Chapter 100: Catherine's Hidden Trump Card

The Briart viscounty stretched long from east to west, covering nearly eight thousand square kilometers, and lay in the northeast of Victor’s domain. For four hundred years under House Briart, the land had seen little war. The people were simple and honest, and the population was large. By the time the present viscount inherited the title, the domain already held more than fifty thousand souls.

Sixty kilometers east of the border between the viscounty and Victor’s domain stood Briart’s own Wild Willow City. For over two centuries House Briart had managed the city, and through repeated repairs and expansions it had become a famous place, scenic and well appointed.

At this season every year, the little river outside Wild Willow City wound through groves of green willow, making it an ideal refuge from the summer heat. Deep within that ten-li willow forest, House Briart had built a noble manor. Because the corners of its walls were thickly covered with evergreen ivy that climbed readily upward, the place was also known as the Ivy Manor.

In the manor’s courtyard, a small boy with a lively, tigerish face was wielding a short wooden sword in practice against a guard. The child was only five or six years old, still at the age of innocence and bewilderment. To call it sword training would be generous; it was more like play. He flailed the little blade about at random, yet somehow sent the tall, powerful guard staggering this way and that, which made the youngster laugh aloud in delight.

Seeing his son so bright and carefree, Viscount Obes Briart smiled as well. The boy’s sword work was appalling, of course, but at his age actual skill was not the point. What mattered was fostering interest in arms, along with confidence in his own strength.

“Obes, come taste the coffee I made,” called a lovely woman in a pale yellow gown.

Obes turned and walked toward his wife. As he took the silver teacup from her, he also let his hand brush teasingly over her smooth, delicate fingers, and was rewarded with a coy little glare.

“Judy, did you put milk in it?” he asked with a smile after tasting it.

“Yes. Besides sugar, I added three spoonfuls of milk. How is it, my great knight?” the viscountess said with a bright laugh.

Coffee had become the most fashionable and most prestigious drink in noble circles. That was thanks to its price of one hundred and twenty gold sols per pound, and its scarcity. The proper way to drink coffee was now a matter hotly debated among noble ladies: whether from silver cups, gold cups, or horn cups; whether to add juice or milk; in what proportion; and, of course, the indispensable noble sugar. Of that one-hundred-and-twenty-soul price, ten gold sols were spent merely on sugar, and even then it amounted to only half a pound.

The nobility had already recognized the refinement of sugar. This sweetener possessed a single virtue: a pure sweetness. Unfortunately, it was not sold anywhere in the market, so its price had long since surpassed that of honey.

“Fragrant and smooth, truly delicious. Just like you,” Obes praised his wife’s gentle grace, and did not forget to flirt with her at the same time.

At this mixture of teasing and flattery, Judy answered with a seductive smile.

The viscountess was beautiful as a flower and mild in temperament, and Obes doted on her greatly. Judy, for her part, was also quite satisfied with her husband. Obes was not only a hereditary viscount, but also a silver-rank great knight. They had been married for ten years, yet their affection had only deepened.

As the viscount and viscountess sipped their coffee and watched their beloved son romp and spar in play, an attendant approached the viscount just as they were basking in this warm moment.

“My lord, Lord Austin has arrived.”

The viscount gave his wife an apologetic smile, rose, and went inside. When he reached the sitting room, he found his half-brother, Austin Briart.

“Brother, good day.”

Austin placed a hand over his chest and bowed to the Viscount Briart. Though they were brothers, the proper courtesies between lord and vassal could not be forgotten.

“Well? What did Her Majesty’s secret envoy say?” The viscount waved a hand, indicating that his brother need not be so formal.

“Brother, Her Majesty said that if we place ourselves under her banner, then once Prince Edward takes the throne, she will grant us a stretch of land taken from Centaur Hills, about the size of a barony.” Austin spoke in a low voice, though there was a trace of excitement in it.

Viscount Briart frowned tightly. As a neutral lord, he had no desire to be dragged into a struggle for the throne while the situation remained unclear. For that reason, he had not received the queen’s envoy himself, but had instead sent Austin to meet the man.

“Brother, serving under Her Majesty the Queen is our best choice, and our only choice,” Austin said, seeing his brother’s hesitation and taking the initiative.

“You think Grand Duke Williams has no chance at all?” the viscount asked.

