Even Nicar found a smile at that. “Certainly that would be something to be desired. What exactly are you proposing, Trella?”
“First I want to set the prices for all the common items that are bought, sold, or traded in the marketplace. If farmers know in advance what price they will receive for their produce, they’ll be easier to deal with, and can concentrate on growing their crops, and not worry about what they’ll be paid for them.”
“Including the nobles?” Nicar asked.
“What merchants sell their goods for on the river or in the countryside is their business. But in Akkad they’ll pay one price, a fair price, with no cheating or sharp dealing.”
“And if there is cheating?”
“Then, Nicar, the nobles will face the same penalties as anyone else.
As the customs say, if a man tries to cheat on an exchange, he’s to pay double. That would be the law of Akkad and apply even to the nobles.”
“And all this would be written down? With everyone agreeing to it?”
Corio looked dubious as he leaned on the table. “You’ll need a half-dozen clerks just to keep track of everything.”
Trella shook her head. “I think we’ll probably need about twenty. To keep records of the laws, the penalties, the prices, contracts, the ownership of the land and houses… They’ll have to invent new symbols to record events, and probably new ways of calculating sums.”
“You’re creating a whole new category of apprenticeship,” Nicar said, trying to judge the extent of what Trella had proposed. “This will change everything.”
So it would, Trella knew, and probably to a greater extent than Nicar realized. “It will change our future for the better. Akkad will be a better place to live and work.”
“To train so many clerks… store so many records, you’ll need a new building to house them, their teachers, servants, and families,” Corio mused. “Clay records require large rooms with many shelves to store them.” He fell silent, no doubt already thinking about how he would design and build such a structure.
“Yes, I imagine there is much more about this than I’ve considered.” As ever, she preferred to let others figure out what might be needed, though she and Annok-sur had spent the last few weeks going over the likely impacts on their society. Between them, they’d considered all the ramifica-tions. At least she hoped they’d thought of everything.
“How would you pay for such an undertaking?” Nicar said. “It will be many months before Akkad returns to full prosperity, and even then, this will require much gold.”
“Well, Eskkar will bring in additional taxes from the countryside,”
Trella said. “And those wishing to become clerks will pay for their apprenticeships in advance. That should bring enough to feed and house them.” She turned to Corio. “We would need a place for them to live and work. I was hoping you would build one for us, Corio, and perhaps charge us less than your usual price?”
It took Corio only a moment to understand her meaning. If he didn’t discount the price, she would fi nd another architect. Not that it mattered.
He’d still make a good profit, only a bit less than usual. “Of course, Lady Trella. I would be honored to construct a building for you, say at a discount of one-tenth?”
“That is more than generous, Master Builder. And perhaps you can help determine the prices and penalties for Akkad’s other builders? Along with, of course, the other nobles.” Trella accepted that he would make sure the law favored the artisans, but that would be a small price to pay.
Besides, the poor didn’t pay others to build for them. They built their own huts out of mud. The wealthy had more, and so they would pay more.
She turned to Nicar. “I hope you will help me draft the laws. A common set of laws that will apply to all.”
“How will these laws be administered?” Nicar stroked his beard, a dubious frown on his face.
“I hoped you would tell me, Nicar. I would like the council to appoint someone to oversee the drafting of these new rules, and then preside over their administration. That someone would be responsible only to Eskkar, and would make sure the laws were applied fairly to everyone-noble, merchant, shopkeeper, and farmer alike.”
Corio laughed in understanding. “You’ve been chosen, Nicar. You’ll have to deal with it.”
Nicar clearly hadn’t expected this. “What you ask… why, it will take months… even years. And my business… what would I do?”
“You said yourself that your son is prepared to take over your family’s business,” Trella said, noting the noble’s discomfort. “Perhaps he is readier than you know. Besides, who else in Akkad do the people respect as much as you, Nicar? And you’ll have help. The council will provide whatever you need. I’m sure there are plenty of younger sons, men with their wits about them, who would appreciate the opportunity to serve. As Corio says, this would be a whole new House, a House of Laws, with a staff of clerks and administrators needed to ensure its honest application. You’d be deciding disputes between all of Akkad’s inhabitants.”
“One of my sons is more clerk than artisan,” Corio offered. “He can’t plumb a line to save his life. Any house he builds is certain to fall down sooner or later. But he knows the symbols, and might prefer such an apprenticeship. It would be far better for the boy to be a scribe than a builder.”
“The people trust you, Nicar,” Trella went on. “And the chance to establish a new House, one of your own choosing, accepting only the best and most honest of our people. You would be honored by all.”
“Accept the honor, Nicar,” Corio added. “The other nobles will rely on you to treat them fairly.”
“What would this new position be called?” Nicar asked with a sigh, looking as if he might be tempted in spite of his usual caution.
“I’m not sure,” Trella answered. “Since you’d have to determine the truthfulness of what men say and do, it seemed to me that the title of
‘judge’ would be appropriate. Akkad’s chief judge would be accountable only to Eskkar. He and I believe it is one of the most important duties of a ruler to give just decisions in resolving disputes. You know how much Akkad needs such an office, and who better to fill it.”
“Chief judge of the City of Akkad,” Corio said. “Sounds impressive, doesn’t it?”
It did indeed, Trella agreed. In a few months, certainly less than a year, the title would change to “The lord’s judge,” or even “The king’s judge.”
The title of “king” meant ruler of all the land, one blessed by the gods and dispensing their favor. It had never been used in these lands, but the word
“king” could wait a little longer, until the people grew ready to accept it.
“Say yes, Nicar,” she pleaded, touching his hand with her own. “Your name will be remembered forever in Akkad. And think of all the good you can do.”
He looked from one to the other, and lifted his hands in surrender.
“When do you wish me to begin?”
“Put your affairs in order. In a week or so, we can begin figuring out what will be needed.”
“I thought I would be getting some rest in my old age, Trella. Now you’ll have me working from dawn to dusk.”
Longer than that, Trella thought. “Noble Nicar, I believe this will be as good for you as for the city. We’ll have much to discuss, but we can start whenever you’re ready.”
“Since that’s settled, can we get on with the feast?” Corio’s tone made Nicar and Trella laugh. “I can hear my granddaughter squealing with de-light even from here.”
“Yes, I want to greet your wife and children,” Trella said. “Perhaps I can find some extra treats for them. My thanks to you both.”
When the two men left, Trella felt pleased that one of the day’s more important items had been concluded. Nicar’s honesty would reflect favorably on Eskkar’s personal code of justice. The nobles would grumble and complain about losing more of their privileges, but they would see the benefits to themselves soon enough. And they might even believe they could influence Nicar’s judgments, but she knew her former owner better than that.
No, she’d moved Akkad another step forward, this time using the nobles’ self-interest to solidify and strengthen Eskkar’s rule. Eventually the people would come to trust Lord Eskkar’s arbiter of the laws, and, until then, they could appeal to Eskkar if they believed themselves treated unjustly. The more they trusted Eskkar and
