Arrival

  The trip to Elderwoods took nearly two months at the pace of an oxcart. That included frequent breaks to rest the oxen and themselves in West Pass, Trade Town, and the villages along the way. Christopher did his best to entertain Iris, while Sir Richard remained a stoic companion. Sometimes Hotaru appeared to them, yammering nonsense stories with interjections from the ever reserved Pisces. The Knights and soldiers were respectful, but they maintained a polite distance as befit her station.

  As the trip dragged on, Iris found herself growing lonely. Homesickness was only a part of it. Her days with Lady Biyu, Lady Anya, May, Sir Bridget, Allie and Bert had been busy and fulfilling. She missed her family. Try as he might to keep her company, Christopher's presence reminded her of how much she missed his sister. It was an endeavor doomed to fail. Christopher wasn't the only member of the party whose presence reminded her of those absent. Every time she looked at Sir Richard, she fretted over how much of a nuisance Lady Chelsea must be to Lady Biyu while she was away.

  Finally, they reached a spur off the Lost Lakes Road, the last stretch of road to Elderwoods. It was cheaply paved, and passed through thick forests. There were lumber camps built along the road, with the men hard at work. They stopped to bow when they saw the oxcart flying the emblem of Elderwoods, before returning to work.

  There was also newly cleared land prepared for farms. Iris approved, but the homesteads were smaller than she'd expect. There was also an empty village built to support the new farms. This was new land being prepared for returning heroes who had earned their own land. Farming families tended to expand their lands as their families grew, rather than start all new farms. The land looked fertile, and there were a number of little creeks that should do for irrigation.

  When they reached Elderwoods 'Fortress', Iris found herself disgusted with the rural village. The village walls were made of stockade and daub. Good enough given the materials here. She had no problem with them. Nor did she disapprove of the villagers who guarded the gate, armed with cheap iron tipped spears and cloth armor. They did their duty by challenging the little caravan at the gate. Christopher announced her, and after a runner was dispatched to inform Lord Jeffery, they were allowed in. The hovels the people lived in reminded her of the shanties outside the walls of her home city. Except those shanties were nicer than the homes of the villagers of her hold. She stared at the shoddy buildings made of clay. They had passed through a forest full of good lumber just outside this village. There was only one well-made building of lumber in this village surrounded by forests, and they were making their way to it. In Lonely Knoll, it would be considered a palace. Here, even if it was only in name, it was a fortress. A beautiful, if unconventional, building. Her disgust rose, not because the family lived in a more splendid house, but because the people lived in such squalor when they could so easily have better.

  Lord Jeffery Kimmel Lostlakes and his wife met them at the entrance of the palace of the fortress. Knights of the Order of Deep Waters stood in ranks with them, as well as agents from the Ministry. As a representative of the Lord of the Fortress, Iris held the highest rank here, so all in attendance gave her a polite bow, except Lord Jeffery and Lady Violet. Iris bowed in return, and her retinue bowed with her. The Knights from the Order of Deep Waters looked at her Knights with interest. Sir Anton and Sir Kelsie returned their interest, nervous at meeting veteran Knights from a prestigious Order.

  Iris sighed, and hoped there wouldn't be trouble between the Orders. There shouldn't be. Most Knights felt an instinctive camaraderie with other Orders, and even when they didn't, they were courteous. Most likely they would form a friendly rivalry.

  "I am Iris, concubine of Lady Bringer, parent of Alison Biyu Elderwoods Finecrafts Allie, the Lord of Elderwoods Fortress, and her steward in absence. In the name of Lady Bringer and Defender Elderwoods, I thank you for your service, Lord Jeffery.

  "This is Sir Richard from the Order of the Stone Circle, and you already know my retainer Christopher. These are Sir Anton and Sir Kelsie from the Order of Sweepers. Those men and women are from Lady Bringer's Temple Knights, the Immortal Legion. I'll introduce you to their captain later. She's rather unique. She'd startle the villagers." She could almost feel Hotaru's pout, despite not being able to see her.

  Lord Jeffery pursed his lips, unsettled by her statement, before he introduced himself, his wife, the Ministry officials, and finally Gerald and Lìhuá. Biyu's parents. Iris took a moment to look them over. She could see Biyu got her looks from Lìhuá, and Christopher from Gerald. She noted their dour, discontented expressions. Done, she dismissed them from her mind. They were of no importance.

