Adrian sat at his desk and reached for a letter opener. For a moment, he hesitated, worried the parchment contained an order to return the villagers who had sought refuge with him during the winter.
The monster outbreak in the Creviceton Mountains hadn't affected his lands, much to his relief, it had actually benefited him. Months ago, during the month of snow, though snow rarely lasts more than a month in these parts before they thaw, his village had received refugees from near the mountains.
Supposedly, their original village had been plagued by monsters. While not enough to overwhelm the settlement all at once, the creatures had hunted the people bit by bit, scaring them until they were prisoners in their own homes. Eventually, the survivors fled. Some headed toward their lord's primary estate, while others traveled south, away from the Creviceton.
Those people had arrived at Adrian's village.
While there are no serfs in the kingdom and common folk are free to move as they please, most prefer to stay put.
So, when more than a hundred villagers from the Creviceton arrived, Adrian welcomed them with open arms. He had been looking for ways to increase his territory's population, making their arrival a godsend.
Though, their presence brought some trouble, a few monsters followed the trail to his lands, but swift action ensured the threats were handled with nothing more than minor injuries. And the situation lasted quite a while, refugees trickled in, sometimes a group of ten, sometimes just a lone traveler.
Adrian accepted them all.
Now, staring at the letter bearing the seal of the Earl, he feared he'd be ordered to send them back. He had kept their arrival a secret, or at least he hadn't openly discussed it, not even with Lord Nash.
Adrian sliced the letter open and read. As he finished, his eyebrows rose in surprise. The contents were not at all what he expected.
He knew from rumors that the monster surge had subsided slightly over the past few months, though word travels slowly and strangely in this land.
But the Earl of Highmere, along with the lords surrounding the Creviceton, was actually planning to hold a tourney!
And they were holding it around Creviceton itself, where the monsters had supposedly emerged!
Adrian was baffled, but his gaze drifted to the section stating the event had been approved and commended by the Crown.
Having spent the last year studying the nuances of power, Adrian immediately understood, the tourney was a propaganda move of sorts.
It was a way for the Sunhaven Kingdom to show its people that they were not afraid, that there was nothing to fear from the monsters, from the depths.
Showcasing the kingdom's greatest fighters in the heart of a monster-infested region was a bold statement.
It was also incredibly dangerous.
"If the situation is stable enough for a tourney, things must have improved." Adrian mused, "But that doesn't mean the danger is gone. Isn't this a terrible idea?"
Worse still, the Earl had personally invited him to participate at the recommendation of Sir Wyatt. Given the Earl's rank and prestige, Adrian knew he couldn't decline.
Adrian checked the date. He had exactly three weeks to prepare. He looked down at his calloused hands, wondering what awaits for him at this tourney, could he win with his skill? Could there be trouble, a horde of monsters, undetected that would suddenly swallow everyone?
Well, he would find out soon.
--
"I believe the people and lords there will be quite surprised by you, Lord Harrow…"
The speaker was Lord Wesley. Though he preferred to be called Sir Wesley, being an aspiring knight himself, he was currently serving as the representative for his cousin, Lord Sean.
"I'm sure there will be plenty of skilled fighters and knights in attendance. I can only do my best." Adrian replied. He kept his eyes on a piece of parchment while his men hauled supplies onto the boat. The vessel was a strange middle-ground in size, too large to be a mere boat, yet too small to be called a ship.
It was roughly half the size of an Islander longship.
The vessel had been a gift from the Prince. Although the Prince himself hadn't shown his face in these parts for over a month, his representative remained stationed nearby.
Lord Wesley chuckled, eyeing the young lord. Even at sixteen, Adrian stood taller than him.
Clad in half-plate armor, Adrian looked remarkably sturdy and solid.
Wesley recalled that at only fifteen, the young man had already earned the grim title of the "Butcher of Laluga."
