"No, my lord,"
quickly denied Ionus. "This will only take a moment and it is
important."
"Very well," acquiesced Prince Korvos. He led Ionus to a side room.
"What is it you want?" he demanded of his soon-to-be liegeman.
"I have to speak to you about the poor condition of our economy. The
lands are in ruins, there is unrest across the land. The only solution
is to start a war against Alberoth. The spoils from that rich and lazy
land can be used to feed our starving people," pleaded Ionus.
"Are you *demanding* this course of action?" asked Korvos.
"My lord, you misunderstand my intentions. We nobles are suggesting
what we see as the best course of actions for this kingdom," argued
Ionus.
"I think you will find my reign particularly prosperous if we have
fewer of these conversations in the future," said Korvos enigmatically.
"Of course my lord, forgive this intrusion." And with that Ionus went
to join the other nobles to converse with them.
Chapter 5: The Old Peasant
The main hall of Castle Korath was already filled with the elite of
Korathian nobility. Nobles and their families mingled, conversed, and
discussed amongst themselves, the prime topic being Prince Korvos, just
returned after a twenty year absence. Korathian guards stood at
attention throughout the room, keeping a central pathway clear, wherein
the Prince would walk to the head of the room. There awaited High
Priest Elmuth and two aides, ready to coronate the new King of Korath.
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"Perhaps we
should have investigated the curse some more," whispered Prince Korvos
to his two friends as he eyed the throngs of people.
"Relax, this will be over before you know it," reassured Theguis.
"And besides, there is no curse," piped in Racius.
As the trio stood, waiting for the ceremony to start, some sort of
disturbance was heard off to one side of the room.
"Kill those men," bellowed Prince Korvos.
The guards nearest the Prince looked at him askance: "Sir?"
Two guards came up, dragging a dirty peasant between them.
"What is the disturbance?" impatiently asked the Prince.
"This peasant demands to speak to you," said one guard.
"Please, Lord Korvos," begged the peasant. "You must listen to me. I am
Ganiri, a humble subject. I have to come to beg of you to help the
peasants of Korath, who are being brutally oppressed by the nobles. Our
crops have failed, we have nothing with which to pay our taxes, and yet
the nobles continue to raise our taxes. They've taken my pigs and cows,
and now my family has nothing to eat. You must help us."
Ionus walked up to the group. "Sire, let me rid you of this peasant,"
he said while drawing his rapier.
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