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The morning’s events at the Loutra had taken its toll on them all, but Circenia of Stravos was less disturbed and more intrigued. How had the body gotten there without anyone noticing? Why had this girl been chosen in particular? Was it merely for her resemblance to Emilia or was there a deeper reasoning involved?
The most important question of all, however: Who did it?
A million different possibilities swirled through her mind of who it could have been, but the one nagging at the forefront was Elias. Though he had not expressly told her of such plans, it seemed right up the alley of something he would do. Something she would commend her for, even. But if it was him, why had he kept it a secret? Her son, of all people, knew his mother was a vault. She would take a secret to her grave, if need be, especially one like this done for the benefit of her family.
So, that was why she was here, in the royal crypts, walking with her son with none but the specters of the dead to overhear. If it was him that had orchestrated the debacle, she dared take no risk of them being overheard. Let the others think they visited the tomb of her late brother. Let the others think they spent this time in solemn contemplation of the transient nature of life and death. Circenia merely needed a place to speak where no one else would dare to interfere.
Pausing in front of Minas’s eternal resting place, the princess flattened her hand against the stone. She had adored her brother in a way she cared for little else, and the pain of his passing still stung, though not as much as the sting of his betrayal. There was plenty of anger there, to be sure; if he had not changed the laws of succession, Athenia would not be in the uproar it was now. Her son would sit on the throne legitimately, and his daughters would know their place. There would no need for the war that was brewing, no need for the riots or rebellion.
It was almost too bad Minas wasn’t around to see what happened when her kin betrayed her.
Sighing and removing her hand, Circenia turned to her son beside her. They’d remained in contemplative silence during their walk down here, but it was time to learn the truth. She was tired of all the secrets in this family, especially kept from her. Damn the rest of them; she couldn’t bear for her only son to hide.
“So,” she finally began, cocking an eyebrow in his direction. “Was it you?”
She knew she didn’t need to say any more; Elias was smart enough to know why they were here. Circenia simply waited for his response, arms folded over her chest expectantly.
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The morning’s events at the Loutra had taken its toll on them all, but Circenia of Stravos was less disturbed and more intrigued. How had the body gotten there without anyone noticing? Why had this girl been chosen in particular? Was it merely for her resemblance to Emilia or was there a deeper reasoning involved?
The most important question of all, however: Who did it?
A million different possibilities swirled through her mind of who it could have been, but the one nagging at the forefront was Elias. Though he had not expressly told her of such plans, it seemed right up the alley of something he would do. Something she would commend her for, even. But if it was him, why had he kept it a secret? Her son, of all people, knew his mother was a vault. She would take a secret to her grave, if need be, especially one like this done for the benefit of her family.
So, that was why she was here, in the royal crypts, walking with her son with none but the specters of the dead to overhear. If it was him that had orchestrated the debacle, she dared take no risk of them being overheard. Let the others think they visited the tomb of her late brother. Let the others think they spent this time in solemn contemplation of the transient nature of life and death. Circenia merely needed a place to speak where no one else would dare to interfere.
Pausing in front of Minas’s eternal resting place, the princess flattened her hand against the stone. She had adored her brother in a way she cared for little else, and the pain of his passing still stung, though not as much as the sting of his betrayal. There was plenty of anger there, to be sure; if he had not changed the laws of succession, Athenia would not be in the uproar it was now. Her son would sit on the throne legitimately, and his daughters would know their place. There would no need for the war that was brewing, no need for the riots or rebellion.
It was almost too bad Minas wasn’t around to see what happened when her kin betrayed her.
Sighing and removing her hand, Circenia turned to her son beside her. They’d remained in contemplative silence during their walk down here, but it was time to learn the truth. She was tired of all the secrets in this family, especially kept from her. Damn the rest of them; she couldn’t bear for her only son to hide.
“So,” she finally began, cocking an eyebrow in his direction. “Was it you?”
She knew she didn’t need to say any more; Elias was smart enough to know why they were here. Circenia simply waited for his response, arms folded over her chest expectantly.
The morning’s events at the Loutra had taken its toll on them all, but Circenia of Stravos was less disturbed and more intrigued. How had the body gotten there without anyone noticing? Why had this girl been chosen in particular? Was it merely for her resemblance to Emilia or was there a deeper reasoning involved?
The most important question of all, however: Who did it?
A million different possibilities swirled through her mind of who it could have been, but the one nagging at the forefront was Elias. Though he had not expressly told her of such plans, it seemed right up the alley of something he would do. Something she would commend her for, even. But if it was him, why had he kept it a secret? Her son, of all people, knew his mother was a vault. She would take a secret to her grave, if need be, especially one like this done for the benefit of her family.
So, that was why she was here, in the royal crypts, walking with her son with none but the specters of the dead to overhear. If it was him that had orchestrated the debacle, she dared take no risk of them being overheard. Let the others think they visited the tomb of her late brother. Let the others think they spent this time in solemn contemplation of the transient nature of life and death. Circenia merely needed a place to speak where no one else would dare to interfere.
