The Price of Freedom
Twenty-Seventh Day of the Second Month 293 AC
It makes some sense that the truly competent and ambitious would have been purged by the parade of fiends that plagued the city, yet still you hope against hope that someone with at least the wits of the damn Ironborn is still out there, biding his or her time, letting these fools walk into the dragon's maw first. A great many possible answers cross your mind as the magisters mewl at you, some angry, others viciously mocking, and a few you will have to share with Dany when all this is over so that at least someone can get a laugh out of this pitiful lot... Salladhor Saan as Royal Shit-Talker would probably make more sense than half the positions in the Archon's bloated court, to judge from the fanciful titles most of them present themselves by
Shaking off that entertaining but sadly impractical notion you gather yourself to speak to the assembled magisters with utterly false good cheer, reminding yourself all the while that they probably have competent relatives, ones that can read, write and do sums, ones needed to run a city of over half-a-million souls.
Passing a hand over a sheaf of parchment you burn the letters of your foundation law into them, one for each head of house present. As you hand them out you address their 'concerns'. The slaves will not merely be left to starve and and cause chaos breaking the back of the city. For those who wish to remain in service you suggest the pay roughly equivalent to most menial tasks the world over as a minimum, just enough to keep body and soul together. Further you add that there are is no lack of opportunities for freed slaves who wish to make their own way. The legion for instance holds many a freed slave... your smile may have slipped to something far less reassuring as you said the last.
That at least straightens their spines a touch, if not as you would wish them to.
"So," a heavyset man begins, puffing himself up even further to the point where you almost fear the golden buttons of his waistcoat may pop and go flying through the room. "You are to take our slaves, whom we paid good coin for, fed and housed at our own expense, and then make us pay the ungrateful malcontents who would readily leave our service. As soon to cut our children's throat yourself than make us pay for the dagger that does it."
"A slave wishing to avenge him or herself with violence against former masters will be treated in like manner to any other criminal, just as looters will be hung on the morrow whether they were sellswords, Tyroshi guards, or even former members the Legion," you answer coldly, forbearing from reminding them that their children will be vastly safer than the countless slave children killed through neglect or malice throughout the years.
"Much good all that silver and freedom will do them once the food stops coming in and the bread riots start, as they have in Qohor," another magister mutters to his fellows in what he must believe is too low a voice for your to hear.
"Legitimate trade will resume shortly, if not with the same partners," you answer, fixing the suddenly paling man with a stare, then the smallest nod of approval for having the wits to think of it. "I assure you Braavosi wheat is no less filling than any other sort."
"And then we shall be beggared before those greedy bastards right enough," the first magister huffs again. "The outland cities will jump ship to Myr or Lys for certain. What then? Will you make war on them also, try to reforge the Triarchy under your rule?"
Yes, that and far more, you think behind clenched teeth. So far the most reasonable people you have met in this city were a girl of four-and-ten who has just been through hell and a bloody Red Priest. Instead you say, "Surely men of high stature such as yourselves can help encourage the rulers of these lesser cities to see reason."
Justify why you are worth keeping alive.
From the look of them about a third of the assembled magisters understood the threat lurking beneath silken words, including, somewhat to your surprise the fat man. "It would be a great deal easier to persuade the lesser houses to align themselves with your rule, gracious one, if you did not demand that we pay for the privilege of having our slaves taken away," he says. "Perhaps even some compensation for all the years the slaves have been given food and shelter at their master's expense would not go amiss."
What do you reply?
[] Maintain your stance, magisters offer a small payment for every slave that leaves their service (vassal cities very likely to change allegiance)
[] Only demand they free their slaves (vassal cities likely divided, will require funds to keep the slaves who leave service fed and housed until they find their feet)
[] Offer some small compensation for the slave owners
-[] Write in
[] Write in
OOC: The results of the Valaena vote will be handled once you get back to SD.
