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?"
"I believe so. There's a sulfur spring in Rathon, about forty marches southwest of Rathon City." It had been called White Sulphur Spring, if Kalvan's memory served him correctly. He remembered hearing about it from his aunt who had visited the spa as a child. He'd already sent several miners and a pouch to Chartiphon, giving him orders and directions on how to set up a sulfur recovery station there. He had pointed out in his letter how important the place was and told him to build a big fort overseeing the springs. He also had standing orders to buy any sulfur that the sea merchants brought to port.
Dean Ermut rubbed his hands. "Great, Your Majesty! I have the local farmers and peasants building saltpeter traps. They already have excellent charcoal pits in the city. We should see the first new fireseed by midwinter."
"Excellent. I also want to re-establish the Hostigos Military Academy, only we'll found twenty to thirty of them instead of one big facility."
"Why so many, sire?" Aspasthar asked.
"First, there are now about forty to fifty thousand new Hostigi orphans due to Roxthar's Investigation and the migration from Hostigos. A few will be adopted but most will be left in our care. So we will need a lot more housing. We also want one Academy for girls only, but this one will also be dedicated to Tranth and Yirtta, as well as Galzar God of War."
Aspasthar, who had been made Commandant of Cadets, asked, "What does Queen Rylla think of this?"
"We're in agreement. Few of the girls in the Hostigos Academy wanted to be career soldiers, as I suspected. It runs against too many of the Zarthani codes of proper conduct, as I explained to Her Majesty. She's come to accept it, as long as those girls who want to join the Pioneers have a place to learn the military arts. The other girls will be trained in crafts, weaving, spinning, cooking and household duties.
"The other academies will be divided by age. I want junior academies for the younger boys where they can get more individual attention, some parenting and learn the basics of military life. There will be others for those who are approaching manhood. Finally, I'd like to create a senior academy, which will be known as the Royal Military Academy and offer training to older cadets and potential officers. It will work in conjunction with Military Science Department in the University of Hostigos. You will be in charge of all the cadets."
Aspasthar grinned and then grew serious. "Yes, Your Majesty."
"The original cadets set such a high standard in helping evacuate Hostigos that we anticipate very few problems mixing the new Zarthani orphans with the Urgothi orphans. Plus, the Urgothi children have the advantage of knowing the system; this will go a long way into making them good subjects of Nos-Hostigos. Nor does it hurt that we will be enrolling several thousand Thagnori orphans in the Academies, who will have the advantage of knowing the local area and customs. We will be teaching mandatory language lessons in both Zarthani and Urgothi. Someday these children will be the bridge between both cultures."
"And some of your best soldiers, if I have anything to say about it!" Aspasthar promised.
Kalvan was sure the lad was right. He patted Aspasthar's shoulders. Someday this young man would be all the soldier his father had been.
Highpriest Mytron smiled. "This is a good thing, Your Majesty. Not only are you training tomorrow's soldiers, but you are creating the new subjects of Nos-Hostigos."
They were all discussing the site for the new Royal Military Academy when a couple of riders in Hostigi colors rode up. He recognized several of the men but was surprised to see Captain Jephros, one of Phrames' captains, among them.
"Your Majesty!" cried the highest ranker.
"Yes, what's up?"
"Captain Jephros just arrived from the Buffalo Party, and Colonel Leukestros thought you should see him right away."
Jephros was winded. Kalvan gave him a few moments to catch his breath.
"Report, Captain."
"Yes, Your Majesty. We had a very successful buffalo hunt; the beasts carpet the prairie like locusts. We had a hundred wagons of buffalo hides and three times that of salted meat when we were attacked by a large party of nomads."
"Was Captain Halgoth able to identify them?"
"No, Your Majesty. There were several large northern tribes banded together in a large war party. None of them were familiar to Grand-Captain Halgoth. Captain-General Phrames was suspicious because they attempted a surprise attack, which is unusual for the northern tribes. They also had more calivers than one would expect, and plenty of fireseed."
"Does he believe they were aided by the Styphon's Grand Host?"
"No, Your Majesty. He believes they were led by Greffan agents, possibly sent by King Theovacar to harass our party."
This was as close to a declaration of war as they gave here-and-now. Kalvan wondered, Is Theovacar in league with Styphon's House? If so, it would greatly complicate matters. "How did our troops fare?"
"Very well, sire. The gun carts worked marvelously well. As soon as the nomads drew within range, the Captain-General had us lower the tailgates and fire the case shot. At the same time, the hidden soldiers raised the canvas on their wagons and fired their muskets. The Urgothi slaughter was horrendous. They left behind almost two thousand bodies. We cut the throats of all the wounded and circled the wagons. Captain-General Phrames had me and my squad slip out before they regrouped for another attack."
By Galzar! Phrames had him cut their throats! Things must really be bad. "How many men are you up against?"
"Twenty to twenty-five thousand, Your Majesty. Although there may be more on the way."
Kalvan thought carefully before saying, "Phrames should have enough men to stop the nomads. Why were you sent ahead?"
"They were shooting fire arrows at the wagons, Your Majesty. The Captain-General believes they are trying to destroy our cargo, not our party. Every time we get wagons ready to go, they attack. Phrames suspects they may be waiting for reinforcements."