NOVEL FROG 36. Borders Of The Barony
Duvas chuckled softly. "Indeed, my Lord," he conceded. "Madam Nerida has been a part of this village since its very foundation. The previous baron purchased Leah as a slave when she was a child, so Madam Nerida has known and trusted her for years. And as Leah herself mentioned, being an orphan, she has nowhere else to go even if she desired to escape."
He continued, "When the previous baron ruled here, the slaves were escorted by a guard if they were ever sent to the village for an errand. However, as you know, my Lord, since that disastrous trip of the previous baron, we have been very short on trained guards. We barely had enough guards to man the gates till now, so we just couldn't afford to send a guard to escort a slave as well. So Madam Nerida has had to trust the slaves that they would return if she ever sent them outside the manor."
Kivamus nodded thoughtfully, the weight of Leah's situation and the complexities of slavery settling in. He had only begun to scratch the surface of this deeply ingrained system, and the human cost associated with it. The path forward, towards a more just and humane future, was far from clear, but the decision to grant freedom to Leah and the other slaves was not something he was going to regret.
He looked at Gorsazo and Duvas. "Perhaps it was indeed impulsive…" he conceded, a hint of doubt lingering in his voice. "Freeing the slaves so abruptly... it might not have been the most well-considered course of action."
He glanced at Leah and Madam Nerida, who seemed to be in an animated discussion near the servants' hall, with a smile playing on his lips.
"But seeing the joy on their faces," he continued, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard where the former slaves bustled about with newfound vigor, their faces etched with genuine happiness, "it's hard to believe I made the wrong decision. I stand by my decision."
"However, the one thing that troubles me," he confessed, "is how Count Cinran will react to this news. This barony does fall under his domain…"
Gorsazo offered his insights. "My Lord," he began, his voice steady and reassuring, "the decision to keep slaves rests entirely with the individual noble. It's a matter of personal choice." He elaborated further, drawing on his knowledge. "I have heard of some places in the northern parts of the kingdom, where many nobles have chosen to forgo slaves altogether. However, these nobles usually allow others, like wealthy merchants or landowners, to own slaves if they so desire, for fears of a rebellion against them."
A pause settled between them before he continued. "Now," he continued, his voice laced with caution, "your earlier declaration about abolishing slavery entirely within your barony," he clarified, "that's a far more radical step than just freeing the slaves which you owned yourself. It essentially forbids anyone under your domain from owning slaves. This," he warned, "could incite rebellion amongst any current slaveholders in your domain."
"Imagine this, my Lord," he added, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "Any slaveholders within your barony would likely rise up in protest, lodging formal complaints with Count Cinran. Should you refuse to back down," Gorsazo continued, his voice grave, "the Count holds the authority to strip you of your lands and title entirely.
A wry smile played on Gorsazo's lips. "However, slaves don't come cheap," he added, casting a glance around the meager surroundings, "and considering the state of Tiranat, it's unlikely anyone here possesses the means to purchase a slave in the first place, wouldn't you agree, Duvas?"
Duvas chimed in with a confirmatory nod. "Indeed," he agreed. "The previous baron was the only one in Tiranat who ever kept slaves. As of now, there aren't any other slaveholders here. So the chances of anyone filing an official complaint with the Count are negligible." He added, "These days, most of the people here are more worried about where their next meal will come from, instead of thinking about ways to criticize or complain about the new baron."
"At least there's that," Kivamus sighed in relief. A contemplative silence descended upon the group as they mulled over it.
"However," Duvas cautioned, "news of your actions will undoubtedly reach Count Cinran eventually. And how he reacts to this news remains to be seen. Although without a formal complaint lodged against you from someone within this barony," he pointed out, "the Count would be hard-pressed to impose any charges based solely on hearsay. But the ripples of your decision will certainly be felt amongst the nobility."
Gorsazo offered a final thought. "There's also the somewhat unusual circumstance of your appointment," he said. "While the Count holds a position of authority over Tiranat, it wasn't Count Cinran who bestowed the barony upon you, it was the Duke himself. I believe being a son of the Duke should afford you at least some degree of leeway in this matter. But as Duvas mentioned, the other nobles, particularly in the south of the Kingdom, where Count Cinran's domain lies, are sure to take a negative view of your actions."