Pausing in front of Minas’s eternal resting place, the princess flattened her hand against the stone. She had adored her brother in a way she cared for little else, and the pain of his passing still stung, though not as much as the sting of his betrayal. There was plenty of anger there, to be sure; if he had not changed the laws of succession, Athenia would not be in the uproar it was now. Her son would sit on the throne legitimately, and his daughters would know their place. There would no need for the war that was brewing, no need for the riots or rebellion.
It was almost too bad Minas wasn’t around to see what happened when her kin betrayed her.
Sighing and removing her hand, Circenia turned to her son beside her. They’d remained in contemplative silence during their walk down here, but it was time to learn the truth. She was tired of all the secrets in this family, especially kept from her. Damn the rest of them; she couldn’t bear for her only son to hide.
“So,” she finally began, cocking an eyebrow in his direction. “Was it you?”
She knew she didn’t need to say any more; Elias was smart enough to know why they were here. Circenia simply waited for his response, arms folded over her chest expectantly.
Almost every single face in the Loutra this morning had been contorted in fear and anguish over what had been done. Or rather, every face had, but among the horror of it all, perhaps Elias of Stravos was the only one who could revel in the fact of it. Some could say that every life lost was a tragedy, but the Stravos lineage and perhaps more than the rest, Elias himself actively thought the opposite. As far as Elias was concerned, the lives of the filth and mongrels of society, those both without means and purpose were in all respects, without worth. Elias cared nothing for the life of one peasant girl, especially as in the wake of her death, the expression of what he'd sought after most was realized.
The people of Athenia were throwing their hatred at the Xanthos lineage. After months of the Athenian economy turning to disarray, after the pirate Lukos and that whole fiasco, after his purposeful withholding of the bounty of Thesnia's food as aide to other provinces... at last the people were blaming the lineage of the monarchy for it all. Elias craved the fact of it, for especially with the still-living Queen on the loose, to return at any point she mustered up the fortitude to attempt to reclaim her power, he needed the people to be against the Xanthos. For, regardless of their lack of usefulness to him as individuals, his lack of care for them as such or as a collective, it was their rage and frustration, directed away from him, that gave them purpose.
Listen to your stomachs grumble and riot in the streets for your Queen to feed you. Realize that your cries fall upon deaf ears and cast her and her sister aside. Then, the Stravos will come and give you aide, the light to the darkness.
It was a pleasure, reverie still steep within the Stravos' mind even as he followed Circenia's movements away from the Loutra. He'd gone with her and his sister, Danae, to assure their safe passage to Archontiko Stravos, but once Danae was left there, it was clear that Circenia had other plans. Elias had no reason to refuse her demands, for it was clear to Elias what she would ask him. In fact, he wondered in the way back, in the midst of all of his other machinations, if he had, indeed, bribed some citizens into doing this. But, he swept through his recollections and found nothing to contradict the idea that this occurence was immaculate.
Elias followed his mother into the Crypts and it was quite curious that she led him into the path directly in front of his uncle, Minas' grave. Elias had once sorely loved his uncle, and that love in the final months of the late king's life soured. Betrayal after betrayal, slight after slight. Minas of Xanthos pushed his nephew to his limits through his continuous offenses, and when found guilty of treason, the mercy shown to him in not being put to death... it brought rise to chaos.
I will have the crown you left on your daughter's head, Minas. If I have to marry her for it or peel it from her corpse, the crown will be mine to bear, he mused as Circenia asked that simple four word question of him. A chuckle escaped his lips, and for once, there was genuine humour in it. Elias placed his hand upon his uncle's tombstone before he caught his mother's eye. There was no reason to lie to her ever again.
"No. I didn't orchestrate any of this. If it'd been me, I would've chosen the princess' lady in waiting, Hebe of Antonis, to be the girl thrown in the Loutra."
Brutal was the crime committed, but using a nameless peasant to throw shade at the royalty, it was a weak offering at best. But, nonetheless, it was one that Elias appreciated.
"It's even better this way, though," he murmured. "This serves to alert not only the other royals of this farce that is Xanthos rule being challenged by the common filth, but it gives us the reassurance that everything we have done has not been worthless."
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Almost every single face in the Loutra this morning had been contorted in fear and anguish over what had been done. Or rather, every face had, but among the horror of it all, perhaps Elias of Stravos was the only one who could revel in the fact of it. Some could say that every life lost was a tragedy, but the Stravos lineage and perhaps more than the rest, Elias himself actively thought the opposite. As far as Elias was concerned, the lives of the filth and mongrels of society, those both without means and purpose were in all respects, without worth. Elias cared nothing for the life of one peasant girl, especially as in the wake of her death, the expression of what he'd sought after most was realized.
The people of Athenia were throwing their hatred at the Xanthos lineage. After months of the Athenian economy turning to disarray, after the pirate Lukos and that whole fiasco, after his purposeful withholding of the bounty of Thesnia's food as aide to other provinces... at last the people were blaming the lineage of the monarchy for it all. Elias craved the fact of it, for especially with the still-living Queen on the loose, to return at any point she mustered up the fortitude to attempt to reclaim her power, he needed the people to be against the Xanthos. For, regardless of their lack of usefulness to him as individuals, his lack of care for them as such or as a collective, it was their rage and frustration, directed away from him, that gave them purpose.