Wesley often sparred with Adrian during his visits and knew his skill firsthand, despite being the elder of the two, Wesley had never once managed to defeat him. Aside from his own personal knight, Adrian was practically at the top of individual combat prowess in this area.
Wesley was genuinely looking forward to the young lord's performance at the upcoming tourney, assuming he could convince his cousin to let him attend as well.
Though his face fell at the thought knowing the chance were low.
"Well, everything seems to be in order." Adrian said, turning back to Wesley. "If there are no further issues, I likely won't visit again for some time due to the tourney preparations."
Wesley waved a dismissive hand. "Lord Tristan will understand."
Tristan, the Prince's representative and distant uncle, was an elderly man who rarely moved. He only attended meetings of the utmost importance or when he had a specific decree to deliver.
"Then I shall see you at the tourney." Adrian said, clasping hands with Wesley.
"I hope so as well."
After exchanging a few final words with his veteran knight, Sir Cordell, Adrian stepped onto the ship and waved goodbye. He felt a twinge of guilt leaving Cordell behind, but he had no one else he could trust with the experience and status required to act as his representative.
His mistress, Ela, was capable, but as a woman in a role primarily focused on defense, she wouldn't be seen as suitable by the other lords, especially now that she had a son to raise.
Adrian turned his gaze to his side, looking at Dexton. He had knighted the man months after the Battle of Laluga. While Dexton still lacked experience, he had worked twice as hard since receiving his knighthood.
"What do you think, Dexton? Do you think you can hold your own at the tourney?"
Dexton started, as if only just realizing he was being invited to compete. He took a moment to find his voice. "I won't bring shame to your name, milord. But... wouldn't it be better for Sir Cordell to join instead?"
"You know how it is." Adrian gestured with his chin toward the receding port. "As much as I'd like to bring him, he is needed here."
Adrian had briefly considered sending his steward to manage the port so he could bring both knights, but the steward knew nothing of military defense.
Adrian clicked his tongue, Cordell was the only choice for the post.
Two days of sailing and navigating the river, Adrian reached the familiar docks of his home village.
The docks, which Adrian had recently expanded, were now crowded with more boats than ever before. Then again before they weren't too many at all.
Given the chance, he intended to commission even larger vessels. He had been lucky, among the slaves the Prince had gifted him was a master who knows his away about ocean vessels, who had once helped built longships for the enemy.
With these new boats, trade with Whitesand Town had increased. To capitalize on this, Adrian had pushed his people to increase production, focusing on surplus food and artisanal goods for export.
As a result, not only had the population grown, but the villagers individual income had increased as well.
Yet, after visiting the Prince's burgeoning port city, Adrian found himself longing for something grander.
He dreamed of building a true city of his own, a place of hustle and bustle and as a lord, he had made it his personal mission to pursue that dream.
As he approached the castle, he noted the progress on the fortifications. The sections of the wall once made of logs were steadily being replaced with sturdy stone. He nodded to the workers as he passed. A woman, whose features marked her as one of the former slaves, bowed deeply to him as she carried a bucket of water.
Months ago, Adrian had granted freedom to every slave given to him. While a few had left to search for lost families, and Adrian had not stood in their way, the majority chose to stay.
For that, he was grateful.
Once through the gates, he spotted Colby drilling a group of men. The two shared a brief, nod.
And Adrain spied a small figure among them, and smiled when he saw the kid Tatum training hard.
"Where is Ela?" Adrian asked a passing servant.
"By the tree, milord, with the child."
Adrian nodded. His steward, Osway, appeared shortly after for a quick brief. Once their business was concluded, they split off, Adrian headed toward the rear of the castle alone, while Dexton went to assist Colby with the training.
In the shade of a large tree, he found Ela. She was sitting with the babe in her arms, focused on a board game Adrian had introduced during the winter to stave off boredom. Her opponent was her cousin, Edith, while two servants stood discreetly nearby.
Seeing the peaceful sight, Adrian smiled, the lingering exhaustion of his journey finally washing away.