The next morning Emmeline found herself knocking at the door of her own manor for a second time in as many days. Rhozenn answered and told her that knocking, for her, was completely unnecessary here. It took a minute to sort things out between them, but in the end Emmeline managed to establish that \u201cmy lady\u201d need not be used in reference to herself and that she was not disappointed in the small size and poor condition of the manor.<\/p>\n
Still Rhozenn seemed wary. Her husband Riok had come home yesterday energized and even looking younger than he had in years. He was even less hunched to his wife\u2019s eyes. This was something Rhozenn was grateful for, but didn\u2019t understand. <\/p>\n
When Riok arrived, Emmeline had many questions and he did his best to answer them. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo villeins are what you call peasants tied to the land?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, my lady.\u201d She couldn\u2019t make Riok stop calling her that.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, so that means they are not free?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are serfs, my lady, but not slaves. We all serve the land here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Emmeline digested that. Somehow it seemed right that people should serve the land. The land deserved to be taken care of, didn\u2019t it? But she wasn\u2019t sure she liked the implications of having serfs. \u201cI see. The land needs people to work it and to take care of it and livestock and all those things. I do understand that. But\u2026 what if someone wants to do something different?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs I said, my lady, they are serfs, not slaves. It is traditional that should a serf wish to leave the manor \u2014 that is to say, to leave their obligations to land and manor here \u2014 they may do so for a fee.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it unreasonably expensive for a serf to afford that?\u201d<\/p>\n
Riok shrugged. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t really say so, my lady. After all, any time a serf must leave or otherwise cannot work the land, then you must either find a replacement or everyone else must work that much harder to get everything done that needs to be done. Therefore a tax called chevage is levied. It\u2019s the equivalent of two chickens, each time a serf leaves the manor, to a maximum of 10 silver a year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Emmeline thought about that. \u201cWell. That doesn\u2019t seem unreasonable\u2026 Okay, so what other taxes or rules are there?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell my lady, aside from the chevage, there is the filstingpound, foddercorn, gersum, heriot, legerwite, maltsilver, merchet, tallage, wardpenny, and woolsilver. Maltsilver, wardpenny, and woolsilver is simply paid for in labor, whilst the filstingpound tends to vary.\u201d<\/p>\n
Emmeline\u2019s eyes glazed over halfway through the list of unfamiliar words. \u201cUm\u2026 That sounds like a lot, Riok.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cActually, each of those are quite specific in circumstance. For example, tallage is a tax that is collected but once per year, others only apply during certain circumstances and many things are simply paid for with produce from your own lands. So really, nearly all of it\u2019s yours anyway. The people here just work things for you and in exchange they also enjoy the benefits of livestock and produce as well as your protection.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy protection?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes my lady. Of course they do not expect you to be standing around, sword in hand, ready to strike down bandits. They understand that the baron\u2019s protection extends to them through you. And of course matters of justice are things I can deal with in your name, or send up to Uzec in the case of serious crimes like murder.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEven so, it sounds like I have a lot to do here. There must be fields to manage, inventories to take, village functions to oversee\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Riok smiled, \u201cActually, my lady, that is the task of the steward \u2014 which is myself. Because we are quite small, I also fill the rolls of bailiff and reeve, though it might be nice if some volunteer from the village might take on the reeve\u2019s duties. It would leave me with a little time to perform as a warden again\u2026\u201d He looked hopefully at Emmeline.<\/p>\n
She nodded, \u201cOf course. Whatever a reeve might do, if it is a help to you then we should have one. But Riok, what am I to do?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy, my lady, you must fulfill your obligation to the baron. I can handle things here for you, but only you can answer your duty to the barony.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a two week obligation to the baron per year,\u201d Emmeline said.<\/p>\n
Riok nodded. \u201cThen the baron has been most generous to you, my lady. Often service requires much more than that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMore?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes. For example, many land holders must perform military service or pay to avoid it, as well as provide counsel and justice duties.\u201d<\/p>\n
Emmeline looked puzzled. \u201cHuh.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cProblem, my lady?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, I really have no idea what my obligations are other than \u2018two weeks of service per year\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt sounds to me like a token requirement.\u201d Riok raised an eyebrow. \u201cPerhaps my lady is already performing some service?\u201d<\/p>\n
