[Empire!] A question of governance

[Aedilred]

Diamondhead is a free city in either Pontensulae or Penoccident (I forget which), and the most foreigner-friendly part of the Heartlands. I figured it was unreasonable to expect the diplomats to travel all the way to Jarrland with Dreadlove in the way, so I'd meet them halfway.

The Free City of Diamondhead

The diplomats from the Triumvirate were met at their ship on arrival and shown to their accommodation, well-provisioned and furnished, and invited to attend at the state room of the Carmine embassy the following morning.

On arrival at the Embassy they were courteously escorted to a room on the first floor where a large table had been set up, with jugs and goblets for wine and small beer upon it. A dark-skinned man in fine, gold-inflected clothing, and a woman with unmistakeable features of the northern fae, were waiting there, together with a number of scribes and other flunkies.

The man approached as the diplomats entered the room and shook their hands.

"Welcome to Diamondhead," he said. "I trust the accommodation was to your satisfaction. I am Malyn, cousin to the king and atheling of Jarrland, and may I also present Kwau of the house of Ignafar, Queen consort."

"Welcome," Kwau echoed.

"The king sends his apologies, but the war occupies his attention and he is unavoidably occupied elsewhere," Malyn explained. "He has authorised us to speak on his behalf and to abide by whatever decision we reach here."

"In truth, our discussions are likely to go more quickly without the king's presence," Kwau said with a slight smile. "He is very hard of hearing these days, an unfortunate legacy of the Caercian Coronation."

"Please take a seat, gentlemen*," Malyn said, gesturing to the chairs. "And if you would care for refreshment, merely say so and our people will be happy to provide it."

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y287/athelassan/Empire/Malyn_zps72cba159.jpg
(It's tediously hard to find appropriate pictures for my characters, so I cheated with this one and recoloured a picture from The Hollow Crown...)
*and women, if any present.

[zabbarot]

"I assure you, they are the finest most of us have ever stayed in." Indeed of the seventeen men and women assembled most were common folk. Three were guildsmen who had financed this expedition, but the rest were farmers, weavers, and others who had volunteered to travel on behalf of the people of the Triumvirate. The speaker was a tall lean lizardman of Nyroth dressed in fine silks. His speech had just a hint of a lisp, but was otherwise unremarkable. He did not sit down.

"I must say we of the Triumvirate were shocked at first to hear your cousin's bold claim, but after having several days to let it sink in we saw the truth of it. As such we have come with tribute." As if on cue three large crates were brought in. They had "TRIBUTE FOR KoCS" painted on the sides in large fanciful writing.

"We have this and a letter for the King." He snapped his fingers and the men with him opened the crates spilling excrement across the floor. "We do hope our gift is appropriate. We have very little dealings with Kings or Princes." He laid the envelope on the table.

[Aedilred]

Kwau gasped and recoiled, holding her hand to her face. Malyn looked down at the supposed tribute and sighed.

"I had been about to say that for the purposes of this discussion we could dispense with our titles with respect to the northern regions of the Triumvirate, for the sake of not starting our conversation with a petty dispute over formalities, but it seems you only ever came here with that intention. Perhaps I was wrong about the state of affairs in your homeland, for the Triumvirate can clearly afford to ship its people around the world for the sake of a childish practical joke while its lands burn at the hands of a pirate."

He took up the letter and looked over the group of ambassadors. "When we spoke of a king being a father to his people, we spoke in metaphor, but it seems we were more right than we knew. This is an act worthy of children, children who have for too long been without the guiding hand of a parent and have forgotten their manners."

He tore open the envelope and withdrew the letter to read it.

[zabbarot]

"We are private citizens, and may do as we like. The Triumvirate does not send us anywhere, in fact it's quite the opposite. The Triumvirate is a democracy. We send it where we please."


To the magnanimous King of the Carmine Sea,

The people of the Triumvirate are not property to be claimed. We are not goats, or furniture, or even land you can mount your flag upon. We are living, breathing, thinking men and women. The very idea of a kings within the Triumvirate went to the grave with the bastard Xiu Zhuang Ignato. We saw him put to death for his crimes against us, and succession went to us, the people.

For there is a contract between rulers and the ruled. There must be for society to function. We must consent to be ruled and agree to the laws made for us. At any time we have the sacred right, duty even, to deny our consent to those unfit to rule.

