After an hour-long session of intense training in the morning, Amondo had a meeting with the constable to discuss his plans for the day and to help get a better feel for how the castle and the wider barony was run.
"How goes the preparation for the annual Membe dungeon day fair, it's in a little over a month isn't it?"
"Sir your brother decided to only have it every other year when it became apparent that the dungeon was no longer operating at anywhere near the level it used to not that it was ever that high in the first place. The rewards for slaying the small number of monsters it managed to spawn were even worse than usual."
"Is the dungeon situation that bad?"
"It may be even worse than that, you know a rumour started that he was thinking of destroying the dungeon heart and selling the pieces to the Mage Guild but that may have started after he refused an offer for it from Eugene Haas's pet magi Robin Wodeh."
"Interesting is old man Lambe still the dungeon Warden or has his apprentice Manuel taken over the position from him?"
"Sir their both dead, old man lambe died suddenly around harvest time three years ago and Manuel died in a fire last year."
"So who is the Warden these days then?"
"Your brother sent letters to the rulers of the other domains with a dungeon in them to see if any of them had someone who might wish to take up the role but it was to no avail. In the end, he sent one of the sons of the barony's jailer to apprentice with the dungeon master in Entuc and in the meantime he took on the role himself. "
"That means I shall have to do so as well I'll visit it tomorrow I suppose I should read up on it beforehand though. You know I've only ever visited it once, it was with my father and old man Lambe when I was seven the day after I was told I was heading to uncle Levan to be a page at his court.
I visited the dungeons in Entue, Lomet and Schuw, seen the ruins of one on my wards Island of Kver but for the life of me I cannot remember much about that day. Are the books about dungeon still in the library or did Leonid move them elsewhere? You know the library at my ward's Castle had some and I found them interesting"
"As far as I know they're still in the library did you ever read that thesis on the origin and dating of the dungeons of Cundus by some anonymous scholar. It's a truly hard to understand and badly written snooze fest that I am sure not many if anyone has ever finished reading."
"I think I had a quick read of it once and I agree with you if it had been the first and not the second or was it the third book on the subject I had ever read then I'm sure it would have been the last. Have someone search the library for all the relevant books and have them sent up to my rooms, I'll have a look at them later."
"As you wish sir by the way the map room should be cleared by this afternoon as you requested."
"Good now back to the matter of the fair I think that if the dungeon isn't up to operating every year then that's the way it has to be but that doesn't mean we only hold the fair every other year as well. The tourney is another matter we don't currently have the wherewithal to come up with an alternative prize perhaps it will be different in two years but for now, will have to settle for a low-key affair this year, can one be organised in the time we have left?"
"How low key were you thinking?"
"Well, a one or two-day affair with some entertainment, as many stalls as we can manage, some contests for the locals. We have a feast at the end and invite everyone in the barony and a few local nobles."
"That may just be possible I'll have a more detailed answer for you by the end of the day. Just be doable are more ecological you Bella end of the day."
"With that settled for now what's the situation with Orlando Scotti the exiled lord of Antwa, I expected him to be staying at the castle."
"He was for a while after he was forced to flee but he decided to go visit his wife's family for a time and isn't expected back till next month he didn't bring all his retinue with him a few of them are staying at the village inn."
"What size of a force if any did he manage to bring out of Antwa?"
"Let's see I believe it was two knights, some man at arms and a few archers plus three of his yeomen and her family's."
"What about his funds did he bring any with him?"
"He had a few hours warning of what was about to happen so he managed to escape with nearly all of his portable wealth. He should be alright for a few years that is if he doesn't spend that heavily."
"Anyone get out of Ruehasen and what do you think caused Cole Keddy's to turn on the barony like he did, from what I remember about him he didn't seem the type?"
"The yeoman of Garron pass wasn't a fan of his and the feeling was mutual so he left with his family and one of coles knights by the name of Ard Roland but he isn't completely trusted, some even consider him a plant.
As to why he rebelled well the harvest before last in Ruehassen was blighted and the current one wasn't doing so well either. Your brother wasn't that understanding of the situation and they exchanged words that cannot be unsaid. Later Leonid tried patching things up but I imagine that Eugene got involved at that point and well you know the result."
"Where there any other signs that Eugene was up to something that my brother might have overlooked, I understand that he justified his military build-up by spreading rumours of a pending peasant uprising like the one that occurred in Theabad last year?"
"Well other than the fact that peasant uprisings usually occur for reasons that the didn't seem to apply in his lands. Sure they're not as well treated there as they might like but there's a big difference between that and what happened in Theabad under Baron Crawley. I think that if it hadn't been for the murder of that Baillif in Elmsay which was blamed on a serf your brother would have questioned the build-up more."
"Well, we won't fall for that again so he'll hopefully go for a straight-up attack next time. Any idea of what kind of force he had at his disposal when he attacked us, it should give us a good idea of what to expect from round two?"
"Well other than his levies which have of course at least in theory been increased and the professional forces of his Barony he hired some mercenary under an Ignacio Sett. I believe he commands a mixed force of one hundred to one hundred and twenty men. As for the levies, I don't know how much he can or will trust those from his new territories but even without them they still seriously outnumber us."
"I imagine if they are still available he will hire Ignacio again and perhaps others as well. I think I remember hearing about him before he isn't considered to be that good of a commander. However, his men are loyal to him and he only picks contracts that he thinks won't be that demanding.
Hopefully, Eugene hires Ignacio again or at least a mercenary force or forces of the same calibre. He knows I'm a different kettle of fish to my brother so he might try for someone with a better reputation this time if he can afford them that is. If that happens then we may be in a lot of trouble. We have some time yet to prepare and I am not without resources of my own, for now, I will have to determine whether or not lords Fausto and Alby can be trusted, what do you think?"
"Well I don't know them you'll have to ask the Seneschal about them, him being Nazma's cousin wasn't the only reason he got the job after Stanel Brovin died you know. He does a good job and other than what happened with Keddy which was more your brother's fault, he hasn't made any major mistakes.
What I will say about the lords of Hasford and Wainthe is that they both seem to get on with your brother. However, it's common knowledge that they can't stand each other and no one knows the reason for it. A few different theories have made the rounds over the years, my favourite is that they both fell in love with the same woman while they were squiring for your father but they also say one of them insulted the others sister or one only won a wager with the other because he was cheating.
Whatever the reason it's possible that Eugene could make use of it to have one of them betray the barony if they thought the other would suffer for it. Even if they don't turn tail he could make use of it in other ways that I currently can't fathom, Dethil like all the gods moves in mysterious ways after all."
"Luckily constable I happen to know the reason for their hostility towards each other. I give my word of honour to both of them not to tell it to a single soul so you and everyone else will have to keep on guessing, however. All I can tell you is that anyone who wishes to use it against either of them will be disappointed. My brother was in on the secret as well though not my father or as far as I know anyone else still alive."
"So then how will you gauge their reliability?"
"I shall have to meet them at soon as I can and then trust my instincts and perhaps have a word or two with some individuals I have used before for something similar."
"Better you than me milord when do you plan to visit them?"
"As soon as I can after the birth, I think, how is the prospective mother this morning?"
"She had a restless night of it I am told but still no sign of the baby."
"Well I suppose it will come when it comes in the meantime life goes on and I must be away I want to have a look around the village."