Royal Shadow

[Hellfire]

"In order for some to be happy, others must suffer." Nathan said quietly. "That is what I have been taught, since I was old enough to understand what it meant. It is not our fault that we are the way we are, we were simply raised this way." He almost appeared calm as he worked. "I don't know if what I was taught is wrong, simply because that is what I was raised upon."

 

[RavenMist]

"Not a whole region," she murmurs softly, looking away for a moment, "In the slums, I've seen the children briefly, poor as hell but smiling. They don't understand what's happening, what they're being brought into." She explains, taking a deep breath, "I was brought up into the same principles, Nathan. We grew up with everything because to us it was like we deserved it. What did we ever do to deserve it? Nothing." She says, glancing back up at him.


"We were raised on something that they believed because after everything, when the region's settled back down, they had everything. They were worthy of taking from the poor to give to the rich. They taught us and treat us like royalty, and the slums was where the peasants live." She says, "Everyone in the slums were treat like they didn't deserve happiness because they didn't contribute to the region as much as the Royals' did. For the last ten or so years the people of the slums contributed more than any of us. If we hadn't taken the people's money, then the treasury wouldn't be half as full, no one would be dying of hungry on this extreme level." She murmurs.


"Whether you were raised or not shouldn't matter. It's about making a difference now." She says softly.

 

[Hellfire]

Nathan smiled softly. "You always were a sharp one." He said with a short laugh. "I do understand what you are saying. I only worry about who will try to take the place of the royals. When one evil dies, another rises."

 

[RavenMist]

She rubs her face, "We'll have to worry about that when it comes to it." She murmurs, "The guilds are a problem and I have no idea how to sort that out. I'm a threat to them, to what they have." She murmurs.

 

[Hellfire]

"Let's hope it is only the guilds we have to worry about." Nathan said quietly. "We can handle them, the only trouble will be finding them. They are quite good at disappearing till they want to be found."

 

[RavenMist]

"What's that meant to mean?" She asks, raising an eyebrow, "The guilds should be all we have to worry about, who else should we worry of?" She asks, crossing her arms, "We'll have to just be prepared for the guilds."

 

[Hellfire]

"I'm just saying that you can never tell." Nathan said. "As far as I can tell, We can lower the tax quite a bit. Taxes have been based off of percentage for a long time. We can keep it at this, but also charge those with more money. They haven't had to do taxes."

 

[RavenMist]

She nods slowly listening to him, "Makes sense." She says looking around, moving toward the bookshelf and looking at the title of the books, her fingertip running across them, "The rent on the houses, I'm going to assume that is also very high." She murmurs.

 

[Hellfire]

"Very, it is also based on percentage. Unless you add the fee for those without work." He rubbed his eyes. "Most any goverment fee is high: rent, taxes, anything to do with the goverment."

 

[RavenMist]

"People have to pay more for not working? That ridiculous." She murmurs, shaking her head, "Change that. That's not how it working from now on. That's a stupid way to make money, some people physically cant work." She mumbles turning back at him.

 

[Hellfire]

"That is the point." He said, looking up at Isabella. "They old ways weeded out those to weak to help themselves." He wrote on a piece of paper. "That will of course change."

 

[RavenMist]

She shakes her head, "It's people like that that deserve more help but to have what little money they have taken." She murmurs, looking away, "What's the death rate at?" She asks.

 

[Hellfire]

"I'm not sure you want to know that." Nathan warned. "You have enough on your mind to worry about." He knew she would argue. "It is 69% in the slums." He said in a soft tone.

 

[RavenMist]

Isabella's jaw tensed slightly at the that, her eyes watering slightly and rubs her face, "How many qualified doctors, nurses and medics? How many to each citizen?" She asks quietly, looking back, "How many people die per day? How many children and bab-" she cut herself off at that point, a hand covering her mouth as she let out a small cry, shaking her head.

 

[Hellfire]

Nathan left the desk, coming to her side. "You had nothing to do with that." He tried to comfort her. "You are going to change that, you are not a monster like other royals." He stood in front of her, unsure of how to help her.

 

[RavenMist]

"How high is the population? How many schools do we have open for the children?" She murmurs softly, looking up at him hopelessly, her eyes teary, she leans against the book shelf and takes a deep breath, "What's the rates of childbirth? How many children are being born into the region on average?" She asks, her questions coming out quickly, somewhat desperate but hopeless.

 

[Hellfire]

"Calm down." Nathan said, his voice clear with concern. "You will hurt yourself worrying over everything. You have put me in charge of this, and I intend to do my best to bring this faction to the standards you want."

 

[RavenMist]

"I'm already hurting Nathan. There's not a day I don't worry." She murmurs, "What if I'm not good enough for this, to help the people?" She says, "I don't even know how to do basic things and I intend to lead." She murmurs, "What do I have? A good intention?" She exclaims, "I'm already a mess right now, I don't know what to do half the time. Smile and hope for the best? Pretend I'm okay, that I'm dealing with it all? Pretend that there isn't a day I wish I could just fall apart?" She murmurs.

 

[Hellfire]

"Hey!" Nathan's tone was firm. He took a step towards her. "Few could make it as far as you have. You have allies in the slums, no other royal could do this with bribes!" He exclaimed. "If good intentions is what has gotten you this far, then keep it up. You are more than strong enough to be the leader of this faction."

 

[RavenMist]

"There's plenty of draw backs, I'm female. Not many are going to take me seriously." She says to him, "I don't like violence so people will use that against me. I care too much and that's become a weakness in itself." She says quietly, looking at him, "The people I grew up with all but hate me and I've locked them all away in a prison." She says, forcing a harsh laugh.

 

[Hellfire]

"You have powerful allies." He pointed out. "And I don't hate you. People will learn to take you seriously, all it takes is a little time and I am sure you will gain their respect." He smiled lightly. "I'm sure that you will be protected from those who would go against you."

 

[RavenMist]

"I stole your job, I took my own father hostage, shot a guy in his leg." She murmurs, "Allies are one thing but I don't trust them, anyone could turn on me. All anyone needs is the right opportunity." She murmurs.

 

[Hellfire]

"A fair point." Nathan said with a nod. "I guess you will just have to become stronger then." He said with a shrug. "If you want your people to have a decent future, then you will have to become stronger." A almost cruel smile played on his lips. "If not, then a monster like me will come to power." He looked back at her, the smile gone. "Will you let that happen?" He said it as a challenge.

 

[RavenMist]

Her eyes snap back up to look at him, cocking her head to one side and her eyes narrowing, "are you challenging my power Nathan?" She asks, her voice sweet but venomous, watching him carefully now.

 

[Hellfire]

He laughed. "Perhaps, but the real question here is are you strong enough to keep it." His gaze locked with her's. "There cannot be a weak ruler, and if you are not up to the job then someone will take your place. Just like you took your father's place."