The cottages in the Imperium had been half underground and you walked down to keep cool in the heat. In the north, the buildings were like what Doctor Carter called an igloo. They were raised; you stepped up to a shelf and then up into the level of the building. The raised home trapped the warm air since heat rose and cold air fell. Good insulation helped a great deal. The smart rusticus saw to the insulation carefully. Good insulation meant less wood needed to warm the home.
One thing she did note was that the local rusticus were reasonably happy and well fed. The harvests had gone well—for those who had managed to get a turn with the combine, very well. That was good; it meant more food for them to trade and more food for their families to have during the long winter.
She checked each of the family members, making minor notes in her files. She also encouraged them to brush their teeth and wash their hands. Something so simple could help them avoid many ailments. The elders nodded but she could tell they didn't fully understand; only that it would involve a bit more work in hauling water and buying or making the brushes.
She made a note to look into giving away free toothbrushes next annus if possible.
While they were there, she looked for mold and taught them about issues that it caused and how to treat the mold and ailments. She inspected how they handled water and food, encouraging cleaning with soap and boiling the water. They still preferred to drink ale, beer, or mead and she couldn't blame them.
A small trap door in the floor led to a basement where they kept food in the cold. She realized that they did not like showing it to her for fear of her reporting what they had or taking it. After the third try she gave up on asking about it.
Usually she demurred from the request that she share a meal with them, but she did snack and have a drink and then move on to the next stop.
When she returned to the castle on the third day, she found that one of the technical smiths had been trying to introduce a greenhouse into the castle. Apparently, they had a roll of plastic sheeting, something new. Much of it had gone to cover windows but not all.
Decius had been unsure about the alien thing, but Eudoxia explained how it could trap heat while letting the light in. That would allow the castle to grow a small amount of some plants year-round if they were tended to carefully and kept warm by a small fireplace.
He frowned but then agreed to the project. "It just seems like a bit more work," he grumbled.
"Ah, but fresh food, however small, in the hiems will be appreciated, yes?"
He cocked his head.
"And of course it gives you and whoever you designate something to do during that time. And a warm place to go while doing it," she said with a smile. "And your herbs," she offered.
He nodded. His tea and some of the herbs he grew to manage the pain in his hands and back were in short supply near the end of the winter. Anything to supplement that would be good. "Oh very well. You'll do it anyway," he said testily.
"Not at all. If you don't want to be bothered, I can tell them to wait and do it later. They do have a lot to do," she said.
He shook his head. "No, no, I cleared the garden anyway. I'll just make sure they install it properly," he said.
She nodded. "If it works, we can look into ordering glass to replace the plastic later. And expanding it," she offered.
He blinked at her, grunted, and then left her.
She snorted and then took her boots off and rubbed her aching feet tiredly.
~~~^~~~
The convoy returned to the Imperium under a new wagon master a hafta after its arrival. That had been enough time to give the travelers time to rest while also allowing Zara to put the finishing touches on the load of tribute they would be taking back.
Zara saw it off in the morning and then spent a long day in meetings. By dinner time, she was tired. Normally the court retired to be entertained for the evening, but she had taken on the extra onerous duty instead of listening to petitions and problems within the castle and capital. But on that night, she decided she was just too fatigued and tired of listening to petty bickering and court intrigue so she went up to see her imps.
Her preoccupation with the imps had been brooded about the castle. She was aware of the whispers that it made her seem immature to the surviving dominus. It makes some of them think of her as the child she was and not take seriously.
She didn't care. Instead she worked on training her little fellows while listening to her sister regal her with stories of home. It made her homesick a bit, especially for the fashion shows her sister still put on.
Deidra told her about a summer dress design that they had just introduced. It had come late, so it was wholly inappropriate for the autumnus weather. It had a short hem that showed a lot of leg and a nice form fitting shape.
"I'm planning to do a hip waggle and stun people and Eugene as soon as the weather turns warm again. That'll show them and set tongues wagging," Deidra said wickedly.
Zara giggled as she imagined the look of apoplexy on some of the old faces back in the capital. Strangely she felt better for it. "I wish I could see it."
"I still have your measurements as long as you haven't grown much. I may send you one," Deidra replied with a grin in her voice. "That way you can scandalize the dominus and domina there too.
Zara giggled again and then got control of her voice. She hit the transmit key. "You are on," she said as a pair of imps tried to take a tidbit she was using to reward them for their training. One got it and the other complained and the two fell to wrestling and growling over it.
"Oops, I've got another fight to break up."
"The dominus are at it again?"
