Touch of Fate 269 Titular Character

After he'd agreed to speak with the royals, he'd been directed to this private tea room. Surprisingly, it was decorated modestly, with the walls left bare and most of the furniture serving strictly utilitarian functions. As far as he could figure, this seemed to be an intentional choice to allow for discrete or unofficial negotiations to take place in relative secrecy.

At the moment, he was flanked by a pair of Royal Guards in full battle dress. While he didn't recognize the one to his left, to his right was the female knight Leona, who'd mistakenly tried to kill him after he'd rescued the princess from Viscount Wendel. Three more of the gold-clad warriors were spread about the room, including a rather frail looking man in robes that must have been some kind of mage.

In the past he might have been intimidated by such an array of marital might concentrated in one place. However, he could tell from their facial expressions and body language that these experienced soldiers, who represented the peak of military might in Almir, were actually wary of him. One of the younger ones even looked a bit afraid.

[Seems I've definitely overstayed my welcome here.]

"Please Your Highness, we are old acquaintances at this point, feel free to just call me Mike."

She nodded. "Very well, although I think it is only fair that you do the same and refer to me as Andrea."

Mike hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. "Can't argue with that. Alright Andrea, as to your generous offer, I believe I must decline."

She frowned, "Is it a matter of the amount of territory? While we can certainly allocate more in the future, it would mean having to rearrange a few feudal boundaries. Given the delicate situation surrounding the annexation of Tenundi, I don't believe we can afford to irritate regional lords at this moment."

The Second Prince, Nathaniel, chose that moment to break in, a dark look on his face. "They would demand to know why a newcomer, regardless of his achievements, would be given a large amount of developed land when vast tracts of new acquisitions are available." He sneered. "They would conveniently ignore the fact that it would take years for most of those lands to begin producing any real wealth. Of course, we could always just find a corrupt noble or two and use our wartime powers to strip them of their titles and land."

Johnathan chuckled a bit awkwardly, "Of course we won't be doing anything like that, but I am in agreement with my sister. I'm afraid the rank of Margrave is the best we can do at the moment. Creating another ducal house so soon after the war with Tenundi would send the wrong message. We will have more flexibility in the future, if you are willing to be patient. That said, I'm sure we can add a bit more territory, if that is the issue."

"Not at all, Your Highness. I have no problem with the terms themselves, but I cannot in good conscience take on the responsibility of running a territory when I fully intend to leave this country in the near future." Mike replied firmly.

A pang of genuine remorse passed across Andrea's face, and she asked in a quiet voice that was nevertheless heavy with emotion, "Is there nothing that might change your mind?"

Deciding that it was best to put an end to this definitively, he shook his head. "I'm sorry, but no."

She lowered her gaze but didn't reply, leaving the room in a gloomy silence that was only broken when her twin Matthew spoke up.

"The way I see it, you aren't inherently against a noble title, merely the obligation that comes along with it, right?"

"That's more or less correct. While I helped out in this war, I don't intend to become a servant of this country, nor do I want to be tied down with territory or official responsibilities."

He smiled at that, despite the blatant criticism underlying Mike's statement. "I can certainly understand that, but look at it from our perspective. You are a newly risen Tier 4 mage who seems favorably predisposed to our country. Given the potential heights of your power and influence, it would be in our best interests to ensure that you remain so, and prevent other countries from luring you away."

"You don't have to worry about that. I have no intention of allying myself to another country at this point." Mike replied dismissively.

Matthew leaned forward, a speculative look on his face. "Perhaps, but objective observers might disagree. As of right now, you already have a close relationship with the daughter of one of Dovistan's most powerful noble families. It is not hard to believe that this might lead you to falling into their sphere of influence. That's not even taking into consideration the possibility that you might create your own country. After all, the Tenundian Marshal Kiertesan is against the annexation, and would likely welcome a powerful ally capable of preventing it. He'd likely be willing to even allow you to take the throne yourself, should you manage to keep the country independent. If you factor in the orc tribes and Barren Islanders that would flock to your banner, you could easily make yourself a force to be reckoned with. One we would have little choice but to acknowledge given your achievements."

[Huh, I guess that makes sense. In that light, I can see why someone who didn't know me might view me as a threat. Honestly though, I'm more surprised that anyone is actually worried about Lily having the wherewithal to influence me in that manner. Anyone who's talked to her for more than a few minutes would know that's an irrational fear.] Mike thought to himself as he examined the situation.

[Wait...who were the Barren Islanders again? Have I ever had any dealings with them?]

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "I can assure you, that I have no intention of doing anything of the sort."

The Third Prince smiled again. "I believe you, but I feel it is in our best interests to at least make a token gesture to both reassure the people of Almir and signal to the rest of the world that you are, at least in name, a friend and ally of our country. Which is why I suggest that the kingdom bestow Mike with the title of Sebastos."

