Meeting the Marquis - March 6, 199, Part II

[Edward Pang <ogrek@home.com>]

Continued from previous log...
------------------------------------------

Saiban's motion is terse, spare, a hand wave to the side as he replies, "I have
been with the School for some years. The little time I have had since my return
has been of House matters. What are you refering to, precisely?"

Iason nods once. "How the Landsraad stands, at this moment in time?"

Demosthenes is quiet. His eyes roam about the garden, taking in the ponds, the
plants, and the trees. He seems quite entranced by the rough, natural beauty of
this place. Slowly, he moves towards a raise pool, his hands tracing the
surface of the water.

Saiban's smile is slight. "Not for one so long an observer and not a player,"
is his answer, quietly given.

Osien snaps the Bible shut and holds it at his side as he catches hints of
politics being discussed. While he is a Man of God and supposed to be above
such mundane things, Osien Benedicius Jofnol is a man who knows a good deal of
politics.

Iason's head bobs once. "You are aware, then, of the various stances that the
Landsraad houses have taken, and the state of the High Council?"

Saiban's answering words are somewhat bland. "Only in terms of the flavor of
their politics, Earl."

Iason nods once. "Indeed. Have you been informed as to the events concerning
the last two meetings of the Landsraad?"

Saiban settles there were he stands, like sand shifting to a more packed state,
and he studies Iason with an almost delicate doubt. "I have the feeling and
hope, sir, that having burrowed down to the root of the situation, you will
climb back up again with enlightenment. My business in the past twenty-four
standard hours has been with my House, and only touched on wider matters just
before your honrable personages arrived."

Arn lets his hands rest on his back and weighs on his heels a bit as he waits
for the Earl to lay out the delicate situation for his Lordship the Marquis.

Iason nods once, then turns to Arn. "Have you brought the minutes of the last
two meetings, Arn?"

Demosthenes is busy absorbing the culture of this place. It's... different.
Disappointing there aren't beautiful women, but one can't have everything...

Arn nods briskly. "I have, sir." He moves over to where the briefcases are
standing and pulls forth a thickly packed envelope, from which he retrieves a
heavy bundle of documents wrapped with the Atreides diplomatic ribbon.

Saiban gives over the katana, then, to a senior member of the guard, before
turning his attention to Arn.

Arn unwraps the bundle and fiddles through the sheets. He clears his throat and
looks up at first Iason, then the Marquis, before starting, "I will only
address the broad outlines and then present this material to one of your
clercs, my Lord. At the ordinary Landsraad High Council meeting the most
important issue was whether or not the Rastanyev position in the Council would
be passed on without question to the then current Regent, or whether an
appropriat vote ought to be put. The decision was postponed to the Landsraad
meeting, during which the assembly voted down the proposition in question."

Saiban listens intently, nodding at spots. Rastanyev position, voting down. "I
take it the issue is not moot then," he comments.

Osien listens intently to the conversation, for once not interjecting something
about the Power of God in such situations..

Arn glances at Iason.

You say, "The problem is that the Rastanyev Posol, Nikolai, acted very..
brashly. He violated the Forms himself, while trying to justify his House's
position based on those very same forms."
Iason's voice is soft as he continues. "In there, you will be able to read, in
excruciating detail, how he violated the forms time and time again, disobeyed
the Head, then proceeded to launch a personal attack on him in an inept attempt
to use the Forms against him. When the Duke requested a meeting with the Regent
on his terms, she turned him down flatly, declaring that her House had lost
enough Siridari in the past two years, and that she could be summoned 'like any
other Siridar'. She seems to have claimed the Siridar's title as her own,
without the Emperor's consent.
You say, "This has been a most shocking violation of the Forms under which we
all live, and a breaking of the laws that bind the Houses together."

Arn nods and adds, "Unfortunately some representatives present at the Landsraad
meeting were shortsighted enough to miss that this sign of division can only
weaken their own position in the long run, and opted for more temporary and
illusive favors."

Osien smiles softly and interjects, "Our forms are not the laws of God; they
may be broken if deemed necessary. Only the laws of God are the true laws."

Saiban lifts an eyebrow at the relation of the news. "And these violations
occured before or after the voting?" He glances to Osien, and comments with a
nod, "Father Osien, you speak rightly, but those who will not follow the laws
of right men cannot aspire to adherence to those of God." To Arn, "I would read
the account. Who of the shortsighted do you mention?"

Iason inclines his head to Osien. "They do not follow God's words, as does the
Bible not state that one was to respect thy elders? Their Posol showed a
shocking disrespect, apparently to gain more temporal power, which matters not
to God?"

