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It had only been a few months since the news broke that Nicomedes of Valaoritis had died unexpectedly while attending dinner with his family. He had been a man filled with great political potential, but that had not saved him from being struck down in his prime without any sort of warning that something was amiss. As he was unmarried with no children -- bastard or legitimate -- the title of Baron of Eubocris had fallen to the man’s younger brother Timaeus; a promising young military captain. Many in Colchis had waited with baited breath for the young man to emerge from his family’s grief to see what sort of leader he would be and even in the few short months he had been at the helm there appeared to be some sort of hope within the man who now held the long-established legacy of the Valaoritis family resting upon his shoulders. Although he might have been cold and seemingly aloof where his brother had been warm and inviting, it was through his inexperienced hand that Eubocrisian production had not been affected by the tragedy that struck the province. Of course, there were rumors abound that Timaeus relied too heavily on his brother’s councilors -- kept on into his own tenure as Baron. However, that seemed to not matter as the new Valaoritis lord put on the front that everything was alright on the Eubocrisian front in the wake of such a terrible, personal loss.
Behind closed doors though? Timaeus was struggling. Not only did he have to personally sort through his own overwhelming feelings of grief for not only for Nicomedes, but he had also simultaneously been thrust into a position of power that he had never thought that he would hold. All of his life, Timaeus had been the unneeded spare. He had been allowed to follow his own pursuits and encouraged to build a name for himself in the military as no one genuinely believed that he would outlive the ox that was his older brother. Even if he did by some stroke of misfortune, everyone had assumed that his equally strong father would be around to show Timaeus what he needed to know if the gods decided that he would one day wear the title of baron. But they were both dead. One struck down by a cruelly slow sickness and the other from a weakened heart. There was no one left to show Timaeus what he needed to do. No one was there to tell Timaeus how to keep his family together as this second death shattered every single one of them. His mother’s memory was failing her. His cousin refused to leave her rooms. Who the fuck knew where Silanos had run off too.
Timaeus had never felt so alone in his entire life.
He was truly fighting to stay above the waters that were threatening to drown him as Timaeus made the rough transition from military captain to Senator. All at once, countless responsibilities had been thrust upon him and he was simply not prepared for it. Timaeus didn’t know a damn thing about tax collection or trade quotas, but the world expected him to be an expert on it in regards to Eubocris. Truly, it wasn’t that much of a surprise that Timaeus had been avoiding attending any actual Senate meetings for as long as he could. As a man who had spent his younger years wishing to escape Colchis and his later years serving in a strict military capacity, he felt as if he would be a fish out of water among seasoned politicians and heads of houses.
Timaeus wasn’t exactly wrong either. At twenty-two years old, the only experience that the Valaoritis bore when he walked into the grand foyer of the Senate chamber was that he brought from his position of Captain. That had taught him how to at least be a leader with their shit somewhat together, but it offered very little preparation in how to debate policy. He was so out of his depth that it was almost heartbreaking. The newly minted Baron could only thank his lucky stars that his family had made themselves out to be staunch Kotas supporters so he just needed to watch for Prince Zanon voted to figure out where he should stand on certain topics. His strategy thus far had centered entirely around this coupled with the notion of not opening his mouth unless he absolutely had to. There was no need for him to make a fool of himself if there was no reason for him to do so.
Both of these methods combined had allowed Timaeus to skate on by the edge of his teeth in the handful of Senate meetings that he had attended, however, the Baron of Eubocris knew that he was not going to be able to rely on this forever. It just wasn’t in his nature. Timaeus knew that he was a bit of an opinionated man and his time in the military had taught him how to call out bullshit when he saw it. His vote belonged to the Kotas right now as Timaeus knew that this was what he was supposed to do as a Valaoritis. However, what would happen if push came to shove and the family he owed his nobility to decided on a policy that he didn’t agree with fundamentally? What would be more important to him, his duty or his beliefs?
Timaeus wasn’t sure what the answer would be and he hoped that he would never have to face a situation like this at least for a few years. That way he could at least earn some experience and some respect among the other senators before he would be called upon to make a possibly monumental decision for both himself and his family. However, what the Baron didn’t know was that in the dog fight that could be politics, no man could be afforded years to sort out what sort of leader that they wanted to be. Timaeus was already lucky that he had these few short months to figure his shit out. If he wasn’t ready to be tested, then it was tough luck for him because his time to decide where he stood was likely coming sooner than Timaeus could ever hope that it would.
There were news reports filtering in from the northern provinces that the border of Laconia was being commandeered by Bandits. Nearly everyone who left the Drakos province had been accosted by these outlaws for weeks, but not a single one of them had been captured. That seemed to imply that they were far more organized than a small band of foolish peasants trying to make some quick coin. Stating that this was merely worrisome was a bit of an understatement. Laconia was essential to the Colchian economy as it was the only province in the entire kingdom that could support wide-scale farming as it lacked the rocky mountains and arid soil that the rest of Colchis was known for throughout the Greecian realm. The province was the lifeline for the entire kingdom and if the bandits merely disrupted the supply route in the upcoming harvest month, people would starve to death. There was no doubt about it in the minds of any Colchian who knew what was at stake here.
That’s why it seemed to be the topic on everyone’s lips as Timaeus made his way to his seat in the large chamber. Normally this time before the meeting was called was reserved for mingling between the Senators. This was the perfect time for some last-minute gossip to be shared or for desperate men to attempt to lobby those last few votes needed for their measures to be passed. Timaeus didn’t have much patience for this sort of chit-chat, still having the hot blood of a young adventurer roaring through his veins. He was more the type of man who eagerly wanted to get everything over with as quickly as possible, but that seemed to be an unlikely course of action today as a crowd formed around Lady Tythra of Drakos and her Laconian representative, all suggesting ideas on what could be done about the bandits in the north before they caused an irreversible amount of damage.
Timaeus was not going to join their ranks. Beyond the mere fact that it did not mesh well with his personality, the leader of the Valaoritis clan didn’t know what to make of the fact that there was a woman serving as a Senator. The concept itself was not that foreign as Timaeus had been a child when the Princess was required to take up the mantle of responsibility for her late husband’s house. He had grown up knowing that the Princess was a voting member of the Senate, but Timaeus wasn’t sure what to think of her still remaining a senator all these years later. He didn’t really concern himself much with the affairs of other houses, but if he remembered correctly, the woman’s eldest daughter was now of age. She could easily be married and her husband take on the responsibility of Senator. That’s at least what Tim would have expected if he was asked for his two cents on the matter as he couldn’t fathom why a woman would want to remain apart of this male sphere. His culture wasn’t built to allow women the type of freedom that Tythra enjoyed nor did it allow men like himself the chance to consider that maybe it wasn’t that outlandish for a woman to build a name for herself in the same right that any man could. Both concepts were practically foreign to him. Now granted, Timaeus didn’t necessarily have strong feelings for Tythra in either direction given her position in life… he just merely didn’t understand her motivations. Any confusion or fear she dredged up in his mind merely came from this and as Princess Tythra’s position in the Senate did not directly affect him; Timaeus had no reason to outwardly make any sort of stance on the matter. Not that it was any of his business anyway.
However, it seemed to be that it might become his business as some snippets of conversation began to filter towards him. As he was not directly a part of the conversation, he could not hear what specifically was being said -- but from the snippets that he could her, it appeared to be that the Drakos were going to need some help in rooting out the Bandits in the north and they were likely to turn to the Kotas military forces for that assistance. This rumor that rose above the din perked Timaeus’s ears up as that directly affected him. Although his family’s Kotas blood and Tythra’s origins would assume that Timaeus would be all for this, the new Baron had mixed feelings about this supposed proposal -- if what he was hearing was correct. Timaeus recognized that the roads in and out of Laconia were vital to the Colchian economy and should be protected at all costs. Though was this the job of the Kotas vassals when the Drakos seemingly had a massive army of their own that they could call upon. Timaeus had only just become Baron and his family was barely tolerated in Eubocris. How would his citizens react if they learned that there was talk of sending their husbands and sons up north to do the dirty work for another royal family?
To say that he was a bit apprehensive about all of this was a bit of an understatement as the call to order resounded through the Dikastirio, encouraging everyone to take their seats for the tally of those present to be conducted. An uneasy air settled over the Senate as all eyes turned to Tythra, knowing full well that the issue of Laconia was going to be the first matter of business on the table and she was likely going to speak on the matter -- describing what she needed and making her case to the Kotas present to support whatever measures were likely needing to be taken. It was a bit unnecessary as they were more than likely to supply what she required, but Timaeus still had to bite his tongue as he might not hold the same opinion as to his vassal house.
