Ruin Wielder

Rowan, after eating, took a nap. He was concentrating on healing himself. In this civil war, he was not going to participate now. The country will be rulerless for more than a decade, so he will have time and opportunity enough.

After resting, he was actually waiting for the lunch in his chamber, but he remembered that medieval people didn't have the concept of lunch or breakfast, they ate two times a day, and they might have forgotten about his meal.

Rowan got up and wore a light coat, as a noble, he has better clothes than a peasant, so after he wore the clothes, he walked downstairs.

Rowan was looking at the stairs and the castle's condition, the stairs inside will need repairs, but he was mostly eager to repair the walls first and anything that has to do with defense.

It didn't take long for him to go downstairs. He was fascinated by the castle. The castle was very different from the books he read but also very accurate. He couldn't put his finger on what was different about it.

Maybe I imagined it as something more grand.

Rowan thought, then walked to the courtyard. The courtyard was empty, only the captain's wife and the maid who gave him breakfast were working in the well.

"My Lord."

Both of them bowed seeing him. Rowan smiled and told them to continue what they were doing. He then looked at the curtain wall of the castle, the left side was barely holding the wall with the help of a large tree.

The right side wall was okay but did not have any wall-walking capabilities so that guards can walk around the wall and have a good watch.

The gatehouse is broken, and there's no gate at all, sigh! This castle is in ruins.

I need people to manage the castle and also a proper garrison.

"My Lord, I have notified the villagers to come to the castle this evening, they will come."

Captain Bernard came from outside the gate and reported while bowing his head.

"I see. If my guess is not wrong, this castle should have two attached villages. I guess only one exists now?"

Rowan asked, He was certain he had seen in the documents that this castle holding has two villages in its name and that the owner of this castle can collect taxes from two villages.

"Yes, my lord, there used to be two villages. Come, let me show you."

Bernard said, and then took Rowan outside the broken gatehouse. They stood in the narrow path that was created by just walking. The castle was in the higher ground. so Bernard pointed at the village.

The village was small but was in the middle of big fields, and then he pointed at a ruined and torched village it was far but can be seen from higher ground.

"That was the village. Bandit attacked and torched the whole village, took our women, and killed the men and children."

Bernard said, his tone was not sad nor emotional, it was as if he had lost those emotions somewhere.

"Sigh! This estate was neglected for far too long. I will protect the remains from now on. I swear it on my name as an Oakvale"

Rowan said while gritting his teeth, he was pissed, he didn't know why he was so angry, but he was. There's nothing he can do to fix the past, but he can fix the future that he knew.

"I am certain you will, my lord. I have a sword that I can give to the castle garrison if necessary …"

"There is no need for that, Bernard, I will arrange funds to buy these things in no time."

Rowan stopped Bernard halfway because he had already dismissed this old soldier from the captain of the castle, he couldn't just take his sword, which was every soldier's dignity.

"I understand, my lord."

Bernard said with a smile on his face.

"So how many people are in the village, Bernard?"

Rowan asked, he wanted to know about the village population because if it was not enough, he would need to hire mercenaries, which he didn't like particularly.

"My Lord, The village is called Bramble End. It has around seventy people in it, most of them are old and children. The young man is around 12, and the young woman should be 20 or so, and the rest are children and old people like me"

Bernard reported they were walking back to the Keep, where Rowan is staying.

"I understand. How is the food situation? Do we buy most of it or produce it?"

Rowan asked, he was asking questions because he wanted to know about this place through and through. The information is the key.

"Our village produces food, the fields are there for a reason, but there's not enough meat. We can only survive on bread, but our children are not that strong."

Bernard said sadly, but they were lucky enough to eat in these times.

"I understand. What's the biggest market nearby? With a good trader and also an armor and sword smith?"

Rowan asked, if he wanted to make the castle his home and base for now then these things are necessary, then he sat on his bed. Bernard was still standing.

"That would be Sazava, a monastery town nearby, it's big and also can accommodate Your need, My lord."

"Alright, call me up when it's time. I will need every person in the village, Bernard."

Rowan said with a nod and then dismissed the old captain, who bowed and left.

Sigh! The situation is rough in these parts, population is not enough.

In the evening Rowan was waiting by his window, then he saw people gathering in the courtyard of the outer bailey. He was waiting for this, so he nodded his head in satisfaction.

Knock-Knock

"It's Henry and Hynek. May we enter, my lord?"

Henry's voice came from the outside, he was with Hynek and was asking for permission to enter the room.

"Come in."

Hynek and Henry entered with their light armor on, they looked like they were ready for battle. They were carrying their bow and sword.

"I see you guys are ready to recruit. Nice, we will go when Bernard calls us. Hynek, carry that backless wooden seat when I go down. I have to lecture the people into submission"

Rowan said with a smile then winked, he wanted to scare people so that they would be more submissive and loyal to him.