Arrows Of Change (Book 1) (13 page)

Her da didn’t even have to pause before answering. “Lots of
conmen running about. Getting some damage done to buildings too.”

“So, fraud and vandalism.” Edvard hummed, considering. “I
think those are both a type of theft, in a way. Fraud is just a lie in order to
steal something. Vandalism steals property from its owner because it’s too
damaged to use properly. So can’t the sentence we use for theft be the same?”

“I think so.” Ashlynn looked a trifle too gleeful at this.
“More free labor that way. It’s perfect for us too.”

“And debt?” Broden asked. “Many a loan shark running about.”

“Already?” Edvard grumbled to no one in particular. “We
really have to do something about that. But for now, I say that if a man is in
debt and can’t pay, he has one of two options: he either uses property he has
to repay the debt, or he can choose to come to us to work it off. We’ll repay
it in his stead.”

“Fair,” Broden allowed with a judicious nod of the head.
“That be the worst of what Ashlynn and I have seen.”

“We’ll need to work out the fine details of contracts, and
taxes, and the like.” Edvard rubbed at his forehead. “But that’ll have to wait
until I can figure out how the government is supposed to run. I’m open to any
input on its structure, by the by. Thoughts?”

Riana and Broden shared another look, eyes communicating all
their worries. But as open as Edvard had been with them, they were not entirely
sure if he would welcome something that struck close to home. A man never liked
to hear that he would need to give up power. And yet, that was precisely what they
felt he needed to do.

“That look says they do have an idea,” Ash observed.
“Alright, you two, spill it.”

Broden cleared his throat and looked uncomfortable. Riana
sighed, resigning herself to the inevitable, and spoke for the both of them.
“Edvard, I think the Iysh king failed his people ‘cause he took too much on
himself. He did no’ share the power he had as he should have, and it led to
power-hungry fools fighting over every scrap.”

“You think I should create a government where I don’t have all
of the power.” Edvard translated this without trouble.

“Aye,” Broden said simply.

Ash gave her a subtle wink, which relieved her. So, he
thought she had said the right thing. “Edvard, I have to agree. If you keep all
of the power in your hands, people will start feeding you misinformation and
manipulate your decisions that way. We saw that happen with the Iyshian king.
The power needs to be balanced out, spread among a select group that is
responsible for the larger whole. You need to have something that will check
one side from making rash or selfish decisions.”

Edvard steepled his hands in front of his mouth, eyes
blindly staring straight ahead. “Yes. Yes, you’re all right. A system that
allows all sides to check the other…I’ll need to think on that.”

Broden dared to add, “Right now, we be stretched too thin
because we be running from one side of Estole to the other, wasting precious
time simply traveling back and forth. It would be for the best, I think, if ye
divided up the land so that one person was in charge of each section. It would
give someone a way to access help quick-like.”

The king stared at his archer like the man had just spouted
golden wisdom. “Broden. I think that’s it.”

Blinking, Broden asked blankly, “It be what?”

Edvard stared at the ceiling for a long stretch of time,
muttering to himself inaudibly. “Yes! Yes, I think that works. What if we have
a tiered system?”

Only Ash seemed to realize where he was going with this.
“Like that ancient government of the Empire’s, before they changed it?”

“Something very like that, yes. With a few modifications.
You have to admit, that government worked very well for hundreds of years
before they went and changed things.” To the archers, Edvard expounded, “We’ll
follow your suggestion, Broden, and divide up Estole into different quadrants.
We’ll have one person over each quadrant, someone that can act like an
ombudsman or a mayor of sorts. These people, in turn, report to a council of
selected people. The council will be like a committee, or a ministry, and they
are there to make sure everything is running smoothly on a more national level,
and make laws and policies as needed. The council will, in turn, report
directly to the king and queen.”

“How does that check your power?” Riana protested. So far,
what he had explained was different from Iysh’s government, but not that much
different.

