The leader of the village directly to the east of Enderton sat silently on a log in the woods, enjoying the sight and sounds of nature. The fallen tree was massive, almost as wide as he was tall, and hollow, due to being rotted out from the inside. It was a well-known landmark in the village.

“Lover’s log, Cole? I didn’t know you were interested,” a flirtatious voice called out to him.

Cole turned around and saw the face he had been expecting. “Oh, quiet, Mindy. You know my wife would make me a head shorter if she thought I was anything but devoted to her. Besides, I have not yet known a man who could tame you.”

“Maybe someday one will,” she called out and laughed, then hopped up on the narrow end before walking up towards the town leader. When she was an arm’s length away, she plopped down next to him and asked, “So, if we’re not going to use this log to its full potential, whatever will we talk about?”

Cole shook his head and let out one last chuckle before responding in a more serious tone. “I accepted the offer.”

“From the lord of the nearby village?” Mindy asked.

“Yes. Everyone agreed that if I was convinced the lord could do it, that he would be preferable to begging Brighton for aid that they probably would take months to provide.”

“So you were convinced,” she said more as a statement than a question.

“Beyond convinced. They have weapons like you have never seen. They take a round piece of metal and propel it faster than an arrow, right through whatever it is pointing at, even if it is a timber three inches thick. And they can do that from more than a hundred paces.”

“Like a stronger sling?” Mindy asked.

“Nothing like that. It’s a metal tube with various attached pieces. It makes a loud bang and smoke when used. I couldn’t begin to tell you why it works. But I saw it work to deadly effect. Well,” he amended, “deadly to the timber, at least.”

“I can see why that would make them a powerful force,” Mindy admitted.

“It was more than that, though,” Cole continued. “He showed me something called a sawmill, that does the work of dozens of men while only requiring a few to make flat timbers in less than a minute. I heard stories from various people of the finely crafted housing he made for even the laborers, and when I asked one of them to show me, they couldn’t stop talking about how Enderton was the best place to live and how the rest of the world pales in comparison. You would think this lord Jason could control the very weather by the way he talked.”

“There were quite a few other things that were planned for the future, or I was not allowed to see. Normally, I would have been skeptical. But with this man, I believe that when we eventually see behind the curtain, we will be surprised at how much we underestimated the effect of his changes,” Cole concluded.

“That’s a bold statement,” Mindy responded. “But, I trust your judgment. Did he treat his people as well as we had heard?”

“Better. He may not know it, but it seems he forgets he is a lord completely at times. He is not shy to order people to do his bidding, but when I was there, he treated a wagon driver as well as his council members. It was either the most elaborate act I have seen, or the man is the most approachable noble I have ever heard of.”

“Interesting,” she mused. “While I appreciate you giving me this update on our plans, I suspect that is not the reason you arranged to meet with me.”

“Perceptive as ever, Mindy. You are right; I did not call you here to tell you that I had accepted lord Jason’s offer. I know you have some experiences from your former life in the city that you’re not proud of,” Cole said and watched a pained frown cross the young woman’s face. “I need you to save some lives.”

“As I’m sure you’re aware,” she started slowly, “I left that life behind. Besides, I was not exactly known for saving lives.”

“I am aware,” he stated. “But our future fellow citizens will be risking their lives to get us out from under this yoke. It is the least we can do to make their jobs easier and ensure it is the enemy who lays their lives down for their country.”

“I’m listening,” Mindy said.

“We need to poison the enemy soldiers before our allies attack. Weaken, incapacitate, or kill them. Make them unable to fight back when the time comes. Can you make that happen?”

“How long do we have before we need to do that?”

“Days, perhaps. I’d like to be ready as soon as possible.”

“Nightshade it is, then. Do we have any casks of alcohol left?” Mindy asked.

“The soldiers drink whatever they find, but I know we have a few hidden, still.”

“We’ll use that. The soldiers will quickly learn that alcohol and pretty women do not go well together,” she laughed at a joke only she could understand. “If you can get the casks to my house, I’ll take care of them. Just make sure they’re not discovered too soon… They’ll be writhing in pain within a half-hour after drinking the brew.”

Cole shivered, once again glad that Mindy was on their side. Now to make sure we get the timing right and the rest are ready.

---

Segar had led his village for the last five years, and led it well, he thought. Decisive action is the trait of a true leader, he felt as he left the meeting-place of the men and women who conspired to commit murder. I told Jason we’d take care of it, and we have a solid plan. Not a single one of those thieving bullies will leave this town alive.

The plan had been proposed by one of the women at the gathering. No one wanted to risk a confrontation with trained soldiers. If that happened, there would be husbands, wives, fathers, and mothers who would not see their children again, so the plan was brutal, and they intended to not give the enemy a chance to fight back. Tonight clay pots would be gathered and filled in preparation for the coming command. We will be ready, Segar thought. We will soon light the torch of a new era.

---

“We need to reach out to Brighton,” Jason thought out loud as he and the council walked along the river. From where they walked, they could see the spinning wheels of the sawmill and ironworks. Jason never tired of the sight of the future that he envisioned.

