Orc Dominion: Elfin Descent Ch. 02

At the end of the hall, his mother and brother were seated in their thrones, raised up on a dais above Weylan and himself. It rankled that he had to kneel to his brother, but Trogar managed to hide his distaste. He needed both of them still if he were to secure his own position in the Eflish Isles, especially now that the first challenge had arisen.

"Now that Prince Trogar has arrived, we can hear your petition, Master Weylan." Jeanette looked a mixture of amused and annoyed at her son. Apparently she realized just what Trogar had been up to.

"Forgive me Your Highness, I was away seeing to the recruitment of the new special staff for the castle that we discussed when I got your message. Fortunately I can report that I was successful." Trogar smiled up at his mother. She was wearing a short, tight, burgundy dress that ended well above the knees. From her postion above him it was almost impossible not to look up her skirt, and higher than that wasn't much better. Her dress was extremely low-cut, revealing the Queen's incredibly generous cleavage. He had seen many of the 'portraits' of his mother as a younger woman around the castle, and while she had been well-endowed then the birth of a dozen children and made her bosom swell to an even greater proportion. Even after sating himself with the two elfen twins he felt a stirring that he tried to quickly push down. "Do the Gem Cutters have a petition for us?"

"Yes, we do. Please Your Highnesses, this, ill-advised embargo of the Elfish Isles must end. It is crushing commerce in the city. Without the precious gems from the Elfs my cutters have no work. The merchants have nothing to sell, the Thestans and Sandorans have nothing to buy! The entire system of trade that has made Zentara the wealthiest Kingdom is falling apart!" The Master of the Gem Cutter's Guild was a relatively young man, which gave him the energy and conviction needed to protest against the royal decree. With a lighter hair and complexion, he probably had Thestan or Sandoran blood in him. Many of the merchant families married across the border to secure lucrative business deals.

"Surely it is not all bad as that. Zentara is rich in gold and silver. Your enammalers and goldsmiths should have plenty of work to do." The King interjected.

"Yes, they do, for now. But without the gem trade there is less of a market for them. Merchants are making less money, and nobles don't want fine metal without gems. Something must be done, My King!"

"Something will be done, Master. We have received a pigeon from the Elfs stating that they are sending an emissary to resolve our dispute. Negotiations will soon be under was and I am sure that this matter will be resolved to everyone's satisfaction." Jeanette smiled patiently at Weylan for a moment before rising up from the throne. As she stood, her legs parted for just a moment and the sight made the already flushed Guild Master redden just a little more.

Jeanette walked down the dais and placed her arm around Weylan. "You must trust your King and Queen. Haven't we made you and your brothers rich? Who is a greater patron of your art than I? Rest assured, when this matter is resolved you'll have a greater and cheaper access to the gems of the Elfs then you ever dreamed possible."

The possibility of cheaper gems seemed to mollify the Guild Master, though only somewhat. "That would certainly do much to offset to losses we have suffered, Your Highness. But I must inform you that relief will have to come soon or my people will be out of work."

"Mother, weren't you thinking of opening the vault and using some of your gems as decorations and gifts for the Victory Festivel? I'm sure that would keep our friends the Gem Cutters fed while I negotiate with the Elfs." Trogar gave Weylan a sacharrine smile.

"What an excellent idea, brother!" The King chimed in genially. "The Princess-Knight of Thesta herself is coming, and we will need a gift worthy of a visiting royal."

"Indeed, and as the Princess of the Elfs will be here, we shall need something for her as well. I'll have my steward make the arrangements?" Jeanette asked the Guild Master.

"Yes, that would be wonderful My Queen. You have my thanks, Your Highnesses." Weylan returned the smile, though it was strained. "I shall pray for a speedy conclusion to your negotiations." The Guild Master quickly departed after being dismissed by the King.

"He's satisfied for now, but it won't last forever." Said Grotok. "You're going to have to work on the Elfish Princess quickly. Supplying those gems to the Gemcutters is going to cost us a fortune. If all the other Guilds are going to want bribes we'll be bankrupt before the new year."

"We'll need to buy the Masons and Miners for sure." Jeanette remarked. "They're the most influential, if we can win them to our side they will be able to keep the rest of the Guild at bay long enough for Trogar to woo the young princess."

"You know I have quite the way with the ladies, mother. That won't be a problem. As for the Stonemasons, I suggest we order some new fortifications for the Hades Pass. A castle or two would give them all the incentive they need to support us."

"Thesta might take that the wrong way." Jeanette replied dryly.

Trogar gave his mother a smug grin. "We're undermining the economy of our biggest trading partner to try and put your son on the throne. After me you've got nine more children. Do you think Thesta and Sandora won't start to wonder what your intentions are for them?"

"Thesta supported us in our last war with Heste and put your brother on the throne. Think they would have done that if they expected treachery? Princess Amelie herself fought by my side." Grotok chuckled gutturally.

"At her father's behest," commented Jeanette, "but he is old and eager to keep us appeased. Amelie is young and eager to fight. She will see our actions for what they are, whether we reinforce the Hades Pass or not."

"The question remains then, whether buying the loyalty of the Stonemasons is worth annoying Thesta. I say it is, for my part."

"Of course you do," snorted Grotok, "this is your scheme for the throne you're trying to win."

"Sooner or later, we'll be at war with Thesta. When it comes, we'll want those fortifications in the Pass. Better to build them now when the King will do nothing instead of wait for a Queen who might." Trogar looked to his mother for support.

Jeanette thought about it for a moment. "Trogar is right. The forts will take years to complete and there is no way of knowing when the next war will come. Better to get work started now."

A deep frown crossed Grotok's lips. "I don't like how casually you assume that war will come with Thesta. They are our allies, and we may yet win them over peacefully."

"You know Amelie better than any of us," said Jeanette, "Do you think she'll marry her son, if she has one, to your sister? Or her sister to your brother? Or your son?"

Silence hung heavy in the air, and before Grotok had a chance to answer, Trogar jumped in, "Well, I think that answers that. We won't be able to win the Silk Merchants or Goldsmiths, they are with the Gem Cutters. We've done good business for the Blacksmiths though, so we should be able to win them. We'll have to win more of the lesser guilds in order to win the Council."

Jeanette nodded thoughtfully. "The Bakers, Butchers, and Brewers will all win lucrative contracts with the victory celebrations. I think we can get the support of the Tanners and Breeders as well. If the Blacksmiths bring the other armor and weapon guilds, we will be able to hold them at bay for a while."

"Well Trogar? How fast will you be able to woo the Princess? I hope you have a plan for it; you won't be able to just throw coins at her like you do your whores." Grotok laughed boisterously. "But that's the only way a tiny little thing like you can get a girl, right?"

Trogar bristled at his brother's insults. His older brothers never let him forget that he was the smallest, and didn't seem to care that he was the cleverest. Well, more fool them, and all the more reason for him to secure a crown of his own. "Oh she might be stubborn lass, but she loves her people. It's all about finding the right levers."