Empire of Avarice

by Tony Roberts

  Now this had landed in his lap. The Fokis family’s textile business warehouse. Apparently full of material ready to turn into clothing and other household materials. There was no licence and it would be untaxed because it was undeclared. And if they managed to sell their wares, it would cut out the legal businesses. He sighed. What he was meant to do now was to take the news to the council for them to authorise his use of force to enter the premises. He’d done that every time he’d been given information, and every time he’d found nothing.

  His lieutenants muttered about someone informing the Fokis; they knew that Mercos had been in their pocket and once he’d been removed, it wasn’t hard to guess the Fokis had switched to someone else. But someone on the council? Vosgaris toyed with the parchment, mulling over in his mind the options he had. He came to a decision. It was dusk. The council wouldn’t sit until the morning. This couldn’t wait.

  “Tabor,” he called to one of his subordinates, “rouse the duty squad, we’re going out.”

  “Sir!” Tabor slapped his left shoulder, the imperial gesture of a salute, and swiftly made his way out of Vosgaris’ office. The guard captain lifted his sword off the wall and strapped it on. He felt heady; he was technically acting without palace authority and if something went wrong they could dismiss him, but he felt that he was close to being dismissed anyway. Only the empress seemed to have any faith in him; Sereth certainly didn’t and Frendicus and Pepil were notoriously untrustworthy. He’d rather trust a Bragalese reptile.

  The duty squad numbered twenty and were armed with swords. The ceremonial volgar would certainly not be of any use this evening. The address was in the merchant’s district close to the south gate so Vosgaris led his men along the main east-west road until they almost got to the gate, then they turned off into the less well lit streets. Richer than most districts, this was still only intermittently illuminated. People were feeling the effects of financial strain and couldn’t afford the upkeep of street lights. The council certainly couldn’t and hadn’t for a few years, so it had been left to the various districts to light their own streets at night.

  One in five of the men carried a torch so they could see where they were going. Vosgaris didn’t quite know the location so Tabor guided them, along a twisting road, behind a large house and into a smaller side street. This one was unlit, but Vosgaris steeled his heart and drove what fears he had away; this was his one last chance to prove to the council that he was the right man for the job. Tonight he’d do or die, so to speak.

  There were lights showing from the long building Tabor pointed out. Vosgaris felt a growing excitement. “Take three men around the rear,” he said to Tabor. “If anyone tries to escape, you know what to do.”

  “Sir,” Tabor nodded and pointed to three men to follow him. They scuttled around the corner. The sound of canines barking came to Vosgaris and he looked around at the other buildings. Here was a warehouse district and all usually shut down at night, so there wouldn’t – or shouldn’t – be anyone walking these streets. He didn’t see anyone. Satisfied, he motioned to two of the toughest men with him to open the door facing them. What windows there were in the warehouse were on the upper floor.

  The door was in fact a double door, made so that deliveries could be wheeled into the building. Light was spilling through the cracks in the planking of the walls and through the gaps between the walls and the doors.

  The two guards drew their swords and ran at the doors, striking them hard close to the centre. The doors gave way, the wooden bar behind them breaking clean in two under the force of the blow. Vosgaris and the rest of the company followed close behind. The doors were almost torn off their hinges, exposing just how badly maintained they had been, and they remained leaning open. Within the building was a huge space which was fairly well stocked with rolls of cloth and wormspun fabrics, and wool and sacking. Most of what was needed to make clothes and furnishings, curtains and sheets and so on. A dozen men had frozen into statues, shocked at the rude intrusion. Most of them were clearly hirelings, but one man came striding forward, dressed in smart clothing and with a thunderous expression on his face.

  “What is the meaning of this outrage?” he bawled.

  “Who are you?” Vosgaris demanded, his sword suddenly at the throat of the man.

  “Easy, easy,” the man raised both hands in a placatory gesture and backed off, his eyes fixed fearfully on the sharp point. “Geris Fokis, merchant. I want to know what you’re doing here?”

  “Well, Mr Fokis,” Vosgaris said, looking round at the warehouse, “I’m here to seize this illegal business.”

