The Price of Amber

by De Writer

Chapter 9

King Lieuee poured the wine he'd brought for the two of them and Arianne served them the meal from her kitchens herself. They dined quietly, watched by both Princesses and the many nobles from both lands, who were dining at the big U of tables surrounding them.

The King noted, “I see that you follow the custom of the bread trenchers and bowls. I know that you have both china and plates of silver. These golden cups show that. Why then, follow such an ancient custom?”

“A fair question, my lord Leiuee. Not all that is old is outdated. Many disparagingly say Sops for the Poor. These breads, soaked as they will be by the sauces and gravys, and having in them the leftover things that we did not eat, will be given at no cost or charge of any sort to the poor. Each thing will make a good meal for those who have been beggarded by circumstance, war or the poorly thought out action of some noble.

“It is not enough, really but it costs us naught and helps some. That, I see as both a gain and a requirement of Fealty. No poor pony is turned away from my aid. I have places in each of my towns where the poor may receive some rations for free. My County is not a place where any pony need starve.”

King Leiuee smiled as he responded, “I do see it. Like all that I have seen, your skills of management shine through. Not only do things get done, but those who do them are cared for at the same time.

“Let me guess, those rations to the poor? With but one or two that you pay to oversee them put up properly, the poor who will benefit from it are the main labor to create it, and portion it out to the rest. Am I close?”

Pausing to swallow a bite of her asparagus salad, she replied, “Near to exact. If all is managed well, every pony is cared for and the County actually has a profit from it all.”

Overhearing, Princess Celestia, noted to Luna, “We must consult with our good Corbiestep about some of these issues, ourselves. I am hearing ideas that we might benefit from.”

The King broached a different topic. “The peace document allows buyers from your County to compete freely with our own buyers at the purchase of the products of the three provinces. So that some legal weasel cannot twist that, do you mean that to encompass free trade between Us of Prance and Equestria? I mean no barriers of tariff at all?”

Arianne smiled, “I cannot speak for Equestria on such a policy, though I would recommend it. I did mean it to our present limited case. Trade passing across the Grimald Pass by road, rail or air or for that matter, our other joint passes. From my County of Corbiestep to the three Provinces of Monatine, Graforest and Trerive or the other way, there shall be no tariff or other barrier.

“That does not mean that there will be no rules. The first and primary rule is simple. NO Notes of Payment at all. There are established means to transport hard currency to banks. A buyer must put actual currency into a bank in the region where he wishes to trade. The bank can issue him a letter of credit for that currency ONLY. A purchase will reduce the value of the letter. The seller can then recover the gold or move it to their own accounts in the bank. Funds can be verified by Magic Net call to the bank in question.

“That will apply to ALL buyers, regardless of where they are from. And yes, buyers from Prance may bid on the products of my County too. Past the borders of my County, you must speak to my Gracious Highnesses, Celestia and Luna.”

He raised his cup to her, saying, “To our trade!” After they drank, he offered, “That was a better offer than I hoped for. Regardless of what restrictions may be placed on trade outside of your County, I shall open Prance to your buyers on the same terms.”

There was a loud ping! Luna tapped her goblet and lifted it. “To free and fair trade! The agreement just made between our good Corbiestep and Your Majesty Leiuee is most agreeable! It shall be drawn for our joint signatures before you leave this County. TO FREE AND FAIR TRADE!”

She drained her goblet and about the hall, others raised theirs and the toast resounded about the room.

This feast was far more convivial as assorted nobles, conveniently seated next to nobles of the other land, realized that they were seated next to potentially profitable trade partners! The possibility of mutual profit helped them to get along as nothing else might have!

Princess Luna and Princess Celestia had King Leiuee and Countess Arianne come to sit across the High Table from them. It really took very little talk to bring the notion that Equestria's traders could go where they wished in Prance and Prance's traders had an equal privilige in Equestria. The main things to be settled were issues like both sides being barred from the inquiry into or the attempt to purchase military goods, hardware or information. With the details hammered out, Countess Arianne summoned one of her scribes to set the whole agreement to writing.

Before the feast was over, this second treaty, one of trade, was signed and sealed, with all necessary copies made!

Leiuee laid down his pen and asked, brow furrowed but ears forward, “This has all been so easy to accomplish. Why have we been enemies for so long?”

Arianne put her hoof solidly on the answer. “Profit. There were two major revenue streams that we have now scotched. The first, and obvious one, was the sale of military goods to the crown's generals, who if Falshort was an exemplar, certainly profited from the many contracts involved. The second, nearly succeeded, one was the theft from your control of whole provinces. They were being forced into what would have been slave like labor to pay off bogus debits to the very nobles who caused their ruin. The scheme needed the first one, near constant war, to distract you from the second. They would have made enormous profits from every part of the whole vile scheme.”