Listen to your stomachs grumble and riot in the streets for your Queen to feed you. Realize that your cries fall upon deaf ears and cast her and her sister aside. Then, the Stravos will come and give you aide, the light to the darkness.
It was a pleasure, reverie still steep within the Stravos' mind even as he followed Circenia's movements away from the Loutra. He'd gone with her and his sister, Danae, to assure their safe passage to Archontiko Stravos, but once Danae was left there, it was clear that Circenia had other plans. Elias had no reason to refuse her demands, for it was clear to Elias what she would ask him. In fact, he wondered in the way back, in the midst of all of his other machinations, if he had, indeed, bribed some citizens into doing this. But, he swept through his recollections and found nothing to contradict the idea that this occurence was immaculate.
Elias followed his mother into the Crypts and it was quite curious that she led him into the path directly in front of his uncle, Minas' grave. Elias had once sorely loved his uncle, and that love in the final months of the late king's life soured. Betrayal after betrayal, slight after slight. Minas of Xanthos pushed his nephew to his limits through his continuous offenses, and when found guilty of treason, the mercy shown to him in not being put to death... it brought rise to chaos.
I will have the crown you left on your daughter's head, Minas. If I have to marry her for it or peel it from her corpse, the crown will be mine to bear, he mused as Circenia asked that simple four word question of him. A chuckle escaped his lips, and for once, there was genuine humour in it. Elias placed his hand upon his uncle's tombstone before he caught his mother's eye. There was no reason to lie to her ever again.
"No. I didn't orchestrate any of this. If it'd been me, I would've chosen the princess' lady in waiting, Hebe of Antonis, to be the girl thrown in the Loutra."
Brutal was the crime committed, but using a nameless peasant to throw shade at the royalty, it was a weak offering at best. But, nonetheless, it was one that Elias appreciated.
"It's even better this way, though," he murmured. "This serves to alert not only the other royals of this farce that is Xanthos rule being challenged by the common filth, but it gives us the reassurance that everything we have done has not been worthless."
Almost every single face in the Loutra this morning had been contorted in fear and anguish over what had been done. Or rather, every face had, but among the horror of it all, perhaps Elias of Stravos was the only one who could revel in the fact of it. Some could say that every life lost was a tragedy, but the Stravos lineage and perhaps more than the rest, Elias himself actively thought the opposite. As far as Elias was concerned, the lives of the filth and mongrels of society, those both without means and purpose were in all respects, without worth. Elias cared nothing for the life of one peasant girl, especially as in the wake of her death, the expression of what he'd sought after most was realized.
The people of Athenia were throwing their hatred at the Xanthos lineage. After months of the Athenian economy turning to disarray, after the pirate Lukos and that whole fiasco, after his purposeful withholding of the bounty of Thesnia's food as aide to other provinces... at last the people were blaming the lineage of the monarchy for it all. Elias craved the fact of it, for especially with the still-living Queen on the loose, to return at any point she mustered up the fortitude to attempt to reclaim her power, he needed the people to be against the Xanthos. For, regardless of their lack of usefulness to him as individuals, his lack of care for them as such or as a collective, it was their rage and frustration, directed away from him, that gave them purpose.
Listen to your stomachs grumble and riot in the streets for your Queen to feed you. Realize that your cries fall upon deaf ears and cast her and her sister aside. Then, the Stravos will come and give you aide, the light to the darkness.
It was a pleasure, reverie still steep within the Stravos' mind even as he followed Circenia's movements away from the Loutra. He'd gone with her and his sister, Danae, to assure their safe passage to Archontiko Stravos, but once Danae was left there, it was clear that Circenia had other plans. Elias had no reason to refuse her demands, for it was clear to Elias what she would ask him. In fact, he wondered in the way back, in the midst of all of his other machinations, if he had, indeed, bribed some citizens into doing this. But, he swept through his recollections and found nothing to contradict the idea that this occurence was immaculate.
Elias followed his mother into the Crypts and it was quite curious that she led him into the path directly in front of his uncle, Minas' grave. Elias had once sorely loved his uncle, and that love in the final months of the late king's life soured. Betrayal after betrayal, slight after slight. Minas of Xanthos pushed his nephew to his limits through his continuous offenses, and when found guilty of treason, the mercy shown to him in not being put to death... it brought rise to chaos.
I will have the crown you left on your daughter's head, Minas. If I have to marry her for it or peel it from her corpse, the crown will be mine to bear, he mused as Circenia asked that simple four word question of him. A chuckle escaped his lips, and for once, there was genuine humour in it. Elias placed his hand upon his uncle's tombstone before he caught his mother's eye. There was no reason to lie to her ever again.
"No. I didn't orchestrate any of this. If it'd been me, I would've chosen the princess' lady in waiting, Hebe of Antonis, to be the girl thrown in the Loutra."
Brutal was the crime committed, but using a nameless peasant to throw shade at the royalty, it was a weak offering at best. But, nonetheless, it was one that Elias appreciated.
"It's even better this way, though," he murmured. "This serves to alert not only the other royals of this farce that is Xanthos rule being challenged by the common filth, but it gives us the reassurance that everything we have done has not been worthless."
