in mind I really went out on a limb and began to use my stock of alloys. I knew this would be needed and had brought in all the titanium I could find. I had also learned at what point steel and titanium were best at. Now I was going to take what looked like my entire store of titanium to make this vision come true.

Since it would have to be in sections for transportation We started by going to the glass workshop and creating an area large enough to hang it for testing after assembly. I would build a section, take it to the glass works and then put it together there. At one point the ladies would come in and start adding the glass and lights.

We learned that supports had to be added to give greater strength and stability. In the end it was beautiful and people were invited to come see it, but only in guided tours. What looked like a frosted glass chest was in the center, from that spilled “coins” of light and glass “gems” of every color. All of this was supported on a web of silver that shed and reflected the light wonderfully. After two week of visitors the entire thing was packed away safely and the women now went back to their hobby of glass making. One thing that came from this gift was the women’s new desire to create new glassware of many colors and designs.

However all of this was reduced to light and shadows the moment I saw Bethany holding our son in her arms. Doc told me she held up as well as any other woman and was fine. After a long testing period Doc also told me our son had to be the most sound child he had ever seen. As was with all my children people commented on how sweet yet serious he was. If he cried it was for a reason and nothing else, especially in Bethany’s or Jessa’s arms. Little Allen was very picky about one thing, while many women were happily nursing their babies, and it being common for any of my brides to wet nurse another’s baby, Allen would only feed on his mother’s breast or Jessa’s.

As you know underneath the hold I recreated the hold in most details. Well Allen was born as our first dwarf. He was born in the ground and would spend his first two months in the bosom of the earth. It hasn’t been on purpose as far as I know, Bethany told me she was just tired of running up and down stairs, but I wondered if they wanted him to be in the vaults for a reason. Maybe they didn’t want to have to move either of them if something happen on the surface? I just couldn’t shake the feeling there was a reason my wives arranged for him to be down here.

Then one day I was working with Catlin in the shop when I expressed my thoughts. She shrugged while examining a gold goblet she was working on. “That’s simple. “If a person is raised in nature he hears nature” is an old saying among farmers. They probably thought if he is born and raised in the ground he will hear the stones speak to him.” I blinked at her and she looked at me. “Being a stone mage is in the blood. Every woman here has a direct ancestor who had the talent, so as strong as you are it’s a high probability that Allen and most of your children will be stone mages.”

She stooped and seemed very thoughtful. “Now that you bring it to mind, have you played with your other children since you came down here?” I nodded. “Of course I do, all the time.” She seemed lost in thought. “Have you noticed they all seem happier down here? I like to get my baby fix by going to the nursery and play with them all, but now that I think about it they seem far happier, and far quieter down here. All the mothers seem more relaxed since the babies are gentler with them as well.”

She looked at me. “Is it possible they can hear the song of the stones like we do?” This scared me for a moment and I told her that just in case, to never allow a child to sleep on the stones. She looked at me strangely. “Are you kidding, they sleep on the stone all the time. In the nursery people have to be careful because you often find that the kids fell asleep all over the floor.” Maybe my experience of getting lost in the stones was because I wasn’t raised like this? Maybe they were connected to both the stones and their bodies. Then I couldn’t help laughing. I really had created a new race of dwarves, or at least the souls of the dwarves.

We survived another winter with ease and had even been more productive than the previous one. The new members of our community, the women from the mage school, were impressed at the way we did this and considered using this skill to duplicate this under villages and towns that lived with even worse winter weather. My only wish was a way to duplicate sunlight in the vaults so that fresh food could be grown. Growing plants would also increase free oxygen in the air. I looked at the light bar in the room knowing that I could take that one down and place a low powered bar for sleep. What if we could tweek the amount of magic, or the materials in the bar, to duplicate sun light?

Well that was a problem for tomorrows Mikael. Today we began to assemble the traveling teams that would go out into our territory and see what help we could be, and to start on the improvements. The guards going, and all the members of the parties, were equipped with household devices, money, and equipment. The stone mages were all combat trained and had the kind of background that told me they would do what was needed. Just as our people were getting ready to break up the soil our parties left for all the corners of our lands.

At the same time a carriage covered in mud came to town and I waved hi to William as he ran to see his wife. I wish I could see his expression when he saw how big she was, but then he had been around Bethany while she was that size. Ok, I admit, I still didn’t like the fact he spent time with my wife, even if it wasn’t sexual. I’m petty and a jealous prick, but I don’t care, she’s my wife damn it. It’s not like Genny was cuddled up to me in the buff while she was here after all.

