The banquet was rather stark in terms of food and drink. But most of the important people of the fief were there. Including a few new faces, Galahad spent most of the early banquet making small talk and relaxing. An hour after the banquet had started, Ludwig arrived before Galahad followed in tow by a taller than average thin and muscular woman, her hair was long and messy while simultaneously glossy and dirty. She had a strong odor carrying a mix of several scents with the ones standing out being the smell of flowers, rain, and earth.
Both of them bowed.
Galahad smiled and motioned for them to stand up.
After they stood up Ludwig said.
"Greetings Sire I have come to make you an acquaintance to miss Telenia Dentrathil. Our sharpest tracker."
Telenia then said in a feminine but steely voice.
"It is good to finally meet you, Sire."
Galahad nodded and responded neutrally.
"It is good to meet you Telenia. How have the locals been treating you?"
Telenia smiled softly and responded with a slightly warmer tone.
"It was rough at first. But when they realized I brought food to the table the quickly accepted my presence. After all, I don't look that different to them."
Galahad nodded and responded.
"Tell me Telenia how do you feel about the fief's expansion into the forest and the rest of the virtually unoccupied lands."
Telenia locked eyes with Galahad and said.
"I understand why you decided to do so. But nature strikes back, nature always strikes back."
Galahad looked down at his goblet and started slowly revolving it. While in thought, the precious crimson liquid making a small vortex in the goblet.
Galahad then looked back at her and said.
"Humanity has been fighting nature since the time of Argon the Builder. There was a time in the common story of humanity when the whole region that is today Boreia was nothing but a faraway myth. Nature is the most dangerous when it hasn't been quelled yet. Tell me how many goblin attacks has the capital endured in the past five hundred years? The answer is zero, a hundred years before that? It was ten, a hundred years before that? it was thirty."
Telenia shook her head and said.
"That is a narrow frame of mind. It might take a thousand years but nature will take its revenge."
Galahad smiled and responded.
"The first human city has been destroyed and rebuilt who knows how many times. Sometimes it was damaged thanks to an earthquake or a famine, but the city was only been truly destroyed and left abandoned when we humanity laid it to waste. We humanity through the means of magic, technology, and sheer grit we will tame every damn inch of this world."
Telenia smiled and said.
"Only time will tell."
Galahad nodded and agreed.
"Indeed, only time will tell."
Galahad then looked at Telenia inquisitively before saying.
"I plan to make you my personal scout and bodyguard. If you have any concerns, please voice them now. Additionally, I will not force you if you are unwilling."
Telenia thought for a moment and responded.
"I really don't care if I will be stationed here or follow you around. But either way, it is theoretically a position of honor and pretty much an order. So I will graciously accept."
Galahad nodded and said.
"Kneel."
Telenia kneeled, Galahad stood up and placed his signet ring upon her forehead and then softly said.
"Prosperity through adversity."
For a moment nothing happened then a smell of burned flesh filled the room. As Galahad removed the ring from her forehead he revealed a mark looking like a black crow.
Galahad nodded in satisfaction and said.
"Rise, from now on you will be my second pair of eyes and my most deadly arrow. But for now, go rest."
Telenia nodded and left the hall. Most of the night was spent in mild drinking and idle chatter.
After the crowd had whittled down to Galahad, Katerina, and Ludwig.
Galahad looked at Ludwig and asked.
"So do you have any ideas on how to develop your fief?"
Ludwig scratched his head and said.
"I was planning to first build some houses then make some farms and mostly rely on hunting for food."
Galahad looked at Ludwig and shook his head before saying.
"The refugees will be your own subjects and as such your own responsibility. But you need to remember that most of them are women and children. In short, they are not especially fit for hunting. Instead, I would suggest you first cut down the nearby trees to create some farmland and build a palisade wall. By starting the land cleaning so early you can hopefully manage to plant root vegetables in June. Then towards the end of summer, you should start building houses. Perhaps as a winter industry, maybe you could expand westwards towards the semi bay area and start constructing some small fishing vessels. Also, try to keep your people at bay and minimize their confrontations with my brother's workers."
Ludwig nodded and said.
"Fair points I will do as you suggest."
Galahad nodded and said.
"Remember you are the lord of that fief right now in all but name. For now, I am not planning to tax you. As for your serfs, I will give you two hundred most of them widowed women and orphaned children and most are farmers by trade. Secondly, you should probably get hitched soon. Preferably to some rich merchant girl. You will need money to see your fief expand and prosper after all."
Ludwig bowed and said.
"I will keep your advice in mind my Liege and don't worry it is to my own benefit to not antagonize your brother's workers."
Galahad nodded and said.
"Good, tomorrow we have the new water tank ceremony. I will see you there, after that, with the help of the worker's boats, we will get you and your serfs on the other side of the river. But for now, you are dismissed have a good night."
Soon after only Galahad and his wife were left in the great hall. After Katerina made sure that none was in the immediate facility.
She looked at Galahad and smiled coldly before saying.
"Dear husband, who is she?"
Galahad looked at her and scratched his head before asking.
"You mean Telenia? Ludwig told me she is the best scout in the fief and since I am going to the religion tour I need to make sure I return in one piece. Additionally, since she is an Exoristoi I can make her a personal guard. Which will deem her more loyal."
Katerina harrumphed and said.
"Did it need to be a woman? Couldn't it be a man instead?"
Galahad shrugged and said.
"She is only my scout it is fine."
Katerina looked at him and shouted.
"NO, IT IS NOT FINE, MY HUSBAND IS LEAVING ME FOR AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF TIME TOGETHER WITH HIS ENTOURAGE AND JUST ONE WOMAN. DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THAT I WILL BE SHAMED BY YOUR ACTIONS? THE PEOPLE WILL THINK THAT SHE IS YOUR MISTRESSES AND THAT SHE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ME!!"