No. I didn't orchestrate any of this. If it'd been me, I would've chosen the princess's lady in waiting, Hebe of Antonis, to be the girl thrown in the Loutra.
Elias’s words rang sincere, Circenia gazing at him with a coolly speculative eye. The fact that it wasn’t him both unnerved her and set her at ease. If it wasn’t him, then who was it? And who would they come for next?
“I suppose it’s a good thing that it wasn’t you, then,” the princess murmured pensively, picturing the bloated face of her great-niece floating in the water. She was by no means fond of the girl, but that was too powerful of a message. “A commoner’s death is of little consequence; the investigation will be brief. A noblewoman, on the other hand… While, yes, the stir it would’ve caused truly would have been a tremendous sight to behold, more digging would have been done. And if such a crime was traced back to us…” Circenia’s shoulders shook in a delicate shudder. “I don’t know that we could have gotten out of that one.”
At least they knew their machinations were working. For someone not in their employ to commit such a crime showed that the people were becoming restless. They blamed the Xanthos for their continued misery, a good sign for whenever Persephone returned. The more they could turn the common folk away from the Queen and her sister, the better. If Athenia came to war, the Stravos needed whatever support they could get on their side.
“But if it wasn’t you, we need to find out who it was, and we need to make sure their sights stay firmly on the Xanthos. In times like these, people will blame whoever they can to keep responsibility from themselves.” She shook her head with a tight look on her face. Of course, the princess didn’t want to think worst-case scenario, but one had to consider all possibilities in dire situations. That’s how they stayed alive. “It would not be hard for them to turn against us next. Our stewardship of the Palati is well-known at this point, and angry people become unpredictable. We don’t want their ire, lest it be you, Chara, or Danae that ends up the next victim.”
She tapped her chin with a thoughtful look. “We must look into this. Danae has her little network of street urchins. Perhaps they might be of use in learning more about it.”
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No. I didn't orchestrate any of this. If it'd been me, I would've chosen the princess's lady in waiting, Hebe of Antonis, to be the girl thrown in the Loutra.
Elias’s words rang sincere, Circenia gazing at him with a coolly speculative eye. The fact that it wasn’t him both unnerved her and set her at ease. If it wasn’t him, then who was it? And who would they come for next?
“I suppose it’s a good thing that it wasn’t you, then,” the princess murmured pensively, picturing the bloated face of her great-niece floating in the water. She was by no means fond of the girl, but that was too powerful of a message. “A commoner’s death is of little consequence; the investigation will be brief. A noblewoman, on the other hand… While, yes, the stir it would’ve caused truly would have been a tremendous sight to behold, more digging would have been done. And if such a crime was traced back to us…” Circenia’s shoulders shook in a delicate shudder. “I don’t know that we could have gotten out of that one.”
At least they knew their machinations were working. For someone not in their employ to commit such a crime showed that the people were becoming restless. They blamed the Xanthos for their continued misery, a good sign for whenever Persephone returned. The more they could turn the common folk away from the Queen and her sister, the better. If Athenia came to war, the Stravos needed whatever support they could get on their side.
“But if it wasn’t you, we need to find out who it was, and we need to make sure their sights stay firmly on the Xanthos. In times like these, people will blame whoever they can to keep responsibility from themselves.” She shook her head with a tight look on her face. Of course, the princess didn’t want to think worst-case scenario, but one had to consider all possibilities in dire situations. That’s how they stayed alive. “It would not be hard for them to turn against us next. Our stewardship of the Palati is well-known at this point, and angry people become unpredictable. We don’t want their ire, lest it be you, Chara, or Danae that ends up the next victim.”
She tapped her chin with a thoughtful look. “We must look into this. Danae has her little network of street urchins. Perhaps they might be of use in learning more about it.”
No. I didn't orchestrate any of this. If it'd been me, I would've chosen the princess's lady in waiting, Hebe of Antonis, to be the girl thrown in the Loutra.
Elias’s words rang sincere, Circenia gazing at him with a coolly speculative eye. The fact that it wasn’t him both unnerved her and set her at ease. If it wasn’t him, then who was it? And who would they come for next?
“I suppose it’s a good thing that it wasn’t you, then,” the princess murmured pensively, picturing the bloated face of her great-niece floating in the water. She was by no means fond of the girl, but that was too powerful of a message. “A commoner’s death is of little consequence; the investigation will be brief. A noblewoman, on the other hand… While, yes, the stir it would’ve caused truly would have been a tremendous sight to behold, more digging would have been done. And if such a crime was traced back to us…” Circenia’s shoulders shook in a delicate shudder. “I don’t know that we could have gotten out of that one.”
At least they knew their machinations were working. For someone not in their employ to commit such a crime showed that the people were becoming restless. They blamed the Xanthos for their continued misery, a good sign for whenever Persephone returned. The more they could turn the common folk away from the Queen and her sister, the better. If Athenia came to war, the Stravos needed whatever support they could get on their side.
