Page 27 of Finding Closure

“They’re waiting for you to fail or implode so they can say clearly your way failed and then pick up the pieces,” the woman stated.

I snorted. “I have no idea what people with that big of egos really think. They weren’t the ones in charge, so even if my current managers fail, we’d have to restart the legal process of picking new heirs of those families—it would be a mess. Either way, I’m not going to fail.”

She was quiet for several moments but then chuckled. “No, no, you will not, Your Highness. I know a predator when I sit infront of one. Your mother was powerful and intelligent, but she was not a predator. She was…”

“You won’t offend me,” I promised, realizing that was her hesitation.

“She was a mediator,” she stated after a couple of beats. “I think in another life she would have been a great, great healer. She focused on the wound and picking up the pieces. You are the predator who claims her turf and protects those she should, will listen to suggestions, but will eat anyone who threatens what she’s built.”

“You’re smarter than most ancients I’ve met,” I praised. “They normally let their age and absolute certainty they know more blind them to the truth right in front of them.”

“I find that’s more idiots putting importance on a certain appendage that I don’t have, Your Highness.”

People were shocked she said that, but I burst out laughing.

I really liked her.

“I find the same,” I agreed with her. “Let me be clear that I am open to discussions. And this is most certainly not some sort of extortion where you won’t get your estates back if you don’t agree to terms.” I glanced around the room. “You all know you have to pay more taxes than what Geiger managed with the humans.

“That’s normal, and you would normally. Things aren’t what they were, and something like this hasn’t happened before. So we need to acknowledge that and figure out how to handle it. I’m certainly not going to just demand twenty-something years of taxes right now.”

“Though she could,” Neldor reminded them, clearly picking the role of being the bad cop to my good cop on this given how things started. “There’s also the issue that some of you had vastly different tax rates given what the corrupt nobles or ancients strong-armed from the queens.”

“And you would like to wipe the slate clean and have us support your new proposed tax rates?” someone else asked.

I met the man’s curious gaze. “No, I would like you to invest in Faerie and will offer you a deal of a decreased tax rate for the taxes you will owe—even if not what some of you were paying—and for the next ten years.”

“You have myfullattention, Your Highness,” the woman purred.

Good because she was the head of maybe the wealthiest non-noble family in both realms.

“Now that we have cell towers and electricity in Faerie, the way we live will change,” I told them. “But we don’t want it to change with the greed of humans—or even supes. There are rules against bringing in products from Earth. We have pictures, maps, and more of all of the cities and areas in both realms that were destroyed in the war.

“Some before and just never fixed up. We’re doing a lot, but we can’t do it all, and we need more. If we do what we hope to, life will be better for the average fairy and hobgoblin, and the new level of what’s considered ‘poor’ won’t be all that poor, always comfortable and not scraping by. But I want to make sure this is handled correctly and not taken advantage of.”

“Our families are known for companies and knowledge of the human world. We would be the best option for importing, say, electronics into Faerie,” she surmised.

“Yes, but I won’t allow some ridiculous markup like what happens for productsfromFaerie,” I said firmly. “I’m fine with everyone making money, but no gutting people. Even like humans do. There are tons of everything that the markup on them isridiculous. Nothing should ever be marked up a hundred times what it costs to make.”

“Agreed,” she said firmly. “At most, probably twenty percent.” She held up her hand when others scoffed. “Wewould take the hit for the moment, building new shops and whatnot, but we would make it up in the long run being the only providers. There won’t be any competition undercutting us. Paying better wages to our workers, but we get whatever tax discount.”

“Yes, that is the idea,” I confirmed.

She smiled at me. “But I bet you have more than just that up your sleeve for us, don’t you, Your Highness?”

“Yes, several things actually,” I confirmed. “A business opportunity to start a company that sells directly to supes and comes with Guardian protection like our other ones that help fund our projects. But also, a sort of travel agency for fairies who are not well versed about Earth.”

“You mean like an all-inclusive stay?” she asked. “This new Airbnb, but we own the homes and set it all up for them?”

“Yes, exactly like that,” I confirmed. “We have several homes from the trust that are ours, but we want to allow Guardians to use them for vacations or holidays. We don’t have time to manage them, and there is more than can be done. Speaking from experience, some of my own detail like nothing more than using my home in Italy and eating at all the local restaurants.”

I smirked when a few of them chuckled having done just that a week in February for their break.

“I would be more than willing to discuss that, and not for money making, but as a show of dedication to the men and women who will now be the protectors of Faerie andpeace,” she said firmly. “I believe a lot of us will have a change in attitude towards our military since there won’t be wars but protection.”

“I hope so because they have been killing themselves to make sure we’ve reached this point,” I said firmly. “They want peace more than most.”

“I believe that, Your Highness.” She went on before anyone else could interject. “What of this business idea?”

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