"you" Isobel shouted as she points at him, " you are such an ingrate". Isobel walked out of the mountain in a fit of range.
Thankfully, it was still bright outside as Isobel walked through the bushes. " Nothing good can ever come out of that man, he is so annoying, would it kill him to say thank you" Isobel murmured to her self as she walked in vexation.
The sudden scream of people from some miles away got her attention. Mark wasn't there with her, she felt a little bit scared. "What if they are been attacked by wild animals, I will just be their fresh meat" the thought made Isobel pause for a while as she wandered, thinking whether or not she should check it out but her curiosity got the best of her as she moved closer to find out.
" You foolish woman". This was a strong scary male voice. Isobel saw some guards harassing women who gathered their self in a corner shivering. Her focus moved to a young boy who was been beating but still refused to let go of the soldier leg which he held very tight.
"Please we don't have money anymore", he cried as he was been hit. Isobel feared for him as she saw the blood gushing out of his mouth.
" Stop, I said stop it all of you" Isobel screamed as she ran to them. She had barely gotten close to them when one held her hair then throw her to the ground.
Isobel groan in pain, she has never felt this powerless and insulted . "You filthy maid how there you stop us from carrying out the Queen's order.
"Wait what, what queen orders" Isobel asked herself confusedly. " I said stop it the queen would never ask for you to brutally harass women just for tax, she is a very nice person". Isobel said in fear.
An ugly looking soldier came closer to her, his smirk was just disgusting.The closer he got the more Isobel struggle to move back. Her heart was beating so loudly. At that moment she wished Mark was there.
"Did you say Nice, The queen only used all of you. The moment you got her on the throne she ordered us to brutally collect the taxes, how nice is she". Isobel eyes widened, she so badly want to defend herself but she dare not reveal her identity as the queen.
" You are beautiful huh" Isobel heart flew as she saw his hand moving closer to her face. She tried running away but her body was just stuck to the ground. Isobel closed her eyes tight, trying to think of a solution out.
His hand had barely touched her face when she heard him scream in pain. Isobel opened her eyes slowly as she him groaning in pain on the floor. Isobel moved back from his reach as she saw all the guards on the floor. Rolling in pain before finally finding the strength to run away.
Isobel saw Mark walking towards her, he stretched his hand out to support her in getting off the floor. Though he saved the day, Isobel still couldn't forget her anger towards him, she got up without taking his hands. Mark looked at her worriedly, just a day out and she is already such a mess. He holds her shoulder to support her in walking.
The fact that he was trying to be Caring annoyed her as she pushed his hands off her, running towards the people who where still shivering in fear. " How could they do this to you" Isobel said with pity as she helped them stand up, leading them back into their wooden building.
" We don't have much, we are very poor people, yet the queen wouldn't have mercy on us, we thought she was nice but she just acted nice, use us to get to the throne" an elderly woman said as she treats the injury of the young man that was massacred by the soldiers.
Isobel looked at Mark, trying to read his expression. Mark slowly bend down to sit on the bed beside the boy.
"Am from the palace and I know the queen never increased the taxes so those people are just thieves". He said calmly to the woman. Though she was quiet, it was still quite obvious that she don't believe him.
" There is famine in the land, ever since the queen sat on the throne, we had barely had enough food in circulation and now she is increasing the tax" the woman spoke with so much disgusting and fear for the queen. Isobel tightened her fist as she saw the hatred towards her. She wasn't sure how far those men took things but whoever was behind this must be powerful.
" Can I ask you something, you have a big land in front of you, why don't your husband farm" Isobel asked gently. The sudden laughter of the woman confused her. Isobel looked at Mark confusedly but as usual, she couldn't read his expression.
" Farm, farm, how can we farm, every time they come to take away our husbands and sons to join the warriors. My husband and son both died in battle years back. Now the soldiers want to kill the only son I have left. I thought after queen Tessa take the throne, this would be better but now it's worse" the woman broke down in tears.
Isobel felt the sudden weight in her heart as she looked at them with pity. " You have beautiful daughters" she said with a smile as she looked at all the girls, they were eight in numbers, they all gathered their selves around their sick brother.
