Chauncey Giannone: The Best Defence.

This story is now published as part of the anthology ‘Loyal and True’.

Chauncey Giannone’s family had been building defensive weapons for fifteen generations.

Their offensive weapons were exemplary but, truth be known, they only produced them for the money.

There were numerous mouths to feed and these were violent times.

All through history men have invented new and more efficient weapons, designed to kill and to terrify.

And, as fast as men invented and developed these weapons other men invented and developed ways to counter them.

Chauncey held the intricate chain-mail in his hands wondering how men were able to stand up let alone fight in this heavy armour.

At the time it was a reaction to bronze and then iron and more terrifyingly, steel blades.

The chain-mail would afford a degree of protection without restricting movement, but the weight was a problem.

Battle was fatiguing enough without the added burden of all that weight.

His ancestors had experimented with different metal alloys, all in an attempt to gain strength and lightness; not an easy task.

The chain-mail he was holding was more ceremonial than military, but if called upon it would have stood up to the task.

Each link was delicately embossed by hand and would have taken months to construct. Only a royal could have afforded such a garment.

Every successful business needs a few rich clients. They provide the cream and this ‘cream’ allows the business to invest in new ideas.

Family legend had it that the money the business received for this suit of chain-mail was the impetus for the development of the family’s most successful product, and the reason that the business was able to last for so many centuries.

Chauncey was sure that his ancestor would have received a lot of pressure to concentrate on offensive weapons.

“No one ever went broke taking a profit”.

Despite the pressure his ancestor had a vision of the future, and the vision was directed towards defence.

Fear is a great motivator in any age. 

*

Photo Credit: