An unexpected guest
Lord Jalokivi's rise had not been entirely predictable. His father had been the retainer of a minor lord, Baron Kurakav, a fat and corrupt man who was good for putting up a show and not much else. He was an impotent ruler, a poor administrator and an all-round liability to the kingdom as a whole. After years of loyal service, he had called Sir Jalokovi to his court to award him with... A rocky, barren outcrop.
"It is our dearest hope" he had said "that you shall take these rich and fertile lands and turn them into a shining example of what all drow should hope to achieve. With some hard wark, you shall be the envy of Tsunatontu!"
Sir Jalokivi could do nothing splutter a thanks. The act was an insult to his honour, and everyone knew it. Sir Jalokivi was everything Kurakav was not. He was kind, loyal, charitable and popular. Kurakav saw this as a threat to what trappings of power he had. So he got rid of his imagined rival in the smartest way he could think of - granting him his own dominion where Jalokivi was even more impotent than the Baron. Everyone at court was aware of what the Baron had done, including Jalokivi. But he dared not call the Baron out. After all, who could justify insulting a man for granting them their own land?
It was while surveying his land with a few friends for the sign of something they could use it that they first found the caves. At first, it seemed like just a hole in the rock, but as they explored it further, they discovered a vast and expansive cavern, the walls lined with rich, untapped veins of iron and silver ore. Baron Kurakav had just granted Jalokivi the richest iron deposit in all Tsunatontu.
When the Baron found out, he was furious. He ordered that Jalokivi give the lands back. Such an act, however, breached their fuedal contract, and Jalokivi found himself backed by an unlikely coalition of peasants, merchants and nobles alike. Kurakov had no dependable allies and when the dust settled it was Jalokivi who had won. The greedy Baron was stripped of his titles by the local Count, who granted them to the victorious Jalokivi, before having the traitor executed for his crimes.
Jalokivi had told the story of his father's battle against the foul Kurakov many times. It was always a crowd pleaser. It was his mines that kept the Tsunatontu armies armed, his iron that made up the blades of the peasants' ploughs. And now, with this new deal with the far-off Amazons, it would be his iron the King would be buying in bulk to send to them for gold.
He knew he shouldn't be bitter. He was being paid for his services, after all. But he knew how politics worked. The Count demanded a large portion of the iron be kept back for his purchase, and took the lion's share of any profits the Baron made beyond that. The Duke, in turn, did the same to the Count, and the King to the Duke. A clever system. In theory, in meant all the nobles were paid according to their station. In practice, it meany whenever there was a deal like this one, almost all the gold went to the King, the Duke and the Count, while the Baron, the one actually producing all the iron, saw barely a trickle of the profits. All around him where other Barons desperate to get a slice of the action - if he dared oppose even the Count, he would find no support amongst his peers. Opposing the King? Out of the question. He simply had to grit his teeth and smile as his money found its way into other people's coffers.
It had been a clear, dry night and the Baron had been planning on having a quiet night in. He and his top lieutenants were in his manor's smoking room, decanting some bitter Sima and playing a few games of chess when a messenger arrived at the door.
"So sorry to bother you, M'lord, but a most important guest has arrived at the door. You'll want to greet him personally, sir"
Who could it possibly be? The count? The duke, mayhap? The Baron got up and went to go see.
The figure standing at the door was dressed in a dark riding cloak, but he could not hide the fine quality of his clothing. He wore little jewellery, but his hair was long and he had no beard, a sure sign of his noble status. One glance at his hip, at the gem-encrusted haft of his saber, told the Baron this was no petty lord like himself. But it was only as he let him in that he caught sight of the signet ring on his finger.
"I hate to disturb you at such a time of night" said Prince Iyiiro "But I have an important proposition for you that simply cannot wait until we next happen to meet by chance."
The Baron bowed deeply "Why, my lord, it is no disturbance at all! Please, come, sit by the fire! Tis a biting cold night, and you must have travelled far!"
The lieutenants were dismissed from the smoking room as the Baron's servants fetched the Prince a bottle of the good Sima. Once the formalities were out the way and both men had a glass, the Baron finally asked what it was that brought the royal son all the way out here.
The Prince did not answer immediately. "It is a shame that you should live in such a small manor, Baron. Your mines are the lifeblood of bith our armies and our farmers, yet you live in the kind of home any good merchant could buy."
