Kingdom Tales Book 2: Balance
Chapter 20

Kaba’s beheading is done at sunset that day. Prince Winston, Lillian, Vincent, Sir Jamonson, Malinda, and Alexander all attend. Oddly to some the former bandit leader met his fate with a smile. Although to Lillian and the others it was understandable. In an effort to make amends and apologize Lillian sent a cardinal to allow Kaba the chance to repent. A chance Lillian heard he took.

Prince Winston’s coronation takes place three days later as planned. Vincent, given time to recover, attends as well and seats next to Lillian during the ceremony. Alexander leaves the next day to prepare to move to the capital. By time the wedding comes he returns. Two days after the coronation Ryanah and Hugo arrive in Lumorra. They bring the payment from Morage, though Argon had met the iron maiden by then.

Hugo is forgiven for his actions and is offered work in the castle, but chooses to live with Ryanah after the two admit they fell in love with each other. They are not the only ones to replace love as Sir Jamonson and Malinda also make their feeling for each other known. Though no one is surprised. Not long after Vincent begins to spend more time with Selena in Gordowe. The two are soon engaged as well. Which thankfully keeps Selena from pursuing the life of a nun.

The other lords are found to have been imprisoned in their own mansions. King Winston orders them free and does not charge them with treason. However, he later passes a decree that brings all land under control of the crown and only the crown besides the church’s land. He also takes away the lords’ power and status including the ability to maintain an army of any size. In the end putting in the final nail in the order’s coffin. They merely become wealthy landowners.

Lillian learns that Rosalinda and her mother were forced to flee after she was deemed useless by Argon and he threatened her with death. Lillian falls into a period of regret and sadness when she is unable to replace her. Though Vincent and King Winston are able to help her, Vincent also warns her that her past actions will not come without consequences. Giving Lillian a new cause for concern.

Over the next three years King Winston works with the church improving and expanding the kingdom’s road system including restoring some of the roads used by the Astranian empire. He even orders the construction of a canal system stretching from the kingdom’s southern regions to the north and from the Andreious river. As a result the kingdom becomes more united than ever before and provides more variation in jobs.

The new infrastructure allows for an increase in agricultural production and transportation. Some individuals even replace or rediscover a way to use water to run mills and bring them into homes. This results in a sewage system that is both constructed and uses components from the Astran empire. Winston even begins planning to reintroduce the construction of bathhouses.

The activities also allow enough money to flow into the kingdom that the crown’s production of it halts and the kingdom runs off only taxes. However, the new found prosperity of Agion does not go unnoticed.