Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 08

Charlus nodded, "That I can fix. Our treaty, Your Majesty. Taxes on goods only, not income and no more than 5%. For the first 3,000 years."

She nodded, "She pulled out a crystal to the King, "You have been lying to me. You do have an issue but you started it. Taxing the hell of your population."

He responded, "My economic advisor said they are not taxes, but tariffs."

Charlus laughed, "A tariff is applied to goods that are exported or imported. To restrict things from coming into the city and driving out or killing a business. The thing is, you have no tariff. You should know a tariff is another word for TAX. Do not try and use the words fee, levy, or toll. They are all illegal based upon the treaty you signed with us.

Fire your economic advisor. Sucking money out of your people is greed and corruption. When was this idiot vetted? I kill my own family members for those things. Part of our overarching family's trust rules and the special purpose of my sword. To keep it out of my house, Your Majesty.

Nothing from pay is taxable, no matter what word you use. Those funds should be returned. Last time I looked you still had over half of the money we gave you for building that town so you have no need to be taxing your people to death. Your non-insurgency revolves around your illegal activity. Return the funds to the people or we will strip you from power in accordance with the treaty. That would be my recommendation, your Majesty if he fails to comply."

They heard him sigh, "Fine we will return the funds it has only been in effect a few weeks. They were lining up behind another heir to the throne."

Charlus laughed, "No. A pretender who wants to be a ruler. From an old lower house who was not in the line of succession. People are willing to believe that when you got your foot on their neck and apply pressure. I have copies of the old record and noble house.

Someone who claimed we installed you in your position. You have an insurrection in the works by your own hand. Under the terms of our treaty until this is dealt with Field Marshal status applies, Your Majesty."

The Queen nodded, "I agree and so will the others. He will be back to oversee this issue. He will want to meet with this economic advisor."

Charlus smiled, "You will find me on your doorstep shortly."

Charlus looked at the Queen as the crystal faded. "Rose and Primrose ride with me. You can ride this horseback. Can we get the two male prisoners, your Majesty?"

She nodded, "They are still outside." She waved the guard.

They brought them in. Charlus looked at Primrose, "Heal me up some and then heal them up."

She did so and she healed the two men. Charlus looked at them. "Blackwell was from a minor house in the old kingdom. He was not in the line of succession let alone being a member of the royal family.

He was a minor baron who lost his title in the transition. Now, you lost over 20 people fighting for a man not worth the paper he is claiming his title is printed on. The only thing you accomplished is you got your voices heard here. By being my prisoners.

I got the truth about what was going on and it was illegal and against the treaty. We put in stiff safeguards with your rulers because of the habit of corruption to pop up or continue for generations. We need human society around the world to become stable.

If that means putting in safeguards to stop corruption in the only stable human government in the world; it was worth doing. The money taken will be returned to the people. I have Field Marshal status and will be heading back with the three of you.

Unarmed and minus your hands until they grow. You will probably not see your son for a while. I will give you a communication crystal and ensure the other gets to the caretaker of your son. When he is conscious again then you will be able to talk to him. Training periods run from 6 months to a year at a time.

Then they return home for a few years and return to their trainer to continue. You understand?"

She looked at Charlus, "You are going to let us go?"

Charlus looked at her, "I am going to take you back and put you to work. You read. You will read through the treaty. If you feel there is an infraction you will report that back to the Elven Ambassador. They will refer it to the Queen who will address the infraction. You will be paid as an advisor for the people reporting to the Elven Ambassador. They cannot detain you without the Queen signing off on it. That is my recommendation, Your Majesty."

She sighed, "I want her working out of the elven ambassador's office. This information should have been caught by him and reported back. It should never have gotten this far. The man claiming to have a right to the title will be arrested or killed.

Those in custody will be freed if it dealt with this issue. You can help to identify those individuals. You two can look at the document and inform the others about Blackwell's claim."

The Queen wrote a document and put it into a tube, "Those are diplomatic papers. Showing that you work for the Elven Ambassador."

