Reading Nathan's report only made me lose any semblance of hope I thought I had left in me. I knew that trying to restore a barony that was known for being inadequate in all areas of production would not be an easy task.
''This is too much,'' I snivelled, tossing the report aside only to pick it up again. According to the memories I inherited, the infrastructure of our village was at best equivalent to the early stages of the medieval era.
They were made out of sticks, straw, barley, and mud. They were usually one-roomed huts that the household shared with the animals. They made their places themselves because they could not afford to pay someone to make them. Even if they could save enough money to have a basic roof over their heads, we lacked the skilled personnel capable of building them.
''This is a nightmare,'' I uttered, understanding that my woes would have to take a big break until all these issues were gone.
Grabbing the parchments Nathan had the decency to collect, I began strolling towards the stables. If I wanted to find a solution fast, I first needed to get a clear picture of the village and the land.
With winter soon approaching and their houses in such conditions, the losses we would have to endure would be catastrophic. The one thing we need most right now is capable hands, and them dying like stray dogs won't help anyone.
The sound of leaves rustling in the wind, followed by a distant rumble on the horizon, announced that the end of summer, and with it, our peace, was about to begin.
Finding the stables wasn't challenging since the only thing I had to do, was follow the loud neighs, accompanied by the stable man's curses.
Horses were always the noblemen's choice of mount. Each noble house was expected to have at least one war horse in its possession as a sign of readiness in case of battle. These elegant, powerfully muscled war-horses were a symbol of prestige and power, highly valued for their strength and speed in combat.
The cost of such a steed was astronomical, even for a noble. Unless you were noble, you were not allowed to have one in your control due to their importance and status in nobility. You could only purchase a Warhorse from specified breeders, selected by the kingdom, and only if you had the coins to maintain it.
To buy it, you need at least 200 gold coins and proof of nobility in your hands, alongside permission from a royal member, so seeing a warhorse in our stables certainly was something I didn't expect.
A man, probably in his fifties if I were to judge by his receding hairline and random spots of white on his beard, was trying to wash the warhorse, failing to scrub properly the tail, primarily because he was afraid of being kicked into oblivion.
''Easy there Bucephalus, hold still for me, will you?'' he impatiently urged, ready to cuss the animal for refusing to oblige. He has been taking care of this horse for over three months now and still hasn't learned how to behave. He still remembers when his Lord came looking for him, telling him with delight written on his face that he managed to acquire a real bonafide warhorse. It was an honour for a lowly stableman like him to take care of such an animal, yet who would have thought that it would cause so much trouble?
''I must have aged ten years in just a month,'' he scoffed, not realizing Ciaphas was standing right next to him, amused by his shenanigans.
'' You must be Emerson,'' I said loudly, announcing my presence unexpectantly, sporting an air of nobility on me.
Thanking my memories for remembering his name, I walked toward the horse before ordering Emerson to prepare it for a mount.
Even though he was rude, staring at me like he saw a ghost, too shocked to even say hello, in my memories, he was an earnest man.
Stumbling for a bit before realizing who was standing next to him, he performed a clumsy bow before rushing to prepare the horse. It probably was the first time, after who knows how many years, that he saw me asking for his services.
It was a well-known secret amongst the villagers that I was a good-for-nothing son that always spent his time in his mansion, so him watching me get out for once, and asking for a mount, was something that probably left him speechless.
''At least now he has some gossip to share with his friends'' I mused before mounting Bucephalus, slowly guiding him through the thick-leafed trees. I inhaled their minty smell and continued, delighting in the sound of my horse sliding through the leaves, ready to enjoy for the first time the scenery.