Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Three Towers
Since Gavin was born, he lived in the castle with his mother Alice. His mother worked as a laundryman in the castle. Gavin also learned about the situation here and his life experience through the discussions of people around him. After all, servants never avoid a child when they talk.
His father, Morton Cotoin, the eldest son of the earl, died of illness on the ship back to the territory, leaving only Alice, who was pregnant with Gavin. In this world, the nobles' marriages would not be recognized without the presidency of monks and the registration of bachelors. The heirs born were also called illegitimate children. And from what others said, Gavin's mother Alice was a foreigner from another continent.
Gavin lived in the castle for three years. His cheap earl grandfather never showed up. Instead, he tried to drive them out of the castle many times. It was only because of his cheap uncle Edmund's strong obstruction that he was not driven out. For this reason, it is said that Edmund was punished by the earl many times. Sir Edmund would occasionally visit him and even bring some "toys" that Gavin didn't need.
Just when Gavin thought he would grow up here, an accident happened. The War of the Usurper broke out, and the Cotoin family responded to the call of the feudal lord Tyrell family. His cheap uncle Edmund Cotoin, as the heir to the Three Towers, replaced his elderly father, Earl Houghton, to go to High Court to respond to the call and followed the feudal lord to lead troops to attack the Stormlands.
Not long after Sir Edmund left, Gavin and his mother were expelled from the castle. Perhaps Sir Edmund had anticipated it and arranged a place for Gavin and his mother in the town under the castle in advance.
He also arranged a job for Alice to wash clothes in the barracks, and from time to time someone in the castle would send some money and property to subsidize their lives.
The pain of losing her lover, the loss of giving birth to Gavin, and the years of labor ruthlessly eroded Alice, making her body worse and worse. Her face also lost its former luster, her skin became rough, her eyes were sunken, and she was exhausted and haggard. She was often seriously ill and bedridden.
As a result, the family's finances were often cut off. Alice, with her weak body, occasionally did laundry, but the meager income could only barely support the difficult life of the mother and son. If it weren't for the frequent delivery of money and property from the castle, the lives of the mother and son would be in trouble.
The pressure of life forced Gavin to use his own means to refine refined salt in exchange for some income, but this was also a last resort.
Gavin knew that using knowledge far beyond this world to make refined salt was undoubtedly a risk. Before making a decision, he had thought about it repeatedly. If someone with ulterior motives found out, it would cause trouble. After all, this technology was in his hands, just like a child carrying gold through a busy city. He had no power to protect it. Gavin was already considering whether to give up this technology for refining refined salt in exchange for something.
After bypassing a hill full of thorns and weeds, Gavin could already see the town under the castle. At this time, his forehead was covered with sweat. Gavin raised his sleeves to wipe the sweat. He couldn't help but complain about his young body that had not yet grown up, thinking that even this short distance was difficult to cope with.
The Three Towers Castle is like a shining pearl, located on the cliffs on the south bank of Whispering Bay, facing the junction of Redwyne Strait and Whispering Bay. It is only three days away from the old town of the Hightower family. The scenery here is magnificent. The castle is like a resolute giant, standing on the top of the cliff by the sea. The three towers are like three sharp swords piercing the sky. They are not only watchtowers to guard against enemies from the sea, but also lighthouses to guide the direction of ships at night. The Three Towers Castle is also named after these three towers.
This is a purely military castle. Due to its relatively small area, people living in the castle gradually expanded outside the castle. After a long time, a small town was slowly built under the castle.
Three Tower Castle is the family castle of the Cotoin family. Together with the two attached towns and dozens of villages, the Three Tower Territory,
The Cotoin family has a long history, dating back to the time of the ancestors, and was once powerful. However, in the thrilling Dance of the Blood Dragons more than a hundred years ago, the then lord Earl Owen Cotoin fought for the Black Party, but he did not expect to die tragically under the sword of Jon Rockton in the Battle of the Mead River, and most of the family members died with the lord.
The death of the lord caused the family's strength to decline sharply, and then the Three Tower Castle was captured by the Hightower family. It was not until the end of the Dance of the Blood Dragons that it returned to the Cotoin family. At this time, the Cotoin family only had an underage young son to ascend the throne. In the hundred years after the Dance of the Blood Dragons, there were often clamps and suppressions from the Hightower family, and the situation became increasingly difficult and embarrassing.
Nowadays, there are only three family knights left, and only a hundred professional soldiers on standby. Even if the militia in the territory is recruited to the maximum, it is difficult to pull out a team of a thousand people. It is already quite difficult to deal with the looting of villages and towns by the Ironmen. If it were not for the Redwen family's fleet regularly cruising in the strait ahead, the scale of the Ironmen who came here to loot would not be large, otherwise the fishing village near the sea would have been looted long ago.
In an unnamed tavern in the town, Gavin handed the salt to the proprietress Raman. When Raman saw the 6-year-old Gavin coming to sell salt again, she couldn't help but pinch his pink face lightly, then weighed the cloth bag of salt, took 5 bronze stars from behind the counter and gave Gavin, and touched Gavin's head and said, "I squeezed a lot of goat milk this morning, I'll bring it to you." As Gavin thanked her, she walked towards the kitchen.
Lady Raman has become Gavin's only regular customer in recent months. Through previous contacts and understanding, Gavin found that this lady boss is very down-to-earth. Especially to children, she is very friendly, and most importantly, she always gives Gavin some extra food.
Six-year-old Gavin looks like an exquisite porcelain doll. His silver hair matches his fair face, which is as warm as mutton-fat jade, with a faint blush. His big watery eyes are like the purple stars twinkling in the night sky, bright and smart.
Gavin leaned against the counter and listened to the conversations of people in the tavern. This is also an important channel for him to obtain information from the outside world.
The mainstream topic is always inseparable from the usurper war that is in full swing. As people of the River Bay, everyone is looking forward to the River Bay winning the war. In particular, they hope that Sir Edmund can return victorious and glorious. Every time a major victory is achieved, the territory will hold a grand celebration, and many people are looking forward to participating in it.