The Lord and Lady in the White Tower
By
UCSBdad
Disclaimer: I own none of this. No, really. Rating: K Time: This is a sequel to the Lady in the White Tower and begins some months after that story ended.
"There are two other things." The emperor said. "One, Admiral Deese will command the fleet that will take Lord Castle's troops to Aurum. The bulk of the fleet will then return to the Empire, but a substantial number of ships will remain to continue explorations to the south and to bring back the wealth of the Golden Coast to the Empire."
"Thank you, Emperor Paulus. I won't fail the Empire and you." The newly promoted Admiral Deese said.
"No more than you deserve." The emperor continued. "We will populate our new province in the same manner as we did when the Norrens arrived from the north so many years ago. The Empire will offer land in exchange for military service."
The emperor seemed to stop and think for a moment.
"I have also decided that the Imperial forces sent should be increased. I'll advise the Imperial regiments that anyone who wishes to volunteer for duty in the Golden Coast may do so." He looked over at the empress. "I believe that's all, my dear?"
"Yes, it is." She replied.
The Imperial Couple rose and left the room.
Castle stood.
"I think it would be a good idea if the military members of the expedition remained, along with Princess Arran and Sir Karl, of course."
They all gathered around Castle.
"Baron Jomini, tell me about your regiment."
"Lord Castle, today I could mount just short of nine hundred men. I'm sure I could raise that to over a thousand with volunteers. I have sufficient horses, arms, armor and equipment for a campaign, but being so far from the Empire, I may need to ask for more."
"Sir Dominic?" Castle asked.
"I'm in much the same position as Baron Jomini. Given time, I can raise a well mounted and equipped regiment of over one thousand men."
"Captains Gwinnet and Pristol? How are your regiments of archers."
Gwinnet a tall man with powerful arms and shoulders, like all archers, answered first.
"I have eight companies of one hundred archers each. I'm sure I can raise another two companies and equip them as well."
Pristol spoke.
"I have seven companies, each of one hundred men. I too believe I can raise another two and possibly three companies. Equipping them will be no problem."
Castle turned to their allies. Allies were as much a part of the Empire as any other province, but they had joined willingly and had retained some rights, in this case, the right to organize their own armed forces.
"Prince Polito? What of your troops?"
Prince Poiito thought for a moment.
"The young men of Hangar are restless and wish to prove themselves. But I will try to limit my force to only fifteen hundred by taking only the best."
"Pirend? Your pikemen?" Castle asked.
Pirend's troops were mostly armed with fifteen- to eighteen-foot-long pikes with a few men carrying halberds, or two-handed swords. The front ranks were heavily armored, but not the rear ranks.
"I have twelve hundred men. Each of my companies is from a different canton and it would be difficult to raise any more, but I may find a few men. Our equipment is excellent."
"Chief Tokar. I'm unfamiliar with your troops. Please tell me about them."
"We Mimbrenats are infantry. We carry large rectangular shields made from the hide of the famous water horse. The shields are so thick that an arrow shot from more than twenty yards will not penetrate. We are armed with thrusting spear and each man has a few javelins as well as a sword."
"Sir Karl, what can you tell me about your troops?"
"They are all younger sons, eager to adventure in the greater world, but I swear they know the value of discipline and order. Half are armored spearmen and half are archers. While technically I am in command, my family has provided a dozen experienced officers to support me."
"If no one has any questions, I think we should begin getting ready for this expedition. I will be in touch with all of you soon."
As everyone was leaving, Princess Arran came over to Rick and Kate.
"I'm very happy that you will command the troops in the Golden Coast and will be the Viceroy. I know I can count on your courage and wisdom, as well as that of Lady Katherine, as well."
"We'll do our best, Princess." Castle replied.
From then on, Rick and Kate were very busy getting the expedition ready to go. Ships were built, bought or refurbished. Volunteers were screened and many were selected. Supplies were bought and stored, ready to be put aboard the ships. Admiral Deese studied all of the navigational charts he could find and also briefed Rick and Kate on what he'd found.
Rick and Kate were interrupted twice while in the White Tower.
"Lady Kate." Alice said. "There is a young woman here who wishes to speak with you. She says she is Princess Arran."
"Ah, show her in, Alice and get some well-watered wine and a plate of sweets. Oh, and Lotus, would you please go elsewhere? I'm not sure Princess Arran is quite ready for you."
Lotus grumped.
"I'm not sure I'm ready for her, either. I'll be on the roof, getting some sun."
Princess Arran came in, looking distraught.
"Thank you so very much for seeing me, Lady Katherine. I just didn't know who to talk to. I mean Sir Thomos, my tutor, tried to help, but…I just wasn't understanding…or he wasn't…or…or…"
"Perhaps if you had a bit of watered wine, it would settle you down a bit." Lady Kate suggested.
Princess Arran gulped down half the glass and seemed better.
"Now, what is your problem?"
"In less than a month, I will turn fourteen. Then we will be on our way to Aurum. Once we arrive, Karl and I will be wed in the cathedral. The problem is…" Princess Arran began to blush. "That is, I'm not sure Karl really knows…" Her face got redder. "On my wedding night…" Her face was now redder than anyone's that Rick or Kate had ever seen. "I don't know how to satisfy Karl with my body on our wedding night."
