by Randi Darren
“It only tests the outer rim as well,” Saoirse added.
“We’ll be attacking the silver piece,” Alex said. “The gold piece isn’t used often enough by the common people to be worthwhile. Anything less than silver becomes worthless simply due to the sheer volume of coins out there.”
“And silver walks the middle line,” Valeria said. “I take it that’s why we brought the dowry with us?”
“Yeah, that’s going to be our conversion spend. We spend Saoirse’s dowry to buy up silver coins, counterfeit and modify, then redistribute back into the populace.”
“That’s a lot of coin to move,” Sylvia said. “How exactly are you going to filter that back into the citizens’ hands?”
“Bribes, for one,” Alex said with a laugh. “Bribes to the people who keep the war effort running. The more wrenches we can throw into the machine, the better.
“Second, buying up all crop futures. We’ll just talk to all the lords and ladies of the realm who run the farms, then the farmers themselves.”
Everyone was staring at him.
“Crop futures… in other words, I pay them in advance for their entire next crop before it’s even harvested. If it comes out to be less, they make money on me. If it turns out to be more, I make money. It’s a gamble, but… I don’t mind paying them at twenty-five percent above,” Alex said. “Especially since the coin we’re going to use is fake.”
“Oh,” Valeria said suddenly. “I think this is one of those future things, my love.”
“Got it. Well, maybe that’s something I’ll have to talk to the land owners directly about, then,” Alex said.
“Probably for the best,” Sylvia immediately responded. “Though I’m sure we can speak to the common folk for you. It wouldn’t do for Count Inferno to be demeaning himself.”
Alex rolled his eyes at that.
“That’s how we’ll get the coin back into the system,” Alex said. “Most people wouldn’t even think to question that much coin. The very idea of checking it sounds insane. We’ll just make sure the first chest we bring in is real.”
“What else?” Sylvia asked. She looked like a bowstring pulled taut. Ready to be released but held in check by strength alone.
“Blacksmiths, metallurgy, and the iron trade,” Alex said. “I want every single one of those to be under our control. Kill, trade, bribe, whatever we have to do. Did Coffin make it back yet?”
“I’m the knife,” muttered a female voice from somewhere in the room. Alex couldn’t quite pinpoint it, but it didn’t sound like Coffin.
“Not yet,” Valeria said. “Though I have several other operatives in the area. Whatever happens, we can take care of it.”
“Great. For the blacksmiths, hire them to Brit and have them shipped out as quickly as possible. Especially masters with apprentices. This is an opportunity to get them hired on for other projects we have anyways,” Alex said. “The metallurgy and iron trade, same thing. Buy it all up, have it shipped to Brit.”
“If they can’t repair, make new, or purchase weapons, it’ll be hard to wage a war,” Eleanor said. “Especially if they weren’t quite ready to go to war in the first place.”
“We weren’t. That is… they weren’t,” Saoirse said. “The duke was supposed to hold out for another several months, or win. Your systematic removal of his supporting vassals made it impossible for Father to wait.”
“It’s a pity I can’t do that again here,” Alex said. “I’d love to bind up more women like Aerin.
“The problem is that I have no doubt Glint would come after us as soon as I started. Gaelis couldn’t.”
“What else, baby?” Rebekah asked, leaning into Valeria. She had her head resting on the other woman’s shoulder.
Surprisingly, Valeria only leaned back into Rebekah, laying her cheek on the top of Rebekah’s head.
Where Riley wanted to lead the Numbered, Rebekah wanted to be their mistress. Much in the same way Anna was.
“That big, sexy brain of yours always has more to give,” Rebekah said, nuzzling Valeria’s shoulder.
“He does, doesn’t he?” Valeria said, more to Rebekah than anyone else.
“Mmhmm,” Rebekah responded.
“I mean… there’s lots of little things, too,” Alex said. “Buying up all the food currently on the market. All the grain. Through anonymous channels and the like, or making it look like the army of Hefen. Then having it all shipped to the Xer.
“They could use the extra food. And it would help soften the hatred they have for us right now.
“Having influential people start talking about how the war is impacting citizens and all the negative things it’s doing.
“Blowing up silos and grain storage.”
“Blowing up?” Nannie asked.
“Yeah, blowing up,” Alex said to the big woman. “Anything ground fine to the point of dust can be explosive. Grain especially so. We just have to disable some of the precautions the silos probably have. Whatever they may be. I don’t know what they do to prevent it, but I’m sure we could figure out how to mess it up.
“Then you just… apply a combustion source. Fire.”
Carla laughed at that.
“In other words, Count Inferno shows up, and suddenly grain stores start exploding. No one would ever think to connect the two,” Carla said, looking at Alex with raised eyebrows.
“I mean… I guess, yeah. I can’t imagine how they’d ever be able to prove anything, though,” Alex said with a shrug. “But that’s where we are, and where we’re going.
“First things first, though, we do have to keep up appearances and our cover story. I’ll need to meet with the ambassador for Hefen.”
Everyone nodded at that.
“For that one… I’ll take One, Three, and Seven,” Alex said. “It’ll mostly be a show of power, and then maybe an argument. That and I do need to show off that Saoirse is mine later. Everyone needs to know that as quickly as possible. It’ll lend credibility to us and bring Glint’s ability into question.”