“Oh, the king and queen will have veto power over them, but
they can be overruled by the council. If the majority of the council wants a
law, then the king and queen can’t do anything about it. In turn, the king and
queen will both act as regents over certain quadrants themselves, so that they
act as
part
of the council most of the time, instead of reigning over
it.” Edvard paused before tacking on, “At least, that’s how the old government
worked.”

“So, people over quadrants that will run things day to day,
councilors that they report to that run the whole country, and a king and queen
that do no’ really rule unless things get out of hand?” Broden summed up. His
expression indicated he wasn’t sure what to think of this idea. “It might work.
If ye had good people to run things.”

“The idea needs refining,” Edvard admitted without
embarrassment. “But the basic structure, is it sound?”

Ashlynn gave a ginger nod. “I think so. It would work best,
I think, if you had each council member in charge of certain quadrants. So that
these ombudsmen or mayors of yours know who to report to each time something’s
amiss.”

“A good thought. Ash, make a note. Now, Ashlynn, Broden,
you’re out on the streets more than I am. How should I divide this up, by
number of people in an area, or by sheer land size?”

“By people,” Ashlynn replied promptly.

“Otherwise one man will no’ be able to keep track of things,”
Broden added.

“I concur.” Edvard sprang to his feet and quickly crossed to
another table, where he snatched a map and another quill before coming back. He
flung it out flat, closer to Ashlynn and Broden, then tapped a finger against
its surface. “Gut reaction. How would you divide this up?”

The three of them fell into an in-depth discussion of how
many people were in certain sections, and how they would divide things into
quadrants. Riana, only knowing a small part of the city, couldn’t contribute
much to that conversation, so she stood and drifted over to Ash’s side. He
wasn’t paying much attention to the other side of the table. Instead, he had
pulled out a clean sheet and was making a clean copy of the laws they had made.
As she read back over them, a thought occurred, and she asked without thinking,
“Do these apply to children as well?”

Everyone in the room froze.

“The children,” Broden breathed in stunned realization.
“Most of the thefts be made by children. Sweet mercy, that be too strict a
sentence for children.”

“What age does a child stop being a child?” Ash asked the
room in general. “Eighteen? Sixteen?”

“Sixteen?” Edvard said slowly. “Yes, I say sixteen. At
sixteen, you should know what you’re doing, at least where the law is
concerned. But I agree, the laws are too strict for a child. What would you
suggest?”

“Belike this be a case where an ombudsman will need to use
his best judgment case by case.” Broden rubbed at his jaw, leaving as streak of
ink behind on his skin as he did so. “But mayhap ye should say, half the
sentence for the children.”

“That’s still rather harsh,” Ash objected.

“We are trying to prevent crime with these laws, not just
ascribe punishments for them,” Edvard pointed out. “I don’t want hardened
criminals as children that then grow into adults. So half it is.”

Ash had a grim set to his mouth that suggested he still
didn’t agree, but he made a note of that. Riana rather sided with Ash on this
one, as she felt that was still rather harsh as well. Would an eight-year-old
be able to afford fifty deneres for an offense? Then again, she would hope an
eight-year-old wouldn’t be doing some of the harder crimes either. If they
were, then they had bigger problems on their hands than a simple fifty deneres.

Even if she hoped it, she knew that they had many a child on
their streets with no home to call their own. Simply hoping didn’t solve the
issue. “Edvard…” she started off slowly, the idea forming in her mind as she
spoke. “We need something for the children. Many a child has come here hoping
for a better life and no’ finding it.”

“If you don’t want child thieves, then you better find a way
to teach them a trade.” Ash tapped the paper with a finger. “Simply proscribing
a punishment won’t fix the problem where children are concerned. They have no
source of income, after all.”

Edvard rubbed at the bridge of his nose. “Unfortunately,
nothing springs to mind to solve that problem. I’ll think on it. All of you
think on it. If you come up with a solution, tell me.”

Steep order, that one.