"No, just my imps this time," Zara replied with a snort as she separated the duo with her free hand. "I wish it was easy sorting out the dominus like this," she complained.
"Ah, but at least they haven't come to blows or tried to go to war with each other. I heard that was a thing for a while," Deidra replied.
"It was, until the last king had them focus on us," Zara replied. "Now most of them hate my guts but hide it. I feel pressure building up. I don't know how to lance it without causing a larger broil than I want," she admitted.
"You'll think of something. The long winter will hopefully cool some heads," Deidra said.
"Ah, actually, I've been warned by Augustus that idle hands and too much mead can do the opposite," Zara replied.
There was a long pause. She waited, then hit the transmit key cautiously again. "Still there?"
"I am. And Augustus is right," Deidra replied. "But I have faith that you'll think of something."
"Understood. No pressure," Zara grumbled.
"Oh, I admit there is pressure. I am under it here too," Deidra said. There were soft cooing sounds in the background. "But working together as Eugene said, we've already made big changes. They will seem small in time though."
"I know. I just hope we have the time to get them all done," Zara said worriedly.
Deidra clucked her tongue. "We will never get them all done, for there will always be new ones to be added to the list. But we will get many done, of that I'm certain. But take what you can of life now, sister, no matter how small."
"I will."
"And what of the boys there? Have you had your pick of the litter yet?" Deidra asked in wicked amusement.
Zara snorted. "It is too soon for me. And they are all panting like Garmr at me which is annoying. And it doesn't help when some counsel me to find a man to help 'steady my hand and womanly impulses,'" she said with a grimace.
"Ah, I hate that," Deidra grumbled. "I don't envy you."
"But I you," Zara said. "We need another Terran like Eugene. One for me."
There was a long pause and then Deidra clucked her tongue again. "Don't hold out for one; I don't know if there is another like him. And it is not fair to hold out for one and pass others who are nearly as good by or who could rise to the occasion and surprise you. Keep that in mind."
Zara cocked he
r head as she played with the imps. "I'll think about it," she said after a long moment.
Chapter 13
Tacitus loaned plans and pamphlets out to the local smiths. He was annoyed that some of his precious documents came back with images missing and a few were stained by dirty hands. He hoped they at least learned something.
~~~^~~~
When the humidity picked up and thunderheads were on the horizon, Zara made sure the castle stewards had the castle prepared for the storm. By midafternoon a series of thunderstorms struck well into the evening. She was not thrilled when they found some drips from leaky roofs and slamming window shutters.
The rain was steady as was the lightning strikes around the area. But when the castle took multiple lightning strikes on the lightning rod, it terrified the people in the castle and surrounding area.
Stories of the strike ran through the capital nearly as fast as the bolts of fire. The conspirators used their spies to help fan the flames of discontent. Their spies whispered that the attack had been an act by the Aesir to strike at the intruders.
They stopped just short of saying that if something wasn't done even more dire things would happen to the land and people. It was a wise move; the improvements that the Imperials had passed on were turning out to be popular.
Zara was amused to hear of the whispers and then to be accused of being attacked in open court.
Dominus Fenton stared at her. He'd been ready for some sort of denial; acceptance and amusement had not been anticipated. "You seem to like the strikes."
She snorted. "Of course not. But the whole point of the rod is to draw the lightning to it and not to the other buildings," she stated. "It is like a poultice, drawing the fire down upon itself and away from us."
The lords and ladies stared at her.
"Did I not …," she looked around and then made a moue. "Apparently none understood. Well ," she said in a slightly exasperated voice, "come with me."
She led them to the wire and pointed to it. There were pieces of material that insulated it and kept it away from the side of the building. She pointed to it, fingers starting high and then pointing down. "The purpose of the rod is to draw the strike like lancing a boil or using a poultice as I said. The energy goes into the ground rather than starting a fire," she said, indicating the smoked stone behind the wire. Heads turned to look at it.
"Imagine that power going into an unprotected building," she said, turning to them. "A dry building would go up in flames in moments. The energy from the bolt would kill those it touched."
"But why?" a domina asked. "Why bother at all?"
"So it won't catch fire!" Zara stated impatiently. "The wire directs the energy into the ground so it is harmless. It protects the buildings and protects the people and beasts within." She looked around the group. "Surely one of you has seen lightning cause a fire? Strike a tree in half?"
There was a long silence. Finally Dominus Rollo the legless, an old alcoholic dominus who had lost his lands in a bet, cleared his throat and hesitantly mentioned seeing a bolt do that in his youth.
Others in the group began to pipe up, telling stories of how they had heard or seen a bolt burn a barn to the ground. They made their way back to the hall. Zara flounced her dress as she took a seat and smiled politely, listening to the various stories.
