A Roll of the Die - 1. Inception
Copyright© 2026 by Michael Loucks
Chapter 93: Day 122
The Company had arrived back in Newtown in the late afternoon of the day following the trial, having stayed an extra day beyond their original plan. Not long after their return, Milos walked into the Sheriff's office to find a prisoner in a cell.
"Good evening, Sheriff," Deputy Gregor said. "Welcome home."
"Good evening," Milos replied. "It's good to be home, or it was until I walked in. Who is in the cell?"
"He claims to be Theodore from Elmsborough. He was apprehended for housebreaking and caught with identifiable items from the house."
"Who apprehended him?"
"Edwin, a cattle farmer. Rather than impose immediate punishment as is permitted for catching a housebreaker red-handed, he turned him over to me, per Count Matthias' expressed will."
"Has he confessed?"
"No, Sheriff, but Edwin identified a dagger, a ring, and a bag containing copper and silver coin as his own. He swore that to me personally."
"Theodore from Elmsborough, what do you say for yourself?"
"I have nothing to say to you," the man, who was about thirty, replied.
"Then you will appear before Count Matthias in the morning to be judged. Deputy, send word to Edwin to appear."
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Upon arriving at the Estate, Matthias made a tour of the Compound. He noted that the foundation for the new Manor House was complete, and some of the stone walls for the ground floor had been laid. He felt the progress was good, and seeing everything in order, he went into the Manor House to speak with Jorah.
"The only item of note is a threat from the Millers Guild to organize a boycott of all crops and goods produced in Newtown or County Hamilton, and have all the tradesmen refuse to do business with anyone in Newtown or County Hamilton."
"That will fail," Matthias replied, "and will play directly into our hands. I concluded a deal with Count Morgan of Peterborough to train his smith and tinker to build mills. He has paid me the license fee for two mills, and will pay for others as they are built. He asked to pay in a lump sum, rather than try to ship flour or coin such a distance, and I agreed. The total is about ten percent less than we would have collected over five years, but we have all of it now, rather than having to wait. His men will be here in about seven days.
"In addition, we can set up a market of our own, and can trade with any willing people, of which there will be plenty, as we show the Millers Guild to be impotent. In the end, they can harm us temporarily, but they will soon find themselves without two coppers to rub together. With the additional income from Count Morgan, as well as the other mills we are building, and our reserves, we can easily outlast them. How goes the construction of mills?"
"The mills on Sierra's land are nearly completed, and the parts for the mill on Gareth's land are ready. Lewis Smith and his apprentice are working on parts for the mills on Milos' land, and a new smith — Dalton — will join Lewis tomorrow to begin learning the new techniques. The new tinker — Oscar — joined yesterday and is working with John Tinker. We should be ready to double our ability to build within a half-moon."
"Very good. I see the construction of the new Manor House is proceeding."
"It is going according to plan. The limiting factor is the time for Lewis to make the pipes, but that is accounted for in the plan."
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