The meeting had continued for much longer than SJ had anticipated, and the discussions among the members had become very heated on occasion. The conflict over the expansion, structures, and suggestions over border locations were considerable. The resounding consideration that all had even those in full support, was the ability for the town to financially cover the costs involved.
It was concluded again with no formal decision or vote being carried, with a significant split in opinion, over the best way to proceed. SJ had listened to all the conversations, but not put her opinion across as she could understand both sides of the argument. Expanding the town was hugely beneficial and would improve their standing significantly within the territory. The risks associated to expansion though could initially outweigh any benefits as they were likely to be targeted if they suddenly showed a renewed prosperity. Walking down the stairs Zigferd asked her if she was free to talk.
“I have some time, although I do need to go and complete some training today. I had been a little remiss due to what has been done today,” SJ said.
“Excellent,” Zigferd replied leading her back to his office. “Alice. Will you join us please?”
Alice had been slightly ahead of them and on hearing her name turning smiling. “Of course.”
“Once the three of them were sat in the mayor’s office Zigferd began. “Well, firstly thank you both dearly. Alice without your continuing support and provisions you provide to the town daily. We would not be as strong as we are. SJ. Thank you for accepting the role as a member of the town council.”
SJ could again feel her cheeks heating. “Thank you for the opportunity,” she replied.
“I have a couple of things that I would like to discuss. The main one being the position I would like to hope you see taking on the council,” Zigferd said looking at SJ.
“Oh. What position?”
“Alice and I have already discussed the role and we believe that you have the most suited skillset to achieve desired results.”
“What skillset? And what results?” SJ asked.
“We believe that you would make the perfect ambassador for Killic.”
“Ambassador? Is that not going a little too far? I am a fae, and I am well aware of the mistrust that is shown towards us.”
“I can understand your initial reservations, but we believe that you can overcome the fractious attitude of many.”
“I thank you for your words, but I am not sure I am the right person to be an ambassador.”
“I think you will fit the role perfectly,” Alice interjected.
“How so?”
“You have a natural charisma and charm, that has not gone unnoticed in the town. It is an uncanny ability to bring ease to so many, yet still be such a stalwart fighter. You show both strength and caring combined. That is an unusual balance,” Alice said.
SJ blushed from the comment. “I am just me.”
“And that you are is why, we believe you will fit the role perfectly. There are several key aspects we would like you to consider over the coming weeks if you would take on the role.”
SJ knew that being an ambassador would potentially mean travel and diplomacy requirements. It would also hopefully give her the angle to speak to Niweq at the Wandering Ogre. “If you believe I am suited then I can only try.”
“That is excellent news. I will ask that Astorian entitles your role as such.”
“Who is the current ambassador?”
“We have not required one before, but with the territory borders opening we believe that it is important that we now have the role and function.”
“I see. Does this require to be voted on?”
“No. Assignment of council functions is between me and Alice. We are both in complete agreement over this.”
“That’s amazing,” Dave said. “As an ambassador you will get to travel, see the wider world, meet so many interesting, and potentially not so interesting people.”
“You mentioned a couple of things?”
“Yes. Secondly, we would like to offer you a residence.”
“Sorry?” SJ replied shocked.
“A residence. You can’t stay living in the Inn, now you are an integral part of the town,” Zigferd replied.
Flabbergasted SJ replied, “I hadn’t even considered it. I suppose it would make sense although I am not sure if I can afford a property. I have no idea of their cost.”
“Do not worry about cost for now. It is just a place that you will call home for and eventually if you wished to purchase or build something yourself you could do in time.”
“Alice has spent some time already considering various locations and options and she would like to show you them today. You don’t have to decide straight away obviously but the offer and opportunity is there.”
The thought of having her own place in town was appealing but she really enjoyed the Inn. The socialising and the friends she had made there would be something she would miss. Never mind the breakfasts. Then again many came in for breakfast each morning who were not residents. “I am happy to see what there is. Thank you, both,” she replied.
“The third thing we wished to discuss is a little more sensitive a matter,” Zigferd said.
“Oh. What is it?”
“Alice has been carrying out an investigation for some time now and we believe we have a problem within the council.”
“What sort of problem?”
“We believe that one of the members is trying to undermine what we are doing in the town. This is not a recent event and is something that Alice has investigated for the past year. It hasn’t been easy for her to gather much information, as the individual concerned is rather secretive at the best of times.”
“I see. What can I do to help?”
“I would like you to investigate the matter on our behalf and come to your own conclusions. Our concern is that if they continue to behave in the manner, they have been that they will end up damaging the towns reputation with many of the outlying villages.”
“And who is it you wished me to look into?” SJ asked, a little concerned at the thought of someone plotting against the town.
“Alice?” Zigferd asked.
