Kim really was a good cook. She had elevated the flavor of the fish and root vegetables with the use of herbs. It could use a little salt. I wonder if they knew how to get salt from seawater. I really didn’t know much about it myself, but I knew you kept adding saltwater to pits. The water would evaporate, leaving the salt.
“This is amazing, Kim! How did you learn to make this.”
Kim was a tall, willowy woman, probably in her late twenties. She had short, wavy brown hair, and her face seemed to have a permanent smile. My compliment made that smile even brighter.
“You are too kind, My Lord. I am sure the fair that you eat on your estate is much more delicious.”
“Most people overestimate the quality of fair we eat in a backwater barony. We don’t produce much food, so we keep our meals to bread, porridge, and soups for the most part. I would say the quantity is more than here, but there is much to be said for quality. If your presence here wasn’t so essential, I might invite you to become part of my kitchen staff.”
“You give me too much credit, My Lord.”
“Nonsense, I saw you stirring the community soup pot myself. That means you are feeding a lot, if not all, of this community. Good food increases morale, and morale is essential on such a frontier. I see that you wear a wedding bracelet. Your family must be very proud of you. Do you and your husband have any children?”
This caused her face to brighten again. "Three, My Lord, two young women, and my boy is almost ten. Miranda is fourteen and going to be married this summer.”
If she was wed when she was fourteen, then the age is about right for her to have a daughter ready to be married. The age at which some people wed around here always amazed me. It made sense, though. Young people were healthier and had more energy. Serfs or peasants had harsh lives, and their bodies wore out fast. They needed to start young if they and their children were to survive.
“That’s wonderful. Give them my best wishes.”
We chatted for a while more, and then she took my bowl so she could get back to work. Then I pulled out my blanket and layed down. Before I knew it, I was asleep. Nightmares flooded my dreams. In them, my manor was in flames, and my men lay dead around me. Bandits loomed over me, their clubs and axes dripping with blood. My body bolted upright as one of the axes came at my head.
Once again, I awoke sore and stiff from all the exercise yesterday. I knew it would take time for my body to change, but I was so ready to be over the limitations of my mobility. I can’t even imagine what it would have been like if I had to make a hike like that when I first arrived.
I looked around the small hut and saw that it was empty. I also realized I really needed a bath. I stood up and tried to stretch but realized that the roof of this home was only slightly above my head. So I exited the door, and I noticed the pre-dawn light creeping over the mountains.
Dang, I slept all night. Where had Lisa had to sleep?
After doing my morning tai chi, I sat on a stump outside the house. How was I going to repay these people for their hospitality?
Looking around, I saw their community water barrel. There was also a large washed pot next to the cooling embers of last night's fire. There was a small woodshed to the left of one of the houses. An axe lay inside. Hmm, well, I had my totin’ chip from scouts. I wonder if this body could handle an axe. I placed a piece of wood on the chopping block and gave the axe a swing.
The actions were unfamiliar to my new body, but I had plenty of practice from my old one. The axe came down and split the piece of wood right down the middle. I only chopped a few blocks before bringing them over to the fire. Using the embers left underneath the cool coals and some tinder, I lit the kindling. Within a couple of minutes, I had the fire going.
I found a small bucket and walked northeast in the direction I thought the steam was. Filling it up, I took it back to the firepit. I set the large pot over the fire, and after filling it with what was in the bucket, I returned to the stream. The stream was slow-moving but seemed to be free of much debris. It took about fifteen minutes of walking back and forth to fill the pot and another thirty to get it to a rolling boil.
By that time, the light of day had become stronger, and the first rays peeked over the mountain. People had already started to move around. None of them were people I recognized, and they seemed to be avoiding me. It was just about time for me to get the pot off the fire when I saw Lisa exit a hut. I stood up to greet her. As she walked over, I decided to speak first. “Good morning, Councilor Lisa. I am so sorry for inconveniencing you last night by taking your home.”
She waved off my apology. “All is well. It gave Tomas an excuse to invite me over last night,” She said with a wink.
“TMI, Lisa, TMI,” I said, addressing her by name since we were evidently being informal this morning.
“What?”
“Too Much Information.”
