Young Lord of Khadora (14 page)

“Well, that is certainly a feather in your helmet,” congratulated the Seneschal. “Will they allow us to clear the Sitari Valley?”

“Absolutely not,” replied Marak. “I have no intention of clearing another valley. Our manpower is better spent getting our crops from the fields we already have.”

The Seneschal nodded as he handed the reports to Lord Marak and took a seat. “I’m afraid that will leave us far short of the amount we need to fulfill our contracts.”

“That is a matter which I will take up next with the Bursar,” Marak declared. “Which report details the slave labor and which deals with the mages?”

Pito rifled through the pile of papers and withdrew two sets. “There is some crossover in the two groups,” Pito mentioned. “Some of the mages are slaves.”

Seneschal Pito sat fidgeting quietly as Lord Marak read the reports. He strained to see what Lord Marak was scribbling on the papers, but his eyesight was no longer sufficient to accomplish the task. For over an hour Pito sat in silence and Lord Marak scribbled away. Finally, Marak looked up and shoved the papers back to the Seneschal.

“I have made some notations for your consideration on these reports,” stated Marak. “Read them this morning and I will be available for your questions this afternoon. The main points which I want you to act on immediately are going to be significant changes to the way Fardale has been run in the past. I understand that we have two empty barracks as well as the barracks used by the Lectains. They are to be made ready this afternoon for the slaves. As soon as the slaves have been relocated, you will make a determination about the condition of the slave shacks. Those that can be repaired and brought up to the same condition as the laborer huts, will be repaired. Those which can not be economically repaired are to be torn down and new ones constructed.”

“That will take some time, Lord Marak,” replied a surprised Seneschal. “Even after we construct new buildings for the slaves, they will not remain in good condition for long. You just cannot have that many people live in a building and have it remain serviceable.”

“You are quite right, Seneschal Pito,” smiled Marak. “That is why you are also going to construct enough new huts to house the entire slave population according to the ratio used for the laborers. You see, Seneschal, Fardale no longer has any slaves. As of this moment, all slaves are free men and shall be housed as such.”

Pito’s jaw dropped as he gaped at his new Lord. “This extra work will only hamper your efforts to bring in the crop on time,” stated a stunned Seneschal. “Not to mention the extra land which will be required. I don’t think we will have enough workers to complete the huts by harvest time.”

“Seneschal Pito,” scolded Lord Marak, “we do have to work on your negative attitude. You will have one month for the huts to be completed. I have every confidence that you will succeed in the tasks I have given to you. I want to be informed when construction begins on the first hut. Assemble the slaves for me in two hours' time. I want to personally inform them of their freedom. That will be all for now.”

Seneschal Pito rose shakily from his chair and gathered his papers. He gazed at Lord Marak as if he was looking at a madman, but when Marak’s eyes rose to look at the departing Seneschal, he tucked the papers under his arm and scurried out. As soon as the Seneschal left the room, a small, young woman entered the study. She carried a stack of papers and lowered her slim figure to the chair, which Pito had just vacated. Marak looked up at her and smiled.

“What can I do for you?” Marak asked.

“I am here with the Bursar’s reports,” she answered as she slid the reports across the desk.

“And who are you? Marak quizzed.

“I am Kasa, Bursar Tachora’s assistant,” the woman replied as she toyed with her short black hair. “He told me you want these reports first thing in the morning. I have been waiting for the Seneschal to leave.”

“And where is Bursar Tachora?” demanded Lord Marak as he stared at the woman’s green eyes which appeared to be puffy from lack of sleep.

“I do not know, My Lord,” Kasa answered softly.

“Have you seen him this morning?” grilled Marak. “When did he give you these reports?”

The woman bit her lip and lowered her eyes to the desktop. “I have not seen him this morning,” Lord Marak,” she whispered. “I have been sitting in the corridor outside. He did not actually give me these reports, he ordered me to compile them.”

“I asked for accurate reports of our contracts and financial position,” prompted Marak. “Are you telling me that you are so well informed of the financial dealings of Fardale that you are capable of compiling these reports yourself?”

“I have been doing the reports for two years, My Lord,” she replied nervously. “Only the actual contract negotiations are handled by Bursar Tachora.”