It was just a matter of seeing what Princess Tythra had in mind when it came down to laying down the law of the land.
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It had only been a few months since the news broke that Nicomedes of Valaoritis had died unexpectedly while attending dinner with his family. He had been a man filled with great political potential, but that had not saved him from being struck down in his prime without any sort of warning that something was amiss. As he was unmarried with no children -- bastard or legitimate -- the title of Baron of Eubocris had fallen to the man’s younger brother Timaeus; a promising young military captain. Many in Colchis had waited with baited breath for the young man to emerge from his family’s grief to see what sort of leader he would be and even in the few short months he had been at the helm there appeared to be some sort of hope within the man who now held the long-established legacy of the Valaoritis family resting upon his shoulders. Although he might have been cold and seemingly aloof where his brother had been warm and inviting, it was through his inexperienced hand that Eubocrisian production had not been affected by the tragedy that struck the province. Of course, there were rumors abound that Timaeus relied too heavily on his brother’s councilors -- kept on into his own tenure as Baron. However, that seemed to not matter as the new Valaoritis lord put on the front that everything was alright on the Eubocrisian front in the wake of such a terrible, personal loss.
Behind closed doors though? Timaeus was struggling. Not only did he have to personally sort through his own overwhelming feelings of grief for not only for Nicomedes, but he had also simultaneously been thrust into a position of power that he had never thought that he would hold. All of his life, Timaeus had been the unneeded spare. He had been allowed to follow his own pursuits and encouraged to build a name for himself in the military as no one genuinely believed that he would outlive the ox that was his older brother. Even if he did by some stroke of misfortune, everyone had assumed that his equally strong father would be around to show Timaeus what he needed to know if the gods decided that he would one day wear the title of baron. But they were both dead. One struck down by a cruelly slow sickness and the other from a weakened heart. There was no one left to show Timaeus what he needed to do. No one was there to tell Timaeus how to keep his family together as this second death shattered every single one of them. His mother’s memory was failing her. His cousin refused to leave her rooms. Who the fuck knew where Silanos had run off too.
Timaeus had never felt so alone in his entire life.
He was truly fighting to stay above the waters that were threatening to drown him as Timaeus made the rough transition from military captain to Senator. All at once, countless responsibilities had been thrust upon him and he was simply not prepared for it. Timaeus didn’t know a damn thing about tax collection or trade quotas, but the world expected him to be an expert on it in regards to Eubocris. Truly, it wasn’t that much of a surprise that Timaeus had been avoiding attending any actual Senate meetings for as long as he could. As a man who had spent his younger years wishing to escape Colchis and his later years serving in a strict military capacity, he felt as if he would be a fish out of water among seasoned politicians and heads of houses.
Timaeus wasn’t exactly wrong either. At twenty-two years old, the only experience that the Valaoritis bore when he walked into the grand foyer of the Senate chamber was that he brought from his position of Captain. That had taught him how to at least be a leader with their shit somewhat together, but it offered very little preparation in how to debate policy. He was so out of his depth that it was almost heartbreaking. The newly minted Baron could only thank his lucky stars that his family had made themselves out to be staunch Kotas supporters so he just needed to watch for Prince Zanon voted to figure out where he should stand on certain topics. His strategy thus far had centered entirely around this coupled with the notion of not opening his mouth unless he absolutely had to. There was no need for him to make a fool of himself if there was no reason for him to do so.
Both of these methods combined had allowed Timaeus to skate on by the edge of his teeth in the handful of Senate meetings that he had attended, however, the Baron of Eubocris knew that he was not going to be able to rely on this forever. It just wasn’t in his nature. Timaeus knew that he was a bit of an opinionated man and his time in the military had taught him how to call out bullshit when he saw it. His vote belonged to the Kotas right now as Timaeus knew that this was what he was supposed to do as a Valaoritis. However, what would happen if push came to shove and the family he owed his nobility to decided on a policy that he didn’t agree with fundamentally? What would be more important to him, his duty or his beliefs?
Timaeus wasn’t sure what the answer would be and he hoped that he would never have to face a situation like this at least for a few years. That way he could at least earn some experience and some respect among the other senators before he would be called upon to make a possibly monumental decision for both himself and his family. However, what the Baron didn’t know was that in the dog fight that could be politics, no man could be afforded years to sort out what sort of leader that they wanted to be. Timaeus was already lucky that he had these few short months to figure his shit out. If he wasn’t ready to be tested, then it was tough luck for him because his time to decide where he stood was likely coming sooner than Timaeus could ever hope that it would.
There were news reports filtering in from the northern provinces that the border of Laconia was being commandeered by Bandits. Nearly everyone who left the Drakos province had been accosted by these outlaws for weeks, but not a single one of them had been captured. That seemed to imply that they were far more organized than a small band of foolish peasants trying to make some quick coin. Stating that this was merely worrisome was a bit of an understatement. Laconia was essential to the Colchian economy as it was the only province in the entire kingdom that could support wide-scale farming as it lacked the rocky mountains and arid soil that the rest of Colchis was known for throughout the Greecian realm. The province was the lifeline for the entire kingdom and if the bandits merely disrupted the supply route in the upcoming harvest month, people would starve to death. There was no doubt about it in the minds of any Colchian who knew what was at stake here.
That’s why it seemed to be the topic on everyone’s lips as Timaeus made his way to his seat in the large chamber. Normally this time before the meeting was called was reserved for mingling between the Senators. This was the perfect time for some last-minute gossip to be shared or for desperate men to attempt to lobby those last few votes needed for their measures to be passed. Timaeus didn’t have much patience for this sort of chit-chat, still having the hot blood of a young adventurer roaring through his veins. He was more the type of man who eagerly wanted to get everything over with as quickly as possible, but that seemed to be an unlikely course of action today as a crowd formed around Lady Tythra of Drakos and her Laconian representative, all suggesting ideas on what could be done about the bandits in the north before they caused an irreversible amount of damage.
Timaeus was not going to join their ranks. Beyond the mere fact that it did not mesh well with his personality, the leader of the Valaoritis clan didn’t know what to make of the fact that there was a woman serving as a Senator. The concept itself was not that foreign as Timaeus had been a child when the Princess was required to take up the mantle of responsibility for her late husband’s house. He had grown up knowing that the Princess was a voting member of the Senate, but Timaeus wasn’t sure what to think of her still remaining a senator all these years later. He didn’t really concern himself much with the affairs of other houses, but if he remembered correctly, the woman’s eldest daughter was now of age. She could easily be married and her husband take on the responsibility of Senator. That’s at least what Tim would have expected if he was asked for his two cents on the matter as he couldn’t fathom why a woman would want to remain apart of this male sphere. His culture wasn’t built to allow women the type of freedom that Tythra enjoyed nor did it allow men like himself the chance to consider that maybe it wasn’t that outlandish for a woman to build a name for herself in the same right that any man could. Both concepts were practically foreign to him. Now granted, Timaeus didn’t necessarily have strong feelings for Tythra in either direction given her position in life… he just merely didn’t understand her motivations. Any confusion or fear she dredged up in his mind merely came from this and as Princess Tythra’s position in the Senate did not directly affect him; Timaeus had no reason to outwardly make any sort of stance on the matter. Not that it was any of his business anyway.
However, it seemed to be that it might become his business as some snippets of conversation began to filter towards him. As he was not directly a part of the conversation, he could not hear what specifically was being said -- but from the snippets that he could her, it appeared to be that the Drakos were going to need some help in rooting out the Bandits in the north and they were likely to turn to the Kotas military forces for that assistance. This rumor that rose above the din perked Timaeus’s ears up as that directly affected him. Although his family’s Kotas blood and Tythra’s origins would assume that Timaeus would be all for this, the new Baron had mixed feelings about this supposed proposal -- if what he was hearing was correct. Timaeus recognized that the roads in and out of Laconia were vital to the Colchian economy and should be protected at all costs. Though was this the job of the Kotas vassals when the Drakos seemingly had a massive army of their own that they could call upon. Timaeus had only just become Baron and his family was barely tolerated in Eubocris. How would his citizens react if they learned that there was talk of sending their husbands and sons up north to do the dirty work for another royal family?
To say that he was a bit apprehensive about all of this was a bit of an understatement as the call to order resounded through the Dikastirio, encouraging everyone to take their seats for the tally of those present to be conducted. An uneasy air settled over the Senate as all eyes turned to Tythra, knowing full well that the issue of Laconia was going to be the first matter of business on the table and she was likely going to speak on the matter -- describing what she needed and making her case to the Kotas present to support whatever measures were likely needing to be taken. It was a bit unnecessary as they were more than likely to supply what she required, but Timaeus still had to bite his tongue as he might not hold the same opinion as to his vassal house.
