Kuzunalis

FLTL Chapter 47. Departure

The crisp dawn painted the sky in hues of orange and red as Kivamus stood near the manor gates, with Hudan, Feroy, and Duvas standing nearby. The early morning breeze held a distinct chill, making Kivamus pull his fur coat tighter around his frame. Although he hadn't heard the sound of the temple bell earlier, Duvas had told him that the time was just after six bells right now.

Finally, after a lot of preparation for the journey, the caravan of seven wagons, each pulled by a pair of stu...

FLTL Chapter 46. A New Friend

~Tesyb ~

As the last ladle of steaming porridge found its home in a waiting bowl, a hush fell over the crowd. The villagers, their faces glowing with the warmth of the unexpected meal, cradled their bowls close, savoring the simple pleasure of a full stomach. While they waited to collect the empty bowls, Mr. Duvas, the majordomo, stepped forward, his voice ringing out through the square.

"Now listen, all of you. While the baron is committed to building longhouses to provide shelte...

FLTL Chapter 45. Interlude: Maisy and Timmy

A/N: This interlude is a little dark (although with positive overtones, and a happy ending).

This also marks the end of the villagers' distressing situation in which Kivamus had arrived, and I felt it needed to be added in the story to show the tangible improvements in the situation of the villagers, including for those at the lowest levels of society. The story most likely wouldn't have such dark scenes in the future.

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~ Maisy ~

Ten-year-old Mais...

FLTL Chapter 44. Free Meal Program

~ Kigeir ~

Kigeir grinned. "There's always another option, you know." He gazed at the younger merchant. "You can just close up your shop and join the line for work at the manor from tomorrow."

Dalaar's smirk was humorless. "You would love that, wouldn't you? To get your only real competitor out of business?"

Kigeir threw his head back and laughed again. "Of course not! But a man can dream, can't he?"

Dalaar's earlier annoyance seemed to be fading, replaced by a simmeri...

FLTL Chapter 43. Kigeir and Dalaar

~ Tesyb ~

Thankfully, Madam Nerida, the head maid, had already foreseen this. After deducting the rations the guards would consume themselves, she had ensured each new recruit received a fixed quantity of grain and coal as the weekly payment of their wages. These precious provisions, packed into small sacks, would be a lifeline for their families.

Hudan, with surprising leniency, had even granted them a precious hour outside the manor walls. It was a chance to share the news of th...

FLTL Chapter 42. Blending In [New serial numbers from here due to consolidation of chapters on RR]

A/N: As promised earlier, from today you will start getting longer chapters of 2000+ words! Enjoy!

[Note [Aug 2024]: I have consolidated the earlier chapters to make all chapters above 2000 words. This will only affect the new readers. For you all, it doesn't affect anything other than a one time change in the serial numbers of chapters.

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Duvas shook his head. "No, my Lord. We only have an alehouse at the market square, with a couple of rooms for visitors on its upper...

FLTL Chapter 56. Incentives

As the setting sun approached the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and red, Kivamus had decided to return inside the manor house again. A chill had settled in the air, a stark reminder of the approaching winter. He and the others were now gathered near the crackling fire in the manor hall.

Earlier, after a productive meeting with Taniok and Cedoron, Duvas had sent them back to the village after finalizing the details of their respective projects. He had also provided the fina...

FLTL Chapter 55. No Engravings?

Cedoron gave a nod. "This is a substantial order, my Lord," he acknowledged. "To forge such a large quantity of tools efficiently, I would need to hire one or perhaps even two assistants. Naturally, that would add to the overall cost of production."

He added, "But I'm confident I can deliver all the tools you require within the coming weeks. That is, with the exception of the iron nails. And rest assured, my Lord, even with the added cost of hiring assistants, my prices will still be lo...

FLTL Chapter 54. Ulrigan Smithies

Cedoron's surprise was evident. "I am surprised you know that much about smithing, my Lord."

Kivamus offered a wry smile. "I have a fondness for reading," he admitted, reaching for the most plausible excuse to explain his knowledge. "The libraries within Ulriga Palace held a wealth of information, and I devoured it all."

Gorsazo chimed in with a confirmatory nod. "Indeed," he said. "His Lordship is quite the scholar. I can attest to that."

Cedoron inclined his head in acknow...

FLTL Chapter 53. Blacksmithing

After observing the training exercises for a few more minutes, Kivamus decided to resume his tour of the manor grounds. As he rounded a corner, he spotted Madam Nerida approaching him.

"You asked for me, my Lord?" she inquired upon reaching him.

"Indeed," Kivamus confirmed. "I have new instructions regarding the meals you make. From tonight, I want you to significantly increase the quantity of food prepared." He continued, "Starting tonight, we'll be providing meals twice a...

