Eternal Empire - Kingdom Building

Maloney Mansfield's arrangement for David and Laura placed them in a modest corner of the inner city. Their room was simple, with a view of the towering city walls. Other than a few pots of greenery on the windowsill and the flowers on the grass below, there wasn’t much to admire.

The furniture was basic, but clean and neat, with no lingering odors—something Laura appreciated after their trek through the outer city.

“The environment here isn’t bad,” Laura commented, her voice relaxed.

Huey, Maloney’s attendant, had shown them around, given them neighboring rooms, and then taken his leave—although not entirely, as he lived on the first floor. If they needed anything, he was always within reach.

"It’s like two different worlds compared to the outer city," Laura added, looking out the window.

"That’s because they are two different worlds," David replied, glancing at the towering wall. The wall wasn’t just a defense for Iron Tree Fort; it was a symbol of the divide between the common folk and those with power. For many, entering the inner city was an impossible dream.

David wasn’t thinking about societal change, though. His thoughts were far more practical—should they build a wall for Winter Village?

After mulling it over, he dismissed the idea for now. The village was still too small, with only a few houses and fields. If something happened, everyone would notice immediately. A wall could wait until the population grew and more people needed protection.

Laura, having inspected her room, returned to his. "So, what’s the plan for the next few days?" she asked. "You’re not just going to sit around waiting for the Inspector, are you?"

"No," David replied. "I’m going to find Addis, let him know our plans, and ask if anyone’s willing to move to Winter Village. I also need to head to the outer city to put up an announcement, see if I can attract some farmers or blacksmiths."

"I’ll go with you!" Laura said immediately, her tone leaving no room for argument. Staying behind would be far too dull for her.

David agreed, and they went downstairs to find Huey. He inquired about the process for making announcements in the outer city, quickly realizing it wasn’t as simple as posting a notice. To spread word throughout the city, they’d need to hire town criers to shout it out in the streets—an effective, but costly method in a world where literacy wasn’t common among the general population.

Money was the issue. David didn’t have any.

Huey remained professional, showing neither amusement nor judgment at the revelation. As Maloney’s most trusted servant, he was used to handling such situations with grace.

"If you don’t want to spend money..." Huey’s tone remained neutral, but his suggestion was much more comforting to David. "You can post announcements in the outer city squares. That way, you can spread the word as much as possible. The people at the Town Affairs Hall can help with writing it."

David nodded as Huey explained further. They'd still need someone stationed by the announcement, though. Most of the townsfolk couldn’t read, and even if they could, it would be impossible to write out every detail of establishing a new village or recruiting farmers and craftsmen. Someone had to be there to answer questions.

No money meant David would have to handle it himself.

"And how long does it usually take for the Inspector to get everything prepared?" David asked.

"I’m not sure about that," Huey replied. "It depends on the Inspector’s schedule." Some things Huey could answer, but when it came to matters related to his master’s work habits, he stayed vague.

David silently estimated. If Maloney Mansfield was a diligent official, it might take two, three, or maybe five days. But if the lord had a habit of dragging things out, it could be much longer. And frankly, for the Inspector, what was happening in the north likely wasn’t a priority.

Fortunately, David didn’t have to deal with the worst-case scenario. After checking in with Addis, who agreed to help find some discontented farmers and craftsmen, David went to the Affairs Hall, wrote up an announcement, and posted it in the outer city square. A curious crowd gathered around, reading and murmuring, but no immediate interest surfaced.

When he returned to his accommodations later that day, Huey came knocking after dinner. "Lord Mansfield has confirmed the departure date," he announced. "We’ll leave after breakfast in four days."

It was faster than David had anticipated. It seemed the Inspector was a more diligent man than he’d feared.

With a set departure time, David coordinated with Addis and made plans to meet anyone interested in Cold Winter Village. He spent the next few days in the square, standing by the posted announcement, answering questions.

But interest was slim. Very slim. After three days, David hadn’t convinced a single person to make the journey to Cold Winter Village. By the third day, the announcement didn’t even draw a crowd, just passing glances and the occasional skeptical look.

On the fourth day, when David met Inspector Maloney Mansfield again, the official greeted him with his usual smile. "Don’t be discouraged," he said kindly. "Those with an adventurous spirit have already joined the pioneering teams."

David could tell the Inspector was fully aware of his recent efforts. He hadn’t expected much from the civilians in the outer city—survival, not ambition, drove them. Most were content to get by, and any talk of a ‘better life elsewhere’ was met with suspicion or indifference.

David understood now—convincing them to leave for the unknown wasn’t going to be easy.

The people who had returned from the pioneering teams over the past two years had painted a grim picture of the north. Excitement was often quickly quelled when folks recalled their descriptions. The enthusiasm for new opportunities dimmed, and "unrealistic" dreams were abandoned.

For David’s Cold Winter Village, recruiting farmers and craftsmen in Iron Tree Fort was proving to be even more difficult than other villages.

“Thank you, Inspector,” David replied, prepared for the lack of enthusiasm. He didn’t show any disappointment. Instead, he glanced at the group standing behind Maloney, curiosity in his gaze.

Several of them were armored and armed, likely guards. Huey, Maloney’s attendant, stood at his side, and two others, dressed more lightly, looked harder to place. Maybe subordinates of Maloney?

Maloney, uninterested in David’s musings, gestured toward the mount prepared for him. David’s movements were slightly awkward as he mounted. Maloney didn’t comment, though his eyes lingered longer on Laura, whose ease in the saddle piqued his curiosity.

"Miss Laura, might I ask your full name?" Maloney finally asked, unable to contain his curiosity any longer.

“Crawford,” Laura answered smoothly, throwing a quick glance at David. He gave her a casual nod, signaling it was fine to reveal.

“Crawford…” Maloney mulled over the name. He was sure there wasn’t any notable family by that name in Iron Tree Castle or even in the surrounding areas and King Tilan. He couldn’t have guessed that the Crawford family hailed from Britain, a place very far from the Kingdom of Tilan.

David, by now, had guessed Maloney was under some sort of misconception about him and Laura. He had no intention of correcting it. Misunderstandings like this worked in his favor.

Maybe it was even this misunderstanding that led to Maloney’s quick preparations. The two empty horses next to the packhorses seemed to hint at that. They were clearly reserved, carrying no goods, just saddles—extra mounts just for them.

Maloney-Mansfield had prepared everything thoroughly. He wasn’t just taking care of his official responsibilities; he seemed to assume David would be bringing "several people" back to Cold Winter Village. Horses had been arranged not only for David and Laura but also for Addis and Alfie, who would be traveling with them.

As they passed through the square in the outer city, David noticed that the announcement he had posted was already taken down. He recognized many of the faces that had questioned him over the past few days. Their expressions were mostly those of curiosity and amusement; none of them seemed envious or eager to join him.

The group advanced along the main road, which had ample space reserved for easy access to and from the city. Mounted, they quickly passed through the expansive outer city.

Outside, David spotted two familiar figures waiting by the roadside—Addis and Alfie. Addis, aware of the journey north, had anticipated traveling on foot alongside the officials. Seeing David and Laura mounted, with a full team on horseback, he hadn’t expected any different for himself and Alfie.

But as the team stopped before him, David pointed to the two empty horses and motioned for them to ride.

“Is there such a good thing?” Addis asked, half-disbelieving as he helped Alfie up.

David just grinned. "Seems so."