  “Illegal?” Geris repeated incredulously, “you must have your information wrong! Who are you, anyway?”

  “Vosgaris Taboz, Palace Guard. You’re under arrest.”

  “This is an outrage!” Geris spluttered as two men grabbed him and held him tightly. The hired hands burst into life, scattering and fleeing from the sword-wielding guards. A door crashed open on the far side and two men went to run out but the huge figure of Tabor was framed there and with one punch of his gauntleted hand he sent one of the unfortunate men reeling back to fall onto his backside. The second man was seized by the arm and dragged back towards Vosgaris. The three guards with Tabor waved their swords and the workforce reluctantly retreated back to the centre of the warehouse. The man who’d been knocked over was dragged by one of the guards by the collar, protesting. He got a cuff around the head and was kicked to his feet.

  “You’ll pay for this,” Geris promised, his face suffused with rage. “My family is very powerful and won’t take this insult lightly.”

  “Your family is trading illegally,” Vosgaris said, looking up at a wooden staircase that led to the upper floor. “Tabor, take four men and search up there.”

  As Tabor led his men up, Vosgaris organised the tying of the workforce together with lengths of rope they found. Then, ordering two men to escort them to the guardhouse prison, he was left with Geris and the remainder of his men. “Angry you didn’t get forewarned this time, Fokis?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Geris snapped. “My father has plenty of influence and friends in high places. You will be ruined by this action, I promise you.”

  “I think the empire is looking for new miners in the sulphur mines of Turslenka,” Vosgaris replied. “A man of your calibre would be well received there.”

  “You fiend,” Geris said, “your head will be removed. Don’t think the palace can protect you; the empress will have no choice but to dismiss you and then you’ll be at our mercy. Release me now and you’ll be forgiven.”

  Vosgaris laughed. “I think not. Your family is nothing but a bunch of common criminals. You call yourselves nobles but your actions are anything but noble. Theft, illegal trading, smuggling, extortion, bribery, corruption. The list is endless. By the time the Koros are finished with you, the Fokis will be nothing but a bad memory.”

  Geris struggled in vain. “I’ll personally see to it you die a long slow horrible death!”

  “You’ll be waiting a long time, Fokis.” Vosgaris looked up to see Tabor returning with his men, leading two more rough looking individuals. The two men at the back were carrying a couple of large books. “What have you there, Tabor?”

  “Two idiots who were trying to destroy the records here,” he pointed at the two books. “I think some interesting reading in there.”

  “Record books?” Vosgaris echoed. It was as if it was his birthday. “That was awfully careless of you, Fokis. If your family learn of this it may be you who endures the long slow agonising death. In fact, I may just do that.”

  Geris went pale, even in the light of the flickering torches. “Please, I’ll tell you all you wish to know about the Fokis activity – just don’t inform them that you’ve got these ledgers.”

  Vosgaris regarded the now trembling man for a moment. “Then let us go to the guardhouse and have a little chat. Tabor, bring those ledgers with you. Get this warehouse
sealed off and assign six guards to watch over this until we can get these contents out.”

  Tabor slapped his shoulder and began barking orders. It had been a successful evening.

  ____

  The next morning Vosgaris sought out the empress immediately after breakfast and before the council sat. He passed Isbel a report of the evening’s activities, and he whispered a few suggestions to her that could come in useful at the council meeting. Isbel, pleased at the result, agreed. It would be an interesting meeting, that was for sure.

  The others filed in slowly, each of them having to come from different parts of the palace. When the last of them had seated himself, Isbel stood and called the council in session. “I have called you all this morning because of an interesting incident yesterday evening.” She looked at each of them in turn. “Vosgaris here received word from his contacts of yet another illegal trading location, and instead of consulting this council first, decided to act on his own initiative and raid the building.”

  The other members of the council looked at the empress in surprise, then at Vosgaris who was sat relaxed, staring at each and every one of them, a half smile on his lips. Sereth spluttered, then found his voice. “Without consulting this council first? Vosgaris, you have exceeded your authority! Without our agreement you are acting illegally!”

