I was not stabbed in the middle of the night, probably because of the guards outside my room. I did check the room for secret passages where assassins could sneak in and slit my throat. Either this guy didn't have one, or it was well hidden. When I explained to Benjamin what I was looking for, he thought I was being overly paranoid. He had only heard of secret passages used as an escape route or to access secret stashes of food during a siege.

I said, "It is only being paranoid if nobody was out to get you, and as a noble, it was best to assume that someone could be out to get me at any time."

"I suppose I have to concede that point. But remember, more nobles have died due to stress from the fear of assassination than the act itself. I recommend finding a balance. Trust your men to protect you."

"Ok, but when I finally get a castle, I will definitely build some awesome secret passages."

Our carts hadn't been touched either. It was possibly due to the threat I had made but more likely due to the guards I had watching our stuff that night.

We rode out of the gates to the manor just as dawn was breaking. We had a lot of time to make up, and I had no desire to be in this guy's home any longer. In fact, I made an executive decision: I decided not to stay in any more noble homes on the way down to Kimton. I stayed in the best inns I could find for the next three nights, and by noon on the fourth day, we reached Kimton.

I was somewhat surprised to see a large wall around the city—much larger than Vaspar. I mean, yeah, I knew that Kimton would be bigger than Vaspar, but the size was impressive. Even with the wall, the population had spilled out past it. There was a checkpoint on the road into the outer city, but the flags allowed us to ride straight through. It was at this point the soldiers of Lord Cumfrence left us. I gave them a gold crown for their service and to get themselves a place to stay for the night before their return.

It was when we got to the inner city where the wall was that we were questioned. I identified myself and was sped through once I produced the letter from the duke. The current portion of the city was dirty and smelly, much like what I would expect a medieval city to be like. There were shops lining the street all the way up to the inner city. Due to our noble status, we were allowed to drive our carriage through the city during the day, but our wagons had to stay in a warehouse until dusk. It was then that I realized that there was one more wall for what was most likely the original city.

When we reached the inner gate, we were met with suspicion. That was until I produced the letter from the duke. Then, they became very accommodating. They gave me directions to a few different inns where nobles were staying. Fortunately, we were coming later in the season. For the opening festivities, reservations had to be made in advance in all the inns, including the ones outside the wall that no noble would be caught dead in. Now, we were closer to the middle of the season when all the activities were going on, so there were several rooms available in each of the inns. All of them were about the same quality, so I booked us for a week at the one furthest from the castle. It was the least expensive one. Waste not, want not. Now, it was time to visit the castle.

As the carriage came through the castle gates and circled the turnaround, a servant stepped forward. Benjamin stepped out and handed him the letter. After reading it, he gave a slight sneer towards me as I exited.

Just great. Even the servants were stuck up here. Of course, it also lets me know where I stand. Nice of him to let me know.

"I will bring you to a waiting room where you will be given a time for your appointment."

After, "Mr. I'm too good to talk to you", led us to a small room with a few simple chairs and a rug, he left. We waited for three bells before anyone came to check on us. Too much longer and I would have just laid down on the rug and gone to sleep.

Finally, a short man with a bald head came into the room. In a high-pitched nasally voice that did not match his squat frame, he said, "You will arrive here in one tenday and a day from today at the second bell past noon.

I really wanted to say, "Dude, just say eleven days. The whole, Tenday and a day thing does not make you sound any smarter." But I refrained.

And with that, we were done. I had eleven days to do as I pleased, and I would explore this town to its fullest. But now it was time to get back to the in and go to sleep. I was hoping they still had supper available.

********

The next morning, I sent letters to the two people Baron Sophis had recommended I visit, asking for a time we could meet. I would personally hand the letters of introduction to them when we met. Then I decided to go out into the city and explore. While I was curious about what the city had to offer in Kimton, Benjamin was eager to visit with his father. So, while I was exploring the city, He went to see if he could gain an audience with his father.

"Do not expect me back anytime soon. I am no longer a member of the household, so I will most likely be treated similarly to how they treated you. Depending on what we discuss, it may be a long wait and an even longer conversation. And, my lord, I will not betray your secrets, " he said solemnly.

"You have shown yourself to be honest and trustworthy. I have no fear of your conduct," I said.

"Thank you for your trust."

With that, we went our separate ways. I left for the city to see what I could discover. The first thing that I found was that they didn't have much I wanted in the upper city, as they called it. It was all stuff for nobles. The shops had jewelry and fine clothes. All these things would give a noble a sense of self-importance, but they were useless to me. I needed stuff for my barony, even if it were just ideas. So, the first place I went was the merchant quarters. I stuck out like a sore thumb. Even more so than when I visited the merchant district in Vaspar. I saw an occasional noble there. Nobles here must feel mingling with commoners is beneath them. Send commoners to do anything that deals with other commoners. Their loss.

I was getting a lot of sideways glances from the adults, and children were openly staring as I walked down the street.

"Excuse me," I said to a man calling out his wares outside his candle-making shop. Immediately, the man put his head down.

"Forgive me for shouting in your presence, my lord. I did not see you there. I mean, forgive me for not observing that one such as yourself has graced us with your presence." He said quickly.

