Probably a safe assumption

"Labor, good will, basically spies but I wouldn't put it on the ledger that way." The matriarch still looked confused, "My wife was stabbed because a street woman was paid to tell another house when she saw my wife. Not having information about what is going on in the city is hurting us. The best way to stop it is to pay more than any other house can, the best way to hide that is what we are doing is to pay for something else. Like, labor to move the food in the first place, a seasonal job that needs many hands but not something you would keep the people on for after the job was done. Spring, planting, Fall harvesting. We could even preorder goods you know the sisters don't want to make. I am sure you can find more then enough stuff that should be done but hasn't been getting done if you put your mind to it, mother."

"And if it is sold then it isn't hoarding and the priest cannot take it from us, but the house doesn't become responsible for people they trade with. The eldest frowned in thought for a few moments, "It won't help me get the matches we need, though."

"Sure it will because Estro will be able to do the one thing no other boycotted house has ever been able to do."

The mother smiled an evil smile as she thought about it. If we aren't paying blood for food except to the farmers that basically own the land then we will have enough to cover the men for the year. Even with all the trades the mother was making to get the men I asked for. "We will last the year and be able to show no fair matches were offered for any of the men on the matches that we didn't take, and we will be able to show who should have offered what matches and did not. Since this will bring starvation to some of the main houses."

The matriarch had been smiling but then she frowned and her shoulders slumped, "but our lord would have to stop it."

"What makes you say that, mother?"

"If the main houses start starving he will do something."

"Oh, and what about his behavior would lead you to believe he would?"

"If the population starts to tank he will do something to stop it. He has to eat too."

"Sure but for that to happen the birth rate would have to decline, and as I am sure the messenger who is listening to us can tell you, there is no evidence that the houses starving will do that, since others who were starving now will have more opportunities not to do so. If the birthrate doesn't decline our lord has shown time and again that he is more then happy to leave us to our own devices."

"The birthrate of the houses cannot change or the house will die, but you are empowering the woman who don't currently have a house to protect them to start meeting the law. If we can survive the year we will be able to declare war on the houses that have been refusing to fight us. Every member of our house will be safer because the farms and the city will have large populations with good will towards our house."

The matriarch looked at Isa and Bella, "Will your mother let us pay on credit if your harvest is bigger then we can buy out of pocket? You two will have to be my representation to the women without houses here. Oh, but we will need a good idea about what the harvest will be."

I didn't look up as the door opened for the messenger. The messenger had just raised his hand to knock and he raised an eyebrow at me, "Our lord has asked me to help you with the last part, Mother Estro." He put his hand down and strolled in like it was normal for him to do so. "He thought it might be helpful so that he doesn't have to take official notice of what you are doing."

I looked up at the woman who was still playing door stop just listening to us talk, "Vera, can you go get us breakfast? I have a feeling we will be talking for a while."

Vera bowed, "Yes, sir." She was gone before before I could ask her to get anything specific.

"She is the one that told Estrella that Isa was alone in the market."

"Yes, and as you could see it will be quite some time before she has recovered."

"I would say you are strange for a man but that wouldn't be fair to men. I also hear you want to take over some of the responsibilities of priests."

"Yes, I have already been planning a sermon for next Sunday. I don't think many women in the branch house will be surprised."

"Since you managed to find other crazy people like you, no I don't think they will be surprised." The conversation went back to what the house of Estro wanted for the future after that. Diamond laid in her mother's arms watching everything like an angel most of the time. At one point she demanded food and another a change but for the most part she was very calm.

Vera returned with food, served and cleaned up the mess all while we continued talking. The matriarch of Estro seemed much happier around noon when she started to say her good-byes, "I will have to take you up on bringing my seconds with me when I plan on visiting you. I have a feeling no matter why I thought I was coming over you will turn it into a meeting about what you want me to change next."

"Probably a safe assumption, mother. Unless you come over to confirm I am dead any way."

"Hum, but then I would still need them to help me play herd on the man you chose to take over trying to lead me by the nose."

"I would never be so crass as that, mother."

"Of course not, son. Of course not." The 45 year old mother of Estro patted me on the shoulder with a smile, "You would make sure he knows not to get caught holding the string."