Besides military attacks and public condemnation, Free City began an economic blockade of the Rikaner Kingdom.
Even the Rikaner Kingdom had to admit it could not sustain itself. It depended on outside trade for food, iron ore, and other resources.
Even the dullest politician could see how to use that.
Commercial Streets across the region went to work, urging their host towns to cut ties with the Rikaner Kingdom.
Most City-States stopped sending supplies, swayed by Free City's substantial tax contributions and the Kingdom's wickedness. A few agreed in public while secretly continuing to sell to it.
Only the Duchy of Keating stood firmly by Rikaner.
That was not quite accurate. The Duchy of Keating called itself neutral, stayed out of every dispute, and did business with everyone, whoever they were. If it could, it would even sell goods to the Ratfolk.
The Duchy of Keating had occasional friction with Free City, but on the whole, it was a good trading partner. Otherwise, Annan would already have been making jokes about how the duchy would sell the rope used to hang it if there was a profit in it.
But the duchy did not want to offend Free City over this, either. A Commercial Street in its capital paid taxes amounting to no less than its trade with the Rikaner Kingdom.
The message reached the cabinet and was placed before the Twin Ministers.
Minister of Finance Fronning said, "We can give them three options. The first two mean the same thing, while the third is completely unacceptable."
Before long, Minister of the Interior Brink summoned the head of the Commercial Street and told him, "We've come up with three arrangements. First, we join you in condemning the Rikaner Kingdom. Second, we summon its officials and give them a dressing-down. Third,