I rummage my saddle bag again, making a mental checklist. My blades are oiled, the infused net is active and the feed bag is full.

"There you go again, don't worry young lord we will be fine."

"Easy for you to say. I'll tell you what, if I fail your little test how about you explain to my mother how the great and venerable teacher Hazlee Duran failed to train the young Baron of Primdale"

"I would gladly take an audience with your mother, who knows maybe it will bloom into something more?"

Hazlee punctuates that point with a wiggle of his eyebrows and a flourish of his coat.

I sigh and look at my teacher, he's a scruffy man with flakes of gray in his short beard, his hair is greasy, oily and always slicked back. Go to a bar at 2 am and you would find several more of the type that match his description. But there is a way about him, he moves in a cocksure manor. His eyes as well I can always see him watching, analyzing the shadows.

I again start going through my saddlebag. "Fine, fine you want to do a check up go, Why are we here?"

"We are here to dispatch the 'Ventus Oryctolagus' otherwise known as the Jackacorn"

"That is an answer to what we are doing, but not my question, again."

I know this game, he will slowly break down motivations into one simple profound truth, and claim he is a wise and great teacher.

"We are here to stabilize the environment of our northern forest as when Jackacorn manifests it systematically eliminates all predator life within a--"

Hazlee interrupts my monologue by striking my leg with his sheathed sword.

"Wrong again boyo, this creature has been prowling this forest since you were a mere babe. If stabilizing the environment was a priority it would already be dead. Last try, can the Young Lordling Edmund peer into the mind of us mere common folk and chaff motivations from excuses."

I fiddle with my timepiece for a span of a few seconds and snap it shut when I come to a conclusion.

"We need a catalyst for my magic, it is said that when a jackacorn manifests they store all their primal essence into their horn, creating a valuable magic foci."

I look at Master and try to predict where he will hit me next, if I can't be smart I can at least be fast. His hand raises and I flinch out of the saddle and put my horse between him and me.

Clap Clap Clap

"I give that a seventy-five percent; a passing grade, But I can surmise the answer to one word. Money."

Annoyed by the previous jabs against me and this nonsensical answer I don't attempt to quell the words that flow through my lips. "Money?! Is that really what you think? I am a young Barron if it was about money I can pay to get a unicorn's horn instead of some overgrown magic infused rabbit."

I attempt to stare down Hazlee but all I get in return is a self-satisfied grin. I took his bait and lost my temper. He won and we both knew it.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Yes, yes our 'Young Lordling' can import the finest silks, the most exotic fruit, fine wine and sweets from the far reaches of the empire, provided he can get mommy's approval." He punctuates this point with such a sarcastic frown that actors would quit in jealousy.

"Tell me for a farmer how many days of labor would it cost to buy a jackacorn's horn; not including what the miller takes out for taxes? Oh you don't know let me elaborate" He continues not allowing me to get a word in, " A farmer can produce roughly 4 bushels of wheat per acre with each bushel being sold at roughly 12 copper. And if you have been keeping up with your studies in the archives the average plot of land is 35 acres per family. With two farming seasons a year, how much income does one family of farmers make?"

I attempt to visualize the abacus in my head to make my calculations. The thought enters my head that he has me doing calculations to keep me distracted from my own nerves. I peer at my master out of the corner of my eye and see his smug smile still plastered on his face. No way that bastard just likes annoying me.

"3,360 copper which converts to 33 gold and 6 silver remaining, and yes before you ask the cost of a Jackacorn horn without the labor of installing it into a staff or wand is roughly one hundred Gold. This means it would take three years of labor to pay for the cost of the Jackacorns horn."

"Wow three years 'Young Lordling', with that amount of income I bet even I can train a farmer to be a better ruler than you, I bet even--" Hazlees self-righteous tirade is interrupted by a cacophony of loud cracks and collapsing trees. "Looks like we won't have to track down your test."

We quickly arrive at a destroyed clearing. The surrounding trees and even the soil is ruined with deep gashes. A man is slumped under one of the few upright trees bleeding from his abdomen and the back of his head. This man is both broad of shoulders and stomach, possibly a merchant's son, cook, or some sort of aristocrat. His curly brown hair matted with fresh blood and oddly thin clothes ripped and torn.

Hazlee gives the clearing a once over and approaches the man. "You might want to go check behind that snare."

I follow his eyes, buried in the ground is an extremely amateur snare. I pull out my net and walk through, keeping my eyes unfocused to allow me to catch any movement immediately. Roughly twenty paces away I see the Jacacorn, its body a grim mirror of the man in the clearing. I inspect it closer, the body is slumped under the tree with its neck broken, it has a gushing red-spot above its, thankfully intact horn most likely the impact spot.

Walking back to the clearing I state "I don't suppose this counts as a pass?" as I hold out the Jackacorn by its haunches.

"There is no need for supposition, luck is an important part of being a lord and utilizing it more so. However you don't technically own that kill so what will you do?"

I look at the shirtless man, his wounds slightly patched, he is in no position to negotiate but Hazlee expects something from me. My pragmatic side of me is encouraging to kill him and leave him as good bait for re-population, after all I have the right he was poaching in my forest. "Tell me what is the minimum sentence for poaching on reserved land, as well as the average cost for medicinal remedies?"

"Good catch young lord!" Hazlee says with the first genuine smile I've seen in a while. He continues, " The punishment for poaching is dictated by the individual land owners, when your late father ruled it was punished by death. As of six years ago the punishment for poaching is no more than two and a half years hard Labor, as well as no more than fifty lashes. As for medical treatment, if you were to take him to a traditional arcane healer it would cost twenty gold. Non magical medicine would cost roughly a single gold including the cost of labor and tinctures."

I look around and see a thin branch. I pick it up and approach the man," Turn him around." I attempt to say in a authoritative manner. "By the order of the Primdale Barony with the witness of Hazlee Duran I charge you guilty of poaching. You shall be sentenced to twenty lashes effective immediately." I strike the unconscious man's back twenty times, and continue the sentencing. "You are also charged with two and a half years hard labor, due to your condition the Primdale barony is willing to accept eighty-three gold and two silver in lieu of service. You and your possessions will be kept in the custody of the barony until a decision is made."

With the arduous speech over I look at the large man, then to Hazlee. "I don't suppose you have a cart handy?"