“The grand duke and the queen are roughly evenly matched in strength, but the kingdom has its laws. To seize a nephew’s inheritance in the name of an uncle runs against noble tradition and will invite criticism. Most important of all, even if we were to side with the grand duke, our family’s strength is too slight to earn his favor. He would never risk offending the House of York simply to win land in Centaur Hills for us,” Austin replied.

Viscount Briart said nothing. He understood his brother’s meaning. The family had enjoyed peace for centuries, and the land had long since been parceled out. Austin was only one step away from silver rank, yet possessed merely one manor, five thousand acres of fiefland, and the title of baron. It was only natural that he should be unwilling to accept such a state of affairs. But for a single barony, how could the viscount put the family’s future on the gaming table?

“The risk is too great. The grand duke is not as simple as you imagine. After the former king fell in battle, it was the grand duke who steadied the kingdom. On the surface, he exchanged Centaur Hills for the House of York’s support, leaving the kingdom exposed to pressure from both east and west, but in truth it was precisely that choice that prevented the kingdom from being overturned at once.”

“If he had not courted the House of York, then with their usual temper they would surely have thrown in with His Majesty Neovist. After all, it was the kingdom that first moved against the House of York. If the Yorks truly had sided with the emperor, what would have become of Gambis?”

“During the former king’s reign, everyone underestimated Grand Duke Williams. After the king’s death, the wisdom he displayed was enough to astonish anyone. Since he now intends to contend for the throne, he must have great confidence in victory. We should look on a little longer.” Viscount Briart shook his head with a sigh.

“Brother, I understand everything you say. Nor am I thinking only of myself. But House Briart no longer has the privilege of neutrality,” Austin said earnestly. “Our domain’s population is too large. If we fail to expand this time, then in another fifty years the family will have no choice but to wage private wars on the neighboring lords. No matter how such wars turn out, we will still lose, because we did not choose a side when it mattered. Whoever inherits the throne will punish us according to kingdom law. If we choose the grand duke, he will not win us any land. If we choose Her Majesty the Queen, she has already promised us a barony. And I believe that with His Highness Roland’s talent, he may stand against that man in a few years, not to mention Lord Goron.”

Viscount Briart understood that his brother spoke the truth. The family had developed in peace for more than a hundred years, and the population had nearly reached the limit the domain could support. Although there were many free commoners within the lands, most of them were descendants of tenants and vassals rather than vagrants from outside. As the lord, he could not simply expel them. In fifty years’ time, one could only imagine how many people would be living there.

When the kingdom had first put Centaur Hills up for sale, Briart had also wanted to buy a tract of land, but the hills had become a battleground between the prince’s faction and the grand duke’s faction. None of the neutral lords were willing to choose a side too early, and House Briart had ultimately abandoned the plan. Only House Escri had purchased land in Centaur Hills. They were direct retainers of Marquis Goron, and both the grand duke and the queen had to show the old marquis some respect.

Viscount Briart’s mood grew irritable. He picked up his teacup, meaning to take a sip of water, but then thought of the coffee Judy had prepared for him, and a notion sprang into his mind.

“Did the envoy say which piece of land the queen intends to give us?” the viscount asked in a low voice.

“It is Baron Victor’s domain. The envoy said that Victor’s territory is far larger than a normal barony, and according to the kingdom’s statutes, at least three castles would be required to secure it properly. Her Majesty intends to press the Senate to review the legality of Victor’s barony once again.”

Viscount Briart’s thoughts raced. After a moment, he understood the queen’s purpose. She was courting him because she wished to deal with Baron Victor. She knew full well the plight of House Briart, and since the family’s domain bordered Victor’s, she had offered a condition he could not refuse: if he wanted land, he must first help her impeach Baron Victor.

Once he understood that, Briart made his decision.

“You are right, but there is no need for us to declare open allegiance to Her Majesty. There is a way to curry favor with the queen without attracting the grand duke’s notice, and it can also ease the pressure on our lands. Once the situation becomes clear, we can make our choice then.”

“What way?” Austin asked.

“Baron Victor’s labor-credit system has caused quite a stir among the free commoners. We might as well help him publicize it. Besides, he has established a free-commoner camp along our border, and his intentions are suspect.”

“That camp seems to have been set up by church people. I’ve also heard savage wolves are prowling there. The free commoners may not dare venture deep into Victor’s domain. We should not end up with them flooding into our own lands, should we?” Austin said with worry.

“Precisely because of that, we must send people to infiltrate it. So long as our men can take control of that camp, we can organize the free commoners to rush into Victor’s domain. How many people can a few savage wolves really eat?”