Trouble in the County of Rouvroy

As Claude and Alicia entered the County of Rouvroy, Claude's eyes lit up with excitement. It was clear that he was very happy to be home. The town of Rouvroy lies just below a white stone keep that sat on a small hill with a view of the entire small valley, the main road snaked its way through the town and up to the keep. The land all around the town and the keep was a patchwork of little farms leading up to forested land that lies at the base of a half bowl of large mountains. Claude explained to Alicia, "That's the famous Montagnes d'ordures range, on the other side is El Pais de Lotharios. The bandits use the low lying mountain trails, only the top of the peaks really get much snow in this part of the Kingdom due to the climate. It stays mild to hot most of the year."

Alicia smiled as she looked around she asked, "Is this the only town in the county?"

Claude nodded and said, "The county itself is large, but most of the land is mountainous and not usable. People have naturally settled in this valley due to the abundant water and good soil here due to the runoff from the Montagnes d'ordures. Ah, look there, see that?" Claude pointed to a grove of trees. "That's a special treat of the county. Apple trees!"

Alicia giggled and the asked, "Why did you choose to attend the Academy, Claude?"

He sat back down, the smile still on his face, "I had hoped to do well enough to try for the King's medal. Even though I am nowhere close to that, I feel the Academy has shown me what I lack and what I need to learn in order to someday become the kind of Count that my father is right now." He looked over at Alicia and then asked, "And you?"

Alicia leaned against the side of the carriage and said, "My parents wanted me to go and find a good husband as my sister did." She chuckled, "I wish my reason was more noble, but that's the truth." She sighed and then said, "My sister didn't even end up with the husband. She reached too high and was beaten down for her efforts. Not only that, she caused trouble for Madeline and I because of it."

Claude's smile dimmed and then he said, "Parents always want their children to reach for the stars, it's only natural."

Alicia gave him one of her bright smiles and then said, "My mother was the daughter of a baron and met my father, the son of a count at the Academy. She just expected that we would both be able to marry above the way she did. Ah, but, what does that matter, in the end, people should just find the person that's right for them."

Claude smiled brightly and nodded, "We are almost to the keep, my mother should have prepared a feast for my return, I hope you enjoy the cuisine of the south."

*****

Just as Claude predicted, there was a huge feast waiting. When Claude's mother saw Alicia she immediately started to treat her as Claude's wife. Claude felt rather embarrassed by this since he had never discussed any kind of feelings between the two of them, let alone even began to speak of something like marriage. Alicia didn't seem to mind at all and even doted on Claude's mother as if she were a happy bride to be. Claude's father pulled him aside as Alicia and Claude's mother chatted happily about their families, "Son, we are in trouble this year. Only two knights have come this year, and they are both lazy pigs. Not only that, but the harvest was bad, so we have half the usual volunteers as a lot of the men went north to get work along the coast in the fishing villages."

Claude frowned and then said, "You think the bandits this year will worse too."

Count Rouvroy nodded and said, "If our harvest was bad, it was bad on the other side too." He pointed in the direction of the Montagnes d'ordures.

Claude rubbed his chin and asked, "You wrote to Duke Taillefer for help?"

Count Rouvroy nodded and said, "The Duke sent the two lazy pigs and a company of his rangers. The Rangers are good in the forest, but on flat land, they are just fodder for swordsmen." He sighed and said, "Our usual tactic is to lead them out where the knights on heavy horse can take them, but with only two knights, a handful of men at arms and a troop of rangers? That would be suicide."

Claude thought for a moment and rubbed his chin, "Alicia and I will take the troop of rangers to the Montagnes d'ordures trail and pick off bandits that come in force there, you, the men and the volunteers can stay with the knights at the trailhead and be ready in case we let too many through, we'll then be able to come up from behind and catch them between us."

Count Rouvroy turned and looked at Alicia with new eyes, "The girl can fight too? You've picked a good wife, my son!"

"Father please, I haven't asked her if she has feelings for me yet, I was only hoping to get to know her better on this winter break." He blushed hard.

Count Rouvroy slapped his hand on Claude's shoulder and said loudly, "A chip off the old block, you are your father's son!" He grabbed his tankard of mead and called out, "We'll go with my son's plan this year!" A roar of approval sounded from the men at arms of the keep.

*****

Madeline watched as Guy struggled to explain magic to Olivier for the fiftieth time, it was like Olivier just couldn't grasp that he had to memorize the formula and hold the target at the same time in order to fire the spell. Olivier refused to give up, so Madeline also tried to teach him a few times only to get frustrated and turn it back over to Guy.

Olivier pointed his hand at Guy and said, "Water Balloon."

Guy shook his head and said, "Olivier it's not enough to just say the words, you need to see the formula and the target like Water Balloon."

Olivier was once again doused with water. He slowly returned to his feet and said, "Once I learn this spell, I swear on my father's crown, I will chase you back to your father's Dukedom dousing you with water."

Madeline laughed but Guy frowned at him and said, "Now I don't want to teach you anymore." He pouted like a child and looked away from Olivier who once again studied the book hard.

Olivier looked at Guy and said, "Water Balloon." His voice made the familiar strange echo and then Guy was hit by the blast of water. Olivier laughed and then said, "Water Balloon. Water Balloon. Water Balloon." Drenching Guy over and over again.

Olivier then fainted. Guy didn't understand at first what had happened and started to panic. Madeline came over and checked his breathing and said, "He fainted."

Guy rubbed his chin and thought, 'Could it be mana? Olivier must have exhausted his mana casting the spell so many times in a row!' He asked, "Madeline when you used the spell earlier, did feel light headed at all afterward?"

Madeline shook her head and said, "It didn't feel like anything at all."

Olivier woke up soon after and admitted to having a light-headed feeling after using the spell three times in a row. "I think until we know more about how magic works, we should keep this to ourselves. The last thing we need is to release this knowledge before we know what possible dangers are involved in its use."

"I think that's a good idea, Olivier. But we should be prepared to disseminate this knowledge in case Wütendes Menschenreich truly has mastered some of these spells." Guy said.

Madeline asked, "Lord Molester, perhaps we should investigate the other books and see if there are any useful bits of knowledge about magic use, aside from just spells."

"It's Montfort, and I agree." Guy nodded.