It was early morning, and Adrian had only just recovered from the surprise of waking up in such a large room. He lay in a comfortable bed, watching as servants approached to clothe and bathe him.
Sleep had momentarily made him forget the reality that he was a lord now. Still, he was perfectly capable of dressing and cleaning himself, he shooed the servants away before making his way to a private dining room for breakfast.
The steward appeared shortly after, a man springy for the early hour and whispered something into his ear. Adrian raised an eyebrow and nodded. Soon, Lady Harrow joined him at the table, dressed in a modest gown.
"It is a... uh, good morning, Lady Harrow," Adrian tried to greet her, his gaze drifting toward the window.
He couldn't help but think of the unknown favor she had asked of him, or the ten shillings he had found near his bed after that strange night.
He hesitated to ask her about it, and she seemed equally keen on avoiding the subject. For now, he chose to ignore it.
The lady simply smiled. "Please, my husband is dead, so I am no longer Lady Harrow. Just call me Lady Ela."
Adrian raised a brow but nodded. "Lady Ela." He didn't insist.
"Milord, shall I report on the state of the territory and the preparations for Sandhail Bay?" the steward asked.
Adrian took a bite of a slider and a sip of a fruit drink. "Is that what the previous lord usually did?" he asked after swallowing.
"Yes, Milord."
"Go ahead, then."
The steward spoke of the village's situation. the condition of the fields, the disputes among the people, and the organization of a trade group heading to Whitesand Town. Finally, he spoke of the party accompanying Adrian to Sandhail Bay.
"I have drafted a list of those going last night, mostly workers and carpenters. Men who can handle hard labor but are still young and strong." the steward said, then hesitated. "Milord, how long do you think your assistance to the city will last?"
Adrian sighed, feeling a mix of satisfaction and wryness from the food and for the venture. "Until the city is finished or, at the very least, has a solid foundation."
That meant losing valuable laborers. Adrian knew he would have to pay these workers himself, even if only a small sum to ensure they didn't go hungry.
He was essentially bleeding his own pockets dry, and he wouldn't see any benefits until the new port city was fairly built.
Who knew how long that would take? Luckily, since they would be working by the ocean, fishing could help sustain his men.
The steward noted that, including the guards and servants, the group would exceed sixty people. Adrian lamented the loss, these were men who could have helped his own village grow. He might only be a lord for a short time, but he had accepted his situation and truly wanted to improve his territory.
'My territory... who knew?' Adrian thought, still reeling from the absurdity of it all.
"And Milord..." The steward hesitated long enough to make Adrian look up. The man's eyes darted toward Lady Ela for a split second before returning to Adrian. "Milord... have you ever thought about... a wife?"
It was a good thing Adrian wasn't drinking, he surely would have spat it out. He looked at the steward incredulously.
"What are you saying?"
"The barony needs an heir to secure its future," the steward explained quickly. "The late baron had heirs, but lost them in the war and circumstances..."
The steward didn't dare look at Lady Ela. Adrian understood. Because the baron hadn't produced an heir with his new wife, the barony had been left without a direct successor, which was why Adrian was in this position in the first place.
But the idea of marrying and conceiving a child seemed absurd. He was only 15. Though he'd seen boys a year younger father children, it felt wrong.
"Are you wishing ill luck upon me, steward?" Adrian teased.
The man instantly became flustered. "Of course not, Milord! My apologies! I didn't mean to-"
"I know... I'm just mucking with you," Adrian said, shaking his head. "Don't worry about wives and heirs. I'm young, and I'm not planning on dying soon."
With his gift of Mending, he could survive almost anything that wasn't an instant death. Seeing the lingering hesitation in the steward's eyes, Adrian rolled his own.
"But I will keep your words in mind."
Steward Osway nodded gratefully. Once Adrian finished his breakfast and spoke briefly with Lady Ela, they left the room. The steward remained at his side, teaching him the nuances of lordship as they set out to wander the territory.
Adrian rode a horse, flanked by two guards, Sir Cordell and Dexton, whose leg had recovered fairly well, though it still delicate care. As they rode, the steward pointed out blacksmiths and various households.
They eventually came across a group of islander prisoners pulling a cart full of logs. When the guards saw Adrian, they bowed immediately.