  “I agree with what you say, Counsel Sereth,” Isbel said. “And if he had broken into a legal establishment I think we would be reading his letter of resignation this morning, instead of hearing of a successful closing down of one of the illegal trading companies we’re blighted with.”

  “Even so, your majesty,” Sereth replied, eyeing Vosgaris sternly, “we cannot permit such independent courses of action. Captain Vosgaris is too much of a risk for us to allow him to continue in his current capacity.”

  “Gentlemen,” Isbel turned to the other members, “do any of you have anything to comment on?”

  Valson Kelriun cleared his throat. “A delicate matter indeed, ma’am. Do we censure the good captain here for acting without proper authority or congratulate him on a successful job? I would firstly like to hear of the result and what was involved before making a decision.”

  “Agreed,” Frendicus said. “We cannot make a decision until we’re in full possession of the facts.”

  “Pepil?” Isbel asked.

  “Agreed. We may end up rewarding the Captain here if the results are significant.”

  Sereth snorted. “And encourage complete disregard for this council? What next, a coup?”

  “Oh please, Counsel,” Vosgaris said loudly, “you judge me by your own standards.”

  Sereth spluttered in outrage. Isbel slapped her hand on the table. “Enough, gentlemen! Let us hear of the results from Vosgaris.”

  Vosgaris called out loudly and a guard came puffing into the room, carrying the two enormous ledgers, which he placed on the table with difficulty in front of Vosgaris. He then stepped back and stood behind his captain, one hand on his sword hilt. Vosgaris lifted the cover of the first and waved a hand at it. “Acting on information from an informant who we’d successfully bribed, we raided a warehouse in the merchant quarter after dark. It was occupied and those therein apprehended and the contents confiscated. It was an illegal trading premises, unlicensed and seeking to sell without paying taxes. I have also arrested the warehouse manager, a member of a prominent noble family in Kastania. These ledgers were taken from the warehouse and within they list the sources, amounts and proceeds, going back five years. With this information we can round up and close down a significant number of businesses and those running them all involved in tax evasion and profiteering. They buy slightly over the odds from official imperial merchants and sell for slightly less, thus capturing much of the market, which explains why taxes have been poor from the merchants in the textile market.”

  “But how can they afford this?” Valson asked.

  “Easy,” Frendicus cut in. “Without paying taxes they can do this and enjoy large profits. Current imperial taxation on merchant sales are thirty per cent.”

  All went silent to digest this. Isbel looked at Vosgaris. “How widespread is this organisation?”

  “It extends into Bathenia, obviously, as they are also prominent in the textile manufacturing. They have good trading connections with the west. We can close down their warehouses in the ports, arrest those who have been bribed to take part and seize the materials and hand them over to the legal traders who can then enjoy a run on selling without having to buy the stock in the first place.”

  Frendicus tutted. “Vosgaris, we would sell them the material, at a reduced price of course,” he added with a wide smile. “Extra income for the treasury.”

  “What, and get a tax both in supplying them and when the products are sold at the end?” Vosgaris asked.

  Frendicus grinned smugly. Vosgaris shook his head. “Which is why you’re a taxman and I’m not,” he said, chastened.

  Isbel looked at the council members. “You have all been given the bare facts. Do we censure Vosgaris here or congratulate him?”

  “The Fokis will employ the best legal minds to prevent all this,” Sereth warned the rest. “We must be prepared to offer Vosgaris as a sacrifice to pacify their anger.”

  Frendicus, Pepil and Valson all looked at Sereth in puzzlement. Isbel quickly cut in. “I think Vosgaris should be congratulated on his quick thinking and initiative. I certainly do not intend having Vosgaris set up for any ‘sacrifice’, as you so crudely put it, Counsel Sereth.”

  Sereth scowled. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  “Noted,” Isbel said indifferently. “Frendicus, you’ll arrange for the goods to be taken in, assessed and then offered to the legal traders in Kastan and Niake, split fifty-fifty between the two cities. Sell it for one fifth.”