Ash cleared his throat to get their attention. “In the
meantime, I felt like the laws needed a preface. How’s this:

We declare that all men are equal in the eyes of the law and no
man may rise above it. From King to Pauper, all men shall adhere to the laws of
this land. Men and women are of equal standing and one shall not stand above
the other. We further declare that any man or woman above sixteen shall be
judged strictly according to the laws. Any person younger than this will
receive half of the sentence prescribed for each offense.”

Riana’s eyes grew wide. Never was it so clear to her until
this moment how learned Ash truly was. She’d barely understood what he’d said,
some of the words unknown to her. And yet, he had come up with that all on his
own, without any other source, and did it while talking to them and answering
questions, to boot!

To think, this man that was so skilled and educated, valued
her opinion…well, it humbled her, it did.

Edvard actually clapped. “That was splendid, Ash. Have you
the other laws cleanly written out in plain language too? Let me see.”

Ash handed over the paper, and Edvard read through it
quickly. “Oh, you divided up the types of crimes as well. Good. This isn’t a
complete ruling, of course, but do you think it will do for now, Ashlynn?”

The Sheriff of Estole took the paper out of her king’s hands
without a by-your-leave and read through them with her own eyes. Then she
nodded in satisfaction. “I think so. I’ll have copies of this made and posted
in every corner of the town.”

“Look at this!” Edvard waved the paper in the air, beaming
from ear to ear. “I struggle for weeks to come up with something, and yet this
group puts together the essentials within barely an hour! I was right to call
you lot in.”

“Does that mean you’ll feed us now?” Ash inquired dryly. His
expression suggested that he was touched by the praise Edvard showered on them
all, but was too manly to admit it.

“Oh, that? You know I’m joking, of course I’ll feed you.
Well, I think we’ve gotten enough work on this done for tonight. But keep
thinking on things, and as thoughts come to you, tell them to me. Yes?”
Turning, he looked to his left side, checking with them as well. “Yes? Good.
Let’s be off to the dining hall.”

Broden sat down in the dining hall for breakfast, following
routine faithfully, and waited for the rest to appear.

Riana came in first, hair tied up in a simple knot at the
top of her head, weapons in hand, and a content expression on her face. He
looked at her carefully as she entered and noticed that the slightly thin
quality of her cheeks was diminishing steadily. No doubt because of a steady
diet of good food. The dark circles under her eyes were basically gone as well,
disappearing as she consistently got a good night’s sleep.

“Morning, Da.”

“Morning, daughter.” He said nothing else as she sat across
from him, loaded up a plate with enough food to feed two grown men, and devoured
the lot of it without seeming to breathe. “Hungry?” he asked laconically.

“Starved, for some reason,” she admitted frankly. “I do no’
know why guarding a man that be building on a wall be tiresome work, but it be
just that.”

He grunted in amusement. “Mayhap for the same reason that
chasing a woman all over the city be tiresome work as well.”

She smirked and shrugged. “Mayhap so. Ashlynn and ye be set
to go out again this morning, eh?”

“I hope for a quieter day than the ones afore,” Broden
replied, silently wishing for his words to go straight to a god’s, any god’s,
ear as he spoke. “The new laws should be posted about by now. The people will
like as no’ prefer these over martial law.”

“I would hope so,” Ashlynn said as she entered the room.
“They’re much more lenient after all. Good morning.”

“Morning, lass,” Broden returned. “Where be Ash?”

“He stopped by the kitchen to ask for a picnic basket to be
made up for him and Riana,” Ashlynn responded as she settled herself at the
table. “He said something about not wanting to work on an empty stomach, of
having to trek back here to get lunch.”

“A fine notion,” Riana agreed. From her expression, it was
clear she wondered why she had not thought of that yesterday.

“I absolutely cannot
wait
until that wall is finished
and Ash can go back to building houses.” Ashlynn took a large swallow of
chilled juice before asking, “Riana, how is his progress? I didn’t get a chance
to ask him before he went to bed last night how things were going.”

