The Raven Girl

Chapter 38

The day did not begin until noon, until the sun had reached its fullest point in the bleak winter sky and began to settle once more. Even then, many struggled with waking and it meant hours of translating grunted orders flung the servants' ways and fleeing short tempered lords – the general consensus was to avoid as much interaction as possible to save their skin from getting scathed by a hurled object or insult.

Yet, at noon, Rickard could be found standing among commoners and lords alike. He needed as many ears and mouths as possible to hear his news and spread his word.

"I have come here today with but one purpose: to start a new era. It is the belief of many that a reign that starts right will end right and I hope my time as your king will prove this. Over the years, King Eirik misused the concept of taxes. He thought that taxes could be raised at his will with little consequence and, as such, took for himself what money should have been yours. But I have lowered his taxes and bring with me what should never have been taken."

Beside him, his men opened chests stocked full of coins and held them out for all to see. Royalty had to be extravagant, had to be displayed. He would appease the public, give them something they never expected but always wanted, and then have them feel obliged to embrace the changes he would make – changes that might otherwise have turned them against him.

The crowd looked with curiosity at the boxes, little boys and girls standing on tiptoe just to get a glimpse of what this strange king was offering them.

"The next rider at your door will not be there to take your money, but to give you what coin is due. This is the first change."

A great round of cheering spread through those gathered there and Rickard smiled. It was not bright as his brother's might have been, but he figured bright was not what these people wanted. They were likely sick to death of rulers who appeared not to have experienced life, rulers who smiled and danced and knew nothing of grief, poverty and death. It was these rulers who made promises they could not keep, believing when the time came to break their word, the people would have forgotten all they said. Yet, this was and had never been the case. Promises of a better life kept everybody living when they had nothing to live for. If their word was meaningless, then what was there to trust?

"Now for the other," he said when the cheering had quietened. "As a country, it is high time we begin afresh. Even now, generations later, we with a title to our name feel it is our place to hold grudges. We feel superior in doing so. We have nothing better to do with our time then to persecute those we feel are in need of persecuting while those without must continue their day and forget the crimes of the past. It is in this belief that I place my next change: Asta Ravner, who has suffered much under Eirik's rule, will no longer be viewed as a traitor. She will join the royal court and be treated with the respect her name might have once given her. This is my word and you all will adhere to it."

He left the crowd without another word, left them to whatever their thoughts might have been. Perhaps the last change had meant nothing to some of them, but it was likely there would rise a strong uproar amongst those lords whose families had fought by the King's side against the Ravner rebels. Either they would grow used to her or they would seeth bitterly all the while, but when they saw her, dressed up in the finery of a lady at court, they would have to smile and appear the civil lord they were pretending to be.

When he arrived back at the castle, it was just a matter of minutes before his trusted friend, Lord Filip Hagebak, had caught him up.

"Interesting decision, your majesty." He winked, still as childish as ever. "But I doubt the nobles will take it too well. Was it not advised that you should hang her, make a public display of it to distract from the mess of the country?"