Osien's dark eyes flare in anger at this statement, "If he has violated the
laws of god, then he will burn in hell as a heathen." His word is final and he
will not change his mind on such a statement.

Arn again underlines his agreement with the elder statesman's comment to the
priest by nodding. "Since many of the nobles present, if not all, are ungodly
men the spiritual and the political do not come into conflict with each other.
And perhaps there will be some heat in time." Turning to Saiban he says, "The
vote was taken anonymously, my Lord. We have only indications."

Saiban, apparently, is used to hellfire and damnation as a normal thread in
discussion about the House, also nods in agreement to the commentary, then
inquires of Arn, "You describe them as shortsighted, yet the evidence of
violation seems plain, by your words. How shortsightened must one be before it
becomes blindness with intent?"

Iason nods a bit. "The problem here is that the Regent has apparently tacitly
supported the actions of her posol, which violate the Forms, and has taken the
title that could only be granted to her by His Majesty, who rules with God's
grace. She also implied that my Duke's intentions could not be trusted.

Saiban smiles faintly. "The attack upon the Duke's honor is his own to deal
with, but the forms must be obeyed. There has been no sign from the Emperor as
to which way he sways on this?"

Demosthenes stands idly there. He was witness to the events described, yes, but
both Iason and Arn seem to be getting the gist of it down just fine. He flicks
the droplets off his fingers and straightens, returning to join his comrades.
If he is spoken to, then he'll speak. However, the forms are not his area of
expertise.

You say, "No. I believe he does not know that the regent has declared herself
Siridar."
Iason reaches into his pocket. "I have a note from her, in her handwriting and
on the stationary of the Rastanyev Siridari. She has violated the forms herself
now, in declaring herself such.
You say, "Not as Regent, she signed, but as Siridar."

Demosthenes nods sagely. Ah, a point in which he can intervene. "Or if he
does," Demosthenes states idly, "He has not admitted any knowledge of it."

Osien smiles benevolently and bows his head deferentially to both Arn and
Iason, "I am not a man of the courts and I know not how things go--perhaps if I
would have studied with my brothers more often," he shakes his head slowly at
that and says, "But I do know that God will be the judge in the end. If you
displease him, your soul will be consumed by Satan and you will burn in hell
forever. If you please him, then you may come back to serve a higher purpose."
This is said matter-of-factly, almost coldly and without even a flinch of his
cheek or eyebrow.

Arn says, "His Imperial Majesty's position can inwardly only be one of relief.
Any division within the Landsraad is an indirect support for the Lion Throne,
or at least a Carte Blanche for autocratic inclinations."
Arn says, "On the other hand his lack of action against breaches of the Form is
a sign of weakness. His hands are tied."

Saiban notes dryly, "If it is that those shortsighted enough to support such an
action have also gained a blindness for the forms themselves..." He pauses and
nods to Demosthene's interjection. "It is a matter of how deeply the
pretender's roots of support run." He studies Arn a moment, before shaking his
head. "I would read the transcripts. If it is an intentional supporting, this
changes much. If it is out of ignorance of the forms, I will have Father Osien
personally read the texts to them." It sounds like a threat.

Demosthenes clears his throat, "Perhaps and perhaps not, friend Arn. There any
many reasons why he might not have acted. The Emperor may have chosen to profit
from division amongst the Houses. He may have decided that the matter is minor
and insignificant..." Demosthenes shrugs aplogetically at his own interruption.
Iason nods once. "However, the fact of the matter is that any more VISIBLE
censures may further weaken our position... widening the rift, as it were.

Osien has disconnected.

Saiban nods thoughtfully at Iason's point. "The elements find it easier to
weather stone when it is cracked. I understand."

Arn binds the documents tight again and gives them to a Ginaz servant.
Arn says, "It is a time of testing, my Lord. Whom is made of rock and whom of
clay?"

Saiban shakes his head at Arn's words. "It is a test of the whole, sir, not the
individuals. If the Landsraad is thus shaken by the audacity of one, that is
the issue that must be addressed."

Arn smiles and comments, "True, but the whole is made up of individual Houses
of differing qualities. When one of the weaker cracks the support it is
supposed to lend to its neighbors vanish. Suddenly the stomping feet finds more
room to kick at the others." Pursing his lips he continues, "Only if granite
seeks granite the raging Colossus can be stopped."

Iason inclines his head. "How does the Marquis feel about these violations of
the Forms?

(OOC) Arn says, "Have to disconnect for a while. Sorry. I'll try to reconnect
soon."
Arn has disconnected.