" If you are giving the opportunity to farm, would you?" Isobel question got all their attention as they looked at her in surprised.
The one who look youngest amongst them all looked at her with a smile " I would if that would put food on the table but farming is not what a woman should do".
Isobel looked at Mark who gave her a confirmation. "Listen to me everybody, am a maid at the palace and I know the queen, she wouldn't increase the tax like that so those men must be thieves, I will tell the queen about what happened here today, I promise" Isobel hold the woman hand as she promised. Her smile was reassuring. She gave mark a sign for them to leave.
Without much trouble he understands the order as they both went out of the house.
" Someone did this to shake my realm, tell me something mark, if Atlantis don't have food then what do they have then". Isobel asked after they where already far from the building, far enough not to be heard.
" What they said was right, due to the so much wars, men and sons are always forced to Join the warriors, they will be cover for our trained soldiers". Isobel's eyes widened as she realized what a cruel place she was, those people were just sent there to die.
" So we eventually ran out of farmers and food due to the continuous wars. But our kingdom have a very good iron ore system, so we make weapons. Majority kingdom buys their weapon from us even chaali kingdom".
His last words gained her interest. "chaali kingdom buys from us too".
"Yes" Mark looked at her trying to find out what she was thinking.
" What's the current status of chaali kingdom, are they currently in war with any kingdom" Isobel questioned.
" Yes that's why they lost their kingdom but they still want to get it back". Isobel smiled in victory.
" Mark I know what to do now, you will send a letter to Chaali kingdom tell them that after increasing the price of food we decided not to buy from them anymore and we also decided not to sell them weapons anymore, let's see what their response will be".
" But my queen that's dangerous, what if they choose to buy from another kingdom" mark asked worriedly.
"Then let them, I will buy foods from far away kingdom but not for long, because I want to introduce a system where all women interested in farming would farm, am going to set a rule that women are free to farm, I would create a Nation farm where only women would farm in".
The looks on marks face shows he does not like the idea that much but he wasn't against it either. " It's a good thing we are in famine Mark, this will push the people to work.
" The ministers may reject this". Mark said
" Am the queen and only my orders should be followed, I will do it". Isobel looked quite determine as she spoke.
" What if the women respond poorly to this".
" Hunger can make people do things am sure of that, chaali kingdom won't have anything on us anymore".
This time mark was speechless, he made no further comment. " Someone from the palace did this". Isobel looked at Mark quite unsure of what he was talking about. " The fake guards, someone from the palace planned this and that person was almost sure you would agree to Aias plan by tomorrow, so he made all this. So before the real guards receive your order, it would already be hot with the people, the people wrath will be focused on the guards and that would lead to chaos between the people and the palace. This was a well planned scheme, if you had say yes to Aias idea, you reign will be good as destroyed". Isobel signed deep without saying a word.
" How can we catch the criminal". Isobel silently walked in circles as her mind seem to be in deep thought. Mark was also thinking on how to find the criminal. "A trap" Isobel said out. " We need to find a way to set a trap for this person, we are going to put him in a situation where he has no choice but to say the truth".
" But how would we do that?" Mark looked at Isobel waiting for her reply but she was still silent.
" By Tomorrow, I will give the public order to reduce all the tax by two percent and whoever wants to enjoy that, has to have people at least 3 women in the women Nation farm, now this will make people wonder what Last night was all about, we are going to spread rumors that it was done by a minister who is against the queen rule. That minister will surely get anxious and make a mistake all we need to do is wait for him to show his self". Mark shook his head in understanding.
"People will definitely object to this new plan but the ones who remain quiet should be followed and watched carefully".
Mark look at her confused " why should we follow the silent one but whoever did this will try to protest so his plan would work".
" No mark, what I am about to do is what no kingdom has done before so it's normal to protest but whoever has done this will be silent, he wouldn't want to expose himself, he will be scared of saying a suspicion things so I believe if he is wise enough to plan this then he should be wise enough to keep quiet in the council meeting". Mark smiled at her but she was too busy in thought to see him smile.