Rapunzel's Homecoming 2

Rapunzel's Homecoming Chapter 2 - Meeting the Bankers
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King Leonard turned to Rapunzel after finishing some strawberry jam toast. "We are going to meet the bankers before the Jubilee. They are going to be hardest hit by what is about to happen so they are getting some warning and meeting the reason of the issue."

"What are bankers?" asked Rapunzel
"They lend money to people who promise to paid them back later with interest."
"Um, what is money?" shyly, Rapunzel knew this was a dumb question but she thought she needed to know.

"Money is a neutral form of exchange for goods and services." chimed in Eugene.
"It's gold, silver and copper in this kingdom."
The seneschal pulled some out. "You never saw anything like this?"
"No, I never knew exactly what Mother did outside of the tower."

"Did you or she ever make a lot of something, and she took it away and came back with something else you wanted."
"Oh yes, we would make lots of candles and she would take most of them and come back with food or a brush, I wore out brushes rather quickly, or for special occasions, paints or a book."

"Well, instead of bartering those candles directly for a brush or book, she probably sold them to a candlemaker for money and then use the money for buying the brush."
"Oh, okay. So why is it so important for me to meet them?"

"Well, because I am about to proclaim a jubilee, and among other things I will be forgiving all debts. "
"That sounds nice."
"It is but in the short term it will hurt them."
"Oh no."

"Your returning to the kingdom is a very good thing and it provides us the very best chance to clean up some things that have been building up of the years. I haven't been a very good king lately and I need to fix some things. Make things right. Start over. I don't want to surprise them with this so we are meeting with them to give them warning so they aren't mad about it. This will be once in their lifetimes but even so it will be a blow to them. If they meet you, then they will understand." He looked at his beautiful daughter hopefully.

"What do I need to do?"
The king considered his daughter, she was so kind and innocent, and unprepared for the intrigue of the court. It would be best to let her be herself, and not give her too much information she'll say things in innocence that might be bad but that may be useful, too.

"You just need to be yourself and talk to them. They need to meet you. I think they'll understand."
"Okay." rapunzel said uncertainly.

"You asked that Eugene and the Pub Thugs be spared, well to spare them would not be fair, indentured servitude is not fair either and so are some of the debts my people have gotten into. You're return to the kingdom gives us a one-in-a-lifetime chance to clean the slate and start over, to make things better for everyone. Unfortunately, we are a large kingdom and so some people will be hurt, one group we know will be hurt will be the bankers to give them so warning will lessen the hurt and to know you will help too. You are such a good person. This is politics but I am hoping they will forgive us, for your sake."

"I'll do what I can to help."
"I know you will."

And so Rapunzel met the bankers, rather then a formal meeting around a table the king had them all sit in a an open circle. When the king announced the jubilee there was an uproar, of course. But then he had the Queen and Eugene bring in Rapunzel.

At first she wished she had her frying pan with her, but it didn't take long for her to warm up to them and they to her. While they didn't break out in singing and dancing like the thugs did, they were mollified and by the time the meeting broke up they were thinking they were getting a very good deal. Sure, their businesses would be destroyed, but they were getting a worthy princess in exchange.