Banished Prince Charming

Chapter 75 - Strike!

We hurriedly walked over across the farmlands where Sir Blackie was barking furiously, only to discover a huge looming beast was ramming itself on one of the barricades, having impaled its throat at the top vertical bamboo stake and its belly was repeatedly stabbed by the slanted sharpened bamboo stake as it dug deeper and deeper into it.

It was a male wild boar, a two-coloured half dark and pinkish beast that was as high as the waist of a man and weighed almost 700 pounds. The beast was thrashing and shrieking in pain as its jugular was impaled and there was a lot of blood loss through it.

The bamboo that was placed at the right angle of attack was pierced into its belly while the one next to its body was stabbing onto its sides. A single male wild boar of that magnitude was able to take up nearly half of the barricade.

Its front trotters were trying to claw and grip onto something solid but its spluttering blood from its injuries almost made it almost impossible. Its hind trotters were literally kicking at the ground as it entrails slowly gutted out from its open wound.

I walked near the barricade and found that the defensive structure indeed was a huge success. It was not only able to withstand the brunt force of a rampaging wild boar but also stood firmly in place without any signs of giving way...!

The wild boar slowly succ.u.mbed to its loss of blood and injuries as I smiled back and saw the eyes of those citizens looking at how effective this simple contraption worked. It may look mobile and flimsy but the damage dealt was simply indescribable.

"Release the anchors, flip the barricade towards the weight and let the animal fall on its own. Gwen, you know what to do next...! Can someone clean those blood from the barricade? Bring it to the river to wash it off and replace them back again. Please check for damage."

I quickly gave out instructions and several able-bodied men retrieved the wild boar, scooped its entrails and stuffed it back inside its open belly. It was brought to the courtyard for Gwen and some other men proceeded to remove its pelt, skin and internal organs before dressing it to a pit of fire.

The barricade was easily pushed to the sides of the riverbank and immediately washed off any remaining blood. Eagle went to inspect for damages and was surprised that the bamboo did not even break apart and all the splicing were intact. A 700 pound wild boar was easily subdued by a vertical and angled bamboo stake...!

"Such a simple contraption but dealt so much damage." he thought to himself and his thoughts were brought back to earth when I slapped his back.

"Why? We are going to have wild boar feast tonight... The defensive structure indeed worked. I will work with Gwen and you to find out more about booby traps, snares et cetera for the building of more defensive structures and implementation in the future. Would that be fine with you?"

"Yes Sir, it would be a splendid idea. At least that's what a Secretary does." Eagle answered me and was proud that my implementations on these improved versions of defensive structures truly worked and pictured how it would be when hordes of marauders would voluntarily impale themselves.

'Kayla, please prepare those sausages stuffing that you made the last time. I love it and so does Sir Blackie. Haha."

"Yes Sir, I would make those sausages that you like. Hope the innards didn't get too much damage but a few stitches would do fine." Kayla suggested as she thought of the damaged innards and could only remove the membrane of the intestines to make seasoned meat fillings.

This meat would be cured for about 3 days, smoked slowly and hung to dry. Once it is being fried with a bit of animal fat, the smell and taste of it would be fantabulous...!

"Jennings, how are the baking ovens? Could they be used to fire up some pieces of boar's meat for Sir Blackie?"

"Of course sir, I would be glad to see how the whole works would be. I would be using a clay tray as I would be using all 4 of the ovens and to observe its effectiveness."

"Alright proceed. Gwen, get the 4 trotters ready for Sir Blackie, the rest would be for our feasting tonight...!" I hollered excitedly and this brought the citizens to a new pitch of joy as well.

The moment of silence was observed for the first part of the day as the citizens went about to prepare the sympathy meals, assortment flavoured loaves of bread and lastly the main event, wild boar's meat.

"Today we have yet another blessing from heavens and its a form of food that had delivered itself to our doorstep...!" I raised my hands and punched it in the air triumphantly as everyone cheered.

They had learnt of who I was earlier at the burial grounds and the night before, where everyone had been forewarned not to show their respect through bowing et cetera. A man, even if he is of royalty bloodline, would bleed red if he is being stabbed.

"Sir, are you sure you do not require any coronation or an ascension ceremony?" inquired Eagle as he was thinking that leaving such treasures lying around would only entice the citizens to loot them.