If you wish to rule us, denounce your throne, emigrate, and run for office like any other Triumvirate citizen may. Then and only then will we consider your right to rule.

[...The letter is signed first by one Kondriix Valtis, and then roughly one hundred other names cover the rest of the paper.]

[Aedilred]

"We are private citizens, and may do as we like. The Triumvirate does not send us anywhere, in fact it's quite the opposite. The Triumvirate is a democracy. We send it where we please."

"That is not what I hear." A slight edge of frost crept into his voice.

"Perhaps you are unfamiliar with my background, master...?" He left a pause for the lizardman to give his name (and, if given, used it). "You need not attempt to educate me on matters of history or of constitutionalism." He indicated the letter. "My grandfather was Chancellor in the Triumvirate. His father was King Jarui, who abdicated that a democracy might be established. His brother was Aluic, the founder of the Second Triumvirate and the loudest voice decrying Zhuang. My brother is named after him.

"But the Triumvirate now is not the Triumvirate of those days. The Senate no longer holds real power: it was destroyed by the Jaaku Na and remains a rump of its former self, allowed to remain in place that the private interests who control the Triumvirate can make out they honour the letter of the constitution while ignoring its spirit. Power in the Triumvirate no longer rests with the people, but with the Oldest Guild and the Eldest Shahidi. You may say you have no truck with princes, and yet you are ruled by a king in all but name, a man who inherited his position and will pass it to his son, as did his father before him." He shook his head and gestured at the list of names. "I am not sure whether to be gladdened that so many hold to the spirit of Aluic's dream, or dismayed that so many have been blinded as to the truth of the current situation.

"Even were I and the queen to lay down our titles and run for office as your letter proposes, what purpose would it serve? We would not have the power required to make the changes necessary to restore legitimate government to the Triumvirate."

[zabbarot]

"Sshirook," his name.

He listened and shook his head. "This is exactly my point. None of those people are you. It would be noble of you to aspire to be like them, but you are neither your grandfather, nor your great-uncle, Aluic Sheldtae, may his soul return swiftly. You may be their grandchild, but you choose the safety of monarchy. Would you hold your position if it was put to your people?

"Perhaps you would, and that would be a credit to you, but if you don't believe you could change the Triumvirate from within you have no right seeking claim over it's people. Even if it is an improbable dream it is a dream we all share. It is something we believe in.

"Even at the height of the Senate's corruption no man, woman, or child in the Triumvirate went hungry. The Guilds at the least understand who their employer is, and so long as they fulfill their duties to us we allow them their venality. We do not expect men to be incorruptible. That is the duty of gods and priests, eh?" He chuckled. "We trust Chancellor Ethmorl. We support the Church in fulfilling it's promise to defend the faithful so long as it is able. We accept blame for the corruption of our Senate. We are not fools, blind to the way the country is run. Rather, we are realists making the best of the situation and working every day to make it better. The Triumvirate is a nation of well fed, well educated, and hard working citizens. We did that, and no one will walk in and lay claim to it while we still live."

Cheers erupted from his countrymen behind him, but he stood silent for a moment. "I honestly did not expect us to have a civil conversation standing here in this muck."

[Aedilred]

"I have more experience in such matters than you might think," Malyn said, "although I do not envy the embassy staff who come to clean this up. It will be a wonder if the room ever smells entirely fresh again. Then again, I rather prefer the smell of honest manure to the stench of cities."

He smiled sadly. "You say you created the Triumvirate, but are you not asserting the same claim as you believe I do? That by descent from your ancestors, the historic people of the Triumvirate, their accomplishments are yours? In any case, I shall not argue semantics. The people of the Triumvirate may well have done all that you say, but you are betrayed: the fruits of that labour are no longer your own. The Senate was first dissolved a little over ten years ago and while I am glad to hear that none of the people in Nyroth starved, elsewhere in the Triumvirate the situation has been less satisfactory. The king of Genivana has returned again to claim his throne. Lord Ethmorl, your hereditary ruler, has refused the demands of the people to confront the pirate Captain Dreadlove, and now Grizzland burns in response to his indolence while the soldiers of your armies have fought and died in distant lands. How much of the Triumvirate's navy was lost assaulting Sympolemou? Ships that should even now be defending the coast and people of the Triumvirate.