It was just a matter of seeing what Princess Tythra had in mind when it came down to laying down the law of the land.
It had only been a few months since the news broke that Nicomedes of Valaoritis had died unexpectedly while attending dinner with his family. He had been a man filled with great political potential, but that had not saved him from being struck down in his prime without any sort of warning that something was amiss. As he was unmarried with no children -- bastard or legitimate -- the title of Baron of Eubocris had fallen to the man’s younger brother Timaeus; a promising young military captain. Many in Colchis had waited with baited breath for the young man to emerge from his family’s grief to see what sort of leader he would be and even in the few short months he had been at the helm there appeared to be some sort of hope within the man who now held the long-established legacy of the Valaoritis family resting upon his shoulders. Although he might have been cold and seemingly aloof where his brother had been warm and inviting, it was through his inexperienced hand that Eubocrisian production had not been affected by the tragedy that struck the province. Of course, there were rumors abound that Timaeus relied too heavily on his brother’s councilors -- kept on into his own tenure as Baron. However, that seemed to not matter as the new Valaoritis lord put on the front that everything was alright on the Eubocrisian front in the wake of such a terrible, personal loss.
Behind closed doors though? Timaeus was struggling. Not only did he have to personally sort through his own overwhelming feelings of grief for not only for Nicomedes, but he had also simultaneously been thrust into a position of power that he had never thought that he would hold. All of his life, Timaeus had been the unneeded spare. He had been allowed to follow his own pursuits and encouraged to build a name for himself in the military as no one genuinely believed that he would outlive the ox that was his older brother. Even if he did by some stroke of misfortune, everyone had assumed that his equally strong father would be around to show Timaeus what he needed to know if the gods decided that he would one day wear the title of baron. But they were both dead. One struck down by a cruelly slow sickness and the other from a weakened heart. There was no one left to show Timaeus what he needed to do. No one was there to tell Timaeus how to keep his family together as this second death shattered every single one of them. His mother’s memory was failing her. His cousin refused to leave her rooms. Who the fuck knew where Silanos had run off too.
Timaeus had never felt so alone in his entire life.
He was truly fighting to stay above the waters that were threatening to drown him as Timaeus made the rough transition from military captain to Senator. All at once, countless responsibilities had been thrust upon him and he was simply not prepared for it. Timaeus didn’t know a damn thing about tax collection or trade quotas, but the world expected him to be an expert on it in regards to Eubocris. Truly, it wasn’t that much of a surprise that Timaeus had been avoiding attending any actual Senate meetings for as long as he could. As a man who had spent his younger years wishing to escape Colchis and his later years serving in a strict military capacity, he felt as if he would be a fish out of water among seasoned politicians and heads of houses.
Timaeus wasn’t exactly wrong either. At twenty-two years old, the only experience that the Valaoritis bore when he walked into the grand foyer of the Senate chamber was that he brought from his position of Captain. That had taught him how to at least be a leader with their shit somewhat together, but it offered very little preparation in how to debate policy. He was so out of his depth that it was almost heartbreaking. The newly minted Baron could only thank his lucky stars that his family had made themselves out to be staunch Kotas supporters so he just needed to watch for Prince Zanon voted to figure out where he should stand on certain topics. His strategy thus far had centered entirely around this coupled with the notion of not opening his mouth unless he absolutely had to. There was no need for him to make a fool of himself if there was no reason for him to do so.
Both of these methods combined had allowed Timaeus to skate on by the edge of his teeth in the handful of Senate meetings that he had attended, however, the Baron of Eubocris knew that he was not going to be able to rely on this forever. It just wasn’t in his nature. Timaeus knew that he was a bit of an opinionated man and his time in the military had taught him how to call out bullshit when he saw it. His vote belonged to the Kotas right now as Timaeus knew that this was what he was supposed to do as a Valaoritis. However, what would happen if push came to shove and the family he owed his nobility to decided on a policy that he didn’t agree with fundamentally? What would be more important to him, his duty or his beliefs?
Timaeus wasn’t sure what the answer would be and he hoped that he would never have to face a situation like this at least for a few years. That way he could at least earn some experience and some respect among the other senators before he would be called upon to make a possibly monumental decision for both himself and his family. However, what the Baron didn’t know was that in the dog fight that could be politics, no man could be afforded years to sort out what sort of leader that they wanted to be. Timaeus was already lucky that he had these few short months to figure his shit out. If he wasn’t ready to be tested, then it was tough luck for him because his time to decide where he stood was likely coming sooner than Timaeus could ever hope that it would.
There were news reports filtering in from the northern provinces that the border of Laconia was being commandeered by Bandits. Nearly everyone who left the Drakos province had been accosted by these outlaws for weeks, but not a single one of them had been captured. That seemed to imply that they were far more organized than a small band of foolish peasants trying to make some quick coin. Stating that this was merely worrisome was a bit of an understatement. Laconia was essential to the Colchian economy as it was the only province in the entire kingdom that could support wide-scale farming as it lacked the rocky mountains and arid soil that the rest of Colchis was known for throughout the Greecian realm. The province was the lifeline for the entire kingdom and if the bandits merely disrupted the supply route in the upcoming harvest month, people would starve to death. There was no doubt about it in the minds of any Colchian who knew what was at stake here.
That’s why it seemed to be the topic on everyone’s lips as Timaeus made his way to his seat in the large chamber. Normally this time before the meeting was called was reserved for mingling between the Senators. This was the perfect time for some last-minute gossip to be shared or for desperate men to attempt to lobby those last few votes needed for their measures to be passed. Timaeus didn’t have much patience for this sort of chit-chat, still having the hot blood of a young adventurer roaring through his veins. He was more the type of man who eagerly wanted to get everything over with as quickly as possible, but that seemed to be an unlikely course of action today as a crowd formed around Lady Tythra of Drakos and her Laconian representative, all suggesting ideas on what could be done about the bandits in the north before they caused an irreversible amount of damage.
Timaeus was not going to join their ranks. Beyond the mere fact that it did not mesh well with his personality, the leader of the Valaoritis clan didn’t know what to make of the fact that there was a woman serving as a Senator. The concept itself was not that foreign as Timaeus had been a child when the Princess was required to take up the mantle of responsibility for her late husband’s house. He had grown up knowing that the Princess was a voting member of the Senate, but Timaeus wasn’t sure what to think of her still remaining a senator all these years later. He didn’t really concern himself much with the affairs of other houses, but if he remembered correctly, the woman’s eldest daughter was now of age. She could easily be married and her husband take on the responsibility of Senator. That’s at least what Tim would have expected if he was asked for his two cents on the matter as he couldn’t fathom why a woman would want to remain apart of this male sphere. His culture wasn’t built to allow women the type of freedom that Tythra enjoyed nor did it allow men like himself the chance to consider that maybe it wasn’t that outlandish for a woman to build a name for herself in the same right that any man could. Both concepts were practically foreign to him. Now granted, Timaeus didn’t necessarily have strong feelings for Tythra in either direction given her position in life… he just merely didn’t understand her motivations. Any confusion or fear she dredged up in his mind merely came from this and as Princess Tythra’s position in the Senate did not directly affect him; Timaeus had no reason to outwardly make any sort of stance on the matter. Not that it was any of his business anyway.
However, it seemed to be that it might become his business as some snippets of conversation began to filter towards him. As he was not directly a part of the conversation, he could not hear what specifically was being said -- but from the snippets that he could her, it appeared to be that the Drakos were going to need some help in rooting out the Bandits in the north and they were likely to turn to the Kotas military forces for that assistance. This rumor that rose above the din perked Timaeus’s ears up as that directly affected him. Although his family’s Kotas blood and Tythra’s origins would assume that Timaeus would be all for this, the new Baron had mixed feelings about this supposed proposal -- if what he was hearing was correct. Timaeus recognized that the roads in and out of Laconia were vital to the Colchian economy and should be protected at all costs. Though was this the job of the Kotas vassals when the Drakos seemingly had a massive army of their own that they could call upon. Timaeus had only just become Baron and his family was barely tolerated in Eubocris. How would his citizens react if they learned that there was talk of sending their husbands and sons up north to do the dirty work for another royal family?
