Baron Andrew

Baron Andrew didn't get out much, but when he got a letter from Rebecca requesting his presence at her manor in Lichfield, he knew it was going to be good. Choosing his horse, he decided to travel with his two best men, even though it was a mere 2 days by horse.

The roads were remarkably safe once he entered County Lichfield, something he noticed immediately. Swarms of guard patrols, and all sorts of roadworks well under way. As he waited at a bridge, he struck up conversation with one of the County Lichfield soldiers.

"Been noticing lots of construction on my way to Lichfield." Andrew said, gesturing at the masons working on the bridge.

The soldier nodded. "Aye, the Duchess is an uproar over the state of the lands. She's paying double time for work to continue around the clock on the roads alone. You should see what's going on down in Port Nautitus."

Andrew raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

The soldier leaned in and whispered. "Nobody knows for certain, but I think we're about to move on the gangs. Artillery and entire platoons have been massing for weeks."

Andrew thought on this as he rode away. Just what was Rebecca planning? He knew she had planned an Empire when she came to him a year or so ago, but he had chalked that up to boasting, even if it was from the Rebecca Ashe. This, though? This was Empire building.

By the time he arrived in Lichfield, he was nearly speechless. Entire districts were under active construction, and the churches were finally getting repairs that were decades overdue. Just how was she funding all of this?