She handed it to Charlus. She looked over, "There are ways to deal with injustice. The first is to see if there is anything in our Alliance or peace treaty, which we had to redo after your last King, that helps your people. It did not just protect us but you from your King having overreach and abusing his people. Something General Silvertree insisted upon."

Charlus looked at Trilia, "You got an outfit for her to wear. She is not dressed right for working in the ambassador's office."

She nodded, "I got something in my bag for court."

Charlus looked at Rose and Primrose, "Your Majesty, I would like to introduce Rose and Primrose, my new wives as of last night."

She nodded, "I contacted Zirra to gather the information. Their paperwork is right here. Her house has been informed. Their father was ecstatic you took an interest in them. Something about a pact the 2 of them made."

Charlus looked at Rose who looked at him, "We made a pact. If no man showed an interest in both of us that when we came of age, we would just be our own lovers. Then you walked in with Trilia. It was like prayers being heard. Then we learned it was."

Rose smiled, "Our timing worked out in our favor. Our father did not like our attitude on the matter. Now he has no issues because we are both married with children on the way. We spoke with him earlier."

Trilia came back with the cleaned-up woman and dressed for court.

Charlus looked at the two men. "You will be released back into the city to inform the others. Take up arms against me and you will not live another day. The Elven Queen is dispatching her Field Marshal to take care of this problem. Could I get the 40 guards I had when we went in to let them know their King was dead, your Majesty?"

She smiled, "Good idea."

She stepped in the backroom to talk with leaders. She walked out, "They will meet you at the main gate in 5 minutes."

Charlus bowed to her, "Zirra you can head home with the book. I know you got details to work through. I will take the ladies with me. Having Trilia along for this might prove entertaining."

She smiled and nodded. They got mounted up and rode for the main gate in a hurry. They rode outside the Capital and he looked at the two guys, "You will surrender that horse at the gate."

They nodded. He teleported them into the middle of this escort detail. They went to the main gate and they had a second guard on duty who was not there earlier. Charlus looked at them, "Open the gates! Everyone works for me at the moment. Guard for the city, palace, and army. My Field Marshal status has been activated. The 40 on foot are silver dragons. He pulled out a crystal to their shield, "deactivate shield." They watched it drop.

They opened the gate and they went inside, "Active shield."

The two humans took off in the crowd after leaving the horse. Charlus looked at the dragon walking next to him, "They do not realize I designed their shield and have a control relay crystal of my own to get into the city." He smiled and nodded. The woman asked him, "Why would you have one?"

Charlus sighed, "We monitor for necromancy and unusual magical activity. We have authorization in that treaty to eliminate threats when we find them. One way or another. Insurrection in your land automatically puts me into Field Marshal status to deal with issues."

They made their way through the town with no incident. He got to the palace and walked in. He looked over, "Ambassador, orders for her and a communication crystal for her to talk with her son."

He handed one to the dragon guard. "I brought a boy in earlier who went to the neutrals. Get this crystal to him and those taking care of him. That will allow his mother to keep in touch while he is in training."

He nodded his understanding. Charlus walked up to the King, "Your Majesty, I need someone to take the last 10 guards down to your dungeon and bring up all prisoners and check for signs of torturer while you are it."

They nodded and the King looked nervous. Charlus looked at him, "Something you wish to say, Your Majesty?"

He looked at Charlus, "They were not being very cooperative so the guards might have gotten rough with them."

Charlus nodded, "I brought two clerics, the human female led the group who attacked me. She alerted us to the problem and to who was behind your attacks. She works for the elven Ambassador to work these issues going forward.

She is an employee of our embassy so diplomatic status applies. Where are your economic adviser and your accounting books? Remember I memorize everything I read. I know what they looked like the last time. No duplicate books. The originals, Your Majesty."

He sent a runner with the message. A man from the Far East came into the room carrying 'the books.'

Charlus looked at him, "What qualifies you to be the economic advisor to the King?"

He looked at Charlus, "I was the economic advisor to Chan Chi in the Far East."

Charlus nodded. Charlus walked over as he set the books down and he did not see the manacles until they were on. Charlus pushed him bodily onto the floor. Charlus pulled his hair back. "Hanged Man Guild, General Chow. Slave trader and tyrant."

