Offer

"So, each House that is elevated to one of the twelve joins as part of your Court will be responsible for an area of your territory?" Liotonis asked making sure she understood what I was offering.

"At first, I'd thought of dividing them into areas of responsibility. A House that would focus on production, one on resources, one on dungeons. Something that would allow each House to specialize. But I abandoned that idea, I don't think Sidhe work and trust each other well enough to implement a government structure where they would have little input in topics not considered part of their purview. If I want each House to govern their own State, then forcing them to implement procedures that may be contrary to House prerogatives would cause more trouble, at least until we can change the systemic attitudes between Sidhe species.

"Sidhe don't share well," I admitted, "even between House members."

"Instead, I think the more prudent method is what I mentioned earlier, dividing my Lands into twelve separate zones. Each zone would be run by a Head of House, and any decisions or policies that were implemented in their State would be solely at the discretion at the Governing body the House for that State implements."

"You would swear Oath that included non-interference?" She asked in disbelief.

"No one would believe it otherwise," Duchess Wynne offered. "You were right when you said Sidhe don't share well, but what you are offering, goes much further than sharing. You offer complete anonymity."

"With a few caveats," I said thinking furiously to develop a plan that I could live with, and that satisfied Liotonis' question and Duchess Wynne's concerns. On-the-fly Kingdom building was not something I'd anticipated needing to do; I'd thought most of these issues could be addressed and solved over time, a natural progression of Kingdom building.

That belief was naïve, and I should have known better. I recognized that changes would have to be made, and I needed to develop not only a starting framework but also contingency plans in the event unforeseen problems arose. I'd been too focused on Rank, believing that attaining King's level would solve problems. I'd anticipated more time spent engaging in guerrilla warfare than diplomacy or Kingdom building when I'd first broached the subject back in Fief Kel.

But the System had removed the requirement that I earn my Rank by combat with either the Seelie or Unseelie Monarchies. I didn't need to wage a war between factions relying on attrition over time of Seelie and Unseelie factions to gain the levels I would need to become powerful enough to level up. The quest rewards for CERN had solved many of my problems. But it meant that the strategy I'd developed, the steps I'd planned to make as I advanced would need to be scrapped.

"There will be responsibilities that are overseen and administered by House Teigh," I said expanding on some long-term ideas Cedric, Uron, Lohne, and I had discussed. "I plan on creating a new currency, based on Silinium, a standard that stabilizes and creates a currency that can be traded with Universal financial markets. The metal is the one item that Sidhe control that other planets want and need. Sitherns and dungeons can increase the production of that metal, and I plan to increase production so that we can trade currencies that are accepted between worlds.

"Production will need to be tightly controlled so that we don't flood the market and devalue the coinage. The coins will be minted, and the face value of each coin backed by the Silinium reserves my Kingdom will establish.

"Taxes will be shared equally across all twelve principalities. The System makes collecting these funds simple and straightforward, with very little oversight or auditing required. The Kingdom of Aingeal Geamhraidh will establish a three percent tax rate that will be included with every sale. The amounts collected will be based on the Silinium coinage that I am creating." I continued.

"Will each House be allowed to mint their own coinage?" Liotonis wondered.

I considered her question thoughtfully, before answering. "I think that would be feasible. Normally, I would never consider this, but the System is a failsafe, a perfect policing mechanism to guard against forgery. As long as those who choose to strike their own coins stamp them with a unique modifier that will allow anyone to identify where they were minted, and as long as they deposit enough Silinium into the Kingdoms reserves to back the value of their coinage, I will allow it.

"And the conversion rate between gold and Silinium?" Duchess Wynne asked interjecting herself into the conversation.

"The conversion rate will depend on financial markets and how much it fluctuates. Very few people use Silinium so the costs may have been inflated, worth artificially depressed by the Seelie and Unseelie."

"Additionally, slavery and serfdom are banned from my Kingdom. Policies will be implemented that deal with usury, debt, and trafficking, but for a House to claim a province, they must sign binding treaties that require the House to be vigilant and stamp out any instances where Sidhe, no matter what race, are enslaved or forced to work in onerous conditions as a condition of serfdom."

"The Seelie do not practice slavery or serfdom," Wynne reminded me.

"Really? The Wisps in Lord Kel's keep were nothing more than glorified slaves. Never paid even a token wage and bound to the House bloodline, the only way to leave was to be cast out. They had no choice but to work at his command. This isn't an isolated instance. Lesser-fey have become synonymous as less than over time and their labor and efforts dismissed as trivial even when service is mandatory.

"They aren't considered people, and more and more, they have become forced to assume roles and positions that are contrary to their very nature. The Sidhe are transforming the Wisps into glorified night-lights for example," I rebutted.

"The final condition is that each House must swear Oaths and sign treaties that factional prejudices will be stamped out, as part of this condition the House must allow Seelie and Unseelie population to grow and flourish. As long as potential citizens have converted to the Tuatha de Danaan faction then they may not be excluded or persecuted based on lineage or history."

"I am not positive what this means for me, what this has to do with ransoming Lord Hugo?" Liotonis asked. I was certain she had an idea. My words had been clear, I didn't want her to serve me, I wanted her to build a Kingdom and join me. To become part of the Court, the Coven that would join the disparate races and factions into what the Tuatha de Danaan had meant for them to be.

The joining would be messy, contentious, and possibly filled with bloodshed. But it was the only method forward that I could envision to make any real change. If I could recruit people that were not only highly Ranked, but also Power's then the chances of success would grow.

By selecting Liotonis to create a House and rule a province, I was telegraphing my intentions to the world. I would accept Unseelie as valued and was willing to reward them based on talent not faction. Additionally, I planned to offer Duchess Wynne the same opportunity, I would make it known that not only were Seelie welcome, but that those considered Lesser-Fey would be treated as Sidhe and equal.

System Rank and Level were a verifiable benchmark, proof that people could work hard and gain real benefits no matter where they started in life. True there were those entitled and spoiled who managed to game the System for Rank and Levels, but talent, skills, and abilities would shine through. The current inequality of Rank between species was more about opportunity and the creep of bigotry that has become endemic, a part of a culture that had conditioned the Sidhe to accept that Lesser was equivalent to failed bloodlines.

"Join me. Swear the Oaths that will bind our peoples together, and I will accept Lord Hugo's parole and entrust him to you.

"Build a House that will stand independent and able to contend with any nation, and I will award you the Sea as Head of Province and titular ruler. Open up the coffers of hidden treasure that you and your people have hoarded, and begin building cities, farms, and trade-routes that will help restore the might of the Sidhe world," I said both as an offer and an entreaty.

"And you want nothing in exchange for this opportunity? Swear an Oath, sign a treaty and become Ruler?" She wondered in disbelief.

"Not completely. Each province must allow a House member to join together and form an embassy, to observe each Court and offer advice. Advice that can be completely ignored. An assembly of the thirteen Houses stationed in each province and the Capital.

"And," I said addressing the penalties for Lord Hugo's action, "Lord Hugo must pay his weight in Silinium as recompense for his unprovoked attack. Not because he lost, but because he breached the rules of engagement by not announcing his intention, requesting parlay, or demanding dueling rights.

"He had declared his aggression against Seelie outside the bounds of Unseelie propriety. He acted from bigotry, he attacked in the manner he chose, because he considered me to be Seelie and not worthy of respect. I will set an example to show the seriousness I intend to treat those that adhere to that outmoded belief.

"Keep your prejudices and bigotries if you will. But let them be known and the cost will be high."