“My suspicions point towards Bellakiy,” Alice said. “Bellakiy oversees the distribution of trade goods to the outer areas. As part of his function and role he is required to frequently be away from the town. It is a role he has had for many years and had always been thought of as the best for the task because of his merchant skills. The concern is that he is divulging private information about the town and the council members to others. Normal council meetings are held in an enclosed room. You will have seen the guards who are always present, but we also have magical wards which prevent people spying on the meetings.”
The fact they had magical wards preventing eaves dropping was something new to SJ and she was a little surprised by the statement.
“Some of the information that has reached our desks from the surrounding villages, can only have come from the meetings, and even though it has taken a long time to trace. I now believe that he is the only one who is the common factor.”
“Have you not challenged him, or asked him the question?” SJ asked.
“No. As we still have no solid evidence. It is circumstantial and non-descript.”
“I don’t know who he is,” SJ said.
“Ah, You probably saw him for the first time today. He is one of the Draconian.”
SJ had seen both the Draconian and met with one of them before knowing that his name wasn’t Bellakiy. “I know who you mean,” the Draconian in question was burly looking and had appeared more like a fighter to SJ than anything else, when she had seen him in the chamber. “I thought he was something to do with the guard when I saw him.”
“He does look that way. He is a very skilled trader though, but has no skills for diplomacy, as he also has a brashness to him.”
“Why would he possibly do anything against the town though?” SJ asked.
“I believe that it’s jealousy,” Alice said.
“Jealousy over what exactly?” SJ asked.
“His father was the presiding mayor before Zigferd,” Alice said. It was the first time SJ had ever heard her use his first name. “I believe that he thinks the right to being mayor should have passed to him, on the death of his father.”
“But you have been mayor for over 50 years,” SJ stated.
“Yes. I have. Bellakiy had been away for a long time and only two years ago returned to the town and joined the council. His family is regarded very highly among the Draconian population. Lythonian speaks very highly of them. When he returned from making his fortune trading across Amathera, he joined as one of their representatives.”
“I do not know him to speak to. It will take time to learn about him, and if he is away from town often, then I will be limited to what I will find out,” SJ said.
“That is understandable, but we believe since you are new to the town and are in the process of starting your career. You may be the perfect person to get to know him. He knows he has no direct influence over many on the council, but as a new member he may try and persuade you otherwise.,” Zigferd said.
The term career struck SJ. She had never even considered the potential of her joining a town council as being called a career. It was strange and rather foreboding alongside everything else she was working towards.
“This looks like it could be very interesting, and perfect for your subterfuge development,” Dave said. “Alongside the position of Ambassador, I can see there being some rather entertaining times ahead.”
“I can see what I can discover,” SJ replied.
Her display triggered.
Quest – Confirm the Leak
Investigate and confirm who is distributing falsehoods about the town and its council members.
Rewards: 1000xp
“Woah. That’s a lot of experience,” Dave said. “You will reach level 12 easily with the bonus for your reputation.”
SJ was a little taken aback by the amount of experience shown as well, as she accepted the quest, knowing that it really equated to 2000 experience. The benefits her increased reputation had brought to her progression were huge. Anything that related to the town’s continuing safety and improvement that triggered a quest would allow her to grow exponentially. Even the less rewarding quests would bring significant bonuses. Accepting the quest SJ began to stand. “I need to go and do some training, if there is nothing else?”
“Actually, there is,” Zigferd said. Standing he walked to his desk and removed a small wooden box from his desk draw. Walking back around he handed the box to SJ.
“What’s this?” SJ asked frowning. “I wasn’t expecting anything.”
“Don’t worry this is a formal offering,” Zigferd smiled.
SJ took the box and opened the lid. Inside was a tiny silver pin. The pin was designed in the shape of a great axe, surrounded by laurel leaves. SJ took it from the box looking at the pin turning it in her hands. “What is this?”
“It is the official emblem of Killic. It proves you are a member of the council. I would ask that you wear it when on official town business if you would be so kind,” Zigferd said.
“Oh. Of course. Do I need to wear it in town?”
“It is entirely up to you whether you do or don’t.”
SJ looked from Alice to Zigferd and for the first time noticed the small pins that they both wore. “I had never noticed them before,” SJ said smiling, removing the pin from the box and attaching it to her dress.
“It can help you in the town if speaking to members when they realise you are a council member.”
“Before I go where can I find Bellakiy’s residence?”
“He owns one of the large houses opposite the docks,” Alice said. “And if you can call back later, I will show the properties that I have identified.”
“I will, yes,” SJ replied. “Thank you both for your confidence you have shown in me.”
SJ left the office her mind racing, she had become a council member, been assigned as an ambassador, given a significant quest, the offer of a residence, the potential to travel in the future and that was just from today. Then add in everything else she was doing, training, crafting, part-time parenting, and a potential assassination job. SJ had been planning her time ahead with focus on her martial arts training, crafting, and weapon proficiency, and she would need to adjust it.
“So much to do,” SJ said as she entered the training ground.
“And all the time in Amathera to do it,” Dave replied.
