The Kingdom of Eternal Winter

On board of a ship there was a small room. It was poorly lit, a person was sitting on the floor, and his hands were bound by rope. He was young man with green eyes and brown hair.

My name is Friedrich Hoffman. I am a pilot and I am in... Who knows where? I have no clue how this world of my conciseness looks like. I am not even sure that it follows the basic principles of geography. However we are moving to a direction and it's getting colder each day. If my assumption is correct we are moving either north or south.

"At least this time I am not locked up in a dungeon..."

However there are a lot of strange things within 'my world of conciseness' for example, this ship is a peddle steamer! These things were invented in the early 19th century. Why would this world have it?

How did they make such a thing? These people are all stuck in the medieval era, both in mind-set and in terms of technology, but this ship... It's clearly out of place, no matter how I look at it.

Maybe... this is a clue. I have to learn more about this world...The only way for that is asking my

Jailer but I have no idea about his real intentions...

Although in the academy they teach about the importance of trust and cooperation between the crew members. I don't see him as a trustworthy person...Who knows what happens If I answer all of his questions. That leaves me without any 'value' as he put it.

Maybe I missed something. Even though I agreed to follow him willingly, they still put a bag on my head, and they still keep me as their prisoner. However their treatment of me greatly improved. They no longer beat up an old man... Even If I somehow look young and healthy.

67 years of life experience won't just go away.

Suddenly the door in front of him opened and his 'jailor' came in. It was Machiavelli.

He's here again. With a paper in his hand. He does this every single day. He hopes that I will give up my cards... He should just give up. For two weeks he came in and asked questions about the 'another world'. I told him just enough information to keep him interested but not enough to tell anything of value. For example Earth has the population of 7 billion people.

There are 'metal birds' fly in the sky, and that there are 'iron tubes' on wheels that are faster than any horse. These kept him interested but he was curious about something else.

I can tell that just by looking at him. He is planning to use the information I have...but for what?

"I have a question for you." He then sat down and said." If you answer truthfully I will treat you as a free person from now on." He raised his left arm with the golden bracelet on it.

"However you have to prove that your answer is right. Due to the 'limitations' you have to prove that your statement is true, on this ship.

"What can you do, or more precisely what is your area of expertise?"

That's quite an easy question to answer, however I also have to prove it...Let's see I have profound knowledge in Administration, Management, Logistics, Engineering and Technology but these are quite difficult to show... however Mathematics, Geography and Physics don't require any advanced equipment. Especially Physics because so far it has the same effect on this world as on Earth.

I have an idea.

"You have to bring me above deck, and there I can show it to you."

He began to smile and gestured to the two sailors near the door. These people escorted him to the deck on the deck they cut the ropes binding his hands. When Friedrich stepped on the deck, the morning daylight hurt his eyes. It took him half a minute to get accustomed to the light. He then saw that they are approaching a harbour. It was a small harbour. No other ship was nearby; they were alone on the sea. He then looked towards the harbour and asked:

"Do you know when will we arrive precisely? I can tell you and show you how I reached that conclusion. Does this count as proof to you?"

Machiavelli was startled for a moment." Well... If you just tell me that will not satisfy my requirements however, If you prove me that this answer you gave is unrelated to any of your previous experiences and purely based on the 'knowledge' you briefly talked about, then

I will accept it."

You are especially careful when dealing with people. You remind me of a lawyer...

"First I ask you to drop out something that can float on water, and clearly visible from the distance. Then just give me your paper and a pen."

He gestured to the sailors, who brought out a wooden buoy; they also put a red cloth on it.

Then Machiavelli turned towards Friedrich

"However I am not sure what this pen is... Is it something you can write with?"

Friedrich nodded, and Machiavelli handed him a plume, and the sailors dropped out the wooden buoy.

We are about 1000 to 1100 meters from the shore, quite close to be honest, not sure it will convince him... If we won't slow down and keep our direction I can just calculate the time it will take for us to get there. I can measure our speed using the buoy. I just have to pay attention and count. I am lucky to have exceptional eyesight once more. I was already good at measuring distance with my eyes due to my experience but now I can be certain.

Then he looked at the buoy, wrote down something fast then showed it to Machiavelli. On the paper there were the following unknown symbols. At first glance they gave a demonic look that would terrify any brave man, like they were forbidden and cursed symbols.

t=10 second d=45 meters s=?

v=d/t

30 meters /10 second= 3meters/second

v=3 meters/second

s=3 meter/second d=810 t=?

t=d/s

1050 meters/3 meters/second= 350 seconds

t= time d=distance v=speed

Then Friedrich said "It will take about 350 seconds to get to the shore and this paper proves I am not speaking from experience, once you learn how to read it you can do the same thing I did and apply it to anything. It will give the same results." As long as they keep their speed and so on, but that is another story.

