Not that Kalvan didn't already have his plate full with things to do. He'd assigned Master Ermut and a team of artisans to build a new and enlarged paper mill; they'd promised to have it up and running by midwinter. Once Ermut had solved the sizing problem, before they left Hostigos, they had been turning out a decent quality rag paper that didn't fall apart in your hands. The new stuff actually held up under an ink pen. Note: Set up rag collection depots and see about local sources for linen.
He had a new Royal Foundry under construction, a new glassblowing facility for making brandy flasks and a new Bank of Hostigos being built. Mytron was overseeing the building of several temples to Allfather Dralm. In his copious spare time, Kalvan was working with Captain Nathros on a new road system and semaphore station layout to go from Thagnor to Rathon City. He'd made General Klestreus his Chief of Staff and put him in charge of setting up the new Thagnor food depots and collection stations; he had a real gift as an administrator and bean-counter.
Master Ermut, here-and-now's first scientist, was the new Dean of the University of Hostigos, while Mytron, the former rector, was the realm's new Chancellor-now that former Chancellor Chartiphon was King of Rathon-and head of the Temple of Dralm. Both men were busy overseeing the cataloging and accounting of the materials and equipment that had survived the exodus from Hostigos. Unfortunately, too many valuable and irreplaceable items had been abandoned, destroyed or left behind in their haste to leave Hostigos.
"All the walls are stone, Your Majesty," Guildmaster Varianos said, his breath blowing puffs of fog into the air. "Good construction, too."
"It's even bigger than the original building that was the foundation of the University of Hostigos," Chancellor Mytron added. "The grounds are quite large, with two large barns for the laboratories." He pointed out the window. "Over there we could raise up another classroom."
"I don't like the fact that it's right up against the City's second wall," Kalvan said. "I'm certain we'll see a Styphoni siege in the spring and I don't want to have to rebuild the University again if they bust through the outer wall."
Mytron shook his head. "We've been all over the center of the city and there are no abandoned buildings big enough for our purpose. We'll either have to buy up a block or two of prime commercial property or demolish several blocks of townhouses and apartments, which will prove both costly and unpopular."
"Dralm-damnit, I know," Kalvan said, throwing out his arms in frustration. Everything seemed to take more of his time and cost more money than anyone could have predicted. It wasn't easy rebuilding Hostigos Phoenix-like out of the rough materials of Thagnor.
"That may not be a problem, Your Majesty." Ermut paused long enough to bring a soapstone out of one of the pockets in his brown robe. The Dean appeared to keep all nature of things, from fruit to meteorites, in his oversized pockets. "The Army engineers have finished the outer wall and have just started working on shoring up the second wall."
While Ermut was making his drawing, Aspasthar asked, "Your Majesty, does this new University you're building in Thagnor mean we may not be returning to Hostigos?"
"That's a good question." Kalvan started to knock his pipe bowl against one of the walls to dislodge a plug of burnt tobacco and ash. He stopped in mid-swing, instead striking the barrel against the heel of his palm. Pipe barrels were not as sturdy as the ones back on otherwhen. They didn't have the French briar to make bowls here-and-now, so he'd had his own personal pipemaker experiment with burls of different woods. Black Walnut burl was the best they'd come up with so far.
Reaching into his tobacco pouch, Kalvan put some fresh flakes into the bowl, tamping them down lightly with his golden halberd-headed tamper. His fingers were half-frozen from the cold, making lighting his tinderbox a fumble-fingered affair. When the pipe was drawing well, he inhaled.
"You want the truth, Aspasthar," Kalvan said, after expelling a cloud of tobacco smoke. "I don't have an answer. Right now, without divine intervention from Dralm, it doesn't look as if we'll ever return to Old Hostigos."
Kalvan ignored the sudden whitening of Aspasthar's face. The boy had lost his father, Harmakros, and his home in the space of a moon. Yet, he'd still had the courage and forthrightness to organize the cadets at the Military Academy in the defense of Hostigos, delaying the Grand Host's siege of Tarr-Hostigos by several critical days. The bodies of almost a thousand cadets had been left behind to fertilize the soil of Hostigos. He deserved an honest answer.
"I believe with a little time and good fortune we can hold Thagnor against the Grand Host; this place is much more defensible than Hostigos ever was. And a lot farther from Styphon's House's base of operations. How long we can make a stand here without some help in the form of allies is another good question. And another one I don't have an answer for. A lot depends upon King Theovacar, as well as our own steadfastness. The best I can tell you is that I don't plan to leave Thagnor City on two legs unless we're returning to Old Hostigos."
Highpriest Mytron made a circle with his right forefinger around the white star on his blue robe. "May Dralm Bless Your Majesty and the Hostigi People."
"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."