It didn’t take much longer before he started to find people. There were many wizards outside of the guild council’s chambers. All of them were going about their business as if nothing had happened and everything was fine.
Teryn was confused, but he knew Valeria was still out there somewhere and that he had to find her. He still had no idea where she was, or where to start looking for her. So he went after the next best thing. Going slowly so as not to draw attention to himself, he turned and headed for the Blue Library.
Chapter ThreeThe Prince's Birthday
“Dreams are nothing more
Than our hopes of what is to be.”
Book of Gallian, 2:8.
Year 4978 (Twenty-one years ago)
“You see, son, taxation is really a very necessary part of running a country,” Christopher’s father, King Richard of Coontan, said with a roll of his eyes. “All that tax money that the peasants give to me really just goes back to them in the form of services, you see. For example, some of that tax money goes to public libraries and schools, so the people can be educated and read, something fairly uncommon among peasants these days. But we want our peasants to be smart, don’t we, Christopher?”
“Yes, of course, father, but-”
His father cut him off. “As I was saying, the peasants reap a lot of benefits from what they give me. They also get hospitals, and it pays for people to do work on their houses and the streets, and it pays for several other public buildings that they need. They don’t even have to pay me in money if they can’t afford it. Why, they could pay me with corn if needs dictated it. After all, I can trade corn at a reasonable price, so as you can see, I try to make this as beneficial as possible,” he argued.
“But, Father, why must we tax so much? I mean, why do we have to tax them a full twenty percent of their earnings? That just sounds like an awful lot to me,” Christopher pressed. It was the same argument he made every time they talked about taxation. He wasn’t sure why he bothered when his father was only going to shut him down anyway, but he was stubborn and didn’t want to give in.
“Yes, it does seem like a lot of money, but I assure you every bit – down to the last bronze gredle – is going to use, and if the peasants were unhappy, they would come to me and tell me, don’t you think?” Christopher started to interrupt, but his father shut him up with his hand and continued. “I assure you if there were any way I could be nicer to them, I would do so, now wouldn’t I? Or do you not think I’m benevolent?”
Christopher tried to hold back his contempt and not get emotional like he had done so many times in this argument, and simply tried to state his case without blowing up. “Look, Father, I see your point, and it is definitely a good one. Now, please, just listen to my side of the story for once, if you would be so kind.”
Richard looked at him for a moment, then his face got kinder and he looked intently at his son, beckoning for him to continue. Christopher almost gave up right there, feeling so happy that his father was going to listen to him for once. Being smart, though, he didn’t.
“Okay, Father. My point is thus: twenty percent of earnings is just an awful lot of money. That’s like, if you gave me twenty frednars, then I’d have to give four back, which only leaves me with sixteen. And everyone knows that you can’t buy anything worth anything with only sixteen frednars. Even eighteen, and you could buy food for a day, but sixteen?”
“Get on with it,” Richard complained, stomping his foot.
“Yes, of course, Father. My point is that I think the programs out there could be run off a much lower tax rate, say seven or eight percent. I’ve done some calculations, and with that low a percentage, I think we could run those programs and still upkeep the castle. Maybe not have so many banquets, but that’s fine with me. Just think about that, will you, Father? A seven percent tax rate. I think the peasants would be much happier with more money in their pockets, don’t you?”
Richard let out a deep laugh. “I’m gonna have to get you some better math teachers,” he said at last. “Now, son, you must believe me when I tell you this.”
Christopher started to protest again, knowing what was coming, but Richard silenced him once more, irritating Christopher further.
“I heard you out, now hear me out if you will. Now, I have done my homework, not only me, but several others as well, and we have determined that the current rate is optimal. You see, all this money isn’t only needed to run the programs out there, but to expand those programs as well. As the population grows, more schools and hospitals and things are needed. True, we might be able to run some of them with seven percent, but then we might have to charge per use. Do you want to tell the peasants that their schools will now cost them, or that there will be no more hospitals?” He balked and put a hand on his chest. “I don’t.”
Christopher sighed, wishing his father would take his side into consideration just once instead of beating it down with the same arguments as before. He was fed up with trying to play nice son and beg his father to listen. It was time to bring out the big guns.
“Look,