  Iris withdrew an ingot, and handed it to Lord Jeffery. "My spouse has instructed me to present this to you. We would like you to use it to buy a residence in Lost Lakes for Gerald and Lìhuá as well as providing them a stipend to live on. Will this be enough?"

  Lord Jeffery stared at the metal, his brows raised. Gerald and Lìhuá watched with unabashed greed. Lady Violet was as startled as her husband. "Yes, Miss Iris. Assuming you mean the cheaper residential district, it would support them some… forty years?" He looked for confirmation from his wife. He took in a deep breath, and smiled at Iris genially. "Well, we have plenty of time to figure that out later. If you'll follow me, I'll show you to your rooms. Rest for today, and we'll have your formal reception tomorrow. I've called the Lords of the Land to court. You can meet them then. The day after, we can start going over the business of Elderwoods. We'll have the summer."

  "Oh? You intend to stay until the fall?" Iris asked.

  "Indeed, Miss Iris. I'm sure you won't mind having me around. You will be the steward, but I'll be happy to act as your advisor. We'll go to Lost Lakes together for the winter."

  "I'm to spend the winter at court?" Iris asked. She had known it was a distinct possibility, given Lady Biyu was her spouse, but she had hoped to winter in the village. Winter court was exhausting in a count's court, and she was certain Lost Lakes would be just as bad.

  "Indeed. My father would have preferred you go straight to Lost Lakes, but that'd be impractical. So, we'll go together."

  "I'll have to select a steward for when I'm gone, Lord Jeffery. I'm not sure my daughter will be pleased with me leaving the hold."

  "That may be true," Lord Jeffery agreed. "But a representative of Elderwoods has to go to court, and with your daughter and spouse absent, I don't think there is anyone else March Lostlakes would accept."

  Iris sighed inwardly, but smiled to Lord Jeffery. "Very well, Lord Jeffery. I'll keep in mind making arrangements for my absence while we review the state of Elderwoods."

  Lord Jeffery's smile slipped a little, and Iris looked at the hovels. State of the hold indeed. She took a look at Gerald and Lìhuá, but neither of them looked the least bit ashamed.

  Before the reception, Iris was given a tour of the palace. The Lords of the Land gave her polite bows and greetings when the happened to meet. One or two slipped and called her Lady Iris, or even Defender Elderwoods. She smiled, corrected them politely, and waved away their apologies and embarrassment. They all held a suite of rooms of their own in the wings of the build. Each came with a small entourage of their spouse and a pair of servants. They also brought their own supplies, to ensure there would be enough for the court.

  Lord Jeffery had sent a servant with an itinerary for her. It had them spending a week in the residence going over ledgers and meeting with the petty lords before touring the hold. The Lords of the Land would accompany them to their own lands where they would host them and give a tour of their domain over the course of two nights and a day. The tour of the hold would last a just over two weeks, with the Lords of the Land remaining on their lands when Iris moved on. Iris had gone on similar tours with her father in Lonely Knoll when she was younger. She knew the routine, and wondered how many sons and daughters would be introduced to her as possible retainers.

  Gerald and Lìhuá served as Iris's guides to the palace, along with a maid who had served Lady Biyu when she lived here. At Iris's insistence, Lady Biyu's room was the first stop on the tour. Looking over the small room with its equally small furnishings, she had a hard time imagining the woman she knew growing up in here. In a wardrobe she found clothing fancier than most of what Iris had seen her wear. There were books tightly stacked in shelves, and opening one she found the spine had been worn out from the number of times it had been read. She knew Lady Biyu read, but she had a hard time imagining her in this little room reading all day.

  "What did Lady Bringer do all day?" she asked the maid. Lìhuá had excused herself to fetch Iris refreshments, while Gerald had been forthright in stating that he would give Iris space while she inspected the room. That left Iris alone in this small room with the maid.

  "Different things, Miss Iris," the maid said. "She danced a lot. Stretched and exercised. Read. Played music, or took lessons."

  Iris smiled. "Ah. I can see her dancing and exercising. She's very active, you know." She looked at the tambourine, zither, and flute sitting on a different shelf, and touched the flute. "Did she prefer the flute?"

  The maid pursed her lips. "I think she preferred to sing?" she said after a moment's thought.

  "Really? I don't think I've heard her sing. Usually she plays the flute."

