Chronicles of Marsh

By Jemima Pett

The Princelings of the East are now King Fred and Prince Engineer George. Gone are the years of innocence when they travelled for adventure and uncovered time tunnels and pirate plots. Now Fred, assisted by his queen, Kira, has the responsibility for his people, his lands, and for persuading the lords and kings of the Realms to act together for the common good. George just has to work on his inventions, always thinking of a final goal: to fulfil the promises made to Lord Mariusz so long ago.

Neither has an easy task.

Fred decides to write a history of his reign, starting with the joy of his inheritance, and documenting how technological progress is not necessarily the key to communal good.

Chronicles of Marsh is book 9 of the Princelings of the East series, and fills a gap between previous books and the final one, Princelings Revolution. It takes us from Fred’s first days as king, to the loss of the latest and most promising flying machine, a period of 8 years. The pressures of modern life will be familiar to readers, even if the princelings world doesn’t have the internet or mobile communications... yet.

Lovers of the series will enjoy these adventures, but newcomers may find it easier to start with book 1, book 5, even at book 7. It’s a fantasy sociological and technological adventure in a world not quite like ours, suitable for age 10 and upwards.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Princelings Publications
• Release date: Nov 14, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463785249

Jemima Pett

Jemima Pett has been living in a world of her own for many years. Writing stories since she was eight, drawing maps of fantasy islands with train systems and timetables at ten. Unfortunately no-one wanted a fantasy island designer, so she tried a few careers, getting great experiences in business, environmental research and social work. She finally got back to building her own worlds, and wrote about them. Her business background enabled her to become an independent author, responsible for her own publications.Her first series, the Princelings of the East, mystery adventures for advanced readers set in a world of tunnels and castles entirely populated by guinea pigs, is now complete. The tenth and final book, Princelings Revolution, came out in October 2020. Jemima does chapter illustrations for these. She has also edited two volumes of Christmas stories for young readers, the BookElves Anthologies, and her father's memoirs White Water Landings, about the Imperial Airways flying boat service in Africa. She has compiled four collections of flash fiction tales, publishing in the first half of 2021. She is now writing the third in her science fiction series set in the Viridian System, in which the aliens include sentient trees.Jemima lived in a village in Norfolk with her guinea pigs, the first of whom, Fred, George, Victor and Hugo, provided the inspiration for her first stories, The Princelings of the East. She is now living in Hampshire, writing science fiction for grown-ups, hatching plans for a new series, and writing more short stories for anthologies.

Book preview

Chronicles of Marsh

Princelings of the East Book 9

by Jemima Pett

Cover illustration by Danielle English kanizo.co.uk

Chapter illustrations by the author jemimapett.com

Edition: Smashwords 1.0

© J M Pett 2019

Published by Princelings Publications, Norfolk UK

Other books in the series:

The Princelings of the East

The Princelings and the Pirates

The Princelings and the Lost City

The Traveler in Black and White

The Talent Seekers

Bravo Victor

Willoughby the Narrator

The Princelings of the North

forthcoming: Princelings Revolution (last in series)

The right of Jemima Pett to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite online retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

The names and characters in this story are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Many of the names are inspired by guinea pigs owned by members of the former Rodents with Attitude online forum, to whom I am eternally grateful. These may be similar to other fictional characters but no plagiarism is intended.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the memory of Professor Terry Dolan, who encouraged my writing when I was still at school, and who was a fan of the Princelings from the outset.

Introduction

The Princelings of the East are now King Fred and Prince Engineer George. Gone are the years of innocence when they travelled for adventure and uncovered time tunnels and pirate plots.

Now Fred, assisted by his queen, Kira, has the responsibility for his people, his lands, and for persuading the lords and kings of the Realms to act together for the common good.

George just has to work on his inventions, always thinking of a final goal: to fulfil the promises made to Lord Mariusz so long ago.

Neither has an easy task.

