At noon the next day, Art, accompanied by Roan's Sentry Cavalry, a group of five, left Valley Wood Fort and headed north.
Art did not rush directly to Tinietz, but instead turned past Giant Stone Pile and headed south to inspect the Border Outpost located in the northern border region of Provence.
The former dirt mound by the stream had been enclosed by a circle of sharpened logs, approximately sixty feet long and wide, and ten feet high. Within the wooden wall were a wooden house that could accommodate eight people, a simple mess hall, a small stone warehouse, and a stable. A thirty-foot-high wooden tower was built on top of the mound, supported by four massive logs, with a thatched platform that could hold four people. A wooden ladder connected the top and bottom, serving as both a watchtower and an arrow tower. The main gate of the outpost's wall faced the trade route, and outside the gate, a small shelter was built to provide cover from rain. Tax collectors would use this small shelter as their office when collecting commercial taxes.
By the time Art arrived at the Border Outpost, it was already approaching noon the next day. The construction of the outpost was nearing completion. Bard was directing several prisoners of war to assemble the prepared timber into two chevaux de frise. When needed, these two chevaux de frise could be opened or closed to block or open the north-south trade route.
Bard was directing several prisoners of war to assemble the prepared timber into two chevaux de frise and place them horizontally in the middle of the trade route. These two movable chevaux de frise would serve as the "gate" controlling this north-south trade route.
A militiaman from the fort guard on the wooden tower spotted the cavalry galloping from the north and immediately alerted the busy people around the outpost. The busy people around the outpost immediately dropped their work, picked up their tools, and retreated into the outpost, closing the main gate...
.........
"Simon, I'm giving you credit. I didn't expect you to build this outpost in such a short amount of time." Art entered the outpost gate, accompanied by Simon. An outpost is different from a barracks, so it can only accommodate seven or eight sentries. All the buildings in the outpost are relatively small and simple, but they ensure the normal life of the sentries stationed there.
Simon was an old Soldier who had been severely wounded and withdrawn from the Patrol Team's combat unit. He had expected to be abandoned by the Patrol Team or even expelled from the valley to fend for himself, but he never imagined that Art would entrust him with such an important task after his recovery, so he worked exceptionally hard to prove his worth.
"My Lord, since we started building the outpost, we've been working almost day and night, rushing the construction. We even worked with torches at night. During this time, I also learned your method and recruited a group of passing vagrants with two meals of wheat porridge to help cut timber, collect stones, and dig foundations."
"Have any enemies harassed you during this time?"
"There haven't been any enemy harassments, but a week ago, a few cavalrymen came from the south. They were said to be the northern border guardians of Provence. They asked us about our identity and the purpose of building the outpost from across the bridge. I told them we were the Burgundy County Southern Border Security Patrol Team, and that we were building the outpost to maintain border security and, incidentally, collect border tariffs. Those people observed for a while and then left."
"Hmm, as long as those people don't openly attack the outpost, there's no need to pay attention to them."
"My Lord, I see you've brought four Sentry Cavalry. Are you going to?"
Before Art could answer, Roan eagerly interjected, "My Lord is going to Tinietz this time to be enfeoffed as a squire. My Lord is concerned about the progress of the outpost's construction, so he detoured to check on you."
Simon's face was filled with excitement: "Is that true? My Lord, are you going to receive a knight's title?"
Art's face was calm, "It's a squire, without a noble title, no fief, and not hereditary. However, if I can achieve military merits, perhaps I can remove 'squire' and become a formal knight."
"Congratulations, My Lord. Now you have a formal status." Simon's face still held a smile. When one prospers, all prosper. As Art's status and position rose, those who followed him naturally also benefited.
Art explained in detail to Simon Viscount Pierre's letter and his own plan.
"Simon, I don't know when I'll be able to return from this military campaign. I'm now appointing you as the Commander of the Border Outpost, and you'll receive the squad leader's salary. Benjamin (the Soldier with the injured eye) will stay as your deputy, and he'll receive the Combat Squad Leader's salary. In addition to the two of you, the outpost will be staffed with four more Soldiers. Select the two most reliable from the prisoners of war who built the outpost and restore their free status. Two militiamen from the fort guard will temporarily remain to assist you. All four Soldiers will receive the same salary as Patrol Team Soldiers. In a few days, Odo will send you complete sets of weapons and equipment for six Soldiers and a warhorse, and he'll also take back the people who built the outpost to the valley. From now on, your rations will also be delivered regularly. If necessary, you can temporarily recruit passing vagrants to supplement your manpower, but you must carefully vet them and report it to me afterward."
"Yes, thank you, My Lord." Simon responded.
Art had Roan call the one-eyed Benjamin into the Wood House.
"Simon, Benjamin, both of you remember that for the next period, the outpost needs to do three things. First, ensure the outpost establishes a firm foothold on the border and guard against possible enemy attacks. Second, try to collect some border commercial taxes. For now, the amount collected should be small, only collecting commercial taxes from merchant caravans with carriages, ten fenny per carriage, so that merchants gradually get used to paying commercial taxes here. Third is to recruit vagrants and Soldiers through the outpost, as well as various craftsmen, especially blacksmiths and weapon smiths. Recruit a batch and notify the Wood Fort to pick them up."