“But if it wasn’t you, we need to find out who it was, and we need to make sure their sights stay firmly on the Xanthos. In times like these, people will blame whoever they can to keep responsibility from themselves.” She shook her head with a tight look on her face. Of course, the princess didn’t want to think worst-case scenario, but one had to consider all possibilities in dire situations. That’s how they stayed alive. “It would not be hard for them to turn against us next. Our stewardship of the Palati is well-known at this point, and angry people become unpredictable. We don’t want their ire, lest it be you, Chara, or Danae that ends up the next victim.”
She tapped her chin with a thoughtful look. “We must look into this. Danae has her little network of street urchins. Perhaps they might be of use in learning more about it.”
The thought of sending his distant cousin into a watery grave wasn't a happy one, but he envisioned the utility in it. Throwing a girl of royal blood, one who was daughter to the once-heir apparent to the throne of Athenia itself was a message truly worth sending. Elias, if he was behind such a spectacle, would've taken measure after measure to keep himself insulated from such a crime, regardless of how many other bodies needed to turn cold and inert as a result of it.
However, fortunately for everyone involved, such a measure was unnecessary. Elias never once felt that he needed to create a 'Princess of Sorrow' at all. Pinning the blame on the Xanthos was simple enough without spilling blood. The blood that needed to be spilled instead was those cur that disagreed with the illusion of continued Xanthos control. The very fact that there'd been a corpse in the Loutra made it apparent that every effort they'd made, mother and son, father and daughters, were working in unison for the goal of dismantling the house of Xanthos until all that was left of their legend was failure.
Piece by piece, everything falls into place. The folly of Xanthos rule has been apparent since Minas' sickness. The fact that he pushed me away and mandated his daughter rule in his stead...
Elias wavered from the thought. It was hardly the time to dally in the what-ifs and what-have-yous of the past. Instead, he merely shrugged his shoulders at his mother's cautions. He was, after all, only stating what message he would've wanted sent. What the people decided on was fine with him and he'd express as much.
"It quite a shame that you had to even ask. None of this was necessary for anything. A senseless crime to show a grievance about a senseless cause. The people are worms, unworthy of their voice. But, their grievances expressed in this particular way are ideal for showing the Princess that she doesn't belong in power. She might be more willing to acquiesce further privilege to my regency. I don't necessarily want to act with more agency in a public way, but... it would be nice to sign off on some impositions without the need to ask."
The taxes had been as of yet unfixed, for Emilia couldn't be bothered to understand any of it. Elias didn't want to impose what he'd suggested, but instead offer them as a fool's endeavor while he twisted them in favour for the royals as a whole. Selfish was the heart and soul of Elias of Stravos, and the more that the crown was made to be pitiless monsters, the better it suited him until that crown was his to bear.
Elias agreed with the need for investigation. While, certainly, Cicero of Aetola was underway with some brief findings about the matter, he couldn't be trusted to investigate much of anything and reveal it to them. Using the urchins that Danae was privy to was fine with Elias. It saved him the need to use his own resources, which were quite tied up in attempting to locate the queen and root out his enemies in the Senate. The Headlord of Stravos, after all, had every intention of eliminating his opposition, whether through guile, threat, or pitiable accidents. Leaving widows was not new to Elias of Stravos, though he preferred not to disrupt the rattled Athenian government if he could help it.
"Can her urchins be trusted with any sort of discretion? If you believe that it's the proper course of action, then I will agree to it. I've other matters to attend to," he mused.
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The thought of sending his distant cousin into a watery grave wasn't a happy one, but he envisioned the utility in it. Throwing a girl of royal blood, one who was daughter to the once-heir apparent to the throne of Athenia itself was a message truly worth sending. Elias, if he was behind such a spectacle, would've taken measure after measure to keep himself insulated from such a crime, regardless of how many other bodies needed to turn cold and inert as a result of it.
However, fortunately for everyone involved, such a measure was unnecessary. Elias never once felt that he needed to create a 'Princess of Sorrow' at all. Pinning the blame on the Xanthos was simple enough without spilling blood. The blood that needed to be spilled instead was those cur that disagreed with the illusion of continued Xanthos control. The very fact that there'd been a corpse in the Loutra made it apparent that every effort they'd made, mother and son, father and daughters, were working in unison for the goal of dismantling the house of Xanthos until all that was left of their legend was failure.
Piece by piece, everything falls into place. The folly of Xanthos rule has been apparent since Minas' sickness. The fact that he pushed me away and mandated his daughter rule in his stead...
Elias wavered from the thought. It was hardly the time to dally in the what-ifs and what-have-yous of the past. Instead, he merely shrugged his shoulders at his mother's cautions. He was, after all, only stating what message he would've wanted sent. What the people decided on was fine with him and he'd express as much.
"It quite a shame that you had to even ask. None of this was necessary for anything. A senseless crime to show a grievance about a senseless cause. The people are worms, unworthy of their voice. But, their grievances expressed in this particular way are ideal for showing the Princess that she doesn't belong in power. She might be more willing to acquiesce further privilege to my regency. I don't necessarily want to act with more agency in a public way, but... it would be nice to sign off on some impositions without the need to ask."
The taxes had been as of yet unfixed, for Emilia couldn't be bothered to understand any of it. Elias didn't want to impose what he'd suggested, but instead offer them as a fool's endeavor while he twisted them in favour for the royals as a whole. Selfish was the heart and soul of Elias of Stravos, and the more that the crown was made to be pitiless monsters, the better it suited him until that crown was his to bear.