"Indeed." Kivamus acknowledged the complexities they faced with a slow nod.
"Well," he declared, "let's address those issues when the time comes. We have more pressing matters to attend to at the moment."
The weight of their current predicament - securing the much-needed grain shipment and bolstering the manor's defenses, settled heavily upon them. For now, their focus had to be on the immediate challenges that threatened the very survival of Tiranat.
Hudan, the newly appointed captain of the guard, strode back towards them, his movements purposeful. "My Lord," he announced, his voice carrying a hint of pride, "I've dispatched a few guards to the village square. They'll spread the word that we're actively recruiting a dozen new guards."
Kivamus offered a nod of approval. "Hopefully, by the afternoon or even this evening, we'll have a good number of men interested in becoming a guard."
He turned to Duvas. "Once we have a decent pool of potential recruits," he continued, outlining the next steps, "you and Hudan can then conduct a proper selection process and pick the most capable and trustable men for the job as we planned earlier."
"However," he added, his voice turning serious, "we need to devise a solution for feeding the rest of the villagers as well. Hiring new guards and offering them grain and coal as their wages is only a start."
He cast a thoughtful glance towards the servants, their movements imbued with a newfound sense of purpose as they transferred the precious grain sacks. Their renewed energy, a stark contrast to the listlessness that had gripped them before, served as a reminder of the positive impact that having enough food could have on people.
He elaborated on his concerns. "We need to create more opportunities for work in the village," he continued, his gaze connecting with others. "That way, we can provide the villagers with the means to earn their keep and ensure they have enough grain to survive. So," he inquired, "where were we in our discussion before Leah's arrival?"
"We were discussing the surrounding lands, my Lord," Duvas clarified.
Kivamus, his mind buzzing with possibilities, stood silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the dense forest that encircled the manor and the village. The servants, diligently working nearby, seemed to fade from his vision as he contemplated the vastness of his domain.
As if struck by a sudden realization, Kivamus turned back to Duvas, a question forming on his lips. "Duvas," he began, his voice filled with curiosity, "how far do the borders of this barony actually extend?"
Duvas chuckled softly, a hint of amusement playing on his lips. "That, my Lord," he replied, "is where things are a little peculiar. As you well know, baronies typically encompass a relatively small area of land. However, Tiranat finds itself in a rather… unique situation."
He elaborated, "While being nestled within these vast, dense forests undoubtedly poses significant dangers, it also presents a unique opportunity. These sprawling woodlands remain entirely unclaimed."
"Technically," he clarified, "these forests still fall under the domain of Count Cinran. However, in all of my experience here since the barony was founded, as long as the baron of Tiranat fulfills his obligation to pay the taxes owed by him," he added, "Count Cinran has never shown any interest in exerting control over these treacherous lands."
"So," he added with a sly grin, "there are no other barons in the vicinity to challenge your claim if you were to, shall we say, expand your territory, my Lord."
Kivamus's mind reeled as he processed this new information. "So, you're saying…" he began, a hint of awe creeping into his voice, "that all these lands, as far as the eye can see, could easily be mine?"
Duvas, still grinning, only gave a nod in reply, while Gorsazo and Hudan had satisfied smirks on their faces.
The reality of the situation took a moment to sink in. Back on Earth, the mere notion of buying the apartment he was renting, seemed like a distant dream, with the astronomical housing prices. But here, in this strange new world, he found himself the owner of a vast expanse of land, the likes of which he couldn't even have imagined on Earth.
However, he reminded himself, this was not Earth, and Tiranat was not a nice and cozy nature resort where people went for vacations. All kinds of dangers surrounded them in the middle of these uncharted forests, from ferocious beasts to ruthless bandits. And who knows what other threats lay hidden within these vast forests…
Yet, amidst the dangers, a seed of hope bloomed within Kivamus. These vast, unclaimed lands held the potential to not only secure his own future but also build a brighter destiny for the entire barony. He already had the knowledge of a technologically advanced world, the likes of which these people couldn't even dream of…
Perhaps, with careful planning and hard work, he could transform Tiranat from a struggling barony into a thriving domain. And if he could harness the full potential of these lands, cultivate them, or exploit their resources strategically, it could be the key to their survival and eventual prosperity. The possibilities were endless…
