Silk and Tea, the First Trade Agreement

The next day Prince Iopolo, Daniel Conners, several knights from the Dragon Brigade as well as several knights from the Holy Chadtom Empire calmly walked through the massive main gate to enter the City of Connaissance. Their horses were stabled just after entering and then all of the injured including Sir Conners were quickly taken to the hospital, which even under the less than perfect condition of the city, was the finest medical center in the world. Emily accompanied by Mr. Duke and several of his associates came to greet them. Emily gave them a polite smile and then greeted, "Prince Iopolo Pao'ko-olo, to my right here is Mr. Mortimer Duke and his brother Randolph. That is Mr. Jan Hammer, Mr. Charles Graves, Mr. Hansley Dashworth, Dean Wilson, Mr. Jacob Dickens, and last but not least, Chief Constable, Marion Berry. Please, walk this way. We'd like to discuss the future between our city and the Holy Chadtom empire."

The took a short walk and then gathered in the City Hall conference room. Emily took her place at the head of the table with Iopolo sitting don right next to her. The others took places around the table leaving an empty chair on the other side of Emily. Iopolo looked around, "Is Chonny not going to be joining our meeting?"

Emily looked into his eyes coldly, "Captain Alexander has other duties to attend to at the moment. We still have a foreign army at the base of the mountain." She opened a folder that was on the desk, a copy was left in front of each of the men at the table, "Gentlemen, I am proposing a long term trade agreement between the City of Connaissance and the Holy Chadtom Empire. I have outlined several areas for discussion. The first is a no tariff clause. In this agreement, both parties will agree not to place a tax on raw materials imported to their nation. As for manufactured goods, I would like to hear from our City's business elite, Mr. Duke?"

Mortimer Duke nodded and then opened the folder to the appropriate page, "It is our hope, that we can also keep any potential tariffs on manufactured goods as close to zero percent as well, however in the past we know that the Empire does need to collect a small tariff on these goods to protect it's own business interests. Therefore we propose signing an agreement for twelve percent across the board tariff on all manufactured goods. In the past, that number would fluctuate between five percent and twenty percent during certain times of the year. We feel that keeping it at a flat twelve percent rate all year long would work better for our businesses and also, help earn a fraction of a percent more for the Holy Chadtom Empire over the full year."

The Prince nodded and responded in his deep voice, "I can agree to this term."

Emily checked off a box on her outline, "Next we would like to talk about protection and transportation for our trade goods. We are proposing to take on all security and transportation duties for goods to and from the Holy Chadtom Empire. In exchange, we would like to have a signed nonaggression pact. That is to say, neither of our countries will make a first attack against the other nation."

The Prince smiled slightly, "I can agree to this term as well."

Emily then flipped the page and looked up at all of the faces in the room, "Finally, the last item in this treaty, we currently have an embassy from the Windsor Kingdom in the city. We ask that you build and maintain your own embassy here in the City as well. The area of this property will be considered the Holy Chadtom Empire territory. The law and order within the boundaries of the property will be handled by the Empire alone. With your embassy here in the city, we can maintain constant communication as issues arise from this treaty going forward."

The Prince thought for a moment and then asked, "And if the Church of the zombie man enters this city, will they be allowed to enter against our wishes?"

Emily shook her head, "The Church will never be welcomed into the City so long as I am it's City Lord."

The Prince quickly signed both copies of the trade agreement and passed them back to Emily for her signature. After she finished signing the documents. The men around the table broke out into spontaneous applause. Then they stood and shook hands with each other, several of the men approaching the Prince with casual conversation. Emily took the opportunity to make her exit from the room. She could see the Prince trying to free himself politely but the door closed before he could take more than a step.

Emily headed for the Hospital at a brisk pace. She hoped that by heading straight into the meeting, she could give the doctors plenty of time to see to the injured. As she turned the corner from the stairs to the floor the men from the Windsor Kingdom were being seen on she was surprised to find Captain Alexander already there. She quickly hid behind a partition and listened in on their conversation.

"He's sure grown-up hasn't he?" Daniel smiled up at Jon.

Captain Alexander was sitting on a stiff hospital chair at the foot of Daniel's bed he smirked, "Polo got his father's looks and build. The first time I saw him, I thought the Emperor had found the fountain of youth."

"Did he already ask for Emily's hand in marriage? I remember the first time he met her, he blurted out, 'You will be my second wife!' and then didn't she agree?" Daniel asked.

