Last Knight (The Champion Chronicles Book 2) (9 page)

              He missed Master Goshin all of a sudden.  It had been some time since he had really thought about him, but as he watched his two friends be taken away from earth, his thoughts turned to the old Hurai.

              There was much that Master Goshin had taught him.  Some of it was fighting, but some of it was clearly more important than learning how to swing a blade.  Or two.  But there were other things, too.  Most of which he really didn’t understand.

              Master Goshin had talked of the One God many times and how belief in Him would help him live past his life on this earth and allow him to live into the next life.  Although he was not sure if he really believed all of that, watching the bodies of his friends burn, he thought how wonderful it would be if it were true.  It would be much easier to think of their deaths as just another stop in their lives, with the rest of it continuing in the afterlife.  Once he finally caught up with his old friend, he would ask him about it.

              But in the meantime, he couldn’t think about Master Goshin and his philosophical teaching.  There was a more pressing matter that involved revenge and vengeance.

Chapter Eight

This time, Queen Elissa left through the front gate of the castle.  Although she wasn’t trying to sneak out of the castle grounds, she made sure it was early morning when she left, when all the servants and castle workers were still asleep.  She knew there would still be city guards manning the gates, but they wouldn’t talk or gossip.  They would follow standard protocol and not acknowledge her, unless she talked to them first.

              But she didn’t count on Marik being up this early.  She heard him call her name from behind and she thought for a moment that she could just keep walking, pretending that she did not hear him.  But it would not have been the queenly thing to do.

              Elissa turned to see Marik trotting towards her.

“Well, Marik,” Elissa said.  “Have you come to join me?”

“My queen,” Marik said.  “You are heading out into the city?  With no escort?”

“Of course not,” Elissa said.  “This is my city.  Who would do me any harm?”

Marik let out a long sigh.  “Oh, my dear Queen Elissa…”

“Are you now my mother?” Elissa asked.  “If she were still alive, I am sure that is exactly how she would sound.  I am not going to hide in my castle, afraid to walk my streets.  If Lord Martin and Lord Kirwal are going to make decisions without me, then when I have one to make, I will need to make it on my own.  And this one involves meeting someone.”

“And who would that be?” Marik asked.

              Elissa glanced towards the center of the city.  “I am not sure.”

              Marik let out a burst of laughter.  “Do you not think that you should have thought of that before you left?”

              Elissa turned her shoulders and tossed her head.  “I will find them on my own, then.”

              She started walking with a long stride towards the open gate that led out into the city.

              Marik took two quick trots to catch up to her.  “I would be glad to help.  Who are you looking for?”

              “You are aware of the city’s water problem?”

              “Of course.  Several wells are contaminated.  They were making people sick so the city guard are rationing out water until we can dig new wells.”

              “New wells will not be the only solution,” Elissa said.  “We have a great supply of water just to our south.”

              “The river?”

              “Of course, the river.”

              “So…are you planning on changing the course of the river to flow through the city?”

              Elissa giggled in a very non-queenly manner.  “Of course not, silly.  I have a better idea.  Who has the largest tavern in town?”

              “There are many large taverns,” Marik said.  “I am not sure if anyone could be called the largest.  What are you looking for?”

              “Barrels,” Elissa said.  “Someone with lots of barrels.”

              Marik rubbed his chin.  “A tavern may be a good place to start, but maybe you need to talk to someone else.”

              “Who?”

              “Just follow me,” Marik said.  When Elissa paused, Marik responded, “You will need to trust me.  Just follow me.”

              “Very well.”

              Elissa let Marik lead the way away from the castle and towards the city center.  It was slow going as everyone that they came across wanted to bow and curtsy and offer a kind word.  Queen Elissa acknowledged each and every one with a smile and a kind word in return.  Marik waited patiently as all this happened, even though he was very eager to get the job done.  It got worse once they entered the merchant’s square.  Vendors and buyers alike all turned to get a look at the queen.  It took Marik forcing his way through the crush of people to get them through.  He wanted to get angry and drop all common courtesy, but Queen Elissa was as pleasant as she could be. 

              Finally, they arrived at a small tavern.  Elissa did not even have a moment to see what the name of the tavern was.  Marik just pushed her through the doors and closed them tight behind.

              As soon as she entered, the patrons all recognized who she was and those who stood instantly fell to a knee and those who were seated stumbled to their feet so they could bow as well.

              “Rise, please!” Elissa said.  “Enough of this!  You do not need to fall to a knee every time I come into a room.”

              “They are just showing their respect for you and your title,” Marik said.  “You are important and they are showing honor and respect to you.”

              “Is that true?” Elissa said to the room.  Blank looks were returned.  “Do you all do it out of some reverence to me?”

              “Fear, your Majesty,” came a reply from the far corner of the room.  An older man stood and stepped forward.  His face was well worn and lined with wrinkles.  His eyes were of steel and his face was grim.  “They do it out of fear.  Fear that if they do not offer you their respect that they will end up headless.”

              Elissa glanced around the room and then at Marik.

              A slow smile crept across Marik’s face.  “You are a trouble maker,” Marik said.

              The man returned the smile.  “There is more truth in it than you might think.  But I will grant you, in the case of this young Queen Elissa, more would kneel out of reverence than out of fear.”

              “This is the man that we came to see,” Marik said.  “This is Havid, the head of the merchant’s guild.”

              Havid stepped forward and gave a very low bow.  “Milady, Havid Harmaker at your service.”

              “Pleased to meet you,” the queen said.  “Can we talk in private?”

              Havid clapped his hands and turned to the barkeep.  “Paul, a private room, if you please?”

              Paul nodded his head and announced loudly that the bar was now closed.  Quickly, the patrons left the bar and the queen, Marik, and Havid were left alone.