She paused thinking about it for a moment and then began to laugh, drawing the attention of the morning crowd. “I like that, Lord Amos, I really do. So what are you cooking for us all this morning.”
“Nothing. I was just boiling water to add to the barrel.”
“Um, Amos, you add water to the barrel to drink. Why would you boil water and then drink it? Are you a follower of the Endless One?”
“I thought everyone followed the teachings of the Endless One.”
“The priests of the Endless One don’t visit the serfs in most estates. I know of the teaching that boiled water is Holy and that only heathens drink unholy water. We aren’t much for piety towards a God that has forsaken us.”
Hmmm, seems like religious principles get twisted everywhere. This concept of holy water must be a version of the truth that made sense to whatever priest was teaching it to people. A religious game of telephone. “OK, if I understand you correctly, you try not to follow the example of the Church of the Endless One on principle because he has forsaken you.”
She nodded. I could tell she was wondering where I was going with this.
“So here is the deal. That whole making the water holy thing is a load of crap. Is boiling water a teaching of the Endless One? Yes. But he only told people that because it increases the likelihood of staying healthy. Health has nothing to do with how holy you are. It has to do with protecting your body against parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Nothing can survive being in boiling water for very long.”
“What are these things you are talking about?”
“They are bugs so small you cannot see them.”
“If they are so small you can’t see them, then how do you know they are there?”
“Have you ever looked at a piece of grass through a dew drop?”
“Yes.” She said with a nod.
Other people had started to gather around us, drawn by my excited tone of voice. Many were also nodding.
“Did you notice how you could see the details of the grass more clearly?” I didn’t wait for them to respond this time. “This is because the curved shape of the water causes the things underneath to magnify. I have seen a device that used clear glass to magnify things to an even larger amount. Looking through this device, you can see these creatures. I wish I could obtain it to show you, but they are so rare that I doubt I will ever have a chance to use one again. I have heard the cost to produce them would make a king grimace. These bugs can live in water, but they breed best inside warm, moist environments. Our bodies are a perfect environment for them.”
“This sounds far-fetched.”
“OK, let's think about something you can see. Have you ever seen someone poop out worms? My brother did once after playing in a muddy stream.” It was actually my sister, and it was another world, but we didn’t really have to make that distinction.
“Isn’t it inappropriate to be talking about what people poop out of them?”
“Probably about as inappropriate as talking about one's love life, but we will just have to ignore the issue for the sake of progress,” I said with a mischievous grin. Lisa rolled her eyes. “Anyways, for those who have, let me ask you something. How did they get in your body? Wouldn’t you see them if they were in the water you drank or the food you ate? The truth is that they lay small eggs that we can’t see, and we ingest those eggs. Then they hatch inside us and make us sick. They come out with our poop to try and lay eggs somewhere else.”
While we were talking, Kim and a young girl came over and started to add grain to the pot. I guess they assumed that someone was just helping get things going in the morning.
“I really could go on for hours about what I have learned. But the main takeaway should be that boiling water does not make it holy. It just kills bugs. We really need to talk about me getting back to the barony so we can send men to get rid of the bandits.”
“We cannot provide you with anyone to help you. Every man and boy is going to be needed here in case the bandits attack. The path is easy enough to follow. This time of year, you shouldn’t get bogged down.”
“I could lead him,” A young woman about my age said as she stepped forward. She looked very much like what a younger version of Kim would look like. She wasn’t as willowy, and her light brown hair was a bit longer and tied back with a string. Her eyes were the color of caramel and sparkled with the morning light. The real difference between the two was the smile. Unlike Kim, whose smile was like a ray of sunshine, this young woman’s smile was one of a predator. Another warning bell sounded when I saw no bracelet or wrap showing that she was married.
“Kylie,” Kim said sternly while looking over from where she stirred the pot.
I held up my hand to prevent this from becoming an argument. “Don’t worry, Kim. As the men are all needed here, I think it would be best if I travel alone.”
This caused a glare from Kylie, “You think I cannot lead you just as well as a man.”
“No,” I said quickly. Do I do this delicately or straightforwardly? What the heck, I’ll just wing it.