Emmeline blushed in embarrassment before recovering. \u201cOh! I see what you mean. I suppose I am in that I will be mentoring his daughter over the course of much of next year and running an errand on the way. But I agreed to do all that before any mention of this fief was made, so I still wonder what my obligations will be.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly he can tell you that, my lady.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen I need to stop and see him one more time before I leave Uzec,\u201d Emmeline said. \u201cThank you for your help, Riok.\u201d She then counted out a few gold coins and pressed them into his hand. \u201cShould you need to contact me, this should pay for a blue cap courier. It may be expensive because I can\u2019t tell you where I might be over the course of the next year.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The next morning Emmeline found herself knocking at the door of her own manor for a second time in as many days. Rhozenn answered and told her that knocking, for her, was completely unnecessary here. It took a minute to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2013,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2],"tags":[4],"class_list":["post-1957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-thalassa","tag-emmeline"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8aqU2-vz","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3047,"url":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/2016\/08\/17\/home-at-last\/","url_meta":{"origin":1957,"position":0},"title":"Home at Last","author":"Illuminatus","date":"August 17, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Emmeline traveled to Cerisey in the company of Kalista. She was anxious to get a first look at how her little manor was coming but she also wanted to catch up with Riok and his wife, as perhaps visit with the town folk a while. She knew the harvest should\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Thalassa"","block_context":{"text":"Thalassa","link":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/category\/thalassa\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2375,"url":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/2015\/08\/21\/solo-visit-to-ceresey\/","url_meta":{"origin":1957,"position":1},"title":"Solo Visit to Ceresey","author":"Illuminatus","date":"August 21, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"After a couple evenings and days far more luxurious and comfortable than Emmeline really thought she deserved, she decided it was time to visit Cerisey and the Mother Tree. She spent a very pleasant breakfast with the baron and his daughter discussing where her abilities might best benefit the barony\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Thalassa"","block_context":{"text":"Thalassa","link":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/category\/thalassa\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3518,"url":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/2017\/11\/14\/households-circles-spring-451\/","url_meta":{"origin":1957,"position":2},"title":"Households & Circles: Spring 452","author":"Edward","date":"November 14, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The Dungaruuns of Mericourt Ridge Master: Monsieur Elimix Dungaruun, Magus Mistress: Lady Amelie Dungaruun Young Mistress: Lady Amelia Belladonna Dungaruun Landlord: Lord Marshall Roland d'Uzec-Leon Housekeeper: Mdm. Estelle Pineau Groundskeeper: M. Fernand Pineau Lady's Maids: Mslle. El\u00e9onore Ballou, Mslle. Claudia Carbonneau, Mselle. Nicoline Gavreau Valet: Master Hugues Mercier, son of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Thalassa"","block_context":{"text":"Thalassa","link":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/category\/thalassa\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2815,"url":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/2016\/01\/24\/on-the-way-to-cerisey\/","url_meta":{"origin":1957,"position":3},"title":"On the Way to Cerisey","author":"Illuminatus","date":"January 24, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"That morning was cold. Even colder than before. With wounded coming in that morning from Calder Keep, Typhon N\u00e9 begged off the traveling as people needed her here for a time and she had little to do with Cerisey or the Vale, save for a very distant relation to Remy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Thalassa"","block_context":{"text":"Thalassa","link":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/category\/thalassa\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Emmeline","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2016\/12\/image-300x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1951,"url":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/2015\/03\/28\/epilogue-session-3\/","url_meta":{"origin":1957,"position":4},"title":"Epilogue Session 3","author":"Edward","date":"March 28, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Overview Tiffanie was the key player in convincing her recently discovered great uncle Aurryn Silverleaf, a grim scout first hired by the group to bear witness to her and Emmeline's actions at the Cairns, to make an agreement with the Baron d'Uzec. It also turns out the 'Sister' Jos likes\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Thalassa"","block_context":{"text":"Thalassa","link":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/category\/thalassa\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1959,"url":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/2015\/03\/31\/communion-with-the-mother-tree\/","url_meta":{"origin":1957,"position":5},"title":"Communion with the Mother Tree","author":"Illuminatus","date":"March 31, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Emmeline was practically walking on air when she left the Glade of the Mother Tree. She knew now that Mara was a powerful Sidhe, a Lady of the Fey and imagined her patron as something like a Dryad Queen due to the connection Mara now enjoyed with the world through\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Thalassa"","block_context":{"text":"Thalassa","link":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/category\/thalassa\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1957","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1957"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1957\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}