The next week flew by. The planting on all my fields had been done. We had finished with enough time to replow some of the acreage that hadn’t been done by the Bicman plow. The young men, including a married couple, had moved down to Barim and had started restoring the houses. Since our plowing was done, including replowing the fields at the manor and even squeezing in an extra acre, we were ready to send the plows down to Barim.

The paper-making process hadn’t changed, but other workers at the manor were taking shifts. Soon, we would have enough to sell in Decmoore. If we couldn’t find a buyer in Decmoore, we would bring it further south. I was sure it would sell well despite it not being as good as parchment. I was having Mathew work on the pens.

After the success with the coke, I was having them use the kilns to make bricks. I wanted to try making a small puddling furnace. If we could melt the iron and add some lime, we could probably get the impurities down to a pretty decent level. The iron would probably still be over 4% carbon. Unless the places were below that that elsewhere we could probably export the iron. What we really needed was more people to work the mine, a blast furnace, and a second furnace to oxygenate the iron. I forget what those ones were called. Adding the oxygen reduced the carbon content to where it became steel.

We weren’t producing enough coke to get the needed fly ash. Most of the usable stuff was scraped off of the walls and ceiling. Any fly ash that settled was mixed with the tar and was unusable. This made it impossible to try and figure out the right ratio of fly ash to add to the cement. We needed a larger operation. Well, preferably, we would find an inactive volcano where we could break up the volcanic ash left behind. Oh, well, if wishes were fishes and all that.

I also had a few long chats with Maggie, the local herbalist. In doing so, I found that they weren’t too far off on where diseases come from. They believed it was unseen spirits that lived in unclean things. This was why they tried to keep things clean around here. They found that the spirits were repelled or killed by different things. The Endless One was clean, so evil spirits were hesitant to be around cleanliness. Certain herbs help to protect the body or expel the spirits. Boiling water removed them. The body tried to expel them through coughing and sneezing. Puss was the body trying to remove them from the skin. They could be found in human waste, so the waste was treated properly. This all led me to believe that if we could increase the nutrition of the population we could reduce even more deaths. Without proper nutrition, the body can’t fight off diseases. Not everyone believed this, of course, but even in my world, there were still people who believed the earth was flat.

I never did get a chance to talk to Carrie, but Maggie let me know that she had been keeping an eye on Carrie and that as long as she kept her busy, she was improving. Wounds to the mind and soul take time, she said. I knew how true that was. I always told Maggie to let Carrie know I had stopped by and wished her well.

I was just looking over a report on the estimated amount of fruit we should produce this year when there was a knock at the door. I told whoever it was to enter, and Marsh came in. “My Lord, I received a message from Jorb that he had something that he would like to show you the next time you’re in the village.”

“Well, I need to stretch my legs, so let’s go see what Jorb has cooked up. He and Mickel have been kind of secretive lately. Maybe I should throw them in my dungeon for their insolent behavior.” I said with a huff.

Marsh must have been getting used to my sense of humor because all she did was smirk and say, “My Lord, we would first have to build a dungeon. I can put it down on your list of things to do if you would like.”

“Nah, we would have to import some rats and skeletons to make it worth it, and I don’t know who sells dungeon decor. Well, I guess I am off to find Draves.” I said as I stood up. As we walked down the corridor, I asked, “So, how has the new help we brought in been?”

“To be honest, I would rather have Emily back than those three, but I know she is needed. She also loves what she is doing. I know it has only been a few days since she started this, but she is always so happy. Even the older papermakers listen to her. The way she is managing things is impressive.”

“Well, She had a great teacher.”

“Thank you, My Lord, that is very kind of you to say,” She said.

“Oh no, I meant me,” I said with a laugh.

She harrumphed, and that just made me laugh harder. After I calmed down enough to take a breath, we continued on our way to the yard. As we rounded the corner, we almost ran into a very distracted Hyrum.

“Excuse me,” he said with a sudden jump backward. He bowed, “Forgive me, My Lord, my mind was elsewhere.”

“No problem. By the way, are you busy?”

“Captain said I should take some time to clear my head. I have been slightly unfocused.”

I had a good guess as to why. “Perfect, Hyrum, I need an escort to the village. Could you please accompany me?”

“As you wish,” He said.

“Excellent. Marshandra, could you let the captain know where we have gone?”

“I would be happy to, My Lord,” She said while splitting off from us to go to the training yard.