Only a few days later a pair of wagons and a carriage came into town which did get some military interest for a minute. Then I found it was our friend from the Kalador spice company with seeds and farmers for getting this new business started. We had young farmers gather together and meet with the new people who had agreed to move here long enough to help us get the crops started. When the new farmers saw what we were doing they no longer saw this as a crack pot idea. They learned we could alter the soil, the fertilizers, sun light, every possible need was able to be met and this meant the area might just explode.

I met with the merchant, and his sons were already going through the workshops they built. I explained that as soon as our town’s people were established in growing spice crops, the surrounding villages wanted in so that meant our possible crop yield could be five times the projected amount. This caught him off guard and he looked to his sons. “Remember how we always thought how wide our products could be if we had cheaper spices?”

The sons smiled at him like they already thought of that. “Father, you have no idea how far behind we have been.” He looked at them and they handed him our jerky. Like a real expert he looked at it, sniffed it deeply, licked and then ate it. His eyes bugged out and he nibbled it again. “Interesting” he said as he savored the flavor. Then he went through another ten or so variant. “The people here compete in making salted brine flavors used before smoking. With limited spice mixes they get so many different flavor profiles it’s awe inspiring. A town filled with flavor exploring people. It doesn’t stop with these, they blend spices and herbs and then grind them with salt to be added over food after cooking. The salt absorbs the herbs essences and the effect elevates the flavor of even simple foods.”

The other son smiled happily. “Father they use the smoked meat in a grain and vegetable pottage during the winter than warms the body and soul. The most spicy “jerky” then mellows and imparts it’s flavor to a usually simple and flavorless meal.” Then they talked about the food they had learned about here and the way the whole town tried to outperform each other in using spices and herbs. They realized our entire town was a spice laboratory and all they had to do was prepackage the best and sell them as branded mixes. I could only imagine what they would do if they had Bethany’s spice mix with dried fruits ground into them.

William met with me just before heading back to the capital and he was one very happy soon to be father. He asked if I had readied the teams to be sent out, and didn’t seem too surprised to learn they had already left. I also explained that the spice farmers were already here and that all the outer villages had agreed to be a part of the experiment. Then I told him that the King’s chandelier was finished and ready to go. He asked if I was ready to go to the royal capital to install it and then I realized I was set up. Now I had to go to the Royal palace, meet with the king, and also assemble the whole thing.

“I do hope you will say yes. I would like to go there and come back before my son is born.” I agreed. I asked if he had gone to see Bethany and the baby and he nodded. “He truly is your son. I have never seen a new born that laid in his mother’s arms and examines you like a bug in the garden. I actually felt a little intimidated by a newborn can you imagine?” I nodded. “All my kids are like that. I tried a slight of hand trick for one, and all the kids looked at me as if they knew it wasn’t magic and were thinking of how I could do it. I swear I am going to fear less about my children and more what they are up to.”

“If they are like their father, they will be doing as you bring them up to do.” I shook my head. “I know better, they will grow up to be the people their mothers guide them to be. I see it already so I have no illusions. By the time a father gets involved the person a mother has been working on is already started.” William thought about this and smiled. “You truly understand things better than anyone I have ever met.” He sighed and smiled. “Good thing I have a wonderful wife to guide our son.”

William left and told me to be ready in a month’s time. I let everyone that needed to know about this know, and I began talking to Genny about what to expect from the royal capital and the people I might face. I had no illusions that this was going to be a battle as I take my first dip into the shark tank of nobility. I refused to take any of my wives with me on this one, it would be another vector for attacks. Then Bethany had a talk with me and explained that I needed to stop thinking of going in alone. I needed to take help for assembling the lights after all so I should just try to relax, set things up for my absence from town, and she would do the rest.

Eventually I was pulling into the capital with three wagons and five of my stone mages. That was all I was supposed to admit to in front of anyone that is, but my wives considered letting me go alone the stupidest thing I had ever said. So I was heading to the royal capital, a rather long trip, with five combat mages who loved their husband. We got to the palace but I was the only one to leave the wagons as it was decided that “workers” wouldn’t go see the baron.

After we left the baronial capital William recognized my wives and asked me what was going on. I said nothing “was going on” I was simply traveling with a few stone mages as helpers. He quickly got the idea my wives were not wanting their position to be known. On the trip I alternated who I rode with, and a few times I even rode with the Baron and his aids. As we crested a hill the royal capital hit you, but for some reason it seemed less awe inspiring to me than Disneyland.