"It is Grizzland today, but it may be Nyroth, or Woodwind, or Aloren, tomorrow. I would not see that happen. I and the queen would see good government restored in these regions before it is too late. I do not say that it is impossible a second Aluic could arise to restore the fortunes of the Senate and legitimate government, and it is not on that basis that we make our claims, but the fact remains that one has not."

He gave a slight smile at the mention of the safety of kingship, though there was little humour in it. "When I was ten, I travelled to Palas Caercia to witness the coronation of Ji Caercia. The ceremony was attacked by the Jaaku Na with explosives, causing the building to collapse in part. I spent eight hours buried under stone; it was a miracle I survived. Later that same year, our then king died fighting invaders from the south, defending his people with his lifeblood. That year was enough to cure me of any notion that there was safety in royalty.

"I fear the Triumvirate has been blinded by Zhuang. They have condemned a whole institution on the basis of the folly and greed of one man and now they belittle it. It is common for those unfamiliar with the institution, or those seeing it from the outside, to view kingship as an unearned privilege. They look at a king and see nothing but the luxury they enjoy and the power they wield.

“Kings know better. At least, good kings know better. Royalty is a duty, and those privileges come at a cost. A king is responsible for every man, woman and child in his kingdom. A king does not merely wear a crown, he is the crown. The crown is more than a physical object. He can remove it, lock it away, but it will still be there, inside his head, looking out through his eyes, directing his movements. When a king forgets his duty, when he refuses to take his people's part above his own, when he succeeds in removing the crown altogether, then he has started down the path to being truly lost.

"I meet with representatives from the Kinisvara Kodu at least once a week, and with senators of the Imperium on a regular basis. They are good men, many of them, but government is their profession, an occupation, a decision they have made and can unmake again at will. Government is not a part of their very being. They can remove their robes of office and become just another man. A king cannot.

"It is the same with my family. I am not Aluic, or Emeka, any more than I am Athelmere, or Jonas Grumby. And yet I am defined by my relationship to them in a way I cannot escape. I am a part of their legacy just as much as the Senate, or the Kohue, or the Jewelled Cities are, and that is the case from the moment I awake to the moment I close my eyes to sleep, and for all the hours in between. I am reminded of it every time I hear my name. I cannot bear to see their works laid low, for it disgraces their memory and, by association, me.

"That, master Sshirook, and fellows, is what has informed our claims. We have observed the state of affairs in the Triumvirate and it has distressed us. Could I and the queen lay down our titles and stand for office? Certainly. We could work our way up from nothing and attempt to execute the necessary changes. But if these changes are as necessary as I believe, to do so would be to impose an unnecessary handicap and risk on our chances of success. In fact it would be irresponsible of us not to utilise every tool at our disposal. The more difficult path is not inherently more virtuous. It is merely more difficult."

He paused, as if surprised by the length and feeling of his speech. He glanced over towards the queen, who nodded, and stepped forward.

"We do not expect you to be swayed by mere words here today, good masters, certainly in light of your... tribute. We do however have a proposal. When he heard of our claim our friend and cousin the King of Ashenia wrote to the king to counsel him on this matter he suggested that a referendum be held in the provinces under contention to determine the true will of the people."

"I have noticed in my dealings with representatives of the Koda and the Imperial Senate," Malyn continued, "that it is common for the few to believe they speak on behalf of the many when in fact they speak only for the few. It is common for those with an interest in such matters to spend most time talking to those who already agree with them, until they come to believe their opinion is held universally. Those who live in cosmopolitan towns and cities often have wildly different opinions and interests from those who live in villages and hamlets in the hills and marshes, and yet believe they speak for them. It is important to ensure their voices are heard."

"I do not believe you speak falsely, master Sshirook," Kwau said, "and your pride in your people and your republic is manifest and heartening, merely that you cannot truly know the minds of almost five million people."

"You have faith in your democracy," Malyn said. "So let it speak. Let a vote be held, after the war, when appropriate resources can be allocated to give all people of age a chance to express their wishes. Give us a chance to put our proposals directly to the people of Nyroth, Woodwind and Aloren that they know what we intend. Let the people state what they wish for the future of their lands, give them the chance to express themselves as they have not had for decades. If they reject us, we shall lay down our titles and claims without further remark, and accept the will of the people, for a king who does not stand for his people is no king at all. But if they accept us, I am sure the Queen would look forward to working with you, master Sshirook, and those of similar passion, in Nyroth, as I should with those of like mind in Aloren, in restoring the government in those lands to one of which we can all be proud."