Elias agreed with the need for investigation. While, certainly, Cicero of Aetola was underway with some brief findings about the matter, he couldn't be trusted to investigate much of anything and reveal it to them. Using the urchins that Danae was privy to was fine with Elias. It saved him the need to use his own resources, which were quite tied up in attempting to locate the queen and root out his enemies in the Senate. The Headlord of Stravos, after all, had every intention of eliminating his opposition, whether through guile, threat, or pitiable accidents. Leaving widows was not new to Elias of Stravos, though he preferred not to disrupt the rattled Athenian government if he could help it.
"Can her urchins be trusted with any sort of discretion? If you believe that it's the proper course of action, then I will agree to it. I've other matters to attend to," he mused.
The thought of sending his distant cousin into a watery grave wasn't a happy one, but he envisioned the utility in it. Throwing a girl of royal blood, one who was daughter to the once-heir apparent to the throne of Athenia itself was a message truly worth sending. Elias, if he was behind such a spectacle, would've taken measure after measure to keep himself insulated from such a crime, regardless of how many other bodies needed to turn cold and inert as a result of it.
However, fortunately for everyone involved, such a measure was unnecessary. Elias never once felt that he needed to create a 'Princess of Sorrow' at all. Pinning the blame on the Xanthos was simple enough without spilling blood. The blood that needed to be spilled instead was those cur that disagreed with the illusion of continued Xanthos control. The very fact that there'd been a corpse in the Loutra made it apparent that every effort they'd made, mother and son, father and daughters, were working in unison for the goal of dismantling the house of Xanthos until all that was left of their legend was failure.
Piece by piece, everything falls into place. The folly of Xanthos rule has been apparent since Minas' sickness. The fact that he pushed me away and mandated his daughter rule in his stead...
Elias wavered from the thought. It was hardly the time to dally in the what-ifs and what-have-yous of the past. Instead, he merely shrugged his shoulders at his mother's cautions. He was, after all, only stating what message he would've wanted sent. What the people decided on was fine with him and he'd express as much.
"It quite a shame that you had to even ask. None of this was necessary for anything. A senseless crime to show a grievance about a senseless cause. The people are worms, unworthy of their voice. But, their grievances expressed in this particular way are ideal for showing the Princess that she doesn't belong in power. She might be more willing to acquiesce further privilege to my regency. I don't necessarily want to act with more agency in a public way, but... it would be nice to sign off on some impositions without the need to ask."
The taxes had been as of yet unfixed, for Emilia couldn't be bothered to understand any of it. Elias didn't want to impose what he'd suggested, but instead offer them as a fool's endeavor while he twisted them in favour for the royals as a whole. Selfish was the heart and soul of Elias of Stravos, and the more that the crown was made to be pitiless monsters, the better it suited him until that crown was his to bear.
Elias agreed with the need for investigation. While, certainly, Cicero of Aetola was underway with some brief findings about the matter, he couldn't be trusted to investigate much of anything and reveal it to them. Using the urchins that Danae was privy to was fine with Elias. It saved him the need to use his own resources, which were quite tied up in attempting to locate the queen and root out his enemies in the Senate. The Headlord of Stravos, after all, had every intention of eliminating his opposition, whether through guile, threat, or pitiable accidents. Leaving widows was not new to Elias of Stravos, though he preferred not to disrupt the rattled Athenian government if he could help it.
"Can her urchins be trusted with any sort of discretion? If you believe that it's the proper course of action, then I will agree to it. I've other matters to attend to," he mused.
“Senseless or not, you’re right; it’s effective.”
The body of a peasant girl winding up in the Loutra did not concern Circenia so much as the reason behind it. Fear was a powerful motivator, and this could be just the kick they needed to bring Xanthos further under their heel. Emilia was already such an impressionable girl, one with a big bleeding heart, that no doubt she’d be willing to surrender more of her power to keep herself safe. To keep her people safe.
Truly, it was all they could have wanted and more.
Can her urchins be trusted with any sort of discretion? If you believe that it's the proper course of action, then I will agree to it. I've other matters to attend to.
“Doubtless, they can be trusted more than anything the Master Informer will tell us. It doesn’t really matter if they’re discreet—the whole city will be abuzz with questions of what happened, as it is,” she replied with a shrug. She doubted Cicero would give them anything of use, if he could even track its origin in the first place. “Through the years I’ve learned that no one can be trusted fully, but children usually speak far truer words than adults. Given the right incentive, they’ll do nearly anything they’re asked. Not to mention, they can access places those older and larger cannot. They’re a valuable resource, so long as Danae lets us tap it.”
Though why her daughter would deny them, she couldn’t imagine. This was a concrete and fairly safe way for her to help the family, and after all, it would be Circenia requesting her aid, not Elias. Unlike her and her brother, their relationship had improved by leaps and bounds in the previous weeks, and the Stravos matriarch was confident that with the right push, she could convince her daughter to help. After all, she wanted to be involved, didn’t she? What more perfect way to do so?
