"I want to go to war." Prince Davin (the youngest and most obnoxious of the sitting prince's sons) was throwing a tantrum in the palace, despite being twenty years old he still acted like he was ten. For some reason despite all my attempts to the contrary I had become the keeper to the young prince, it wasn't in my normal job description (that being offer my sarcastic commentary to the state of the kingdom and do the bare mininum to avoid being hung), but we all have our crosses to bear.
"You ever been to war Prince? Its not some grand and jaunty affair of happy pursuits, especially the one they are fighting up north." The conflict had been going on two years by this point, the sides were at a stalemate with neither one winning a definitive victory, but both sides killing quite a lot of people/creatures. I'd heard the Red Hand was struggling with corruption destroying their ranks of magic users since they were over extending themselves and not taking a rest during the conflict.
"You never let me do anything fun."
"I could shoot you in the arm, you could see how fun that is." I was actually suggesting doing that, the idea would be more cathartic for me than him, but he stomped off to his room and alas I didn't get what I wanted. It had been a long day, plenty of piddling civil service issues had popped up, the local police didn't feel they had enough authority and felt subserviant to the military (they were and are always in Ronerawth). Businesses were complaining we weren't updating roads to make it easier for carts to get through which was damaging the wheels on carts (we were actually delaying because the Prince was heavily invested in wheel repair shops and it was a money making scheme, we placated them with platitudes but continued to not care too much about it). The palace was always busy now, a nice change of pace from the previous Prince who only wanted people there to adore him or pleasure him, an for nothing else. This one at least wanted to pretend he was in charge, though it made more work for me, and not just dealing with Davin's tanturms.
"Skillfully negotiated Trezlan, I can see why you are my best servant." Toneron again had appeared out of nowhere. I mean the hallway was filled with men dressed kind of like him, but he stands out in my mind and yet he always snuck up on me in any social setting, I'd worry one day he'd show up when I was on the bathroom, so far that has not happened.
"I live to serve Toneron."
"Yourself Trezlan, you live to serve yourself, and don't forget that, being selfish is not thought of as a virtue, but I can assure you that no one in this world is entirely altruistic, some of us are just more honest than others." Toneron seemed different, like he was more alive. I never dared to try and sense his magical presence for fear of retaliation, but he was almost glowing to an extent it was scarier than normal.
"I thought it went unsaid which is why I didn't."
"But of course, but I didn't bother you here to discuss the trivial nature of selflessness, I need you to escalate the war."
"Not really my place to escalate the conflict seeing as I'm not currently in it." It wasn't really, I mean outside of visiting the Red Hand Lands myself its not like I could do anything about it.
"Trezlan I need Ronerawth to openly support the rebels, for me and you, if The Red Hand wins here were both in it deep." He was right, The Red Hand were destroying Hanlon product wholesale so they didn't have a chance to see where the weapons they were being killed with were coming from, but if they won they'd have more of a chance to see who supplied the guns and that would not be a good thing for us.
"And how can I do that?"
"I dunno kill some of them with magic and show them the danger of the Red Hand, its up to you, just get it done before the rebellion loses." And with that he wandered off, I tried to follow him but he disappeared into a group of traders in suits and was gone. Of course he'd stick me with politicing a situation here, he wouldn't do it because as he claimed the other corporate heads didn't trust him (I can't imagine why since he was probably not a real person). Though he was on to something with the killing people with magic... Not me of course, this would have to be outsourced, but nothing gets people going more than threat of them being personally hurt. And for that you'll have to read tomorrows entry!
No comments:
Post a Comment