Seriously, did the nobles around here get mad at people for doing their jobs?

"Good man, there is no need to keep your head down. I just wanted to ask where I might find a woodworker who can make some frames for me. I also need a weever or cloth merchant to construct me a canvas." I said.

"A canvas, my lord?" His face suddenly drained of color, and he put his head down again. "Forgive me, my lord. I did not mean to ask a question. I was just confused, so I wanted to clarify so I could help you in the best way possible."

"I appreciate that, thanks. I will be painting pictures on cloth, and I am almost out of frames that hold the cloth." I said with a smile that he could not see because his head was down.

"I would be most honored if you would allow me to have my son guide you as a way of an apology."

"I would appreciate that very much, thank you."

The man hurried inside his shop, and a minute later, a boy of about ten came out with his father. His eyes went large at the sight of me as if he had seen some mythical beast.

"Boy, take this noble lord to Archer's workshop. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Pa," said the boy. And he immediately took off down the street without even checking to see if I was following.

The man shouted after the boy to slow down, but he was almost out of sight in the maze of people before words left his father's mouth. The boy's father looked like he was about to faint. The expression was so hilarious that I doubled over in a fit of laughter. It almost looked like one of those Reel videos that I always came across on my phone back home.

Once I got myself under control, I wiped the tears out of my eyes. "Good man, I have had an extremely tiring last few weeks, but that right there made up for it. You should have seen the look on your face. I bet right now he is racing through the crowd, proud of himself because he will get the giant nobleman to Archer's house in record time. I wish I could see his face when he gets there, looks around, and wonders why I am not there."

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

The man looked at me for a moment as if questioning whether I was sane. Then a grin spread across his face, and he also began to laugh. A few people who had drawn close enough to hear me also began to laugh, and they all began to discuss the foolishness of youth these days.

When the boy came back, he looked confused when he saw me, as if he were wondering why I hadn't moved. The boy's father looked like he was about to lecture the young boy, but I stepped forward. "Boy, I appreciate your excitement in trying to help your father. You must be the fastest boy on the street, but I ask you to please walk beside me. I am sometimes easily lost, and I do not wish to get left behind."

"Yes, my lord," he said with a large gap-tooth grin. So this time, we walked down the street as the crowd parted around us. I looked at the various shops on my way down the street, and one in particular caught my eye. A boy stood behind a display in front of the shop. There were a variety of glass beads in a bowl and a few glass cups. The glass was not clear, but light would definitely pass through it. There was a servant of some noble standing in front of the boy discussing a purchase.

"Hey, boy. Is that a glass shop?"

The boy looked to where I was pointing.

"Yes, that's Meany Mark's shop. He has a son who is actually a monster. He has the monster hide his face and everything. Any children who go into Meany Mark's shop get eaten by the monster. Timmy said he knew a boy who went in and never came back out. My friends, we dare each other to go in, but none of us ever do."

"Well, it is a good thing nobles are not scared of monsters. When I have the chance, I will visit the place."

"Ok, but can I have your hat when you are dead? I really like it."

I was caught off guard for a moment but then said, "I shall live a long time. But if you come to my funeral, I will make sure they give it to you." I can just imagine what the boy would say to his father.

'I asked the noble if I could have his hat when he gets eaten by a monster, and he said yes.'

The guy is never going to let the kid out of his house again.

The next thing that drew my eye was a stall selling Bicman pens. I have to admit my jaw almost dropped. I walked over and started looking at them. The craftsmanship was adequate, and they had smoothed and varnished the wooden stick.

"Might you be interested in the new dip pens? They are a fascinating writing implement. If you would like, I could show you how they work."

"No need. I come from the county of Vaspar, where they were created. I have a few myself. Have you ever heard the story of how they came to be?"

"The count invented them." He said it as if it was an obvious fact.

"Actually, the count purchased the idea from a young nobleman from the marshes. You see, the young nobleman, Lord Bicman, he trampled the son of their smith. The boy lost his leg. When the young nobleman realized what he had done, he felt so guilty for what he had done, but he knew his guilt would never help the boy, so he designed a nub that would be easy for the boy to produce while sitting. In the end, the idea had to be sold to the count because the barony was too far away from everyone to make any money on it up north. If you ever travel to Bicman, you can meet Mathew, the blacksmith's son who made the first dip pen. Now, don't tell anyone I told you this. The people of Vaspar are very proud of their count's invention even if some of them know it wasn't actually him."

"My lips are sealed, my lord."

With that statement, I was sure that half of the commoners in Kimton would be telling the story by tomorrow. It is just such a better story than 'The count created this.' It made the commoner the hero of the story. Of course, the nobles would believe the other story, but in the end, both sets of people would be happy.

We arrived at the woodworker shop a couple minutes later. I dropped a whole copper into the boy's hand. "You did a good job, boy."

He looked like he was thinking for a moment, "Did the nobleman give money to the boy?"

"The boy got gold crowns from his baron," I said with a smile. The boy smiled back and then took off running. There was another person who would spread the tale, but I imagine it would be a much more fanciful tale in the mind of an eight-year-old boy. The nobleman would probably end up having trampled the boy while riding a lion and giving the boy a castle as an apology.

