A few months had passed and A&B construction was taking off. Word of mouth started spreading about how good a job we did. We have started even building whole houses. I had designed and built the house that Satan stole. So aside from a few small differences they went up all the same.

After I taught James some modern techniques and designed modern tools we could construct a house faster and sounder than anyone else. Man you have no idea how fast a house can be put up without codes or inspections.

I also had drawn up some flyers and hired some local peasants to hang them up. Mass Marketing 1.0 has been a huge success and now we have more projects than we know what to do with. The next step is to expand beyond just the two of us.

On a side note, Permaculture has been a huge hit with the natives, well the Farmers at least (which admittedly means pretty much every non-noble). It should help boost production as well as build up soil quality. Centuries of Human activity is rough on top soil.

I also talked Father Clarence into starting a garden behind the Church. It will help feed the hungry during Winter. I even paid for the labor to till and plant. I also bought the seed as well.

Father Clarence says that they will have volunteer labor for harvest because of how ashamed that Church members had been less charitable to the community than a foreigner. Whatever gets people to help each other.

Honestly I started the garden for a more selfish reason. To plant the seeds of my little green friend. I told Father Clarence that it was for my use only as it was my medicine.

I also built some of the first wheelbarrows ever. Everyone loved them. After they got used at the Church I had to start a company just for wheelbarrow production.

“Why has no one come up with these before.” People would always comment as they bought them. I had a similar question when I saw how they worked.

I had finally just decided to rebuild the whole Church roof after getting tired of fixing it. Father Clarence was nearly in tears but I figured it was the least I could do for taking me in. It would have been easier to turn me in to the local Government.

He even lets me confess even though I’m not Catholic (or even religious). It helps to have someone that you confide in. That might be one of the main reasons why the Church was always so powerful.

After months of immersion I was pretty fluent in Old English and I finally got up the courage to ask Father Clarence what the date was.

“July 28 1125 the year of our lord. Why do you ask?” He asked

“Our years were a little off then it would seem. We thought it had been 2019 years since the birth of Christ.”

“My word no. That is far too many. I wonder how that could have happened?”

“Only God knows Father.”

“I suppose so.”

"I will be off Father. Have a good evening."

"You as well Arthur."

What are the odds I would end up here at this time, one of my favorites times in history? It was the time of the Crusaders and Knights and thank God the Black Death hadn’t hit yet.

It was only 60 years ago that William the Bastard sailed from Normandy. In 1066, he claimed his kingdom and the name history remembers. William the Conqueror changed the course of English and even World history.

The Normans though never really endeared themselves to the English. Their rule was with an iron fist. The Castle building they began was backbreaking to the English and most was forced labor. The ironic thing (more like sad) is that the peasants were constructing the instrument of their own oppression.

After later checking the history book I found out The King of England and Normandy was now William’s son, Henry the 1st. Henry had gained his position after a hunting “accident” claimed the life of his brother. Those “accidents” seem to to be common amoung monarchs, and people hanging out with vice presidents.

cough-Cheney-cough

I also found one alarming and pressing matter, a civil war broke out when Henry died as he was left with no male heir. It was referred to in history as simply the Anarchy. The war got pretty bad and went on for almost 2 decades. Pretty much the entire continent of Europe was at war off and on at the time though so who’s counting.

At least that is how it played out in my timeline. I was in completely uncharted territory. I knew every action I was making would have a reaction that would completely change history. This timeline would not be the same as mine.

It was a tumultuous time and that allows someone like me an opportunity. I had a millennia of knowledge on people of this time on numerous subjects, most notably on waging war. Maybe In the process of world domination knock out a couple of centuries of nobility BS and slavery while I’m at. But not before I’ve had lunch.

The food in the 12th century was right up your alley if you’re a meatatarian like me and have money. Side of mutton was pretty damn good but I was always afraid of food poisoning or worse. There was an Inn not far from the Church that I had been staying at that had the best.

At least that’s why Father Clarence thinks that I stay there. It really was just that the Barmaid had an attractive daughter that was coming around to me. She loved my accent god bless her. Or maybe it was because I tip well. It’s sometimes hard to tell these things.

“A Knight came by today and demanded someone meet him. Arthur I think he meant you.” She said when I came in.

Her name was Agatha. And she was quite the looker for the 12th century which I have found to be noticeable lacking in the babes. I think it’s the lack of Makeup.

She had short raven black hair and was in her early 20’s. Which in these times I had found was getting up there in age to still be unmarried. She wasn’t quite the show-stopper as either Rebecca but she also wasn’t trying to take my stuff or send me a thousand years into the past either. So it's a wash.

“What makes you think that?” I said in my heavily accented ol’ English.

“They said he was a giant over 2 yards high.”

“Why were they after this Giant?” Knowing full well they were looking for me.

I hadn’t met more than one or two men in the 3 months I’ve been here that are over 2 yards tall. Bunch of shorties in the 12th. My theory is they weren’t eating a complete diet. You won’t grow big and strong if you don’t eat your veggies, as mom used to say.

“I don’t know they didn’t say.” She said.

Damn. I guess the guilds got tired of us cutting into their turf. At this time guilds dominate craftsman fields because it drives out competition thus keeping their ridiculous profit margins going.

Lack of competition also breeds complacency.

A+B Construction could build a house in half the time it took the guilds to build one. Some of them had 4 or 5 men working for them too. Thus we charged less and still made more bottom line. The modern tools I designed are what really blew the guilds out of the water (you have no idea how much nicer it is to have a claw hammer).

We were doing so damn good it had to be drawing unwanted attention.

“Well where did he say for this Giant to go to find him?” I asked

“The Tower, Arthur” She said wide eyed.

The Tower had first been built by William the Conqueror at the end of the 11th century. It was most famously used as a prison for royal hostages but in the 12th it was still being used as a Palace for the King of England.

Knowing that still didn’t make me feel any better about going there. For all I know this was more about my little romp with the Knight my first day in the 12th. Or the guilds could be using the State to take me down instead of doing it themselves.

“I guess I don’t have a choice then. Did he say when?” I asked knowing what the answer was.

“Tonight. He said that the King had just arrived from Normandy and expects to have you at dinner.”

Damn.