  The maid fidgeted in place, her lips parting to speak a few times, but it was obvious the maid wasn't brazen enough to speak up without permission.

  "Go ahead. Ask."

  "Is it true, Miss Iris? That you and she… together?"

  Iris lifted an eyebrow. "You're asking if she beds me?"

  The girl flushed. "Yes."

  "She does," Iris said, turning her full attention on the maid.

  The young woman opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. She bit lip.

  "Are you looking for rumors to spread about Lady Bringer and me?" Iris asked.

  The girl's face paled. "No! No… I'm… jealous."

  "Oh? You're the girl who saw her face?"

  "I'm not that young," the young woman complained. "I just look young."

  "I see," Iris said. She made a mental note to have the young woman passed off to one of the Lords of the Land. "Are you asking me for advice?"

  The young woman blinked rapidly. "No! No. I… why not me?"

  Iris gave a little laugh. "It isn't something she wants," Iris said. She returned her attention to the room. Hotaru would protect her, if the maid decided to do something stupid. "She lacks the passion for something like that."

  "But…?"

  "What I like is a little different. For her, it is… like playing a game. Or maybe," Iris lifted the small zither, "I should say she plays me like an instrument?"

  The girl blushed deeply. Iris was tempted to keep the girl around to tease, but that would be cruel. Maybe Lady Anya would be interested in her, but setting the two of them up would be unlikely to work out. Arranging for the maid to work elsewhere was the smart move, especially if Lady Biyu's curse was strong enough that she might think about trying to assassinate Iris and take her place. It wasn't something she would worry about for today.

  Iris instructed for the room to be packed up and everything stored in a warehouse Sir Richard would construct for her. She had plans for Elderwoods, and the first step was tearing down this awful house. She would replace it with a typical two court residence made of stone. Or perhaps she should arrange for a four court, with one southern court dedicated to a temple to the Bringer of Judgment, and the other the residence of Defender Elderwoods?

  Iris continued touring the rest of the house. In each room, she picked out items she thought were important, and gave instructions to have them packed away. Gerald and Lìhuá watched on in consternation. She allowed them and Christopher to select a few memorabilia of sentimental value to keep for themselves. Chests were also packed for the children who had already gone to the Order of Deep Waters. Once the house toured and the garden visited, it was time for Iris's reception. Biyu's parents were allowed to dine with the rest of the household, but only Christopher sat at the table with her. To Iris's surprise, there was an elder daughter Iris had only heard of. Named Elaine, she had been divorced by her husband after her family's disgrace. According to her, her husband had fought for her, but the family Elders had her driven out. Iris doubted the girls claim, given how high the young woman's nose was in the air. In features, she was a perfect blend of father and mother. Her hair was black smooth, while her face had her father's rounder, starker features and darker coloration.

  Dinner went smoothly, with the Lords and Ladies introducing themselves to her formally after the meal. There would be more opportunities for them to meet, as court, tea, and other activities were planned over the rest of the summer. Iris found herself enjoying the evening, particularly when the minstrel Lord Jeffery had hired sang a song about Lady Biyu's fight with the Ogre Maker.

  The day after the reception, Christopher led Iris on a tour of the village. Sir Anton and Sir Kelsie accompanied her, their steel hauberks catching the eyes of the villagers as they passed. Appearing as a woman a few years younger than Iris, Hotaru explored the village like an eager child half her age. Pisces was bound to her arm, looking like nothing more than an extremely odd ornament. Christopher, who knew what she and Pisces were, avoided looking at the pair. His smile was timid when she addressed the party.

  There wasn't much to see in the village. After an hour, they had seen everything. That included poking their heads into the homes of tradesmen to see their workshops. Only the smith and tanner had shops separate from their homes. The population of the village could fit in the manor with room to spare. If you included the manor's staff, it would only make the manor a little crowded.

  People on the street scowled at her like she was an invader. Not a single person showed her the proper deference. Iris knew it wasn't out of ignorance. Lord Jeffery had introduced her to the village that morning. Perhaps the problem was their assumptions of what a concubine was; that she was a mere fancy woman kept on the arm, barely a person in her own right. On the other hand, their shows of respect to Lord Jeffery were obviously insincere. They scowled at his back, or threw up rude gestures.