"Not necessary a coronation ceremony, for the citizens now had already learnt of who I am and would definitely tell the others too. As for ascension to the throne, I had already ascended along with Lady Heather here on this two-seater throne made specially by Ben. Hahaha." I chuckled and this brought Eagle's mind somewhat at ease.

"Well, if you do insist, I could get the weavers to make a tall chef hat that would be adorned with some gold, silver and copper coins. Hehehe." I cracked a joke and those around who heard me laughed along. It would surely look kinda silly with me wearing a tall chef hat with coins adorned on it. Hahaha.

"Our leader really is simple but he commands respect and earns adoration with his citizens. No wonder he does not need a crown to show his statute as a leader or King. His temperament is fitting to a leader who knows what's good for the citizens and listens to them and makes evaluation with the rest of the ministers."

"His words are not the last decision as he truly makes use of others point of view. He is my one and only King I know in my heart and I will serve him till I die." Eagle thought to himself and can't resist but smile and clasped his hand to his c.h.e.s.t as he helped the others in their individual tasks.

I went around to see the rest of the citizens and true enough, no one bowed on all fours or curtsied to show their respects but merely clasped a hand to their c.h.e.s.t and bowed slightly as I bowed back at them too.

I went to see the progress of the bakery and found that the baking oven was working as fine as it was planned to be. The firing of the oven had been made throughout last night and the interior and exterior had been bisque-dry. The oven was slightly longer than 10 feet in length and a large thatched roof was used to cover the oven and partly the shop front.

Half low walls with a raised platform built behind the ovens and it was placed a distance away to allow the vent to be unblocked. The sidewall was build to a full length instead.

The front store was open-aired and a long 10-foot table with earthen jars, rolling pins and other tools of a baker's trade was set up for the main purpose of kneading the flour and inserting the fillings et cetera.

Just a few feet from the baking preparation table was yet another long table with stacks of the woven covered square bamboo basket the would be used to sore the loaves of bread inside. A large brightly coloured table cloth that was made into a patchwork adorned the serving counter. These bright colours do indeed brighten up the place, rather than the otherwise drab-looking bakeries across other towns.

The removal process of the pelt had been carefully done by Gwen and the men helped to skin the beast down. Innards and internal organs would be turned into bread fillings for the pigs with a mixture of other ingredients.

The large pair of lungs were boiled down and sliced to make additional delicacies for Sir Blackie as well. While the other internal organs were considered as a delicacy for others, we wouldn't mind to sacrifice them to make the fillings to feed livestock.

Even if outsiders were to find out, "Why do these villagers take the trouble to chop all these pieces of meat, mix with vegetables and fruits and then bake them into loaves of bread filled with what hulls, only to be fed to the pigs?"

The answer is simple: how we care for another human, it is how we should care for other animals too. If that livestock could talk, they would give high praises for us taking good care of them, even in captivity.

The wild boar's blood was a near-total loss since it could be consumed with some herbs after a series of preparations to enhance those who had anaemia. It's not a daily affair to encounter but Kayla managed to retrieve a small bowl and this blood was good to be consumed by nursing mothers and for those who are just recovering from injuries too.

The men had skinned the boar and that could be used as the drum's surface for some musical instruments. The gut was being prepared and decided to make lute strings while the membrane of the intestines was carefully extricated and left to soak in brine to make sausages.

I went to take a look at the tailor and loom building and was satisfied that the building was expanded both at the back and the sides to accommodate 2 looms and its operators. The whole building looked rather grand and what I could see from now, it would be one of the features that would be a second landmark in the village."

"Sir, here is a plan for the building structure of your domain." a pocked marked faced engineer came forward and held a draft made from papyrus as he unfurled it for me and showed its diagram. Eagle had made a point to his team to approach me if there's a need and don't have to every now and then to seek for permission et cetera.

It is both the autonomy for citizens alike. They would be free to approach and if need be, be heard through the nightly conferences to have a general view from the rest of the public. With such practices in place, the interaction between citizens and their leader is less restrictive and relaxed.

I looked at it and suggested a single storey instead. A front kind of porch is highly likeable by me since it could serve as a slightly raised platform.

Furthermore, I am against the idea of a totally raised platform where you view the citizens from a vantage point. It was either cowardice (afraid of being pelted by rotten tomatoes) or a form of disrespect by 'looking down' at the citizens.

A slightly one foot raised platform would do just fine. It can be a semicircle or rectangular shape as long as it does not hamper any movements or use too much of the space in front of the courtyard. At least the raised platform would not gather too much dirt and can be brushed off with our homemade broom.