Oameni High Council Ch8
Chapter 8
Tabor grumbled, pushing a pile of papers away from him.
“Daw, is poor Tabor drowning in paperwork?” Kerrin creeped out of shadows. She put her cold fingers on the back of her boss’s neck. Tabor cried out, grabbing the nearest hard object and swinging it in Kerrin’s direction. Like always, she dodged. “Oh what the hell, a knife?” Kerrin picked the blade up, setting it back on Tabor’s desk.
“Reflex.” Tabor stated blandly, rising from his chair. Kerrin grinned. She always looked triumphant when Tabor stoon near her, being almost a head taller than the man.“I’m busy, what do you want?” Tabor growled.
“New report sir. The citizens of Oamenia have been getting antsy. Ever since the end of the age of conquest we’ve been in a downswing. The military had been the biggest consumer and businesses have now fallen into disarray, more and more failing each month. Also, the local presence of the entire army is causing a bit of trouble as well.”
Tabor rubbed his temples in annoyance. “Has Lord Vassilios proposed anything to help the ailing economy?”
“No.”
“What about the problem of an oversized standing army with nothing to do but invade the local taverns?”
“Nope, though that is getting the citizens quite miffed.”
Tabor picked up the dagger, examining the wide, flat blade. “Either Vassilios or Kasmira will have to do something about that.” He paused, putting the blade back down. “Out of habit, I act as if it matters. They never listen to us anyways.”
The sad part was that what the disheartened chief of security and intelligence said was true. The Emperor seemed blind to the state of his country, lulled into a dreamlike state away from reality by the promise of peace after a decade of war and the quite whispers of Faust. The economy was having great trouble shifting out of a wartime economy, everyone feeling the pain of it. Even certain members of the high council were suffering along with the rest of the nation, namely the more aggressive ones like Myra, the weapon designer, and General Kasmira.
Kerrin pulled Tabor into her arms. “Aw, shin up. It’ll all work out in the end.” Tabor ducked out of her grip, scowling fiercely. “Personal space!” He hissed. “Go, leave me be. Run off and talk to Kasmira, see if she will do something about the army. And try not to let you putrid personality get in the way of any negotiations. Again.”
When Kerrin threw the thick wooden door open, Marlin leaped behind his mentor. The spymaster smirked when she noticed the little apprentice clinging to Kasmira’s leg, peeking out from behind her. “Well isn’t that cute. Looks like big bad Kas has gotten herself a little buddy.”
Kasmira spat, sheathing her sword. “Why are you here?” Kerrin answered with a question. “What are you planning to do with such a large standing army?” “
“A bold question.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean it like that, but if you’re planning something…” Kerrin now stood right in front of the general. That was a mistake.
Kasmira drove her fist into Kerrin’s chest, knocking the air out of her. Marlin detatched himself from the generals leg as she threw the spy over her shoulder and walked over to the door. Without she shrew Kerrin out onto the floor.
The spy sat there for a moment, a bit stunned. Kasmira was the only member of the high council who was crude and brave enough to do such a thing.
“Lady Kerrin, what are you doing on the floor?”
Kerrin’s gaze whipped up. Melody, with her silent follower Echo, was standing in front of her. The spy rose and stalked off wordlessly. Tabor had said that it was better that she didn’t talk to the advisors.
As she turned around a corner to head back to Tabor’s office, she noticed Melody and Echo step into the general’s room and shut the door.
Tabor grumbled, pushing a pile of papers away from him.
“Daw, is poor Tabor drowning in paperwork?” Kerrin creeped out of shadows. She put her cold fingers on the back of her boss’s neck. Tabor cried out, grabbing the nearest hard object and swinging it in Kerrin’s direction. Like always, she dodged. “Oh what the hell, a knife?” Kerrin picked the blade up, setting it back on Tabor’s desk.
“Reflex.” Tabor stated blandly, rising from his chair. Kerrin grinned. She always looked triumphant when Tabor stoon near her, being almost a head taller than the man.“I’m busy, what do you want?” Tabor growled.
“New report sir. The citizens of Oamenia have been getting antsy. Ever since the end of the age of conquest we’ve been in a downswing. The military had been the biggest consumer and businesses have now fallen into disarray, more and more failing each month. Also, the local presence of the entire army is causing a bit of trouble as well.”
Tabor rubbed his temples in annoyance. “Has Lord Vassilios proposed anything to help the ailing economy?”
“No.”
“What about the problem of an oversized standing army with nothing to do but invade the local taverns?”
“Nope, though that is getting the citizens quite miffed.”
Tabor picked up the dagger, examining the wide, flat blade. “Either Vassilios or Kasmira will have to do something about that.” He paused, putting the blade back down. “Out of habit, I act as if it matters. They never listen to us anyways.”
The sad part was that what the disheartened chief of security and intelligence said was true. The Emperor seemed blind to the state of his country, lulled into a dreamlike state away from reality by the promise of peace after a decade of war and the quite whispers of Faust. The economy was having great trouble shifting out of a wartime economy, everyone feeling the pain of it. Even certain members of the high council were suffering along with the rest of the nation, namely the more aggressive ones like Myra, the weapon designer, and General Kasmira.
Kerrin pulled Tabor into her arms. “Aw, shin up. It’ll all work out in the end.” Tabor ducked out of her grip, scowling fiercely. “Personal space!” He hissed. “Go, leave me be. Run off and talk to Kasmira, see if she will do something about the army. And try not to let you putrid personality get in the way of any negotiations. Again.”
When Kerrin threw the thick wooden door open, Marlin leaped behind his mentor. The spymaster smirked when she noticed the little apprentice clinging to Kasmira’s leg, peeking out from behind her. “Well isn’t that cute. Looks like big bad Kas has gotten herself a little buddy.”
Kasmira spat, sheathing her sword. “Why are you here?” Kerrin answered with a question. “What are you planning to do with such a large standing army?” “
“A bold question.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean it like that, but if you’re planning something…” Kerrin now stood right in front of the general. That was a mistake.
Kasmira drove her fist into Kerrin’s chest, knocking the air out of her. Marlin detatched himself from the generals leg as she threw the spy over her shoulder and walked over to the door. Without she shrew Kerrin out onto the floor.
The spy sat there for a moment, a bit stunned. Kasmira was the only member of the high council who was crude and brave enough to do such a thing.
“Lady Kerrin, what are you doing on the floor?”
Kerrin’s gaze whipped up. Melody, with her silent follower Echo, was standing in front of her. The spy rose and stalked off wordlessly. Tabor had said that it was better that she didn’t talk to the advisors.
As she turned around a corner to head back to Tabor’s office, she noticed Melody and Echo step into the general’s room and shut the door.