He yelled back, "Who told you these lies."

Charlus pulled him to his knees and pulled out his blade, "Moon Fire on."

Trilia, go through his mind and find out what he has been hiding. Also, where the real books are. That book is the wrong shade of green. She went through it and gave directions to one of the dragons who came back with a bag of holding and the real books."

She looked at Charlus, "I got it all, Sick fucker. Eating humans."

Charlus whispered in his ear in the local dialect, "The Stealth Butcher has caught up with you."

His eyes went big as Charlus cut through his throat until his head was severed. Charlus looked at the books as he put his cleaned sword away. Reading through everything. "Three months is not a few weeks. Most of these funds appear to have been transferred into your personal account not counting what he has stolen. You will make full restitution now!"

He nodded and pointed to his guards. Charlus looked at him, "ALL advisors are to go through us for evaluation. A FUCKING slave trader is not a good advisor. Time to evaluate all of them while we are here. Assemble your advisors. I am a hair's breadth from enacting clause 87 of your treaty. Finding the next heir in the line who is not a child of yours or appointing a new ruler if one does not exist."

He turned white, "We have no other heirs that are not of my line."

Charlus looked at him, "Send messengers to every Duke or Duchess to be here in an hour. Charlus walked the girl back as the prisoners came out. The first being the guard missing a hand. Charlus looked at him, "Drawing a weapon on me is a mistake. One you will not be repeating. Your time in the city guard is over. Ladies take care of his hand. Then release him."

He looked at Charlus like he was crazy. He saw the human with him. She smiled, "He is fixing the problems."

He nodded, "They are putting him on the throne?"

Charlus smiled and walked away. He went invisible. He activated the crystal. "This Blackwell?"

He heard a reply, "Who is asking?"

Charlus smiled, "Duke Silvertree. You went to a lot of trouble trying to capture me and lost a lot of men for your effort."

He scoffed, "Expendable lackies. Nobody of importance."

Charlus teleported in beside him. He looked around and he was alone in this small home. He teleported him into the palace.

He held him at sword point as he became visible. Charlus looked at the guy with one hand, "This is the one who you wanted to put on the throne? A minor noble not in the line of succession?"

He looked at him with fire in his eyes, "We are not expendable!"

Charlus ran Blackwell through in front of everyone. He let his body hit the floor and sighed, "That part of the problem is taken care of."

He cleaned off the sword and sheathed it as several prisoners stood in shock. The handless wizard looked at Charlus, "These men were all fighting for him."

Charlus nodded, "He was a thug, your average dog has more intelligence. Anyone of you has as much right to sit on that throne as he did. I did tell you I had the authority to act." She nodded rapidly.

They healed up the wounded and injured men with wands. The dragons brought up one human, also from the Far East who wore a bloody apron. Charlus looked at him, "The cook?"

The man shouted, "Interrogator." He looked shocked when he saw the other man lying on the floor, "You killed my father!"

Charlus looked at him, "General Chow was your father."

He looked at Charlus, "He has not gone by that name in years."

Charlus nodded, "Not since the slave trade was all but eliminated with no dragons to feed."

He scoffed, "Fucking dragons."

Charlus smiled, "Two are holding your arms."

Charlus walked behind him and looked at his ear, "I was right. The cook. Sergeant Chow of the Hanged Man Guild. Specialized in making human food, or should I say from humans. Two cannibals in your court."

Charlus looked at the dragons. "Step away from him." They stepped away. Charlus got up behind him and whispered in the local dialect, "Blades from the shadows. Leaving messages in what remained of the men, never a scream for help."

He looked at Charlus and replied in the local dialect just above a whisper, "The Stealth Butchers." Charlus replied, "Butcher...I always went in alone."

He never saw him draw the other sword. He spun around with a double-bladed strike.

Charlus cut out a one-foot section through the middle of him as both blades cleared the other side. He turned and walked toward the King. They watched the body fall over in three pieces. Charlus looked at him, "Counting to 3; easy...remember."

He nodded. Charlus looked at him, "Any other slavers?"

He nodded, "My generals second in command. Another son."