"You two are from my Patrol Team, brothers who have fought and bled with me. I'm entrusting the outpost to both of you." Art spoke candidly to the two men in the room. He currently had no spare manpower to draw upon, and these two Soldiers who had fought for him were the ones he could trust the most at present.
At noon, everyone at the outpost had lunch. Art gave rewards ranging from ten fenny to fifty fenny to everyone who participated in building the outpost, and everyone's spirits were naturally high.
After lunch, Art and the four others mounted their well-fed warhorses and galloped north.
.........
On the afternoon of the second day after leaving the outpost, a group of five riders arrived in Tinietz. Viscount Pierre received Art in his office.
Pierre invited Art to sit down, and a servant poured them both a glass of wine. Pierre raised his glass and said to Art, "You finally came! I heard you even have four cavalrymen now, that's impressive!"
"Yes, My Lord Pierre, I temporarily gathered a few cavalrymen. Didn't your letter clearly state that one must bring thirty Soldiers or five cavalrymen to be eligible for enfeoffment as a squire?"
"Eligible? Art, that's for others. In fact, as long as you could come, I would have enfeoffed you."
Pierre paused and said, "When the Court again asked me to conscript Soldiers, you were the first person I thought of. Your black-clad Soldiers left a deep impression on me. But why didn't your Patrol Team Soldiers come with you?"
"My Lord, they are currently training at their garrison."
Pierre took a sip of wine and said, "Speaking of the garrison, the messenger who returned told me they couldn't find your so-called garrison at all. Is your Patrol Team stationed underground?"
Art knew that Pierre wouldn't try to find the Patrol Team's garrison, but he wasn't ready to let people know about Valley Wood Fort yet, at least not now.
"My Lord, where the messenger arrived is our garrison, it's just a little off the main path."
Pierre did not press further, "Alright, Art, since you're here, tomorrow you'll go to Tinietz Church and participate in the enfeoffment with the other four."
"The other four?"
"Yes, the title of squire, though small, is not easily obtained. If the Court weren't so eager to gather an army, how could they be so generous with enfeoffments? So, of course, many people came to be considered. I already selected four a few days ago, and I guessed you would come, so I reserved a spot just for you."
"Thank you, My Lord."
"Alright, Art, go find my secretary. He will guide you through the preparations for tomorrow's enfeoffment. Although this enfeoffment will be simplified, and the requirements for knightly equipment have been lowered, the basic rituals cannot be omitted."
Art left Pierre's office and found the secretary. The secretary led Art to a room in the Lord's Hall for a bath, recorded Art's name, the motto he received, took his knight's sword, and then took Art, holding his armor, to a closed small room in Tinietz Church to keep vigil and pray with the other four awaiting enfeoffment.
The other four had already waited in Tinietz for two days. This fellow named Art had not arrived, and everyone was somewhat annoyed, but since the enfeoffment was tomorrow, they had no intention of causing trouble for Art at this critical moment.
The five men thus spent a boring night in the small room, guarding their armor.
At noon the next day, the squire enfeoffment ceremony officially began in the sanctuary of Tinietz Church. The enfeoffment ceremony was personally presided over by Viscount Pierre, who represented Marquis Ivrea Raymond, the ruler of Burgundy County. Attending the enfeoffment ceremony were two Barons and five Knights summoned by Viscount Pierre to Tinietz, as well as some idle nobles from Tinietz County and the families and retinues of the enfeoffed.
The others kneeling in the church were all younger sons of various noble lords in Tinietz County who had no right of inheritance, or sons of wealthy merchants who had the financial means to recruit Soldiers and purchase weapons and equipment. Most of them had substantial family wealth, so their weapons and armor for the enfeoffment ceremony were quite luxurious.
Art, however, had not made much preparation for this squire enfeoffment ceremony. He simply wore a full chainmail left by his father, covered by a black cloak, with a cowhide belt at his waist. This armor looked somewhat shabby compared to the shiny iron scale armor and plate chainmail of the four people beside him.
The Bishop of the Church personally held a mass for the five people kneeling before the holy image and anointed their heads with holy oil.
After all preparations were complete, Viscount Pierre stood before the five men and spoke to them about knightly honor, knightly faith, and knightly duties, then led the five kneeling men in an oath—
I will treat the weak with kindness.
I will bravely face the strong.
I will fight against those who do wrong.
I will fight for those who cannot fight.
I will help those who ask me for help.
I will view my comrades as brothers.
I will faithfully serve my liege lord.
.........
"I declare that from this moment on, you are officially squires of Burgundy County. You will have your own coat of arms and banner, and you will lead your armies to fulfill a knight's inherent combat mission." Viscount Pierre individually tapped each of the five men on the shoulder with a knight's sword, presented a knight's sword and a motto, and then formally declared the five men to be squires loyal to the Marquis of Burgundy.
The simple ceremony concluded, and Art officially became a squire of Burgundy County.