The prisoners looked thinner and weaker than before. Adrian almost felt bad for them, almost. He remembered that these men had killed children and the elderly and raped women at Sawhead without mercy. He found little sympathy in his heart for them now.
They continued through the fields. The plots were small, and Adrian mentioned his desire to expand them, earning an approving nod from the steward. He saw the former slaves working and wanted to tell them they were no longer property, but his people.
He decided it was too early for such a speech and simply offered a nod.
On the path to the next village, they encountered two men arguing. One had a donkey and a cart, the other had set down a heavy sack.
"How could anyone know? I only told you!" one yelled.
They stopped when they saw the four horses approaching. They immediately bowed in a fluster.
"Milord!"
Adrian brought his horse to a halt. "What are you two arguing about?"
The man with the cart spoke up. "An item, Milord! He stole it! A silver bracelet that belonged to my grandmother!"
"I did not steal your bracelet!" the man with the sack defended himself.
"Do you have proof?" Adrian asked.
"No, Milord... but I only told him about it, and days later, it was gone."
The other man dropped to the ground, pleading. "Milord, I swear to the gods above, I did not steal it!"
Adrian couldn't detect a lie in the man's expression, though he wasn't exactly an expert at reading people.
He looked at the steward. He knew these disputes were often ignored until they went away or turned into something violent.
'I should improve the court system' Adrian mused. 'Maybe a department for disputes? Or a police force like the ones in my dreams? Then again, I barely have a thousand people.'
Adrian turned to his guards. "Sir Cordell, would you mind asking a few questions in the village?"
It felt like overkill to have a knight handle a petty theft, but Cordell's reputation would likely loosen tongues.
The group entered the village, a small settlement where Adrian had spent time as a child. Most faces were familiar. While Cordell went to investigate, Adrian continued his tour.
"What can I do to make this place better?" he murmured to himself. He wanted to grow the population, increase earnings, and improve the lives of his villagers.
He watched a group of children playing with sticks in the dirt, their thin frames obvious beneath thin and rough tunics, and they scattered immediately seeing him.
After half an hour, Cordell returned with the truth. It wasn't Grae, the man with the sack of wheat who had stolen the bracelet. It was a someone who had eavesdropped on their conversation.
A small crowd gathered as Adrian sat atop his horse. Dexton produced a whip while the thief knelt on the ground, hands outstretched. The punishment for theft was a lashing to the hands. As the thief's screams echoed through the air, Adrian wondered how he could refine the laws of his land. Once justice was dealt, the party turned their horses and headed back toward the castle.
-----
The rest of his morning was spent learning about land management. By the afternoon, however, he was busy dodging a mace swung by Colby.
Adrian lunged with his sword, but Colby twisted his body with practiced ease. Catching Adrian off-balance, Colby grabbed his sword arm, pulled him forward, and delivered a sharp kick to his shin. Adrian groaned as the man ripped the sword from his hand and slashed out with both weapons. Adrian managed to raise his shield just in time to block the blow.
Gathering strength in his legs, Adrian braced himself as Colby swung again. This time, Adrian bashed his shield forward, the force of the collision echoing across the courtyard.
The heavy mace flew from Colby's hand, but the veteran was far from finished. He quickly swiped the flat of his blade against Adrian's unbalanced leg, sending him tumbling to the ground. Before Adrian could scramble up, he felt the cold bite of steel against his shoulder.
"You're improving… You're lasting longer," Colby grunted.
Adrian chuckled as he stood up, dusting the dirt from his tunic. "Or maybe you're just getting old?"
Colby grumbled something under his breath, and Adrian laughed. A servant appeared, offering Adrian a cloth to wipe away the grime and sweat. Adrian clicked his tongue at it, still adjusting to such treatment.
It was then that Sir Cordell appeared. He was without his armor, his muscled frame clearly visible beneath a thin tunic.
"Milord, it is time for your warfare lessons…"
"Right." Adrian nodded. Compared to his other studies, this was the one he found a liking to. He knew that in this world, a lord's mind had to be as sharp as his blade.
Adrian spent the remainder of the afternoon and several hours into the night learning the history of the lands, the nearby houses, the dukes and earls and princes and Sir Cordell's lesson of battle and warfare, all while preparing for the venture tomorrow.