The arrival of the Pendelton Steam Wagon in the Capital was not subtle.
It arrived at the city gates with a shriek of its steam whistle. The City Watch, trained to spot goblin raids and bandit armies, had no protocol for "hissing black iron boxes."
"Halt!" The Captain of the Gate shouted, aiming a crossbow at the boiler. "Identify yourself, beast!"
Arthur cut the throttle. The engine idled with a rhythmic thump-thump-thump that vibrated in the chests of the guards.
"It is not a beast, Captain," Arthur called out, his face covered in soot. "It is a delivery vehicle. I have a permit for commerce."
Duke Kaelen poked his head out from the cargo bay, grinning wildly. "It's me, Captain! And my boy! We rode the dragon!"
The Captain lowered his bow. "Duke Pendelton? You... you are inside the stove?"
....
They didn't even make it to the shop. Halfway down the main boulevard, a detachment of Royal Knights intercepted them.
"Duke Kaelen," the Head Knight said, eyeing the steam wagon warily. "His Majesty has seen the smoke from the Spire. He requests your presence. And... the machine."
Arthur sighed. "This will delay the restocking of the inventory."
"Arthur," the Duke whispered. "The King is my oldest friend. But do not mention the word 'explosion'. He gets nervous."
The Audience
King Roland IV was a man of keen intellect and gentle demeanor. He sat on the Sun Throne, stroking his white beard. He didn't look angry. He looked fascinated.
The Steam Wagon was parked in the castle courtyard. Arthur stood before the King, wiping grease off his hands with a rag.
"So," King Roland said, his voice warm. "Kaelen tells me you have trapped a storm cloud inside an iron drum."
"It is compressed water vapor, Your Majesty," Arthur corrected politely. "Thermal expansion creates kinetic energy."
The King chuckled. "A wise answer. My advisors scream 'Sorcery', but you speak of 'Energy'. Tell me, little Arthur, is this a weapon?"
This was the dangerous question.
Arthur looked the King in the eye. "Anything is a weapon if used inefficiently, Your Majesty. A spoon can be a weapon. But this? This is a mule that never gets tired. It carries grain to the starving and stone to the builders. It is a tool for peace."
The King smiled, looking at Duke Kaelen. "He speaks well, old friend. Better than you. You would have said it crushes skulls."
"It could crush skulls!" The Duke added helpfully.
The King stood up and walked down to the machine. He touched the warm steel.
"My Kingdom is vast," the King mused. "And slow. If this machine can shrink the distance between my cities... it would unite us like never before."
He turned to Arthur. "You have my blessing, Blueprint Prince. But under one condition."
Arthur braced himself. Taxes? Regulations?
"Make it quieter," The King said, rubbing his ears. "It scared my cat."
End of Chapter 14