“That is very true, but it never seems like there is enough in one day.”
“Well, there isn’t duh! What do you expect, a day to last as long as a year is. It would completely mess the ageing system up for the whole of Amathera. Then again…I wonder…”
“Dave?”
Silence.
“Dave. What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” a shy voice replied.
“You do realise I was just making a statement and I really didn’t expect there to be more hours in a day.”
“I know,” he replied uncertainly. “But I just checked anyway, and I can’t access the System clock. That would have been so cool if I could have though.”
“Why?”
“I could have time travelled.”
“Sorry?”
“I could have reset the clock back to the beginning of Amathera.”
“I am not sure I would class that as time travel.”
“What is it then? If I amend the System clock to its creation date, then the back-ups would kick in from that period.”
“And what do you think that would do to me and you?”
“Erm. Good point, I will scratch that one off my list.”
SJ rolled her eyes. “Sometimes you do have the strangest ideas.”
“I wouldn’t call them strange I would call them abstract.”
“Whatever you want to call them, you need to be careful. I am not sure you can be trusted unsupervised.”
“You sound like my mother,” Dave huffed.
SJ laughed as she walked to the training rings and saw Lorna with a confused look on her face.
“Are you ok?” Lorna asked.
“Yes. Sorry was just thinking about a joke I was told.”
Frowning Lorna shook her head in dismay. “Are you here to train?”
“Yes. I wanted to get a couple of hours in.”
“Excellent. Then you can start with ten laps. That should stop you laughing,” Lorna replied grinning.
“Urgh,” SJ replied, as she began to run around the ground.
The two hours flew by with her performing her exercises and Lorna spoke to her about her advancement to level 6 that she had undergone with Greb. Stating she would have to get him involved more in the training of the newer members.
“Wait?” Lorna said, suddenly staring at SJ open mouthed.
“What?” SJ replied concerned.
“You are wearing a pin.”
SJ looked down at the small pin attached to her dress. “Oh. This yes. Why?”
“That means you are a member of the town council?”
“I am yes. I was voted in this morning,” SJ replied smiling.
Lorna put her hand up to her face in shock. “I can’t believe they allowed you onto the council. How on Amathera did you do it?”
“Do what?”
“You do realise that most of the council have previously suffered at the hands of fae. The fact you were voted in, is no small achievement.”
“There were two votes. The first to add a fae representative and secondly for my membership. The vote to add a fae representative was not as straight forward as I thought it would be.”
“Knowing the problems we had four years ago, when our whole crop was destroyed by them, I am amazed that they allowed a fae member to join.”
“Four years ago?”
“Yes. When the fae attacked.”
“Attacked Killic,” SJ replied amazed.
“Not the town, but they decided to destroy the crops, they set the corn fields on fire and destroyed the bi-annual harvest. The whole town struggled from it, several lost a lot of coin, of which some were councillors.”
“I had no idea.”
“It was a dark time for the town. I don’t think we have fully recovered since. The fact you have joined though is an amazing feat.”
“Thanks,” SJ replied smiling.
“No. I mean it. The influence you have since you reached revered status is quite significant.”
“My status jumped three levels when it happened. I am not sure how it did.”
“I know exactly how,” Lorna replied smiling.
“Oh. What happened then?”
“Cristy, Mithril, Ogre.”
“What?”
“Your selfless act saving Cristy a member of the town for absolutely no reward is unheard of from any previous Legionnaire that has ever passed through the town. The locating what is believed to be a Mithril mine which wouldn’t have happened if you had not gone to save Cristy, and finally your participation in the fight. When you hit Bordon, I honestly thought you were dead, but you also took out the mage by yourself.”
“I wasn’t exactly by myself.”
“You were from a town’s standpoint. What you have achieved is close to a miracle.”
SJ blushed with embarrassment. “I wouldn’t call it a miracle.”
“I would. To change the minds of some of those on the council is not something to sniff at, the halflings have been trying for years to get on the council.”
“I meant to ask the mayor about that, and why they had no representation.”
“Halflings are synonymous of borrowing.”
“Ahh,” SJ replied, understanding the term in relation to the world of Tolkien.
“There have been many issues over items being borrowed, the times I have had to deal with them in the guard is ridiculous,” Lorna replied shaking her head.
“What about undead?”
“Only Floretta lives in the town, and she has never shown interest in the council.”
“Thanks for the training today. I need to go and see Alice.”
“Are you back tomorrow?”
“Hopefully, I will see how I get on. I have already been given a task to do.”
“The powers of leadership,” Lorna smiled. “I suppose I should now start calling you Ma’am.”
“You dare and my claws will come out,” SJ laughed as she left.
It felt strange having someone she held in such high regard even consider the comment. On getting back to the barracks she found Alice upstairs in her office.
“Are you free to go now?” SJ asked after knocking on her door.
Alice looked up smiling. “Yes. Let’s go find you a home.”