King Leiuee suddenly grinned almost ear to ear as he snorted, “Their schemes have been foiled by a very generous and honest invader! It is ridiculous but the whole economy of Prance was saved by your invasion! It overset all of their plots! I do thank you! You may be sure that I will be searching the rest of my kingdom for the signs of similar criminal plans, either carried out or in train.”

With the feast breaking up but not in the usual way, nobles of Prance and Equestria were hobnobing with eachother but now in larger knots, working out who would trade what to whom and what the larger groups might do together. It was actually serious business being done to arrange things for mutual profits so King Leiuee, Countess Arianne and both Princesses quietly left the room, Dawn Fire with them.

After they were in the hallway, Princess Luna said quietly, “My good Dawn Fire, attend me.” She led him way from the group.

In a private room of her apartment, Princess Luna produced a beautifully crafted wooden chest. It had straps that would allow a pegasus to carry it comfortably while in flight. The Princess opened it to reveal a selection of wonderful smelling Rom K'chek pastries with a variety of fruit fillings!

With a near diabolical smile, she pointed out, “Near half again as many as before. More than half are, as promised, apricot filled.”

As he was strapping the box into place, Dawn Fire commented, “If I leave now, I can be half way to the Weirdwood by dawn. I will need to rest for a few hours before continuing.”

“I did think as much, this pouch of coin should help that and the purchase of food as well.”

Dawn Fire opened the pouch and near dropped it on the table! “These are golden Farthings and silver Octads!” After sorting it he noted, “And copper Phenigs. I see that these are all Arianne's Occupation Coins.”

Luna snorted at that. “Yes. Her Occupation Currency is presently the most widely accepted and sought after coin in all the northeastern Provinces!”

Dawn Fire put the coins back into the pouch. “I make it two hundred fifty Farthings even, in total. I will try to keep a good account of my spending.”

Luna saw him out to the battlements and said softly, “May the wind beneath your wings bear you swiftly and safely on your way.”

Dawn Fire noted, “A moonlit flight. This should be fun.” And launched himself from the high wall, disappearing into the night.

The night flight was uneventful if rather lovely. The moonlight cast everything with a silvery glow. From altitude, most details were difficult to make out, but larger things, like farmseteads and roadways showed well.

Seeing the lights of an all night inn, Dawn Fire spiraled down to land in the courtyard. Using the hoof latch, he entered the room. It was lantern lit, with a heavy beamed ceiling whose timbers showed the soot stains of age and too many candles. The shredded bark of the floor was fresh and soft under hoof. The tap room was almost empty except for a few at a table in the corner and the barkeep, who was wiping down the bar for something to do or his bored expression lied. There was a mare in mob cap and patched robe tending a small fire in the andirons of the big stone fireplace.

Seeing him, the barkeep stopped waving his rag at the bar top and scowled as he growled in fair Equestrian, “What can I do for you, friend?”

Dawn Fire did not have to fake being tired. He yawned as he replied, “Oh good! Your Equestrian is better than my Prench! I could use some warm tea first, then a second floor room until a bit after dawn. Do you have oatmeal for breakfast?”

The mare in her blue mob cap trotted around the bar from placing a fresh local news paper on each table. “No,” she replied in perfect Equestrian, “but we do have a nice porridge that is of oaten meal and ground barley. What all are you needing?”

“The porridge sounds fine as a breakfast, with some of the best local bread and coffee, to see me on my way. As I said earlier, some warm tea for now and a second floor room until somewhat after dawn.”

Her eyes widened a bit in recognition. She smiled, “What brings you to Prance?”

“I did an earlier errand here. Then this one got delayed by politics. I came on to finish this one as soon as I could. I hope that nothing else delays it. I just need to rest up a bit.”

She nodded agreeably, “That will all come to an octad, three phenigs.”

Dawn Fire dug in his pouch and pulled out a small purse. “It sounds reasonable, now lets see if I actually have enough.” He poured the small purse on the counter. Let's see, here are some of these silver parts and here is a whole phenig.”

The mare expertly sorted the coin explaining to him, “Here, these silver parts make up the octad, this one is the same as a phenig. Add your whole phenig and these parts make up the next one. All paid and you still have half an octad left to buy your lunch.”

The barkeep slapped his tea down in front of him, slopping some. The mare snapped at him, “Charbee! What has got into you?”

She took away the tea and wiped the counter. As she was bringing him a replacement, Charbee snapped, “That's two teas! He gotta pay extra!”

“No, Charbee! That tea was not done properly and you slopped it! He is paying good coin for good service and that is what he will have or you are fired!”

