Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king - Chapter 439

Chapter 439: New home Chapter 439: New home After two long weeks of travel, Torghan finally stood on solid ground once more.

The journey had been a grueling one-one and a half weeks spent at sea, and the rest navigating the land toward their new home.

He had never thought he would be so grateful to feel dirt beneath his feet again.

The sea voyage had nearly driven half of them mad.

The first few hours had been tolerable-uneasy but tolerable.

Then, like a creeping sickness, paranoia took hold.

It started with whispers-old warriors muttering under their breath, clutching at their amulets, their eyes darting to the endless waves as if expecting vengeful spirits to rise from the depths.

And then, the vomiting started.

What began as a handful of seasick men quickly spread like a plague.

Grown warriors, the same men who had taken heads in battle without flinching, now lay curled up on the deck groaning in agony, puking their guts out.

Some accused the outsiders of tricking them with cursed waters.

Others claimed the spirits of their homeland had turned against them, punishing them for their betrayal.

There were even a few who declared that the only way to appease the spirits was to throw themselves into the sea and beg for forgiveness.

That was when Torghan had stepped in.

He had done everything to silence the panic, stamping it out before it could spread further.

He had stood among them, pale and nauseous himself but unwilling to show weakness, as he tried his best to calm his people down.  “Yes, the water spirits do not favor us.

We have reached their domain, and they have withdrawn their blessings.

But do you know who else suffers from this?

The outsiders!

Even they, who cross the sea as easily as we walk the land, sometimes find their stomachs twisting in pain.

If this were truly a curse, then why do they also fall victim to it?” Some had grumbled, some had scoffed, but the truth in his words had taken root.

And after a few miserable days, the nausea had finally lessened, and their paranoia faded into nothing more than an embarrassing memory.

But now, at long last, the endless journey was behind them.

Now, they stood here ahead of their new home.

There was a general thought that passed through the minds of the new settlers, be it elders, children or adults man.

How amazing— The tribesmen muttered among themselves, their voices hushed yet brimming with awe.

Their feet stood on firm, rich earth-earth that stretched out before them in an endless sea of green, so vibrant it almost hurt the eyes.

This was nothing like the land they had left behind, where the soil was patchy and the winds carried dust more often than they did the scent of fresh grass.

“Look at it,” one of the older warriors murmured, rubbing the dirt between his calloused fingers.

“No rocks, no dry patches, just… earth.

Soft and rich.” Another man, younger, stepped forward and let out a low whistle.

“I have never seen a place so flat,” he admitted.

“You could walk a sheep across this land for a whole day and never have to climb a single hill.” “Aye,” another voice added, half in disbelief.

“No cliffs, no jagged stones… just space.

And grass as far as the eye can see.” And it wasn’t just the grass.

Their herds would thrive here.

There was no shortage of thick, healthy weeds and lush pastures for grazing.

It was the kind of land where even the weakest of animals could fatten up without much effort, where a shepherd wouldn’t have to fight the earth itself to keep his flock alive.

Then there were the villages.

As they had approached, on the way on the road, their guides made sure to let them see the settlements that, to their trained eyes, bore the marks of prosperity.

But what truly erased any lingering doubt was the sight of the great warehouses.

Whenever they stopped to rest in a village-each one already prepared to welcome them-they were allowed to see them up close.

The buildings were packed full of grain, their wooden walls practically bulging under the weight.

Some of the tribesmen had gasped aloud at the sheer abundance before them.

“I thought we would be scrounging for scraps,” one of them whispered.

“But this… this land has more food than I have ever seen in my life.” Another nodded, eyes still fixed on the distant storehouses.

“No wonder the outsiders could afford to give away salt for free.

They don’t just survive here… they thrive.” The weight of the journey, the fears of spirits’ curses, the exhaustion of leaving behind everything they had ever known-all of it paled in the face of what they saw before them.

The land was so blessed that even their doubts seemed insignificant now.

Perhaps, just perhaps, they had not made a mistake.

As the tribesmen gawked at the vast green fields stretching endlessly before them-the land that was now theirs-gasps and murmurs of awe filled the air, few noticed the figure standing silently behind Aron.

Unlike the warriors and settlers, this man did not stare in amazement at the land.

He stood with arms crossed, his sharp eyes fixed on Aron and the man he was speaking to.

The man in question was gesturing animatedly, pointing in different directions as he spoke, his words quick and clipped.

Aron nodded along, listening intently.

