478 A New Labor Force

While Honoria was back in the Fatherland preparing for the next incursion to the New World. Berengar, along with his soldiers, were still stationed within the temporary Fortress that had been constructed within the coastline of New York. 

For the past few weeks, Berengar had been treating Kahwihta over her flu symptoms, and finally, the fever had broken. She, unlike her kin, had received primary treatment for the illness and, because of this, managed to survive the ordeal. 

Unlike what Berengar had expected, the young woman did not blame him or his people for her suffering. Instead, she saw it as a test of her loyalty to her gods. One thing was sure; she was just happy to be alive.

With this in mind, the young native woman rose from beneath the flannel sheets and fur covers that provided her warmth during these troubling times and slowly got dressed in her tribal deerskin clothing. Berengar entered the room as she did so, causing a slightly chilly breeze to enter the otherwise comfy lodging.

Upon seeing the woman climbing out of bed, Berengar smiled; she appeared to be in a much better state than she was previously in. With this in mind, he quickly got to work as he prepared a nice meal for him and his colonial concubine to share.

There was much work ahead for the King of Austria, and he intended to use this woman to communicate with the other tribes the moment she was fluent in the German Tongue. However, such a thing could not be rushed; for the time being, he would make sure that Kahwihta was in peak shape before he began using her as a diplomat. 

As Berengar continued to cook a healthy meal, the Chieftain's daughter began to work on her German; she slowly looked over the educational materials that Berengar had provided; these were copies of the texts in use by the Austrian Education System. They were designed for use by first-time learners of the German language.

Eventually, he finished the meal and brought it over to his concubine, where he forced her to take a break from her studies so that she could eat with him. The moment she tasted the dish prepared from a mix of rations, she moaned in pleasure before commenting on it.

"This is really good!"

Berengar chuckled when he heard this before rejecting the compliment.

"This is nothing, just something I threw together from our rations; you should see the delicacies I eat back in the Fatherland!"

Kahwihta failed to understand the entirety of Berengar's comment and immediately looked through her study book while eating to ensure that she could effectively learn what he said. After a few minutes, her eyes widened in shock, and she put down her book, where she pronounced the following phrase in broken German.

"Will you take me to your homeland?"

Berengar had an awkward expression on his face as he heard this; he couldn't very well take the girl with him back to Austria, else his wives might throw a fit. However, he could see that she desperately wanted to see what his homeland looked like, and thus he sighed before making a statement that effectively kicked the can down the road.

"Maybe one day..."

Though he had not answered in the definitive, it was enough to bring a smile to the Native girl's face. As for Berengar, he began to think that if she witnessed the splendors of Austria, she might have a heart attack. After all, she was already impressed enough by the pathetic timber fortress they had constructed and the measly rations his soldiers ate. 

How excited would she be when she witnessed the extensive railways that were being constructed across Austria or its grand architecture that existed throughout every city? Perhaps in due time, she would get a taste of what the fatherland had to offer right here in her own home. 

Things were progressing smoothly in this military colony, and as Berengar had anticipated, there was currently a crisis underway among the Native Tribes of what was once referred to as New York in his past life.

In fact, at this very moment, there was a crowd of Natives sitting outside his Fortress's gates, seeking shelter from the elements and their enemies alike. The flu had ravaged their populations, and these survivors could only turn to the people who seemed entirely unphased by the strange illness.

"Kahwihta, my dear, there is a gathering of natives outside our gates, seeking shelter and aid. I intend to put them to work in the fields, spring is around the corner, and I will need a proper labor force to make this Fortress last.  However, to make my generous intentions clear to these people, I need someone to translate my words. Could you do this small task for me?"

The young Chieftain's daughter gazed upon her lover with a curious expression. It took her a few moments to translate his words within her mind, but ultimately she understood his sentiment. A smile quickly spread upon her pretty face as she uttered the words that Berengar wanted to hear.

"Of course, I will help you in any way I can!"

Because of this warmhearted response, a kind smile spread upon the Austrian Monarch's face as he gently grabbed ahold of the young woman's face and planted a kiss on her lips before complimenting her.

"I am sure you will. After all, I am rarely wrong in my choice of women..."

Immediately, the girl's tan cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment as she heard these words. However, the next moment, the romantic scene was interrupted by a knock on the door. The Captain in charge of the Marine Company was rather urgent as he continued to pound on the thick wooden door. 

When Berengar finally pried the entrance to his lodging open, he gazed upon a frantic appearance on the face of the man he had tasked to lead his soldiers. Before he could ask what had caused the man to be in such a chaotic state, the Captain boldly announced what was transpiring.

"Sir, the Natives outside our gates, have become agitated; if we don't get someone to calm them down, we might have a full-scale riot on our hands!"

Berengar's expression sank; such a thing was the worst-case scenario; there was no hesitation in his one good eye as he shifted his gaze upon the young woman next to him. With a stern order, he departed from his lodging towards the ramparts of the Fortress, with the native girl in tow.

"Come with me!"

Upon arriving at the ramparts, Berengar witnessed the scene of dozens of men, women, and children from a variety of tribes and cultures gathered outside the gates of his fortress. there were roughly a hundred people in total. Some of them had flu symptoms, while others appeared to be quite healthy.

Because different peoples gathered in the same space, it did not take long before conflict occurred. To the untrained eye of Austria's marines, these people were all the same, but Berengar and Kahwihta knew differently. The young Austrian King had a hint of urgency in his tone as he began to issue forth a decree, expecting his concubine to translate his words effectively.

"Calm yourselves! As the leader of this settlement, I assure you that you will be taken care of if you behave yourselves and follow my orders appropriately. It just so happens that spring is around the corner, and we need farmers and laborers. If you agree to work for us, you will be provided with proper accommodations, such as housing, food, and medical treatment. If you disagree to these terms, then you may return from whence you came!"

Kahwihta immediately began to translate these words into various tongues, which allowed these different tribes to comprehend what Berengar had stated. Upon hearing that they would be provided for in exchange for work, many of the people gathered immediately calmed themselves and ceased their hostilities. 

While some refused to work for these pale-skinned foreigners, there were still dozens of people who had nowhere else to go, their tribes and villages had been ravaged by disease, and what remained were conquered by their neighbors. In the end, these people could only gracefully accept Berengar's terms. 

Thus Berengar had gained a small workforce for his small military colony that would provide the necessary labor to keep his settlement operational for the foreseeable future. This would be the first group of natives incorporated into the German Colonies through peaceful means.