Turning to Dawn Fire she apologized, “What you must think of us? Charbee was in General Triard's army. The general surrendered and Charbee is all bitter about it. He has swallowed the death and glory thing whole and the general's surrender to save his troops stuck sideways in his craw. I am sorry that he has been so rude.”

“War does that to some ponies. I am a veteran too. Gryphon Empire. Grayak's Legion. I was on the beach at Ironstone Reef when Celestia's navy ran the Prance southern invasion fleet onto the rocks. Over a quarter of my unit were killed in action. We did stop them from making it into an attack on the Empire.”

She actually smiled as she pointed out, “That explains the Gryphon War Knife that you have there. Grayak's Legion? I have heard some stories about them.”

“Thank you for the tea. My room now?”

She showed him up the stairs to his room, giving him the key to the lock. Dawn Fire thoughtfully locked the door from the inside. He left the key in it, partway turned, to make it really hard to push out from the other side.

His sleep was interrupted by Prench cursing at his door and the scraping of a key being tried in the lock! He ghosted over by the door. He heard a unicorn say quietly, “Let me see if I can get that key to turn enough to push it out. I already got the inside limit latch lifted.”

The one that had been cursing replied, “What if that box ain't got anything worth the trouble in it?”

“No problem. We just dump them both in the woods somewhere where they won't be found. If there is something good in there, we only dump his carcass and sell whatever it is. One less Equestrian in the world either way, so it is a win, win.”

Dawn Fire quietly took the key out of the lock. There was the tiny scrape of another key being put into the lock He waited for the click that told him that the door was unlocked. He snapped it open in the surprised faces of the unicorn and an earth pony! His War Knife lunged expertly into the neck of the unicorn and slashed the leg of the earth pony as he pulled back into the room! He took a guard position in the open doorway!

He heard Charbee yell, “Murder! That damn Equestrian killed Orbe and wounded Kal!”

The Mare sprinted up the stairs, boxing in Charbee and the earth pony Kal! She was yelling, “Drat you, Charbee! How could you do this to us? How did those two get a key? You had to give it to them, didn't you? Didn't you hear anything I told you downstairs?

“I have already called the ambulance! I'll have the gandarmari on you for this! You are fired!”

Ponies in medical sashes charged into the main room! Where are the casualties? Was it a bar fight?”

The mare called, “Up here! Second floor hallway! It was a murder attempt on a guest. He defended himself!”

The medics took a look at Orbe and one told the other, “I will get the neck brace. If we can get him strapped to it, he should survive.”

While he was getting the neck brace for Orbe, Charbee was trying to tell anypony, “That damned Equestrian pegasus there, done it! They was in the hall, minding their own business and he attacked them!”

The mare told the medic, “These two tried to murder a paying guest who is VERY important. He defended himself. That is all. Charbee is lying.”

Several Gendarmes had entered along with the pony carrying the neck brace. One asked the mare, “Why do you think that this guest is so important?”

She pointed, “Get the news paper from downstairs.”

When he brought it up, she pointed to the front page. “First, he came here by doing a night flight. That is important. He told me that he did an errand here earlier. Then his next errand here was delayed by politics. He came on as soon as he could. By a night flight.

“Now look at the front page of the paper. That is King Leiuee signing the peace accord. Just back of him is Princess Luna. To her left, that's right. He is only identified as Princess Luna's Agent. He was present at the Peace Accord. Next to Royalty.

“Then, look here, the Processional for the Banquet to celebrate the signing. Led by King Leiuee and Countess Arianne, followed by Princesses Celestia and Luna. Right behind them, processing ALONE, is Princess Luna's Agent. Look closely. IN THE PROCESSION, he is ARMED with a Gryphon War Knife! Look at the banquet picture. King Leiuee dining at a small table to fulfill a thing said in open court in Canterlot. Behind them at the High Table what do we see? There seated BETWEEN the Royal Princesses, is Princess Luna's Agent.

“Put these things together. He did an errand for PRINCESS Luna. That led to a second errand which was delayed by “politics,” like a war? He is present with the Royalty at the signing of peace. He is placed above EVERY NOBLE of TWO kingdoms! He dines at the High Table between the Princesses. He comes on his errand as soon as he can, even though it means a night flight!

“Are you beginning to get a picture now? Flying by night to get on his way as soon as possible? State Secrets any Pony?

“And these idiots tried to kill him. And found out the hard way that his ten years in Grayak's Legion was not a joke!”

The Gandarmari nodded at each other and quietly collected Charbee and Kal, as soon as the medics were done with his leg wound. One informed the gandarme dealing with Kal, “He needs better medical treatment than we can do here. The Horspital would be best.”

The mare shook her head sadly, “Charbee, you would be better off if you had jumped into a deep cess pit and drowned in shit.”

Dawn Fire listened to her analysis with admiration. Parts of it he had never considered until now.