The scroll was handed to him, its edges crisp, neatly rolled. The king's fingers traced over the parchment, eyes scanning the numbers, it seemed to contain important information. His brow furrowed, lips twitching in a momentary frown. Seeing the number, he felt it was not the one he wanted to see, made him a little irritated. The taxes, though high, were far less than he required. He leaned back in his gilded chair, a slow breath escaping his lips, sighing in annoyance.
"Minister," he said, his voice cold as he looked at the person standing before him, "Increase the tax. This is not enough."
The minister, standing at attention, felt his stomach twist, he really didn't want to hear this. He hesitated for a moment, over whether to speak up or not, but then remembering what has to deal with later, he spoke, his voice cautious. "Your Majesty, the people—"