To say that he was a bit apprehensive about all of this was a bit of an understatement as the call to order resounded through the Dikastirio, encouraging everyone to take their seats for the tally of those present to be conducted. An uneasy air settled over the Senate as all eyes turned to Tythra, knowing full well that the issue of Laconia was going to be the first matter of business on the table and she was likely going to speak on the matter -- describing what she needed and making her case to the Kotas present to support whatever measures were likely needing to be taken. It was a bit unnecessary as they were more than likely to supply what she required, but Timaeus still had to bite his tongue as he might not hold the same opinion as to his vassal house.
It was just a matter of seeing what Princess Tythra had in mind when it came down to laying down the law of the land.
Nothing annoyed Tythra more than bandits- in particular when they get in the way of her finances. These bandits, however, in particular, have been a thorn in Tythra’s side. What had started as a small problem in Laconia, something that was up to the baron to take care of, have risen up the ranks. First, it was to Tythra, and now the entire senate.
What a headache.
Laconia was an important province in Colchis. With how mountainous the kingdom was, farmland was of short supply relegated to only Laconia. While the majority of the people were fed by trade with Athenia and Taengea, not all of their supply came from those two kingdoms. Laconia was important for the well being of all of Colchis. So for bandits- or rather very organized infiltrators- to make their way to her borders was a very important issue and worthy of a senate meeting.
However, there were a few other issues at hand. Primarily: Who’s border was it truly? While yes it was Laconia goods that were being stolen, it was a shared line between Drakos and Kotas. Who’s job was it when the bandits crossed over- Drakos or Kotas? The small nuances made this issue more difficult, and the need for cooperation ever prevalent.
Second: Laconia was large. And while she had a large unit to compensate for its size- without more intelligence on the matter of who infiltrated her border and how it was infiltrated, the Fifth Phalanx had a lot of land to cover blindly.
And thus the issue had made it’s way to the senate, where Tythra would have to ask for help. She did hate asking for help. But this was the very reason Tythra may assist others when they had issues- for when she required their vote back. Thus was the game of politics, a careful dance of relationships, and a constant shift of power.
“When last counted, Colchis’s population sits at 29,000 people. Of that 29,000, 40% of the kingdom’s food is grown there. Less than half, you may say. That 40% counts for 11,600 people, Colchian people. Not Drakos, all of us.” Tythra began her speech, standing in the middle of the room and looking at all the senators. Her voice was powerful- as powerful as any man sitting here. She did not waver, not like any other woman in her position would. She only spoke the truth- facts, data that cannot be ignored.
“We are almost upon our season for harvest,” Tythra continued. She made sure to make eye contact with every senator, making a mental note of those already checked out and those that seemed on the fence. “In one month Laconia will see its peek of food exports and should the problem not be settled by that time it is not Laconia, not the Drakos, but all of Colchis that would suffer. Stomachs would go hungry, the people, our people, will suffer.” This was no exaggeration. Should food continue to get stolen, should the problem not be solved- well, it’s not as if Colchis had an abundance of food.
“Laconia’s border is large, and without more information, there is far too much land to scour- even with their large forces. As we share a border with the Kotas, there is only so much Drakos forces can do without betraying military agreements between families.” She couldn’t send her men into Kotas land without causing troubles, of course. “Thus, for the good of Colchis, the sharing of information and reinforcements would behoove us all. It is not a tall ask- in order to ensure food for all of Colchis. An open border agreement between forces for Drakos and Kotas would suffice, along with some units in order to better scour Laconia’s lands. Speed is of great importance, should people want food to last the winter ahead.”
Perhaps not a motivating speech, but a factual one that contained common sense. But as her eyes swept the area, she could see that it was not the speech that would convince people. Some had made up their minds already- but it would be negotiations that would help swing the tide in her favor.
“A recess, Princess Tythra, so we can better consider your words.” Called a baron of Kotas- which was exactly what Tythra had expected.
Once a recess was called Tythra glanced around. Already she could see the Baron of Laconia speaking with those of Lyncaea and Pieria. Good sir. She didn’t expect much from the Eliades and Thanasi, their interest would be primarily in the food of their lands. Tythra could have, perhaps, negotiated with the Kotas one on one rather successfully- should the lack of food not be an issue for all of Colchis and not coincide with another senate meeting that had already been scheduled.
Tythra’s eyes landed on the new young baron of Eubocris. Tythra had many conversations with the last, a shame that he died. She had not had many proper conversations with young Timaeus. But there was no moment like the present. With a smile on her face, she made her way to the man, confident as ever. “Lord Timaeus,” Tythra greeted. “I see you have found your stride in senate. Let me extend my condolences again for you and your family’s loss. I do hope your mother’s heart has found at least some peace now that time has passed,” Tythra said politely- as was right. “When there is time I would love for you and your family to stop by and have a meal. I only apologize I hadn’t been able to extend this invitation sooner.” Not like she’d have had the time any sooner- she doesn’t even have it now. “But alas, I hope you’ve listened to my words. Can I count on your vote?”
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Nothing annoyed Tythra more than bandits- in particular when they get in the way of her finances. These bandits, however, in particular, have been a thorn in Tythra’s side. What had started as a small problem in Laconia, something that was up to the baron to take care of, have risen up the ranks. First, it was to Tythra, and now the entire senate.
What a headache.
Laconia was an important province in Colchis. With how mountainous the kingdom was, farmland was of short supply relegated to only Laconia. While the majority of the people were fed by trade with Athenia and Taengea, not all of their supply came from those two kingdoms. Laconia was important for the well being of all of Colchis. So for bandits- or rather very organized infiltrators- to make their way to her borders was a very important issue and worthy of a senate meeting.
However, there were a few other issues at hand. Primarily: Who’s border was it truly? While yes it was Laconia goods that were being stolen, it was a shared line between Drakos and Kotas. Who’s job was it when the bandits crossed over- Drakos or Kotas? The small nuances made this issue more difficult, and the need for cooperation ever prevalent.
Second: Laconia was large. And while she had a large unit to compensate for its size- without more intelligence on the matter of who infiltrated her border and how it was infiltrated, the Fifth Phalanx had a lot of land to cover blindly.
And thus the issue had made it’s way to the senate, where Tythra would have to ask for help. She did hate asking for help. But this was the very reason Tythra may assist others when they had issues- for when she required their vote back. Thus was the game of politics, a careful dance of relationships, and a constant shift of power.
“When last counted, Colchis’s population sits at 29,000 people. Of that 29,000, 40% of the kingdom’s food is grown there. Less than half, you may say. That 40% counts for 11,600 people, Colchian people. Not Drakos, all of us.” Tythra began her speech, standing in the middle of the room and looking at all the senators. Her voice was powerful- as powerful as any man sitting here. She did not waver, not like any other woman in her position would. She only spoke the truth- facts, data that cannot be ignored.
“We are almost upon our season for harvest,” Tythra continued. She made sure to make eye contact with every senator, making a mental note of those already checked out and those that seemed on the fence. “In one month Laconia will see its peek of food exports and should the problem not be settled by that time it is not Laconia, not the Drakos, but all of Colchis that would suffer. Stomachs would go hungry, the people, our people, will suffer.” This was no exaggeration. Should food continue to get stolen, should the problem not be solved- well, it’s not as if Colchis had an abundance of food.
“Laconia’s border is large, and without more information, there is far too much land to scour- even with their large forces. As we share a border with the Kotas, there is only so much Drakos forces can do without betraying military agreements between families.” She couldn’t send her men into Kotas land without causing troubles, of course. “Thus, for the good of Colchis, the sharing of information and reinforcements would behoove us all. It is not a tall ask- in order to ensure food for all of Colchis. An open border agreement between forces for Drakos and Kotas would suffice, along with some units in order to better scour Laconia’s lands. Speed is of great importance, should people want food to last the winter ahead.”
Perhaps not a motivating speech, but a factual one that contained common sense. But as her eyes swept the area, she could see that it was not the speech that would convince people. Some had made up their minds already- but it would be negotiations that would help swing the tide in her favor.
“A recess, Princess Tythra, so we can better consider your words.” Called a baron of Kotas- which was exactly what Tythra had expected.
Once a recess was called Tythra glanced around. Already she could see the Baron of Laconia speaking with those of Lyncaea and Pieria. Good sir. She didn’t expect much from the Eliades and Thanasi, their interest would be primarily in the food of their lands. Tythra could have, perhaps, negotiated with the Kotas one on one rather successfully- should the lack of food not be an issue for all of Colchis and not coincide with another senate meeting that had already been scheduled.