Galahad looked at her straight in the eyes and said.
"This mission is bigger and more important than me or you. Do you think I want to leave the fief? Telenia is needed to ensure a safer and speedier journey. I promised to the men which upon their bones you are standing now. That I will make this place great."
Katerina grabbed him by the shirt and shook him while saying.
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THOSE OTHER PEOPLE. I CARE ABOUT THE WAY PEOPLE SEE ME. BUT I UNDERSTAND AFTER ALL YOU JUST MARRIED ME FOR MY WEALTH IN THE HOPE OF REBUILDING THIS DAMNED PLACE."
Galahad looked at her and said coldly.
"Yes, I did originally just marry you for your wealth. It was an arranged marriage after all. I have given an oath and if there is one thing I do is keep my damn oaths. Even if it will cost my happiness, well being and even my life."
Katerina's eyes narrowed into slits and her voice's tone was lowered and she said coldly.
"I know why you did what you did, I don't care. Those people are dead, we are living here and now. Shouldn't you be trying to improve your family's life first? Rather than chase after a hopeless ideal? You are not that great. You are just a border noble, you can't change the world. I married you for the prestige that came with the title and to show all the other ladies in Gragon that I am better than them, to show them they were wrong about the things they said behind my back."
At the last remark, Katerina's expression changed from cold to teary.
Galahad shrugged and said.
"I am sure you had your own reasons for marrying me and frankly I don't care what they were. After all, It was rather obvious you didn't marry for my dashing good looks or my excellent personality. But you are right, I am just a small-time noble in the frontier. Indeed I can't change the whole world nor I was planning too. I just want to improve the lives of the people entrusted to me by those that selflessly sacrificed themselves for me."
Katerina sighed and said.
"You are as thick-headed as a castle wall and as stubborn as a donkey."
She then looked Galahad straight in his eyes and said.
"FINE, you can take Telenia with you. But I want an allowance. I need to look like a proper lady, I hadn't asked for anything like that thus far because I knew the fief was in dire straights. But now I want at least one female attendant and some more fine silk dresses and jewelry. It is only proper for a Dame to have such items. Especially now that everything is stabilized."
Galahad shook his head and smiled bitterly.
"The fief's financial situation has been almost the worst it has ever been. We have too many projects and too many mouths to feed. In reality, it is only slightly better than when we started the rebuilding process. Also, when I leave I am planning to leave my brother as regent in my stead."
Katerina shook her head and said.
"That won't do it is the wife's role to control the fief when her husband is missing. If I don't it will completely ruin my image.
Galahad shrugged and said.
"As I said before, I don't care about your image. Additionally, it is not out of the ordinary to leave your brother in charge rather than your wife. So it wouldn't even impact your image. Just wait for your father's return. I am sure he will bring you some gifts, most likely the dresses and jewelry you crave. However, you can have a female attendant. You can pick one of the widows or one of the orphaned girls. Now we should both go rest because tomorrow we have an early day."
Katerina made an ugly grimace and said.
"FINE! but this is not over."
With their fight over they both retired to the bedroom.
The next day at midday a small group stood in a platform next to the copper tank. Glistering red symbols shined across its orange surface. A four-foot-long and two-foot-wide canal connected the tank with the river. The canals top was covered with stone pavement and a Large stone slab was blocking the water from flowing down."
Galahad then looked at the crowd and said with gravitas.
"We have been for a long time forced to drink unclean water or buy small beers."
Galahad then paused for a moment before adding.
"But today I shall improve the situation with the help of George, Nickolas, and Eledor."
The crowd politely clapped.
Galahad then looked towards his brother and said.
"Brother, could you give us an explanation of how the system works?"
Nickolas nodded and said.
"Indeed, The canal is not empty but acts as both the medium for transferring the water as well as filtering it. The first layer is made of large stones, the second layer is made up of packed hay, the third layer is made of gravel, the fourth is layer is made of charcoal dust, the fifth layer is made of sand, the sixth layer is made of large pieces of charcoal and the final layer is just some wool to keep back the charcoal from falling into the water. Finally whatever impurities are left will be dragged to the bottom through the enchantments embedded on the copper magic tank with the final result being filtered and mostly purified water. The whole system works by using the kinetic energy from the water moving downstream. Now before drinking, you just need to boil it."
Galahad nodded and then looked towards Ethan and Markos before saying.
"Now it is time for the blessing ceremony."
Markos raised a jewel-encrusted scepter towards the sky and said.
"Oh most honorable god Lados. Protector of the valours and the brave. We ask your blessing today so our people may grow healthier and stronger to protect the meak. Lanin"
Ethan then raised an oversized bronze coin towards the sky and said.
"Oh, most honorable goddess Ploutia. Protector of the merchants and the thrifty. We ask your blessing today so our people may grow wealthier and more prosperous so they contribute to your glory. Ploutin"
Galahad then looked towards George and said.
"If you will do the honors, George."
Geroge nodded and slowly the slab of stone holding back the water changed shape. Allowing the two men standing in either side to remove it with ease. As the slab was removed water started flowing through the canal and within a minute clear water started flowing into the tank.
Galahad then said.
"The water needs to rest for a fortnight. So for now, let the tank fill up."
After most of the people disappeared Galahad looked at Ludwig and said.
"Good luck out there. I will send your signet ring and Banner in two days."
Ludwig nodded and said.
"We will meet again my liege."
After that Ludwig left towards the crossing together with a large group mostly comprised of women and children.
After a moment gazing towards the departing crowd, Galahad headed back to his keep.