Harpa 10, 1031

arpa 10, 1031

         Over the last few days, the soldiers keep coming and coming. They’re eating and drinking all of our food and wine, and they don’t work. Maria tells me I worry too much, but Norman has seen nearly one soldier for every three citizens on some other sites. 

         What’s more, a young captain arrived today who gathered the whole site in congregation. Genzak has issued an ultimatum to Vashti not to expand any further west. I have never understood the tension between Genzak and our kingdom; this land dispute will only fuel this exhausting feud. Besides, before we came and settled it, the west was nothing but untamed bramble that belonged to no one. I refuse to believe Genzak has taken an overnight interest in this land. 

         Erickson is royally furious because this means we can’t trade with Genzak merchants whose supplies and tools are not only cheaper than Vashti’s, but also of better quality. Now we’ll have to wait for Norman to deliver the orders from here to Vashti and have the supplies carted out to us. 

On a map, we are more toward the Genzak border than the Vashti border and Erickson has been dealing with them since before I began laboring with him. They already have what we need when we need it. There is little sense in buying from Vashti.

         Right after the congregation we went to work, and after work we were at the pub. Maria was singing again, her voice is truly a gift. I met a man who I hadn’t noticed on the site before. He is Marcus, the traveling Genzak merchant. We talked for a long time about politics, Maria’s singing, and the sword. 

         With a few drinks under our belts we went outside, got two swords from his stash, and he taught me a few techniques. I don’t remember much of it, but I do remember that he wanted to teach me more. I think I agreed, but Erickson found us and was very upset.

         He told me that if I am not intending to enlist, then to keep away from such things. He also said he’d never seen Marcus, and there was something very wrong with a man who would up and teach a youth like me, whom he’d just met, to use a sword.

         I trust Erickson, but this time he is wrong. Marcus makes me feel grown up. We can talk like men about politics, women, and combat. It’s settled, I will continue to learn under Marcus in secret.

-Gerrik of Vashti

Harpa 7 1031

         It’s been almost a week since King Rames’s passing. Eduard took the throne just five days ago and all is much the same here in the west.

         I work all day, spend evenings at the pub, and stay up late exploring with Maria and friends. Last night it was just the two of us and we wandered into the woods. Well I wandered and she led the way. She has been living out here for almost two years since her mother up and decided Vashti had nothing left to offer. I agreed.

         Under the lantern light, amongst the crickets I confessed my business prospects and Erickson’s offer. I guess I was showing off, but I really do know my trade and I can work better than most of the builders older than me. Maria tells me it is sweet that I want to take care of my parents. I feel like she really listens to me and we can talk about anything.

         Norman comes in and out of town bringing news, mostly of mourn, parties, and gifts for the new King. He has been so busy that he has grown a thick auburn and gray beard. Poor man, he looked so tired today when he rode in with a platoon. There were 6 soldiers, 3 knights, and one lieutenant from the King’s army. Norman did not bring with him an announcement of any kind as to why they are here. 

         Erickson and I talked about it over dinner. I hate it when he tells me I am too young for politics, but he explained that Eduard is new to the throne and the west is unsettled. The country is in a poor state and the western sites like us bring in money as well as relieve Vashti of over crowdedness. Eduard is merely extending his reach to protect the kingdom’s investments.

        It is true that the blood people live in these lands. Secretly, I remember being scared of them when John and Beck told me stories when I was 10. Erickson and I have talked about it though, they are tribespeople and apparently a sacrifice has some important meaning to them. They are no bother as long as we stay out of their land. 
        
        As for the bandits, I've always heard other men talk about them but I’ve never actually seen any. Well, maybe I have, but it probably isn’t something you find out until it is too late. 

         John and Beck cornered me on the way out of the pub tonight. They love politics and instead of teaching me like Erickson, they would rather pounce on me like fresh meat. When I explained Erickson’s theory they scoffed. They explained that the last war had left the kingdom short on good swords. These men were no exception. Certainly no better than the bandits they were here to protect us from. 

         I spied on the soldiers in the bar. They ate, drank, and conversed only amongst themselves, even as everyone else danced and sang merrily. They were discussing something hotly. I would give a month's pay to hear what they were saying.

-Gerrik of Vashti

1031 Harpa Sumardagurinn

         The first of summer means the first of labor. Citizens of Vashti have migrated in droves of tens of thousands west of the Welson River. This land is absolutely breathtaking. The forests are so lush, the air is so fresh, and food from these near virgin farmlands has flavor like nothing grown in Vashti.  For the last four years I have looked forward to summertime with Erickson to learn of architecture and the perks of lordship. 

         Erickson has taught me to read and write, and last night he gave me this journal and told me to put an entry in it every night. Well, judging by the number of pages, he must not expect me to live out the year, so I’m only going to write about important things.

        As Erickson's paid laborer, I do well, but I think this is because he knows I send a fourth of my wealth home to help my parents. My dream is to build a home out here, at this site for all of us, where we can escape the hardships of Vashti, and that dying farm, for something a little more...free.

        After a hard days work, we spent the evening at the pub drinking and feasting. Unbelievable, there serenading the drunkards was Maria. I’m 16 so she has to be 15, we have grown so much since my first summer here five years ago. She’s pretty. I wonder what she thinks of me. She sang and danced so wonderfully with her hair tied up in blue ribbons. 

        Erickson elbowed me when he caught me gawking. With his head against a whore’s breast and his meaty hand around his stein, he told me a woman had never loved him, thus he had no sons. He’d been a friend to my father for so long he thought of him as a brother, and me, a nephew. As he put it, ”should the drink take me before a lonely heart, I’ll leave my business to you.” Pleased, I bought him another drink. I don’t know what he meant about the love part, but he gets wild when he starts drinking. Just after the stein I bought him, he led the bar in song himself.

         This gave me a good chance to talk to Maria. Before I could get to her though, Norman burst into the bar. He’s so serious, but he had such a look of urgency that I thought he was going to slug Erickson when he hollered at him to stop singing. When all was quiet he unfolded a letter from the Vashti Capital. King Rames had passed away. He was a great man. The last war with Genzak took all the old king had left in him. It left the country poor and him deathly ill. Still we were shocked at the news. 

         Ever leery, John and Beck began to speak ill of Prince Eduard who was to take the throne. In all the commotion, I missed my chance to talk to Maria. She had already gone home. I must admit, I have always ignored the skepticisms of those gaffers, but tonight they left me with the unease to write. 

-Gerrik of Vashti