Banished Prince Charming

Chapter 30 - The Delegation Of Ministers.

"When you are free, could everyone come into my shop for a little bit? I wanted to show you something and explain more about it." Jack spoke to me when we had our breakfast and were preparing to head to the 4x4 fields across the riverbank.

"Sure do, Jack. We would be there in a few minutes." Frank replied as we headed down to the shop and Jack went behind the counter. He heaved a huge metal contraption and said this is the mounted plough that would be able to assist in loosening the hard soil. It looked like an anchor from a ship.

Jack then explained its uses and we immediately knew its purpose. The sharp end of the anchor would 'anchor' itself inside the ground and then would help to loosen the soil. The so-called ailerons behind the anchor would help to churn the soil behind it as it was pulled by Sir Hope.

I had never seen contraptions before and I wondered where he got the idea from. Maybe it's due to his tinkering in the middle of the night whenever he can't sleep and prefers to design something instead.

Next, he introduced a few sickles, garden rake and spades, small and wide hoes. There was also an assortment of tools that was displayed on the countertop he had previously covered with the dr.a.p.e that came with the Blacksmithing tools before.

These tools were being made from the ores that had been bought earlier on and decides to replace the one that was either made of wood. Even though a wooden spade would still be able to do its job well, but there's no value in it and users would carelessly discard them aside after use.

"Young Master, look at this. See the inscription?" Jack pointed to me to a spot which every tool he produces had a small stencil indentation. "Hey...! That's GraceHaven...! So every piece has its mark?" I checked every piece near the end of its metal part before it joined with the wooden handle and saw that every one of them had the name of our village.

"Did you personally make this stencils? It Sure would take a lot of your time to do each one of them." After I mentioned my heartfelt thanks to Jack, he rolled a piece of leather on the counter and showed me all the stencils that could be etched in the same manner as a chisel would do. By using hammered force.

"So, you had these all along and didn't even show me, eh? At least it's a pleasant surprise for me. Didn't know you to be literate, old Jack..." I announced but when he answered where he learnt how to do it, I laughed my head off since he copied the symbols on the signboard that I had made and placed at the bamboo bridge.

It seems the only literate person was just Heather and me that time. Even though it was considered as a handicap to them but their honed skills at performing other life skills surpassed mine many folds.

Their adaptation to the current environment was much better than mine and due to that, I would consider that their life skills were the ones that made everything possible.

The tools that were intended for later use like the spades and hoes were placed on the storage shed while the ploughing anchor was hauled to the fields across the riverbank.

The children had brought baskets with them so that they would be able to haul the grass and weeds along after the ploughing back for Sir Hope to gnaw on top of the wheat and vegetables for its meals. Normally a dragan would require these supplements as long as it worked hard in the fields.

A job that required many hours to clear both 2x2 fields was completed with 3 hours with the help of Sir Hope and the new plough. The ploughed and loosened soil helped to uncover many earthworms along the way and the children had picked them up to feed the chickens as well as to reserve them for fishing in the days to come.

The ploughed fields were packed down and wheat seeds were planted after a groove was made using the rake that had 5 'teeth'. This enabled the children and the others to plant every single wheat sparingly using a stick as a measuring tool for each plantation.

Soon, 4 fields that made up of 30' by 30' had been completely covered by wheat before we took a break for lunch. The work continued on the following 4 fields of equal size afterwards and we all returned to our courtyard nearing dusk.

While waiting for dinner, the men fashioned some wind chimes made from some bamboo so that they would be placed around the fields to ward off birds that might flock around to feed on the seeds that were recently sown.

"Young Master, we really appreciate you by willingly rolling up your sleeves and worked the fields. If any other nobles are in your position right now, I think they would only be using their voices to command people around."

"Also we don't think they would spare their wealth for the growth of the settlement. With that, you are always in our hearts." Jack pointed out to me as the rest nodded.

Besides, they could only keep mum since the realised that I was the one who was making the biggest contribution to the village right now.

"Tsk... Don't you think much about it. Even I know who I am in the past, but the most important thing right now is the present and the future. If I am selfish and think about myself, would any of you think about sharing the valuable information about plants and fruits for our survival?"