The Baron's answer was even "It is a home befitting of my station, my lord"
"Oh, I meant no disrespect. It is a fine place, filled with fine people." The Prince responded. "But a man of your importance should not be content with merely 'fine'. 'Fine' is for the businessman, for the man who has made his money and is content not to make any more. 'Fine' is for the retired man, who wants somewhere cozy to live out the rest of his days. But you, good Baron... 'fine' is far too low for a man of your stature"
"I hope you did not travel from the capital merely to pass judgements on the suitability of my house" the Baron raised an eyebrow.
The Prince shook his head "Of course not. In fact, I come with a deal. One that I think may interest you greatly"
The Baron had not been the most active participant in politics. But even he could not fail to notice the air of conspiracy that seemed to hang in the air. "Go on..."
"As I'm sure you're aware, we still have lands that belong to our people in the hands of a foreign power. Our people, toiling under strangers. Tyrants exploiting our brothers and sisters for their own selfish ends. This needs to stop."
"My lord, we are already preparing for war. A border guard has been set up, my workers are pulling double shifts..."
The prince interrupted "We are ready for the war, Baron. Yet the King... My father... He continues to dither. He shows no spine when it comes to reclaiming our ancestral lands. It is as though he does not wish to go to war"
The Baron sat and thought for a moment. If the Prince was saying what he thought he was saying... "I'm sure His Majesty is simply preparing for every eventuality"
"Or waiting for a way out." The prince noted wryly. "I can see no reason why he shows hesitation. He has the men, the weapons, the support... Now he seems determined to fritter away our steel on consorting with... Savages."
The baron winced. The trade had been a sore spot for him. Not that he disagreed with it, but it was supposed to enrich them all. But he had gained nothing. If he, a noble, had not seen any major changes, then what would the peasants gain? This was a deal that only benefitted the King.
"You think we shouldn't have traded with the Amazons?" Asked the Baron.
"I think that decision should have been left in the hands of the man who's iron is being traded, not the King." Said the Prince. "Especially with the war coming. It shows that, once again, Father cares only about his own wallet and not his subjects - noble or common."
Yes. It was hard to find fault with the young Prince's words. Harsh as he sounded, everything he said was true. "So what do you hope to do?"
"I want to force his hand. Find out where his loyalties truly lie." The Prince looked down at his glass, trembling with... Fury? Anticipation? Nerves? It was hard to say. "I am gathering as many true patriots of Tsunatontu as I can. On my own, i have had no luck convincing the King to abandon his avarice and think of the people. He thinks, because of our ancestry, that ypu will remain loyal to him no matter what he does. He would sacrifice our nation to satisfy his own greed, and he expects us all to go along with it."
"Thats not going to happen. If I can gather enough men, enough nobles like yourself, to back me up, maybe tigether we can show him that Tsunatontu is not his personal playground. Maybe we can show him he can't do what he wants. And maybe we can force him to start this war and bring justice to our brothers and sisters across the border."
"And if he doesn't listen to us?"
The Prince smiled thinly. "Then I need enough men to help me throw a tyrant off his throne."
The Baron needed a moment to think. Moving against the King like this... Was that not treason? If anyone knew they even had this talk, his neck would be in the chopping block. And yet everything the Prince had said was true. The King had overstepped his authority by using the Baron's mines. The very fact the Count could reserve iron without paying for it was an affront to the Baron's authority. These were his lands, dammit! Why was he forced to sacrifice what he and his workers had achieved to fund some foreigners adventures?
But could he trust the Prince? "What will you have me do?"
"Just give me your word that when the time is right, you will back me up. Whether that be with words or with steel."
Seemed simple enough. "And what do I have to gain from this?"
"You mean other than greater autonomy, control over your own mines and a guarantee that any profits you make, you keep?" The prince smiled a little wider "Its no secret you're the only real moneymaker in the county - no, the duchy. You should have a title that fits your power"
Increased authority in his owm lands, more money and a new title? It seemed almost too good to be true. With minimum committment, the Baron could do for his children whatnhis father had done for him. He could leave behind a legacy he could be proud of - and change the shape of Tsunatontu politics forever.
"Alright. You have my support, my Prince."
As the Prince offered a profound thanks, the Baron finished his Sima. Soon, he thought, soon the time would come where his contributions would finally be recognised. With the Prince on the throne, he would finally earn what he was rightfully due.
