Where Power Rests
Third Day of the Fifth Month 294 AC
After turning the matter around the table a few times, you decide not to go with either one or the other. Barring emergencies, there should always be at least one Marshal in the Deep to take part in Curia debates and preferably up to three. They could name each of their proxies at need, otherwise they are free to name any of their subordinates at their pleasure. Thus, you turn to the remainder of the Princeps, those of art easily counted, the headmasters of Scholarum branches with Teana first among them, which leads you to those who rule through another skill, one that is to most no less arcane, law. The Princeps are to include the Grand Inquisitor, not only for his skills but hopefully to allow him to step a bit out of the shadows of his own conjuring. Not that evoking fear is a bad thing for a man in his position, but...
"I need to be more than the monster under the bed that snatches traitors and brings madmen to justice," Garin notes. "Once a man is made a monster it is easy to begin whispering monstrous things about him. The good king and his wicked council may be a well worn old saw, but that is because it resonates so well..."
"Hey now, if anyone is going to be a wicked influence on Viserys, it is going to be his Witch Queen," Lya calls in mock offense from the other side of the table, drawing laughter, rueful or cynical, as suits the temperament of each present.
"Regardless, open sessions are going to be an excellent chance to be seen by the public for all of us," you interject. "It is not often that the public gets to see the act of governing right before their eyes. I wonder if we could do the same with the High Court..."
"No," Malarys cuts you off, not incidentally the only appointed judge of that august institution yet named. "I recognize that there is none more skilled in the showmanship of rule than you, Your Majesty, but justice, particularly such delicate trials as would fall to the penultimate court in the land, make poor fodder for such theater. There will be times when the answers will be arcane to the layman, times when the mechanisms of justice may seem contradictory, and even times when they
will be contradictory for the sake of peace in the realm. Also, I would prefer that we select skilled legal minds first, second, and third, and for skill in the mirror's light not at all."
"So too boring to broadcast anyway, got it," Dany jests. Shifting from childish light-heartedness to stone cold sobriety with a swiftness that to other eyes might seem disconcerting, she adds, "You have it in here that citizens called forward by the Curia can reject to testify when they deem that answering would imperil the interests of the Imperium and you are the only one who can override that. The way it is worded, the rejection is unilateral on their part, forcing you to render judgement and putting into rather stark relief that the Curia can't do
anything without your say so. The third undersecretary for roads in Sorcerer's Deep could claim that not explaining the potholes in the road is a matter of protecting imperial interests and the Curia would have to wait on you to call the idiot out. Maybe put in some limit on how high ranking and important an official has to be to call for discretion..."
You shake your head. "I can think of a situation where the man who drives the night-soil wagon through King's Landing should legitimately be able to refuse the Curia if he saw the wrong thing at the wrong time. Every citizen has to have the option to keep silent. Even if sessions that involve national security are supposed to be closed, it is hard to know in advance what might come out of a witness' mouth in an open session, and..."
"You do not trust them," Rina interjects softly. She had been quiet for most of the discussion, but you had seen no reason to refuse her a seat at the table even if her presence is mostly driven by curiosity. A Companion you named her, a Companion she is.
"I do not know most of the Curia members, even in the Upper House, much less the Lower. How could I trust them?" you shrug. After a moment's pause, you add, "Well, I would trust them to follow their own interests as most do and that is enough for most purposes, but not for this."
"Make asking for a reprieve public then," Tyne speaks up thoughtfully. "Call it the
Emperor's Discretion and have them stand up on the floor and call for it in sight of all the Vox and the Princeps. It is not the threat of legal censure that might incline those who actually need it not to seek it, but the prospect of public embarrassment if you refuse should keep grandstanders from trying to waste the Curia's time, and not incidentally, yours as well."
"Make it
custom that it should be public, but do not write it into any law." Your gaze bounces to Lya, surprised. You did not think she would have enough interest in this to speak. "That way if you really need someone not to even show up to refuse you can just hand them a writ beforehand so the matter can be handled privately." Looking around the rest of the chamber, at eyes no less surprised than yours, she sniffs. "I do read more than grimoires you know."
"That seems in order." you agree, inclining your head to the point "Now for the rest of the rules."
"Being able to tell each other to go away or shut up if enough of them agree, a courtier's dream that," Tyene agrees, flipping her golden locks over her shoulder dramatically. "That looks about right."
"Careful, that includes your uncle, twice over in fact from commanding two duchies," you 'correct' her, barely holding back a smile at her tone.
"It's not like he doesn't know me, or wouldn't agree himself, come to that," she waves the matter off. "Real power is still in the confidence of the ruler. Real power is
here."
To that point no one can disagree.
"Sooo..." Dany draws out the syllable comically into the silence that follows Tyene's proclamation. "Where do we put the Curia? As part of the Palace to make it clear it is an extension of the Throne's will, or do we give them their own fancy hall to make them feel special?"
What do you reply?
[] As part of the Palace
-[] Write in plans (optional)
[] As its own structure
-[] Write in plans (optional)
[] Write in
OOC: I have not written this fast in a long time, the banter really flowed. For the record poor Rina still is not entirely used to the way informal meetings like this happen, or more specifically to her being part of them.
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