After I ate I told Agatha thanks for the food, amongst other things, and I left. As I did I ran into Lawrence. That boy does get things done as he had already found a leather worker but was still looking for an adequate blacksmith. He said that the leather worker was awaiting us at the Tower.
I told him to rustle up some old beer barrels with a spout on them that could be easily turned on and off in an instant. I told him if they still had beer in them to take them to the Tower let the King's men partake in it. As long as they were off duty of course.
In order to get back to the Tower I decided to stop by the town square to check what the Merchants had for sale. When I got there I noticed a crowd gathering around a cart that was led by a young woman. She couldn’t have been more than 22 or 23 but you could tell she had swung a hammer around before.
Quite a few times I'd bet because as I approached her cart I noticed what must be metalworking tools. She even had an anvil. She had the look and the physique of what I imagine Viking women had. Her dirty blonde hair tied in a ponytail was laying across arms as big around as most men in the 21st. She was averge height for the time, around 5'3" but she was still imposing.
“Women can’t work the forge. Go back to your kitchen woman.” It was my favorite blacksmith.
“I can do the work of two of you. But come back when I set up shop I will be in need of your hot air.”
This caused the old blacksmith to pick up a red hot poker and start running at her. I cut him off just before he got to her. I grabbed his wrist and spun it around till it was behind his back. This caused him to drop the poker and then I shoved him back into his shop.
“Stay in there and cool off” I said.
Ironic as it was well over a 100 degrees in there. Probably what pissed him off to begin with. He glared at me and I gave him a look that would peel paint. He kept his mouth shut after that.
“I could have taken him.” She said defiantly.
“I’m sure you could have mam. But I can’t stand him so I wanted to put him in his place.”
“That makes two of us.”
“How about I buy you a drink and you tell me your story?” I said with a smile.
She agreed and we went back to the Broken Dagger. Luckily she wasn’t much of a looker so Agatha didn’t seem to get jealous about that. I found out her name is Lilly. She was from the east so I would assume modern day Sweden or Norway.
Her entire family had been killed by a group of marauding bandits while she had been with her father in town as a child. With his wife and sons dead and no ability to sire more he passed the knowledge onto her even though she was a woman.
“Don’t look at me that way.” She said as she told me that “I can do better work than any man.” She said confidently.
“I believe you. In my country women are all the time doing the jobs of men. I actually require the services of a blacksmith. But I must hire the absolute best as I will be assigning tasks that most men just could not do. Honestly I don’t know if you can handle it.” Reverse Psychology on her type is like shooting fish in a barrel.
“I can do anything. Just give me the metal and a place to work and I will make you armor that will deflect any danger and a sword that will cut through anything like it were water.” Butter being scarce I imagine.
“I like confidence but if you want to remain employed by me I require more than that. I will give you a chance however as I like your spirit.”
“Thank you my liege.”
Now I needed to find her a place to set up shop. After talking to Father Clarence earlier when I got the bible I found out about a building that was recently vacated when the previous blacksmith had passed away (that’s why I have been forced to deal with Grumpy) it also had a room where she could stay.
I rented it for a steal. Actually it was probably the first rent-to-own lease in the world. Now that I have a blacksmith, the next step would be a blast furnace but I get ahead of myself.
“Your first task is to make two dozen of these helmets.” I said showing her the drawing of a uni-bar old school football helmet.
“But arrows or a lance will go right through that bar sir.”
“I appreciate the feedback but these helmets will not see war. They are for a game.”
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“Must be a rough game to need a helmet.”
“Yes it is actually that’s probably why men love it.”
“I can do this.” She said after she looked at the drawing again.
“Remember they have to be heavily padded inside as well. Make them all one size to fit my head as it is larger than most men. Then use different padding for smaller heads.”
She seemed remarkably quick to grasp what I was after and I left feeling very pleased with myself for finding her. My diamond in the rough so to speak. You never know what you might run into at the market.
I realized how late it was getting (not having a watch or cellphone sucks) and I still had to talk to the leather worker. So I started heading towards the Tower again. Just as I was beginning to daydream, Lawrence popped up.
“Sir. I have obtained 2 beer barrels you asked for. The men appreciate the gesture and are enjoying the beer as we speak. I made it be clear that they could only drink if they did not have guard duty.”
