"L-Darien..." Celeste faltered, her words trembling.
"What troubles you?" he asked, voice calm yet probing.
Darien had set Arlette to instruct the slaves and was now returning to the castle.
"Our stores run perilously low," Celeste spake, cautious yet firm. "Feed them without bound, and our coffers may be spent ere a week be past."
Though she feared displeasing him, the truth must out.
The baron's decree of endless sustenance had roused envy among guards and servants alike. To eat, to drink, to receive wages, to toil not in labor but in the study of noble grace—few could dream of such fortune.
"Worry not," Darien spoke, voice steady, "the stores shall be replenished anon—or sooner still."
A thought struck him suddenly, and he turned sharply, calling aloud:
"Sir Thorold!"
"Here, my lord." came the prompt reply.
"I have that which remains in my hall," Darien said, gesturing with measured hands. "Fetch it for me. 'Tis but a burden, though perchance so large it may be seen upon the second floor."
Thorold, clad in gleaming armor, offered no word of complaint and departed at once.
Darien's gaze lingered upon Thorold's retreating figure, contemplative. It seemed unreasonable to send a knight on such errands—Brindlemark held but two, and their duties were many. Thorold remained ever at Lady Celeste's side, while Galen oversaw the town's security, patrolling with a dozen steadfast guards. This was the sum of Brindlemark's martial might.
Though Darien had little concern for war, the day's events—a glimpse of Arlette's plight and the shadow of brigands—stirred unease in his heart. Recruiting and training would need attention. Knights must be enticed; the guards would require their guidance. Professional skill must remain with those of experience, for mastery cannot be granted by mere theory.
As Darien and Celeste made their leisurely return to the castle hall, Thorold appeared once more, bearing a great black sack. His eyes shone with disbelief.
Darien, seated upon the high chair, motioned with a simple gesture.
"Pray, open it," he intoned.
Thorold obeyed, fumbling with the stubborn sack until it gave way. Bundles tumbled forth, gleaming in the hall's light.
Celeste stepped closer, eyes wide. A stout brown sack first caught her gaze, its pale, fine grains shining.
"Wheat!" she breathed in awe.
Though she had tasted Darien's bread before, to see such riches set before her eyes was a wonder. In this harsh land, wheat was prized above most things, coveted by nobles for both nourishment and prestige. Three sacks, each heavy with five measures, yet more treasures surely remained hidden.
"And this?" she said, raising a smaller packet, its grains as bright and white as winter's first snow.
"Salt," Darien replied.
"Salt?" Celeste's brow furrowed. The salt she knew was coarse, yellow, and rough; how could this be so fine, so bright?
Darien said naught, but poured a few crystals into her palm with care.
"Taste, and mark the difference 'twixt this and common salt," he bade.
Shy yet curious, Celeste lifted the grains to her lips. A sparkle lit her eyes as the flavor unfolded.
"Ah… so salty!" she breathed.
The salt she had known before was bitter and coarse. Even the baron's chefs struggled to balance it. And here, this fine, white treasure—carried from afar—was rare indeed, coveted by nobles and worth more than gold.
In all Brindlemark, no mine nor sea existed; this precious salt had been carried from distant lands. It was simple kosher salt, yet so rare that even at ten or a hundredfold the usual price, nobles would eagerly purchase it. Though the common folk were poor, the lords were rich, and such luxuries were prized indeed.
Seeing her swallow it rather than spit, Darien allowed a quiet, approving smile.
"Then try this," he said, producing another pouch of the same fine, white crystals.
"Is this also refined? It feels… thicker," she murmured.
"Indeed," he replied, offering a small wooden spoon. "Pray, taste at thy leisure."
She obeyed, dipping the spoon and tasting.
"Um—"
Her eyes, bright as a sunlit lake, widened in astonishment.
So sweet!
---
🔍 Did you know?
🧂Salt or Sal
- It was widely used in Roman times, not just as seasoning but also as a form of currency or payment in some cases—hence the origin of the word "salary".