Tinsley Family/RP/Appointment in Amdor
Appointment in Amdor (Willem's appointment as the Marquis of Amdor by King Gucky)
As Willem lay back on his bed, he thought of the happenings of the last few days...
There had been days of long travel to finally reach Amdor. He was in Barad Gardor when the news came that people of Amdor had finally switched their loyalty to Falasan. He was looking to reach Menedor, see Ilya's parents for a bit, and then head to Amdor.
After the meeting with Charles and Miriam he took his troops toward the bridge into Amdor. He had his scribe send a note out to the troop's families to have them come and see them for about an hour at the bridge. Most of them showed up. His mum even had Alice, her cook/cleaner/baker/handywoman, bake some small treats for them. He thought that it was a good morale boost. He dashed off a note to Ilya, letting her know that he would soon be arriving. The courier ran ahead.
As they crossed the bridge, he already saw a difference since the last time that he had his troops in this region. The people were glad to see them. They looked thinner, but they had smiles on their faces. A scout returned and said that there was a small city of tents ahead. When they reached the top of some hills, he was able to see them for himself. He couldn't make out individual banners, but he knew that they were some of the best of Falasan.
Upon arriving, he had his men set camp. He was just starting to clean up from the march when a courier arrived. It had been a while since he'd seen a royal courier. Something didn't seem right.
- You've got to come quick, Sir Willem. Get your best clothes on. Can you polish your armor? Wait. No, don't wait. We don't have time. King Gucky's getting ready to announce it. We need to get to the fortress. Right now.
- Announce what?
- You're to be the new Marquis of Amdor. Now come. Now.
- What? The new what?
- Marquis. Let's go.
- What? My brother just wrote me saying that he turned that position down. He wasn't able to get here in time. Ilya. Where's Dame Ilya?
- Probably out helping some peasants. That's what she seems to be doing lately.
- Find her. Tell her to meet me at, where, the fortress.
- Oh, you can't miss it. It was put up quick-like, but they've got a small stage, with some bunting and all. Looks very nice.
- I want her there. I'll be along in a few moments.
He called for Captain Hagen to get the men cleaned, at least the mud wiped from their faces. All seventeen of men put down their chores and lined up and marched to the fortress. Willem, still straightening his belt, ran behind.
Upon arrival, he was ushered to the stage. King Gucky motioned him closer. He scanned the small crowd. He saw Ronan, Marquis of Menedor. And Tank, with about 100 men. About half of the Black Army troop leaders were there. Good people to fight along side, he thought. He didn't see Ilya. He was disappointed. King Gucky was already into his speech. Then he saw her. She looked as beautiful as ever. He motioned for her to join him on the stage. She shook her head. He nodded. She shook her head a bit more vigorously, but started to move closer. -...shall prevail. The people need hope, not oppression. Falasan has liberated them from the ...- King Gucky's voice droned on. A few heads were nodding in agreement, a few were nodding off to sleep. -... and now a few words from the Chief Clerk of the Department of Roads and Bridges, Flin Happs. Flin, tell the people what you were telling me earlier, about the repairs.
More nods and Willem reached down into the crowd and lifted Ilya onto the stage. A few of the soldiers whooped. Flin tipped his cap and grinned, thinking that it was for him. Willem also grinned, not because he knew the voices and they belonged to his men, but now Ilya was by his side. She seemed slightly uncomfortable on the stage. So did he. -... a new method of setting the stones, providing drainage ...- He took her hand in his and gently squeezed it. She squeezed back. He knew that things would be fine. -...with a finer gravel on the top. It provides a firmer ...
He glanced toward his King. He was starting to nod now. The royal courier nudged him from the light slumber. - Thank you, Flin. I'm sure that if you're as good at maintaining roads and bridges as you are at talking about them, we'll be in fine shape.
The King looked a some paper, whispered to an adviser, then turned back to the assembled crowd.
- This could go on for hours, and probably will. But there are more important things to do. One of them is why we are here. As King of Falasan, the great realm of Atamara, I now appoint Sir Willem Tinsley, formerly a knight of Menedor, as the Marquis of Amdor.
Cheers went up from the crowd as King Gucky turned toward Willem. Willem didn't know what to say. They didn't teach him these things at the Academy. He bowed before his King, speaking softly to him. Then he turned to the crowd.
- Thank you, King Gucky. Lords and Ladies, Nobles, Freemen. As your newly appointed Marquis, I will do all that I can to lead you in the best way that I know how. There is much to do. I'll need your help, but we'll get ...
A small band started to play in front of the stage. Willem looked down, trying to get them to stop, but on they played. And then another song. Some of the people were dancing. King Gucky, Willem and Ilya were led off the stage. The people started toward them, some cheering, some singing out of tune with the band. Somehow, King Gucky had slipped behind the stage and into the fortress. Willem thought that the King had done enough of these and knew how and when to exit. The crowd turned into a line and passed by him, shaking his hand, offering messages of congratulations. There were soldiers, nobles, peasants, laborers, clerks, lots of clerks. The music stopped, and the clerks seemed to go from the greeting line to the stage. Each one had to give a short speech, presumably to try to impress their new Lord, to catch his ear, perhaps for more funding for their area of expertise. Willem felt bad for Ilya. She stood by him, smiling. She was so gracious. That was just one of the many things that he like about her. More clerks, more hand shaking.