“They go apace,” Riana assured her. “He seems pleased by how
things be going. He did say things were no’ going as fast as he hoped, but the
man be doing the work of five all on his lonesome, so I do no’ see how he can
be quicker than this.”

“Ash always gives a positive estimate of how long a project
will take, and never considers the worst-case scenario,” Ashlynn warned her.
“So whenever he gives you an estimate of how long something will take, add at
least three days. In this case, Edvard and I added a good week onto the guess
he gave us.”

“I will mind it,” Riana assured her.

They all paused when they heard the rapid click of heels
coming their way, the sound staccato against the tiled floors. In the next
moment, Miss Haley stepped into view, looking a trifle flushed, her pristine
hair coming loose so that wispies framed her face. “Excellent, the two of you
are still here.”

Ashlynn paused with a bite halfway to her mouth and looked
at her. “I can tell from your expression I’m not going to like this. Well, Miss
Haley, what trouble is brewing this morning?” she asked with a too bright smile
on her face.

“The laws that you had copied and posted through town this
morning are receiving…mixed reactions. Most of those that are displeased with
them are gathering around the central fountain.”

Broden gave a sour grunt.

Ashlynn let out a more vocal whine. “But the laws are nicer
than living under martial law!”

“Yes, but they are in some cases harsher than the old Bindings,”
Miss Haley soothed. “The penalty for murder and rape, for instance, has a
stiffer sentence than the Bindings. Most of the laws they’re pleased with, but
others they’re questioning.”

Ashlynn rolled her eyes to the ceiling, palms flipped over
to face the heavens. “Macha, grant me patience. Broden, are you finished?”

He popped the last bit of bread into his mouth before
slinging his quiver on. “Have a good day, daughter.”

“Aye,” Riana responded, tone worried. “Call if ye need us.”

“That we will.” He did not have the time to say anything
else, as Ashlynn was already out of the door.

They went directly to a main town square that he knew well.
Ash had brought them through here on their first day. A fountain stood in the
middle of the street, gushing out water in a pretty stream to fall into a
shallow basin. Around the basin gathered men and women of every age and trade,
all of them talking amongst themselves in a low, angry murmur like a gathering
storm cloud.

Oh, he did not like the look of this.

Ashlynn, having no sense for danger, popped up to stand on
the fountain’s edge to give her a slight boost in height. “I’m Sherriff
Fallbright! What’s the problem, here?”

A roar met her as people shouted back their answer. The fine
hairs on the back of Broden’s neck stood straight up at their tone. Every
instinct he had told him to grab Ashlynn, sling her over his shoulder, and make
a run for it. It took every ounce of control to stand still.

“One at a time,” Ashlynn responded in irritation, not
apparently worried about their anger. “You. Yes, you, in the green shirt.
What’s the problem?”

A towering man that looked to be a carpenter or some such
snapped back, “These laws are worse than the Bindings!”

“How?” Ashlynn asked. “I had a hand making these laws, and
only two have stiffer sentences than the original Bindings. Murder and rape.”

He pointed an outraged finger at her. “Exactly! These are
dangerous streets and we don’t even have the right to defend ourselves!”

Ashlynn stared back at him blankly. “What?”

Broden let out a sigh. He’d been afraid of this. That pretty
language of Ash’s might be fit for kings, but the common man could not
understand it. Shaking his head in exasperation, he took a step up to stand
beside Ashlynn. With a breath, he gained enough air to bellow out above the
crowd’s head, “I be Broden Ravenscroft, new citizen of Estole! I be a simple
archer, no’ a lawyer or a king, but I know the laws ye have in yer hands. Will
ye let me explain them to ye so every man can understand them?”

Ashlynn leaned into his side to whisper, “Why don’t they
understand them? I thought they were totally clear-cut.”

“Aye, lass, if they ken all those fancy words Ash used,” he
muttered back.

The row of people in the very front eyed him with clear misgivings.
“If you’re a simple archer,” one woman asked, a baby on her hip, “then why do you
understand them?”