Fred decides to write this history of his reign. He starts with the joy of his inheritance, but quickly shows us that developments in the Realms are not leading towards a settled and happy future.

~~~

Chronicles of Marsh is book 9 of the Princelings of the East, and is written in UK English. If you have not read from book 1, you could also start with books 4, 5 or 7 without too much confusion, although you would miss a lot of fun. Two ebook box sets, of three books each, are also available. This is the penultimate book in the series.

Contents

Start

Part 1: The Hand of King Fred

Chapter 1 ~ 2011: A New King

Chapter 2 ~ 2011: The First Summer Study

Chapter 3 ~ 2011: Fred’s First Solstice As King

Chapter 4 ~ 2012: The Transit of Venus

Chapter 5 ~ 2013: Working Holidays

Chapter 6 ~ 2013: A Quorum Is Established

Chapter 7 ~ 2014: Year of Progress?

Chapter 8 ~ 2014: Fred’s Yuletide Escape

Chapter 9 ~ 2014: A Pirate Ransom

Chapter 10 ~ 2015: Stewards, Stealing and Spies

Chapter 11 ~ 2015: Nothing Ever Changes—Not

Chapter 12 ~ 2016: Vampires and Visitors

Part 2: The Hand of the Steward

Chapter 13 ~ 2016: Willoughby the Steward

Chapter 14 ~ 2016: A Pirate Yule

Chapter 15 ~ 2017: Vagabonds and Vagrants

Chapter 16 ~ 2017: The Darkest Hour

Chapter 17 ~ 2017: A Summer With Dylan

Chapter 18 ~ 2017: Meeting of Minds

Chapter 19 ~ 2017: A Legend in a Lifetime

Chapter 20 ~ 2017: Flying Today

Chapter 21 ~ 2017: Fuel Cells Everywhere

Chapter 22 ~ 2018: When the Going Gets Tough

Chapter 23 ~ 2018: Fire at the Granary

Chapter 24 ~ 2018: The End of the Beginning?

Coming Soon: Excerpt from Princelings Revolution

Characters in Chronicles of Marsh

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Part 1: The Hand of King Fred

with notes and edits by Queen Kira

"I like that. Thank you for recognising my input, dearest"

Chapter 1 ~ 2011: A New King

In which we gather to say farewell to Uncle Vladimir

Spring came subtly to the marsh. The reeds stood at odd angles, however the snow and winds had thrown them, beige against the black of the water and green of the new grass. The stubby willow bushes showed fluffy silver buds cracking out of chestnut-brown casings. On the more open wetlands, the peeping of wading birds made an incessant whistle against the wayward breeze.

The banners on the castle towers fluttered, halfway up the flagpoles. The castle stood proudly on a rock, surrounded by miles of reedbeds. To the east ran a line of dunes, then the sea. To the west, a thinly wooded meadow area gave way to dense forest. To north and south, reeds continued as far as the eye could see.

In the castle, the entire population had gathered round a wooden box, set on a trestle in the middle of the upper square.

Fred watched as six members of the 25th rifle brigade, smartly dressed in their dark green jackets, hoisted the coffin onto their shoulders. They followed their captain, a huge person named Haggis, towards a gateway that led to the castle’s crypt. Fred felt the warmth of his wife next to him, warding off the chill in his heart. It was not just the death of his uncle. He wasn’t ready to be a king.

Yesterday, Princess Kira had been showing the children of the castle how to make a sound like a bittern by blowing across the neck of a jar. Today, Queen Kira was giving Fred moral support as he addressed his people.

So, as we send our beloved King Vladimir on his way, Fred said to his audience, I ask each and every one of you to support me as your new king, to help me uphold the best traditions of our castle, and to help me serve you in the best interest of our community. He paused for a couple of seconds, then added, I believe we have refreshments ready in the lower square.

Long live the King! cried FGP, the castle’s long-serving steward. He’d never had any other name, and nobody knew what the initials stood for.

Long live the King! the people responded. Then they hurried off to the corner of the upper square and down the stairs. A feast was laid out for all at the tables set out in front of the tavern.

Well done, Kira murmured to Fred. He smiled at her and gave her his arm, and they followed their Marshlings down to the tavern.

You did that very well, Fred. Lady Nimrod of Buckmore congratulated him as he joined his guests from other castles. I’m sorry I didn’t see you beforehand, but Pippin only just got me here in time.

We’re honoured you should have taken the trouble at all, Nim. Especially since it was only January you were here for the wedding.

Yes, well, these flying machines have made a difference, haven’t they? And we’ve always said that it seems a shame we can’t support each other through these transitions. Some of the castles just send a new king along to the Kings’ Council meetings, and tell us the old one has died months after the event.

