Lakeside Story 2: A Serpent in the Chateau
General Summary
Month 7, Week 4, Year 931
Luciana surveyed the scene, watching the young queen peeking over the table to stare at the giant map stretched out across the table. She stepped towards the table, tracing a finger down the spines of the fish while the monarch soaked up every line and shape on the map with greedy curiosity. "What can you tell me about this place?" She asked the heir to the Desperan throne, pointing at a series of jagged mountains and peninsulas colored a pale shade of blue. The young girl's brow furrowed as she analyzed the map, twisting her hair around a finger as she pieced together the answer. "I remember this from our lesson, Ms. Chabert, it's the land owned by the Knights of Rarita!" Ysabel replied, her face brightening with epiphany. "They left Despero roughly three hundred years ago due to religious differences, and there are some in the royal court who say that we have a right to take over their lands since they're still technically subjects to the crown." Luciana gave a warm smile, pleased to see the young girl's advancements but careful not burden the monarch with an overinflated ego. "And do you believe that they should be subjugated?" Another frown, another twist of the hair. "Well, it's right next to the Northern Union, and I'm not sure if the lady who runs it would like having another big kingdom at her doorstep. But I remember hearing that she doesn't like Sardivelia, so if we promised to be a counterweight to Sardivelian influence in the region might be more interested to have another kingdom to rely on." It took all of Luciana's self-control to avoid dropping her jaw at the response. She was quoting from a lesson they'd had more than two months ago about the politics of the Northern Union, practically verbatim! For centuries the nobles of Despero enjoyed the blessings of a hands-off monarch, but Ysabel might prove to be the first competent monarch in ages capable of bringing the noble families back in line. It was just a few years until her coronation, but already Ysabel was proving more well-versed in global affairs than most of the nobles at the court. Luciana gestured for a servant to start rolling up the map, bowing to the young monarch with another affectionate smile. "I can see our lessons have been paying off, your majesty. I believe you've deserved an afternoon all to yourself, feel free to rest or do whatever you'd like. The spellcasters from Majeure are still in town, I don't believe anybody would be offended if the future queen of Despero learned a couple of cantrips." "Can't we look at the maps a bit longer?" Ysabel sighed. "We haven't looked at Rana in ages, I still think there's a faster route to Rel-Moro through the Arrayas Ocean!" "I promise you we can test your theories some other day, in the meantime you've earned some time for yourself. You're only young once, once you're queen I guarantee you'll long for these days of freedom." Ysabel grumbled as she was slowly guided towards the courtyards, but the further she got from the maps the more excited she seemed for a day in the summer sun. Luciana gave another bow as the queen departed, waiting a few moments as she listened to the monarch's footsteps tap down the corridors. Once they faded into nothingness Duchess Luciana Chabert, Regent of Despero, snapped her fingers to have a servant unfurl some maps. The real maps. Within moments the desks were full of sketches and maps marked by cryptic symbols, representing the Regent's sprawling empire of assets throughout Pescaliat. Spies in all the major capitals, contacts with the thieves guilds, and necromancers on both sides of the cold war between House Hainaut and the Graveyard. She sifted through letters, crumpled notes, memories stored in small glass vials, the fears and dreams of a continent spilling from the pages. It had taken close to a decade and a small fortune to create this empire, but it was the greatest asset Despero had in this era of uncertainty Ekal found itself in. She'd show this to Ysabel someday after her coronation, after a while on the throne she'd quickly see the need for such an expensive organization. Luciana quickly parsed the facts from the falsehoods, and after the third letter mentioning it she had to conlcude that a marriage between the Nestorians and Hafiz Dynasty was truly in the works. War was coming to Pescaliat, the Treaty of Iverburg had done little to settle the balance of power in a post-Elflands world and there were several powers eager to fill that void. A Gamerian-Rakkan alliance would be a formiddable force, well-defended and capable of steamrolling many of their rivals in a land-based war. Despero would have to rely on unorthodox means to survive, her spy network being one of them. In her head she started racing through scenarios, thinking of the alliances and she could broker with a bit of careful