The Demon King's Hero Of Light 30 Chapter 30 A Problem Of No Money

"What is it?" she asked, jumping to her feet and laying her hand on her sword hilt.

"The people are not taking kindly to being told they must move. We sent out the orders, as you stated this morning, for everyone to be consolidated into one section of the city, and within an hour, we were receiving demands for clarification. There's a mob outside the palace gates, of people screaming for your head."

Aella raised an eyebrow. "All because they are being forced to move? There must be more to this. What exactly did you demand?"

"We thought it best if everyone moved closer to the river, as that is where Rannaun said the sewers would be easiest to keep clean with the smaller work force he has, but that is the warehouse district. There are no houses or businesses there."

Ernun had managed to get his breathing under control, and had straightened his clothes, the best he could, but his eyes were still darting around, as if expecting to be attacked at any moment.

"So? Are the warehouses full?"

"No, we had informed the owners of the warehouses to start converting the empty ones into living s.p.a.ces, but the mob formed so quickly, I…" his voice drifted off as he shrugged in dismay.

"I don't understand why the people are so upset. I think we shall need to see for ourselves what is going on!" She started heading towards the doors behind Ernun, with the demon entourage behind her, and Ernun freaked.

"Your Majesty! That would be incredibly dangerous! If you leave the palace, you will lose your abilities!"

She paused to look up at him, as he was taller than her and smiled. "Being smaller than everyone around me never stopped me before. I was able to kill to get to the top. If you think a mob is going to stop me now, I may need someone to replace you. Call the guards to the front gates. There is unrest among the people."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Ernun bowed unhappily. As the Advisor of Law, the unrest fell straight on his shoulders.

Making her way towards the front gates, Aella could hear the crowd outside screaming and shouting, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. Guards were positioned just inside the gates, keeping the people back easily, with the powers bestowed upon them by the castle.

"It's the new king! I see her!" shouted several, as she got closer.

"Guards!" she called out; her voice being amplified by her Hero of Air abilities, carried to every corner of the inner courtyard. The crowd quieted to hear what she had to say. "Step back. Any demon that sets foot into my castle in anger shall die!"

The guards immediately backed away from the doors, allowing a clear line of sight between her and the demon mob.

"You wouldn't kill your own people!" cried one demon with broken horns.

Aella smiled and drew her sword. "I grew up killing demons. If you think I will allow you to come to my castle and try to harm me, or my servants, without killing you, then you are idiots."

Her calling them idiots really didn't sit well with the few in the front, and they screamed insults at her, as they ran towards her. Without missing a beat, Aella cut them down, and flicked her blade to the side, to get their blood off of it. The rest of the crowd stopped short when they saw she wasn't bluffing.

"If you have a problem, then tell me. Acting like fools and coming to complain as you have, gets us nowhere," she said into the muted silence.

"What nonsense is this, about moving everyone into the warehouse district? Are we about to be attacked?" cried someone from the back.

"Were you not told why you were to move?" she asked, peering around her for Ernun, but he was strangely absent.

"No! We were told everyone was to be moved to the warehouse district by the end of the day!" cried a demoness from the front, struggling to stay out of the palace as the crowd behind her continued to push her forward.

Aella frowned, tilted her head to the side and said, "I shall give everyone by the end of one week to be moved. There are not enough workers to keep the sewers clean, and there have been several complaints of sewage backing into homes. With fewer people living in the city, crime has escalated, and there are not enough guards to keep up with it. By moving everyone into one section of the city, it will be easier to keep everyone safer and cleaner."

The crowd seemed to calm at her words, though it was obvious there was still doubt.

"How are we to conduct our business? There are no stores and no privacy! By putting everyone into the warehouses, we shall be at the mercy of those who don't follow the rules!"

Aella smiled. "I know first hand what it's like to live close to those who don't follow the rules, and I survived. I have no doubt all of you will be able to handle this challenge. If the war with the humans had not dragged on for so long, our demons would not be forced into the military, leaving our city drained of people."