“Because I also had a hand in making them.” He grinned at
her. “Yer new king made sure the common man had a voice with these new laws.”

Green Shirt waved the paper in his hand and demanded in
outrage, “You agreed to these?!”

“Oh, keep yer hair on, man,” Broden ordered, waving him
down. “The law does no’ say ye can no’ defend yourself. Quite the opposite. It
says unless a man be defending himself, or another,
then
it be murder.
Only cold blooded murder deserves the noose.”

The grumbling of the crowd abruptly stilled. A faceless
voice called out, “So we’re allowed to defend ourselves?”

“Aye,” Broden said firmly. “And yer families, and yer
friends, and any innocent ye see in trouble. Edvard Knolton would have it no
other way. But mind—this be self-defense and it will no’ pardon ye in matters
of revenge.”

They mulled that over for a spell. Ashlynn cleared her
throat and asked, “Is there anyone here that still has a problem with that
law?” Her tone suggested there better not be, because anyone that did would be
contemplating murder, and she’d want to have a word or three with them.

“Isn’t the punishment for rape a little too strong?” another
faceless male voice asked.

“Not at all,” Ashlynn denied with a feral smile. “It was
another common citizen that requested this punishment, by the way, but I agree
with her wholeheartedly. Rape is the worst thing a man can do to a woman. Oh,
and by the by—Edvard also agreed with it. He said that if he ever found that a
man had done that to one of his sisters, he’d kill the dastard himself. Our
king has every intention of protecting the women in this country the same way
he’d protect one of his sisters. So men, if you think you can get by with such
a heinous act, think again. Your king will not tolerate it. Worse for you, I
will not tolerate it.”

Broden saw a few men gulp and noted their faces. He’d be
keeping an eye on those. “Now, be there any other law that ye have questions
about?”

They wound up starting from the very top and working their
way through every law on the paper. Ashlynn cast an amplifying spell on his
throat so that Broden was not in danger of losing his voice after doing nothing
but shouting for an hour. Finally, however, they were satisfied, and the crowd
broke up of their own accord. Glad to have that over, Broden hopped lightly to
the ground before extending a hand to Ashlynn.

She took it with a quick, grateful smile and alighted to the
ground. “Thank you. Phew! That did not turn out as badly as I feared. I’m glad
you were with me, Broden. At first, I didn’t even understand why they were
confused or angry.”

Aye, well, she be an educated woman. Of course she would not
understand ignorance.

“But having you explain it set them at ease. Edvard was
truly wise to have you assigned to me.” She paused and looked up at him
thoughtfully. “Are you sure you don’t want to just become permanent partners? I
like Riana just fine, but she doesn’t have the same effect on people that you
do, and I sorely need your intimidation and understanding of people in this
job.”

Broden rubbed at the back of his neck and admitted, “I be
thinking the same this morning. Me Riana can hold her own in any fight, but it
would always be a fight. A man be no’ intimidated by two pretty girls.”

“You can say that again.” Catching his arm, she looked up at
him through her lashes, a charming smile on her lips. “Won’t you please be my
partner, Broden? Pretty please?”

He’d like to meet a man that could say no to an invitation
like that. Blowing out a breath, he mentally bowed to the inevitable. “We need
to talk it over with Riana and Ash, but aye, lass. If there be no objections, I
will be your partner.”

Beaming at him brightly enough to put the sun to shame,
Ashlynn threw her arms around his waist long enough to give him an exuberant
hug that nearly squeezed the stuffing out of him. Before he could do more than
blink and gasp, she bounced back again, her hand cupping her earring. “Ash?
Ash! Stop building that wall and meet me at the castle. Broden just agreed to
be partners with me.”

Broden spluttered. “Now wait, lass, I said we need to talk
it over—”

“And be quick about it, before he changes his mind,” Ashlynn
ordered firmly. Taking hold of his hand, she dragged him back to the castle,
completely ignoring his protests.