"Definitely you would also do the same act and leaving the noble to start to death. I think by dying in that manner, Ben and Frank would not be doing these windchimes at all but prop my dead body on a stake and scare the living daylights of the birds."

"The only bird that would be taking interest in my dead body would be a vulture. Hahahah... " I joked and laughed with the rest and they realised that beneath all that title and honour, I am still a human being underneath.

"Look around you. Without your blood, sweat and tears, this preciously tiny settlement would not have these stores, livestock enclosures and also the farmland along the banks and beyond on our left. Those are the fruits of our labour that would soon reap in the future."

"Everyone of you played a part, no matter how big or small the contribution may seem but without any of you, nothing is impossible. From being banished right to this moment, everyone had turned a lifeless place into a bountiful one. Without each other we are nothing but stand together united as one, no one would be able to separate us."

I spoke up to everyone in front of me and I mentioned my gratitude to them many times over and knew that just by verbally mentioning my thanks would not be enough.

That's the reason I joined in the work together with the rest of them was that in the process of building the community, I would be equal in their eyes.

Besides, this was not Darlington at all but a shadow of its past that made up of a dozen residents from its past glory. Little did I realise that their dream was as big as mine and that would be: AN ENTIRELY BRAND NEW KINGDOM

After a hearty dinner, I ordered a keg and everyone's face lit up with joy. Although we have an abundance of kegs in the storage shed and had used up 6 that was bought earlier, I had replenished 2 dozen kegs that would be cracked open after a significant contribution was being performed and completed.

Of course, I won't be turning this bunch of simpletons to become drunkards...!

When the rounds of ale were passed down, I opened up a discussion regards to the group of cabinet ministers that would be allocated to the deserving members of the pioneering group. Everyone listened intently as they slowly sipped the ale in their cups and they asked questions pertaining to the roles and responsibilities for each cabinet minister.

I explained to them carefully and I had decided to hold the role and responsibilities of a Commerce Minister. The Financial Advisor was handed over to Jack as he deemed fit to handle all the incoming future monthly taxes. The Education Minister was handed to Heather as she would handle all matters pertaining to educating the children on the basics learning to read, write and math.

Next was the Health Minister's position that would be handled by Kayla. This means she would not only be handling medicines, potions and herbs but would also be in charge of ensuring that the refuse of bodily fluids and waste does not implicate one's health within the packed living conditions.

That also means the living conditions would not be similar to the cruck houses where occupants dine and sleep together with their livestock. If they do have any livestock, and if they are willing, I would buy and place the animals in their respective pens.

Next would be the Agriculture Minister, Justice Minister, Industry Minister and Public Works Minister would be handled by Crystal, Gwen, Ben and Frank accordingly. After thoroughly explaining their new roles and responsibilities, they understood and would adhere closely once the new immigrants start to fill up the residential plots.

Since they had been allocated a fixed size if a 10' by 10' or a 100 square feet for their dwelling, a standard one cabin shelter would be made of 8' by 8' in the centre of the plot.

The Public Works Minister would ensure that the houses would be well maintained by the occupants.

The paths would be replaced once it became useless and ensure that the occupants build drainage to prevent flooding and the grounds to become muddy et cetera. On other words, each of the families should take care of the maintenance of the house and surrounding themselves.

As the information was a tad too much to be absorbed in one night, I decided to adjourn the discussion and open up another one in the next few following days. "Tomorrow would be the day for us to collect reeds and bamboo for the construction of the shelters. All we need to do right now is to set up 12 shelters first in a row on both sides."

"Once we have taken care of it, we would then be expecting to see some new faces soon," I concluded the meeting after reminding that a group of nomads had been directed by Marcel to head over here with a month's time.

This would prove to be sufficient for some of the pioneers to begin work on the paths first while waiting for the arrival of the materials.

We need not worry for the felling of bamboo since it grew abundantly and would several months of daily removal before it would be exhausted.

Besides, these bamboo grows as much as 6 inches every 24 hours and would stop growing after it reached its m.a.t.u.r.e age or height of over 20 feet tall...! That part of the forest was called, Enchanted Bamboo Forest by Kayla on her first discovery.