  Finished with the initial walk around, Iris settled on the first villager she intended to negotiate with. The smith. In most towns without strong Guild or Order presence, they were among the most respected members of the village. From what Iris was told, he and the village healer were effectively the village Elders. There was a mayor as well, a leather worker appointed by Lord Jeffery, but the man was an abusive drunkard. Iris would eventually call the village Elders to court to select a replacement, once she had settled in. It might have to wait until next year, given the fall was fast approaching, and she'd be wintering in Lost Lakes.

  Earlier, when they had looked in on the smith, she had seen the respect the villagers showed him. She'd have to ask Lord Jeffery why he hadn't made the man mayor, although she could guess at least one was because the man didn't have the time for politics.

  Arriving at the shop, Christoper approached first to introduce Iris. The smith had his back to them, hammering away at a project assisted by a pair of younger men. The only person giving them any attention was a woman, who stared at them brazenly.

  "Miss Iris, wife of Lady Bringer, mother of Defender Elderwoods, and steward of Elderwoods has arrived." He bowed as Iris walked forward. They were in an open yard, the men working the metal under a sloped roof that also formed the single wall of the workshop. The woman was minding a table covered in finished bronze work, well away from the hammering.

  The woman wore an open scowl, and spat at Iris's approach. "Whatcha want?" she demanded. Christopher swallowed, his eyes sliding unbidden to Hotaru.

  Moments before, Hotaru had been cheerfully chatting with Pisces. Hearing the woman's open scorn, the levity slid from her face leaving an emotionless, stalwart expression. Pisces, who could have been a statue moments before, turned to look at the woman. The woman stared at the ornament come to life, and her sneer melted into disquiet as the tried to puzzled out what he was. She didn't realize he was a Sacred Beast.

  "Did you not hear who she is?" Hotaru asked, giving the woman her full attention.

  The uncertain woman pulled her chin up and glared at Hotaru defiantly. "She's jus' some jackanapes gal who done married another gal just so's she could come 'ere and tell us all what's to do, like she done did something special."

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Hotaru considered the woman's response, her head tipping to one side then the other as she pondered. She turned to Iris, looking for permission. Iris, smiling grimly, nodded. Hotaru's eyes alighted with white fire. "I will believe you are hard of hearing, and need it repeated for you. This is Miss Iris. She is concubine to the Bringer of Judgment. A god. She is also a parent of your Defender Elderwoods. Iris is the steward in absence of Defender Elderwoods. Someone you will show respect."

  The woman paled and quavered as Hotaru displayed her true nature. Iris watched not just the unpleasant woman, but the other villagers as well. Those who saw Hotaru's change hid themselves away. The men working the metal, hearing nothing as they worked, remained at their task. The woman backed away from Hotaru, upsetting a stand of bronze tools.

  One of the brownsmith's apprentices noticed the disruption, and he waved his arms to catch the others' attention. The brownsmith, realizing something was happening, looked around at the tableau. He paled, gritted his teeth, puffed up his chest, and stomped his way over to the woman's side.

  "What's all this?" he boldly demanded. Iris could make out the tremble in his voice, but she had to admire his bravado.

  Hotaru had watched his every step towards her. The counter woman, likely the man's wife, proved the stupidity Iris suspected her of by grasping something heavy and throwing it at Hotaru while she was distracted by the smith. Hotaru deflected the pot without looking, sending it careening to the ground with a clang. It came to a rest at an apprentice's feet, and he picked it up and stared at the deformed metal. One side of the thick bronze pot was flattened.

  The brownsmith had cringed at the ring of the pot, intimidated by Hotaru's nonchalant show of power. Iris's Knights, who had watched the display with bored expressions, went into action when the woman threw the pot. Sir Kelsie moved between Iris and the smith and his wife. Sir Anton kept his eyes on the crowd.

  One of the apprentices, Iris labeled him the 'smart one', put up his hands in surrender before shuffling in front of the smith's wife. The 'dumb one' drew a knife and threatened them with it, his eyes wild as he shuffled towards and then away from them.

  Unimpressed, Hotaru approached the young man. He slashed at her, and her flesh sliced open. Ethereal smoke leaked from the wound, and the man yelped and jumped back. Hotaru grabbed his wrist, preventing the young man from getting away. Panicking, the young man writhed and twisted in her grip as she sloughed off her false flesh. A radiant, ethereal ghost stood where once there was a young woman. The wild eyed youth dropped his knife, collapsed to his knees, and pissed himself. Iris could swear she saw the man's mouth foaming as his eyes rolled and he passed out. Sir Kelsie, satisfied the smiths were cowed, relaxed her guard enough to check on the young man. Giving Iris a surreptitious nod to let her know he was still alive, she returned to a ready guard.