He was dressed in a long brown cloth that reached his knees, simple yet strangely formal, and atop his head sat an odd brown hat, stiff and flat.

Torghan narrowed his eyes at the sight.

He had no idea that this was the standard attire of a common clerk, one of the countless functionaries working within the newly established princedom’s growing bureaucracy.  After a brief exchange, the clerk gave Aron a respectful bow before turning on his heel and departing, his brown robes fluttering slightly as he walked away.

Aron watched him go for a moment before shifting his attention back to Torghan, who stood with his arms crossed, waiting.

Aron exhaled and gave a small, almost amused shake of his head.

“That was our directive,” he said, gesturing vaguely at the departing clerk.

“Instructions on how your people should settle into their new lands.” Behind Torghan, his translators murmured in low tones, converting Aron’s words from the smooth syllables of Azanian into the rougher, more guttural tongue of the mountain tribes.

Aron continued, “The lands have already been worked, so there won’t be much trouble with farming for now.

But since there are over two thousand of you, it’d be best to expand it a little more.

However, most of your efforts shouldn’t go into farming at the start.” He paused, letting the words sink in before continuing, “Your workforce should focus primarily on building homes and organizing food stores.” Torghan’s brows furrowed slightly at that.  Wouldn’t the prince feed them until the first harvest?

Aron caught the look and let out a chuckle, smiling as he waved a hand dismissively.

“Don’t worry,” he reassured him.

“There’s more than enough food prepared to sustain all of you until the next early spring harvest.

No one’s going to starve.” Then, leaning in slightly, he added, “Still, it’s best you start learning now how to sustain yourselves between harvests.

After all, once you’re here, this land is yours to work.

Might as well learn how to make the most of it between each harvest.” Aron folded his arms and tilted his head slightly.

“You’ve been settled near the sea,” he said, “so your people can learn how to fish as well as work the land.” Torghan’s brows raised slightly in surprise.

Fishing had never been a part of his people’s way of life, yet the thought of it was intriguing.

Before he could say anything, Aron continued.

“The prince has already prepared fishing ships for your people to use,” he added with a smirk, as if amused by Torghan’s surprise.

“You’ll have the tools-you just need to learn how to use them.” Torghan couldn’t deny it.

The sheer amount of effort that had gone into ensuring their settlement was a success was far greater than he had expected.

When he had first agreed to leave, he thought they would be little more than hired hands, given lands and expected to survive off of it .

Instead, they had been given prepared land, stored food, and now even ships for fishing.  After a moment, he gave a slow nod, accepting the directives laid before him.

He might not have expected this level of preparation, but he wasn’t foolish enough to reject it.

Aron watched him closely, then exhaled.

“From now on,” he said, his tone turning firm, “this is your land.

You are expected to administer it, to ensure order is kept, and that the laws are respected.” His gaze sharpened slightly.

“That means it falls on you to lead-not just in battle, but in governance.” Torghan met his gaze evenly, understanding the weight of the words.

“In the future,” Aron went on, “we will send men to explain the laws you are expected to follow.” His lips twitched into a faint smirk.

“It’d be best for you to listen to them when they arrive.” Aron crossed his arms, watching Torghan carefully.

“We will also send people to teach you the language,” he continued.

“It would be a poor thing for you to rule over these lands and not speak a word of the southern tongue.” Torghan gave a small nod at that.

He had already expected as much-if he was to lead, he needed to understand those around him.

After a brief pause, he met Aron’s gaze and said, “Then when the time comes, thank the prince on my behalf.” As soon as the words were translated Aron nodded once and let out a short chuckle.

“If you truly wish to thank him,” he said, “then make sure your people do not cause any issues with the locals.

There is land enough for all, but a single reckless act can undo even the best-laid plans.You are here for his grace’s benevolence , any misconduct you have will also be associate with that of the crown.So behave yourselves….” Torghan furrowed his brows but gave another nod.

He understood the warning well enough.

His people were warriors, but he knew very well they would not disdain peace.  Still, Aron’s next words caught his attention.

“In the future,” he said, his tone shifting slightly, “there may be opportunities for you to lead your warriors into battle-beside the prince, and of course you and your people will be well rewarded for your service.” Torghan’s eyes sharpened, his interest clear.

A chance to fight-now that was something worth considering.

His lips curled into a faint smirk as he nodded.

“If that day comes,then when we are called, we will answer.”  He answered not knowing that such moment would come much earlier than any would have expected.