Saoirse sighed at that, shaking her head. Then she slowly nodded it.
“Yes, I can see how that would be perceived,” Saoirse said softly. “The only heir of their king, the common wife of a count. And not even the head wife. I’m behind and below a duchess, a countess, and a baron’s daughter.”
“Don’t forget Quinn and Katherine,” Nannie said. “Quinn’s a queen. Queen of the Xer. The Wilds. Good woman. Gets her hands dirty. Empress, really.
“Katherine isn’t bad either, but she’s only going to be a baroness when her dad kicks it.”
Saoirse had clearly stopped breathing. Then she let it all out in a whoosh.
“The last wife of six. And I’m not even the highest ranked amongst them,” Saoirse said. Then she gestured at his Numbered. “On top of that, I get the distinct impression you all seem to have your own special standing in your homeland.
“They do,” Aerin said, nodding her head. “Truth be told, they’re his wives as well, just without the titles.
“Then there’s all his… concubines. I am one. There’s also Countess Helit, Baroness Stoneson, Countess Bellin, and Countess Derth.”
Opening her mouth, Saoirse paused, saying nothing.
Then she shifted her jaw to one side. “I see. I am… very… low… in status, aren’t I?”
“You’re an unproven wife,” Carla said. “You’ll need to earn your keep, or Mistress Anna will not be kind to you.”
All the Numbered seemed to grow still at that statement.
“One shouldn’t disappoint Mistress,” Eleanor said. “Ever.”
Everyone nodded at that except Aerin, who had yet to meet Anna.
“Right, anyways. Time to get moving. I’m sure our ambassadorial contact will be scrambling to meet with us today,” Alex said.
The conversation had gotten odd to him.
Even I have sought approval from your wife.
The sudden thought from Rike made Alex stop in his tr
acks.
One does not step into your world without speaking to Anna Brit. It is well known for all who know of you in your home kingdom.
She has made examples of people.
What…? Okay… not… what I was expecting.
Is Leah okay, by the way?
She’s well. Just busy and not able to return for a bit longer. She’s assisting me with some issues in my own clergy while I’m here.
I’ll let her know you asked.
Chapter 29
Alex was considering getting up and leaving.
The ambassador and regent for Hefen had kept him waiting for a while now. Except he couldn’t figure out if it was intentional, or if the man was just terribly unprepared for the fact that Alex had shown up.
Which was a distinct possibility, all things considered.
Valeria clicked her tongue next to him and uncrossed her legs, then crossed them again with her left leg on top now.
Unable to help himself, Alex found himself admiring Valeria’s lovely self and the dress she was wearing.
“While I appreciate the fact that I’m distracting you, I had hoped to distract the ambassador a little,” Valeria said, apparently having caught him looking at her. “I’m not above showing a little bit of myself to help you in your goals, Alex.”
“Nor I, Master,” Riley said from behind Alex.
Chuckling, Alex wasn’t sure how he felt about that. He’d be the first person to utilize any advantage given to him, but in the same breath, he wasn’t quite sure he liked other men looking at them like that.
“Ooh, I didn’t expect you to be jealous,” Valeria purred, reaching out with her left hand and laying it on his knee. “If it bothers you, I can stop doing that sort of thing.”
“No… do what you feel is best,” Alex said, giving his head a small shake. “Just being stupid, I guess.”
Getting more and more sentimental as I go further along in this.
Then again… I’m a far cry from what I used to be when I started this life. A far cry from it. I’m a father.
Of two, with another on the way.
I’d say I’m certainly better off for it, too.
“I’m genuinely flattered. It just reminds me that you really aren’t… normal, and that you value me more than I do myself,” Valeria said, patting his knee.
“I agree,” Riley said, her right hand coming up to rest on his shoulder.
“Right. Uh… let’s give this guy another ten minutes or so and then get outta here. We’ve got a lot to do,” Alex said. “A lot to do, people to meet, and things that need completing.”
“At least we didn’t bring Two or Six in here,” Valeria said with a soft sigh, her hand resting on Alex’s knee. “Especially Two. Ever since you tamed her heart, she takes any insult against you with great… dissatisfaction.”
“More so now that—”
The door across from them opened, and a slight, wiry man entered. He looked middle-aged, with brown hair and pale blue eyes.
“Hello,” the man said in Hefenig. “Do forgive me for being so late. It’s entirely on me, and I have no excuse other than to say… ah… I wasn’t expecting you so soon.”
“Of course,” Alex said, responding as easily in Hefenig as if he’d been born to it. “I can certainly understand. I imagine it would take me some time to get the copy of the official declaration of war and the casus belli documentation for the emperor.”
Smiling widely at the man, Alex wondered if this meeting would be over before it even began.
Saoirse had told him it was unlikely that either of those things would be ready, since her father hadn’t done either.
Glint had left himself open. To a truly massive degree. It was likely he could get the documentation together in time for the emperor.
Providing Alex hadn’t wandered in as he had just now and demanded them.
“I… what?” asked the ambassador.
