The Peasant by Scott Michael Decker Read Free Book Online

from
that
backwater?' he asked.
    'Perhaps no one else would muddy their hands,' Brazen Bear sent, 'or perhaps he's the son of Towering Oak, the Commanding General.'
    “You can't fool this old salt, Bear! You're Overlord of the Caven Hills and responsible when your sailors mutiny. Who killed the tax collectors?”
    “Infinite knows, Lord Oak. I find it odd that taxes concern the Emperor more than lost lives. Besides, do you know how stubborn these people are? I consider myself fortunate, Lord Oak, if they
feed
me.”
    “You call yourself their Overlord?”
    “No, Lord Oak, you misunderstand,” Guarding Bear said. “That's what
they
call
me
. I occupy this position at their bidding. I govern with the consensus of the governed, as all leaders should. If I conspire with people they don't like, they'll have my head off my shoulders.”
    “Then let me talk to whoever's in charge!”
    “The peasants have appointed me to that position, Lord Oak. I thought that was clear.”
    “I had no idea this was such a scurvy, ill-mannered crew!”
    “Even in our ignorance, Lord Oak, we know when taxes are too high.”
    “Ah, yes—taxes. When will you deliver the forty-five clams per family, Lord
Overlord
?” Aged Oak disparaged the title with his emphasis.
    'Is
that
the key to unlock this man?' Guarding Bear asked his brother.
    'He doesn't care how
much
he collects,' Brazen Bear replied. 'He wants to end the mutiny, throw a sop to Imperial sharks and dig up a few clams.' The flame-haired Bear chuckled mentally.
    The tousle-haired Bear shrugged at Aged Oak. “Since few families in the area earn more than fifty taels per year, the Emperor will get only twenty. You can inform him—”
    “I'll inform the Lord Emperor of nothing!” Aged Oak spat. “The tax is forty-five clams, and forty-five is what he'll get!”
    Guarding Bear leaned forward. “Listen, Lord Oak, for every warrior of mine who died, your precious Emperor lost three. If he wants more rebellion, I'll happily oblige. If he wants reasonable and orderly tax collection, I can arrange that too. Twenty, Lord Oak—not a tael more.”
    “You can't possibly get away with this!”
    “Consider what'll happen if no one brings the rebels to justice. The whole Empire knows about the insurrection and is laughing at Smoking Arrow. His loss of face is so great he might have to fight off the armies of the south, west and north. Everyone in all four Empires
already
thinks him weak. Twenty, Lord Oak, and if he wants a tael more, he'll pay in blood.”
    “
You'll
pay in blood, Bear!” With a wrinkled hand, Aged Oak strangled the sword in his lap.
    “I doubt it, Lord Oak. Have you tried to collect taxes in Nest? What about the villages around the Caven Hills? They're much better off than we are, but you'll meet the same resistance. Ask the Emperor to tally how much he squeezed from the Caven Hills last year, and the year before that. He'll get much more, Lord Oak, if he has our help.”
    Looking off toward the trees, Aged Oak sat back.
    'You've hooked him!' Brazen Bear whispered mentally.
    “I see you already have that information, Lord Oak. Good! We can conclude our business promptly.”
    “I still have to consult the Lord Emperor—”
    “Arrow feathers!” Guarding Bear spat. “The Emperor appointed you chief collector for this prefecture and granted you the power to make your own decisions! He stipulated only that you return with a few 'rebels' to throw to the dogs, eh?”
    “How perceptive, Bear,” Aged Oak said, shrugging.
    'You were right about the scapegoats, Brother,' Guarding Bear sent. “Since you won't be able to collect anything but excrement from the Caven Hills, Lord Oak,
we'll
do the collecting.”
    “That's a school of tuna if I ever saw a dolphin, Bear.”
    'I think he agrees. Now make him squirm!' Brazen Bear emitted.
    “Now that we agree, I have a few stipulations about my position as Overlord.” Guarding Bear reached into his sleeve for their list of