Until some months ago, Abdul Sahshir had never expected to sit on his father's throne. Uncomfortable and wooden though it was, it was a very satisfying experience. Wood was expensive in Kalthak, and felling trees was only permitted with authorization from local officials. Of course, foreign visitors often sneered at the throne, but Sahshir cared little.

Having lost two fingers in the battle of Zigilus to get it, it felt very anticlimactic now to rest here. Though it pained his plagued skin less than most.

Even so, it was written that the wise ruler thought not of crowns or thrones. Only the business of the day.

That was why the merchant kneeling before him was influential. The newly founded Silent Guard standing on either side. Sahshir kept a hand on the Sword of Order, clenching it tightly to dull the pain. "Ashreth, the Merchant?"

"King Sahshir," said Ashreth.

"Some months ago, you sustained an injury by one of Regent Asim's men," said Sahshir. "I offer now this in compensation. Unfortunately, I am also told a table of yours was broken afterward, and some of your wares destroyed."

"Yes, you had a man ask about it," said Ashreth, looking up. "I am honored that you remembered."

"I have compensation for you," said Sahshir. "However, I fear you were too conservative in your estimates. There is more than you asked for." He motioned, and the servant brought forth gold to set down.

Ashreth took it and looked up. "Thank you. May I speak freely, my King?"

"You may," said Sahshir. It was written that the fool closed his ears to criticism.

"In place of compensation, I'd rather see the men who have been terrorizing us hang," said Ashreth.

"As would I," said Sahshir. "But I need Asim's support. If I hang his men, he may turn against me. So I cannot kill them.

"I am not yet strong enough to do more."

"It isn't right that those men can just walk off," said Ashreth.

"No," said Sahshir. "On the Day of Perfect Order, they will pay their due. Unfortunately, that day is not here. So we must wait."

"I understand," said Ashreth. "My thanks to you for this. I will remember it." He bowed and turned to leave.

Sahshir glanced at his right hand. His hand slipped from the sword as he did, and the pain returned. Ignoring it, Sahshir motioned to the beautiful man kneeling at his right. "There goes a man of order. Make a note of it, Sushaki," Sushaki nodded and began to write. Sahshir looked back to Nayasha at the door, a knife at her side, a hood covering most of her face. "Bring in the next one."

The door was opened, and another man entered, clad in a similar turban and coat. He was fatter than the last, with a long beard, and the sword he laid at Sahshir's feet was gilded. "King Sahshir, I am pleased to see you already proving yourself a better ruler than those who came before. The city resounds with tales of your generosity."

"Perhaps," said Sahshir, clutching the sword again. "There were some irregularities with the numbers you gave me."

"What?" said the man, looking up with a pale expression.

"I asked you to compile a list of damages sustained by those Asim hurt," said Sahshir. "Most of those were among the merchant class. Then, when I returned, I asked the same question of many other merchants. All had different estimates of who suffered what.

"However, they all had far lower numbers on the damages you suffered.

"Do you know the penalty for such actions in the heartlands of Calisha?"

"King Sahshir," said the man. "I beg-"

Sahshir raised a hand. "Enough.

"I am certain this was a mere miscalculation on your part. I found many miscalculations when I spoke with the merchants. So I will do as I did for them. Take all the various merchants' estimates and compare them to the account given by Asim's men. Then give a rough estimate of my own."

He motioned to the servant, who brought forth the compensation. The man shuddered and bowed. "Thank you, my king. I apologize for the mistake.

"I've been under a great deal of strain lately. I must have miscalculated with Garacel's attack and all the recent battles."

"I am aware," said Sahshir. "I'm certain you won't make the same mistake twice."

"Of course not." said the man.

"Tell me of the Sornian businesses that have opened up in our coastal villages?" said Sahshir.

"Mere coastal relay points for supplies," said the man. "The go-between, Lilas, is a Harlenorian. So he is neutral."

