“What about the money already seized from the abbeys?” Maia pressed.
He shook his head. “I did not include those treasures, Maia, as you instructed that they should be returned to the abbeys for reconstruction. If your father had claimed them all, it would have nearly doubled his holdings.”
Maia stood and began pacing, her mind afire with ideas. “Unbelievable,” she whispered.
“Your father was a shrewd man,” Richard said. “He was lavish with his spending, but very disciplined, and more apt to spend another man’s coin than his own. He also was wise in his trading agreements and sold more than what he bought. He has been positioning Comoros, you see, as a place where luxuries are valued.”
“Yes, I should say so,” Maia agreed, still pacing and struggling with her feelings. She turned to the Aldermaston eagerly. “Richard, all this wealth has been accumulated and increased but to what purpose? You have seen the throne room?”
“I have,” Richard replied, his look darkening. “There is hardly a suitable word to describe it.”
“Opulent,” Maia suggested. “The amount of gold decorations, the marble tile on the floor, the cushioned seats and benches. Every time I walk into it, I feel the Myriad Ones snuffling about like rats. I think my father had two lions chained as pets! It was all for show, all to flaunt his wealth and power in front of visitors.”
“Yes,” Richard agreed. “My understanding from the men with the treasury keys was that your father’s intention was to provide a show of power and strength that would prevent other kingdoms from attacking Comoros. Yet he built his kingdom on the backs of the poor. Those who could not pay his taxes were forced into prison.”
Maia gritted her teeth. “That is unjust!”
“It is, Maia. This is what we must discuss at the Privy Council tomorrow. The tax collectors are still at work. The prisons are overcrowded. The poor are hungry, living in the streets, and we are selling bushels of apples and cider overseas.”
She sighed and wrung her hands. “I see now why the people were nearly ready to revolt. Why have they not acted yet?”
Richard smiled at her. “What choice did they have? The earls control the knights and soldiers. The king controlled the coin and could summon mercenaries if there was an uprising. The people have grown used to the depravity. As you have said, they have forgotten what the Medium feels like.”
Maia stopped pacing and stared at him. “I grew up always wanting to be a maston. But over the years I never truly understood what it meant. It is time we set a proper example. It is time we stopped crushing the poor. I want a kingdom the people will want to fight to preserve. I do not want to hire mercenaries who defend us for a fee. If we are to survive the Naestors’ incursion, it will not be because of the size of our army or navy. We cannot hope to match what they will send against us.”
She walked toward him, her eyes afire. “My grandmother told me that when an apple barrel is corrupt, it must be cleansed on the inside first. We must clean the kingdom before another Blight descends upon us. We do this, Richard, by first cleansing the streets. Every day people are walking in mud and muck to and fro to do their business. I want the streets cleaned. I want every window to be washed. Every house painted. When I went to Rostick in Hautland, I saw a city much larger than this one in which every paving stone was swept clean. The people wore tidy, clean frocks and coats. The coronation gives us the excuse to rally the people to help cleanse our city. Use the treasury, Richard. Be generous with those who will work hard. When people arrive for the coronation, I want them to feel the difference.”
A smile quirked on Richard’s mouth. “Yes, my lady. I think they will.”
She walked over and knelt in front of his chair. “When I was coming here, I saw a child cleaning the corners of the corridor at this late hour.” She shook her head. “No more. Children are children, not slaves. I will be inspecting the kitchens and the stables and all the places where the lowest live. If I could make this city into a replica of Muirwood, I would. I want children chattering and laughing, like Aloia and Davi, while they work. The Medium will not grace us if there is so much suffering in this place. This is what I want, my lord chancellor. This is why I chose you.” She gripped his arm and saw the tears in his eyes.
“As you wish, my lady,” he answered softly. “It will take time.”
Maia shook her head. “That is not a privilege we have. The Naestors will come here first. They will try to ruin the symbol of my father’s power. We must be ready and waiting when they do.”
She rose and then smiled fondly at him. “You must get to sleep yourself. It is late.”