  Not yet done with her display, Hotaru produced an ethereal sword. Iris knew it was formed from the soul of one of the dead soldiers, and felt her skin crawl as she watched the guardian spirit level it at the smith's wife. The point drifted slowly from the wife to the smith and back. The smith's wife and the smart one remained frozen in place, but the large smith stumbled back as the point was directed at him. He held his hands up defensively, surrendering to the guardian spirit's challenge.

  "You were not listening when Miss Iris was introduced, so I shall do so again," Hotaru intoned. Her voice was flat and toneless. Iris, who knew the spirit well, felt the hairs on her neck stand up. The people of the smithy lost all resistance. Pisces, still attached to Hotaru's arm, remained a physical being attached to the ghostly Hotaru's arm. His unblinking eyes flicked from one person to another. Just then, he looked like a spiked living weapon. "This is Iris, concubine of Lady Bringer. The Bringer of Judgment. The one who can cast you into the Hells if she so chooses. Parent of Defender Elderwoods, and her steward in absence. You will show her all due respect."

  "Ye—yes ma'am," the smith sputtered out. It was hard to tell, but Iris suspected he'd pissed himself too. The smart one bobbed his head agreeably. The woman was pale, almost pallid, as she shivered on the ground.

  Iris looked around, taking stock of how the villagers responded. They were all staring in horror at Hotaru, despite the fact Hotaru hadn't really done anything except become see through and produce a sword from nowhere. There was too much fear in those faces. She would have to be careful when she started offering them rewards. It would be too tempting for her to over reward them, and yet it would have to be substantial to overcome their reticence.

  "Miss Iris?" Hotaru asked, pulling Iris's attention from the crowd. She was once again a guileless young woman. It was like the whole display had been a momentary nightmare, and everyone had awoken. The smart one even shook himself, his eyes blinking rapidly as though waking up from a nap. The brownsmith fell, landing on his ass, while his wife panted wide-eyed. The smart on checked on her while never quite taking his eyes off Hotaru, the Knights, or Iris. The Knights had seen Hotaru and the other guardian spirits' displays before, so they were unaffected by her theatrics. Instead, they calmly maintained their vigilance.

  "If we're done with," Iris waved her hand vaguely, "all that, I'd like to get to my business here. Would you like your forge rebuilt at the hold's expense? It'll be done by Sir Richard, from the Order of the Stone Circle."

  The smith was understandably too out of sorts to respond right away, which was fine with Iris. She called for Christopher to bring her a stool where she primly sat as she waited for him to recover. The smith's wife was taken away by the smart one. The stupid one was left laying on the ground, only shifted onto his side by Sir Kelsie. Christopher remained frigid at Iris's side, his eyes wide as he avoided looking at anyone.

  When the smith finally recovered, he asked "He, uh, this Sir Richard of yours… He know much about forges?" The brownsmith shifted nervously, propping himself on the table full of goods. He was as far from Iris as politeness allowed. That meant they were close enough to be heard while speaking.

  "I asked, but he doesn't. He just knows stone. But you know about forges, don't you? Surely the two of you can work together to improve your forge."

  "I… yes, Miss Iris."

  "Now, if for some reason you don't want a new forge, paid for from the Elderwoods coffers, you can refuse. I'm not going to complain about not spending money. But, fact is this village needs work. Have you ever been outside the village?" The man shook his head, and Iris was a little surprised. "This village is a shithole. None of you should have to live like this."

  The smith's face colored before he looked at Hotaru, who sensing his gaze returned a cheerful smile and a little wave. Not retorting to her assessment, he muttered out, "I think I'd like a new forge." Not the eagerness Iris was hoping for, but if the only respect she could get was through fear, she'd take it. Since the villagers were dangerously afraid, she'd also be upping her security.

  They continued their visits, with Iris only stopping to see a few villagers. The tale of what happened at the smith preceded them, as she expected it would, and they all looked at Hotaru with terror as Iris tried to talk to them about ways to improve the village. Most of Iris's proposed improvements was to replace sod and wood for stone buildings. None of them rejected her offer, but she wondered what the Legionaries she had spying on the villagers would report.

