Chapter 16 - A Crime of Desperation and A Warm Heart

The storm had finally passed, leaving the village of Ravensbourne buried beneath a thick blanket of snow. The dawn's pale light shimmered off the frost-laden rooftops, and the air carried the crisp bite of winter. Smoke curled from chimneys, the scent of burning wood a small comfort against the cold that had seeped into the very bones of the people.

Aldric stood in the town square, his heavy cloak wrapped around his shoulders as he overlooked the morning's efforts. Men had gathered in preparation for the day's work—assessing the damage, repairing what could be saved, and clearing the paths that had been buried in snowdrifts. But before they could begin, there was another matter to attend to.

Lucien approached, flanked by two guards escorting a disheveled man. Edric, a villager whose home had been destroyed in the storm, stumbled forward, his wrists loosely bound with rope. His face was gaunt, his eyes sunken with exhaustion and shame. The gathered villagers whispered amongst themselves, their breaths misting in the cold air.

Aldric regarded Edric with a measured gaze. "You stole from the coops," he said, his voice calm but firm.

Edric swallowed hard and fell to his knees in the snow. "Aye, my lord," he choked out. "My family… my children… we had nothing to eat. I—I didn't know what else to do."

A heavy silence fell over the square. Some villagers averted their eyes, their own struggles reflected in Edric's plight. Others looked uneasy, knowing that theft—even in desperation—was a crime that could not be ignored.

Aldric inhaled deeply, his breath visible in the cold. "Desperation does not excuse theft," he said, his tone neither cruel nor soft. "But neither will I ignore why you did it." He turned to the villagers. "Listen well. If you are in need, come to me. No one in this village should have to steal to survive."

Edric looked up, eyes wide with disbelief. "My lord…"

"You will still answer for your crime," Aldric continued. "A light punishment—time spent in the underground cells to serve as a warning. But your family will be fed, and they will have shelter."

The tension in the square eased, replaced by murmurs of approval. It was a just decision—harsh enough to uphold order, yet merciful enough to show that Aldric was not a ruler of cruelty.

Lucien gave a sharp nod. "Take him inside. Make sure he eats before he begins his sentence."

As the guards led Edric away, Wulfric stepped forward. "That was well-handled, my lord. A lesser man would have been either too lenient or too severe."

Aldric exhaled slowly. "Justice and mercy must walk hand in hand."

With that, he turned to the gathered craftsmen and villagers. "Come," he called. "We have homes to rebuild."

By midday, Aldric and a group of men trudged through the village, assessing the damage. Some homes were beyond saving, their roofs collapsed under the weight of snow, while others had only minor damage. The town hall had become a temporary shelter for those who had lost their homes, but it was not a long-term solution.

Aldric knew they needed more than repairs. They needed progress.

He stood outside one of the damaged homes, his mind racing with ideas. The winters in this land were relentless. Even with firewood, homes could not retain heat well enough, and families still suffered. There had to be a better way.

The blacksmiths and craftsmen had gathered at his request, among them Master Rowan, an older man with streaks of silver in his dark hair. His hands were calloused from years of labor, but his eyes still gleamed with sharp intelligence.

"My lord," Rowan greeted. "You have something in mind?"

Aldric nodded. "I do. We need a way to keep homes warm without relying solely on fire pits. I want to implement a new heating system."

Rowan's brow furrowed. "A new system?"

Aldric crouched and traced a rough design into the snow with his gloved finger. "Imagine this—a system where heat runs beneath the floors of a house. Instead of relying on a central fire alone, we build channels beneath the home, and the heat from a furnace or a fire pit is directed through them. The warmth would rise, heating the floors and spreading evenly throughout the home."

Lucien behind him rolled his eyes, "Here we go again."

Silence.

The blacksmiths exchanged glances. Some furrowed their brows, others looked outright skeptical.

Rowan stroked his beard. "You're saying… you want heat to run beneath the floors?"

"Yes," Aldric confirmed. "Think of it like a network of stone tunnels, directing the warmth where we need it."

One of the younger blacksmiths scoffed. "That's… not possible, is it? Heat rises, aye, but fire needs air to burn. If you bury it, won't it suffocate?"

Another chimed in. "And wouldn't the floor catch fire?"

Lucien jokingly said "Your a mage now? heating up the home without burning them?"

Murmurs of doubt rippled through the group.

Aldric glared at Lucien, ignoring his banters, expected this reaction. This world had never seen such a thing. It sounded impossible—unnatural, even. But that was exactly why he'll break it down for them, seeing is believing.

"It won't work if the tunnels are too small," Aldric explained patiently. "We'll need proper airflow and an exit for the smoke—chimneys designed to draw it out while keeping the heat trapped beneath the floors."

Rowan remained quiet, staring at the rough design in the snow. Then, slowly, a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"You're talking about a way to warm homes without relying on the fire pit in the middle of the room," he murmured, thinking aloud. "If the heat moves beneath the floors, the warmth would be evenly distributed… not just in one spot." He looked up, excitement creeping into his voice. "By the gods, it might actually work."

Aldric smirked. "I know it will."

Rowan turned to the other blacksmiths, his confidence infectious. "If we build the channels with stone or bricks, the heat won't escape too quickly. We'll need bellows to control the airflow, and proper chimneys to keep the smoke out."

The younger blacksmith who had scoffed earlier hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "It still sounds insane… but if Master Rowan thinks it's possible, maybe it is."

Aldric straightened. "We'll test it first in the town hall. If it works, we'll expand to the homes that need it most."

One of the craftsmen, a broad-shouldered man with soot-streaked hands, let out a low chuckle. "You always bring us the strangest ideas, my lord. But I won't lie… I want to see if this madness of yours truly works."

Lucien let out a deep sigh. "Alright people you heard the boy lets get a move on." Lucien lookst at Aldric. "Are you sure your not a Mage, you sure have a way of magically convincing everyone to go along with your ideas withiut proof."

Aldric look at Lucien and jokingly said. "I'm just very charismatic handsome guy." Aldric grinned. "Then let's not waste time."

They had work to do.

Over the next several days, the blacksmiths and masons worked tirelessly to construct the first heating system beneath the town hall. They dug out channels, laid bricks, and carefully structured the furnace so that heat would travel through the tunnels without suffocating the fire. Rowan oversaw every detail, ensuring the air vents were properly placed.

The day of the test arrived.

The furnace was lit.

The craftsmen and villagers gathered, watching anxiously as the fire roared to life. At first, nothing seemed to happen. Then, slowly, warmth began to spread beneath the floors.

A woman gasped, stepping onto the wooden planks. "It's… warm."

Lucien knelt down, pressing his palm against the floorboard as he muttered, "Well, I'll be damned… it actually worked."

He had half expected the idea to fail—maybe even hoped it would—just to humble his little brother a bit. Lately, the kid had been winning too much, and a little setback might have done him some good. Too much confidence could be dangerous.

A child, hesitant at first, crouched down and touched the floor. His eyes widened. "It's not burning! It's just… warm!"

Laughter and cheers erupted as the realization sank in.

Aldric watched, satisfaction swelling in his chest. This was just the beginning.

Ravensbourne would not only survive this winter. It would emerge stronger than ever.