“It’s actually a matter of my honor. During my more rebellious years, when my father showed his distain for me, I reciprocated by acting like a womanizer without actually being one. I think he would have had my head for that. It made him furious, and I thought nothing of it. Now, however, I am trying to repair the damage I have caused to my reputation. People do not see me as a man of integrity, so I try not to be alone with women in case people get the wrong idea. I follow this rule even in my own home.”
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
I saw some nods of approval from all around me, but then Kylie spoke again, this time in a sultry voice, “So you won’t let me come with you because you are worried you won’t be able to control your urges?”
I wanted to strangle her, but all I managed to do was to gape at her as my face turned beet red. As the silence stretched on, I heard a chuckle in the crowd, and then some others began to laugh; most, however, were too nervous to laugh, and soon the laughter died down. Before Kylie could say anything else embarrassing, Lisa stepped in. “That’s enough, Kylie. Lord Amos is our guest, and you will treat him with the same respect you would show any of your elders.”
Their eyes met, and there seemed to be a battle of wills going on for just a moment. Then suddenly, Kylie turned on her heels and walked away, sashaying her hips. What was that all about?
The crowd started to disperse as Kim banged on the pot announcing breakfast. A line formed up, and small bowls of the wheat porridge were dished out. It was bland, but its flavor wasn’t any blander than the stuff I ate at the manor. It isn’t like there was any sugar here. Even some honey would make a huge difference.
As I was eating my porridge, Kim came up to me. “I am sorry about my niece. She is, um… well, I think she tries to make everyone feel uncomfortable. She isn’t a bad person. She really works hard; it’s just… Well, her marriage didn’t end well. And now she takes it out on others. She is a bitter young woman. She will probably grow out of it.
“Don’t worry; it takes a lot more than a manipulative minx to get me upset,” I said, trying to cover up my initial embarrassment.
“I don’t know what a minx is, but I get the reference. I don’t think she is bitter anymore. I really think she just likes messing with people.”
My sister was the same way growing up. She was relentless with my brother and me. Fortunately, unlike my sister, I could avoid Kylie.
At that point, a man approached us, and Kim hurried away. “Lord Amos, I am Michael. Your horse and what supplies we could part with are ready if you will follow me.”
“Thank you, Michael. I appreciate your help,” I said as we walked towards a path east of the small village. Blaze was waiting just to the side of the path. I walked up and checked on his straps and made sure everything was tight. I ran my hand down his neck, and he whinnied. I was so happy to see him. “I’m glad you are OK, boy. We’ve got a long trip, and I couldn’t do it without you. After strapping my supplies onto his back, I led him over to a fallen log. I used that to help me get up into the saddle.
“My Lord, I don’t know if we can fight bandits. If you don’t send men, I think we all might die.” Michael said solemnly.
I could see the fear in this man’s eyes. He and his family were depending on me. I nodded to him. “You have my word that as long as I am breathing, I will send men to aid you.”
“Be careful, My Lord, there are not many, but some predators exist in these swamps.”
“I will do my best. If the bandits come before we can get back, see if you can get your women and children to Melnon.” Michael said nothing, so I turned and left down the small footpath.
Birds were chirping, and the early morning light dappled through the sparse trees, making interesting patterns in the shade. Once again, I had found myself in a picturesque scene that I wished I had my art supplies for. “My horse for a digital camera and Photoshop,” I whispered. Then I patted Blaze’s neck. "Just kidding, boy."
Blaze was not much for conversation, so we fell into a comfortable silence. We walked at a pace that any healthy man could keep. I knew we were in a hurry, but having Blaze come up lame because he twisted or broke an ankle on this uneven terrain would have been the worst thing I could have done. Haste makes waste.
A few hours down the road, I turned back in my saddle to see the path behind me and caught a glimpse of movement before whatever it was darted into the tall reeds that lined the path here. The distance was such that I barely heard the audible splash that accompanied the creature's movement into the marsh. I pulled back lightly on the reins, and Blaze came to a stop. I sat and listened for a moment. I couldn't be sure what I had seen. Was it someone's foot or a small animal? I was pretty sure whatever I saw swayed the reeds too much and made too big of a splash to be just a small creature. I decided to tell a fib and see if anything came of it.
