NINARPHAY TALES

Chapter 1 LORD DWILLO’S DILIGENCE Once there lived a King called King Amon. King Amon reigned over a noble Empire. Of Stewards, Lords, Knights, Nobles and Ladies. In this kingdom lived one lord in particular called Lord Dwillo. Lord Dwillo was the 3rd cousin of the king. King Amon was a king of lordly governance. He made sure the subjects of his kingdom prospered from businesses, and just as much as there were businesses, there were charities. The neighbouring nation also had a king. Atmanners was also a noble king of governance who ruled in industry and with work ethics. King Atmanners also had many charities and would come to arbitrary arrangements with King Amon in times of peace. One day both kingdoms began to run low on trade. Business would lead to disputes. Food supplies were low during the dispute between the two kingdoms. Both domains had many shops in the form of food banks, grocers, restaurants, caterers and hospitality hubs. Both kingdoms needed a lot of food for tourism, holidaying, rest bites and kingdom-to-kingdom trades. Since these kingdoms were landlocked and bordered by each other, it soon came to pass that they would challenge each other for livestock and farmland. After ten years of bountiful feasting and opulent supplication came five years of famine. The first year of food shortages would see minor fights and scuffles at the border. With each year of famines and lack, the skirmishes became fights, the arguments became battles, the battles became brawls, and finally, in the fourth year, the quarrels would become wars. The fighting and brawling had escalated into a fully decreed all-out war between kings and their Generals. Two years into the food wars. King Amon began to grow remorseful and set up a council of his most noble lords and ladies to discuss what needed to be done to reach a victory. All of them made suggestions, but one proposal stood out the most. Lord Dwillo said. “Your Excellency, I believe we should come to terms with how this war is going. People are having to eat one meal a day and night. We need four square meals to go to war”. King Amos sits at the council table in prestige saying. “What do you suggest”? Lord Dwillo expresses to the king. “With all due diligence, we must share all our resources close to the border until food and supplies are not scarce. We must arrange brokerage with King Atmanners immediately”. The grand marshall interrupts by saying. “I don’t believe we should share with them”. King Amos asks him with a tone of curiosity. “Grand Marshall, what do you believe we should do”? The grand marshall tells the king with a smug look and condescending manner. “King Atmanner’s forces are belligerent. If we allow them victory over us, we could regret it”. The king speaks, and he says to the council. “King Atmanners is not here to clarify vulgarity. Therefore, I will assume Lord Dwillo’s request to broker peace. They send a horse and carriage to wave the white flag on the battlefield, then send a scroll to King Atmanners detailing the arbitrary peace treaty. King Atmanners, along with his Marshalls. King Atmanners reads it, and they agree to the terms. They meet with King Amos at Lord Dwillo’s Castle near the borderlands. At that meeting, they decide to share food stock resources and to pray and fast until all of their livestock and vegetation is fertile and of a pure and clean nature. They do this for a year, and all starvation and famine cease after a year in response to this. The king awards Lord Dwillo a restaurant for creating peace between his kingdom and the neighbouring kingdom. He is honoured with a restaurant inn and begins trading. He would serve both kingdoms food and restitution as both domains would become more and more partnered and enamoured towards each other. One year later. The restaurant has been deemed a success. Business is booming, and there is joy in Lord Dwillo's livelihood. It had made a tenfold profit from the previous year. Lord Dwillo’s restaurant is profitable and is making him rich. The kingdoms were coming back from years of breakdown and poverty. Times are hard and desperate, and not many people have money. Due to this, Lord Dwillo set up franchises in his food business. Far and wide, long and winding, all the kingdom received a tithing. In each township, stewards awarded companies and enterprises to ordinary people. Stewards hired commoners to work on the land and in the household. The commoners would tend to flock whilst the steward took care of government affairs. One day whilst at a town hall meeting took place to determine the employment of workers for the steward's household. Lord Dwillo came across a servant girl and asked for her name. She tells him, “I am Lady Sheena. I am from one of the lowest of the noble houses and due to all the famines, I have no money and need to serve a cousin”. Lord Dwillo tells her in a calm and sympathetic tone. “You have come to the right place. I am Lord Dwillo of house Dwillo. Whom may I have at my service”? Lady Sheena tells him in a fresh sultry tone. I am Lady Sheena of the house of Stern. I would be obliged to become the house maiden of such a noble Lord”. Just then, the grand marshall Otello approaches and says to the lady. “Ms Sheena, please prepare your things and leave with me your Master Grand Marshall Estella immediately”! Lord Dwillo politely says. “Hold on now. This Lady has a choice. She can either leave with me or go with you, Estella. Now Lady Sheena, whom do you choose”? Lady Sheena, without a moment's delay, tells them. “I choose the kind and courteous Lord Dwillo. Lord Dwillo retorts. “Thank you, my dear lady. Please accompany me to my carriage, and I will take you to my humble abode to be my assistant”. Lady Sheena asks. “What kind of duties will I be attending”? Lord Dwillo tells her. “You will cook alongside me at my kingdom's famous restaurant”. A few days later, after becoming a cook in her newfound love’s restaurant. Lady Sheena realises her lover has been gone for a while. She asks around the restaurant for him and is informed by the waitress. “Lord Dwillo went away on official business for the king”. Just then, the door barrels in, and it is Lord Dwillo with the King, the grand Marshall and several other noble lords. They are singing and are merry. They have barrels of wine and crates of livestock. The king says. “This nation will never starve again”. Lord Dwillo approaches Lady Sheena and hugs her. She asks politely. “Where were you? I was getting worried. I didn’t see you for a while, and it made me insecure”. Lord Dwillo tells her. “I had to go away on a peace broker's mission in honour of the king”. Lady Sheena asks. “Well, how was it? How did it go”? Lord Dwillo steps back for her personal space and to make her comfortable enough to breathe easily. He holds her hands, saying. “It was a complete success. Not only did we broker peace, but we came to an arrangement that would see both kingdoms benefitting from a wealth of food stocks”. King Amos then proceeds to tell them. Grand Marshall, I want you and your troupe to run the deliveries over to the King Atmanners Kingdom once a month and do the sign-offs and custom checks. And Lord Dwillo, I want you and your troupe to collect food and merchandise from the King Atmanners once a month. Do all this correctly, and we will all live in peace and harmony”. They do this for one year. Lord Dwillo's customs and revenue collections are perfect and earnest. Without overthinking it, he collects on and pays the excise duties that he is supposed to, and then delivers everything to the letter and specification. The Grand Marshal's customs and revenues need to be more balanced. On all his