Part One: What They've Sown

The Peacock Lord

The next morning, Manu dressed in his finest attire. He wore a long white jacket with blue and gold embroidery in the style of House Amin, sandals, and a silver circlet around his brow with a large diamond resting in the center. On his finger he proudly displayed the golden signet of House Amin. It felt strange wearing it after so long - during his Regency he had to use to royal seal instead - and he was very lucky it still fit his thin fingers. He grabbed his sword sheathe and took the time to admire his long thin blade before sliding it in. It had a large silver basket around the hilt to keep his hand safe, and although it appeared to be a ceremonial weapon, he found it could hold it's own against most opponents. He certainly never tried to parry any hammers or flails with it - those weapons, uncommon in Duren anyways, he was fast enough to stay out of their range. He had made it a high priority to study the ways of combat during his Regency, as he would never know when he would have to defend himself. Ironically, it was only after his Regency that he ever found the occasion to put his skills to the true test. Interesting, he mused, how so much had changed since then.

After a quick look in the mirror to satisfy himself of his appearance, and then conjuring his disguise, he set off down the mountain. It was a nice morning, and it was a good time to relax as his horse, long since accustomed to the route, did most of the work. He was able to let his mind wander to other things, such as his final plans for his villa. The Chamakeela estates with much farther away from the Palace, and he would need to spend the majority of his time there now if he was to to rebuild the Amin legacy. The court would not suffer without him. After his meeting with Lord Talika, he could stop by the College and tell them to send a temporary Magister to serve in his place. He knew he should probably clear that with the privy council first, but he really was not interested in their opinions on the matter. He had a duty to his House, and whether they admitted it or not, they would understand.

He looked over the edge of the path and saw Duren pass slowly below him. The harvests were almost done around the Palace, which stood lonely with it's green domes and sandy columns on the top of it's hill. Bound clumps of wheat dried in the sun, likely ready for collection. The carts would be rolling through the fields soon, collecting the wheat and taking it to the threshers and mills to be turned into flour. From his recollection, the Chamakeela had grain fields that were should be near the ends of their harvesting, assuming they were being tended at all. He really had no idea of their state, but if the price for the property was only sixty thousand Crowns, he suspected there was not much going on.

It took about an hour to reach the Talika Fort, but he saw it about twenty minutes before. It sat kindly in the crook of a river that flowed through the Duren plains, and it had beautiful blooming trees all around it. The Fort itself was not as impressive as those of the other noble Houses, but it was still worth seeing. It was spread out over a large swathe of land, and the red walls were decorated with ornate patterns and glyphs that Manu recognized as being primal magical signs. He doubted the walls were enchanted in the slightest, but he stayed clear of them in case he were wrong. The guards on the walls recognized his approach, and when he passed the first corner of the Fort, he saw a runner sprint out of the tower and run the length of the wall and then disappeared down a staircase that Manu could only assume was there.

When he turned the next corner, he saw that the gate to the Fort was manned by at least ten guards all in their full ceremonial armor. Their chainmail coats glistened under bronze chestplates, and each of them held onto spears with their ends planted firmly into the dirt road. Manu noted how they wore the peacock skirts of House Talika - the noble House was renown for their long skirts styled to appear as though they were made of the bird's beautiful feathers. It seemed an overboard indulgence to Manu, who knew that the blue and green dyes used were on the pricier side, but if that was how the Talika wished to spend their Crowns, then he was not going to tell them to stop.

He turned his horse, a bit skittish around the sparkling soldiers, to walk between the gates. Just beyond them he could see the inside of the Talika household - a single fountain bubbled softly in the middle of a large sandy courtyard. The keep was made of the same red stone the walls were, but it was surprisingly plain and less ornate. He could see no glass windows, but instead many open walkways and rooms with parts exposed to the elements. He saw servants and guards roaming inside the keep, going about their business while wearing the blues and greens of House Talika.

A boy ran up to him from just beyond the inside of the gate. "Can I take your horse, mi'lord?" He asked, looking up at Manu, and then down at his sword, with awe.

Manu resisted the urge to ruffle the boy's hair. "Of course," he said, his mind flicking for a moment to his line of thought a few days before about what his horse would reveal if it were spoken to. It seemed such a strange and bizarre idea, but in the world of magic, it was a real possibility. He slid off the side of the horse and handed the reins to the stable boy.

He watched the child lead his horse away until he heard the sand shift behind him. He turned to his side to see Lord Talika, the tall dark skinned man from Council the day before, approaching him. He wore long blue robes with green detailing that seemed somehow less ornate than the other Talika attire he had seen so far.

"Lord Amin," the peacock Lord said, bowing. His voice was deep and crisp, with every syllable clipped off right at the end.

Manu bowed back. "Unfortunately I'm not a Lord, but I thank your Grace for your kindness." He has long since gotten used to other nobles assuming he had any formal titles other than Royal Magister.

