The Plot Thickens

It wasn't until the day of Lord Kel's banquet, the day before I'd planned on leaving that I was introduced to a prospective advisor.

And from a surprising source.

Gil and Ril sought me out to discuss the possibility of leaving Lord Kel's service and joining mine. I was hesitant at first; I remembered vividly their vanishing act as they waited in ambush for the appropriate time to act during the battle in the Summerlands. I wasn't so much bothered by the tactic, as much as the fact they hadn't informed me that was how they fought.

As I thought back to the encounter, I realized that my bias may not have been fair, we'd barely had any time to chat about anything before we'd been kidnapped. And in the end, they had acted. Their ability to bend light could be advantageous. Especially if they worked in concert with the Aziza as part of a department that handled espionage.

After an exhausting discussion with Uron and Cedric, I decided to set aside my concerns and allow them to sign contracts and swear loyalty oaths. I still assigned two Aziza as liaisons. Permanent partners that would be able to keep tabs on them.

"Welcome, Gil and Ril. I'm really happy you've decided to join my House. I know it must have been a difficult decision, to leave an established Fief and sign up with my House. After all, there is no guarantee that I'll ever be able to establish a physical fortress. There may be months or years of political shenanigans, and Rank challenges before I get even close to putting down roots."

"That said, I do have the beginning of an idea and some plans on how to secure my House. I really hope to have that done soonest. Because as you both are aware, the Sidhe have bigger issues ahead. This factional enmity that has existed between the Seelie and Unseelie needs to end or it may just lose our races the Summerlands.

"We don't have to start singing Kumbaya, but we damn well better get our act together soon or it's going to be too late."

"Kumbaya, Your Highness?" Ril asked in confusion.

"An old spiritual song I came across. A plea for the creator to intervene and solve all of the problems of the world," I explained, not exactly the meaning behind the song, but close enough.

"It's been my experience that wailing and pleading for help from the Gods is a waste of time. The Gods tend to help those that help themselves." A bit pedantic, and not exactly true, I thought. SYSTEM went out of its way to help me, even if I still didn't understand exactly what help I'd been given. And if technically SYSTEM wasn't a God.

"Cedric can catch you two up, on where we are, gentleman. But your direct superior will be Uron, he has been appointed my Captain of Guards and will be responsible for your training and schedule. Get with him and Basil to inventory what gear you have, if it needs repairs, and what we need to get to outfit you. We'll be leaving sometime tomorrow."

"We have to attend this damnable banquet at Lord Kel's this evening. I hate dog and pony shows," I said in frustration.

Uncertain how to react to my mini-rant, Gil imparted the one piece of good news I'd had that day.

"Your Highness, Majordomo Tulley requested we pass on a message. He has a niece. She's been training with him for decades, he will attest that she is talented and has Expert level skills in diplomacy, strategy, and management."

"Kel Fief has very few opportunities for someone of her abilities. He is afraid if she isn't given an opportunity to grow, with responsibilities commensurate with her skills, she will begin to stagnate."

"He wonders if you would be open to interviewing her for a position. He has supplied me with a reference and is willing to attest that she would be an exemplary Seneschal or Majordomo."

Honestly, I couldn't have been happier if someone were writing this stuff for me. Just when I was about to give up and hope to find someone not totally corrupted by politics in the capital, this stroke of luck provided me exactly who I needed and was looking for.

"Henry," I said in glee, "contact Majordomo Tulley and schedule an interview with the lady as soon as possible. Yesterday wouldn't have been too soon."

"Gil, did Tulley happen to mention what rank and level she was?" Not that it mattered, I'd accept a peon and train her up myself at this point.

"He mentioned that she was a mid-level Knight. She had already attained the highest-level Lord Kel allowed for those living in his demesnes."

"Oh?" I wondered.

"If I may, Your Highness," Henry said standing and preparing to leave the room, "Lord Kel has a strict policy that no resident within his Fief can attain a level higher than Knight - level 6. He feels confident he can suppress any individuals who may entertain the idea of rebellion or replacing him as Lord by enacting this level limit."

Henry didn't stay around to gauge how I would respond to that bombshell, quickly departing to contact Tulley.

It made a strange sort of sense. And explained Thom's actions. The rot in this Fief was systemic, the flow from the top, and touched everything under Lord Kel's control. Thom's belief in his entitled rights were made manifest because he learned those character flaws from his father. I honestly felt that Lord Kel had done Caraid a favor by neglecting him. And it explained the disparity in their dispositions. One exuded honor and integrity. One sloth, greed, and contempt for any but themselves.

"Cedric. What is going on with those weapons we looted from the Olympians? Anything come of your talks with Blacksmith Dar or his people?" I asked.

"Dar spent most of the time dodging my requests for meetings. I had to use an extreme measure to even get him in the same room."

"I'm afraid to admit that I used your name and Rank to coerce him and his people to finally agree," Cedric admitted.

"It wasn't until I pointed out that you would soon be meeting with Queen Mab and King Lugh that they realized that refusing to discuss may lead to unforeseen repercussions."

"I hinted that you would make known that they were involved in the kidnapping plot and attempted assassination you had recently been subjected too."

"Smart thinking. It may mean we have lost any chance of establishing favorable relations with him and his shop, but we are leaving the area soon. So, really the only way for him to retaliate is to inform Lord Kel of your line of inquiry," I said praising Cedric.

"Did he have any information on who may have purchased those weapons?" I asked.

"He tried to hide behind the sanctity of contracts and the buyers right to privacy, but after I pointed out that you may consider his decision to protect those that would attack you as complicity, and consider his decision to protect and harbor those that would harm you, proof that he was working in tandem.

"If that were the case, you may have no choice but to destroy, root and branch, those that would give comfort and aid to the enemy.

"He finally agreed to open his books and allow me to examine transactions. He didn't go so far as to actually help or direct his people to help me. Once a raft of papers, memos, sales receipts, and customer database were provided he ignored me and the problem.

"The crystal assistant you provided, allowed me to wade through the legion of documents. I sure Dar had no idea you had supplied the latest technology in compu-crystal technology. It was time-consuming, but I was able to scan every document he provided.

"The imaging software was able to match and cross-reference the Maker's Mark. Interestingly, there was no receipt for the sale of the weapons we confiscated."