  Still, she found the attitude of the villagers disconcerting. They glared at her when they thought she couldn't see them, and she found herself feeling anxious when she didn't have the Sweepers or Immortals with her. Even in the manor, where she should be able to relax, she could feel the hostility of the servants and retainers. Only the Lords and Ladies were politely deferential, even friendly, with her. She was inclined to believe they actually welcomed the change in family head, although she was sure one or two had a scheme in mind.

  Hotaru and Pisces stayed with her after the visit with the smith, but they rarely showed themselves. None of the villagers knew their true nature yet, only that they were magical and had a tendency to appear suddenly when least expected. The healer had been selling charms to protect the peasants against Hotaru. Most of them wore one now. Hotaru reported that the charms did work, but not very well. Iris was certain the healer was a charlatan charm maker, and was surprised she had been wrong. Hotaru could ignore the effects of the charms. The villagers also made signs of warding. Those were more effective, but not enough to drive her and Pisces both off.

  Lord Jeffery smiled at Iris while his Lady Violet prepared their tea. A servant should have been preparing it, but Lord Jeffery had his wife wait on them as a show of respect. That was the implied reason, at least, but Iris was aware that he trusted the servants of the manor as little as she did. His personal servants were busy, and a personal audience was more congenial.

  Iris waited for Lord Jeffery to sip his tea, then followed suit. It was a simple flower tea sweetened using fragrant blossoms from the garden, and sweetened with honey from the manor apiary. It was the only apiary in the hold, meaning honey was a luxury only the Defender enjoyed. Having honey was a surprise. She would see about spreading beekeeping through the hold. If they produced enough, it could be another product for them to sell, although from what she'd been learning about the land, there weren't a lot of wild flowers here. One of the Lords had been boasting about her orchards, so Iris would see if they could support an apiary. Maybe it would be possible to encourage the villages to grow gardens or berry bushes.

  Dismissing her musings on flowers and honey after making a note to look into it on her tour, she turned her attention back to Lord Jeffery as he began today's meeting. It was almost time for them to tour the hold, and there was something Lord Jeffery had been dissembling about that she wanted an answer to.

  "Lord Jeffery, we've gone over the books, and spoken at length about what March Lostlakes wants from the hold. I've told you what we want in return. However, there are some very large expenses you've yet to explain to me. I do not mean to insult you, but I feel the need to remind you that you've promised to explain them to me." Iris was polite, but she couldn't conceal her irritation. If the transactions were honest, like paying overdue taxes, she would have expected the man to explain it to her already. That he had been putting off his explanation to a separate, intimate meeting worried her. Her Knights were too inexperienced to fight Knights from the Order of Deep Waters, and the Immortal Legion were untested after the miracles of the war with the demon god. On the other hand, the Ministry agents had approved of the expenditures. Unless all of them colluded, which was unlikely, it shouldn't be embezzlement.

  "Yes, that's what this meeting is about," Lord Jeffery said. Instead of continuing, he ate a piece of fruit, his face twisted in consternation as he chewed on it. "I'll be honest with you. March Lostlakes wants to build a road through Elderwoods to the province of West Fort in the Southlands. A trade route to connect Lost Lakes with the Southlands, rather than having to rely on the roads in the east. We'll be able to purchase salt for a cheaper price, you'll open markets to sell your lumber, and your hold can build a border town and collect tariffs."

  Iris lifted a brow. "And we're paying for this road that will benefit Lost Lakes?"

  "Yes," he admitted. "My Father, March Lostlakes, believes this is a fit 'punishment' for your family, given its mismanagement." He lifted a finger. "He is taking on the burden of your Imperial taxes for the interim, until the road is built. This will not impact your other fiduciary duties."

  "How many years does he expect it to take for us to have the road built?"

  "He wants it done in five years," admitted Lord Jeffery.

  "How many miles?"

  Lord Jeffery winced. "The nearest road in West Fort is two hundred miles away."

  "That's the length of a march!" Iris said disbelievingly. "We can't keep that much land. March Lostlakes can't keep that that much land! The Empire will gift it to some general who distinguishes himself up north! And that's not including how much it'll cost to build that much road. Marches can't afford that."