Machiavelli was shocked his eyes were fixed on the paper. He closely looked at every single symbol while he started to count in himself. He didn't stop until they arrived at the shore, but he was still shocked and didn't move at all, he just looked at the paper in his hand.

The paper with the demonic symbols on it. He completely froze but then when the ship docked,

He woke up. All the people on board were leaving the steam ship. And suddenly a grey haired man with wrinkles on his face spoke to him from behind.

"Lord Machiavelli! We finally arrived!" He smiled while letting out a relived sigh.

"After two and a half weeks of travel we are here!" but he didn't get a response. "My lord?"

Machiavelli then turned to Frederick. "I accept your proof...Even if it gave an incorrect answer you have full confidence in it and scribed it with great routine... You can't just create new symbols and have this kind of result..."

So you didn't care about the end result. You just wanted to test me...

"Then from this day on I receive equal treatment that was our deal, however I won't help you understanding this 'knowledge' as long as you don't provide me with some answer about where is my body and how will I go back to my world."

"I can already answer one of your questions. You never had one more. This is your only body. I had nothing to do with your 'other' body."

You had nothing to do with it?" But what about my way back?"

"I can't provide you with an..."

"Hey!" Suddenly voice came from the right side of the dock then a soldier on horseback came close to the ship. He had heavy armour. Its colour was as dark as the night sky. His face was also barely visible the dark helmet completely covered it. Around him there were a bunch of guards on foot with similar armour. "The Town decree clearly states that this territory belong to Duke Lionheart the Relentless. Explain your reason for mooring!"

The captain on the ship then steeped out: "We reached our destination. We are leaving right away we will pay our fees if necessary, after we unload our goods."

"Oh then I ask for your forgiveness." He turned down his voice then said" Let us help you with that, this way you can leave faster."

"There is no need..."

Suddenly the guards grabbed their swords. "We would like to assist you, yet you turn down our kind offer? This is clearly an insult! You hear it! This captain from nowhere did just insult the men of the Duke! This is unheard of!" He then put his hand on his chest.

"We are honourable knights with the goal to eradicate the wretched Church from the face of the continent, yet you are unwilling to pay respect to us?!

Do you have any idea what did the Church do to our Kingdom? They robbed us and used us yet we offer you kindness. However it seems you don't wish to accept it. Guess we have no choice. MEN!"

"No you misunderstand, we didn't mean to..."

"Oh... then you can pay us reparations for your insult. We will be generous and only take what we like." Then the men started marching towards the steam ship.

"Don't worry this won't take long."

"Stop!" Suddenly another voice came from the left side of the dock. It was a voice of a woman. Then she appeared. When she stepped in front of the guards many sailors dropped their jaws. The woman was a true otherworldly beauty. Her face was closer to a goddess than to any human. Her reddish long hair almost completely covered her back. She was also wearing a robe with two golden stripes. However most otherworldly was not her hair but her eyes that had a natural brown colour but something mysterious was hidden within it.

"Why do we fight? May I, Chosen of the Deity ask you that?" She said it with perfect calmness.

"You are all my children so I don't understand..." She said it with a sorrowful tone. "What made you fight each other for mere worldly possessions...?" She suddenly changed her tone from kind to complete cold." You should give it to me... to the Chosen of the Deity! For that only my cause is just. Don't you agree? My beloved children." All of the blue a huge crowd appeared behind her. They all wore white robes and completely shielded her. There were more than 30 of them.

"Enough! Guards! Let us show these beggars what it means to stand against The Duke!" He said it with a furious voice yet not one of the soldiers wearing the black armour moved. "Sheep! All of you!

The guard on the horse then charged towards the crowd and prepared for an impact. He let out a fearsome battle cry but, suddenly he stopped just right in front of the crowd...The woman then came out from the crowd and approached the armoured man. This man just stood still, and then he fell down from his horse and remained motionless on the ground. The other soldiers then ran away like they were running for their lives...The woman then leaned closer to the fell down man and said:

"Another poor soul lost...May we preserve his memory as a brave but foolish man..."

The crowd behind her then kneeled down and said in unison.

"May we preserve!"

Machiavelli still stood on the ship then he went to Octavio and said:

"Octavio I am afraid I cannot negotiate... You know what to do..." The grey haired man looked terrified then just nodded and ran into the storage chamber of the steam ship.

"Now we should use the wealth to aid all those in need so we could preserve our Church."

"May we preserve!"

"May we preserve!"

Machiavelli then stood in their way on the ramp. Not letting anyone pass.

"I am afraid I can't let you do that my lady."