#fenixtj

"May I hear them anyway?"

"Well, let's see, personal advisor who everyone will suspect calls the shots and might.... arranged marriages or ruling half the year.. that sort of thing."

"Arranged..?!?!"

"Hence the term '

'too radical to be accepted"

"You did ask" he reminds.

"I did...."

"Do you have a preference of options, or another option I have not considered? I fear with so much time lost in transition there is pressure to move forward"

"Um. Would you consider giving our Cooperative the Summerstrike Barony? They have provided brilliant results here."

"Oh yes, I think that's a reasonable request if you're willing to consider the options I've given. Though you'll understand I may bargain for first purchase rights and so on to certain projects?"

A faint and possibly relieved grin. "I think they expect you to."

"Yes, but in my experience if you don't argue with nockers they walk all over you as a matter of course . Sometimes I think they enjoy the haggling.. no doubt my family line will be insulted, my height, age, choice of clothing... before it all comes down to a price we can both agree with"

Lucky if that's the limit of it.... She thinks, but just nods. "Have you met Tweak and Necropsis?"

"Not that I remember but I have been warned. Before you summon them though, about those options?"

"I suppose... if no other choice could be made...."

"Option one." She swallows.

"Well, I am sure some will be livid that you took title, particularly that of countess. But, we will stress that both the Pitt and Summerstrikes old places are now 'commonerholds', and I think should stress this was part of the bargain on behalf of the cooperative you had to make. Which House do you..." A pause "Mmm that might work"

A new thought.

"What?" Nervously. "Um, Your Grace."

"I think I know a way where don't have to affilate yourself fully with anyone House..IF you feel more comfortable with a degree of separation"

"How?"

"Your mother is a Gwydion, your father a Liam... mix the blazon, be it literal half and half or just elements of both and declare you wish to honor them both...and could not decide. Play this right, and you placate the Gwydions who feel the loss of power in the region while uplifting Liam yet further. Why you won't even have to take oaths of affiliation"

She blinks. "That would work?"

"Are you in fact a Gwydion with their full truth reading capability?" He asks

"No!"

"Then," an exagerated innocent look "I have every confidence it will work without fail, and at no risk. The Gwydions will be pacified, The Liams ecstatic, and the modernest commoners will be grateful you have still managed to avoid die hard entanglements in House politics"

By god, he says it so smoothly she thinks if he put his hand on the bible he wouldn't blink.

She does blink at him.

A smile, "Truly, Chapelleh..is there any option that doesn't rely on a lot of effort and no small amount of luck? You seem to desire some independence, and more over, it might suit my needs if you did if only to help pacify. If you really want to be part of a House I could probably get you in on the first floor of a Banner House that's setting up...but it would still be Liam"

"No, I.... if I took a House it would only be for political reasons. I understand that can be a necessary reason but.... I don't feel called to any of them."

"So the betwixt honoring both but being of neither would work best for you? and.. I think be the most sincere?"

She nods.

"We aren't talking about me starting a.... a hybrid house, right?"

"Oh by all the Gods no" he says "You have neither the authority, nor, forgive me, the moral flexibility required for such gamemanship. THAT would just offend both houses."

She nods, relieved. "Good. Ok, yes. I think.... I think I can live with that."

"Excellent. Now, I plan to play this up as a fight on your part. You fought tooth and nail to get Summerstrike to be a commoner hold, push8ing for the Co op... and I met you half way and said it would be going to commoners at least. This will reflect well on you... Mistress Tweak might even feel somewhat in your debt... and the commoners will love you for it. It will rip away some of the foundaiton for any revolutionaries... I'm sorry, I know he has served you well but I don't trust Diego while costing me little and making you look stronger. 'I' will find a hold outside the city to rule from so not to undermine your authority, but I will have an advisor, JUST an advisor, or envoy if you prefer, to act as a go between. You may play the 'reluctant to bear the crown' part of things... making the title seem as a burden- which I fear you kind of do. You will honor both houses of your heritage... and have more than one title- One being Countess, the other something like Chapeleh, to show respect for the culture as you have before and perhaps pacify Nunnehi further. You may elevate one of your knights to baron if you wish, that is your right, after we've elevated you. Pennons seems idea though a bit of a rush. What say you?"

"I'm-not- playing...." She swallows. "Better Pennons than Samhain."

"All the better then, sincerity is a useful tool , not always easily feigned. We'll leave the game playing to me... folks will notice me now. They will think I do not belong in this league. I intend to show them I do, and that there is much I can do for our people. You've instituted many Liam like policies and paved the way for us.. but more importantly showed they work. We can help the mortals of this land, we can do much more than just muse a mural or what not out of them. We help the mortals, we help the kithain who live with them.. a rising tide lifts all boats IF We patch those boats up with care. I think you agree with me on that?"

"I do." Solidly.

"Excellent. Jessica....I also want to move Alejandro."

She nods. "May I ask why?"

"Because he wants war so bad with the Nunnehi he can taste it and he's been working against you what ways he can arrange."

Jess looks confused for a moment, then her eyes start to darken. "Working -against- us??"

"And that's what I wanted to avoid. You have his full support in most areas, Jessica, but they destroyed his hold, killed his friends. Did you really think a Daireann would be cured of revenge? He hasn't done any real damage to your plans. I've made sure he's been foiled."

A tight silence. "Thank you for that, Your Grace. Tale him with you when you go, please."

"Would you like to say good bye to him?"

"No, Your Grace."

"A pity. " The Duke nods "I'll see to it he has a chance to be involed with another part of the Duchy far from ours."

She nods.

"CHapelleh, he IS a better person thanks to you. You, and Dame Mitra, have helped. I do not know if you are blaming yourself for not converting him away from one of his house's core tenants, but.. don't if you are. You have been most amazing even in this. " A frown, "That's the one bit of news I truly regret sharing. "