I left the Empress feeling more used then a payphone phonebook. I started looking for Lawrence and was almost worried when I couldn’t find him at first. You can get used to someone just being there when you need them. I found him after some searching nearby the Tower.

“I have arranged for you to meet the boy and see the pads at dinner this evening. They would be honored for you to join them for the meal as well.”

“Of course I will be there.”

“Oh yes while I was with the Empress I was reminded of something. Go to all the farms you know of and ask if they have piles of manure that have been lying still for a time.” I don’t know why being with the Empress reminded me I needed gunpowder.

“Manure piles sir?”

“Yes there should be little crystals at the bottom. I need them for some science experiments.”

“Science sir?”

“The study of nature and the world around us. Physics and chemistry in this case but never mind that just do as I say. And this is about a secret which means you discuss it around no one but me. No one understand?”

“Sir-Yes-Sir”

“Now before you leave, direct me to this Giant’s house.”

As I walked with Lawrence I started thinking about all those summers making gunpowder with gramps. We made homemade fish stunners. Basically double sized m-80s that would stun the fish and we could just grab them with our hands.

Why buy a rod when you can blow stuff up. Just don’t do this at home kids it’s kind of frowned upon I found out later. The ingredients are simple enough sulfur, charcoal, and our stinky friend saltpeter.

Any child with knowledge can do it as I had. He made me promise not to tell Dad as I’m sure he was forbidden from teaching me any of this. But that’s why I loved Gramps, he was who he was and didn’t care what anybody thought. I found out later that society had a term for gramps. “Prepper”

The ingredients here in the 12th wouldn’t be nearly as easy to come by. I had no idea how the hell I was going to score some sulfur. Guncotton I also knew how to make but Nitric Acid is even harder to come by in the 12th.

I figured I needed a high explosive. You never know when you might need a castle wall brought down. Or who knows I might need a miracle and I wanted an ace up my sleeve.

I was beginning to get overwhelmed at all there was to be done. I needed more Zealots. I might not call them that after all it's kinda creepy. Fanatics seems worse. I’ll work on it.

We arrived at the pad maker’s house. He greeted us with a warm greeting and his son came out proudly strutting his stuff in the pads. Not bad really for a first run I pointed out a few things that needed to be changed after I had learned their names.

The father’s name was Thomas and his son's name was Goodwin; they were of the house of Penne they had said proudly. Turns out Goodwin didn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps. Actually it sounded like he was a bit of a klutz with a needle and thread he was always injuring himself.

He was a big ol’ boy alright. At least 6’ maybe 6’1” easily the tallest man/boy I had seen in the 12th. He was large but not fat. Not really overly muscular either. He reminded me of our fullback in high school.

I think I might have found a lineman.

After laying out my best sales pitch and really channeling my inner Jerry Maguire it turned out to be the old “show me the money” that worked. More like show me the Food. I promised to feed him in exchange for his service.

They also seemed to like the idea of him getting out of the house and exercising. After the meal was over I realized why. They were not lying; he really put it away. It must have been killing a family of such limited means.

This might end up costing more than I bargained for.

“Do you like the idea of playing Football son?”

“I like the idea of eating well sir. I will like it if it keeps me doing that.”

“It will that son but does it sound like fun?”

“I guess sir. But will I still eat even if I don’t have fun?”

Oh I was really getting annoyed of this . I just told him to be at the training grounds Monday and after the meal I excused myself. Before I left I told Thomas that I would need 2 dozen of those pads by the end of next week and 2 more dozen in a month's time. He complained like everyone does when I start talking in my quantities and timeframes.

I used my usual philosophy of paying more and getting it done right and quick. If I didn’t do it this way they would drag their feet. It would just end up costing me more in time lost on the field.

When I got back to the tower and the Guards let me pass. I ran into Lawrence who had done it again. He had found the saltpeter. I had barely even described it to him and he found some that quick.

“You are getting a raise my boy to 2 pence a day and you get Sundays off. But find me somebody to fill that roll. Don’t worry you're my right hand man. It means my number two you only answer to me in my organization.”

“Thank you sir.”

“Lets see how good you really are. I’m also in need of a rock that stinks like that of rotten eggs. Once again speak of this to no one but me and the people you have to ask in your search. If they ask why you seek it tell them I make soap from it. Thank you Lawrence you’re doing a great job.”

“Sir-Yes-Sir”

That one worried me. It would be damn near impossible to find sulfur in England. It was found usually around volcanoes. To the best of my knowledge the only one in Europe is Vesuvius in Italy which is next to Naples. Then of course Iceland but I don’t even think its been discovered yet and then it was by what are to us now hostile Vikings.

I went to my room pondering this and realized that my stomach was growling. I hadn’t eaten since breakfast and I was starving. I went to the kitchen and they made me a sandwich. Which I took along with a mug of beer to my quarters.

Lina’s absence was noticeable but not regrettable. I needed sleep. I wolfed down the sandwich and drained the beer. Then I fell face first into the bed and passed out.