“So, it’s settled then, yeah? I’ll talk to Danae, do what I can to secure her aid. You continue on with your ‘other matters.’ I will handle this one.”
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“Senseless or not, you’re right; it’s effective.”
The body of a peasant girl winding up in the Loutra did not concern Circenia so much as the reason behind it. Fear was a powerful motivator, and this could be just the kick they needed to bring Xanthos further under their heel. Emilia was already such an impressionable girl, one with a big bleeding heart, that no doubt she’d be willing to surrender more of her power to keep herself safe. To keep her people safe.
Truly, it was all they could have wanted and more.
Can her urchins be trusted with any sort of discretion? If you believe that it's the proper course of action, then I will agree to it. I've other matters to attend to.
“Doubtless, they can be trusted more than anything the Master Informer will tell us. It doesn’t really matter if they’re discreet—the whole city will be abuzz with questions of what happened, as it is,” she replied with a shrug. She doubted Cicero would give them anything of use, if he could even track its origin in the first place. “Through the years I’ve learned that no one can be trusted fully, but children usually speak far truer words than adults. Given the right incentive, they’ll do nearly anything they’re asked. Not to mention, they can access places those older and larger cannot. They’re a valuable resource, so long as Danae lets us tap it.”
Though why her daughter would deny them, she couldn’t imagine. This was a concrete and fairly safe way for her to help the family, and after all, it would be Circenia requesting her aid, not Elias. Unlike her and her brother, their relationship had improved by leaps and bounds in the previous weeks, and the Stravos matriarch was confident that with the right push, she could convince her daughter to help. After all, she wanted to be involved, didn’t she? What more perfect way to do so?
“So, it’s settled then, yeah? I’ll talk to Danae, do what I can to secure her aid. You continue on with your ‘other matters.’ I will handle this one.”
“Senseless or not, you’re right; it’s effective.”
The body of a peasant girl winding up in the Loutra did not concern Circenia so much as the reason behind it. Fear was a powerful motivator, and this could be just the kick they needed to bring Xanthos further under their heel. Emilia was already such an impressionable girl, one with a big bleeding heart, that no doubt she’d be willing to surrender more of her power to keep herself safe. To keep her people safe.
Truly, it was all they could have wanted and more.
Can her urchins be trusted with any sort of discretion? If you believe that it's the proper course of action, then I will agree to it. I've other matters to attend to.
“Doubtless, they can be trusted more than anything the Master Informer will tell us. It doesn’t really matter if they’re discreet—the whole city will be abuzz with questions of what happened, as it is,” she replied with a shrug. She doubted Cicero would give them anything of use, if he could even track its origin in the first place. “Through the years I’ve learned that no one can be trusted fully, but children usually speak far truer words than adults. Given the right incentive, they’ll do nearly anything they’re asked. Not to mention, they can access places those older and larger cannot. They’re a valuable resource, so long as Danae lets us tap it.”
Though why her daughter would deny them, she couldn’t imagine. This was a concrete and fairly safe way for her to help the family, and after all, it would be Circenia requesting her aid, not Elias. Unlike her and her brother, their relationship had improved by leaps and bounds in the previous weeks, and the Stravos matriarch was confident that with the right push, she could convince her daughter to help. After all, she wanted to be involved, didn’t she? What more perfect way to do so?
“So, it’s settled then, yeah? I’ll talk to Danae, do what I can to secure her aid. You continue on with your ‘other matters.’ I will handle this one.”
The Master Informer.
Circenia's mind moved immediately to the same thought Elias had. It went without saying that the Master of Secrets was not an ally to the Stravos. While the Headlord of Stravos couldn't know much of the man beside the fact that he was quiet as a senator and unassuming, it went assumed that he sided with Persephone's rule. His vote was placed in the witch-Queen's favour, and as far as he was concerned, that very vote was a census of Elias' potential enemies in the government of Athenia.
Of course, in the wake of his disgrace, it was reasonable to assume that some followed the princess' rise to power and merely acquiesced due to pressure. But, that was the matter that Elias himself needed to investigate. Not only that, but he had a great deal of moving parts to address. The Harvest Festival was approaching, there was the matter of the capitol being brought to its knees by the rioting... Everything that Elias worked for was going as he intended, but nevertheless the tasks of the throne needed doing to whatever extent he allowed them to be done.
Counsel was not something that the Headlord of Stravos heeded very well. Always, he assumed that his intuition would prove his success, and despite everything, he kept that assumption well and true. However large his mistakes had been, and whatever he'd done in the past to ruin his reputation, there was the lessons learned in suffering and other people's blood that brought Elias nearer and nearer to the ruthless mastermind that he aspired to become. Perhaps Elias wasn't there yet, but clawing his way back to the very top of society, persuading the Princess into acquiescing to his judgment and slowly bringing his misdeeds away from the public eye was a good start.
"Whatever their utility is, I'm pleased that you're the one willing to take the initiative in this matter. Since the court meeting, it's doubtful that Danae wants anything to do with me. Just as well, the wretchedness of her clever manipulations would not bring me to converse well with her," he hissed.
