The Council of Barons

[Assuming most of the Barons are already present]

Alec moves towards the long, rectangular table in the center of the room, conspicuously empty despite the large number of Barons in attendance. He taps the side of a water goblet with his knife quieting the varied conversations throughout the room. "I propose we start discussing the matters at hand, beginning with the possible continuation of this Council."

 

Lazarus enters the room, clothed in his traditional black habit. He takes a seat near Alec, and signals a servant for a flask of wine.

"Go ahead," he says. "Make your case. What is so important for us to discuss that this council needs to continue?"

Lazarus sits back and grins, exposing a mouth full of silver teeth.

 

Safrax eagerly leans forward, elbows on the table, as his hands clasp in front of his mouth. Pondering the day's business, he thinks to himself, "This better be worth the long journey. I have much better things to which I need to tend."

Meanwhile, Anthusa mingles with the other ladies, sipping wine in the adjacent room.

 

"Gentleman and ladies, may I have your ear." He waves a hand, commanding the room's attention.

"I arrived at this council nearly two days ago, and yet nothing has been accomplished during this time. Other than petty gossip, little of interest has been said. And yet we have such pressing matters to discuss."

Lazarus walks to the front of the room.

"What we are lacking is leadership. We are a body without a head. Nothing can get done, and things are frozen in limbo. We are in a crisis, my dearest friends, and what is most sorely lacking is a leader to move us forward. Someone with the initiative to take charge, and get something of value accomplished."

From within his black robes Lazarus pulls out a scroll and foists it into the air.

"This scroll, which I present to you today, offers a vision. A vision of a unified, strong empire. A world full of hope. A world open to change. We must lay aside our private interests, and be one people again. But to reach this level, we must have the audacity to hope and believe that we can overcome our divisions."

He lowers the scroll and places it on the front table.

"Our dearest friend, Alec, a man of wisdom, has asked us to discuss making this council a permanent fixture. I support Alec's request, and add a further proposal. Let us make this great council an ongoing body of leadership. And let us choose a head to direct it's affairs."

He raises both arms in in a cruciform position.

"I am willing to sacrifice myself to serve you. For there is no greater love than to give one's life for his friends. I will set aside my personal interests, and will be your servant. Your leader. I will be your guide. Offer me your support, and I will take us on a journey that shall be most excellent."

 

Lazarus' announcement unleashes an outcry of protest from the assembled Barons, most notably those holding higher titles. Seeing an opportunity Alec rises, and getting the attention of the Council speaks.

"My fellow countrymen, please. Do not attack our peer, Baron Lazarus, for his proposal does have merit. Yes many of you must be afraid that having such a concentration in one person is the beginning of a coup against our superiors, however that is not my vision. This Council has great potential, not as a resistance against the Empire but as an advisory body, helping the future Emperor, his Ministers and the others in Power to better rule not only this realm but the three Kingdoms as well."

"I do not believe, however that Baron Lazarus should become the Speaker of this Council, the stresses of such a position could be better handled by someone somewhat younger, myself for example."

 

Baron Safrax rises from his seat. Eyes closed and hand on mouth in a moment of contemplation.

As he opens his eyes, he gestures toward Baron Lazarus.

"My fellow barons. The saying goes that with age comes wisdom. Baron Lazarus has faithfully led his people for only six months, but his proximity to the throne for the many years before his tenure has allowed him to govern with strength.

"I, myself, have faithfully governed my people for the last four years, allowing us to rise in stature and power from our humble beginnings.

"It has not always been easy. I know the struggles that come with balancing the needs of the people and the needs of my own family - which always comes first.

"Baron Lazarus is not only very knowledgeable and effective; he has no wife, no children to distract him from the many needs of our lands.

"I must agree that he, indeed, is the man who can fundamentally transform our lands into things much greater and into further prosperity."

 

"Nevertheless there is another saying, age doesn't always bring wisdom. Sometimes age comes alone. I am curious however as to why Baron Lazarus is without a wife, for is not Imperial Law that an heir must be wed to inherit a Baronial Seat. Why should we place power into the hands of one who so blatantly breaks the laws of the land, which we are sworn to uphold?

 

Excellencies, leadership is a good thing. But true leaders arise: it matters not who we appoint. To me, the question is not who leads, but what he is leading. What do we make here?

The Emperor is too removed from his servants. The Dukes use us for their purposes. We are the ones expected to supply their needs, carry out their dictates, collect their taxes. Where is our voice?

Where is the voice of the people? We are closest to them. We know their needs. We know what they can provide. Our peasants grow the food, chop the timber, mine the ore. Our craftsmen make the swords, the ships, the gilded plates the mighty dine on. Our merchants move the goods.

This is our strength. But alone we are powerless. Only united can our voices be heard. This Council must become permanent, so we can have a voice in the Empire.

But to make it permanent we need a law. To get the law, we need an Emperor to pass it. So I ask this: which candidate will agree with our aims?

 

Lazarus rises again to address the gathering, this time raising the black hood of his habit.