I thought about taking the horse now that Jorb had attached the stirrups. I still had to use a step ladder, but it was much easier to get on the horse now. Still, I decided to walk. One, I needed the exercise, and two, I thought it would be weird being mounted while Hyrum walked next to me. It was only a quarter mile to the village anyway.

Our trip down the hill started off in silence. I could tell something was bothering Hyrum, and I didn’t want to intrude as he figured things out.

Suddenly, he said, “My Lord, What do I do?”

Since I wasn’t privy to his thoughts, all I could say was, “About what?”

“Carrie, I mean, I was so mad when I found out what happened. She should have told me. Didn’t she trust me? Or should I have figured it out? I should have stayed calm and not lost my head. I knew she hated you and your family for how you treated her, but she never would have intentionally participated in murder. I knew that, and I still took out my frustration on her. Now I have screwed everything up. It’s too late now.” He said. Even with such a heavy heart, the man was steady as a rock and kept his shoulders back and head up.

“You think so?” I said.

“Well, yes, I mean, why would she want me back after what I did? She hasn’t tried talking to me since then.” There was a long pause. “I haven’t really tried either. I’m just so sure she wouldn’t want to talk to me after I screwed up. Do you think she is feeling the same way? Is she waiting for me to come talk with her? That isn’t fair, though; she is the one who hid the murders. But she has to be just as afraid now as she was then, and she doesn’t have anyone to lean on now that she is separated from her mother.”

There was another long pause, and then he said, “I guess you are right, Lord Amos. I just need to go talk with her, and if she doesn’t forgive me, then at least I will know. Thank you for your help, My Lord.”

How? What? I only said similar sentences to clarify what was going on. Oh well, I guess all’s well that ends well. His steps seemed lighter after that, and when I looked into his eyes, I could see determination.

The rest of the walk down the hill was in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. When we arrived at Jorb’s house, I could not hear the sound of a hammer striking an anvil. I clapped outside the open door.

I heard Mathew's young voice calling out for us to come in. I looked nervously at Hyrum. “Maybe you could go in and ask where Jorb is.”

Hyrum turned to me and, with a serious face, said, “My Lord, Just as you have counseled me, I recommend you go in there and just face him.”

‘What?’ I thought, 'I said no such thing. This guy is crazy.’ Unfortunately, he was right, though. I took a deep breath and walked in. The boy was sitting on a stool, and upon seeing me, his eyes went wide. Then he stood up and awkwardly bowed with his hand on the table for support. “My Lord, I am sorry. I did not know it was you. If I had known, I would have come to the door.”

I got down on one knee so I could be closer to eye level with him. Looking at him seriously, I said, “Mathew, you are the one person who should never have to get up on my account. I have wronged you, and because of that, you are in the current condition you are in.”

When he stood back up, he shook his head, “Mother says you were sent by the Endless One to get rid of the last Amos and lead our barony.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I ignored the comment and said, “Well, at least sit back down for me. By the way, you are doing an excellent job with the pens, Mathew. Thank you for your hard work.”

That made the boy beam, “Thank you, My Lord. I really like doing it.”

“Did you know you have made enough for everyone in the class to have one? Speaking of which, how do you like learning to read and count.”

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

This made him grin even wider, “I love to read. I especially like the stories you wrote. Did you really draw all those pictures?”

“Yes, I like to draw. I have been doing it for a long time.”

“I wish I could draw like that,” He said softly. Then, realizing he had said it out loud, he became embarrassed.

“I would be happy to teach you,” I said.

“Do you mean it, My Lord?” He said excitedly.

“Sure.” I noticed a stack of papers and a pen on a wooden shelf nearby, and I went and grabbed them and headed over to the table. I drew a circle, a triangle, and a square. “I want you to practice drawing these three shapes. I want big ones and small ones. Don’t rush it. It took me a while to get to where I had enough practice to where I could do them all well. Have Jacklyn bring you more pages and ink if you need it. When you are done with a page, have her bring them back up with her, and I will look them over.”

“Why do I draw shapes? I want to draw people.” His tone wasn’t demanding. It was a sincere question from a child.

“I thought the same thing when I was first learning. Simple shapes are the basis for everything else you will learn. They are also easier to master when you are first learning to control a pen. This will be the foundation for everything you do.”

“Thank you, My Lord. I will do my best.”

“I know you will,” I said with a Smile. “Now, where can I find your father?”