"Not necessarily," said Sahshir. "He might be seeking to advance his own personal power.

"Coordinate with your fellow merchants and buy those areas out. If you need forces, coordinate with Sushaki. He is my right hand in matters of finance. No foreigners are to ever control our ports nor keep observers there."

"I understand," said the man. "Is this a mandate?"

"Sushaki is in command or no one," said Sahshir. Such business would have little glory, but Sushaki was the best man for the job. He understood such things.

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

"I understand," said the man.

"Leave us," said Sahshir.

The man departed, walking through the great doors to the hall. The guards nodded and shut them with a clang. Now there as only the dim light from the hall-raised shutters.

"...Slime," said Sushaki under his breath. "Why are you spending all this money?"

"They are owed compensation," said Sahshir. "And the money was drawn from warriors I fined. And the goodwill gained may do much to ensure our power."

"Merchants are loyal only to the money in their pockets," said Sushaki.

"And to add more, they must have a stable government," said Sahshir. "Your father disregarded the power of money. It can be used to equip armies or hire them. The economy is the lifeblood of war."

"Talk like that is exactly why Father tried to kill you in the first place," noted Sushaki.

"He deemed me a leprous, bookish weakling," said Sahshir. "Now, he knows better.

"Tell me of Lilas?"

"A polite, if weak merchant," said Sushaki. "He has an understanding of mercantile like nothing I have seen. But he is no warrior. On the contrary, he defers to every official he meets without question."

"Merchants took power in Sorn," said Sahshir. "They could take power here.

"Remember to underestimate them. This Lilas might be harmless, or he might not be. Or he might be a go-between for powers we do not understand."

"Why are you even going to the trouble of all this?" asked Sushaki suddenly. "You know as well as I do that you'll be king for a few years. Father didn't just yield to you out of respect; he did it because he knew he was next in line. And he knew that your affliction-"

Sahshir brought around his sword to put it to Sushaki's throat before he could finish. Sushaki flinched long after his head had been removed from his shoulders. "...Go on."

Sushaki sighed. "-even if you do all these reforms, Father is just going to tear them up. You know what he thought of Narcissa."

"Asim might be convinced to keep some of them if you had a spine," noted Sahshir before sheathing his blade.

"Father doesn't listen to anything I say," said Sushaki.

"Then make him listen, you vicious little-" began Sahshir, feeling fury.

Nayasha surged forward between them. "Calm yourself, King Sahshir. It would ill befit either of you to kill the other so soon after a coronation."

"Nayasha," said Sahshir. "I believe you had some other matter you wanted to discuss."

"I have received news from your father-" began Nayasha.

"My father is dead," said Sahshir. "Tuor merely inhabits his body." So Tuor willingly abandoned Sahshir when Aresh never would have. So Aresh was dead; it was a simple fact.

Nayasha sighed. "I come bearing news from Tuor and my agents in the Islands of Power. We have reason to believe that Sorn will strike against Dinis."

"I hardly see how any of that is our concern," said Sushaki.

"It is written," said Sahshir. "Where there is war, there is an opportunity."

"For loss," said Sushaki. "Our fleet has never recovered from our last war with Sorn. We've only just begun to reconstruct it. And it has cost us a fortune in lumber from Neseriah's realm. We don't have the trees for it here."

"Armies are like muscles," said Nayasha. "If not used, they atrophy."

"What exactly are you proposing, Nayasha?" asked Sahshir.

"I believe that you should intervene," said Nayasha. "As does Tuor, for that matter."

"...Give me the details," said Sahshir.

Nayasha drew out a map from one scroll and unrolled it before them. Sahshir paid keen attention.

"The fleets of Sorn are here, roughly," said Nayasha. "They are heading toward these islands. Macshore and Chaminus."

"Chaminus is the last remnants of Old Namina, is it not?" asked Sahshir.

"We are the heirs of Namina," said Sushaki firmly.