Alex, however, had a different take on the situation. “Why do we need to walk when we have a perfectly good table and chairs?” The large man wheezed.

Jason slowed down his pace again. “Sorry, Alex. These are called walking meetings. It helps us think better. Or at least differently. It’s a shame to sit in a dim room when it’s such a glorious day outside.”

“It does help me think different thoughts, my lord,” Alex managed to get out. “But I’m not sure they’re the thoughts you intended.”

Jason chuckled. “This will get easier, and we won’t do this every day. But how else am I supposed to make sure we have a meeting where Sam can get a word in edgewise?” he teased.

Alex glared, and Sam laughed. Jason remembered his original topic of discussion and steered the conversation back to it. “I think we need to send someone to Brighton. An ambassador of sorts, perhaps. We’re going to need to build good relationships with someone, and make sure our fledgling kingdom can buy and sell what it needs to.”

“They are not going to be happy with losing out on the opportunity to control the villages we are acquiring,” Tyler commented, walking lightly next to Jason.

“Weren’t they called the unclaimed lands because no one had a claim on them?” Sam asked. “Why would they be upset over losing what wasn’t theirs?”

Tyler answered her, “Just because they were not able to claim them in the past doesn’t mean the people within their government couldn’t dream about taking them someday. Once our news reaches them, they will know it will take a war, and if they were not willing to claim them simply because it could spark a conflict with Silver City, they are definitely not going to risk it now.”

“Sometimes fuzzy boundaries seem less onerous than clear ones,” Phipps weighed in. “Even if they ultimately mean the same thing.”

Jason looked at him. “A budding philosopher, I see. Or psychologist. One of the two. But you’re right. We might be starting off on the wrong foot.”

“Why would they listen to us,” Alex said, still short of breath. “At least yet. We need to wait until the other towns are flying our banner, and we have driven back Silver City.”

“That does make sense,” Jason thought. “It just means I won’t be able to coordinate our military actions with them quite as early. If they were to do anything militarily, anyway. Phipp, have you been able to learn anything about that?”

“Still nothing solid. But their forces do seem to be buying more supplies than the season would normally warrant, and I have heard they’re looking to hire a mercenary company.”

“Hmmm,” Jason began before Tyler cut him off.

“Bad idea, my lord,” the military man said. “Most mercenaries die far from home and never get to see the gold they earned. You do not want that for your citizens.”

“Ahh, you’re right,” Jason said, switching that thought off. “I’m too focused on trying to get our town - soon to be kingdom - the money it needs. Thanks for stopping me.”

“Any time, my lord,” Tyler said and bowed, surprising Jason. “Thank you for caring.”

“And thank you for stopping,” Alex said, having finally caught his breath.

“The view is worth stopping for,” Samantha said as the group looked out from the hill above the town.

“Beautiful,” Phipps declared as he took in the broad valley, and stared down at their town dotted with the smoke rising from more than a thousand chimneys. “Our little town is going to be a proper city someday.”

“I had not realized how much it grew,” Sam stated. “I see new faces most days, but this is a great way to get some perspective.”

Alex chimed in, “I see more prosperity than a town this size is ever likely to see, thanks to you, my lord.”

“What do you see, my lord, when you look at Enderton?” Phipps asked.

“Home,” he said, and meant it.

---

The swollen arm of the commander was hot to the touch when the physician touched it. Judging by the pained grunts of the military leader when he probed the wound, it was extremely sensitive, too. His eyes didn’t miss the red streaks extending down the arm.

“It’s infected,” he gave the verdict. “We must let the blood out.” The commander was upset but managed to control the expression on his face in front of his men.

“Do it,” he gave his permission.

Three days later, the infection was worse. “Amputation if you want to live,” the terrified man heard.

Soon, his muffled screams could be heard by the surrounding houses, before going mercifully silent.

The physician walked outside to where the leader’s aides were standing. “He passed out,” the man said to the group. “We’ve done what we can.”

As the physician moved on down the road, the military group glanced at one another. It didn’t take long for the second-in-command to declare himself acting commander and seeing how nobody disputed the fact, he removed his hand from his sword hilt. So this is what it feels like to be in charge, he thought to himself. I like it.

For the next day and a half, nothing happened. Cole heard the news of the commander’s incapacitation, but the new leader didn’t bother to reach out to him, so neither did Cole search him out. That all changed when one of the elderly villagers had a run-in with a soldier.

None of the witnesses were able to describe what sparked the incident, but the result left the village in a rage: the man had been beaten until he was barely alive. The man’s ribs were cracked, and he had trouble breathing, his torso covered by a large mass of overlapping bruises.

When Cole brought the incident to the acting commander, he was brushed off at first, and then Cole was threatened with further punishment for “defending a lawbreaker” if he continued pushing.

Seething, Cole left and headed to his home. He grabbed a quill and bottle of ink and penned a brief message to Jason. After blotting it dry, he reviewed it one last time.

My lord, we cannot wait any longer. My town burns with anger and desire for justice. If we do not move in the next several days, I fear I will not be able to hold them back, to an uncertain and potentially disastrous end.

Your humble servant,

Cole

---

“Ready the troops,” Jason called out to Tyler after he read the note. “Once more…”