  “One fifth, ma’am?” Frendicus practically shrieked in dismay.

  “Frendicus, we’re looking to gain friends; we’re a new regime, and any gesture like this will be remembered for a long time. Tell them of the circumstances, and that this is a once-only offer. If they turn you down and then later change their minds, offer it to them for the normal discounted amount.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Frendicus sighed deeply.

  “If Counsel Sereth speaks true, then we must prepare a legal defence in this matter,” Valson said. “We may be taken on in the courts about seizure of goods, and redistributing them to rivals. If the Fokis are the aggrieved party then they will almost certainly demand a court hearing. They do have powerful allies.”

  “And powerful enemies,” Isbel countered. “This could well bring them down once and for all.”

  “If they are to fall, then I would guess they’d drag down plenty of others with them, ones that would do all they can to prevent it from happening.” Sereth faced each and every one of the council in turn. “You may well end up taking on not only the Fokis but all those whom they have information on which they may divulge to you in order to try to save themselves. You may end up having to try to take on the entire nobility.”

  “Honour amongst thieves?” Vosgaris sneered. “The sooner all these diseased cutpurses are rooted out and cast into the imperial dungeons, the better.”

  “Talking of cutpurses,” Sereth said to Vosgaris, “I wouldn’t be surprised if the Fokis take out contracts with the Thieves’ Guild on each and every one of the Koros and their allies. Be wary lest you’re deserted by all but a close circle of dedicated followers.”

  “But that wouldn’t include you, Counsel, would it?” Vosgaris smiled in a way Sereth didn’t care for.

  “I give my counsel to the emperor and empress as best someone of my ability can,” he said defensively, “and I’ll serve the empire as faithfully as I can. But if my counsel is ignored I refuse to get caught up in the consequences.”

  Vosgaris laughed. “Oh, you’re a poisonous demon, aren’t you? You just cannot resist playing your backstabbing games even though it got you thrown into prison the last
time you did it.”

  Sereth stood up. “If I’m going to be insulted then I wish to have no further part in this council.”

  “If that’s what you wish, Counsel,” the empress said, “then please hand me your letter of resignation.”

  Sereth stopped and stared in disbelief at Isbel. “Ma’am, you would accept that from me? A faithful servant of the imperial throne?”

  “Do I have your resignation, Counsel?”

  Sereth suddenly saw the chasm opening up before him. He slowly sank into his chair. “Where did I go wrong?” he asked, half to himself, half to the council.

  “The Fokis,” Vosgaris said, helpfully.

  He looked up. “The Fokis?”

  “You mentioned them specifically, yet neither the empress nor I mentioned them by name. The first their name was spoken here this morning was by yourself, someone who could not possibly have known what or who I raided yesterday evening. You damned yourself, Counsel.”

  Sereth thought back, then shuddered. “Oh, by the gods,” he said softly, damning his own carelessness.

  “I wondered why all my information that was coming in yielded nothing,” Vosgaris said bitterly to Sereth. “I always consulted this body, which included you. So every time I presented my plans, you dutifully reported them to the Fokis. Therefore if I went outside the council, it was likely the Fokis or whoever else it may be wouldn’t be forewarned, and so it turned out.”

  Isbel wagged her finger at the guard standing behind Vosgaris. “Take him to the dungeons.”

  The guard marched round the table and hauled the crestfallen man up out of the chair and marched him aggressively out of the room. There was a heavy silence for a moment. Then Isbel smiled. “Vosgaris cut a deal with Geris Fokis. In return for his freedom – a nice retirement on Zipria, I believe – he informed on all those currently supplying the Fokis with information, including Sereth.”

  “Anyone else?” Pepil asked, his voice strained.

  “Only Vosgaris and I are privy to that information. It is best that this information is not spread about. Do not worry, gentlemen, continue to serve us faithfully and you will continue to enjoy the benefits. We intend crushing this corruption in Kastania, and letters will be going out to the governors and acting governors all over the empire to arrest certain people and close down certain businesses.”