The castle was more like a massive version of something out of an archeology text than a fantasy picture book. It didn’t even rate up with the fancy castles of Germany. It was more an edifice of strength than one of beauty. The surrounding town was built on a radial pattern of three rings of walls. This was going to be a lot different than any movie or kids book ever laid out.

The town was clean and the people looked quite happy with their lives, a major indicator of a people’s liege lord. William had us divert through one of the markets and I saw a lot of goods on display even though things were just getting started. This was a good sign as well, that things were being run in a good manner. There were troops on the streets but people didn’t seem in fear of them. I began to feel good about this.

When we arrived at the royal palace they were ready for us, after all riders were sent out days before we even left. William and I had dressed up that morning and I rode with him into town. At the palace I got out and waited like a good boy as my Baron stepped down. I followed a good pace behind, and kept my eyes forwards at all time.

There was a small audience chamber and we waited outside while the cast was assembled. The doors opened and we were announced to a room full of people looking on with mild curiosity. They probably hung around and leeched off the palace at all times of the day. The king was announced and we all took a knee as a large man with a stern face walked in and sat down. He wore a well cut suit and a head piece of white gold. We walked down the purple carpet and took a knee before the man.

“Baron Hillsdale, I am glad to see you as always. I hear you are soon to be a father.” “Yes my liege, my wife is well and we are expecting a son in the near future.” “And who is this that you bring to our court?” “Sire, this is the newest member of my court baronet Mikael Ur Kelton. He was the man responsible for the defense of Alaman pass during the uprising.” I found the weirdest part of all of this to be the fact we were still looking at carpet.

“So what is the reason for your visit, surely it can’t only be to brag about soon being a father.” The king jested. “No my liege, I came to present a gift crafted by our local craftsmen. As you may have heard I was presented with a new type of magic powered light recently. With this advancement I contracted the craftsmen to build such a light to be given to his majesty.” I liked how William danced around that one. “And where is this light?” He asked expecting to be handed something. “Well sire, I had a new chandelier designed for you. At the moment it takes up three wagons outside with five mages to assemble it for you.”

This got a room full of gasps and a few harrumphs. “The one built for me was so large it would only go in our grand hall. We only await your decision of where you feel to have it placed.” A few moments later and after much whispering on the Dias came “Well then the grand ball room will be where we will have your workers taken. I am rather intrigued now to see this constructed.” There was shuffling and the people around us all hit the floor as the king rose and left. We finally stood back up and a page guided us back out.

William and I sped up as he smiled. “Did you hear him? He sounded like a child waiting for his 12^th night gifts. If this project is any better than the one you made for me I am sure this will be a boon to our Barony.”

I had worried about the weight of our project, but compared to the monstrosity they lowered from the ceiling this would be a cinch. It was a construct of tubes and wicks and whatnot that probably let off barely any light at all. My wives came in as a unit, marching together in lock step. Talk about making me proud as hell. The boxes were pulled on low carts and were placed as numbered. The old mess was lifted out of the way and we all fell in on assembly. Little by little the frame was put together, the glass added, more structure added, then more glass. When we had it completed people were already gasping in awe at the design.

With it a foot off the ground I gave the signal and we all placed a hand on the structure and fed power into the whole thing. If they were impressed with the stones only giving off a weak glow, as the light lever grew the chatter grew even more. I called to stop and we all stood back. I gave the signal to the people here and slowly the shining sculpture rode upwards like a small, glittering sun. Even I was in awe of the women’s work. The whole hall was lit nearly to the level of daylight, the colors danced, and the silver shine of the metal reflected it all downwards.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and when I turned the king was standing next to me. I dropped to my knee and he grabbed my arm and lifted so I stood. “You did this?” I shook my head. “No sir, the women who work the glass works, and the women stone mages here were the artists who created this for you. They wanted the Royal Capital to shine within as it shines to the whole nation. They designed it to show the Crown is the chest that pours forth it’s wealth to all.” He looked at me with a shrewd eye. “I mean that your highness. Your people do love you and they wanted to give you their best work. This took them half a year and I watched them throw away glass gem after glass gem, they only allowed their best work to be brought to you. Every light is a coin with the royal seal carved into them with their arts. This is their love for you shining in this room.”