“The official declaration of war, which is required under Imperial edict. It should have been sent to the emperor, signed, pressed with his seal, and sent back to you. I’d like King Harold’s copy. Right now,” Alex said. “As well as the casus belli documentation. I plan on having them sent to my king as quickly as possible.
“You do have them, don’t you?”
The ambassador nodded but didn’t respond.
“Great. Just… give them to me then,” Alex said with the same smile. “I’ll have them countersigned and sent off.”
The man began fumbling in a satchel at his side, rapidly flipping through a multitude of papers.
He doesn’t have them.
Which means he’s going to excuse himself to go get them or admit they don’t exist.
And of those two options, he’ll take the first.
“It would seem I don’t have them on me,” said the man, giving Alex a sad smile. “I’ll have to go get them.”
“Oh? Wonderful. I’ll go with you. It shouldn’t take but a few minutes to pick them up, after all,” Alex said. “You can give me a tour at the same time.”
The ambassador grimaced, his mask not just slipping but gone. It was clear and obvious to both men that they were well aware of the situation.
“How about I just… admit I don’t have them,” said the man, letting the satchel fall back to his side. “Because they don’t exist. As you’ve already surmised, I imagine.”
“Mm,” Alex said, putting his elbow down against the table and then setting his chin in his palm. “And what do you propose then? There’s no feasible way out of this. The king has violated Imperial law. In a severe way. It’s quite unlikely he’ll be allowed to keep anything he tries to claim.”
“I have nothing I can offer,” the man said, shrugging his shoulders. “Nor can I confirm anything officially in any way. This’ll just end up with me dragging my feet while I attempt to patch up the problem.”
Hm. Well. Credit to him for being honest.
“As you can guess, I have no choice but to formally send you a dispatch requesting the paperwork. At which point you’ll have to ignore it or send it back with a response,” Alex said. “And I’ll of course have a second copy of said dispatch, notarized and signed accordingly by ambassadorial staff.”
“I imagine so,” said the man with a shake of his head.
“In the same day, I’ll send a fast messenger to the emperor and King Harold,” Alex continued. “The emperor will be receiving my grievance almost at the same time he receives anything you send him.”
Sighing, the ambassador pressed a hand to the top of his head.
“I hear you’ve stolen away the princess?” the man asked suddenly.
“Indeed. I deflowered her while her father watched. I’ve also bedded her twice a day since then. I’m doing all I can to impregnate her immediately,” Alex said. He was glad the story was spreading that the princess was his. He also wanted it spread that he’d taken the king’s daughter before his eyes.
The less likely he’ll be able to do or say anything later about it.
“It’s true then,” the man whispered.
“Very,” Alex said. “Is there anything else that needs to be said or done here?”
“No,” the ambassador said. “And my name is Farig.”
“Wonderful,” Alex said with a sigh. Getting to his feet, he held a hand out to Valeria and helped her up. “I’ll see you on the morrow, Farig.”
Alex fled from the room quickly. He wanted to appear in a rush to get those messages out. To give the impression that the regent, whom Alex still hadn’t met, had a chance to keep the messengers from ever reaching the emperor.
Sliding into Alex’s side, Valeria laid a hand on his lower back and more or less forced his arm around her hips. She was playing the doxy role to stay close and protect him.
Between her, Carla, Eleanor, and Nannie, they were on guard for anything.
Everything, in fact.
This entire city was technically against them.
Riley was a single
step away from him on his left, her right hand holding his left.
It’s like I don’t have arms or hands anymore.
Carla and Eleanor fell in, bracketing Alex as he exited the meeting room.
“What you expected?” Carla asked.
“Yeah,” Alex said. “Exactly what we expected. Saoirse had the right of it. All of it.”
“Huh. Maybe Miss Brit is a qualifying title for the time being after all, instead of Numberless,” Carla said.
“She’s given herself to our Masterful Lordly Husband,” Eleanor said. “As is his right and due. I think Miss Brit is a qualified title.”
“You just like her because she’s another noble,” Carla said, pulling out her battle mace and hefting it in her right hand as they got to the street.
There was a faint rasp of metal as Eleanor pulled her longsword free as well.
“I don’t deny that,” Eleanor said. “Then again, the line between commoner and noble in our ranks seems… unimportant now.”
“True,” Valeria said, her eyes moving from person to person as they walked through the street. “Next meeting is with the local underground. Four made the arrangement.”
That’s quick.
Probably wants a reward for it.
Then again, I need to reward Eleanor too.
Sounds like it’s time for that three way.
Pity I don’t have Katherine here, to make her clean up.
“Alright,” Alex said. “Tell me, Three. Should I be there at the start or come in after a few minutes?”
“After a few. It’ll give Four time to make her case and build you up a bit,” Valeria said. “Then again, who hasn’t heard of Count Inferno the Butcher by this point? Using your name got her a meeting instantly.”
“Amusingly,” Alex said in a dry voice, “I ended up on this world because I killed quite a few people previously. Seems I’m destined to be a menace.”
“That’s okay, Master,” Riley said, squeezing his hand. “We all love you for who you are. Menace or not.”
Mm.
Not really leaving a positive mark on the world, am I?