章 2: Arrival at Sapphire Lake

Alexander spent his last day in the Capital going to the Presidium, the capital's central taxation and management organisation, looking for a knowledgeable clerk who would be willing to come along with him to Sapphire Lake. After asking around for about twenty or thirty minutes Alexander was finally led to a senior clerk called Louis. Louis was just a year older than Alexander at twenty but having worked for the Presidium since the age of twelve was much more familiar with taxation, business, and the operation of many forms of companies. Before Alexander left, Louis informed him that he would read through the Presidium's information on Sapphire Lake.

After visiting the Presidium and having told Louis which pier the ship would be leaving from in the morning Alexander went to find Mondaeus. Arriving at the large house, currently under rent by Mondaeus, Alexander simply walked in. Alexander found Mondaeus walking towards the door, upon seeing Alexander, Mondaeus dropped to one knee.

"My liege, to what reason do I owe the pleasure of your visit? Is it the king?" Mondaeus bursts out shocked to find Alexander coming to him.

"In some ways yes, but he still lives. But please get up, I am not a prince anymore and a knight does not need to always kneel to his baron." Alexander responds slightly shocked by the extravagant actions of Mondaeus.

"Baron…?" Mondaeus asks less shocked, but surprised and confused.

"Yes, I don't want to be involved in the inevitable civil war so I have taken an offer from my father to become baron of a town in the new country." Explains Alexander. "Also, we are leaving tomorrow"

"Oh… Wait!? We!? Actually that does make sense doesn't it" responds Mondaeus clearly slightly despondent at having to leave the capital.

"Don't worry, you don't have a family yet and I have been led to understand I will have a sizeable amount of land, I will make sure to confer some of that to you." Alexander reassures.

"Well, I guess that will be good. Thank you, my lord"

"Call me Alexander, you will probably be my only knight and only companion for some time."

Alexander then went on to describe what would be happening tomorrow and where to meet before leaving with a few pleasantries. Alexander then wandered off towards the marketplace in the city intent to spend some of his new-found wealth to make his new life more comfortable.

Walking through the market place Alexander experienced many foreign sights, sounds, and smells. The Capital was located in the somewhat frigid northern reaches of Halgran and now the kingdom spread all the way to the south sea, ultimately it was a rather narrow nation with most of its expansion being north-south. The northern locale of the city meant that anything really exotic had to be imported and was as such incredibly expensive in this era of primitive square sailed ships. The current autumn season also meant the height of the rivers were low preventing any of the larger sea-worthy ships from travelling north with exotic goods from the deserts or jungles found across the southern sea. Considering all of this Alexander was incredibly shocked to find what he recognised as tea and coffee being sold within this market, both were, as expected, outrageously expensive. Alexander decided to ignore the cost aware of the great influence caffeine could have on his own productivity considering the plans he had already begun to formulate for his town. He purchased a large crate of both each containing twenty-five pounds and a grinder for the coffee as well as a fine pot and cups made out of silver for the tea.

Happy with his preparedness Alexander returned to the palace and asked one of the servants to find Maria.

"I am here my prince" Maria said bursting into the room again.

"I am not a prince anymore, I called you to please assist me in fitting all of my clothes and belongings into cases, I am leaving in the morning."

Alexander now sat on a chair on the deck of a small river galley, the trees either side of the river were adorned in deep oranges, red, and gold, every now and then a splash of green would enter view marking a copse of pine. Lucio lay on the deck next to Alexander's chair resting his head on his bear-like paws. Louis was sitting next to Alexander teaching him what he had learnt about Sapphire Lake.

"What do you mean pirates?" Alexander asks somewhat disgruntled.

"During the war Halgran and some of the other human nations involved sent navies to the south sea to support the invasion of the land there. It seems that once the war was over a ship wasn't paid as promised and turned to piracy." Louis explains, "It seems their ship is very large, a sea-going vessel, and as such they can only raid the town in summer and spring when the river is at its highest from the snow melt."

"So, we only have six months until pirates attack the town? Not to mention the impending civil war…" Alexander said concerned, he continued but with new found passion, "I guess we will just have to deal with these pirates. What else did you learn about the town and the lands around it?"

Louis looks down at some paper notes he prepared for this, "well, the town has a reasonable population of two-thousand five-hundred. Ummm, the major industries appear to be agriculture, fishing and mining. It seems the baronage contains an iron mine, a rock coal mine, and a copper mine. Although, each of the mines are very new some as young as six months, not to mention many have suggested many more minerals may be able to be found in the hills."

"Interesting, and who owns the mines?" asks Alexander curious as he leans down to stroke Lucio.

"Well, the crown sent the surveyors who started them, so the king should own them, however it appears your father was generous and the titles and deeds he gave you include the three mines as well as the crown-land being rented by farmers." Louis explains.

"And the natural deep-water bay to the east, why is the settlement not there? There is a river there for fresh water and access to the same farm lands are available, couldn't a port trading with the south be built there?" Alexander asks.

"Ah well, that is because of the pirates, that was where the first settlement was built but it was soon sacked after construction." Explains Louis.

"What is done with the materials mined in the hills?" continues Alexander clearly still full of questions.

Alexander's conversation continues with Louis for quite some time until he finally understands most of the situation in Sapphire Lake. It seems the Pirates are the major cause of all of the issues preventing the city from being able to grow more quickly and be more profitable. Also, Alexander now knows that the vast majority of the ores mined in the hills are exported to river traders who take them to larger cities further north where they are processed. A small amount of the iron is smelted in town by the blacksmiths, who seems to be a family. Alexander continues to develop his plans for the future of the town further. Hopefully with his funds he should be able to start a few projects simultaneously although they would be expensive, thankfully the ship currently had significant ballast in the form of a box full of large gold coins, the gold thrones each looking more like an ingot than a coin, and Alexander had had the fore-thought to divide half of the fifty thrones into a variety of smaller coins increasing the overall weight.

The boat trip continued for two weeks, the three passengers living in close confines and slowly becoming more accustomed to each other's presence, camaraderie forming between them as Mondaeus spent his afternoons fishing off the side of the boat. Occasionally, Mondaeus' efforts would be awarded relieving the three companions of repetitive meals of dried meats and vegetables allowing them to cook fresh fish on a small charcoal brazier. Mondaeus and Alexander never bothered to wear their swords and also figured they wouldn't need them even in a ceremonial role for some time. The travel by river was overall mundane, beautiful at times, but mundane.

The river suddenly swung far westwards and the captain explained, "this is the last bow of the river, one we are around this we will arrive at Sapphire Lake, my lord"

And just as promised after only another day of travelling down the river they finally reached the deep blue lake which gave Sapphire lake its name. On the bank of the very large river could be seen a relatively large township. Louis had explained that a lord had built a reasonably large house here directly after the war only to flee at the first sign of pirates. The town had one small peer with small fishing boats clinging to its edges. The large river boat was much larger than what the pier was designed for but it managed to dock up well and unload its three passengers before turning around and leaving back to the capital.

One making it to the lord's residence they found a dusty and cobwebbed stone house that was in a reasonable state of repair. It was early in the day, so Alexander sent Louis out to try and find him some staff, he said to advertise a payment of a throne a month assuming that should be enough. Apart from that he and Mondaeus worked to clean their own rooms just for the time being so they were reasonably liveable. They also deposited all of their own belongings in the room and worked to haul the large chest full of money down to a secure room in the basement which would act as the treasury. After all their exertion they decided to just wait for Louis to return with prospective staff.