His face grew a little grim and he nodded. After a few breaths he turned and walked back to his throne. “Baron Hillsdale, Baronet Kelton, come forwards.” the herald called out. We walked over and took a knee again. “Please stand.” He said and we faced him. “Baronet Kelton, this gift to the crown is magnificent, a treasure in itself. How can I repay such work?” I bowed my head. “Sire, this is a gift from your people to the crown. All we ask is that you continue to lead our nation with the same love and wisdom you always have. Continue to be the light that shows us the way.” He sat and nodded a few times before looking to William. “Baron what say you?” William lifted his chin. “Baronet Kelton says what the people of our barony feel sire.” He left it at that.

The King stood and nodded again. “Then tell your people that they are an inspiration to the crown. May all nobility take a cue from such good citizens. I will be expecting the both of you later.” Then he looked around the room before turning and leaving the room. As people milled around to look at the lamp William took me by the elbow and we went to the ladies smiling at the chandelier. “You should know I went to school with the King and know him well. He was so quiet so not to show too much emotion. He was choked up by your words which is why he was so quiet.” He smiled at the people and nodded to a few. “Your words were perfect and put many of these popinjays to shame in the best way. These guttersnipes expect major rewards for just doing the minimum for the crown, and here the common villagers make this kind of gift to their king. A real slap in the face, and one that can’t come back at you.”

Just then a page came over and asked that the ladies be brought with us to a private audience with the king. The women were shocked as hell, and felt poorly dressed as they looked at me. I walked over and in a low voice told them to be themselves. We all walked out, though the ladies all walked in pairs and in lock step like soldiers. Mary stood by my side and whispered “Your words brought me to tears my lord. You know so well how to express our feelings.” I kept quiet but she knew I wanted nothing more than to give her a kiss at this moment.

We were shown into an elegant room with chairs and couches set up for all of us. The door opened and as the king entered we all took a knee, but William walked over and shook hands. “Everyone up, this is an informal meeting remember?” We stood and he walked over to me. “You said these are the stone mages who make the glow stones?” I nodded and he smiled at them all. “Ladies your crafting is admirable to say the least. I hope you know that this will be talked about all over the kingdom now, and anyone that still uses something a paltry as candles or torches will be seen as poverty stricken.” They simply bowed their heads.

“Ladies, please don’t be afraid of me in this setting. Tell me how you created these wonders.” They looked to Mary and she smiled. “Actually you can thank Baronet Mikael.” I bumped her and shook my head. “Not really, we were on a trading trip to Kalador and Mary found a little place that had these stones. It seems a stone mage created the process to make them, but the guild brushed him and the lights away as nothing more than a curiosity. She saw the potential of it, I bought the formula, and everything his widow had in stock.” He looked at her and then me. “What are you going to do with this discovery?”

I looked at the Baron and shrugged. “I gave the formula to the guild and the baron. This way the whole nation can be able to use this discovery as the inventor had wanted in the first place. Baron William ordered a workshop built in the capital dedicated to the production of light rods, hand lamps, and other forms for the people to use.” Mary made a small sound and I went on. “I asked the guild to only use women stone mages for the job though as they are good at details and the formulation takes a very careful eye.”

The king nodded. “And you, who could have had a strangle hold on production and distribution instead let it go for free? No profits even for your town?” I shrugged. “We would never be able to harvest enough resources, nor the people needed, to do anything more than keep it a curiosity. When I bought the formula I promised the widow I would follow her husband’s dream.” He looked at me and he women and nodded. He looked around and said to clear the room and everyone but us and two of his people were left.

He looked at the women and then at me. “May we speak freely with these ladies here?” I smiled at him. “If I can’t trust my wives, who can a man trust in this world?” He revised who he was talking to. “They asked me to keep that connection a secret while we are in the royal capital.” He nodded and relaxed a bit. “Mikael, thank you for your services to this nation. Will keeps me advised of your actions of course, but it seems every report has a new discovery or revelation. He didn’t tell me that you bind your workers to you with marriage.”

Mary and all the women instantly sat up at that. “Your highness may I speak?” Mary asked. He nodded. “My husband has never forced or coerced any woman to him. We chose to bind ourselves to him rather. His first wife would never let him, or us, enter the bonds of marriage halfhearted.” The king looked at William. “His first wife in lady Bethany of Grimsward your highness.” He looked at me and then smiled. “How is the good lady?” he asked and I grinned like a fool. “She is home taking care of our son Allen at the moment sire.” His face softened and I realized he was another of her admirers. “If she is your first wife, than I have no doubt you are who you seem to be. She was always one to see through any falsehood.” All my wives beamed at his words.

