ALL NOVEL 24. A New Hope
Her words hung heavy in the air, a stark reminder of the harsh reality these people faced. Freedom, while a noble ideal, couldn't fill empty stomachs or provide shelter from the coming winter.
The fear in the maid's eyes wasn't defiance, but raw terror of an unknown future. Kivamus recalled his earlier conversation with Gorsazo, and the chilling truth he had told about some slaves clinging to their servitude in the face of freedom. Now, witnessing their raw fear firsthand, he understood.
Taking a deep breath, Kivamus addressed the hesitant group. "Please, understand," he began, his voice gentle, "I am not forcing you to leave the manor. This is your home, and you are welcome to stay and work here as long as you wish. However," he continued, "you all are now free people. You have a choice. You can continue with your current duties, or you can choose to leave and pursue another path. It is up to you now." He paused, letting his words sink in. The weight of this decision, the power to shape their own destinies, must have felt overwhelming after years of servitude.
The maid, her eyes red-rimmed from tears, looked up at him. "Are you… are you truly not sending us away, my lord?" she stammered, her voice barely a whisper. "We can… we can stay?"
Kivamus couldn't help but smile, a genuine, heartfelt smile that warmed the chilly courtyard. "Yes," he confirmed, "this is not a trick. You all can stay and continue your duties as before, but now as free people."
The weight of his words seemed to settle on the group. The fear that had clouded their faces slowly began to dissipate, replaced by a hesitant curiosity.
Kivamus felt a surge of determination after witnessing firsthand the depth of their fear and the harsh realities of their world. He would never allow this system of slavery to stand under his watch, even if it was ingrained in the people. But simply freeing them wasn't enough. He needed to offer them a path forward, a future built on dignity and choice.
He turned towards Duvas, his brow furrowed in thought. "Duvas," he inquired, "were these people ever paid for their work?"
Duvas shook his head. "No, my lord. It has always been the custom everywhere that slaves only receive food and lodging in exchange for the duties they perform."
Kivamus frowned. "And the other servants?" he continued. "Do they get wages?"
"Indeed, my lord," Duvas responded. "Their wages are based on the duties they perform. Depending on their skills, most of them get between eight to twelve coppers a day. Of course, the cost of their food and lodging is deducted from it, which is around half of it."
He sighed. "However, as you know, my Lord, in the past few months we were unable to generate more money by selling coal. So I had to make a difficult decision to temporarily pause the payment of wages, for everyone in the manor. I had to save the money we had left to buy some grain, my Lord, in case we got an opportunity to trade."
Kivamus grimaced. Not paying wages while making people work for him left a bad taste in his mouth, but it was still true that their current situation didn't allow them to spend any money which was not vital for the survival of the village and its residents. He looked around at all the servants gathered near him. While there was nobody who could be called fat by any estimate, they still looked well-fed compared to the villagers living outside the manor. In this poor village, even having enough to eat was a luxury. And while nobody here would be happy that their wages had been stopped, none of them would want to switch places with any villager living outside the manor walls.
The village's current situation left him with no other choice than to ask them to continue working as unpaid laborers for now. It was something he hoped to remedy as soon as possible, but the least he could do right now was to offer them some hope for the future.
Taking a minute to think about it, he declared, "From now on, just like others who work in the manor, the freed slaves will also receive a wage based on their duties." Despite not liking what he was going to say even a little bit, he continued, "However, as you all know very well, the current situation has left our coffers nearly empty. So just like the other workers in the manor, their wages will also be paused temporarily, until we can ensure that our situation has stabilized. I cannot say how long that will take, but I will do everything in my power to bring this barony back on track."
Turning back to the former slaves, his voice carried a newfound warmth. "Speak with Duvas later," he instructed, "to discuss the specifics of your wages, and what each of you are entitled to. I promise you all that when the wages are finally paid to others, you will also get the wages for the duties that you perform. Of course, the food and lodging provided to the other servants and guards will also be provided to you, with appropriate deductions from your wages. You are no longer slaves, but valued members of this household."
The former slaves, overwhelmed with this unexpected turn of events, could barely contain their emotions. Perhaps it was less than what they could have gotten if the situation was normal, it was much more than what they could have ever dreamt under the previous baron. Tears of gratitude welled in their eyes, tears that were not born of fear but genuine relief and hope. "Thank you, my lord!" they all added. Through sniffles and choked sobs, they managed a deep bow together, their voices thick with emotion as they expressed their heartfelt thanks.
A ripple of acceptance spread through the gathered crowd and soon the courtyard was booming with the sound of joyful clapping and chants of "All hail Lord Kivamus!"
Even Duvas, his initial reservations forgotten, wore a smile of approval. Slowly, the courtyard emptied as people returned to their duties. The former slaves, now free men and women, walked with a newfound lightness in their steps and a smile gracing their lips - the first genuine smiles they'd likely felt in a very long time.
This rare moment of joy, shared by all the residents of the manor even amidst the constant threat posed by bandits and the food shortage, spoke volumes of the immense change that had transpired within the walls of the manor.
Kivamus watched them go, a seed of hope blossoming in his chest. A new chapter had begun for them, a chapter filled with the promise of choice, dignity, and a future free from the shackles of slavery.
Pydas, who had been observing the gathering from a distance, approached Kivamus with a respectful bow.
"Good morning, my lord," he greeted, his voice warm and genuine. "I couldn't help but overhear your proclamation."
"Morning, Pydas." Kivamus asked, "What do you think about it?"
"Initially," Pydas replied, "I admit, I shared the surprise and hesitation everyone else felt. Such a significant change is bound to raise questions. However, I firmly believe this is a noble act. I can only imagine the weight of this decision, but know this, my lord, you have my full support."
Kivamus offered a curt nod. "Thank you, Pydas."
Pydas' voice dipped into a somber tone. "A long time ago," he reminisced, "when after a drought damaged the harvest badly in the village my family lives in, many of my neighbors, along with their children were sold into slavery by the debt collectors. My own family and I could have easily met the same fate on that day, when I tried to evade them by hiding in a nearby thicket along with my scared children. Thankfully, the Goddess smiled upon us that day, and we remained free." He shook his head slowly. "Although I managed to pay back my debts later on, the scars of that experience, and the way my children, who were very young at the time clutched me with fear, have never truly faded. Slavery is an abhorrent practice, my lord, and I wholeheartedly support your decision to abolish it in Tiranat."
Pydas leaned forward, a question lingering in his voice. "Yet, if I may be so bold, my lord, what caused you to make such a decision?"
"Perhaps," Kivamus admitted, thinking about the time when the original Kivamus inhabited this body, "in the past, I might have simply accepted slavery as an unfortunate fact of life."
Gorsazo, who had been a silent observer throughout the exchange, leaned in, clearly interested in the conversation. "Indeed, my lord," he chimed in. "Your actions… they differ from what I expected of you. And I'm not sure if this will go down very well with other nobles when they learn about it."