  "First of all, most of that land is in West Fort," he said. "So it already belongs to Archduke Westfort, or one of his vassals. Father's already completed negotiations. They're fine with you building the road. The last ten miles are in your hold. That's how far we are from the border of West Fort in this village."

  Iris lifted an eyebrow, and Lord Jeffery had the decency to blush at his dissembling.

  "Yes, the burden on you is unfair, but it's a punishment. Not much of one, either, since you'll see most of the benefit. Archduke Westfort has agreed that no town or city may be built within thirty miles of the border, so that your trade town will be the major hub entering the Midlands."

  "And the burden of upkeep of the roads will be ours? The burden of a march levied against a hold? What if the trade route fails?"

  "No. The agreement stipulates you will build the road. After that, both you and March Lostlakes will contribute to the upkeep of the road in your hold. You'll also be granted the right to collect tariffs, a portion of which will go to Lost Lakes."

  "Of course it will," Iris sighed. "Show me everything. Including the numbers that convinced you my daughter's hold can afford all this."

  Iris was irritated to find that the numbers all added up, as long as Allie never drew on the funds of her hold in the next five years. Sir Richard was already paid for, fortunately, but her plans for updating Elderwoods would have to be reconsidered. She hadn't planned for creating a trade town, or city, from scratch. She pondered putting off rebuilding Elderwoods, Sir Richard included, until she could relocate the fortress closer to the border. In the end, she decided to discuss it with Sir Richard and Lord Jeffery later, after she had a chance to sit on it.

  She rubbed her temples. A headache was setting in. Lord Jeffery's postponement meant that she'd have to reach a decision soon, too, since Sir Richard was supposed to knock down the manor while they were on their tour of the hold.

  "A last question, Lord Jeffery. Why didn't you inform us of this before now?"

  "Father, March Lostlakes, decided not to broach the subject until he had taken care of the necessary arrangements. When he finished them, you were all traveling. Since I knew you couldn't refuse, I began making arrangements for work to start on the road next year. The lumber camps are already clearing a path through the woods for the road. The Road Builder Guild sent someone to mark out the path the road will take for the first few miles. Clearing land is going to be the slowest part of building a new road, so I wanted to get a head start on it."

  "You'll have to make someone from my hold a Crossroads," Iris said.

  Lord Jeffery grimaced. "You do know what you're about, don't you. Who are you, really?"

  "A loving and loyal spouse, Lord Jeffery. Yes, I have an education, but I won't say more about it, no matter how you pry."

  "You're sure you don't want to join my family?" Lord Jeffery asked. Lady Violet frowned a little, but she didn't say anything. Chances were, it was her idea, even if she didn't like it.

  "No. I'm very happy where I am. And you're trying to distract me."

  "A little. You're right… we should be offering to marry you into the family and raising one of you to Crossroads." He lifted a hand. "Yes, I know Lady Bringer is part of my family, but since her children are not, a marriage is ideal for both of us."

  "Except we need a Lord of the Fortress, too, and we don't have anyone if Allie becomes Crossroads."

  "Or marries the Crossroads."

  "We'd prefer she remains family head. She's a bright girl. It'd be a waste if she couldn't apply herself."

  "There's nothing wrong with being a wife," sniffed Lady Violet.

  "There isn't," Iris agreed affably. "In another life, I would happily be one. Defender Elderwoods is a smart, capable woman. She's very likely to become a Wizard. It would be unseemly if she weren't the head of her family."

  "I take your meaning," Lord Jeffery said. He tapped his fingers in thought. "I suppose Lady Anya would make the most sense to raise to Crossroads in your family? Unorthodox, but she's probably the one we can both agree on."

  Iris thought about it. "I'll have to talk to the family about it. This isn't something I can decide on my own, and… honestly, this is a concern for the future. There won't be a call for a Crossroads for a few years. For now, I want a guarantee a member of the family will be granted the role of Crossroads for the next hundred years."

  Lord Jeffery scowled. "We'll have to discuss that with Father when we're in Lost Lakes for the winter."

  Iris kept her face neutral. She'd still been hoping to stay in Elderwoods over the winter, even with the hostile villager. "I still don't have anyone to leave in charge while I'm gone."

  "I'm sure Christopher can do a good enough job," Lord Jeffery said. "Leave him a Knight to keep an eye on him, and it'll be fine."