(OOC) Iason nods.

Osien has connected.

Saiban turns his attention back to Iason, his answer stated without hestiation,
"The Forms we all recognize are the pillars of what we are as a civilized
society. Ginaz is granite on this matter, I assure you. If such a violation
occured as I understand it, we support the punishment, as fitting the
violation, of the offenders within Rastanyev."

Demosthenes nods sagely, inclining his head. He's not bad at that sage-like
look, really.

Iason nods once. "I will endeavour to confront them, and try to make it a
private matter, lest the Emperor find more power to himself.

No matter how good Demosthenes is at the sage-like look, Osien is better at it.
Afterall, he is a priest and an old and rather large one at that, "God will
also punish these offenders. I will pray for it." His tone is confident, as if
his prayer should reassure them.

Saiban nods, stating, "I will hold my response until I hear of your success. If
reason can be brought to the matter quietly, then all the better. I take it,
then, this is the largest of the rumblings currently?"

Demosthenes looks at the priest's pronouncement. Once more, he nods in accord.
"Amen, father," he says sincerely.

Iason nods once. "God favours the righteous." he replies.

Osien nods his head benevolently to all present, "So long as you see the truth
of God, He will protect you and ensure that your intentions and decisions serve
his greater plan."

Iason nods. "We all follow his path, though at times we must guide those who
have strayed back upon it, which is my intention.

Demosthenes inclines his head, "Amen." His religious upbringing is coming to
the fore.

Saiban hmmms, and motions to the guard with the transcripts, who bows and bears
them off. "I await your findings then, as there is nothing else pressing. I
should count myself fortunate, but for this matter clouding the horizon." He
addresses Iason, adding, "It has been a most englightening and rewarding
visit."

Osien turns to Iason and studies the man critically for a moment, as if
searching for the truth in his words, "Yes, you have the right of it. I have
noticed a upsurge in heathens among your councils lately and it slowly destroys
my hope that this world and it's government may progress." He encompasses all,
then, with a broad and fatherly smile, "But the gathering here and strengthened
my hope in our leaders. I pray that your companions in government can follow
your example and not stray down the road of heresy."

Iason nods once. "God's will be done." he says.

Demosthenes nods along with Iason, though he is silent. He seems nearly in awe
of the religious man.

Saiban pauses in his closing sentiments to watch Osien a moment.

Osien smiles benevolently at each man present and then makes a sign of the
cross as he looks at each, before shuffling off towards the foyer.

Iason bows as Osien retreats.

Saiban's mouth quirks in something that could be amusement, before he inquires,
"Was there anything else, Earl?"

Iason shakes his head a bit. "I merely felt it wise to bring business in when
you had need of the information. I will be in contact with the other Houses to
see how they feel on the matter.

Demosthenes nods once more. He removes a little notepad and begins making some
random notes.

Saiban replies in agreement, "And I thank you for it, and stand by what I have
said..and wait for word. I believe my appointment schedule has found unusual
population since this new duty. We shall see."

Demosthenes chews on the end of the stylus, and then continues to write. He
nods along with the Marquis.

Iason nods once. "It is our pleasure, my Lord Marquis.

Demosthenes bows where Iason nods. "True, too true."

Saiban makes another motion to the guards, and three step forth out of greenery
to start moving the larger gifts to better locations. "We will be talking much,
I hope. Thank you for the gifts of your company and other."

You say, "As we are honored by your countenance this eve."

Demosthenes bows low, "And we hope that you will return the honor. I believe
the Duke Praxton is eager to meet you."

Saiban nods seriously, noting, "I would not miss the opportunity."

(OOC) Osien hopes someone logged this. It was quite good. :)

Arn has connected.

(OOC) Iason's got it.

(OOC) Iason says, "Anyone mind if I post it sometime?"

(OOC) Osien doesn't mind.

(OOC) Saiban doesn't mind. :)

(OOC) Demosthenes grins, and shrugs. NP.

(OOC) Saiban says, "Are we done here? :) Or do I have to lure you guys out with
bagels?"

(OOC) Demosthenes has to disconn. My power company is doing Y2K compliance
testing.

Demosthenes has disconnected.

(OOC) Iason says, "Nope. That it?"

(OOC) Saiban says, "Seems to be. :)"

(OOC) Iason bows.

(OOC) Iason'll head out then. =)

Osien walks to the south and passes through the Carved Glass Doors.

Arn walks in from Courtyard through the Gateway.
Arn passes the Rue Cenva.

Saiban pages Arn and Iason: Thanks! :) Good first scene for me.

Long distance to Saiban: Iason bows.


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