FLTL Chapter 52. Training Grounds - Part II

Kivamus winced as one arrow flew wildly off course, embedding itself harmlessly into the manor wall behind the targets. Another villager, a man of lean build and wiry frame, let out a triumphant yell as his arrow found its mark, striking the target squarely in the straw-stuffed head. Feroy acknowledged the successful shot with a hearty clap on the young man's back, although they were too far away from Kivamus for him to hear their words.

A satisfied smile touched Kivamus's lips. It seem...

FLTL Chapter 51. Training Grounds - Part I

Taniok acknowledged the concern with a grimace. "There's no denying they won't be cheap, my Lord," he conceded. "But using iron nails would save a considerable amount of time that would otherwise be spent crafting a vast number of wooden nails, which is the traditional binding method. Especially considering I'm the only one in Tiranat skilled in crafting them."

He leaned forward slightly, his voice turning serious. "While wooden pegs and nails are certainly an option, they simply wouldn...

FLTL Chapter 50. Saws, Nails and Axes

Taniok furrowed his brow, his gaze fixed on a spot in the distance as he processed the idea. After a moment's thought, he offered a slow, deliberate nod. "It's feasible, my Lord," he admitted. "The concept is sound. Building even a single longhouse before the snowfall wouldn't be easy, but with sufficient materials and a team of capable workers assisting me, I believe it's achievable."

He paused, then added, "You mentioned building two of these structures, my Lord?"

Kivamus confir...

FLTL Chapter 49. Taniok

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the manor hall as Kivamus Ralokaar, the new Baron of Tiranat, sat deep in conversation with Gorsazo and Duvas. Clarisa, having declared herself fully recovered earlier, had returned to the servant's hall, while Lucem perched nearby as a silent observer of the discussions. Hudan, having ushered the new guard recruits inside the manor, had come here earlier to tell them he was going to begin the final selection process for a dozen new guard...

FLTL Chapter 48. Tesyb's Father

The air crackled with a newfound energy as a thunderous roar of affirmation echoed through the square. The villagers, their hearts brimming with hope and full of anticipation, were ready. They were ready to work, to fight for a better tomorrow, for themselves, for their families, and for the new future Lord Kivamus had promised them.

This new Baron was unlike any other they'd ever encountered. The promises made by Lord Kivamus, while not a complete solution to their problems, offered a ...

FLTL Chapter 47. Vegetables And Meat

Hudan, his face an impassive mask, acknowledged their request with a nod. "The duty of a guard does carry a higher risk," he rumbled, "which is why they typically receive a higher wage than miners or laborers. To compensate for that risk, even though we are not able to pay you all in coin, the guards will still receive slightly larger portions of grain and coal each week compared to the laborers."

The announcement had a clear impact. The other hesitant recruit, swayed by the promise of ...

FLTL Chapter 46. Big Promises

Hudan continued, his voice taking on a more official tone. "There's a significant amount of work to be done to realize the Baron's vision. And that's where all of you come in. Those who weren't chosen for guard duty, and anyone in the village willing to put in honest manual labor can report to the manor gates starting tomorrow morning."

Hudan paused for a moment, letting the meaning of his words sink in. "Lord Kivamus," he proclaimed, his voice ringing out across the square, "has decide...

FLTL Chapter 45. I'm Still Not A Guard?

The huge man's voice, deep and booming, echoed across the square. "Listen up, all of you!" he commanded. "Hudan's the name, and I'm the new guard captain of the manor. First things first - make some space here. I need to see each of you properly."

A hesitant murmur rippled through the crowd. A few men shuffled their feet a little and moved a step back. But most of the men, desperate to be seen as the best candidates, were reluctant to move back.

But Hudan's patience seemed to be ...

FLTL Chapter 44. All Work And No Pay…?

A chorus of angry shouts erupted from the assembled villagers after hearing that. The announcement, far from the news of opportunity they had craved, was met with an immediate uproar.

"We have to risk our lives without pay? How are we supposed to feed our families?" a man shouted in protest, his tone laced with anger and despair.

"It doesn't make sense! Why would we work for free?" a woman's voice shrieked in disbelief. Frustration and desperation boiled over as others continued ...

FLTL Chapter 43. Tesyb

~ Tesyb ~

Tesyb hunched deeper into his worn blanket, the late-morning chill seeping through the threadbare fabric. He was sitting on the crumbling remains of his doorstep, the remnants of what had once been a sturdy door creaking mournfully in the breeze. The news carried on the excited chatter of villagers hurrying past had drawn him out of his burnt house. Apparently, guards from the manor were going to make an announcement in the village square, and everyone was expected to gather t...