"Nonsense, Magister," Lord Talika said, smiling and showing pristine teeth. "From what my brother tells me, you will become a Lord soon enough, yes?"

Manu smiled back, flipping the switch in his head to speak and understand the political double-speak used by the nobility of Duren. It was a seemingly pristine and clean language where context was everything and deceit somehow wormed it's way into every sentence. "Perhaps, but perhaps not, your Grace." He said. "I am just exploring options for the Amin House."

Lord Talika's perfect smile faltered for just a moment, and then it returned. "House Talika would be honored to assist the royal House, Magister."

Manu understood what he meant: as long as House Amin remained in power, the Talikas would remain loyal to them. It was a common sentiment in Duren politics. It was the reason why it was so important that the Satin stayed Amin. The Amin estate and finances could be in ruin, but so long as they held on to the Satin Throne, they controlled the kingdom.

Manu smiled, trying not to consider how things would fall apart should House Amin lose the Satin. "You are more than kind, Lord Talika." He said, bowing once more. "You must show me your incredible estate."

Lord Talika smiled back, clearly eager to show off his wealth. "Of course, Magister!" He said, beaming. "I would be honored to show you our modest household."

Manu followed the tall man between the large doors of the keep. The first thing he saw was, of course, a large golden peacock statue in the center of the room, with two large staircases to either side that curved to a second floor. Blue and green tapestries hung from pillars, all with the symbol of House Talika proudly displayed. Empty sets of armor flanked doorways, showcasing more of the peacocked extravagance that Manu could easily recognize was an attempt to overcome the lesser status of the House. He came to realize that every room in the estate was likewise decorated - the bright decorations and open spaces were designed in such a way to keep one from seeing that the infrastructure of the place was in need of maintenance and, in some places, repair. Even the trees in the garden bore fruit that had long since ripened but still remained untouched, clearly more desirable for decoration than for harvest.

He suffered through the tour of the grounds for over an hour while making idle and unimportant conversation with Lord Talika. The Lord made a few attempts to pry into the details of Manu's relationship with the Queen, to no avail, both because Manu evaded the questions and because he did not think he had much of a relationship left to speak about. Manu, likewise, tried to discern if House Talika was in need of anything specific that would help them in their climb to higher status, but all he really got in return were some cryptic comments about needing to "spread their wings more." Lord Talika was clearly an expert at keeping his cards to himself, which would be of use to him on his House's path to greatness.

It was when Manu sat across from him in the garden, though, with the sound of the river just outside the walls flowing in the background, that he finally realized Lord Talika's problem. "Your Grace," he said, gesturing with his goblet of wine. The Talikas were wine and olive oil makers, and he had already gotten a fair sampling of both products during the tour. The oil was nothing incredible, but the wine was excellent. "I could not help but realize I did not get a chance to meet Lady Talika, or any of your children. Are they around?" He asked.

Lord Talika stalled for a moment, taking a slice of fruit from a platter and biting it. He seemed so preoccupied with the action that Manu could not help but wonder if he had found an awkward opening in the Talika facade. When the Lord finally looked up at Manu, his eyes were strangely distant. "I wondered if you would mention it." He said, voice softer than before. "I must admit to you, Magister," the peacock Lord started, "that my family spends most of their time running the fief and making sure that everything runs smoothly during the harvest." He took a sip of wine, prompting Manu to do the same. The white wine had hints of apples to it's flavoring, which bothered Manu just so slightly. Still, it was good.

"During the winter months, we focus on our olive groves." Lord Talika continued. "During the summer, the vineyards. During the months in between, we focus on our townships. I only have so many siblings and children," he confessed. "And it is hard to manage all the tasks we must do."

Manu nodded, understanding somewhat. Not from his own experience, of course. "Have you considered letting promoting some of the commoners to help with the management?" He asked, knowing it was a fairly common practice. The greater Houses viewed the practice with disdain, believing that only members of their dynasty could be trusted to run the affairs of the family.

Lord Talika shrugged. "I worry about the appearance. I do not want to make it seem to the other Houses that we can not handle our own business." His honesty with Manu was surprising; for someone so concerned about appearances, openly admitting that times were tough to Manu seemed a strange contradiction. Manu had rarely interacted with Lord Talika before today, and he certainly did not see himself as being a part of the man's circle of friends.

Manu knew, though, that if he were to purchase the Chamakeela estate, and begin to rebuild House Amin, he would need allies, friends, and more importantly, money from somewhere. It was with those thoughts in mind that he put a sympathetic expression on his illusionary face. "Lord Talika, I think we could help each other." He said, ready to dispense with the double-speak of politics and tradition and get down to business. "What can House Amin do for you?"

Lord Talika put his goblet of wine down and looked at Manu with pleading, dark eyes. "Marry my daughter." He said.

Manu looked at him for a few moments.

"Oh." He replied.