blackmail and coercion. Luciana reached a trance as she shuffled through lettersuntil a cough from somewhere in the distance interrupted her reverie. One of the royal servants was trying to get her attention, awkwardly standing several feet away. "Your son is here to see you," she explained, looking for somewhere to avoid Luciana's glare. She took a deep breath, staring down at the maps one last time before having the servants put it all away. Her spies had mentioned Louis abandoning his vacation early, whatever reason he had for interrupting her in the palace better be of national importance. "Send him in," She demanded, shifting towards the side of the room to unlock one of the ornate cabinets. A bit of rummaging uncovered a bottle of wine, Sardivelian red, simple and strong for such an occasion. A gaunt figure slinked into the room, thin and pale unkempt hair falling down the sides of his face. Hadn't she ordered him a summer wardrobe for the trip? Why was he still wearing the same clothes he left in, had they even been washed since they last met?" "I thought the cruise was supposed to last several weeks," Luciana remarked, taking a sip of wine while she waited for Louis to saunter over to her side. "I would've known if something had gone wrong, so what reason do you have for returning early?" "Nice to see you too mother," He replied, shifting his gaze around the room while he struggled to make eye contact. "As pleasant as the cruise was, I've decided that I am needed elsewhere. Dendar needs me, mother, and I must head into the Desert to defend his interests." Luciana finished her glass of wine, quickly pouring herself another while she glared at her son. "And what business could Dendar have planned for you in the Desert?" "There's a war in Sheyuan, mother, a a war of minds. I can't stand by while Merrshaulk's heretics threaten to take over the seat of Dendar's power for the last ten millennia, I must go and defend his will." Again with the cult talk. Years of deprogramming, meetings with clerics and Shroud agents alike, and here he was again talking like he had all those years ago. She couldn't be having the same conversation again, not when everything she'd been working towards was in her hands. She watched as Louis droned on about orthodoxies and divine callings, watching the wine in her bottle quickly disappear. As the dark red liquid neared the bottom of the bottle, Luciana reached the end of her patience. Without a word she stood up from her chair, stepped over to Louis, and slapped him across the face. The young half-elf stood silent, stunned as a blush of red brought some much-needed color to his pale visage. He stared at his mother, but before he could form a response she was already spitting venom. "For years I've tolerated your ravings about Dendar, on the condition that you kept it a private obsession," She seethed. "Having you abandon a social gathering, one that could define the rest of your political career no less, is where I draw the line. We have the power of an entire nation in our hands, and you want to throw it away on some pointless crusade? Your snakes will die their pathetic little deaths out in the desert with or without you, but our family can only survive if you stay in Despero." Louis tried to compose himself, an expression of anguish waving across his face. His lips twitched and his body shivered, his brainwashing from decades ago struggling to maintain control. For a moment Luciana wondered if this was finally the moment where Louis dropped it all and disappeared into the desert, but after a few moments of silent suffering Louis straightened up and gave a polite nod to his mother. His eyes watered, but his years of training were finally winning out over the Dendar brainwashing. She let a smile spread across her face, watching her son bend to her will. "I'm so glad you're willing to see things my way for a change and take responsibility for your mistakes. Now, there's a pleasant young woman from the Favreau family attending a party in Havre, I'll have it arranged for you to be her plus one to the event. You will propose to her by the end of the summer and start raising a family in the next two years, perhaps longer if you make any more mistakes but I don't believe you'd dare to do such a thing. Do I make myself clear?" "As you wish," he said in a perfect monotone, his eyes blinking back tears. "I'll go and get dressed for my date now, thank you for the opportunity to redeem myself." Luciana smiled as she watched her son slowly leave the room with his head bowed. She'd have to increase the security around him to avoid another scandal, but she'd be able to keep him in line while still focusing on her duties as Regent. She calmed herself with another sip of wine, patting her lips with a napkin before leaving to check on Ysabel. What fun surprises did the future Queen of Despero have in store for her?
