Challenge #04798-M049: Using All Avenues

Another died of the 'plague' that leaves the body rake thin. Always recorded as an illness. The red king, the tax-collectors told them, demanded this tribute. She fled to stop the plague, stop the red king, if the lord wouldn't do it, she would.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04754-m005-the-better-decision -- Anon Guest

Famines were generally the product of administrative mismanagement. It was very rare for a famine to be the direct result of consecutive disasters. The lands of the Red King were fertile and fruitful, but all of the crops and cattle went first to the lords, then the Red King. If the tribute was found worthy, then the serfs of the fields would be given their bread.

Which was, the Lutemen had to note, full of weevils and worms.

On one hand - it was protein. On the other... not the kind of protein anyone wanted. The one food crop the people were allowed to keep for themselves had suffered the fate of every monoculture everywhere - rampant disease that corrupted the harvest before it could ripen. Of course the Lords, who never looked down their noses at the truth, called the serfs lazy and undeserving.

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