said. “We have a great supply of water just to our south.”
“The river?”
“Of course, the river.”
“So…are you planning on changing the course of the river to flow through the city?”
Elissa giggled in a very non-queenly manner. “Of course not, silly. I have a better idea. Who has the largest tavern in town?”
“There are many large taverns,” Marik said. “I am not sure if anyone could be called the largest. What are you looking for?”
“Barrels,” Elissa said. “Someone with lots of barrels.”
Marik rubbed his chin. “A tavern may be a good place to start, but maybe you need to talk to someone else.”
“Who?”
“Just follow me,” Marik said. When Elissa paused, Marik responded, “You will need to trust me. Just follow me.”
“Very well.”
Elissa let Marik lead the way away from the castle and towards the city center. It was slow going as everyone that they came across wanted to bow and curtsy and offer a kind word. Queen Elissa acknowledged each and every one with a smile and a kind word in return. Marik waited patiently as all this happened, even though he was very eager to get the job done. It got worse once they entered the merchant’s square. Vendors and buyers alike all turned to get a look at the queen. It took Marik forcing his way through the crush of people to get them through. He wanted to get angry and drop all common courtesy, but Queen Elissa was as pleasant as she could be.
Finally, they arrived at a small tavern. Elissa did not even have a moment to see what the name of the tavern was. Marik just pushed her through the doors and closed them tight behind.
As soon as she entered, the patrons all recognized who she was and those who stood instantly fell to a knee and those who were seated stumbled to their feet so they could bow as well.
“Rise, please!” Elissa said. “Enough of this! You do not need to fall to a knee every time I come into a room.”
“They are just showing their respect for you and your title,” Marik said. “You are important and they are showing honor and respect to you.”
“Is that true?” Elissa said to the room. Blank looks were returned. “Do you all do it out of some reverence to me?”
“Fear, your Majesty,” came a reply from the far corner of the room. An older man stood and stepped forward. His face was well worn and lined with wrinkles. His eyes were of steel and his face was grim. “They do it out of fear. Fear that if they do not offer you their respect that they will end up headless.”
Elissa glanced around the room and then at Marik.
A slow smile crept across Marik’s face. “You are a trouble maker,” Marik said.
The man returned the smile. “There is more truth in it than you might think. But I will grant you, in the case of this young Queen Elissa, more would kneel out of reverence than out of fear.”
“This is the man that we came to see,” Marik said. “This is Havid, the head of the merchant’s guild.”
Havid stepped forward and gave a very low bow. “Milady, Havid Harmaker at your service.”
“Pleased to meet you,” the queen said. “Can we talk in private?”
Havid clapped his hands and turned to the barkeep. “Paul, a private room, if you
“The river?”
“Of course, the river.”
“So…are you planning on changing the course of the river to flow through the city?”
Elissa giggled in a very non-queenly manner. “Of course not, silly. I have a better idea. Who has the largest tavern in town?”
“There are many large taverns,” Marik said. “I am not sure if anyone could be called the largest. What are you looking for?”
“Barrels,” Elissa said. “Someone with lots of barrels.”
Marik rubbed his chin. “A tavern may be a good place to start, but maybe you need to talk to someone else.”
“Who?”
“Just follow me,” Marik said. When Elissa paused, Marik responded, “You will need to trust me. Just follow me.”
“Very well.”
Elissa let Marik lead the way away from the castle and towards the city center. It was slow going as everyone that they came across wanted to bow and curtsy and offer a kind word. Queen Elissa acknowledged each and every one with a smile and a kind word in return. Marik waited patiently as all this happened, even though he was very eager to get the job done. It got worse once they entered the merchant’s square. Vendors and buyers alike all turned to get a look at the queen. It took Marik forcing his way through the crush of people to get them through. He wanted to get angry and drop all common courtesy, but Queen Elissa was as pleasant as she could be.
Finally, they arrived at a small tavern. Elissa did not even have a moment to see what the name of the tavern was. Marik just pushed her through the doors and closed them tight behind.
As soon as she entered, the patrons all recognized who she was and those who stood instantly fell to a knee and those who were seated stumbled to their feet so they could bow as well.
“Rise, please!” Elissa said. “Enough of this! You do not need to fall to a knee every time I come into a room.”
“They are just showing their respect for you and your title,” Marik said. “You are important and they are showing honor and respect to you.”
“Is that true?” Elissa said to the room. Blank looks were returned. “Do you all do it out of some reverence to me?”
“Fear, your Majesty,” came a reply from the far corner of the room. An older man stood and stepped forward. His face was well worn and lined with wrinkles. His eyes were of steel and his face was grim. “They do it out of fear. Fear that if they do not offer you their respect that they will end up headless.”
Elissa glanced around the room and then at Marik.
A slow smile crept across Marik’s face. “You are a trouble maker,” Marik said.
The man returned the smile. “There is more truth in it than you might think. But I will grant you, in the case of this young Queen Elissa, more would kneel out of reverence than out of fear.”
“This is the man that we came to see,” Marik said. “This is Havid, the head of the merchant’s guild.”
Havid stepped forward and gave a very low bow. “Milady, Havid Harmaker at your service.”
“Pleased to meet you,” the queen said. “Can we talk in private?”
Havid clapped his hands and turned to the barkeep. “Paul, a private room, if you
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