Captain Alexander smiled softly, "No, she told him she could only marry the strongest and bravest man. The one who could understand her the best."

Daniel smirked, "Well, he sure is brave and strong now as for the other..."

Captain Alexander slumped down into his chair, "Do any of us really know her?"

Daniel laughed, "We all watched her grow up, all of us fell in love with her... It's just that the things that made us fall in love with her are the same things that make us look like fools when we are around." He motioned for his water glass. Jon handed it over to him and he continued, "She is more of a genius than that scary uncle of hers and more ruthless than her old man. Any man that can truly be her match would scare the piss out of me, that I can tell you."

Captain Alexander nodded and then said, "The other day, one of the smartest men I have ever met gave me some advice. He told me, sometimes you have to eat a terrible sandwich to know what kind of sandwich you really enjoy."

"I don't think you told that advice right," Daniel replied with brutal honesty.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Captain Alexander frowned.

"How bad was the sandwich?"

"Imagine a sandwich that tasted exactly the way a battlefield latrine smells." Captain Alexander stated with deadly seriousness.

"Well, at least you know you don't like that sandwich now." Daniel chuckled.

"Seriously, when he told me the advice it sounded really profound. It had to do with me not being a chicken and speaking up for myself and letting her know how I felt about her..." Captain Alexander frowned again.

Daniel laughed and said, "Maybe I should exploit my injured status and see if I can get a sympathy kiss out of it?"

Emily shook her head and then walked out from behind the curtain and acted as if she just made it there, "Hello Danny, hello Jon, I just met with Polo, he signed our first trade agreement and the nonaggression pact we requested."

Captain Alexander quickly stood and offered her the chair. She gave him a bright smile and then sat down. Captain Alexander gave her a salute, "Your Highness, I should return to my post." He looked as if he wanted to say more but turned and left instead.

Daniel waited until he was gone before saying, "You know I watched you step out from behind that curtain. You know that your feet were showing, right?"

Emily blushed bright red and then said, "Shut up Danny." It reminded him of how his best friend Drew always talked to him so he laughed warmly.

"So, you heard it all right? How about giving me a little hint, just who is this dream man of yours?" He smiled slightly.

She swung her legs back and forth under her chair like the little girl he remembered and then sighed, "Honestly?"

"It's your story to tell, Emmy."

"It's all of you. I want a man as smart as my uncle. As brave as you. As strong as Jon. As affectionate, loyal, and sweet as little Polo." She counted them off on her fingers.

"So what you are saying is that you want a fairy tale prince?" He smiled with a touch of sadness.

She shook her head no, "That's not what I am saying, I guess what I am saying is that I want to find a man like my father. A man who can make me feel safe with a simple hug blocking out all of what's wrong with the world."

Daniel nodded and smiled, "A wise man once told me you need to try a sandwich before you know if you hate it."

"Is that really how you want to ask me if you can court me?"

"Did it work?" He smiled.

"No. And now I'm just going to say no if you ask again so please stop."

Daniel smirked, "I made things awkward didn't I?"

"I should probably go."

Daniel nodded, "Yeah, by the way. Tell Jon the sandwich thing doesn't work."

"Stop talking now."

*****

"I would ask why you are here, but the bloody clothes and scant few soldiers you brought back tell me a lot more than your words could. Was it the Holy Chadtom Empire or Fursia?" The King asked as he concentrated on a game of chess with one of his ministers.

"Your Majesty, it was the Holy Chadtom Empire." Sir McCoy rested on one knee, with his head down and one fist against the ground for balance.

"Did they attack the City of Connaissance, or stop at the foot of the mountain?" He moved a piece causing the Minister to grumble.

"They stopped. A single rider dressed in red and gold went up the mountain."

A messenger came into the room and dropped to one knee next to Sir McCoy. The King waited for his minister to make a move and then spoke up, "What news from Connaissance?"

The messenger replied, "Sir Conners lives, Connaissance and Chadtom have signed a Treaty."

"You are both excused." As Sir McCoy got up and started to leave, "Leonard, I know you did what you could. We both know that idiot only knows to charge straight ahead."

Sir McCoy nodded and left the room. As he walked away he felt hot tears roll down his cheeks and all the tension he had been under lifted from his shoulders. He had resigned himself to the fate of a painful death for letting the King's best friend die in battle and the King's beloved niece suffer a fate worse than death at the hands of an enemy nation. It was like a miracle had happened when the messenger arrived.