Marak shook his head as he looked at the reports. The financial condition of Fardale was not bad, but the prices agreed to on the grain contracts seemed fairly low to Marak. Granted, Marak was no financial wizard, but he knew the retail price of grain and it appeared as if the ratio between wholesale and retail was much greater than what he knew Lord Ridak got for lituks. He had witnessed contract negotiations while guarding the caravans.

“What do you think of the prices on these contracts, Kasa?” inquired Marak. “Isn’t this price a bit low for grain?”

Marak thought the young woman would bite clear through her lip as she silently nodded. “Kasa, your Lord demands an explanation for these contracts,” clarified Marak. “Why was Lord Lashendo selling grain so cheaply?”

Kasa sat silent for a moment as if deciding a weighty issue. Slowly she nodded to herself and her eyes rose to meet Lord Marak’s.

“Lord Marak,” sobbed Kasa, “they do not suspect that I know, but Lord Lashendo and Bursar Tachora have been selling the grain to a company owned by themselves, a company called Khadora Grain Importers. I suspect that they resell it at a higher price and pocket the difference. When I tried to investigate the company we were selling to, I was nearly sent to the fields as a laborer. Lord Lashendo, himself, told me that I was only an assistant and if I pretended to be anything else he would enslave me. As you are Lord Lashendo’s replacement, I was not sure if you were involved with Bursar Tachora.”

Marak shook his head as everything fell into place. Fardale was required to pay a percentage of their profits to Lord Ridak. Lord Lashendo and Bursar Tachora were skimming a healthy sum for themselves and making the profit that they had to share that much smaller. Tachora, with traditional Khadoran philosophy, wanted an assistant to push off the bulk of his work to, yet didn’t want anyone to find out, so he chose a woman whom he thought wouldn’t know one side of a coin from another. The only problem in his thinking was that it appeared Kasa was quite capable in the realm of finance.

“Kasa,” smiled Lord Marak, “I want to know everything there is to know about Khadora Grain Importers. I want to know whom their contracts are with, how much money they have and where it is kept. I want to know if they have any other partners and, if so, who they are. If I remove you from Tachora’s grasp, can you do this?”

“Yes, Lord Marak,” she smiled. “I have developed contacts in the last two years that the Bursar does not know about. Not because I have been trying to deceive him, but because he just doesn’t care how I handle my job.”

“When Bursar Tachora asks how the meeting went,” ordered Lord Marak, “you can tell him I appreciated your reporting so much that I have taken you for my personal assistant. As of now you no longer work for Bursar Tachora.”

“But I don’t know if he will be capable of performing the tasks, My Lord,” Kasa answered. “It has been a long time since he did most of the tasks.”

“Well, he shall have to relearn, Kasa,” chuckled Marak. “Get that information for me as soon as possible.”

Marak yearned to get outside and get some exercise, but he continued poring over the pile of reports dealing with the condition of the Fardale estate. Crop yields had continued a steady decline since the first harvest and he found notations that indicated perhaps the soil was unsuitable for the crops being grown. If Lord Lashendo had succeeded in obtaining the Sitari Valley, it would only have forestalled the inevitable decline of Fardale. It was possible that Lord Lashendo and Bursar Tachora knew what would happen and were planning for their own financial future when the time came to abandon Fardale.

Marak sorted through the stack of papers and withdrew the sheets that dealt with the neighboring estates. Fardale had a border with three other Clans, as well as the Chula. The Sorgan Clan was much larger than Fardale but, unlike the Situ, Watula Valley was their only estate. The Sorgan had occupied the Watula Valley for as long as there had been records of estate holdings and their crops were the same type grown in Fardale. Marak assumed that Lord Ridak had chosen Fardale for a new estate because of the financial successes enjoyed by the Sorgan Clan. While Sorgan power and influence was small in Khadora, their financial strength was enviable. The Situ Clan used to be a large purchaser of the watula grown by the Sorgan Clan, but the establishment of Fardale ended that trade. Lord Quavry was incensed by the Situ invasion of his sphere of influence and had tried to undermine Situ attempts to market their watula. Marak made a notation to contact Lord Quavry to see about bettering relations and obtaining help in determining the best crop for Fardale. If the reports about the soil being unsuited for the growing of watula were correct, Marak knew that a different crop may well thrive there.