I hope they know more than I do about running the castles they’re in. Fred relaxed a little, as he always did when with Buckmore’s gracious lady, but he was worrying what he was supposed to do next, if anything.

FGP will always help you out. He must have been steward here now for at least thirty years. Your grandfather, Vlad, and now you.

And the one we don’t name.

Precisely. Best forgotten, I think. I hope we never see him again.

Ludo, Prince Hunston of Castle Wash prompted her.

Nimrod smiled at him.

I think we were planning to forget that name, Hunston. Fred grinned at his friend, glad he had made the effort to come over. Wash was only three hours away by coach when the tide was right. The previous autumn he and Hunston had decided where the road needed shoring up, mending or even diverting in order to make it suitable for a regular coach service. The soldiers had worked on it during the winter.

How long will you be staying, Nim? Fred asked.

Only a little while longer. Pippin said he’d tell me when.

Soon, I think, in order to get home before sunset, Prince Engineer George, Fred’s brother, suggested. He was the acknowledged expert on flying.

Thank you, George. And how are you, I haven’t seen you for ages.

Very well, thank you. Completely recovered, as you can tell.

No after effects at all?

None. Somehow my speech problem disappeared once the flying machines came along.

Nimrod nodded. Everyone was gathered around her, rather than Fred, but Fred didn’t mind at all. He found a waiter and got some more food brought around.

Any news from my sister, Nimrod? Kira asked.

She sends her love to you of course, as well as a note. Nimrod produced a letter from her bag. Little Liska is taking up a lot of her time. She has got over the illness she picked up after your wedding, though. Lupin would have come, Fred, but he said you’d understand.

Yes, of course. It must be hard adjusting to being a father as well as a king, with all the other burdens on him at Buckmore.

Well, George’s strawberry juice machine has sent his business contacts into a spin. He’s had to set up a whole new department to manage production and sales for it. He’s reserved a castle-sized machine for you, but decided you had enough to get used to at present. I thought Miles might be here, though. Apparently he’s already fitted one in his flying machine.

He couldn’t fly up from Fortune in time, something else going on. He apologised. Sent messages from my father, as well, Kira added.

Your father must be getting big-headed. Two queens, a king and one crown prince is quite enough in any family!

They all laughed. Not only had King Helier of Dimerie married off two daughters into other royal lines, but his second son had been appointed king of the formerly deserted Castle Fortune.

It was a controversial appointment. Miles was descended through the female line from the previous king, but the rules of the Realms ignored female inheritance. Prince Lupin of Buckmore had argued strenuously in favour of change in order to keep castles alive. The Kings’ Council, the gathering of the leaders of all the castles, had finally agreed that Miles was a better choice than anybody else. Fred hadn’t been involved in the Kings’ Council decision, but as Crown Prince he had attended the meetings, deputising for his uncle, King Vladimir. Fred’s views were firm. The female line was as good as the male one, and queens should inherit if they were first in line. Most of his friends agreed.

Fred spotted Pippin hovering at the door. He had a flying helmet slung over his shoulder and a voluminous cloak in his arms. Time to fly? Fred asked him.

Pippin nodded.

Everyone said their goodbyes to Lady Nimrod, with George and Kira helping her into her cloak. Fred and Kira escorted her out of the castle and down the path to the flying machine. George walked beside Pippin, chatting away.

Have a safe journey, Nim. Come back whenever you like. Fred stood back as Kira kissed Nimrod on the cheek and helped her into the passenger seat. George did some things to the wheels, stood clear as Pippin started the motor, and then waved the spectators back. Pippin manoeuvred the machine to the end of the straight road across the marsh. They all watched as it raced away from them down the path, rose into the sky and wheeled round to go in a north-west direction to Castle Buckmore.

How long will it take, George? Kira asked.

Oh, about two hours.

It’ll be nearly dark by then.

Here, yes. There it’ll be about fifteen minutes later. They’ll be fine.

You must explain that thing about longitude and sunset to me again. Kira liked to keep up-to-date with all the new inventions and theories. It irked her that she hadn’t really understood the complexity of a world spinning in space.

I’ve got another exciting thing to explain to you, George said. I heard about it last week. Fred, this’ll take your mind off things. It’s called the Transit of Venus, and it’s happening next June.

