The Fireseed Wars

"Dralm helps those who help themselves," Kalvan said before he caught himself.

"Is there some way we may yet return to Hostigos?" the young man asked, his voice trembling.

"I will do my best to see that we reclaim our homeland," Kalvan said, with mental reservations. The problem that Rylla, Mytron, Aspasthar and all the rest didn't seem to understand was that Hostigos-as they knew it-no longer existed. It was a barren wasteland and it might take five to ten years of hard work to give it life again. Meanwhile, life there would be brutal, nasty and short-And only if Styphon's House and Great King Lysandros allowed them the luxury of reclaiming their territory.

Ermut cleared his throat, indicating that he had finished his sketch of the Thagnor City Walls, using an X to show their current locations. He pointed to the X, saying, "If we move this second wall out here and out there, we can enlarge it so that it encircles the University. We can actually run this arm out as a bastion and put some guns here and right there. That way, if the Styphoni make a breach in the third wall, we'll have lots of protection.

"If we use some of our military students to design the bastion and build it, we can count it as part of their curriculum, giving them some 'practical education' as Your Majesty calls it. I can have the University's Engineering Department oversee the construction. In fact, the new University won't be fully open until summer so we can draft the stronger students and use their muscles to help build the wall."

"A great idea, Ermut. You just solved our problem. We can dedicate this building and the grounds to the new University as soon as we buy up several of the surrounding properties." He paused to point out four or five apartments and a big mill.

"Next, I want to try to find the best location for the Military Sciences building and the new Engineering building. Captain Nathros I want you to head up the new Engineering College as Rector."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Nathros bowed deeply. "I will do my best."

"You'll report directly to Dean Ermut. Also, it's time I promoted you to a proper grade." He grabbed the hilt of his sword and removed it from its sheath while Nathros got down on his knees. Kalvan had adopted some chivalric methods from otherwhen to move things along so he didn't have to consult with his overworked quartermaster clerks over every promotion. "I, Great King Kalvan, promote thee, Nathros of Hostigos, as Colonel Nathros of the Royal Army of Nos-Hostigos." He looked over at his adjutant. "Mykos, make sure you record this promotion and turn it over to the Quartermaster General."

Nathros was beaming and young Aspasthar was wide-eyed, probably dreaming of the day when he would receive his own kingly promotion.

"Now, before I get distracted with something else. Nathros, I want you to change the design of our flintlocks. Here are some drawings I made myself."

Nathros looked at rough ink drawings on the parchment, his brow furrowed. "This lock design appears more efficient, but I don't see any real improvement over the present model, Your Majesty."

"It has one very big advantage. When a musket is dropped or lost on the battlefields, there's nothing stopping the enemy from picking it up and firing it at our own men."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"With this new front-acting design, the enemy will be confused and uncertain as to whether or not it will work. The slower witted might even think it will shoot backwards! Plus, this new design will be the property of the Royal Gunsmiths and Riflemakers Guilds. The Royal Army will only buy the new locks. This will go a long way towards shutting down the inefficient older Guilds, who still thwart my decrees and requests for bore standardization and rifles."

Chancellor Mytron frowned, saying, "This will truly anger the Hostigos Council of Guilds. As soon as word of this leaks out of the palace, I will have Guildmaster Dyag beating upon my door!"

"I hope he does. It's time the Council of Guilds learned that we're no longer in Hostigos Town and that the old ways of doing things stayed there. We have a fresh parchment here and I'm going to make some real changes. If Dyag or anyone else gives you any trouble, tell them to come see me!"

Kalvan turned to Master Ermut, "While the new university buildings are being constructed, I want you to find places for another paper mill, three fireseed works-two inside the third wall and one inside the second wall-so that we are not dependent upon outside supplies for fireseed-as well as two or three stills for the new distillery."

"Do we have a good source yet for sulfur, Your Majesty?"