“You have been following me for quite a while,” I yelled out, “Would you like to come out and join me, or would you prefer I just pretend I don’t know you are there the rest of the way to Melnon?”
I waited a couple of minutes, then said, “Fine. But you may want to stay on the path so your feet don’t get wet and muddy. You may catch a cold that way.” With that, I turned and continued down the path. A few minutes later, I heard quick steps catching up with me. I tried to act cool. I didn’t even look at the person even though my heart was beating fast. “A nice day for a stroll, isn’t it?” I said casually, without checking to see who was beside me.
The person, whoever they were, didn’t respond. I so wanted to turn my head to the side and see who was walking next to me. Instead, I tried to keep my composure and kept my eyes on the trail.
“Such confidence, I like men like that,” said a sultry voice.
I sighed. I should have known. “Kylie, I thought we agreed that it would be best for proprieties' sake that you did not accompany me,” I said as I turned to address her.
She smiled, and the hairs on the back of my neck raised. “You may be observant, but your memory is lacking. Besides, what man wouldn’t want the company of a beautiful girl as they travel this lonely road?”
“The company of a young woman would be nice. However, you seem like more of a fox than a girl. And that is dangerous company.”
That got a confused look, “I do not know what a fox is, but I feel I should be offended.”
“It depends on how you look at it. The fox is a very beautiful creature. It has red and white fur. In fact, in the area of the world they come from, beautiful women are often described as foxy.”
“Ah, so it is a compliment.”
“There are always two sides to every coin. The fox is also known to be a very sly predator. Although they are small and may look harmless, they are very skillful hunters. One of their favorite prey is the hen. A small bird like a kayver. The foxes are very skillful at getting into hen houses and grabbing their prey. The fox’s smile is disarming but deceitful. You should never trust the smile of a predator such as a fox.”
This made the girl laugh. A sound that was as beautiful as the rest of her. “I like this creature. So, My Lord, do you consider yourself prey.” She said mischievously.
“No, that is not really my concern. The concern is that you consider me prey. The true fox recognizes the difference between prey and another predator.” I said with false bravado. She was crafty. I didn’t understand her motives. If she wanted to kill me, she could have done that with the bow on her back while I was riding. Did she think she could seduce me? Why would she even want to? These people fled to the marshes to get away from people like me. Maybe I was just a source of entertainment. Some people liked to tease. I knew foxes couldn’t be domesticated, but with the right food, you could sometimes tame them to the point that they were friendly.
“Since you seem to like the fox so much, would you like me to tell you a tale about a particular fox?”
“Oh, a story. I do love a good story. Can I sit on your knee as you tell it?” She said mockingly.
Ignoring her comment, I said, “This story comes from a distant land. It is called the fox of nine tails.”
I actually combined a few different versions of the mythology into one story. Some people considered the fox of nine tails as benevolent and a sign of prosperity. Later generations turned the fox into a demon seductress. In my story, the fox that appeared depended on the person to whom it was attracted to. A benevolent king who sought the good of his people could possibly attract the nine-tailed fox of wisdom. If he were fortunate enough for this to happen, she would stand by his side and help bring in an era of prosperity. If, however, the king was obsessed with the beauty of women and lust, he may attract the fox of seduction, who would slowly poison him.
After I finished the story, Kylie smiled slyly, “So which one am I?”
Trying to sound wise, I said, “That is for you to decide. As a fox, you will never be subservient to anyone, but your presence can bring prosperity or ruin to whomever you decide to associate with.”
This made Kylie chuckle. “Me, bring prosperity. I have no schooling. I could never bring prosperity to anyone.”
“I once had a teacher who said that schooling gave you knowledge. Wisdom was the application of knowledge. You may lack knowledge about some things, but you are quick-witted. That which you do know you most likely use well. Your cleverness will be a great assist to the village.”
“I am a nuisance in the village, according to the council.”
“I had a friend once, one of the smartest kids I ever met. However, he was constantly getting in trouble. Building explosives and destroying part of a farmer's field and a smoke bomb in the girl's locker room. He once hacked a city's website and rearranged it with all sorts of false information. When asked why he was doing it, he said he was bored. You may just be bored, it’s probably why you are following me. I am something new that can entertain you for a bit.”
