End of a chapter(1)

The morning sun bathed the countryside in a warm, golden glow as it heralded the 19th of August in the year 1287. It had been a mere two months since the war had drawn to a close, and the people of Sicily were slowly but surely adapting to the changes that came with it. The timing of the war's end had been fortuitous, as it had concluded just before the summer reaping season was set to begin. This stroke of luck spared the people from the heavy taxation that the French King had threatened to impose upon them.

The French King's demands had been nothing short of oppressive, with a staggering 60% of the total revenue from the reaping season slated to go to the royal coffers. This substantial tax was in addition to the costs incurred for transporting the fruits of their labor to the city for sale. It would have placed an unbearable burden on the already struggling serf families.