Noble Responsibility

"The Will of the Empress" is a story that touches on the differences between two distinct classes of people in a day and age when class and perception were crucial to maintaining order and peace. The Empress of Namorn uses her considerable power to force Sandry to leave the home she knows in Emelan and journey to Namorn to deal with the holdings left to her by her mother. It is the Empress's wish that Sandry remain in Namorn so that her considerable wealth will remain there as well. To encourage her presence, the Empress simply continues to raise the taxes on her land until she is forced to personally attend in order to object - something her uncle Ambros is unable to do on her behalf. When news of her imminent arrival reaches the Empress, she immediately lowers the taxes again, and begins her campaign to...