XX46, March 17
Charlotte strode down the stairs from the third floor. Her head was turned to the windows along the corridor of Riverion's manor. With her hand sliding through the stair's wooden railing, she was enjoying the light drizzle that wetted the trees in the garden.
After greetings and curtsy, Charlotte sat herself down beside Victoria. As usual, the Riverion family had their hearty breakfast. However, the atmosphere turned tense when the head of the house mentioned taxes and business.
"Charlotte, I believe they will call off last week's deal," Baron Riverion said while putting his cutlery down.
Unlike Baroness Riverion and Victoria, Charlotte immediately understood the ambiguous message. Charlotte placed her cutlery beside the plate and took two large gulps of water.
"It must be related to the king's decree to increase taxes this morning," Charlotte replied to her father as she slightly slammed her glass to the table.
"Yes, the taxes are increased for everything," Baron Riverion complained, "not just tourist taxes, the crops, and incoming good taxes also increased."
A silence fell upon the Riverion's family. Everyone knew the family business might collapse if this kept going.
The king had been taking more and more taxes in the past couple of decades. People were getting angry because although the taxes increased, their life and welfare didn't change at all. It made them suspect that the royal family consumed all money for war and debauchery.
The war that had lasted almost a decade wasn't a war to fight for the Kingdom of Gallene. Instead, it was to help the Orane country fought the Roan country. The ridiculous war had stopped fifteen years ago, and ever since, the royal family and high-ranking nobles kept on hosting parties celebrating who-knows-what.
"Charlotte," Baron Riverion called her first daughter, hesitation in his voice and his eyebrow slightly furrowed.
"Yes, Father. I understand we might have to cut off some manpower. I will plan it well."
"Please do so for the farm. I will take care of the shop. About the hotel," Baron Riverion hesitated a little, "we might have to close it in a couple of months and sell the land."
The news shocked Charlotte even more than the increasing taxes. She stood up and slammed the table with her small palm. Her mouth opened, but no words came out.
"Charlotte, calm down," her mother whispered in a bitter voice.
"What about the petition we sign last year?" little Victoria asked.
"Nothing Vicky. Our dumb kingdom ruler and the majority of the stupid royal council weren't attentive enough to pay attention to the petition," Charlotte scoffed and replied sarcastically, not to her sister but more to the government.
"Charlotte!" Baroness Riverion yelled with her eyes glaring toward her eldest daughter. The Baron might have dismissed the butler and maid from the dining room, but still, it wasn't proper to talk in such a treacherous manner.
"You know I'm not wrong, Mother. However, if you insist, I will pay more attention to my language."
As the Baron had expected, the foreign aristocrats from before canceled their reservation. In front of the business's potential clients, Charlotte could only smile bitterly. She behaved professionally despite the turmoil of storms in her heart.
In addition, she had to announce the hotel's closing to all employees so they would have time to seek another job. She felt ashamed not to be able to protect the hotel her uncle loved so much. She gave her final speech while looking at the floor and even bowed down to all employees that had been working alongside her for five years.
After announcing the horrible news, Charlotte went back to the office. She poured herself some water and sat down facing the window. Her body moved as usual, but her mind wasn't there. She stared at the moving white fluffy clouds outside.
It was already time to go home, but she didn't really want to face her family. Taking her purse, Charlotte descended the stairs to see her coachman had been waiting in front of the carriage.
"Sir, can we visit the market on 12th Street?" Charlotte tried to keep her voice intact. In fact, her tears were on the verge of falling, but she kept holding it with all her might. She forced a slight crease on the corner of her lips, yet it merely added a visible sign of her misery.
"Yes, Miss."
Putting down all accessories and wearing her oversize black cloak, Charlotte strolled down while looking at the busy market. Merchants were selling and advertising their goods. Some eventually dragged Charlotte to see their stand. The busy market reminded her of her father's store in another district. She felt sympathetic to the merchants that she bought some of the goods she didn't actually need.
Charlotte kept walking forward to 12th Street. During her sudden outing, Charlotte heard lots of rumors ranging from gossip of extramarital affairs to political stances.
"Madam, I would like one pack of this candy, please," Charlotte said to the madam on the bakery stand. She was suddenly craving sweets. It wasn't odd that she was feeling a bit hungry since she skipped her lunch.
"Alright."
"That's so expensive!" another customer who was buying bread complained.
It had been a long time since Charlotte went to the working-class market, so she didn't know the average price or if it had been going up. She was prepared to pay, but the conversation with that other customer intrigued her.
"Well, what can we do? The price of flour and sugar should be increased because of the high taxes. We cannot do anything else except increase our goods price too," said the seller.
"Yeah, you're right. The price of everything has increased. I even wondered if my family could afford bread this month," the customer that complained put her hand on her left cheek, acting as miserable as possible.
"Sorry madam, I cannot lower my price," the seller pouted her mouth and shook her head.
"I have been your regular customer for years, just this one time should be fine, right?"
Charlotte put more money than she had to pay on the table before going, "Madam, I paid for the breed and candy."
Hurriedly Charlotte walked away so both madams couldn't protest to her. She wanted to offer to pay for the bread but afraid to be rejected by the other customer and hurt her pride. For that, she left more money for the seller and customer to settle it down themselves.
Charlotte went inside a tavern to order a drink. She ate the candy, then drank the beer she ordered. Her fingers were playing with the mugs handle. The tavern was full of people who talked in loud voices. The conversations beside her table somehow intrigued Charlotte's interest.
"Are you in?"
"In what?"
"The rebel force to fight for revolution, of course," the man who asked scoffed as if his first question was already very clear.
"I don't know. I feel like rebelling won't change anything. Even if we managed to overthrow the current king, how could we know the next king won't be the same?" the man on the corner of the table answered while slamming down his beer.
"That's why the rebel force is revolutionary. We won't fight for another king. We will fight for republic where people have real power, just like in Orane," a smirk formed on the man face.
"How can we succeed without any power to even touch the royal?"
"You're right. With just us lower-class people, the rebel force won't go anywhere. It's a secret, but actually leaders of the rebel force are nobles," the man talked in lower voice.
"If you're in, I would take you to the meeting on Wednesday."
Although he lowered his voice in case there were any knights or spies, Charlotte's good ear could still catch on to their conversation. It reminded her of what her uncle said before about the petition and suggestion to change Gallene government system.
The men changed their topics when a man wearing knight costume and a noticeable sword on his waist came in. The knight sat down right in front of Charlotte.
"Seriously, what are you doing here?" the knight had a crumpled face. Anger and worry were observable in his eyes.
"Is that how you greet your mistress, Sir Wilson?" Charlotte hurriedly emptied her mug.
Wilson Hatfield sneered, then snatched away Charlotte's mug.
"Miss Charlotte, you didn't come home at dinner time. The Baron and Baroness are worried, so they sent me to search for you," Wilson tried to keep his words civil.
"And then?" Charlotte asked teasingly.
"Please, go home now. I will escort you," Wilson's face crumpled even more.
"Alright."
Charlotte stood up and went out of the tavern. While walking toward the carriage, Wilson reprimanded his mistress. His words were unlike how a knight supposed to talk to his mistress, but more like a brother nagging his sister.
"My lady, if you are spending time outside, you should have informed a servant or sent a letter. And do you know how dangerous it is for a young lady to hang around at this time by herself. You could call me, and I will accompany you anywhere you want. And you should..."
"Alright Will, I understand. I just felt sad today," Charlotte smiled while looking straight at Wilson's dark brown eyes.
As her childhood friend, Wilson intended to nag some more. Nonetheless, he held his tongue when he realized Charlotte's sorrow from her slightly wet eyes.