Elias of Stravos would much rather cultivate his relationships outside of the family. There was the Hydra's Men that he needed to keep satisfied and loyal. There were his own shadows, informants and spies both that served within his employ. Thus far, they'd been following the senators and interlopers while others watched the docks to ensure that the witch queen's arrival was not a stealthy one. The craft of undoing empires was a subtle one, and Elias needed to pluck on strings that weren't so close to home in order to ensure that his machinations continued to go off just as intended.
"Thank you, mother," he said simply, offering the woman an embrace before he approached the staircase that led to the exit to the Royal Crypts. He'd hold the door open for Circenia to pass before him before offering a final wave and excusing himself from the elder woman's company.
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The Master Informer.
Circenia's mind moved immediately to the same thought Elias had. It went without saying that the Master of Secrets was not an ally to the Stravos. While the Headlord of Stravos couldn't know much of the man beside the fact that he was quiet as a senator and unassuming, it went assumed that he sided with Persephone's rule. His vote was placed in the witch-Queen's favour, and as far as he was concerned, that very vote was a census of Elias' potential enemies in the government of Athenia.
Of course, in the wake of his disgrace, it was reasonable to assume that some followed the princess' rise to power and merely acquiesced due to pressure. But, that was the matter that Elias himself needed to investigate. Not only that, but he had a great deal of moving parts to address. The Harvest Festival was approaching, there was the matter of the capitol being brought to its knees by the rioting... Everything that Elias worked for was going as he intended, but nevertheless the tasks of the throne needed doing to whatever extent he allowed them to be done.
Counsel was not something that the Headlord of Stravos heeded very well. Always, he assumed that his intuition would prove his success, and despite everything, he kept that assumption well and true. However large his mistakes had been, and whatever he'd done in the past to ruin his reputation, there was the lessons learned in suffering and other people's blood that brought Elias nearer and nearer to the ruthless mastermind that he aspired to become. Perhaps Elias wasn't there yet, but clawing his way back to the very top of society, persuading the Princess into acquiescing to his judgment and slowly bringing his misdeeds away from the public eye was a good start.
"Whatever their utility is, I'm pleased that you're the one willing to take the initiative in this matter. Since the court meeting, it's doubtful that Danae wants anything to do with me. Just as well, the wretchedness of her clever manipulations would not bring me to converse well with her," he hissed.
Elias of Stravos would much rather cultivate his relationships outside of the family. There was the Hydra's Men that he needed to keep satisfied and loyal. There were his own shadows, informants and spies both that served within his employ. Thus far, they'd been following the senators and interlopers while others watched the docks to ensure that the witch queen's arrival was not a stealthy one. The craft of undoing empires was a subtle one, and Elias needed to pluck on strings that weren't so close to home in order to ensure that his machinations continued to go off just as intended.
"Thank you, mother," he said simply, offering the woman an embrace before he approached the staircase that led to the exit to the Royal Crypts. He'd hold the door open for Circenia to pass before him before offering a final wave and excusing himself from the elder woman's company.
The Master Informer.
Circenia's mind moved immediately to the same thought Elias had. It went without saying that the Master of Secrets was not an ally to the Stravos. While the Headlord of Stravos couldn't know much of the man beside the fact that he was quiet as a senator and unassuming, it went assumed that he sided with Persephone's rule. His vote was placed in the witch-Queen's favour, and as far as he was concerned, that very vote was a census of Elias' potential enemies in the government of Athenia.
Of course, in the wake of his disgrace, it was reasonable to assume that some followed the princess' rise to power and merely acquiesced due to pressure. But, that was the matter that Elias himself needed to investigate. Not only that, but he had a great deal of moving parts to address. The Harvest Festival was approaching, there was the matter of the capitol being brought to its knees by the rioting... Everything that Elias worked for was going as he intended, but nevertheless the tasks of the throne needed doing to whatever extent he allowed them to be done.
Counsel was not something that the Headlord of Stravos heeded very well. Always, he assumed that his intuition would prove his success, and despite everything, he kept that assumption well and true. However large his mistakes had been, and whatever he'd done in the past to ruin his reputation, there was the lessons learned in suffering and other people's blood that brought Elias nearer and nearer to the ruthless mastermind that he aspired to become. Perhaps Elias wasn't there yet, but clawing his way back to the very top of society, persuading the Princess into acquiescing to his judgment and slowly bringing his misdeeds away from the public eye was a good start.
"Whatever their utility is, I'm pleased that you're the one willing to take the initiative in this matter. Since the court meeting, it's doubtful that Danae wants anything to do with me. Just as well, the wretchedness of her clever manipulations would not bring me to converse well with her," he hissed.
Elias of Stravos would much rather cultivate his relationships outside of the family. There was the Hydra's Men that he needed to keep satisfied and loyal. There were his own shadows, informants and spies both that served within his employ. Thus far, they'd been following the senators and interlopers while others watched the docks to ensure that the witch queen's arrival was not a stealthy one. The craft of undoing empires was a subtle one, and Elias needed to pluck on strings that weren't so close to home in order to ensure that his machinations continued to go off just as intended.
"Thank you, mother," he said simply, offering the woman an embrace before he approached the staircase that led to the exit to the Royal Crypts. He'd hold the door open for Circenia to pass before him before offering a final wave and excusing himself from the elder woman's company.