The Higher Price, Part IV

"'Bout half a day, an' I had it easy."

"And how much do you work now?"

"Bit more, on account of my dad's been killed 'cause of the revolution."

"I'm sorry about your father. We've all lost someone, some of us our whole families."

"Right, I guess."

"Useless slaughter", the Enforcer interjected.

"Would you say you've got more work to do now?"

"Yeah, that's how it is now. It don't seem right." The boy pointed to the enforcer, motioning to Soderini to show the Enforcer how wrong he was.

Soderini only said, "But you like this better, yes?"

"Yeah."

The enforcer stepped in, his liquid, melodious voice filling the dry square. "People, don't you see? Without the Charter, without the Laws, there will be no order. You'll have nothing but chaos, each of you against the other. Your lives will be a misery without the people who used to make decisions, don't you see? You killed them all, and now you'll just be made to suffer endlessly. People used to manage your affairs for you. And now everything's falling apart, just like this square."

"This square's falling apart because of sanctions and a savage blockade, Enforcer", Soderini interjected.

"Sanctions enacted legally! Indeed, required by the law!"

"Your law. The Zeare's law."

"No, rabble-rouser, our law. The law applies to everyone. No-one can break it."

"We'd have good timber but for your sanctions."

"And we would have tradelaws and trade but for your band of criminals."

"We offered fair goods at a fair exchange. And you offered us usury and bondage. You took our goods and bought our labour with our own money."

"You broke ancient contracts and arrogantly thought you could do it with impunity. No-one escapes the law, wretch."

There was a momentary silence. Not a few people grumbled among themselves, remembering that the Zeare's Commandoes were only half a days' journey away.

Soderini had prepared speeches, spent long hours debating what to say when this moment came. Now, with the people's delegates arranged in front of him, the words slipped away. His tongue felt slow and thick.

"Yes. Yes, I'll admit it's been harder. There's more work to do, and the armies of the League don't make it any easier. And we can't leave anything for granted any more. We have to go to councils. We have to set prices. We have to work things out, all of us, here, in meetings that seem to go on forever. It's not simple anymore. But, Junior Weaver, who did you make thread for before?"

"I made it for my dad's Contract owner. He sold it in the market."

"How much did you get for a day's work?"

"That is unfair, Soderini. An entire city is not bound by one family's contract. You...", he said, pointing and wagging his finger furiously, "are a scoundrel!"

"He's right, people. An entire city isn't bound by one family's contract. But it's not the contract that makes me sick. We were all bound by contracts. Who we could sell to, who we could buy from, what price we could sell our goods for. Interest on our own labour, fines to pay and words to manipulate against us. Who decided these things? Did we?"

"No person is ever forced to sign a contract, Soderini", the enforcer replied.

"No. Never by soldiers. Not as such, no", Soderini said, wagging his finger.

"You were all free! The law guaranteed your freedom!"

Soderini interrupted again. "A freedom to be slaved to the master of our choice!"

"Now you're nothing but a lawless rabble! A mindless mob!"

"Lawless, perhaps. And, from time to time," he said, gesturing to the crowd, "we're a rabble, yes?"

A murmer of tense laughter spread through the assembled people.

"Now, Enforcer, we set our own prices. We have no more debt. Look at our city: No more gaols. No more officials. Even with your sanctions, our marketplace is alive with people! We owe to no one. We're not bound by any contracts."

"And you have no law to protect you. You've no rules to keep the meek from suffering..."

"As if the law ever did that!"

"And no authority. No more monuments! Your roads crumble!"

"Yes, but our houses and farms prosper. Our people are happy."

"His little band has brought this army to your walls!" The Enforcer shouted at the crowd, pointing to Soderini. The Enforcer was visibly agitated. His contempt for these upstarts was overpowering. Having to deal with them assaulted his honour, and Soderini seemed like no leader. He had no majesty, no presence, none of the qualities of great men. None that he recognized. he bore himself like a peasant.

"No, enforcer, we've done nothing but free ourselves, lift ourselves above your primitive state. You've brought this army to our walls, you and your barbarian Zeare. We had nothing to do with it."

"You were free!"

"We were never forced to sign a contract. Never forced at spear-point. All such contracts are null and void, by your Charter law. But did any of us have a choice, when we signed away our rights? It's one contract or another! We're all enslaved to those with power and wealth, taken from our own pockets! We sign unfair contracts because we're denied an honest livelihood by men like this Enforcer. So we can either starve or be pirates and thieves or sign your bloody contracts! Contracts for healers, for marriage, for sales, for favours, for usurious capital, for public works, for labour, for produce! You're thieves, using the law to enforce your rule!"

"Soderini, you are a trickster and a demagogue!"

"No, Enforcer. I'm a free man. I'm a free man of a free people. And I'll die before I submit to any person's rule."

"Then it's the life of a criminal for you: the Charter's justice or exile. If you don't submit, each and every one, none of you will be allowed on League soil again! What is the higher price, people? Use reason!"

There was a long, aching silence. Not a single member of the crowd stirred. The sussurating background of rustling of linen clothing ceased. Hundreds of eyes stared intently at the Enforcer, but not a one of them made any attempt to move.

The enforcer mumbled something to a soldier.

To the populace, he shouted, "Then abandon reason, and live like hounds. Take him, now!".

At this, the two guards leapt forward and attempted to grab Soderini.

One fell forward onto the ground instantly, an arrow through his throat. The other stumbled as a crossbow bolt stuck him in his right leg, and he screamed and bent over.

"Wait! No, don't kill them", Soderini shouted, "They're ambassadors. We are still a civilized people!"

A woman stepped forward. "Soderini, he surrendered his protection by refusing to eat with us. He's no ambassador, but an agent of the Zeare, an enforcer. Need I remind you what the Council decided to do in these circumstances? We've watched your little show for long enough."

"Nevertheless," Peramon interposed, "Soderini's correct. This party entered under protection. He should leave under the same guarantee. Morality demands it." None could deny that Peramon knew League protocol intimately.

The Council convened right there and then. The vote was divided evenly; as there was no consensus, no action could be taken. There was nothing to do but release the Enforcer.

"Enforcer," an aged merchant adressed, "Take yourself and these soldiers and depart. Inform your captains that you'll have our decision by dawn tomorrow. Leave, before we change our minds."

The Enforcer and the guards that still lived lifted the body of their fellow. As they retreated from the town, under heavy escort, the Enforcer shouted to the murmuring assembly, "When we return all demagogues must be upstrung up or these streets will run thick with blood. All those who so repent will recieve amnesty. May the Charter protect!"

The townspeople moved together to watch them pass. Perimon stood beside Soderini and shook her head. "They mean to make a spectacle of us, I think", she said.

Soderini closed his eyes, and bent his head forward. "I never thought it would come to this."

"We should arm the populace tonight, and call a council. A war council."

"'We shall answer for our crimes'. Hm."

"Sorry?"

"Just thinking about something the enforcer said."