SMW C17 Potato Team

Two days had passed since Alexander completely vindicated the humble potato before his family and Father Hensfried, transforming their perspective from cursed root to divine blessing.

The change throughout Castle Eisenberg was nothing short of remarkable. Servants, guards, squires, and the Eisenberg family themselves had embraced potato-based dishes with an enthusiasm that bordered on reverence. Lord Aldric had developed a particular fondness for potato stew enriched with pork, while Lady Ermelinde requested mashed potatoes with cheese at every meal. Little Adelheit had become utterly devoted to what she called "the golden strips"—Alexander's potato fries.

The transformation solved multiple problems at once. The castle's chronic food shortages for servants had largely disappeared, and the need to stretch meager ingredients into bland, unsatisfying meals was now a thing of the past. With potatoes abundant and requiring only minimal seasoning to create delicious dishes, even the humblest kitchen preparations had become satisfying feasts.

The guards particularly favored mashed potatoes over their traditional boiled eggs, often remarking that they could never have enough. They would never have imagined that the supposedly cursed food could prove so blessed and nourishing.

Throughout the castle, there was only one person to thank for this miraculous transformation: Alexander Godric von Eisenberg. The boy who had blessed the food and revealed its true divine nature.

They believed wholeheartedly that it was because Alexander was God's chosen that such wonders were possible.

Conversations echoed through the corridors: "Our young lord is indeed chosen by the Almighty! Father Hensfried himself confirmed it! I heard the Father say that without our lord's blessing, these potatoes would remain worthless pig fodder!"

"Praise be to our young lord and House Eisenberg! We are truly blessed that God has smiled upon our heir."

They spoke these words with genuine hope shining in their eyes, as if the future itself had become something worth anticipating under their young lord's guidance.

---

In the Great Hall, Alexander stood properly attired in his finest traveling clothes, flanked by Father Hensfried. Nearby waited Reinhard and his two squires, fully armed and prepared for the journey ahead.

"Today marks an important milestone," Aldric addressed the assembled group, his face bearing a mixture of pride and apprehension. "This is the day you will bring the truth about potatoes to our people, Alexander. I trust you have prepared well and can convince our subjects of the blessings these crops can provide."

Despite his confident words, worry flickered in his amber eyes and colored his tone. Deep down, he remained uncertain whether his young son could successfully persuade the village folk, who had spent generations believing potatoes were cursed.

Father Hensfried stepped forward reassuringly. "Fear not, Lord Aldric. I will assist the young lord with everything in my power. I have pledged to support him completely in this mission."

"You have my deepest gratitude, Father Hensfried," Aldric replied with genuine appreciation.

Ermelinde approached Alexander, enveloping him in a protective embrace as if he were made of precious gold. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself on this journey, my dear son. You'll be visiting all the villages under our barony—you could be gone for days, even weeks. Your mother will worry every moment you're away!"

Alexander could only smile wryly at his mother's excessive doting, though he understood her concern.

Ermelinde turned to face Reinhard and the two squires with solemn intensity. "Reinhard, I entrust my son's life to you. Protect him at all costs—I expect you to guard him as you would your own soul."

"It remains the sacred duty of every knight to protect his lord, even for one such as myself who has retired from active service," Reinhard replied with grave seriousness. "I swear upon my honor that no harm shall come to the young lord while he is under my protection."

His unwavering conviction provided Ermelinde with some measure of comfort, though maternal worry continued to cloud her features as she gazed at her precious son preparing for his first real mission beyond the castle walls.

I shouldn't worry so much, Ermelinde thought, trying to calm her racing heart. My son is chosen by God Himself—surely the Almighty will protect him. Yet even as she attempted reassurance, darker concerns crept in. But demons always target God's chosen ones, seeking to test their faith as they did with righteous Job. Oh, merciful Lord, I pray You won't allow the forces of darkness to torment my precious son too severely!