"We assimilated aspects of Namina," said Sahshir. "However, the blood runs pure on Chaminus. It is said that it is protected by a Golden Dragon of immense age and power."

"So Sorn will head to Macshore," noted Sushaki.

Sahshir tried to remember his lessons. He could remember the history, but the history of the name eluded him. "Macshore? What manner of name is that, anyway?"

"It was named by explorers from the Dragon Empire. That was, they still had holdings in these islands," said Nayasha. "Dinis seized them during one of the wars.

"That was back before they were sealed off from the rest of the world. The seals wane and grow periodically but haven't come by in a long time."

"If memory serves, Macshore is a site of many sugar plantations," said Sahshir. "Why would they be heading there? Sorn has many of them."

"You forget that Sorn is not ruled by one great house but many," said Nayasha. "They often compete and squabble with one another as much as their enemies. House Magnious is financing the fleet with the approval of his fellows.

"House Kaba are the ones who control most of the sugar market. The plantations are unpleasant, and worse still, they almost spread to Antion. The Road of Chaos incident was an unprecedented fiasco for everyone."

"So they mean to cut into the market," surmised Sushaki thoughtfully. "Knowing Lilas, he has already bet for all possibilities. He has enough money for it."

"Then he will lose no matter what he does," said Sahshir. "What would you advise, Sushaki."

"Stay out of it," said Sushaki. "It is to our benefit if Dinis and Sorn fight one another. A battle between them leaves us growing stronger and they weaker."

"But what if Sorn should win?" asked Sahshir. "They will then be able to seize other islands from Dinis. Such a victory could lead to them becoming the dominant power in the Sea of Power. But, with the Zigilus Fleet defecting to our side, we can oppose them.

"What if they turned their eyes to our lands next? Harlenor may convince them to open a second front on Calisha. It could become a new Estal."

"...A fair point," said Sushaki, considering things. "Even so, limited involvement seems wise. We are presently neutral with Dinis. However, we might dispatch a messenger to the Emperor and offer our support in the coming battle."

"Who should command the fleet?" asked Nayasha.

"Raj Danal seems the most logical choice," said Sushaki doubtfully. "He has a history of daring naval expeditions."

"Very well," said Sahshir. "I will inform him personally. But, Sushaki, you will be in charge in my absence. You are the only one I would trust with the task." He didn't expect Sushaki to be loyal to him per se. Merely that he wouldn't undo months of progress because he didn't like the people he benefited. "Make sure all foreign businesses are bought out or destroyed by the time I return.

"We're going to war with them anyway. Nayasha, I will write a message to the Emperor personally. Can one of your agents deliver it?"

"With all the haste in the world," said Nayasha. "Though you are playing a much more aggressive game than I anticipated."

"I don't have time to be conservative," said Sahshir. "We should consider what we will do if the Emperor refuses us."

"If that occurs, we will wait and see who emerges victorious," said Sahshir. "Should it be Sorn, we will attack their weakened forces and sell the island back to the Emperor."

"You want to sell it?" asked Nayasha, blinking.

"Do you believe we are in a position to start an occupation?" asked Sahshir.

Nayasha shifted on her feet. "I... well, if we did seize such an island, it seems we ought to consult High King Suloth." Why was she taken off guard? This was nothing unusual for a kingdom of Calisha. "Perhaps we could give the territory to his dominions as a gift."

Nayasha was trying to stall Sahshir into being conservative. Did she have some plan which required him to merely consolidate? Or perhaps she was afraid Kalthak would be destroyed in the war. But the latter would happen anyway if Sorn won.

"I will consider it," said Sahshir. "Now, I must compose a letter. First, Sushaki, go to Narcissa, and request her assistance in his matter."

"To what end?" asked Sushaki.

"If we march to war, I expect to bring her forces with us," said Sahshir. "Nayasha, provide Sushaki any assistance he needs. Keep each other focused and on task."

"Yes, sir," said Nayasha.

A war would come at last.

A good place to die, if nothing else.