This mainly earned a bunch of confused looks from the rest of the room, with one notable exception.

"Ha! That's perfect!" Nathaniel exclaimed gleefully, "That would really stick it to those bastards on the council." He glanced over at his younger brother. "No wonder you got the better of me over these last few months. When did you get so devious?"

Johnathan frowned. "I'm not sure I follow…"

"Ugh. I fear for the future of this country with such a dullard at its head. The title Sebastos dates back to the Pyrathien Empire, and was originally given to direct relatives of the Imperial Family to differentiate them from other lesser nobles."

"That doesn't sound like a solution-" The First Prince started, only to have Matthew cut him off.

"During the Empire's decline, it took on a different meaning. When the provinces started rebelling and forming their own countries, it was used by the Emperor to honor the new rulers, while still maintaining his preminece over them. Since the recognition of the Pyrathean Empire was valuable to those unstable governments during those chaotic times, most quickly accepted the title. There was even a period of time where several countries actually referred to their royal families as Sebastoi, although it has fallen out of use since then."

"But aren't we trying to avoid having Mike become a ruler? Won't this send the wrong message?"

Nathaniel butted in again. "That's the beauty of it! By falling back to the Pyrathien traditions, we can signal to the rest of the Inland Sea Region that we're not only still powerful, but will soon achieve a level of national strength that will rival the Empire of old. Considering how weak we've looked these last few months, this is exactly the kind of thing we need. At the same time, we can elevate this guy to a position slightly below the king as a means of recognizing his contributions, demonstrate an almost family-like relationship with him, and ensure that other powers will think twice before trying to seduce him to their causes. Since it's purely an honorary title that doesn't come with any inherent rights or responsibilities, there is nothing to prevent him from galavanting about as he pleases.��

Johnathan looked thoughtful for a few moments before glancing at Mike. "That does seem to be an elegant solution. Would that be acceptable to you?"

[Doesn't sound too bad...Still, I feel like I should consult with Sera before making any decisions. There may be some factors I'm unaware of.]

Perhaps sensing his hesitation, Matthew added. "You don't have to decide right now. The awards ceremony is scheduled for tomorrow. Just let us know before then, so we can make it official."

Mike nodded gratefully, "I'll do that."

"Please rest assured that an empty title is not all that we intend to give you for your accomplishments." Johnathan added in a hurry. "We've quite literally opened the treasury to provide adequate compensation for all of the contributors to this war. Your name is, of course, on the top of the list."

Just as Mike was about to reply, Andrea stood up. She'd been grimly silent for the last few minutes, and her face was now a stony mask. "It seems that our negotiations for today are at an end, then. Forgive me for the discourtesy, Sir Dragonknight, but I'm afraid I have some business to attend to. If you would excuse me."

With that she stalked out of the room, quickly trailed by a slightly flustered looking Leona.

Matthew sighed and stood up himself. "I better go after her. Anyway, take care Mike. I'll see you tomorrow."

Following the Third Prince's departure, the remaining people in the room filed out until it was just him, Nathaniel, and the frail looking Royal Guardsman that seemed to be assigned to him.

As Mike moved to leave himself, the Second Prince coughed to get his attention. Despite that, he fidgeted for a few moments, looking increasingly irritated. Finally, he growled something deep in the back of his throat and started speaking. "Although it wasn't the best rescue, you did technically save me from the Tenundians. I suppose I should…"

He trailed off, and after a few seconds of awkward silence, Mike was beginning to wonder if he was supposed to say something. Finally, Nathaniel spoke again. "Grrr. Alright! You have my thanks! There, I said it!"

Grumbling, he swept out of the room himself, followed by his Royal Guardsman, who gave Mike a polite bow before leaving as well.

[Well, he certainly has a difficult personality. Reminds me a bit of Sera when I first met her.]

Heading back to the dining room, he hoped that this time he could at least score some food before the next interruption. He'd kept catching whiffs of the heavenly aroma over the last half hour, and he was seriously starting to get hungry.

[Now, if I can just make it to the table without-]

"Ah! There you are! I've been looking for you." A cheerful woman's voice rang out before he'd even managed to make it to the door.

[Oh for f**** sake!]

"What do you…" He trailed off as he caught sight of the speaker.

Cariel was wearing a scandalously revealing outfit that was vaguely reminiscent of a belly dancer's garb, albeit with trailing bits of multicolored cloth sewn into her sleeves, that fluttered behind her as she jogged over. Despite these additions, the ensemble did little to hide her figure.

[I knew Charisma was important for paladins, but…]

She marched up to him, took on a domineering pose, and pointed one finger at him. For a few seconds she stood there, mouth hanging slightly open as if she was about to speak.