“He went with Mr. Harold to the field with that new plow. I wish I could use it, but Father said I will have to wait until I am older.”

I didn’t see how the boy would ever be able to use the plow, but I wasn’t going to be the one to shatter his dreams. “Thank you, Mathew, and keep up the good work.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

As we walked to the field, my thoughts drifted back to what Mathew had said. Some people were convinced that I was sent by the Endless One to save them. That may be true or it may not, I didn’t know. But one thing I did know: I didn’t want that news to spread. All I needed was for people to start calling me a messenger from some God, and others would take offense. What did they say, a prophet was never accepted in his own country. I wasn’t a prophet, so hopefully, I wouldn’t be stoned or crucified.

As we approached the field, I saw Jorb. And what a sight it was. The large man was sitting on a bench that looked like the seat of a carriage. I couldn’t make out details, but I am sure this is what they were using the leaf springs for. As I approached, I noticed that two of the horses we had in my stable were being used to pull it. Draves must be in on this as well. As straight-laced as he was, I am surprised they got him to agree. Or maybe they just told him they needed to shoe the horses. Ah, that is more likely it. I also noticed they had made the new harnesses for the horses I had designed.

I snuck up behind Harold and slapped my hand on his shoulder. “Now that is something to see. It's impressive that you managed to pull it off without your lord's notice or permission.”

Harold's face turned white as he looked at me. “My Lord, We, um, that is Jorb thought that you...” He couldn’t even finish the sentence, and I started laughing. I was wiping tears from my eyes as I struggled to speak.

“You should see the look on your face.”

“My Lord, I almost died of fright. I thought you were upset with me.”

When I got myself under control, I said, “So how’s it working.”

“We have only run two furrows, but it seems to work well. Mikel and Jorb claimed the first rides since they came up with it. So, I haven’t had a turn yet. With the third wheel and the supports for the seat, a man would never get tired and could do the work all by himself using the horses. The horses are faster than oxen, but we do have to rest them more often than oxen. It is too early to tell, but I believe the new Bicman harness will alleviate some of that problem. Even the oxen would probably do better with them. If we are lucky and rest the horses properly, we might be able to do three acres in a day with just one man working. My Lord, I truly believe that with the two new types of plows you have, we could plow all the fields you own, including the ones in Barim, with just the people you have. Your only problem will be animals to plow.”

“I can’t remember who I was talking to, but they mentioned mules. What do you think?”

Harold scratched his cheek, "I don’t know, My Lord. Never worked with mules before. They have one up in Melnon to work the ore cart. You may want to ask them.”

“I’ll do that. Thanks for the suggestion. I think it is time I go harass Jorb now,” I said with a wicked grin.

I was not very fast on my feet, and I didn’t want to trudge through the freshly turned dirt. So, I took the long way around the field. I was a little out of breath, OK, more than a little, by the time I got there. They had just got the horses turned around, and Jorb was standing next to the plow, talking excitedly with a farmer I hadn’t met yet. I am sure he had already seen me approaching, so I couldn’t sneak up on him like I did Harold. I just decided to shout out from where I was.

“So, this is what you were wasting your time on for the last week,” I said in as stern a tone as I could produce.

Jorb turned and grinned at me. “Isn’t she beautiful?!”

“You do realize you could have made two plows in the same time as it took you to make this contraption,” I said pointedly.

Some of the farmers backed away, fearing that I would demand Hyrum beat them. Jorb, however, stayed excited. “Think about it, Lord Amos. We could plow a lot more fields with fewer people.”

“Less people, but more animals. Have you been hiding a heard of oxen or horses somewhere, Jorb?”

“No, but I bet with that thirty silver, you could buy quite a few more for next year's planting. Then we could get all of here and Bicmin planted with just the people you have. If you rented the plows like you are doing for the fellows that are already there, you may even make some money.”

“Dang it, Jorb. How am I supposed to portray the persona of an angry lord if you are making so much sense?” I said with a grin.

“My Lord, I hope you don’t mind me saying so, but lately, I have decided you don’t have a mean bone in your body,” Jorb said.

“Stop spreading such vile rumors about me, Jorb; someone might take you seriously.”

“Sorry, My Lord, I believe the cat is out of the bag, and it isn’t getting back in on that fact. And you only have yourself to blame for it.”

“How about this, Hyrum, beat this man for his insolence.”

