The Citadel was unusual in that it lacked a formal government or head of state because its income largely derived from its trade controlled by a cabal that oversaw the port authority and controlled every aspect of it .
Otherwise Brythan was largely self governing but it was grudgingly allowed that the Citadel had the right to intervene in situations which might affect their trading interests.
Such as ship building over which the Citadel had a monopoly. This had originated as a sound practice to ensure that all shipping was as sound as possible and met the dimensions that suited the port facilities.
These were ocean capable craft, of course but the coastal communities that practiced fishing had the right to build small coastal vessels of various designs best suited to their peculiar circumstances of draft requirements and types of catch.
John Hiltons ancestors had seen the opportunity of evading the Citadels onerous restrictions by making use of specialised coastal craft of shallow draft and great speed compared to others. They also kept an approved vessel that met the port regulations which was used clandestinely but cleverly to evade the various inspections required if one wanted to have a seat at the table, so to speak.
They had never been caught out at their clever circumvention of the onerous rules and regulations because they weren't stupid or arrogant enough to flaunt them openly.
However one man had through various means, seen the disparity, noted the wealth of the Hiltons did not match the apparently meagre trading ventures on which their ship set forth and wondered how and why they fared so well. He was not alone in his suspicion.
Pontius Plant was the epitome of the term 'venal' not to mention 'obsequious' and then there was his pallid corpulescence to add to the account which could easily make one dismiss him as an unpleasant nobody of any account. Unfortunately he also possessed a brilliantly cunning mind.
Even more unfortunately he was also the head of the Merchants and Traders Guild and profited greatly from manipulating every aspect of the port, not to mention the Citadels nebulous means of gvernment - so called - which consisted mainly of extracting bribes and skimming the profits whilst paying off the guards to ensure that he had them ready to obey his every command.
It was Plant who had noticed how the Hiltons had apparently flourished yet took little part in the Guild concerns though somehow meeting the demands placed upon them.
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