Western Mainland

She nodded, her smile becoming more cheerful. "I understand that as well. Just maybe cut my men a little more slack, please?"

Nick stood up and approached her, extending his paw to her. "For you, anything."

She blushed and took his paw. "What a gentleman."

He fox planted a kiss on the back of the chaplain's paw.

Her blush deepened. Matthew shot him a glare that he made sure neither of them noticed as they finished unloading the munitions the men had brought. It wasn't enough that they would miss it too much, but not so little as to insult the fox.

Nick smiled at the munitions. "Soldiers, load the wagons." He said before whistling sharply. A black scale horse came trotting out of the trees and Nick caught it's reigns. "You men, take the soldiers to the Green Men. I'll take Ms Winters to the Sorcerer."

She looked at the soldiers uncertainty before looking back at Matthew. "Make sure some sailors stay and make sure nothing happens to the ship."

Nick climbed up onto the horse and offered his paw to the chaplain.

Instead of taking his paw, she hopped onto the horses back, making herself comfortable behind the fox.

"Comfortable?" Nick asked with a smile.

She nodded, looking down at the horse. "Strange looking steed."

Nick nodded and snapped the reins, the scaly horse begining to trot. "No stranger horses in all the land. None faster either."

She wrapped her arms around his torso to keep from falling off. "Thats nice. What's his name?"

"Challenger." Nick answered. "I understand that many of you green men name your automobiles that."

"We don't name it that ourselves, the business that makes them gave them that title."

"Business men....like members of the Trader's Guild?" He asked.

"Kind of, but there isn't a traders guild. Each business is its own entity. There can be mergers and agreements, but no real guild.

"That's how it is here. It's just that those in the guild have a set of guidelines they are honor bound to follow." Nick said.

"And what if they choose to not be in the guild?"

"They couldn't hope to compete." He said.

"Does the guild demand taxes from the traders in the guild?"

"Membership dues." He said "Ten percent of their annual profit."

"And then they have to pay the government taxes. That seems harsh for new business, and that also seems like it wouldn't really help create a competitive market, if they have to raise the prices of their goods so they can give the extra money to the guild."

"The King doesn't tax the members of the Trader's Guild." He said.

"So either they follow the guild's rules or they can't have a functioning business? That still sounds unfair." She bit her lip before saying, "How much is the king's tax?"