Book 8: Chapter 28: Requested
Eleanor had secured an audience for them with the Senate's foreign council; given their past services provided for that same body, they could hardly refuse. Together, the two mages made their way to the palace, pushing through the traffic of Morcaster. Many others had business with the Senate and its many councils, judging by the number of people crowding the way.
Thankfully, being friendly with the captain of the Senatorial Guard had its uses. Meeting them by the gate, Valerius smiled and extended his arms to give them each an embrace. "Martel!" he exclaimed, seeing the battlemage. "I was glad when Eleanor told me you had returned. It has been so long!" The former prefect of the sixth cohort of the Tenth Legion grabbed Martel by the shoulder and squeezed it.
"Always good to see you, friend." Of all the prefects, Valerius had been through the most with them, and Martel appreciated his steadfast friendship.
"Come along. I will get you to your destination. And on the way, perhaps you can confirm my suspicion that Eleanor is playing a jest on me."
Eleanor shrugged, walking alongside the other two. "He refuses to believe me when I tell him the purpose of our venture."
"You must admit, it sounds like a flight of fancy. After all your travelling, you not only wish to settle down, but build a city in the process? In the most doomed place on the continent?"
"That's not exactly how I would put it," Martel muttered. "But if you doubt our scheme, feel free to attend the meeting. You can hear all the arguments we intend to use."
Half the foreign council was as Martel remembered it. The other half was new, including its representation among the aristocracy; nobody had ever found the remains of Duke Cheval. But whether new or old, all the members served the same interests, those of their faction.
The noblemen on the council, and through them, all the aristocrats would be interested in new lands being opened up, but also wary at the thought of losing serfs or workers running away to join a city-state that promised rights to all.
The merchants would be intrigued by the possibility of exporting to new markets and importing to old ones, assuming they were given control of the trade. The guilds would be against losing craftsmen they had trained, who might be lured to settle somewhere with better conditions, but if the new settlement could provide cheaper raw materials for their crafts, it might be worth the bargain.
The clergy would probably be happy to sponsor a temple and members of the priesthood, assuming they were allowed to be the dominant faith.
The military might welcome a reliable ally that protected the northeastern flank against Khiva, but not if there was any doubt that such an ally could turn against Aster.
As for the Imperial administration, their sole interest would be if this new settlement would fall under Imperial control; as that was not the plan, Martel expected them to be the strongest opponents.
“Welcome, Sirs Martel and Fontaine,” spoke the count, who headed the council since Cheval’s disappearance. Eleanor had instructed Martel on everyone’s name and position, and he had forgotten most of it already; she would lead the negotiations anyway, being more suited for it. “We have been told of your desire to lead an expedition to settle a new city, though it is possible there has been a mistake. We are informed that you propose it to be placed on the same location as the ruins of Archen.”
Eleanor cleared her throat. "That is correct, honoured members of the council. My companion and I visited it last year in the company of another mage, and we have gone to great lengths to see the place cleansed of lingering evil and any other obstacles to renewed settlement. Considering Sir Martel's prowess and my own, danger is not a concern."
"Magic and evil spirits is not something for us to judge, I suppose," said the alderman from the guilds. "But why must it be in this place? If you are to take so many of our citizens from their homes, could you not have chosen a more appealing destination?"
"Our choice was made for many reasons. The lands are empty, and none lay claim to them. There is fresh water and fertile land to be farmed, and the nearby mountains are rich in common metals that will sustain our own production and can also provide raw materials to export."
Martel watched both the alderman and the representative of the merchants, both of whom seemed to give this consideration.
"What of fortifications and defences? Do you expect the legions to post a garrison?" asked the military liaison.
"We do not. Being able to produce our own weapons, and since we expect to attract many veterans among our settlers, and having a battlemage and a mageknight in our numbers, we fully expect to be able to protect ourselves," Eleanor replied.
The reply seemed to garner mixed reactions, and Martel let his magic pulse out to sense the mood. He struggled to sort through the different impressions he received. The council had nine members, and he also felt something from Eleanor and Valerius. But given his knowledge of what the councillors could be expected to think, Martel figured he understood the impulses he felt.
Those with ties to Morcaster particularly – the alderman, the merchant, and the magistrate from the local administration – preferred to hear this; they had no interest in spending resources defending yet another city besides their own. In contrast, the magistrate from the Imperial administration and the military liaison seemed displeased, as this would leave Archen outside of their control.
"There is ultimately only one question that matters," the Imperial magistrate declared. "Why should the Imperial Treasury waste hundreds of golden crowns on this expedition to fund a city that will be beyond our borders, outside our control, and might one day turn on us?"
Eleanor met his gaze boldly. "Mark my words, honoured members of the council. Archen will be reborn. If you support us now, you will have undying friendship. If not, we will turn to others who are more clear-sighted in understanding the benefits."
"The Khivans? The Tyrians?" the magistrate replied with a smile.
The discussion continued, but Martel did not favour their chances. He was tempted to try the suggestive magic he had observed Atreus use, but he doubted it would work. Besides his inexperience in using it, it would not be useful to persuade the councillors now, only for them to change their minds tomorrow once they had time to reconsider.
"Thank you for your time," the count finally said, signalling a close to the meeting. "We shall discuss it at length and give you our reply in due time."
The visiting mages bowed their heads in response and left.