  Iris sighed, and excused herself. She would go to bed early. Her headache was getting worse. At least clearing the forest would provide lumber for improving the village. And for building the residence she planned for Allie.

  Subsequent talks with Sir Richard and Lord Jeffery resulted in Iris making two decisions. The first was that she would replace the manor. It would be smaller than she originally planned, with a single courtyard around the existing garden. Sir Richard agreed to modifying their contract to building it and replacing most of the hovels in the village while she was on tour. When that was done, he would begin building a fort in the woods in the south about seven miles away. Lord Jeffery would provide a couple of Knights to support Sir Richard. Iris would hire additional peasants during the tour. For the fort, they would construct walls, a simple warehouse, and a chapter house for the Guild of Road Builders.

  Touring the manors, lumber camps, and farms of the hold left Iris depressed. She was amazed they managed to grow enough food to feed the people, after seeing the inept farming techniques of the people. She spoke to a few farmers, and learned that while many of them came from farming stock, they had learned different crops or had forgotten much of what they needed to know during their time up north. Iris wished Gerald was there so she could demand to know why he hadn't contacted March Lostlakes or the Ministry of Agriculture for help. In truth, she just wanted someone to yell at. The solution was easy enough, and she added it to her growing list of tasks to accomplish.

  There were orchards, and the Lords and Ladies were excited by the idea of starting their own apiaries. Some of the others approached her, but left disappointed when they learned how important flowers were. There were no fields of wild flowers in this region. At best, there were a few fields of wild berry bushes.

  One pleasant surprise was an artificial pond. She'd never heard of such a thing before, and it was being used for what Lord Jarvis called a fishery. It was full of catfish. There was an irrigation channel to the pond, and the fish master and his apprentices tended the pond to make sure it was a good place for the slimy fish to grow. The Lord of the Land puffed up under her praise.

  "It's something they came up with up north, by the Inland Sea. There they build piers into the water, hang netting to keep grown fish in, and you end up with more fish when the fry grow too large to leave.

  "You drag a net through the enclosure, and you get a big haul of fish. And they'll breed up more, as long as you leave some fish each time you dredge the pond. Well, my fish master came up with the idea of using a pond. The fish come from a wide, deep creak a day's walk from here. They breed well in the pond, and they keep over the winter."

  Iris stared at the pond, the wheels in her mind turning. "Would you be willing to teach others how to set one of these up? Have your… fish master train some apprentices to manage their own ponds?"

  The man stroked his chin. "I'd have to get some coin for the training. I mean, it's time and effort from my fish master to teach people. Probably a few years. He has some helpers, too, who might be ready to manage their own ponds."

  Iris bit in a laugh. "Do you want a patent on the training?"

  The Lord grinned at her. "It's nice to meet such a lovely, smart woman. Would you like to take tea with me while we discuss the particulars?"

  "Of course, Lord Jarvis. You should talk with Lord Jeffery, too. I'm sure Lost Lakes would like to hear about the technique they use at the Inland Sea."

  "They have the Order of Deep Waters," he sighed. "I doubt they need the help of mortals."

  "Never make assumptions, Lord Jarvis. Knights can't do everything."

  They talked terms over tea, and it was decided that five iron coins a year for three years would be the cost of attaining the right to be considered a fish master. Furthermore, he would provide stock for other's to begin their own ponds for a modest fee.

  The orchards and the fishery were the highlights of Iris's tour, along with the gifts each of the Lords of the Land gave her. Most of it was the commodities their lands produced. That meant she had some lumber, and various agricultural goods such as squashes, a bag of wheat, and smoked catfish. There wasn't much in total, with only eight Lords of the Land. In most places, a dozen was considered a small number. Hopefully they would have a few more, once the plots she saw on her way to Elderwoods village were populated.

  When she arrived back in Elderwoods, Christopher reported a few things that happened in her absence. The manor had been demolished, and she saw that most of the work to build a typical estate had been completed. A few wooden buildings had been built by carpenters, and Sir Richard had constructed the rest in stone, including the main residence.

  Iris outwardly ignored the silently seething villagers, while reflecting on how Lady Biyu had described her youth in this place. This was the life she had lived here, without a Hotaru, Knights, or any guardian dedicated to shielding her from the harshness of those glares. Stiffening her resolve, she added another task to her list. Retribution, because she had a feeling the villagers were going to cause her problems. It would be harsh, but she thought it well deserved.