Chapter 46

"The situation there is the same or a little worse than the last time I went for the same purpose, to gather information. Your people are starving, Carter. The taxes imposed on them by your brother are unbearable. Once people pay their taxes, they have very little left. So little that is not enough to feed whole families. Many have already died. Mostly elderly. I tell you, Carter, the situation is tragic, and it is getting worse. Several tried to escape but were caught. In such cases, your brother orders their immediate execution as an example for the others, so they don't attempt the same. In short, he keeps people trapped hostage.

In his savage way, he forces them to stay in the kingdom.