The Litari Clan and their Glendale estate not only borders Fardale, it also shares borders with Marak’s other two Khadoran neighbors, the Sorgan Clan and the Ragatha Clan. Glendale was the only estate of the Litari Clan and Lord Burdine was an old and established force in the lumber industry. Lord Burdine’s holdings were vast and it was through Litari territory that the road to Forest Deep would have to travel. There were no notations about relations between the Litari and the Sorgan and nothing to indicate that Lord Burdine had any problems with the Situ’s activities in Fardale.

There were notations about Lord Burdine’s feelings about the Ragatha Clan, though. The Ragatha Clan had widespread estates and Woodville was the one that dealt in wood products. The Ragatha Clan tried to use their might to expand Woodville into Glendale territory and Lord Burdine had surprised them with the ruggedness of his response. The Litari not only responded with their army, but the lumbermen also took up arms to help push the Ragatha back into Woodville. There were only three ways into Woodville and one of them crossed Litari land. The second path led through Chula country and Lord Zawbry was not fool enough to attempt that journey. After his failed attempt to grab Litari land, Lord Zawbry negotiated an agreement to allow Ragatha transit through Fardale.

Marak rustled papers until he found a copy of the agreement. He read it thoroughly and could not believe that Lord Ridak would accept such an agreement. There was no consideration specified for the use of Fardale lands by the Ragatha Clan. While the consideration could be small, he knew Lord Ridak would not execute such an agreement without some consideration. Marak made a note to see if Lord Lashendo had been remunerated separately for the use of the land.

“Lord Marak,” interrupted Bursar Tachora, “may I have a moment of your time?”

The sudden noise startled Marak and he realized he had been too engrossed in the reports. He shuffled the papers to one side and folded his hands on the desk before responding.

“Bursar Tachora,” greeted Lord Marak. “Of course, come in.”

“Lord Marak, I understand you have reassigned my assistant, Kasa, to your personal service,” opened the Bursar. “May I inquire why?”

Marak sensed the concern, almost fear, in the Bursar’s voice. “Certainly, Bursar Tachora,” smiled Marak. “She is a very beautiful woman, isn’t she? I am sure you are aware of how Lord Ridak feels about women dealing with financial matters and I have some pressing needs for her.”

Marak could almost feel the wave of relief that washed over the Bursar. Tachora’s face took on a lecherous grin and he nodded. Tachora’s eyes swept over the desk and sweat started to appear on his forehead. Marak’s eyes flicked to the pile of papers and saw the Ragatha agreement on the top of the pile.

“You should not be wasting your time indoors, My Lord,” wheezed Tachora. “Why don’t I take that pile of papers and prepare a summary for your perusal?”

“That sounds like an excellent idea,” smiled Marak. “At least the part about getting outdoors. As for the papers, leave them. I must become familiar with the Fardale estate and they will help me.”

“But, surely,” fretted the Bursar, “you will not be able to fathom such large mounds of facts. I have a great deal of experience in taking such large quantities of information and presenting them in a concise form. This would free up a great deal of your time to get better acquainted with your people.”

“You are most kind, Bursar Tachora,” stated Lord Marak, “but I find it interesting to plow through these mundane reports. You will require time to make up for the loss of your assistant and you will be too busy, as it is. No, I will go through the reports myself and that settles this discussion.”

Tachora patted his forehead with a handkerchief as he nodded and backed out of the study. Marak scribbled another note after his last. It reminded him to check out whether Tachora might have also have profited from the Ragatha agreement. Lord Marak rang a bell and a soldier appeared.

“No one is to enter my study when I am not here,” Marak instructed the guard. “Not for any reason.”

The guard saluted and Marak strode to the Meeting Chamber. The room was already full of slaves and Marak saw Kasa conversing with Seneschal Pito at the far end. The slaves were all standing around the room and all of the chairs were unoccupied, but the crowd opened wide to allow the Lord to pass through.

“The Seneschal and I were just pondering the pitfalls of eliminating slavery,” Kasa informed Lord Marak.