Had Alexander been able to hear his mother's thoughts, he would have immediately protested:
Please don't jinx me! I know the story of Job, and I definitely don't have that kind of faith to endure such trials!

Fortunately, Alexander remained blissfully unaware of his mother's apocalyptic worries. He simply offered her his most reassuring smile. "I'll take excellent care of myself, Mother. Please don't worry about me."

Ermelinde managed a weak smile and nodded, though anxiety continued to gnaw at her maternal heart.

Little Adelheit stood nearby, not fully grasping the significance of her brother's departure but sensing the gravity in the adults' demeanor. Alexander gently patted her silver hair. "I'll be going away for a while now, Adelheit. Be good while I'm gone."

Both Aldric and Ermelinde nodded their farewells, while Fritz offered an encouraging nod from his position among the castle staff.

With all preparations complete, Alexander and his party departed Castle Eisenberg. Mounted on sturdy horses and with Reinhard's expert guidance, they made swift progress toward their first destination.

Since Alexander could reach Graybrook Village on foot as a six-year-old, the journey by horseback took almost no time at all. Before the morning sun had climbed much higher, they were approaching the familiar cluster of weathered cottages.

The villagers had been notified of their young lord's visit two days prior, so his arrival caused no surprise. The announcement had specified that the young lord would reveal something of great importance—a shocking revelation that would change their understanding of fundamental truths.

In the village's central square—really just a muddy clearing between ramshackle buildings—stood a rough wooden platform. This simple structure served as the official speaking place where the baron or his representatives addressed the people for important announcements, whether delivering new laws, collecting taxes, or occasionally making examples of lawbreakers through public punishment.

A considerable crowd had already gathered around the platform, with more villagers arriving steadily. Curiosity burned bright in their weather-beaten faces as they speculated about what earth-shattering news their young lord might share.

"Do you think someone's going to be punished for offending the young lord?" whispered one farmer to his neighbor.

"I don't see any prisoners being dragged along," another replied, craning his neck to study Alexander's small party. "Maybe it's something entirely different."

Among the assembled crowd, Lammert and Wulfger stood with obvious nervous tension radiating from their every movement.

"Should we make a run for it, Master Wulfger?" Lammert whispered urgently, his eyes darting between the exits. "What if this is about those cursed roots we gave him?"

Wulfger shook his head grimly. "Even if we flee now, they'll hunt us down eventually. Besides, what would happen to our livelihoods? We can't simply abandon everything we've built here."

"I don't care about livelihoods!" Lammert hissed desperately. "We can always start over somewhere else—anywhere that isn't here!"

While Wulfger admitted the logic in that reasoning, he remained skeptical. "Starting over would be incredibly difficult at our age. More importantly, the castle soldiers haven't arrested us or even spoken to us these past two days. I'm fairly confident this announcement has nothing to do with us."

Lammert felt marginally relieved by this assessment, though he remained prepared to bolt at the first sign of trouble. His attention was suddenly captured by the familiar figure stepping onto the platform.

Father Hensfried mounted the wooden structure with ceremonial dignity, his brown robes catching in the morning breeze as he raised his voice to address the assembled crowd.

"Good people of Graybrook!" the priest called out, his words carrying clearly across the muddy square. "I stand before you today to lend my support to our young lord, Alexander Godric von Eisenberg, who brings with him a divine revelation that will transform our understanding of God's creation!"

Murmurs rippled through the crowd like wind through grain fields. The villagers exchanged glances of surprise and intrigue—for their respected priest to speak so dramatically suggested something truly momentous was about to unfold.

"Our young lord has been chosen by the Almighty Himself as an instrument of divine truth," Father Hensfried continued, his voice growing stronger with conviction. "What he will reveal to you today comes not from the wisdom of man, but from the blessed guidance of our Creator. I ask that you listen with open hearts and minds, for what you are about to witness will challenge everything you believe you know about the world around you!"