Hyrum turned to look at me and, with a serious face, said, “I would be happy to, but could you please say it with a straight face? It would help me to determine your sincerity.”

My mouth dropped open in mock surprise, “That’s the problem with subjects these days, no respect.” Then not able to help myself any longer I began to chuckle. That caused everyone else to begin laughing.

When I finally calmed down, I said, "Don't tell the captain I was joking around. I am trying to be a more respectable lord. It is just so hard."

"Don't worry, My Lord, we prefer you to your father," Jorb said boldly.

“Well, Jorb, this is truly amazing. Who came up with it?”

“Actually, it was an off-handed remark made by Jim over there.”

When Jorb pointed him out, Jim looked like he was about to faint. I walked over to the wirey young man. “Well done,” I told him.

“Well, My Lord, I was only joking. I didn’t expect those two to make one.” He said, somewhat embarrassed.

“All the progress man has ever made has been built on one question, ‘What if?’. What if there was a way to make a better plow, what if there was a way to have the animals do all the work, what if there was a way to plant seeds better, what if there was a better way to harvest crops? If we didn’t wish for something better and ask the question ‘what if?’ man would still be using sticks to carve up the ground in order to plant seeds.”

Another farmer seemed hesitant to speak, but I could tell he wanted to say something. “What’s on your mind?" I said.

“My Lord, I was wondering something.”

“Go ahead,” I said encouragingly.

“I was wondering if we have a good harvest if you are planning to try and plant winter wheat.”

“Hmmm, why don’t we normally?”

“Your grandfather had three bad years of extreme cold in a row, which killed most of the crop and caused him to lose money. He decided never to plant it again.”

“So why do you think we should try?”

“Some folks aren’t sure your plows will make a difference. But I can feel it in the dirt. Even before planting, I know we are going to have a good yield this year. We’ll have to go south of Decmoore to get some, though. They had the same problem, and so now, like us, they stick to root vegetables.”

“Well, We will see what our harvest looks like and go from there. As you said, it will depend on our yield this fall.”

I stood and chatted with the farmer for a while before Hyrum, and I headed back. When I got back to the manor, I was wiped out. Since Jacklyn had gotten so much farther ahead of everyone in their lessons, I asked if she could handle the lessons, and I decided to relax and play with Aaron before heading to bed early.

Hyrum

My hands were sweaty as I knocked on Maggie's door. I knew that I had really messed up, but Amos was right. I had to at least apologize. I was ready for anything. If she yelled at me and told me to leave, I would understand. If she hit me, I would not hit back. That was only something I could see in my imagination. I knew she would never do that, but my mind was racing with all sorts of ideas.

When Maggie opened the door, a look of surprise crossed her face. But in her usual blunt manner, she said, “You don’t look well, boy. Is there something I can do for you?”

“I would like to see Carrie if I may?”

As understanding crossed her face, her expression turned dark. “Come in,” she muttered something under her breath, but I didn’t hear it. In a completely different tone of voice—not sweet but definitely not her usual gruff manner—she said, “Carrie, you have a visitor.”

Carrie walked out of the back room. Her mouth hung open as she just stared at me. When I began to approach she immediately cast her eyes at the floor as if she found something very interesting down there.

The words were stuck in my throat. I was as nervous as when a bandit had got the jump on me from behind. I didn’t have Chuck here to save me this time. Maggie seemed like she would jump me if I said the wrong thing. But my mind went blank, I had a whole speech I was planning on giving but it was gone. I finally stammered out, “I’m sorry, Carrie. I shouldn’t have gotten mad at you. I know you are probably really angry with me. So umm…”

It was at that moment that Carrie collapsed to her knees and began to cry. Looking at her, I realized I was wrong to come. Now, I had made her cry. I turned to leave when faster than I thought was possible for the short old lady, Maggie grabbed a wooded spoon off the table and whacked me on the head. “Sit down, you stupid boy. I told her you would be by sooner or later. I just didn’t realize it would take you this long.”

I sat down in the only chair that was in this small room. As I rubbed my head, I looked back at the sobbing Carrie. “But she…”

“She’s crying because she has been holding back her hurt for a long time, and now she doesn’t have to. So just sit there and shut up. This will take a while. What she sees in a big lumbering idiot like you, I have no idea. Girls these days are always mooning over the big ones. Guess I’ll go make some tea while we wait.” The little, spry old lady sighed.