“Does she know of your status?” he asked and I shook my head. “Only four people know that sire.” William said and when I nodded he understood. “Well that is best in this world. Just know that I am glad of all of your efforts in my nation. At first I feared knowing, but now I see that yours is a true blessing for this nation and for myself.” He took a breath and looked to William who went and brought everyone back. “Baronet Kelton, I understand yours was a gift to the crown, but I would be a poor king for not showing my people thanks for their hard work and excellent use of their skills. Now that we are alone what can the crown do for them?”

I shrugged and looked to my baron. “Sire they are not hiding anything. They need nothing the good baronet isn’t already supplying. I had to trick and twist for the man to even accept a title.” He looked at Mary and she seemed proud. “It’s true your highness. Our lord values all of his people and only improves our lives. He goes on trade journey’s and brings back things he knows we need, brings back ways for us to prosper, and even now has a new venture that is looking promising.” The king looked at Williams who sighed and looked at me. “Sire my people love to cook so I bring back spices and herbs all the time. On my las trip to Kalador I met a merchant who makes the most wondrous sauces. We talked and he has agreed to help my people raise spices so he can open a workshop to expand his trade company. This will hopefully give the barony a new source of trade.”

The king nodded and smiled. “A whole town growing spices?” I shook my head and he looked at me. “So far five other villages have asked to start separate fields for also raising spice crops. We are founding a new spice region in the kingdom. Spices help the people to have something to make even a meager meal a feast. A few spices can turn dried meat into something anyone would love to have for dinner.” I looked at William who made a face. “Sire, if you think that chandelier is a marvel you should taste what they call jerky. Thin slices of meat, marinated in a myriad of flavors, and then smoked in a flavorful way that, just thinking about, makes me salivate.”

I laughed and he made another face. “Sire, I must send his grace fifty pounds of meat twice a year.” The king looked at William. “And not just one flavor either, I must have sent him away with five or six flavors the last time.” William nodded. “And that one ladies red pepper sauce, oh that left me crying in joy. Somehow she made the burning of my mouth pleasurable.” The king laughed at all of this, and we shut up. “I can’t remember the last time I met with people and felt this glad of it.” He looked at me and squinted. “Since you are not willing to take anything, then I will think of one myself. I know titles are not something you wish, considering the struggle the good Baron had to get you to take even baronet, so I will think on something that will benefit the people who live under you.”

He looked past me to the women. “Please take my thanks to all of you women who worked so hard for the crown. I will give coins to do a little shopping for yourselves and the people back home. Get frivolous things for all of you on behalf of the king.” Mary blushed and bowed her head. “As the king commands.” He whispered in a pages ear and the man ran off. “Now I have a few demands to make of you both. Those light stones, are the expensive to produce?” I shook my head. “The minerals are fairly common, and easily obtained. The Baron can send you the formula, and a talented stone mage can make two or three pounds of them within a day I think.” I looked at Mary and shrugged. “Depends if it is a man or woman stone mage really, women seem to have a better feel for that kind of work.” I nodded and agreed.

The king nodded. “Then Baron Hillsdale I would like to have a few people sent to the Royal capital to begin a workshop to produce these lights. The possible uses are too numerous to even think about. If we can produce them with a good pace, and a low price, then it would be a good thing. Lowering the need for open fires in the towns and cities in our nation would save hundreds of live every day.” William then added. “We are making light posts to line the streets of the capital so there are fewer shadows for people to hide in. We are also producing “flashlights” which are polished brass mirrors with a light stone that produce a cone of bright light, but can be shuttered. This will give guards the ability to shine a light, without being blinded.” The king looked at me and nodded. “To think a revolution in the nation was nearly lost in a little shop in a back alley. The crown and the people of the nation owe you a debt for seeing what others didn’t.”

I had an idea all of sudden. “Sire, if I may, I think I know of a reward I would like.” This perked a lot of ears in the room. “If the crown were to create an office of innovation, a governmental office where people with crackpot ideas can come and patent their inventions and ideas solutions might not be overlooked. They would have to supply the means and methods of production to see if it’s of any real use, but they could also register it as their own so others couldn’t steal it. I alone have found many people with great and innovative products that feel lucky to sell in a stall.”