Luciana surveyed the scene, watching the young queen peeking over the table to stare at the giant map stretched out across the table. She stepped towards the table, tracing a finger down the spines of the fish while the monarch soaked up every line and shape on the map with greedy curiosity. "What can you tell me about this place?" She asked the heir to the Desperan throne, pointing at a series of jagged mountains and peninsulas colored a pale shade of blue. The young girl's brow furrowed as she analyzed the map, twisting her hair around a finger as she pieced together the answer. "I remember this from our lesson, Ms. Chabert, it's the land owned by the Knights of Rarita!" Ysabel replied, her face brightening with epiphany. "They left Despero roughly three hundred years ago due to religious differences, and there are some in the royal court who say that we have a right to take over their lands since they're still technically subjects to the crown." Luciana gave a warm smile, pleased to see the young girl's advancements but careful not burden the monarch with an overinflated ego. "And do you believe that they should be subjugated?" Another frown, another twist of the hair. "Well, it's right next to the Northern Union, and I'm not sure if the lady who runs it would like having another big kingdom at her doorstep. But I remember hearing that she doesn't like Sardivelia, so if we promised to be a counterweight to Sardivelian influence in the region might be more interested to have another kingdom to rely on." It took all of Luciana's self-control to avoid dropping her jaw at the response. She was quoting from a lesson they'd had more than two months ago about the politics of the Northern Union, practically verbatim! For centuries the nobles of Despero enjoyed the blessings of a hands-off monarch, but Ysabel might prove to be the first competent monarch in ages capable of bringing the noble families back in line. It was just a few years until her coronation, but already Ysabel was proving more well-versed in global affairs than most of the nobles at the court. Luciana gestured for a servant to start rolling up the map, bowing to the young monarch with another affectionate smile. "I can see our lessons have been paying off, your majesty. I believe you've deserved an afternoon all to yourself, feel free to rest or do whatever you'd like. The spellcasters from Majeure are still in town, I don't believe anybody would be offended if the future queen of Despero learned a couple of cantrips." "Can't we look at the maps a bit longer?" Ysabel sighed. "We haven't looked at Rana in ages, I still think there's a faster route to Rel-Moro through the Arrayas Ocean!" "I promise you we can test your theories some other day, in the meantime you've earned some time for yourself. You're only young once, once you're queen I guarantee you'll long for these days of freedom." Ysabel grumbled as she was slowly guided towards the courtyards, but the further she got from the maps the more excited she seemed for a day in the summer sun. Luciana gave another bow as the queen departed, waiting a few moments as she listened to the monarch's footsteps tap down the corridors. Once they faded into nothingness Duchess Luciana Chabert, Regent of Despero, snapped her fingers to have a servant unfurl some maps. The real maps. Within moments the desks were full of sketches and maps marked by cryptic symbols, representing the Regent's sprawling empire of assets throughout Pescaliat. Spies in all the major capitals, contacts with the thieves guilds, and necromancers on both sides of the cold war between House Hainaut and the Graveyard. She sifted through letters, crumpled notes, memories stored in small glass vials, the fears and dreams of a continent spilling from the pages. It had taken close to a decade and a small fortune to create this empire, but it was the greatest asset Despero had in this era of uncertainty Ekal found itself in. She'd show this to Ysabel someday after her coronation, after a while on the throne she'd quickly see the need for such an expensive organization. Luciana quickly parsed the facts from the falsehoods, and after the third letter mentioning it she had to conlcude that a marriage between the Nestorians and Hafiz Dynasty was truly in the works. War was coming to Pescaliat, the Treaty of Iverburg had done little to settle the balance of power in a post-Elflands world and there were several powers eager to fill that void. A Gamerian-Rakkan alliance would be a formiddable force, well-defended and capable of steamrolling many of their rivals in a land-based war. Despero would have to rely on unorthodox means to survive, her spy network being one of them. In her head she started racing through scenarios, thinking of the alliances and she could broker with a bit of careful blackmail and coercion. Luciana reached a trance as she shuffled through lettersuntil a cough from