Tythra’s eyes landed on the new young baron of Eubocris. Tythra had many conversations with the last, a shame that he died. She had not had many proper conversations with young Timaeus. But there was no moment like the present. With a smile on her face, she made her way to the man, confident as ever. “Lord Timaeus,” Tythra greeted. “I see you have found your stride in senate. Let me extend my condolences again for you and your family’s loss. I do hope your mother’s heart has found at least some peace now that time has passed,” Tythra said politely- as was right. “When there is time I would love for you and your family to stop by and have a meal. I only apologize I hadn’t been able to extend this invitation sooner.” Not like she’d have had the time any sooner- she doesn’t even have it now. “But alas, I hope you’ve listened to my words. Can I count on your vote?”
Nothing annoyed Tythra more than bandits- in particular when they get in the way of her finances. These bandits, however, in particular, have been a thorn in Tythra’s side. What had started as a small problem in Laconia, something that was up to the baron to take care of, have risen up the ranks. First, it was to Tythra, and now the entire senate.
What a headache.
Laconia was an important province in Colchis. With how mountainous the kingdom was, farmland was of short supply relegated to only Laconia. While the majority of the people were fed by trade with Athenia and Taengea, not all of their supply came from those two kingdoms. Laconia was important for the well being of all of Colchis. So for bandits- or rather very organized infiltrators- to make their way to her borders was a very important issue and worthy of a senate meeting.
However, there were a few other issues at hand. Primarily: Who’s border was it truly? While yes it was Laconia goods that were being stolen, it was a shared line between Drakos and Kotas. Who’s job was it when the bandits crossed over- Drakos or Kotas? The small nuances made this issue more difficult, and the need for cooperation ever prevalent.
Second: Laconia was large. And while she had a large unit to compensate for its size- without more intelligence on the matter of who infiltrated her border and how it was infiltrated, the Fifth Phalanx had a lot of land to cover blindly.
And thus the issue had made it’s way to the senate, where Tythra would have to ask for help. She did hate asking for help. But this was the very reason Tythra may assist others when they had issues- for when she required their vote back. Thus was the game of politics, a careful dance of relationships, and a constant shift of power.
“When last counted, Colchis’s population sits at 29,000 people. Of that 29,000, 40% of the kingdom’s food is grown there. Less than half, you may say. That 40% counts for 11,600 people, Colchian people. Not Drakos, all of us.” Tythra began her speech, standing in the middle of the room and looking at all the senators. Her voice was powerful- as powerful as any man sitting here. She did not waver, not like any other woman in her position would. She only spoke the truth- facts, data that cannot be ignored.
“We are almost upon our season for harvest,” Tythra continued. She made sure to make eye contact with every senator, making a mental note of those already checked out and those that seemed on the fence. “In one month Laconia will see its peek of food exports and should the problem not be settled by that time it is not Laconia, not the Drakos, but all of Colchis that would suffer. Stomachs would go hungry, the people, our people, will suffer.” This was no exaggeration. Should food continue to get stolen, should the problem not be solved- well, it’s not as if Colchis had an abundance of food.
“Laconia’s border is large, and without more information, there is far too much land to scour- even with their large forces. As we share a border with the Kotas, there is only so much Drakos forces can do without betraying military agreements between families.” She couldn’t send her men into Kotas land without causing troubles, of course. “Thus, for the good of Colchis, the sharing of information and reinforcements would behoove us all. It is not a tall ask- in order to ensure food for all of Colchis. An open border agreement between forces for Drakos and Kotas would suffice, along with some units in order to better scour Laconia’s lands. Speed is of great importance, should people want food to last the winter ahead.”
Perhaps not a motivating speech, but a factual one that contained common sense. But as her eyes swept the area, she could see that it was not the speech that would convince people. Some had made up their minds already- but it would be negotiations that would help swing the tide in her favor.
“A recess, Princess Tythra, so we can better consider your words.” Called a baron of Kotas- which was exactly what Tythra had expected.
Once a recess was called Tythra glanced around. Already she could see the Baron of Laconia speaking with those of Lyncaea and Pieria. Good sir. She didn’t expect much from the Eliades and Thanasi, their interest would be primarily in the food of their lands. Tythra could have, perhaps, negotiated with the Kotas one on one rather successfully- should the lack of food not be an issue for all of Colchis and not coincide with another senate meeting that had already been scheduled.
Tythra’s eyes landed on the new young baron of Eubocris. Tythra had many conversations with the last, a shame that he died. She had not had many proper conversations with young Timaeus. But there was no moment like the present. With a smile on her face, she made her way to the man, confident as ever. “Lord Timaeus,” Tythra greeted. “I see you have found your stride in senate. Let me extend my condolences again for you and your family’s loss. I do hope your mother’s heart has found at least some peace now that time has passed,” Tythra said politely- as was right. “When there is time I would love for you and your family to stop by and have a meal. I only apologize I hadn’t been able to extend this invitation sooner.” Not like she’d have had the time any sooner- she doesn’t even have it now. “But alas, I hope you’ve listened to my words. Can I count on your vote?”
As Tythra’s speech came to an end, Timaeus made no move to rise from his seat and mingle about with the other Senators. Instead, he had thought that he could easily get away with what he had been doing for the past few meetings and just wait to see how the Kotas brothers voted. Then he would follow suit. That was the method that this inexperienced baron felt most comfortable with, even if he had his own concerns about what was ever on the table for discussion. That was the option he was supposed to take anyway and he had at first seen no reason to break this habit. Or at least he didn’t until Tythra decided to approach him.
Timaeus froze momentarily when Princess Tythra spoke of his mother. Although he knew that her words likely stemmed from genuine kindness, they still stung deeply as the Drakos woman did not know what was occurring behind closed doors within the manor of Eubocris. Tythra did not know that time had not given his mother any peace. In fact, things have seemed to have only gotten worse in the brief two months that Nico had been gone. Her memory had been failing before his brother’s death. There had been plenty of times that she had been caught wandering aimlessly through its halls, but she could be shaken out of it if she was gently set back on the right track. A symptom of old age and grief for her lost husband the physicians had said. However, nowadays, it was nearly impossible to rouse her from her confused spells. Timaeus didn’t even have much of the heart to do so either. Not when the only times he had seen her truly happy in the past two months had been when she had forgotten that her husband and eldest son were both dead.
So, in short, the cruel passage of time had not brought any peace to her heart. Nor had it done so for any Valaoritis. The girl he personally viewed as his younger sister but was really a bastard cousin spent most of her days locked away in her room. His brother had run away. Disappeared in the middle of the night to gods only knew where. Timaeus himself was broken. There was a gaping hole that Nico took with him when he left with Thanatos and no matter how much Tim tried to numb the pain with a stiff drink, it still remained, slowly unraveling him bit by bit as he struggled to keep it together for everyone else’s sake. How on earth had Nico kept them together so effortlessly? If only he had given Timaeus the secret before he passed, maybe then this family wouldn’t be so utterly broken without him.
Even though this was Tim’s daily existence following the loss of Nico, the shattered state of the Valaoritis was not something that was publicly known. Timaeus certainly did not talk about it at these senate meetings -- at least not when he didn’t say much of anything at all. None of them had made an appearance at court since the death of Nico, leaving Colchis in the dark as to how much Periella had deteriorated and that Silanos had run away. The Valaoritis were just in no shape for any sort of public meeting, making it near impossible that Timaeus would actually arrange for dinner between his family and the Drakos as Tythra had suggested. It sounded like an invitation for something to horribly wrong.
However, Timaeus had learned from his few quiet senate sessions thus far that most of the conversations here were supposed to be lies forced through your front teeth. Promises that you had no intention of keeping. Granted, this normally applied to chatter about trade deals and the such, but who’s to say that it couldn’t apply them to this sort of thing as well? “Yes, that sounds like a lovely idea.” Timaeus said, forcing a slight smile onto his face as he already mentally braced himself to dodge future inquiries about when such a meeting could take place. He knew that at some point he was going to have to reveal the truth. He couldn’t hide his mother away in Eubocris forever or keep Sil’s absence a secret until he came back. There was going to come a moment where the extent of how fractured everything was under his roof was going to have to come to light eventually.
But he prayed to the gods that today would not be that day.
However, it seemed to be that prayers were not going to be needed as Tythra swiftly changed the topic.
Ah, there it was. Timaeus silently thought as Tythra dropped the pleasantries and got straight down to business, asking if she had his vote. He should have known that this was what all the talk about his family and mother would lead to. She was merely buttering him up to be put on the spitroast like a prized hog for her senate vote. A disgusted vile feeling crept up in the back of his throat as he considered that Tythra had put him through this uncomfortable situation by bringing up his mother, but was ultimately only using a mention of her as a way to get Timaeus to open up to her ideas.
