Dealing with people who can't and won't be moved by money is a new thing I've begun to find truly annoying and pesky.
In my time running Asher's Elven North operations, a lot of the guardsmen, drivers and all the sorts were easy to grease with a bit of tokus here and there. Nothing ever too excessive and no one was proud or perhaps idealistically foolish enough to say no to a silver.
Working around at the very top of a society that's on the verge of an implosion with all the divisions, the silver doesn't seem to have the same effect if once did.
The Noble men, minor or not, all have fat coffers of their own, and will not be sent away without a proper resolution to their problems. Problems that can't be fixed with tokus it seems.
Not too long ago, in fact I'd put around three or four days back, my world was a lot simpler and the appreciation of a silver, not to talk of a gold tokus coin was phenomenal.
Money was the solution to many, if not perhaps all my problems.
But now, as the pseudo leader of the city although, with all the news about plots forming and ideas popping, I'm not so sure how much longer I can last as the interim Mayor I am forced to view things differently.
I'm forced to view things through the lenses of a politician.
And that's what's led me to calling this very meeting so urgently in the morning. Fortunately, the respective leaders of the main factions within the city weren't too occupied to come in and hear a possible resolution to their problems.
Although, I've yet to decide what said resolution is.
I'm seated at the head of a long dinning table, clean white sheets and a brimming plate of bread as an appetizer for the meal to come. It's only proper I treat them to lunch.
On my left is none other than Yelenia herself, a prospective leader for the entire city rather than myself, or at least she and Asher think so.
She looks as one would expect of a woman who was locked in the filthy depths of a sewer dungeon with no food or water. She's clean, thin and healing well thanks the swift application of medicine from my mother.
Beside her, in the seat next to hers, is Daria. Ever since she came out of the dungeon, she's beencalm. She isn't even a loud advocate for the cutting of scalps that's been going around recently.
One would think after being put through an experience like that, she would hate humans with so much vigour she wouldn't be able to share the same air as them.
And yet on my left, is an old, well dressed nobleman with a silent, black suited servant seated beside him.
Baron Reven, he calls himself.
According to Hastra, the man himself is actually no Baron, rather, he simply descends from a barony up north of the March. A far as ranks go, he's top dog among the noble residents of the city.
Reven represents the human faction, or as they call themselves the 'Proper faction'.
One look at the bloated man and one could piece together that they want their old sinister rights back and then some. In fact, right now he can barely keep his face straight just looking at how he's surrounded by elves.
Yet I wonder why he bothered coming, not that I'm not happy he did.
"I'm sure you all know why we've gathered here today." I start, trying my best to look as prim and upright as I can, as I've seen Mother, Yelenia, and even Asher be.
To exude power and command respect with merely fine posture and a glance.
"To waste my time perhaps?" Reven bites, tapping his fine cane on the leg of his chair, "It's clear to see I have wasted much of my time coming to meet an elf to discuss elf rights. I was under the impression the true Mayor of the city would be the one heading this discussion, not his slave."
I frown, glancing at Yelenia. She isn't moved and neither is Daria. Of course, they aren't. One thing they taught the most often to the elves was to stand up for themselves as no one else would.
A fine lesson in strength.
"I am no slave, Reven."
"Baron Reven to you."
I bite my lip and resist the urge to bring up the fact that he has no right to that title. If I start a fight here now with him then I'd truly be closing all options for proper diplomacy.
Inhaling I pull myself together and ignore the correction. Power.
"I am Lord Ash's Interim; he has placed me in charge in the meantime while heseizes yet another village into his ever-expanding territory."
One thing I absolutely have to hammer into the heads of these people is the fact that unless they intend to leave the Kingdom, Asher and I are going to be where ever they try to migrate to in due time, ruling over them once again.
"And with his powers vested in me and the recent troubles brewing within the city," I look between the two leaders, "I've called this meeting to resolve these matters in a civil and proper manner, as I'm sure we can all handle."
At the last word I fix Reven with a cold stare and the snide word die in his throat.
He falls silent. I smile and look to Yelenia and Daria. Daria has her head down, looking depressed as ever while Yelenia has her arms folded, eyes fixed on Reven.
And Reven, well, Reven is up to the challenge it seems.
Rather than let the two continue on like this in the silence and build up a suffocating tension, I clap my hands loudly and break the impromptu glaring contest.
"Now then. First order of business," I start, eyes fixed on Reven, "The human's crimes according to newly implemented law."