Finally, she frowned and muttered, "I forgot what I was supposed to say."

Mike sighed. "Yeah, I figured that was the case. Well, come on. Let's get something to eat while you think about it." He said while leading the way into the dining room.

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Country/Region Descriptions part two: The Grand Duchy of Tenundi

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History

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The Grand Duchy was formed in the wake of the Day of Ashes from the territories belonging to Duke Tenund of Almir. In the months leading up to the calamity, the Duke had been involved in a rapidly escalating political conflict with the crown in regards to mining rights in the western Barrier Mountains. Following the creation of the Ashmourne and the devastation that resulted from it, he seized the chance to break free from royal control and found his own nation. By the time the Almirans were in a position to suppress the rebellious Duke, he'd already managed to both reinforce the new border and gain international recognition.

In the centuries that followed, Almir and Tenundi remained in a state of intermittent warfare that saw border raids conducted by both sides. During the Great War against Lacot did they set aside their differences long enough to help end the undead threat, but they were soon back at each other's throats.

Until recently, there was no real change to each nations' territories as raids and counter raids eventually led to the creation of a virtually uninhabited region north and northeast of Almirn. However, a succession struggle following the untimely illness of the King of Almir gave the current Duke of Tenundi an opening to launch an all-out invasion with virtually all of the Duchy's military resources.

This proved unwise in retrospect, as it allowed the Skull Lord Kultanis to swiftly conquer the Tenundian homeland, massacre its populace, and then raise them as undead to serve as cannon fodder for his army bent on cleansing the continent of the living.

With its territory in ruins, and the vast majority of its people slain by the Lacotian general, the Grand Duchy has largely ceased to exist.

Society

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Prior to it's destruction, Tenundian society closely resembled their Almiran neighbors, with a few key differences. While it was still a part of Almir, it was the region most closely tied with the Galaglacian dwarves to the north. So much so, that a significant number of them were in Tenundi on the Day of Ashes. These survivors chose to settle along the southern border of the soon to be renamed Barrier Mountains, forming a community of miners and craftsmen that became the basis of the Duchy's production economy.

Thanks to the dwarves' technical knowledge and the rich mineral resources in its northern regions, Tenundi swiftly became a major producer of manufactured products. The resulting increase in trade made Lewender into one of the most developed seaports in the world, rivaling even Bergel for the sheer volume of goods that passed through its docks. Unfortunately, Duke Tendund's descendants lacked the political and economic insight to utilize this advantage to its fullest extent, leaving Tenundi a relatively weak country despite its wealth.

Travelers who managed to cross the border from Almir, or perhaps arrived by ship from a neutral nation, would notice that most Tenundian cities closely resembled their eastern neighbors with only one notable difference. Because of the lack of an established magic university, mages were relatively uncommon in the Duchy, and the few that did make their home within its borders were usually foreigners of questionable loyalty. As a result, many of the modern magical conveniences that inhabitants of the Inland Sea Region have come to take for granted, were absent from Tenundi. Instead, they relied on scientific or alchemical solutions devices to meet their needs.

Commoners enjoyed relative prosperity prior to the country's destruction, and had a slightly higher quality of life than many of their peers in other parts of the Inland Sea Region. However, Tenundi's autocratic and stable government meant that there were few opportunities for advancement, and only on rare occasions did the common folk rise above the conditions of their birth. Additionally, the rights of nobles over their tenants, and commoners in general, were far more comprehensive compared to the Almirans, leading to the kind of abuses that were frequently associated with more despotic regimes.

Political System

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The Grand Duchy's government superficially resembled that of Almir's in the sense that the ruler held ultimate authority, and passed that along to the numerous noble landlords that governed individual regions. However, due its origin as the territorial holdings of a single, powerful Duke, Tenundi's feudal structure was far more stable than that of their neighbor's. As a result, most of their nobles could trace their lineage back to the original vassals of Duke Tenund and it was extremely uncommon for new noble houses to arise.

This eventually led to the creation of a sharp distinction between noble and commoner classes, with the nobles monopolizing most of the country's resources. Despite several peasant uprisings over the course of its history, the common folk of Tenundi never succeeded in winning much in the way of concessions from their overlords.

Unlike in Almiran cities, commoners rarely held positions of power in Tenundi, as most government jobs are filled with the younger sons and daughters of the nobility, who would not inherit territory, and would otherwise not have a means of supporting themselves. Guilds were present, but strictly regulated by the noble rulers of individual cities, limiting their influence outside of their particular industries.

Following its conquest and destruction by the Skull Lord Kultanis, Tenundi has largely ceased to exist as a country. Annexation by Almir is the most likely outcome of their current uncertain status, but it has yet to be officially announced.

Chapter end