In truth, it wasn’t even needed. On a personal level, he was convinced by her speech. Seven hades, the mere fact that the food supply routes were under threat was pretty much enough to convince Timaeus that he needed to vote yes. Had he been the representative of the Eliades or the Thanasi, it would have been a no-brainer. However, he wasn’t the Baron of one of those provinces. He was a Kotas Baron and it had not failed to escape his attention that Tythra never mentioned the specific Kotas entities that would be called upon to send their soldiers to Tythra’s border.
That was a problem for Timaeus as he knew that Eubocris was likely lumped into that somehow and the people of his province were not going to take kindly to needing to send their husbands and sons off to go fight off some bandits. They would likely see this as a case of the Drakos woman not being capable of handling her own problems. It didn’t matter that all of Colchis depended on the food supplies from Laconia -- including Eubocris. After all, it was rather difficult to grow a steady crop up in the frigid mountains. However, he doubted that the people he had to look after would it that way. Eubocrisians were the sort to keep to their own and turn their backs on outsiders. Timaeus knew this all too well as his family name was one that was not held in great reverence within the province through the incorrect stories of how they had come into power. It didn’t matter that they depended on the food that came from Laconia just as much as everyone else. Eubocris did not personally share a border with the Drakos province so the people would like to see this as an issue that was not their problem and will use it as another thing to lob at Timaeus. Given all the issues that Timaeus had on his plate as of late, he didn’t need grumbling peasants cursing his name on top of everything else.
So that meant for Timaeus this issue was seemingly boiled down to two conflicting values for the Baron. What did he value more -- the collective good or peace in his province? If this issue had come up during a meeting a few months into his stint at being the baron of his province, perhaps Timaeus would have felt more equipped to give an answer he could be confident in. But he didn’t have that needed experience. This was the first big issue that he was facing, and he knew that it was an important one as it would like set the precedent for what Tim would be more likely to support in the future.
Perhaps that was why Timaeus sat for a moment in silence, just quietly pondering over Tythra’s words as he gathered the proper words he needed to convey the concerns he held while hopefully avoiding coming off completely as a selfish prick who thought of himself as an island and unsympathetic to Colchis’s problems -- which was simply not the case. He just didn’t have the experience that others held in how to balance these issues. Not yet at least.
“Your speech was riveting Princess Tythra, but I do have to say… I noticed that you never stated how many soldiers you would need for this effort or from which provinces they would come from.” He pointed out, his words coming out a bit more blunt than he had originally intended. The pointed edge to his tone likely came more from the stress that he was under at this moment -- being put on the spot by the Princess. After all, Timaeus knew that there were quite a few eyes on them at this moment and that was not comforting to the young man who felt as if he was fumbling his way through most of his meetings. However, as he sat back in his seat, straightening his back as he thought over the logistics of Tythra’s plan, he could at least take solace in the fact that soldiers were something that Timaeus understood fairly well. He had at least some sort of knowledge that he could put to proper use in this situation.
“ There are only about two hundred and fifty men in the Eubocrisian unit, but there is a great deal more in Magnemea and Dolomessa. Will the Kotas provinces are expected to match these numbers?” Timaeus certainly could have gone about asking his questions in a manner that was different than the rather pointed inquiries, but it was a decent point he was making. As a former Captain, he knew that moving a lot of men from one location to another while managing those who remained home could be a logistical nightmare. Timaeus did not want to put an undue burden on the Kotas captains if there was not a need to.
Even though it might seem like that he wasn’t in support, in truth he was, but he just needed the logistical expectations that Tythra held for this request of hers before Timaeus could comfortably vote in her favor. His vote would be easy to flip if the Drakos woman revealed this tidbit of information… and of course, Timaeus thought that it was a fair and reasonable amount given the circumstances. If she could provide that then Timaeus would be the easiest vote to earn in this Senate meeting.
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As Tythra’s speech came to an end, Timaeus made no move to rise from his seat and mingle about with the other Senators. Instead, he had thought that he could easily get away with what he had been doing for the past few meetings and just wait to see how the Kotas brothers voted. Then he would follow suit. That was the method that this inexperienced baron felt most comfortable with, even if he had his own concerns about what was ever on the table for discussion. That was the option he was supposed to take anyway and he had at first seen no reason to break this habit. Or at least he didn’t until Tythra decided to approach him.
Timaeus froze momentarily when Princess Tythra spoke of his mother. Although he knew that her words likely stemmed from genuine kindness, they still stung deeply as the Drakos woman did not know what was occurring behind closed doors within the manor of Eubocris. Tythra did not know that time had not given his mother any peace. In fact, things have seemed to have only gotten worse in the brief two months that Nico had been gone. Her memory had been failing before his brother’s death. There had been plenty of times that she had been caught wandering aimlessly through its halls, but she could be shaken out of it if she was gently set back on the right track. A symptom of old age and grief for her lost husband the physicians had said. However, nowadays, it was nearly impossible to rouse her from her confused spells. Timaeus didn’t even have much of the heart to do so either. Not when the only times he had seen her truly happy in the past two months had been when she had forgotten that her husband and eldest son were both dead.
So, in short, the cruel passage of time had not brought any peace to her heart. Nor had it done so for any Valaoritis. The girl he personally viewed as his younger sister but was really a bastard cousin spent most of her days locked away in her room. His brother had run away. Disappeared in the middle of the night to gods only knew where. Timaeus himself was broken. There was a gaping hole that Nico took with him when he left with Thanatos and no matter how much Tim tried to numb the pain with a stiff drink, it still remained, slowly unraveling him bit by bit as he struggled to keep it together for everyone else’s sake. How on earth had Nico kept them together so effortlessly? If only he had given Timaeus the secret before he passed, maybe then this family wouldn’t be so utterly broken without him.
Even though this was Tim’s daily existence following the loss of Nico, the shattered state of the Valaoritis was not something that was publicly known. Timaeus certainly did not talk about it at these senate meetings -- at least not when he didn’t say much of anything at all. None of them had made an appearance at court since the death of Nico, leaving Colchis in the dark as to how much Periella had deteriorated and that Silanos had run away. The Valaoritis were just in no shape for any sort of public meeting, making it near impossible that Timaeus would actually arrange for dinner between his family and the Drakos as Tythra had suggested. It sounded like an invitation for something to horribly wrong.
However, Timaeus had learned from his few quiet senate sessions thus far that most of the conversations here were supposed to be lies forced through your front teeth. Promises that you had no intention of keeping. Granted, this normally applied to chatter about trade deals and the such, but who’s to say that it couldn’t apply them to this sort of thing as well? “Yes, that sounds like a lovely idea.” Timaeus said, forcing a slight smile onto his face as he already mentally braced himself to dodge future inquiries about when such a meeting could take place. He knew that at some point he was going to have to reveal the truth. He couldn’t hide his mother away in Eubocris forever or keep Sil’s absence a secret until he came back. There was going to come a moment where the extent of how fractured everything was under his roof was going to have to come to light eventually.
But he prayed to the gods that today would not be that day.
However, it seemed to be that prayers were not going to be needed as Tythra swiftly changed the topic.
Ah, there it was. Timaeus silently thought as Tythra dropped the pleasantries and got straight down to business, asking if she had his vote. He should have known that this was what all the talk about his family and mother would lead to. She was merely buttering him up to be put on the spitroast like a prized hog for her senate vote. A disgusted vile feeling crept up in the back of his throat as he considered that Tythra had put him through this uncomfortable situation by bringing up his mother, but was ultimately only using a mention of her as a way to get Timaeus to open up to her ideas.
In truth, it wasn’t even needed. On a personal level, he was convinced by her speech. Seven hades, the mere fact that the food supply routes were under threat was pretty much enough to convince Timaeus that he needed to vote yes. Had he been the representative of the Eliades or the Thanasi, it would have been a no-brainer. However, he wasn’t the Baron of one of those provinces. He was a Kotas Baron and it had not failed to escape his attention that Tythra never mentioned the specific Kotas entities that would be called upon to send their soldiers to Tythra’s border.
That was a problem for Timaeus as he knew that Eubocris was likely lumped into that somehow and the people of his province were not going to take kindly to needing to send their husbands and sons off to go fight off some bandits. They would likely see this as a case of the Drakos woman not being capable of handling her own problems. It didn’t matter that all of Colchis depended on the food supplies from Laconia -- including Eubocris. After all, it was rather difficult to grow a steady crop up in the frigid mountains. However, he doubted that the people he had to look after would it that way. Eubocrisians were the sort to keep to their own and turn their backs on outsiders. Timaeus knew this all too well as his family name was one that was not held in great reverence within the province through the incorrect stories of how they had come into power. It didn’t matter that they depended on the food that came from Laconia just as much as everyone else. Eubocris did not personally share a border with the Drakos province so the people would like to see this as an issue that was not their problem and will use it as another thing to lob at Timaeus. Given all the issues that Timaeus had on his plate as of late, he didn’t need grumbling peasants cursing his name on top of everything else.
