Court has continued on for a few hours with little of interest being brought up. However, my eyes migrate to a small group of people that have nervously shuffled through the door. Their clothes mark them as members of the lower class, peasants. However, they too, if their need great enough may petition the king, therefore what they have to say must be fairly important.
I sat up, ”The people who just came in. Step forward”
There’s a bit of surprise anxiety as they get called out. However they shuffle forward and kneel before their king. The man in front, a burly man with a balding head speaks up for the group, ”Your Majesty! Please, you have to help us”
I lean back a little, ”Speak what’s on your mind”
He looks forward at me, a pleading look in his eyes, ”We come from Diocletia, Your Majesty. The Countess... she-she’s gone mad”.
I recognize the name. The Earldom of Diocletia lies within the Crownlands, west from the capital. The Earldom is ruled by one of my vassals, Countess Maria Lennon. She’s 6 years older than me and was married to a promising noble from a minor family and together they have a little son. The House of Lennon has been around for a long time and while not a particularly powerful family, they’ve always been respected among the circle of nobility. Now that I think of it, It was considered odd that she wasn't at my coronation considering how close she lives.
The man continues, ”I have the greatest respect for my liege-lady, but over the last month or so she’s started to act strangely. She’s raised the taxes and have been bleeding the farmers dry of their food. Her men raid her own villages for food and gold, because most of us have stashes hidden in our houses for troubled times. Please, Your Majesty! She’s taking everything from us!”
Earl Edwin, my Chancellor steps forward, ”Your Majesty, if i may?”. I nod my head to give consent to speak, ”We cannot interfere with how one of our subjects manages her estates. It breaches the feudal contract. However, we may draft a letter expressing disapproval and condemnation for her actions and warn her that the crown may not support her in such matters. But if she’s truly gone mad, then nothing we say will be able to dissuade her. Letters are free though and that is my recommended course of action”
I think for a moment. ”I could pay her a visit. It’s possible that seeing her king and hearing from him personally may dissuade her from erratic actions”
”That may be Your Majesty, but if she truly has gone mad, she may not listen to you, or worse she may try to harm you. I can't suggest putting yourself at risk like that”
”Hmm...” I ponder what to do.
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author