              “You have my ear,” Havid said.

              Marik and Elissa exchanged a quick glance.  Marik gave a slight nod of his head to let the queen know she could speak freely.  “So, I understand that there is a bit of a water shortage.”

              Havid raised an eyebrow.  “A bit is a bit of an understatement.  Since the wells were closed, and the rationing began, things have been a bit hectic.  The merchants have been starting to grumble.”

              “The taverns look full, and you have a cask there,” Elissa said.  “You seem to be doing well.”

              A fatherly smile came across Havid’s face.  “The problem is not that we are out of ale and beer now, it is that we won’t be able to brew any for the winter.  The grumbling is just beginning, but when the taverns run out in a couple of months, the grumbling will turn to shouting and screaming.”

              “Then we should do something about it now,” Elissa said.

              “Well, that would be ideal,” Havid said.  “And you have some sort of plan for this?”

              “You have access to empty casks?” Elissa asked.

              “Yes…” Havid replied.

              “And wagons?”

              “Some…”

              “There is an endless supply of water just about a mile from this very spot.  Fill up a wagonload of a casks and haul them from the river to your taverns.  Then you won’t have to use the water from the wells.”

              Havid gave the queen a knowing smile.  “That is all well and good, and we do some of that already.  But you are aware of the tax, right?”

              “Tax?”

              “Yes, the tax.  You know, the money that helps pay for everything you have?”

              Elissa looked at Marik.

              “Each wagonload of goods that comes into the city is taxed,” Marik said.  “It is how we fill your coffers.”

              “I guess I don’t understand,” Elissa said.  “Are you saying that we take money from the merchants who come into the city?”

              Havid burst into laughter.  “Oh, my!”

              Marik didn’t like Havid’s tone.  “Settle down, Havid.”

              “I’m sorry, my queen.  I meant no disrespect, it’s just that I thought that would be the first thing that Lord Kirwal and Lord Martin would teach you.”

              “So we do take money, then?”

              “Running the kingdom can get expensive,” Marik said.  “It is just a little…”

              “Some would say it is a little more than a little,” Havid countered.  “But that is a conversation for another time.  We do already bring water in from the river when we must.  But the tax on it makes it hardly worth our while.  If we have to pay tax on water, then it will be very expensive just to have a pint of ale.”

              “And if you don’t have to pay a tax on water from the river?” the queen asked.

              Havid shrugged his shoulders.  “It would still cost us for manpower to bring the water from the river.  But it would go a long way to helping the problem.”

              “And it would leave more water for everyone else,” Elissa said.

              “Including the slums,” Havid said with a nod.

              “Very well.  When can you start?” the queen asked.

              Havid laughed.  “I would have to raise quite the little army to drive the wagons and fill the casks.  It would be no easy feat to find spare men.  Harvest time is upon us and many of the young men and boys are already out in the fields.  And then there is the matter of horses or oxen.  They do not come cheaply.  I would say I could have the first casks of water coming through the gate in a week.  Maybe longer.”

              “A week?” Elissa exclaimed.

              “My queen, I can’t just snap my fingers and have everyone jump at my command to get something done.  In the real world, some things take time.  And sometimes they can’t be done.  Even those of noble blood have their limitations.  I will have to raise funds to hire men, pay for feed for the horses.  I consider myself wealthy, but not that wealthy.  If you want it done more quickly, maybe you should exchange your dress for a good set of work clothes and join us.”

              Marik’s face turned red, and he responded with much anger in his voice.  “Havid!  How dare you talk to your queen like that!”

              Elissa placed a hand on Marik’s shoulder.  “Marik, it’s okay.  He’s right.  I’ve lived my entire life in the castle without knowing what is going on.  I had no idea about taxes.  I never thought anything about that.  It just didn’t matter to me.  And I ask others to do things without being willing to do them myself.”  She turned to Havid and said, “If you need my help, then tell me what to do.”

              Havid smiled and said, “And you wonder why people will be willing to fall to a knee to honor your presence.  They don’t do it out of fear, they do it out of love.  Love for a queen who is willing to do more than just tell people what to do.”

              “I do want to help.”

              “I need horses to pull wagons and men to load the casks.  I cannot afford to pay them, but you can.”

              Elissa nodded.  “It is done.  Whatever it costs, I will pay.  Any men you need, the city guard will help, too.”

              Havid gave the queen a deep bow.  “You are too generous.  I must take my leave now and start finding those horses and men.  I said a week, but if all goes well, in three days we will have a steady flow of water coming from the river.”

              Marik waited for Havid to leave before he turned to the queen and said, “Lord Martin and Lord Kirwal will be livid.”

              “How so?” Elissa asked.

              “Well, two reasons.  One, you figured out a solution to the water problem that they could not.  And two, they will lose out on tax money.  Your father lived very lavishly.  Don’t get me wrong, he was a fine king.  But I don’t think he quite knew how much the tax burden could be on the average citizen.  It wasn’t bad, mind you.  But I just don’t think he ever really knew.”

              “And nor did I,” Elissa said.  “I guess I feel guilty, now.”

              “Don’t feel guilty,” Marik said.  “Sometimes it’s just the way life is.  Kings, and queens, have many responsibilities, but a job is not one of them.  You need to fill the kingdom’s coffers somehow.  And taxes are just one of the ways.  The taxes aren’t oppressive; you aren’t taking every hard earned cent.  But if you take all of your income away, there will be nothing left to run the city.”

              Elissa shivered and said.  “I don’t like taking money from my people.  It feels weird.”

              “I’m afraid in time you will get used to it.  Come, we should return to the castle and let Lord Martin know about your nefarious plan.”

              “Nefarious?” Elissa asked with a smile.

              Marik just let out a chuckle and escorted the queen back to the castle.