So that meant for Timaeus this issue was seemingly boiled down to two conflicting values for the Baron. What did he value more -- the collective good or peace in his province? If this issue had come up during a meeting a few months into his stint at being the baron of his province, perhaps Timaeus would have felt more equipped to give an answer he could be confident in. But he didn’t have that needed experience. This was the first big issue that he was facing, and he knew that it was an important one as it would like set the precedent for what Tim would be more likely to support in the future.
Perhaps that was why Timaeus sat for a moment in silence, just quietly pondering over Tythra’s words as he gathered the proper words he needed to convey the concerns he held while hopefully avoiding coming off completely as a selfish prick who thought of himself as an island and unsympathetic to Colchis’s problems -- which was simply not the case. He just didn’t have the experience that others held in how to balance these issues. Not yet at least.
“Your speech was riveting Princess Tythra, but I do have to say… I noticed that you never stated how many soldiers you would need for this effort or from which provinces they would come from.” He pointed out, his words coming out a bit more blunt than he had originally intended. The pointed edge to his tone likely came more from the stress that he was under at this moment -- being put on the spot by the Princess. After all, Timaeus knew that there were quite a few eyes on them at this moment and that was not comforting to the young man who felt as if he was fumbling his way through most of his meetings. However, as he sat back in his seat, straightening his back as he thought over the logistics of Tythra’s plan, he could at least take solace in the fact that soldiers were something that Timaeus understood fairly well. He had at least some sort of knowledge that he could put to proper use in this situation.
“ There are only about two hundred and fifty men in the Eubocrisian unit, but there is a great deal more in Magnemea and Dolomessa. Will the Kotas provinces are expected to match these numbers?” Timaeus certainly could have gone about asking his questions in a manner that was different than the rather pointed inquiries, but it was a decent point he was making. As a former Captain, he knew that moving a lot of men from one location to another while managing those who remained home could be a logistical nightmare. Timaeus did not want to put an undue burden on the Kotas captains if there was not a need to.
Even though it might seem like that he wasn’t in support, in truth he was, but he just needed the logistical expectations that Tythra held for this request of hers before Timaeus could comfortably vote in her favor. His vote would be easy to flip if the Drakos woman revealed this tidbit of information… and of course, Timaeus thought that it was a fair and reasonable amount given the circumstances. If she could provide that then Timaeus would be the easiest vote to earn in this Senate meeting.
As Tythra’s speech came to an end, Timaeus made no move to rise from his seat and mingle about with the other Senators. Instead, he had thought that he could easily get away with what he had been doing for the past few meetings and just wait to see how the Kotas brothers voted. Then he would follow suit. That was the method that this inexperienced baron felt most comfortable with, even if he had his own concerns about what was ever on the table for discussion. That was the option he was supposed to take anyway and he had at first seen no reason to break this habit. Or at least he didn’t until Tythra decided to approach him.
Timaeus froze momentarily when Princess Tythra spoke of his mother. Although he knew that her words likely stemmed from genuine kindness, they still stung deeply as the Drakos woman did not know what was occurring behind closed doors within the manor of Eubocris. Tythra did not know that time had not given his mother any peace. In fact, things have seemed to have only gotten worse in the brief two months that Nico had been gone. Her memory had been failing before his brother’s death. There had been plenty of times that she had been caught wandering aimlessly through its halls, but she could be shaken out of it if she was gently set back on the right track. A symptom of old age and grief for her lost husband the physicians had said. However, nowadays, it was nearly impossible to rouse her from her confused spells. Timaeus didn’t even have much of the heart to do so either. Not when the only times he had seen her truly happy in the past two months had been when she had forgotten that her husband and eldest son were both dead.
So, in short, the cruel passage of time had not brought any peace to her heart. Nor had it done so for any Valaoritis. The girl he personally viewed as his younger sister but was really a bastard cousin spent most of her days locked away in her room. His brother had run away. Disappeared in the middle of the night to gods only knew where. Timaeus himself was broken. There was a gaping hole that Nico took with him when he left with Thanatos and no matter how much Tim tried to numb the pain with a stiff drink, it still remained, slowly unraveling him bit by bit as he struggled to keep it together for everyone else’s sake. How on earth had Nico kept them together so effortlessly? If only he had given Timaeus the secret before he passed, maybe then this family wouldn’t be so utterly broken without him.
Even though this was Tim’s daily existence following the loss of Nico, the shattered state of the Valaoritis was not something that was publicly known. Timaeus certainly did not talk about it at these senate meetings -- at least not when he didn’t say much of anything at all. None of them had made an appearance at court since the death of Nico, leaving Colchis in the dark as to how much Periella had deteriorated and that Silanos had run away. The Valaoritis were just in no shape for any sort of public meeting, making it near impossible that Timaeus would actually arrange for dinner between his family and the Drakos as Tythra had suggested. It sounded like an invitation for something to horribly wrong.
However, Timaeus had learned from his few quiet senate sessions thus far that most of the conversations here were supposed to be lies forced through your front teeth. Promises that you had no intention of keeping. Granted, this normally applied to chatter about trade deals and the such, but who’s to say that it couldn’t apply them to this sort of thing as well? “Yes, that sounds like a lovely idea.” Timaeus said, forcing a slight smile onto his face as he already mentally braced himself to dodge future inquiries about when such a meeting could take place. He knew that at some point he was going to have to reveal the truth. He couldn’t hide his mother away in Eubocris forever or keep Sil’s absence a secret until he came back. There was going to come a moment where the extent of how fractured everything was under his roof was going to have to come to light eventually.
But he prayed to the gods that today would not be that day.
However, it seemed to be that prayers were not going to be needed as Tythra swiftly changed the topic.
Ah, there it was. Timaeus silently thought as Tythra dropped the pleasantries and got straight down to business, asking if she had his vote. He should have known that this was what all the talk about his family and mother would lead to. She was merely buttering him up to be put on the spitroast like a prized hog for her senate vote. A disgusted vile feeling crept up in the back of his throat as he considered that Tythra had put him through this uncomfortable situation by bringing up his mother, but was ultimately only using a mention of her as a way to get Timaeus to open up to her ideas.
In truth, it wasn’t even needed. On a personal level, he was convinced by her speech. Seven hades, the mere fact that the food supply routes were under threat was pretty much enough to convince Timaeus that he needed to vote yes. Had he been the representative of the Eliades or the Thanasi, it would have been a no-brainer. However, he wasn’t the Baron of one of those provinces. He was a Kotas Baron and it had not failed to escape his attention that Tythra never mentioned the specific Kotas entities that would be called upon to send their soldiers to Tythra’s border.
That was a problem for Timaeus as he knew that Eubocris was likely lumped into that somehow and the people of his province were not going to take kindly to needing to send their husbands and sons off to go fight off some bandits. They would likely see this as a case of the Drakos woman not being capable of handling her own problems. It didn’t matter that all of Colchis depended on the food supplies from Laconia -- including Eubocris. After all, it was rather difficult to grow a steady crop up in the frigid mountains. However, he doubted that the people he had to look after would it that way. Eubocrisians were the sort to keep to their own and turn their backs on outsiders. Timaeus knew this all too well as his family name was one that was not held in great reverence within the province through the incorrect stories of how they had come into power. It didn’t matter that they depended on the food that came from Laconia just as much as everyone else. Eubocris did not personally share a border with the Drakos province so the people would like to see this as an issue that was not their problem and will use it as another thing to lob at Timaeus. Given all the issues that Timaeus had on his plate as of late, he didn’t need grumbling peasants cursing his name on top of everything else.
So that meant for Timaeus this issue was seemingly boiled down to two conflicting values for the Baron. What did he value more -- the collective good or peace in his province? If this issue had come up during a meeting a few months into his stint at being the baron of his province, perhaps Timaeus would have felt more equipped to give an answer he could be confident in. But he didn’t have that needed experience. This was the first big issue that he was facing, and he knew that it was an important one as it would like set the precedent for what Tim would be more likely to support in the future.
