Lèse-majesté

Part 17

Chapter 16

Tick... tick... tick... CUCKOO!! The clock in Astrid's study chimed causing the person in question to jump up from the position they decided to take a quick nap in. Stacks of paperwork were ruffled as Astrid gripped her heart at the shock before glaring at the new cuckoo clock she had been gifted.

"Thor-damn this clock!" She hissed before rubbing her eyes to get rid of the sleepiness.

"Lady Hofferson, you need a break," a voice stated from the side. Astrid looked over to the second desk also in the study. Her new hire, Minden, sat there with a much lighter mountain of paperwork. Minden had eagerly accepted the position with the rate of pay Astrid offered after they had talked for a bit.

"I'll take a break once I figure out these accounts," Astrid muttered. "Also I think I might move this clock to one of the hallways. Preferably in the vicinity of my father's new rooms."

"Is Lord Anderson still salty about the room change? It's been a week already." Minden quirked a brow.

"He knew it was coming. Not packing and moving out was his way of telling me how much he thinks of my authority." Astrid sighed as she rubbed her forehead. "Honestly, does he expect me to keep sleeping in that small room when I have every right to the master bedroom now?"

"If only you used that nice fluffy bed," Minden joked.

"I'll sleep once these stacks are sorted out," Astrid said, indicating to the large pile of paper on her desk. "How can we have such a backlog if things were run right. Father had been slacking off."

There was a knock on the door. The butler, William, entered as soon as Astrid said "Enter,"

"Your Ladyship, you have two visitors hoping for an audience." The man declared.

"There should be no meetings today on the schedule," Astrid frowned.

"If I may speak freely, madam," William asked and once Astrid nodded he continued "One of the visitors is Lord Nelson and I think he has been rather impertinent with this visit. He gave no courtesy of a forewarning to his visit and now the maid staff is rushing to accommodate him. The other visitor seems to be a young man from the Commoner class. He seemed to be quite adamant to speak with your Ladyship. I used my personal judgment and let him enter the estate premises."

Astrid thought for a moment and then made her decision. "Tell Lord Nelson to leave. If he insists on staying then he will only be seen once I finish all my paperwork. As for the young man, show him to the study."

"As you wish madam," William said, giving a short bow before leaving the room.

Nearly five minutes later there was a knock once again on Astrid's study and the butler led the young man inside. Astrid indicated for him to take a seat in front of her desk as William waited outside in the hallway. She observed the young man, dressed in a beige tunic that looked made out of somewhat coarse fabric, a dark brown vest, and trousers. He nervously wrung his ivy cap, revealing short black hair, as Astrid waited for him to speak.

"Y-Y-Your Ladyship, thank you for seeing me," He finally managed to utter.

"My butler took notice of you, and I trust his judgment," Astrid stated as she folded her fingers together and placed them on her desk. "Now, what is your business with me?"

"Your Ladyship, I've come all the way from the Marquisdom hoping to beg you to please lower the taxes this year!" The boy lowered his head as he begged. "The people cannot take anymore!"

Astrid's brows shot up in surprise as she had not seen an issue with the tax collection. "Minden, can you get me the fief tax documents?"

Minden searched for a moment before handing a folder to Astrid. She opened it and perused the contents. "The fief has a total of five villages. Three of those villages are centered around active mines while the other two are mainly for agricultural reasons." She perused. "The tax I have to pay to the crown has and still is 30 percent of the profit. There hasn't been any change in this margin for over twelve years."