Sorry for epic length! Got carried away.

[zabbarot]

Sshirook is taken aback for a moment. "I'm not sure where you get your news from. No less than four nations ride to the defense of Grizzland. I will not claim to speak for every citizen of the Triumvirate, but it's hard not to at least be impressed that our leaders have such sway with the western world. Grizzland does not burn. Have you been to Grizzland? I am sure one such as yourself has traveled the canal? It is a fortress. I will be impressed if the pirate is able to do more than make landfall.

"But that is not the point of this conversation. The point is that your king has no hereditary right to claim Nyroth, Woodwind, or Aloren. You speak of good kings, but the system of monarchy allows for bad kings just as much as it does for good ones. The Chancellorship is a meritorious position, as is the head of the Church. Are you aware that Radurja does not profess that Mosi is divine, or even in any way better than any other who walks that path? He retains his position because the priests respect his judgment. They choose him as we choose the senators.

"You claim that kings are better, and yet you would compare our leaders to monarchs as if you felt it were a bad thing. I understand this isn't the conversation you expected, but if you need time to order your thoughts please do so.

"No, I do not think you have a problem with kings. You have a problem those who disagree with you. You declare war on our allies then turn and offer to spare us poor orphans a beating if they'll embrace papa. It is disrespectful to say the very least, thus our gesture in kind," he motioned briefly to the three crates behind him. "Do you know how many people have to **** in a crate this large to fill it? Roughly nineteen thousand, and here we have one from each province claimed. Nearly sixty thousand citizens so offended by this offer that they felt this an appropriate gesture in kind.

"I am no politician, and you seem content to talk past me, so let me put this bluntly. **** your offer.

[Aedilred]

"Do you think to shock me, perhaps?" Malyn's eyes narrowed slightly. "You will have to do better than that. You do nothing but dishonour the people on whose behalf you claim to speak."

"I spoke of the nature of your rulership merely to expose the flaws in your own reasoning, master Sshirook. You speak of having no truck with kings, yet allow one to hold sway perpetually over one branch of your government, and endure another in all but name as its head. You decry my right to make any claim on the grounds of heredity yet speak as if your ancestors' accomplishments are your own. You write off the institution of kingship due to the actions of one man, yet insist your own institutions remain valid after the proven crimes of hundreds. You speak of democracy, and of the will of the people entire, but do not have the confidence to determine what that is in a vote."

"You evidently cannot see it, but the democratic Triumvirate is dying, if not already dead. There was a time when the word of the Senate held sway from Celero to Fiassa's Fast, and now it barely extends into the suburbs of Miji Mkuu. There was a time when the Triumvirate needing to call on assistance from the Union of the North to protect its own coast from pirates would have been unthinkable, and now it is no longer in a position to defend itself. There was a time when the Triumvirate worked for peace, and now in a hardly more than ten years after the impeachment scandal your rulers have mired you in a war the Senate spent fifty years trying to avoid, and as a result the Triumvirate has suffered the worst defeat in its history. There was a time, too, when the Triumvirate was true to its word, rather than declaring a willingness to negotiate and proceeding to offer merely vulgarity and insult.

"Your government has failed you. Your supposed democracy is a lie. Soon it may become apparent to you how much of a lie it is. Perhaps you already suspect, given your unwillingness to put it to the test. When you discover that, when all those in whom you have faith have deserted you, perhaps you will be glad that there is still one duty-bound to look after your interests.

"But, as they say, there are none so blind as those who will not see. There is no shame in pride, but misplaced pride is a folly. Your faith in your masters would be touching if not so tragic, for you to travel all this way for such pettiness on their behalf, behaviour hardly worthy of a grown adult of any race, let alone a purported representative of his state. If you have nothing more to offer than further abuses of our hospitality, you may leave."

[zabbarot]

The party made to leave without hearing him out.

[Aedilred]

One of the cupbearers spat at the feet of Sshirook as he passed, having turned his back on Malyn, and there was a noticeable stiffening in the posture of the armed attendants.

"No!" the atheling called. "Let them leave in peace. They are our guests, no matter how they may behave. I apologise on behalf of my people, master Sshirook."