Dominus Fenton fumed inwardly as the stories changed to hesitant requests for the devices. He looked over to Percival and noted the other was looking interested but also ever so slightly annoyed that their ploy had backfired.
Zara sat back and took a sip of wine while listening attentively to them. She felt a bit of relief that they had moved to a more constructive mindset. From there it shouldn't be too hard to get them to accept the devices and then want them on their own tall buildings.
~~~^~~~
Siegfried wanted to take his rifle with him to his domain to show it off. He knew his aunt's husband would be envious of the thing. If he could get it out of the castle, he might be able to arrange for Nax, his domain's blacksmith, to make a copy, or at least attempt to do so.
Augustus had taken it back when they'd gotten to the castle; it was kept with the others in the castle's armory. He'd wanted to take it with him to visit his family but had been denied for spurious reasons. Twice he'd forgotten to request it.
When he was in the castle, he was allowed to use it at the range though. When Dominus Fenton mentioned it, he decided to get the matter sorted out once and for all. Even if he didn't have the powder it would be nice to have the rifle itself. He went to the legatus but he was busy in town so he found Augustus and cornered him about the matter.
Augustus spread his hands apart.
"It was never truly mine to give. My apologies," Augustus said when the embittered Siegfried brought the matter to his attention. "The rifles and other Terran designed weapons are owned by the Imperium. I had no right to give it away, and I was wrong to give you the impression that I was doing so. I again apologize, lad."
"I'll appeal to the princess."
Augustus studied him for a moment and then shrugged. "Go right ahead," he said, a bit annoyed at the lad's childish attitude. "I have my duties to attend to," he said as he walked off.
~~~^~~~
Siegfried took his complaint to the princess. He was surprised to catch her in a free moment. She was sitting by the window, petting one of her imps.
"So, you wished to speak to me?"
"Yes. He outlined the problem. He wasn't sure if she was paying attention; she continued to stroke her retched pet. "Are you paying attention to me?" he finally asked, glaring.
"I can listen and do this at the same time," Zara murmured. In truth she had been listening with half an ear. "I'm afraid the princeps is correct. The new weapons were not his to give out," she said. She set the imp down and turned to him, adjusting her skirts with her hands as her eyes captured his. "I know you were keen to keep it, and I apologize for the confusion. When I can, I will find a way to make it up to you."
"But I can't have the rifle."
"No. You may continue to use it here in the castle, but it remains a part of our armory. Sorry," she said with an indifferent shrug.
His jaw worked. When he realized he couldn't move her on that, he left without another word.
Zara watched him go and then shook her head. "Boys," she said, turning to her pet again.
~~~^~~~
"As I see it, we have several options," Fenton said, looking at the others. He was impressed that Percival's family had rented the entire taberna for their own use. That made it easy to keep spies at bay.
"And they are?" Stephan asked. He was still getting used to being with the dominus. They had stopped looking at him in disdain when he'd gotten a job in the capital guard force and began to pass on useful information while making more contacts there.
"We can take the long line and marry her to one of us or someone we can control," Fenton said. "A son or daughter, cousin or someone malleable. Someone who could take command in some annus time when she leaves or dies of some mysterious ailment," he said, smiling grimly before taking a sip from his horn stein.
Everyone knew what he meant by that.
"Would it work?" Percival asked. From his tone, he didn't favor it though. He was one of the people who was pushing for more direct action and soon.
"That I don't know. If we wait too long, the imperatrix is bound to have more children. She could then send one here with a regent," Fenton stated.
Percival nodded at the plausibility of that statement.
"We'd also need her to marry the right person. She has not been besotted by young Siegfried or some of the others as we'd hoped," Fenton mused, stroking his beard.
"Which means we'd need to force her hand," Percival said. "Capture her, take her hostage, force her guard to stand down, and then marry her to someone of our choosing. With her as a hostage, her sister dares not attack us," he said.
"And with the Imperials as hostages, we would have the Te
rran weapons," Stephan said, eyes bright. "We could force them to teach us how to use them. Eventually, our own artisans could learn to copy them."
A few heads nodded but not many. Some only looked thoughtful and doubtful at that assertion.
They had a few rubbings of some of the parts of the weapons and drawings. A few of the jeweler smiths had made copies from those parts. It was unknown if they would work though. The parts were very intricate.
The weapon itself was not the problem; it would just take time to learn how to make the copies. And the smith Tacitus was busy teaching them Terran concepts that they could use to that end. And if he was captured too …
Hostage Rescue (Princess Rescue Inc Book 2) Page 18