"Clearly the Emperor saw what lies in store for us. He saw the coming crisis. He saw our impending fate."

He walks to the front table, and bows his head in a moment of prayer.

"So much loss. So much death. Let us mourn our departed. The Lord Marshall, struck down unjustly. Our beloved Emperor. This life is so temporal. So fleeting. When you consider the reality of death, everything comes into perspective. In the face of death, all trivialities melt away."

He motions towards Alec.

"My friend Alec, thank you for your concern for my health and well-being. I know that you don't want a strain to be placed upon me, and would rather bear the burden of leadership yourself. Perhaps you are ready for a place at the head of our table, despite your youth."

He then signals towards Safrax.

"And Safrax. You are a voice of wisdom and temperance. Our younger and more impetuous members would do well to follow your example."

Lazarus slams his fist on the table, and then lifts the silver-embossed scroll which he had placed there earlier.

"As I said before, a vision of hope has been recorded in this scroll. It came to me during one of my spiritual ecstasies. It contains hope, but before it change. For I foresaw the crisis that the Emperor feared, and the great change that it will bring to us all."

He again places the scroll on the table.

"I would ask you, once again, to read this vision. Only those whom have been chosen will understand its deeper meaning. Only those who truly see will comprehend both the glory to come, and the crisis which must now be faced."

He motions his arm towards the scroll.

"So who will go first? Who among you is brave enough to read the scroll, and witness what lies in store?"

 

"If it's any clearer than Lord Ilderich's predictions, I'm game."

Aw crap. Did I really just say that out loud? My mouth will get me killed some day for sure.

 

Safrax listens to those speaking against Lazarus' suggestion that he become a leader among the Barons.

Quietly, he thinks to himself that, while legitimate in ways, the arguments against leadership appear to be more out of fear of the unknown. However, leaving each Baron to independently govern without a true leader could mean disaster as the people of each fiefdom could rebel against their own Baron or even the Barons of neighboring counties.

Knowing too the gravity of two assassinations, the people may worry that each Baron, left independent, may become so concerned with saving his own life that the needs of the people may no longer be met.

Safrax shakes his head in disbelief.

He again rises from the table, and proceeds to pick up the scroll.

Holding it before the council, he declares, "Fellow Barons. What I hold in my hand appears to be of obvious concern. Otherwise, it would not have been placed before you this very day."

After pausing for a few moments, he begins to slowly open the scroll, revealing what appears to be prophetic in nature.

Reading the scroll with great interest, his eyes squint with concern. Astonished at the very words written, he glances at Lazarus with utmost intrigue while reflecting, "This cannot be. How can this possibly happen?"

He shakes his head as these words resonate within his mind: "No. No! These words... they are too strong to ignore."

Rolling up the scroll as he proceeds toward Lazarus, he glances back at the other Barons.

Handing the scroll to Lazarus, he breaks his silence, uttering the words:

"I cannot say for certain that this prophecy is true. If it indeed is, we must act now or the entire kingdom could be at risk of falling apart; and the people, too, will suffer greatly.

"These very words speak of trying times. Yet, their true meaning cannot necessarily be discerned. I am worried, however, that we may face a crisis which cannot be ignored. Each of us is in danger of risking a catastrophe."

Returning to his seat, Safrax leans back, closing his eyes, raising his right hand rubbing his forehead, then lowering his hand to his mouth with great concern for what the future may very well bring to the lands.

 

"Baroness Tredetzny, I agree completely. To question the power of Imperium is tantamount to questioning the Empire itself! Without which, I might add, we are powerless. Baron Horlig is right to voice concerns over the death of the Lord Marshal and the possible involvement of Count Neraldsfel I move that the first act of this counsel be the investigation of these events."

Alec leans back to contemplate other recent events on the counsel particularly the rudeness of Lazarus. Not only is he mute as to the justification of his marital status but he is referring to us by our given names. He's not even using my full name! I must admit however the scroll has peaked my interest. Leaning forward again, "Baron Maderbrim, I will read your scroll."

 

Lazarus, again in possession of the scroll, holds it close to his chest.

"Let us see. Only one person at a time can read the scroll. Clearly Safrax possesses the wisdom to discern the message hidden within. But for some, the message may be indecipherable. For others, it may drive them mad. Those who are youthful and impetuous are especially at risk." He glares at Alec.

Lazarus hands the scroll to Lothar von Hügeleute.

"You may read the scroll. When finished, return it to my possession."

 

Safrax silently chuckles as Baron Lazarus speaks of Baron Alecsander's impulsiveness, knowing all too well the perils which such unthinking haste can bring upon not only himself but all Barons of the lands.

He snickers, "These young ones just think they know everything."

 

Lothar reads the scroll. Twice. His lips move in a few places, the second time. He rolls it up carefully, and sets it back on the table in front of the Baron of Maderbrim. He returns to his seat.

Then he shrugs. "I can work with that."

A few minutes later, he rises, locates a scribe for parchment and quill, writes a dozen words, sands it, seals it, hands it to a messenger. "For the next post." He returns to his seat again.