Archer was a bland man who liked his explanations short. Once I told him what I wanted and the sizes, he said he would procure the clothes, and I could pick them up in a couple of days. I didn't mind the conversation being brief. I was eager to get back to the glassmaker's shop. So now it was just me and my two guards walking back towards the shop. Once again, the mass of bodies parted for me. It was both awkward and convenient at the same time.

When we arrived at the shop, I approached the boy who was running the stall. "I need to speak with Mark the Glassmaker, please."

"The boy's eyes widened in surprise at being addressed by me. Then he bowed and led me inside. It was very warm inside, and the room was open all the way to the kiln in the back, where the glass was being heated.

A large man had his back to me, working on something near the furnace. Another young man in his teens was working a bellow. The boy was looking uncomfortably between me and the man. He probably had strict instructions not to disturb the man while working. But, I was a nobleman if he didn't do as I asked immediately, he might get his head chopped off.

He was about to move forward, his fear of a nobleman greater than the wrath of his master, when I put my hand on his shoulder. He started in surprise, but when he looked at me, I put my finger to my lips. We sat there and waited for Mark to finish.

The back door opened, and an interesting sight appeared in the doorway. A hunched-over figure shuffled into the room. It wore baggy clothes and gloves on its hands. The most peculiar thing was the cloth sack on its head. This must be Mark's son, the monster. It looked more like someone trying to dress up in a scarecrow costume for Halloween—except there was no straw.

He made his way towards his father and set down a large sack he was carrying.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stay away from the fire, fool boy!" Mark shouted.

The boy jumped back, and his head lifted up. Two holes were cut out for his eyes, but no hole was cut out for his mouth or nose.

Dang! That has to be really uncomfortable.

When our eyes met, the boy froze. I imagine in fear, not due to my dashing good looks, but with the sack over his head, it was hard to tell. I smiled kindly, trying to put the kid at ease, but it didn't seem to help. The boy next to me was making a shooing motion, and finally, the boy fled the room.

Mark must have noticed his son's odd reaction because he stood up and turned toward us. Seeing me, he bowed deeply. "Forgive me, my lord. The boy is not meant to be seen by others."

"I am not concerned with such things," I said, putting on my noble airs. I did that when I didn't like people. "What I am concerned with is glass. I have looked around this shop and seen some of your work. Is this the clearest you can make your glass?"

"I assure you this is the clearest anyone can make glass," He said proudly.

"Excellent. I am looking for someone who knows how to make glass to come with me back to the Barony of Bicman and work for me."

The man raised his eyebrows. "My lord, it would be impossible for me to come with you. I have a business here and noble clients that would be very upset if I left. Forgive me, my lord, but I don't know where Bicman Barony is."

I smiled. I could tell he was trying hard not to offend me, but he wasn't very good at being polite. "I don't want you, Master Mark. I want anyone who knows how to create glass. We will be traveling to the northernmost barony. It's almost a month away when the roads are good."

"I am sorry, my lord, without my workers, I would fall behind on my orders."

"Hmm. Do you know any other glassmakers in the area who may be able to help me?"

"I know all the glassmakers in the city. There are only a few of us. I could give you their names, but there is always more work to do than time to do it all. I doubt they will let those they train go."

A thought popped into my head, and I pushed it back down. But like a beach all covered in water, it just resurfaced. I grit my teeth.

Why am I such a sucker for charity cases? What the heck? It isn't like he would agree.

"What about the one with the sack on his head?"

This stunned the man for a moment. "Tom?"

"If that is the one I saw bringing in the bag for you, then yes. Does he know the trade?"

"But… I…" He let out a sigh, "My lord, he is horribly scared on his face due to an accident when he was a few years old. He refuses to take off the sack unless he is alone. His pinky and ring finger on his left hand are fused together due to the same accident."

"Does he know how to make glass?"

"Yes, but… He is mute."

"Can he write?"

"Yes."

"Then name your price," I said, trying to close the deal.

There was a pause, and then he said firmly. "One hundred gold."

Dang, I didn't have one hundred gold right now. Most of what I made went to getting supplies for up north and those people I had taken in on the king's orders. I was planning on making a lot here, though, so it shouldn't be a problem. This is the problem when dealing with specialty merchants. They always want so much."

"I will be leaving in a month. Write a contract, and I will have my steward review it. I do not want any misunderstandings. You will receive fifty gold when I come to pick up the boy. You could buy this shop twenty times over for that price, and I know the cost of a servent is not nearly that much. Accept my generosity." I said forcefully. Truly if this boy could make glass he was worth the one hundred gold, but I just couldn't let this slimeball get away with such blatant robbery

"My lord, I would ask of you one thing." He said nervously.

"Ask."

"The boy is my son. He is my shame. I ask that you never remove the mask from him. And give him a separate place to eat and sleep away from people."

"That won't be a problem. I will be building him a house and a workshop similar to this one. He shall have all the privacy he desires."

"Then you have a deal. The boy is nothing but a burden to me, but if you want a glassmaker, he knows the trade."

I grinned inwardly. I had my glassmaker.