Finally, it ended. He had no clue as to how long it took. He was tired. He just wanted to go to his tent with Ilya and have some tea, to catch up with each other's news and stories, to talk. A neatly dressed man grabbed him by the sleeve - Marquis Willem, I am Franck. I am your estate manager. You must come with me. Now.
For a small, thin man, his grip was firm and the tone of his voice implied that if Willem didn't go with him, there would be trouble ahead. Willem turned and took Ilya's hand and the three of them went to the new estate.
Franck explained that as the new Marquis, Willem would have to get his estate ready. - Important people will be visiting soon. Some of them would be very important and the estate must reflect the position of the new Marquis.
Willem was much too tired for that. All he really wanted to do was eat a snack and spend time with Ilya. Decorating could wait for a few days. Franck wanted to show him the estate.
Willem protested. - It is too dark and that it would be better to do the tour at some other time.
- What about your quarters, then?
Willem picked the ones near the kitchen.
- But the servants will wake you as they prepare breakfast.
- Then the next one, with a large desk in the adjoining room.
- If you must - replied Franck. - Do you want a hunting motif? Battles? I saw some nice tapestries in Barad Gardor when I was there last. The scenes were nice, but the weaving, not so much. It could have been much tighter.
- Tell you what, Franck, I'm going take the room with the table. We'll do an estate tour in a few days. I think that you can keep it running until then. And I'm going to ask Dame Ilya to do the decorating. My mum knows my tastes well, she might come up from Menedor for a few days. I'll ask my father to send up my effects. After getting us a light meal, perhaps some sausages and cheese and apples, you will be dismissed for the evening.
- But the estate needs...
- Dismissed, Franck.
- Clerks, your lordship.
- Yes, I've seen enough of them to know what they are.
- No, they're here to see you. Ever since Falasan started to take over Amdor, the clerks have been busy tabulating all sorts of things. They need to see you.
- Not now, Franck. In the morning.
- Some of them can't wait, my Lord.
- They'll have to. - Willem turned toward Ilya - Ilya would you care to join me for the light meal that Franck will be bringing us very soon?
- Yes. There's nothing I'd rather be doing right now.
They spent the next hour or so eating and talking, enjoying each other's company, talking of plans of decorating, of wondering what the estate's stables were like, of the battles fought together and apart. As the lamps were starting to run out of oil and the candles burning down, they both realized that the Black Army was to move out early in the morning. He offered her his room and he'd take the one near the kitchen for the night. She declined the offer, saying that she didn't like to sleep under a roof while her men were in a tent under the stars. He protested, knowing that it would do no good. After a long hug, with many things whispered by both of them he escorted her to her tent and delivered her to the safety of Captain Varl.
Upon return, he found that the clerks were still waiting. He asked one of them into the kitchen for a talk. He figured that they wouldn't want to spread out their reports on a table that still had apple cores and dinner plates left on it. He was wrong. After hearing about the effects of erosion on the shoreline another clerk slipped in to discuss the poultry crisis. They weren't producing enough eggs, especially when all the Falasan troops were here. Then a clerk started to talk about the region's water craft. Or water fowl. It all was a blur. Finally, after a few more hours of this, he forced himself away from the line of clerks that stretched down the hall. He made his way to his private room, only to find that the sun was almost rising. The cooks were pushing the clerks out of the way. They'd sort that out. He need some sleep.
Franck woke him a few hours later. After a small bite to eat, Franck informed him that there were more clerks waiting.
- They'll have to wait. I can't see any more. I dreamed of clerks. Reports. Paperwork falling on me. They'll wait. Call Captain Hagen in.
Willem issued orders for his captain to carry out. Scout reports, checking on the condition of the fortress, monitoring how the Black Army was doing, things like that. Anything to prevent the paperwork from piling up.
When he wasn't offering oaths and writing letters, Willem spent the morning wondering how Ilya was. He wished that he had more time to spend with her, with out the constraints of time and duties. She seemed happy that he was now the Marquis of Amdor, but sad in a way. Probably going off to Dondor and him having to stay behind. He wanted to go, but knew that he was needed in Amdor.
He hadn't seen so many reports. He wondered where the scribes got all their paper from. He noticed that some of it was being reused. Older reports were crossed out and the blank backs were being used. At least his clerks were thrifty.
One of the clerks suggested that he spend some time studying the court system. He'd heard talk of it, from his father, years ago. Not knowing anything of them, he decided to spend a few hours reading up on them. He awoke with a start. Franck was calling for him. He must have fallen asleep on the forty-third page of "Just Courts and the Eston Population, a case study dealing with one of the Three kinds of Courts." It was one of the few books that was left behind by Niccolo, former Marquis of Amdor. Franck said that the Sub-assistant to the High Clerk of Estate Management was here to discuss finding suitable knights to serve him. Another meeting. Would it ever end?
By the end of the day, he had five knights that were willing to serve. This would take a different kind of leadership. He'd make mistakes, but he'd try.
The hard work of his fellow Falasan troop leaders helped the production of the region. Loyalty was falling at a rapid pace. He was puzzled and sought advice wherever he could find it. It didn't appear to be anything that he was doing. Or wasn't doing. He'd figure that out at some point.
He sought sleep again, if not for the body, to have a chance to dream of Ilya.