somewhere in the distance interrupted her reverie. One of the royal servants was trying to get her attention, awkwardly standing several feet away. "Your son is here to see you," she explained, looking for somewhere to avoid Luciana's glare. She took a deep breath, staring down at the maps one last time before having the servants put it all away. Her spies had mentioned Louis abandoning his vacation early, whatever reason he had for interrupting her in the palace better be of national importance. "Send him in," She demanded, shifting towards the side of the room to unlock one of the ornate cabinets. A bit of rummaging uncovered a bottle of wine, Sardivelian red, simple and strong for such an occasion. A gaunt figure slinked into the room, thin and pale unkempt hair falling down the sides of his face. Hadn't she ordered him a summer wardrobe for the trip? Why was he still wearing the same clothes he left in, had they even been washed since they last met?" "I thought the cruise was supposed to last several weeks," Luciana remarked, taking a sip of wine while she waited for Louis to saunter over to her side. "I would've known if something had gone wrong, so what reason do you have for returning early?" "Nice to see you too mother," He replied, shifting his gaze around the room while he struggled to make eye contact. "As pleasant as the cruise was, I've decided that I am needed elsewhere. Dendar needs me, mother, and I must head into the Desert to defend his interests." Luciana finished her glass of wine, quickly pouring herself another while she glared at her son. "And what business could Dendar have planned for you in the Desert?" "There's a war in Sheyuan, mother, a a war of minds. I can't stand by while Merrshaulk's heretics threaten to take over the seat of Dendar's power for the last ten millennia, I must go and defend his will." Again with the cult talk. Years of deprogramming, meetings with clerics and Shroud agents alike, and here he was again talking like he had all those years ago. She couldn't be having the same conversation again, not when everything she'd been working towards was in her hands. She watched as Louis droned on about orthodoxies and divine callings, watching the wine in her bottle quickly disappear. As the dark red liquid neared the bottom of the bottle, Luciana reached the end of her patience. Without a word she stood up from her chair, stepped over to Louis, and slapped him across the face. The young half-elf stood silent, stunned as a blush of red brought some much-needed color to his pale visage. He stared at his mother, but before he could form a response she was already spitting venom. "For years I've tolerated your ravings about Dendar, on the condition that you kept it a private obsession," She seethed. "Having you abandon a social gathering, one that could define the rest of your political career no less, is where I draw the line. We have the power of an entire nation in our hands, and you want to throw it away on some pointless crusade? Your snakes will die their pathetic little deaths out in the desert with or without you, but our family can only survive if you stay in Despero." Louis tried to compose himself, an expression of anguish waving across his face. His lips twitched and his body shivered, his brainwashing from decades ago struggling to maintain control. For a moment Luciana wondered if this was finally the moment where Louis dropped it all and disappeared into the desert, but after a few moments of silent suffering Louis straightened up and gave a polite nod to his mother. His eyes watered, but his years of training were finally winning out over the Dendar brainwashing. She let a smile spread across her face, watching her son bend to her will. "I'm so glad you're willing to see things my way for a change and take responsibility for your mistakes. Now, there's a pleasant young woman from the Favreau family attending a party in Havre, I'll have it arranged for you to be her plus one to the event. You will propose to her by the end of the summer and start raising a family in the next two years, perhaps longer if you make any more mistakes but I don't believe you'd dare to do such a thing. Do I make myself clear?" "As you wish," he said in a perfect monotone, his eyes blinking back tears. "I'll go and get dressed for my date now, thank you for the opportunity to redeem myself." Luciana smiled as she watched her son slowly leave the room with his head bowed. She'd have to increase the security around him to avoid another scandal, but she'd be able to keep him in line while still focusing on her duties as Regent. She calmed herself with another sip of wine, patting her lips with a napkin before leaving to check on Ysabel. What fun surprises did the future Queen of Despero have in store for her?
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06 Feb 2024
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