Princess Arran put her head in her hands and began to cry.
Castle stood up quickly.
"There is a great deal of paperwork I need to be doing. I'll be up on the roof if you need me."
"As you wish, dearest." Kate said to Castle's retreating back.
Castle waited with Lotus until he saw Princess Arran leave the White Tower before going downstairs.
"Is everything all right with the princess?" He asked Kate.
"I hope so. It would have been better if you had stayed, though. We could have demonstrated some things to Arran."
"Demonstrated?" Castle said with a gulp. "You can't have thought that we'd strip and…." Then he saw that Kate was laughing.
"Rick, you are so easy sometimes. But that's just one of the many reasons I love you."
"There are many reasons that I love you, Kate, but my being easy is not one of them."
They kissed and before long, Rick was laughing as well.
The second interruption was much more serious.
"Lady Kate, Lord Rick." Said Alexis. "Duchess Ann, her son, and Sandrall are outside wishing to come in. There are some fifty of Sandrall's men with them, all armed and very alert."
"There must be trouble of some sort." Rick said.
"Invite them in. All of them, if Ann and Sandrall wish them to come in." Kate said.
Duchess Ann, her son, Ranald, Sandrall and five of his men did come in.
"Thank God. This is the only place where we'll be truly safe." She turned to Rick. "Lord Castle, please take me and my son with you to the Golden Coast."
"Of course, Duchess Ann. But what is the problem?"
"A group of thugs tried to kill or kidnap young Ranald in the park by my home not a half an hour ago."
"What happened?" Kate asked.
"Ranald was playing with his governess. There were two of my servants with them. Suddenly, four men appeared and killed my two male servants and beat the governess."
"Luckily, one of my men was about and attacked the thugs, although it cost him his life. The commotion attracted more of my men. Regrettably the evildoers fought to the death, or I'd be making them talk by now." Sandrall said.
"How is the governess?" Kate asked.
"She was beaten but she's all right." Ann said.
"Please have her brought up here to my laboratory. I'll have Alexa and Alice check her out. Sometimes people don't know they've been badly injured. But who would do such a thing and why?"
"If Randall dies there are no direct male descendants of old Duke Ranald. He, his father and his father before him had nothing but girl children. They married, of course, and some had male children, but the dukedom would not pass through a female line. It would have gone extinct and been given over to the emperor."
"Surely you can't suspect the emperor." Castle said. "The Hastings lands are vast and wealthy, but the emperor's lands are twenty times as large and more than twenty times as valuable."
"No, not the emperor." Ann said. "But when it looked like the old duke would die without issue, more than a dozen families began maneuvering to grab as much of the Hasting's lands as they could."
They were interrupted by several of Sandrall's men bringing the governess in. She was quite young, perhaps not even as old as Princess Arran and rather pretty, if not yet mature. She was taken into the laboratory by Alexa and Alice.
"The girl fought bravely, but not very well." Said Ann.
"Even young Ranald drew his little knife, with a blade not three inches long, to fight them." Sandrall said.
Ann suddenly looked about, a look of horror suddenly spreading on her face.
"Ranald? Where's Ranald? Ranald, where are you."
"Coming, Mother." Said a high-pitched voice.
And there was Ranald, riding into the room on the back of Lotus.
"See? I find kitty cat."
Lotus dropped to her stomach to allow Ranald to dismount.
"Pretty kitty cat," Ranald said, rubbing Lotus behind her ears. Lotus purred and licked Ranald's face.
"I have called all of my men in and we'll keep guard over Ranald and Ann." Sandrall said.
"Just to be safe, I'll have some of my men stand watch as well. And Duchess Ann and Ranald will be more than welcome to come with us. I'll make sure she's as well guarded in Aurum as here in the Capitol."
Alexa came out of the laboratory.
"Lady Kate, Miss Jen, the governess, has a headache and two black eyes. I put some of the blue ointment around her eyes and gave her something for her headache. She also was stomped by one of the men. You can see the print of his boot on her chest. I checked, but her ribs and lungs are fine. The headache medicine should lessen the pain in her chest. I've wrapped up some of the medicines as well as instructions for their use. The Duchess can take them with her."
"I will not be a burden on you, Lord Castle." Ann said. "I'll supply funds, ships and soldiers. We have at least ten ships that can sail easily on the Great World Ocean and I can provide a regiment of heavy cavalry and heavy infantry as well as some archers."
By the time Ann and the rest left, almost all of Sandrall's men had arrived, armed and in a very suspicious mood. They rode back to Ann's home with Ann and Ranald in the center of over two hundred men.
"I thought you hated having someone ride on your back?" Kate said to Lotus.
"He's a very polite young human. He asked if he could ride on my back. Besides, if he drew a knife with a blade of three inches to defend himself, he's the sort that any tigery would want as a friend."
Alexa had more information.
"I also gave the governess a shot of truth drug. She knew nothing of the attack. And she'll remember nothing of my questioning her."
"That takes one worry off of my mind." Kate said.
"We only have a million more worries." Rick said.
TBC