"There has always been a war! What are you going to do to end it?"

"I have a few ideas, but my priority right now, is the well-being of you, my people. How am I to be a king, if you are not protected and cared for? I understand you are not happy with the situation, and rest a.s.sured, I am not happy, either. I will personally inspect the warehouses, to help organize things, to ensure your problems are addressed."

"You would leave the palace?" cried someone. The shock and surprise was mirrored in everyone's eyes and faces before her.

"That's never happened before!"

"Is she insane?"

"What if she dies?"

"What if the Heroes come while she's outside?"

Aella watched the people before her turn to each other, talking about what would happen. She wondered if they had any experience with an actual ruler, instead of the group of Advisors who were trying to keep things afloat. She may not have experience ruling a kingdom, but how hard could it be?

"Why don't we go down to the warehouses now, and see about the issues you are all having?" she asked, stepping towards the door.

The crowd retreated before her like water, flowing back into the city in case she wanted to attack any of them. It pained her to see them so afraid of her, because she was used to fear. These demons had no experience at all with fighting. The fear she was used to seeing was that of desperation from not being good enough. These people were soft as worms. She wondered if the military was any better.

"Where is Ernun? I want him to go with us," she said, to one of the palace guards closest to her.
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He bowed swiftly and headed off to fetch the demon advisor. She hadn't gone twenty feet outside the palace gates, before she felt the affects of leaving. Her steps were a little slower as her speed and strength bonuses were taken away. A couple steps later, she couldn't tell, and picked up her pace a bit.

Reaching the warehouse district was interesting, since she didn't actually know what a warehouse was. Ernun had been brought to her, by the palace guard who dropped him off and hurried back to the palace. Ernun apologized profusely, and showed her the way.

Hearing the tw.a.n.g of the bow was sufficient to give her enough warning to dodge the arrow, but she was a hairs-breadth short of actually s.n.a.t.c.hing it out of the air. The feathers grazed her fingers before she could close them on the shaft. It buried itself into the ground behind where she had been standing, and Aella turned quickly, to see a figure standing on the roof of a nearby building, with another arrow knocked and ready to fire.

Seeing the figure was all she needed, to kick off with a burst of speed, jump over the railing meant to tie horses to, kick off of said railing, while reaching out to grab the ledge of the roof. Pulling her sword out, as she swung over the edge, rolling to dodge the next arrow, she jumped up and spun, slicing the head of the would-be a.s.sa.s.sin clean off. As the demon's body slumped, she backpedaled to make sure the blue blood didn't spurt all over her. Cleaning her swords edge on the back of the body's s.h.i.+rt, she sheathed it and jumped back down to the street, where the rest of her guards waited.

"Sorry, Firion. I'll let you kill the next one," she said, seeing the look of sadness on his face. It perked him up and he gave her a chilling smile, before she turned to continue towards the warehouses. Ernun, and everyone else that had been watching, took a moment to process what had just happened.

"Did you see that? Was I dreaming?"

"Shut up before she hears you!"

When she finally reached the warehouses, Aella could understand what the people were complaining about. The buildings were huge, with no separating walls to allow privacy to each family.

"This is where everyone is to stay?" she asked incredulously, looking at Ernun.

He swallowed before nodding.

"Are there any woodworkers in the city who could transform these buildings into separate living areas? Maybe put in walls to allow each family their privacy, and maybe a second floor? The roof is very high up. Something simple, perhaps? That could be taken down later? Anything?"

"Where are we to find the funds to pay for such work?" asked Ernun weakly.

"Well, who's in charge of the taxes? How much money does the kingdom have?" she asked.

"No one's in charge of money. The kingdom doesn't collect taxes."

Aella turned to him. He had to be lying. What kingdom didn't collect taxes?

"Then where does the food come from? Who pays for the clothes that everyone is wearing? The weapons that the guards carry?" she asked, crossing her arms in annoyance.

"Magic?" he answered faintly.