She said nothing for a while and then said, “What is a bomb?
I rolled my eyes. Of course, she picked up on the one thing that would destroy a field. Well, actually, I probably would have done the same; I wasn’t much better than Matt. It isn’t like I wasn’t there when he was getting into most of the mischief. I decided to indulge her since I knew she would never be able to make one. “The easiest one to make right now would be using black powder. It is a combination of potassium nitrate, sulfur, and charcoal. You grind up each one separately and then combine them. I can’t remember how much of each specifically. After it is combined, you put it in a metal container and add a wick. Next, you light it and run as fast as you can. It will explode, sending metal fire and smoke everywhere. The sound is so loud you can hear it from miles away.”
“I know what charcoal is, but I have never heard of these other things?”
“Potassium nitrate can be gotten from dried bird or bat poop. I think it is also found in urine, but I can’t remember. Sulfer is a light yellow rock that is soft and grainy. I think the largest quantity you need is potassium nitrate.”
For the next half hour, we discussed black powder. I had never seen someone so excited to learn how to blow stuff up. Not even Matt was this excited about explosives. For him, it was just something to do because he was bored. I was so glad that she didn’t have access to this stuff. When she had wrung everything out of me that she could, she became quiet for almost half an hour, and that silence worried me more than anything she had said. She was going to try and do this. I could tell.
“Um, Kylie. Don’t do what you are thinking of doing. A lot of people have died playing around with this stuff. A single spark or ember while you are near black powder, and you will either be seriously hurt or die.”
No response. She had been drawn into her own little world. “Kylie, did you hear me?”
All she did was mutter something about guano and bats.
Sure, Amos, just great; you wanted her to think you were so smart, and in the end, you created a monster. Someone was going to get killed. Kylie, you need to keep this a secret. If people find out how to make this, a lot of people will die.
“Tell me another story.” She said suddenly. Her sly smile and mischievous looks had disappeared, and an almost child-like innocence appeared on her face. Looking at her, I had to remind myself that she was a fox. I decided I would go with something safe and told her all the Aesop’s fables I could remember. She sat quietly, listening to them. When I found a rotted stump on the side of the trail, I got off of Blaze and let him take a break. We had eaten travel food while walking, so now we just sat and talked. She started to tell me about life in the village. It wasn’t much different than what the life of my serfs was like. It just seemed harder to do the same things.
As we started to travel again, she said, “I’m not keeping the black powder a secret. We aren’t even part of your nation. If your nobles have it, then we should have it, too.”
I hesitated before saying, “The nobles don’t have this knowledge. Kylie, please, this knowledge is dangerous. If all it was was your village getting a hold of it, then it wouldn’t matter. Your village couldn’t produce enough to make a difference. Can you imagine what would happen if the nobles found out?”
“How do you know about it, then? Is this just one of your stories?”
Time for a little white lie. I sighed, “Yes, I just wanted to impress you. I don’t want you to waste your time. I’m sorry I lied to you.”
She looked into my eyes and gave a sly smile. “You may be good at telling stories but not as good with lying. As you said, I am a fox. You will have trouble beating me at my own game.”
I groaned in defeat. I am sorry Endless One. I may have doomed us all.
Looking up at me, Kylie said, “Don’t worry, Amos, if you are right, I may just end up killing myself.”
It was almost sunset when we found a place to stop. Actually, Kylie found it, as she had traveled this road before. It was a small clearing of dry ground surrounded by reeds. There was a small fire pit and a place to set up my tent. Kylie had not brought one, so I offered mine to her. There was enough room for two, but there was no way I was putting myself in that situation. Besides, it didn’t look like rain. After having a quick bite to eat and starting the fire. I tried to lie down and sleep, but it took a long time for my thoughts to quiet down. The fear I felt of unleashing black powder into the world would not let me rest. Where did my determination go to make sure I was the only one who could make it? I guess I really was trying to show off. Late in the evening, exhaustion finally overcame me, and I drifted off to sleep.