Perhaps that was why Timaeus sat for a moment in silence, just quietly pondering over Tythra’s words as he gathered the proper words he needed to convey the concerns he held while hopefully avoiding coming off completely as a selfish prick who thought of himself as an island and unsympathetic to Colchis’s problems -- which was simply not the case. He just didn’t have the experience that others held in how to balance these issues. Not yet at least.
“Your speech was riveting Princess Tythra, but I do have to say… I noticed that you never stated how many soldiers you would need for this effort or from which provinces they would come from.” He pointed out, his words coming out a bit more blunt than he had originally intended. The pointed edge to his tone likely came more from the stress that he was under at this moment -- being put on the spot by the Princess. After all, Timaeus knew that there were quite a few eyes on them at this moment and that was not comforting to the young man who felt as if he was fumbling his way through most of his meetings. However, as he sat back in his seat, straightening his back as he thought over the logistics of Tythra’s plan, he could at least take solace in the fact that soldiers were something that Timaeus understood fairly well. He had at least some sort of knowledge that he could put to proper use in this situation.
“ There are only about two hundred and fifty men in the Eubocrisian unit, but there is a great deal more in Magnemea and Dolomessa. Will the Kotas provinces are expected to match these numbers?” Timaeus certainly could have gone about asking his questions in a manner that was different than the rather pointed inquiries, but it was a decent point he was making. As a former Captain, he knew that moving a lot of men from one location to another while managing those who remained home could be a logistical nightmare. Timaeus did not want to put an undue burden on the Kotas captains if there was not a need to.
Even though it might seem like that he wasn’t in support, in truth he was, but he just needed the logistical expectations that Tythra held for this request of hers before Timaeus could comfortably vote in her favor. His vote would be easy to flip if the Drakos woman revealed this tidbit of information… and of course, Timaeus thought that it was a fair and reasonable amount given the circumstances. If she could provide that then Timaeus would be the easiest vote to earn in this Senate meeting.
If Timeaus’s questions shocked Tythra, it did not play upon her face. In fact the entire time he spoke, her face remained steady and calm, as decades of court and years of senate had taught her to do. The questions came as a surprise, especially from a Kotas province baron towards the Drakos’s head. Though they weren’t bad questions by any means. They did tinge with a lack of trust, but that didn’t necessarily hurt Tythra in any way. Most people didn’t trust her, in part because of her close ties to her brother, but mostly because she was a woman.
But it didn’t mean that she was weak.
Will the Kotas be expected to match these numbers?
Yes, Magnemea had more numbers. It also had the largest slave population in Colchis with vulnerable mines that should some sort of revolt happen, then Colchis would be in trouble. Tythra believed in keeping a firm hand and a steady eye on the slaves and mines. That was the only true way to keep them in line.
But that was not to say that her own men were not redeployed. They were. This problem may be a problem for all of Colchis- but it would affect Tythra most of all. A fact that Tythra was sure the Thanasi snake was well aware of, and a large reason why she was asking for Kotas support beyond that of all the houses.
That and who knows, the man was crooked enough to do something that low, Tythra truly believed that.
But none of that mattered now. None of that answered Timeaus’s questions. Did he want specifics? Tythra had an overall number in mind, but that was a total, not an individual benchmark from each province. That came from negotiation. “I am in fact redirecting some of my units from my other provinces to Laconia, my Lord. I would never ask for assistance if it was not necessary. However, with the issue that is the border, and the fact that it is a large portion of the kingdom’s food supply, the matter is not quite as simple which I’m sure you understand.”
“I would be more than willing to negotiate with you how much men Eubocris is willing to spare in order to ensure the safe roads for our harvest and the capture of the thieves that smuggled their way to our borders. But if you are looking for hard numbers I did have my retainer pen copies of my report as to how much land is needed to be covered- and how much land was already searched. I would be happy to fetch you another copy.” Tythra didn’t fault the Lord much- unknowing that this was an emotional response to what Tythra believed was polite business. However, the answer seemed obvious to her. The cost of men traveling to Laconia was far less than the cost of lives that would be lost due to starvation.
Or was Lord Timaeus unable to see that? Pity, this was a waste of Tythra’s time. She should have just spoken with her brother and saved herself the senate charade.
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If Timeaus’s questions shocked Tythra, it did not play upon her face. In fact the entire time he spoke, her face remained steady and calm, as decades of court and years of senate had taught her to do. The questions came as a surprise, especially from a Kotas province baron towards the Drakos’s head. Though they weren’t bad questions by any means. They did tinge with a lack of trust, but that didn’t necessarily hurt Tythra in any way. Most people didn’t trust her, in part because of her close ties to her brother, but mostly because she was a woman.
But it didn’t mean that she was weak.
Will the Kotas be expected to match these numbers?
Yes, Magnemea had more numbers. It also had the largest slave population in Colchis with vulnerable mines that should some sort of revolt happen, then Colchis would be in trouble. Tythra believed in keeping a firm hand and a steady eye on the slaves and mines. That was the only true way to keep them in line.
But that was not to say that her own men were not redeployed. They were. This problem may be a problem for all of Colchis- but it would affect Tythra most of all. A fact that Tythra was sure the Thanasi snake was well aware of, and a large reason why she was asking for Kotas support beyond that of all the houses.
That and who knows, the man was crooked enough to do something that low, Tythra truly believed that.
But none of that mattered now. None of that answered Timeaus’s questions. Did he want specifics? Tythra had an overall number in mind, but that was a total, not an individual benchmark from each province. That came from negotiation. “I am in fact redirecting some of my units from my other provinces to Laconia, my Lord. I would never ask for assistance if it was not necessary. However, with the issue that is the border, and the fact that it is a large portion of the kingdom’s food supply, the matter is not quite as simple which I’m sure you understand.”
“I would be more than willing to negotiate with you how much men Eubocris is willing to spare in order to ensure the safe roads for our harvest and the capture of the thieves that smuggled their way to our borders. But if you are looking for hard numbers I did have my retainer pen copies of my report as to how much land is needed to be covered- and how much land was already searched. I would be happy to fetch you another copy.” Tythra didn’t fault the Lord much- unknowing that this was an emotional response to what Tythra believed was polite business. However, the answer seemed obvious to her. The cost of men traveling to Laconia was far less than the cost of lives that would be lost due to starvation.
Or was Lord Timaeus unable to see that? Pity, this was a waste of Tythra’s time. She should have just spoken with her brother and saved herself the senate charade.
If Timeaus’s questions shocked Tythra, it did not play upon her face. In fact the entire time he spoke, her face remained steady and calm, as decades of court and years of senate had taught her to do. The questions came as a surprise, especially from a Kotas province baron towards the Drakos’s head. Though they weren’t bad questions by any means. They did tinge with a lack of trust, but that didn’t necessarily hurt Tythra in any way. Most people didn’t trust her, in part because of her close ties to her brother, but mostly because she was a woman.
But it didn’t mean that she was weak.
Will the Kotas be expected to match these numbers?
Yes, Magnemea had more numbers. It also had the largest slave population in Colchis with vulnerable mines that should some sort of revolt happen, then Colchis would be in trouble. Tythra believed in keeping a firm hand and a steady eye on the slaves and mines. That was the only true way to keep them in line.
But that was not to say that her own men were not redeployed. They were. This problem may be a problem for all of Colchis- but it would affect Tythra most of all. A fact that Tythra was sure the Thanasi snake was well aware of, and a large reason why she was asking for Kotas support beyond that of all the houses.
That and who knows, the man was crooked enough to do something that low, Tythra truly believed that.
But none of that mattered now. None of that answered Timeaus’s questions. Did he want specifics? Tythra had an overall number in mind, but that was a total, not an individual benchmark from each province. That came from negotiation. “I am in fact redirecting some of my units from my other provinces to Laconia, my Lord. I would never ask for assistance if it was not necessary. However, with the issue that is the border, and the fact that it is a large portion of the kingdom’s food supply, the matter is not quite as simple which I’m sure you understand.”
“I would be more than willing to negotiate with you how much men Eubocris is willing to spare in order to ensure the safe roads for our harvest and the capture of the thieves that smuggled their way to our borders. But if you are looking for hard numbers I did have my retainer pen copies of my report as to how much land is needed to be covered- and how much land was already searched. I would be happy to fetch you another copy.” Tythra didn’t fault the Lord much- unknowing that this was an emotional response to what Tythra believed was polite business. However, the answer seemed obvious to her. The cost of men traveling to Laconia was far less than the cost of lives that would be lost due to starvation.
Or was Lord Timaeus unable to see that? Pity, this was a waste of Tythra’s time. She should have just spoken with her brother and saved herself the senate charade.
