The Welsh Outlaws IV

"Kieran, you won't pay for your wife?" you asked him again.

"Sir, I can't pay even if I want to. Please do your best to help my wife. I am already ruined and if I have to chose, I need to save my heir. My wife... she would understand. As for the fine I can only hope milord will be lenient and take my loss into account." he sighed crestfallen.

"We will decide about that later." you told him, then turning to Alan your gave your order, "Alan, get the troops ready and send a messenger to my father."

"Wait a moment. Just get the troops ready but do not send the messenger. All people are dismissed from this room." Sophie interrupted to the surprise of all.

After waiting for all people to leave you turned to Sophie, "We should ask for my father's help. He is also responsible for the peoples safety. I think it would be easier to fight these outlaws with more troops."

Sophie shaked her head, "No, Garrick. I don't think we should fight them at all. We should hire them for our own service instead."

"What?!" you shouted in disbelief.

Sophie's eyes shone as she explained, "Listen Garrick. We should make a deal with them. They could plunder neighboring counties making them unsafe for travel. Merchants would have no other choice but to use our roads. We will work together with them and also track the merchants and travelers that try to evade our checkpoints, only the ones paying toll should be permitted to cross our lands."

Sophie's plan was good and if successful should generate lots of revenue for you. However you would also enter the world of shaddy business. You contemplated to follow her suggestion.