Charlus nodded, "Major Chow. You knew they were slavers and hired them into your service. You are under arrest for violation of your treaty with the elven people and the Alliance. You will be taken back to the elven Capital where you will likely die."

He wiped his blades on him. Charlus took the crown off of his head and threw it on the throne. Charlus walked away putting his swords away. "Your Majesties, I regret to inform you it is worse than we thought. He hired 3 know human slavers and cannibals into his service.

One as an economic adviser, the other is the second in command to the military, and the last was the interrogator who came up in a bloody apron. The second one is the only one still alive. The King knew they were slavers. The lion's share of the money from the three months of taxes he had in his personal accounts. Article 87 is called for and there is no heir. No matter who we choose it will look like we installed the leader."

The three Dukes he had arrived. Charlus looked at the fat men, "Which of you has a service in the military?"

The three of them started to laugh then saw the bodies and one of them looked at Charlus, "I have a hereditary title."

The other two nodded. Charlus smiled, "How much did you pay to keep your hereditary title?"

They went to look at the King and Charlus yelled, "HOW MUCH!?"

He looked at Charlus, "Ten million." The other two nodded.

Charlus walked over to the 'King.' "Anyone in your court who did not buy a title."

He hung his head and shook his head. Charlus looked over, "All court titles are stripped. Effective immediately."

One of the Duke's looked at Charlus, "You cannot do that!"

Charlus looked at him, "Article 87 deals with a complete breakdown of the royal family and court. The elven court takes over and appoints a new ruler."

Charlus looked at the handless wizard, "Get up here."

She walked up. "Name."

She looked at Charlus, "Daisy Thatcher."

Charlus looked at her, "Who was the baron's second in command?"

She shook her head, "He never had a second, only 38 of us working to bring the King down. 12 are dead or killed in his dungeon before that. You are doing it with this treaty?"

Charlus nodded, "Written by me when the last King failed his people. Who is the most respected man or woman in town?"

She shook her head, "The merchants are about the money, the military general is getting up there in age."

Charlus looked back at the guards. "I want the general and his second here 10 minutes ago."

Charlus walked away, "Your Majesty, there is not a noble on the court who did not buy their title."

He heard her groan. "What are you thinking."

Charlus sighed, "The general is getting up in age. I will check with Duke Strong Oak on his thoughts. The best candidate I have has no hands at the moment."

The Queen chuckled, "Seriously? The woman who attacked you?"

Charlus smiled, "Losing her hands to me and those manacles while fighting an oppressive tax for her people is the noblest human I have seen. We put it up for an election and someone will buy the throne. A council and we have people voting for what is best for a small group of people. You have another option, Your Majesty?"

She sighed, "No, you talk with Strong Oak. He has been at odds with their military for years. You more so with this guard in manacles."

Charlus smiled, "One other option would be the human champion."

She sighed, "Talk with her."

Charlus walked over and whispered to one of the dragons and he left with two others. Charlus looked at the royal guards, "Start cleaning up the bodies out of here." He walked over and put the King in manacles.

Charlus pointed to the 3 Dukes, "You 3 are under arrest for corruption. Take them to the dungeon then assemble the rest of the court."

One guard nodded as they escorted the 3 Dukes away. Charlus had both swords in hand with his family blade lit. The general walked in with the second in command. Charlus had seen him before at a distance. They walked in and looked at the blood on the floor and the King in manacles.

The general called out, "What is the meaning of this?"

Charlus looked at him, "Clause 87 of the peace treaty in action. Your King has been removed from duty. Charlus dimension doored behind the second and he had his weapon up and facing him. He sliced down and Charlus deflected his shot. That surprised him, He looked at Charlus, "I never miss."

Charlus nodded, "I know Major Chow." Again, in the regional dialect.

He tried again and it took both of his blades to hold him back.

Charlus shoved him back. He looked at Charlus, "I am a champion to a god!"

Charlus shrugged, "Must not be a very good god then."

He went to strike again and Charlus dimension doored across the room he got the crystal out, "Deactivate shield." He moved quickly across the room and they traded shots for over two hours. He finally started wearing him down and he swung wide and Charlus rolled under and severed both hands, one with each sword.