FLTL Chapter 42. Tall Tales

A/N: As promised, this chapter is much longer than usual to make up for the short chapter last time.

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Shaking his head slowly, and chiding himself for acting without thinking again, Kivamus said, "That's a very good question. Did we even consider whether we can afford to provide grains to all the villagers for the next week? It will be fine after Pydas returns in a week, but until then do we even have enough grain in the manor to provide rations to all of the workers from t...

FLTL Chapter 41. Hoarding The Grain

Hudan offered a curt nod. "Consider it done, my Lord," he replied with unwavering resolve.

Gorsazo suggested, "Since many villagers will be gathered there anyway, it would be a good idea to make other announcements at the same time as well. Since we are looking for skilled carpenters and any experienced farmers in Tiranat, announcing this in the gathering would spread this news faster, and we will be able to meet with them before the evening."

Kivamus nodded. "Indeed. Their knowle...

FLTL Chapter 40. Payment In Kind

Duvas began, "My Lord, we can certainly utilize the miners to clear the surrounding land and start farming in the spring. However," he cautioned, "paying them for their labor would put a significant strain on our already depleted treasury."

"Unlike the coal mines," he elaborated, "where we get a product to sell and recoup the wages we'd be paying the miners, clearing the land wouldn't yield any immediate revenue stream."

The weight of Duvas' words hung heavy in the air. The potent...

FLTL Chapter 39. Housing The Homeless

Hudan added, "We should clear more area than just the farms, my Lord. I'd say we need at least five hundred paces of empty space all around the village, if not more, to be sure to detect any attack in advance."

Kivamus gave a nod. "As Duvas said, in the east there is a stream near the hills, which flows southwards. As long as the land in the south of the village is suitable for planting, it would be much better to start farming in that direction, since it would give us a ready source of...

FLTL Chapter 38. The Terrain Of Tiranat

Kivamus furrowed his brow, his gaze sweeping across the manor as he contemplated the challenges and opportunities before them. The harsh winter loomed ahead, its icy grip threatening to further isolate Tiranat.

He gazed at Duvas before speaking, while Gorsazo and Hudan stood nearby as well. "Let's consider the situation at hand," he began, his voice laced with quiet contemplation. "Even if we reopened the mines right now," he mused, "selling the coal during winter is not an option we h...

FLTL Chapter 37. Interlude: Cedoron

Cedoron grunted with exertion as he struck repeatedly against the red-hot metal with a rhythmic clang of his hammer, the bulging muscles in his arms flexing and rippling beneath his tanned skin. With a final, resounding blow, he brought his hammer down upon the glowing metal kept on the anvil, shaping the sword with practiced ease.

He reached over with a pair of tongs, gingerly gripping the glowing blade, examining it from all angles. A grunt of approval escaped his lips. It wasn't perf...

FLTL Chapter 36. Borders Of The Barony

Duvas chuckled softly. "Indeed, my Lord," he conceded. "Madam Nerida has been a part of this village since its very foundation. The previous baron purchased Leah as a slave when she was a child, so Madam Nerida has known and trusted her for years. And as Leah herself mentioned, being an orphan, she has nowhere else to go even if she desired to escape."

He continued, "When the previous baron ruled here, the slaves were escorted by a guard if they were ever sent to the village for an err...

FLTL Chapter 35. Slave Price and Bounty Hunters

"But tell me, Leah," Kivamus inquired, "do you have a place to stay in the village?"

The young woman's face brightened as she nodded. "I do, my Lord," Leah replied with confidence. "I have a good friend, who's the village blacksmith now. I can stay in his house until I can save enough coin to secure a place of my own."

Seeing the uncertainty on others' faces, Duvas added, "Cedoron is a decent fellow, my Lord. I've known him since he was a child. His father, who worked as the black...

FLTL Chapter 34. Leah

The tension surrounding the urgent discussions about the caravan and the limited number of guards they had, was interrupted by a servant's arrival. He approached Duvas, interrupting their hushed conversation, and delivered a brief message.

Turning back to the group, Duvas addressed Kivamus and Gorsazo. "The maid," he announced, "the one who was a slave, has returned from the village." He also gestured for the servant to bring the young woman to them.

Their conversation paused as t...

FLTL Chapter 33. Subterfuge

"Here's what I propose," Kivamus began, his voice low. "As I said earlier, we'll need to send a contingent of a dozen guards with the caravan, but not all of them need to be seasoned veterans."

He held up a hand to forestall any objections. "Hear me out," he said. "We'll select half of those, that's five men not including the guard Pydas already has, from our trained guards, to escort the caravan and provide genuine protection. These will be the veteran defenders we already have here at...