That’s two months away. We’ve got the Summer Study then, Fred replied.

No, next year’s June. 2012. June 5th, or maybe the 4th. I’ll check the details and tell you more.

Okay. Fred exchanged a bewildered look with Kira, and they laughed.

Let’s go back and celebrate being King and Queen with our subjects, Kira said, taking his arm and leading him away. George stood gazing to the north-west for a minute or two. Then he followed them through the castle gates, but diverted to his workshop.

The Summer Study was Fred’s particular project. He’d spent the first few months as Crown Prince persuading his uncle Vlad that it was a good idea. Now the first one was upon him, and he wished he was still Crown Prince.

Just ask for help, Fred, Kira said. Give FGP a full explanation of what’s happening, and he’ll probably sort it all out for you. That’s what stewards do. Besides, everyone’s said they’re coming. You just need to allocate bedrooms and rooms for talking in, and food breaks and that sort of thing. It’ll all be fine.

Fred visited FGP in his office, and showed him the list of everyone who was coming. He asked him to assign bedrooms, and to set out four rooms to use for presentations and workshops.

Leave it to me, sir. When will they arrive?

Er…

Shall I contact them and check travel plans? And maybe arrange transport from Wash, if they are coming by ship? And Seventh Happiness?

Yes, that’s great, thank you. Some of them might fly.

Leave it with me, sir. You just sort out who is speaking when, and the rest of your schedule. Then give me that and I’ll make it all neat. Maybe the visitors would like a copy.

Fred left the office with a smile on his face. Kira was right. Being king was pretty good when you got the hang of telling people what needed to be done. Maybe he should tell FGP about his plan for a History of Castle Marsh, too. Then again, if he told someone about it, he’d be committed to doing it. Kira kept telling him not to make promises he couldn’t keep. Not to take on too much.

You know, sweetness, she said to him as they turned in for the night. It would be a great start to your History of Marsh if you started it from today.

Just do my reign, you mean?

For starters, yes. But make it a personal story, not a dry old thing. Write it as your journal, and put in your thoughts on events. That would be good to read.

Fred was not convinced future generations would be interested in his thoughts.

Chapter 2 ~ 2011: The First Summer Study

In which Castle Marsh becomes an international meeting place, and Fred gets grand ideas for the future

Good morning, King Fred. We were wondering whether these visitors needed anything special, like a tour of the marsh, while they were here.

Oh, morning, Haggis. I hadn’t thought of that. Do you think they would like that?

I expect so. And, well, the people of Marsh are very interested in all your projects, sire, so they wanted to know what they should do if they meet any of these natural philosophers. So I wondered, to put it plainly, whether you wanted your visitors to meet the common people or not.

Ah. You have a wonderful way of putting things, Haggis. I like your ideas. Show them around, to see how we live, you mean. I think meeting people is fine, if they’d like to. Some of the visitors are probably a bit stuffy, but others are probably very nice. Er… do you mind not calling them ‘the common people’? Just people, or residents, or Marshlings, if need be?

I’ll remember that, sire. Residents, Marshlings…

And you don’t need to ‘sire’ me, you know. I’m sure I’ve told you that already. We fought together at Dimerie. I jumped off a cliff into your arms, if I remember rightly.

I do remember that, sire, and I remember dropping you, too. But no harm done. I’ll try not to call you ‘sire’, sire, but now you’re a king and all, it’s hard not to be respectful. Can I call you ‘captain’, perhaps, as you’ve been promoted since our cliff-jumping days?

But you should be Captain Haggis as you’re in charge of the 25th here.

Ah, but I’m only rightly a sergeant, captain. Hm. ‘Captain’ sounds too much like those pirate chaps. Oh, dear, what’s to be done? Can’t I just say ‘sire’, like I’m used to?

Fred laughed. Oh, Haggis, yes, you can, but you can call me ‘Fred’, too. I’m trying not to make a big thing of being a king, you know. It’s part of my philosophy. And anyway, you’re a good adviser. I want you on my team alongside FGP.

Well, that’d be interesting. What does FGP call you?

Fred paused to think. What did FGP call him? ‘Sir’, or ‘Fred’. You can do either of those.

I’ll do my best, sir.

Twenty-four natural philosophers, some from the Realms and many from the land across the northeast sea, arrived in five coach loads. One person flew in from the south, across the sea, and landed on Summernot beach.