NOVEL WEB Chapter Four: Fragile World
After George departed, the stone walls of Clermont Castle pressed in around me, the air thick with the scent of burning torches. My breaths grew shallow. I needed to escape.
Moments later, I emerged into the courtyard, the sun casting long shadows. Two guards stepped behind me without a word, their chainmail rustling—a constant, metallic reminder of my new reality.
"Where to, Despot?" one guard asked.
I glanced back at the looming castle walls. "Into the village," I said. "I wish to see it."
We walked out, the path winding down toward the cluster of homes and shops that made up the village. As we approached, the sounds of daily life reached my ears—the murmur of voices, the clatter of a blacksmith's hammer, the distant laughter of children. The air was thick with the smell of woodsmoke, damp earth, and the faint odor of livestock. It was a far cry from the sanitized world I once knew, but this was reality now.
As I walked down the dirt path, the guards keeping pace behind me, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of every step. I was supposed to be their ruler, walking with purpose, with command. But inside, I felt like a stranger, but to them, I was the Despot, their protector.
The quiet of this world unnerved me. There was no hum of machines, no rush of cars, only the creak of wooden carts and the occasional bleating of goats in the distance. Everything felt fragile. The village, the people —this whole world seemed so delicate, as if one gust of wind could tear it all apart.
I scanned the village, trying to take it all in. Children played in the dirt, their laughter rising above the murmurs of working men and women. A group of men patched a barn roof with straw, while women knelt by a cottage, washing clothes. The cottages were crooked, their walls streaked with mud and soot, looking as though they barely held together. **How did they survive this?** How was I supposed to help them when I didn’t even know how to survive this world myself?
As I neared the village square, I spotted an elderly woman by a stone well. Her hands moved carefully as she arranged a small collection of goods on a worn cloth —two wheels of cheese, a jar of honey, and a loaf of bread. She glanced up and saw me, her eyes widening.
Immediately, she bowed deeply, her posture stiff and awkward, her eyes dropping to the ground. She didn’t speak—didn’t even look up again. Someone like her wouldn’t dare address a ruler in this world first. The deference was clear, and for a moment, I hesitated. **I’m not used to this.**
Steeling myself, I stepped forward and broke the silence. “What do you have there?” I asked, my voice soft but steady.
She started at my address, hastily bowing her head. "My Lord Despot, forgive me. I offer but humble fare—a bit of cheese, some honey, and fresh-baked bread. This is modest but made with care."
Her fear and awe cut into me. She wasn’t afraid for her life, not exactly, but there was a deep respect, a reverence that I hadn’t earned. That belonged to Constantine. I gestured to the bread. “This looks well made. Did you bake it yourself?”
She blinked, her face brightening just a little as pride crept into her voice. “Aye, Despot. My daughter grinds the flour, and I do the baking. The rains came late this year, so the crops aren’t what they used to be. But God willing, we manage.” Her wrinkled hands smoothed the cloth as she spoke, the motions as much habit as necessity.
I nodded, though my stomach twisted in hunger. “And do you sell this in the market?”
Her expression faltered, and she shook her head slightly. “Not as much as we used to, Despot. Folks here have little to spare these days. Some days, it’s enough just to keep bread on the table.” She hesitated, glancing at the guards beside me. “My son helps when he can, but he’s away more often now. There’s work in the nearby town, but it’s hard. Hard for a mother to see her boy go.”
I could hear the quiet desperation in her voice. It wasn’t in what she said, but in her eyes—the way they darted back and forth and spoke of her son without directly asking for help. Life here was tough. Every day was a struggle, and yet they carried on. How was I supposed to help them? **How was I supposed to lead them when I couldn’t even lead myself?**
I glanced at the guards standing beside me, their hands resting lightly on the hilts of their swords. Protection. **My protection.** But I knew how thin that protection really was. Constantinople would fall in less than twenty- five years. The empire was already a shadow of its former self. And yet, these people—this woman—trusted me. They believed that **Constantine** could keep them safe.
“I assure you, we are doing everything we can,” I said, though the words felt heavy in my mouth. “We will keep the village strong, and the harvest will improve.”
The woman’s face lit up with gratitude, her faith unwavering. “Aye, Despot, we know you will.”
Her words were like a weight pressing down on my chest. These people depended on me—**Michael Jameston**, a middle-aged book salesman from another time who had no idea how to rule an empire. And yet, to them, I was Constantine Palaiologos, their protector. Their Despot.
I nodded again, forcing a smile, but the burden felt too great. As we made our way back toward the castle, the village receding behind me, the weight of it all gnawed at my thoughts. Every face I had seen, every word spoken, reminded me of the responsibility I had inherited. These people trusted me to lead them.
The guards followed silently behind me, but their presence deepened my isolation. The fragility of this world, I felt a knot tighten in my stomach—a mix of pity and responsibility that settled like a stone.