Two barrels should be enough as really I want to watch every drill anyway. That reminded me I forgot to see if Lily could make me a large counter balance scale for weighing the water.
“Good man Lawrence and I have found a blacksmith.”
“Good sir, for I have not.”
“That should work. Now get Arthur and Bolt to make up some uniform, it means all the same, buckets. Make them know that I need 4 buckets that are exactly the same weight. If they are not, grind down the tops until both balance on a scale. Also while there tell him to start planning the biggest job he's ever done. I’m going to need well over a hundred workers to get this stadium done in a month.”
“Sir-Yes-Sir”
“After that get some sleep and be waiting outside my door come morning. If you wake me up without something extremely important to say I will give you a new hole to breathe. I am not a morning person. Dismissed.”
Lawrence left and I headed back to Lily’s and told her that first priority was now the scale as I would need to have it tomorrow for N&B. She griped about how that was too soon so I told her how Grumpy would have it done before he went to bed tonight. Anyway it will be done first thing in the morning. It’s almost criminal how easy she is to manipulate
When I got back to the Tower I met with the leather maker. I gave him all the 3d drawings of a Football I could think of and described it as best I could but something tells me it might take a few tries. But he was willing as long as my silver was still good. After that I went to the kitchen to get something to eat.
The King must have been having the same idea because I met the same servant there and decided to tag along. Face time with the King is kind of important and I had the papers drawn up for the stadium/team deal. He signed them without even looking at them. He either trusts me or more likely knows that death awaits those who cross him.
“I hear you talked to Sir Adrian. A fine man. As good with a spear as I have ever seen. Is he to be the other QB?” He asked as I entered.
“I hope your majesty. I will award the position to the Knight I think would be my best competition.”
“Well don’t get too carried away Sir Arthur I want my team to win.”
“I have no intention of losing, your Majesty, but in order to make the game as entertaining as possible we need to keep the game close. Eventually if it pleases your Majesty, we will form a league with all the lords in England. Then I will create a dominating team that will win many championships. This is the sign of a true football warrior. One that can weather a whole season of games and still win it all. Plus your highness there will be lots of silver flow into your coffers if it gets to that level.”
“Yes see to it Sir Arthur. Now where was that sandwich? Oh I do believe I already ate it. Get me another one.” he said to a servant passing by. “Would you like one Sir Arthur”
“I would, your majesty. And if I may be so bold you may call me Arthur. I feel that you are a friend and hearing a friend call me Sir I am not accustomed to.”
“Of course my good man. Arthur is a fine name. I shall call you that at least when not in court. Now about those sandwiches.”
I sat down and ate with the king again. At least with sandwiches I kept my appetite as the plates and dogs were thankfully absent. We talked a while mostly about America. I told him how my country would take months to cross on foot. I told him of the great forests that stretched for hundreds of miles.
He liked hearing about the Forests. Europe and to a lesser extent England had been heavily logged for centuries even in the 12th. Even after mechanization of logging the US still had millions of acres of forested land.
“I will have to visit there someday,” He said matter-of-factly.
“Of course your Majesty. Unfortunately however, even I do not know how to return. I was a warrior not a seaman. I only know it lies far to the west across the Atlantic”
It was mostly true. Yeah sure sail west but if you do it in the wrong place it could take months longer and stretch your food storage to the point of mutiny. Especially since no one on the maiden voyage would be even confident we wouldn’t just sail off the edge of the earth.
I know that you could go to the equator and then follow it west and the winds would carry you there in about a month. I also know there is a northern route that would skirt around Greenland and Iceland and without having to sail around Europe. The problem is I don’t know where it is.
Besides, my country is about 900 years away. It's kind of hard to get there in a boat.
The best trade goods would be in the warmer central and northern South America anyway in the 12th. There’s gold in dem’ der hills. This time if we go I think we will trade for it.
I told him more about America and after a few more minutes I excused myself and went to my room. The redhead from the night before was there again.
“I’m sorry luv but I have had a really long day and don’t think I have it in me for a roll in the hay”
She looked plum disappointed in that but I was dead tired. I fell on the bed and didn’t even hear her leave. Once again the sleep didn’t last.
“Oh come on”
“I had so much fun last night I came back for Seconds” Matilda said giggling.
You can’t very well say no to a future Queen she might hold a grudge.