Chapter 2. Altered States
The next day was grey with overcast and an occasional light drizzle of rain. The seneschal Aiold offered to take them on a tour and show them the city. Michael readily accepted, but Anora excused herself, citing the bad weather. No doubt she wanted to pour over some more of the city's accounts instead Michael thought wryly.
Michael listened intently as the seneschal described the different parts of Gwaren. He saw the dockside with its ships and boats of all sizes, fisheries and lumber piles. And he saw the huge market where traders from different parts of Ferelden and abroad made deals. There was an aura of thriving commerce. Michael noted that several of the houses belonging to various trading houses seemed recently built or had new floors added to older structures.
"This town seems to be thriving, seneschal," Michael remarked.
"We certainly like to think so, your Highness," Aiold acknowledged approvingly. "We may be a bit of a backwater here, but we are proud of our accomplishments."
"And rightly so," Michael agreed. "But tell me, is there any problems here I should know of?"
"Problems, your Highness?" the Seneschal said cautiously.
"Now, don't get me wrong seneschal," Michael tried to reassure him." I'm not here to find any signs of wrong doing. I only want to get a feel for the political situation here."
"And get a feel for how open your seneschal wants to be with you as well, no doubt?" Aiold said in a measured voice.
"It's no doubt a delicate situation for you." Michael nodded. " You wish to be loyal to your city and to our Queen, but hopefully also to me as your new Teyrn."
"It is my sincere hope that there need be no difference between those loyalties," the seneschal said and regarded Michael intently.
Michael got the feeling that there was more the man wanted to say, but not until he had received some form of reassurance from him.
"I don't know what rumours you may have heard regarding me," Michael said finally. "But you have my word that I only wish to act in the Queen's and Kingdom's best interests."
The seneschal nodded.
"I humbly beg your forgive me, your Highness," Aiold said gravely. "We are far from Denerim here and I didn't know..." his voice trailed off.
"You didn't know if I was a man forced on the Queen as a political agreement or someone who truly looked to her best interest?" Michael suggested.
"The thought had crossed my mind, your Highness," Aiold answered.
"I appreciate your candor seneschal," Michael said to him. "Let me assure you that I honour the Queen and if you are loyal to her, then I only think that it does you credit."
"So there are no disagreements between you and the Queen then?"
"On the contrary, we disagree all the time, but that does not make me any less loyal to her," Michael said and smiled.
"Hrmm, I see..." The seneschal said and made a wry face. "Knowing the Queen, I suppose that is… understandable."
"Now with that little chat out of the way seneschal. What can you tell me of the situation here in Gwaren?" Michael asked, hoping he hadn't become too familiar.
Aiold regarded him silently, and it seemed to Michael that he was trying to get the measure of him. He only hoped that he would find him sincere and open up to him. If he ever was going to be Teyrn of Gwaren in anything but name, then he needed the seneschal to trust him. Then he seemed to make up his mind and began to speak.
"We are, as you have said, a moderately prosperous town. We escaped the worst effects of the Blight and the war, even if we lost many sons and daughters on the battlefields, like every other place in Ferelden."
"Traditionally our main source of income is lumber and to some extent fishing. The late Teyrna promoted the carpenters guild here, so that we could sell more manufactured goods, rather than just raw lumber. This has been quite successful. Even if the level of skill of our carpenters may not be up to that of Antivan masters, we do sell a lot of simpler products."
"This has generated a lot of income for the carpenter's guild, but it has also shifted the balance of power here. Traditionally the main powers are the landowners who own the forests and the merchants who handle the trade in the city. Now the carpenters guild are a force to be reckoned here."
"And the fact that the late Teyrna happened to be the daughter of a cabinet maker, haven't hurt them either I suppose," Michael surmised.
"Indeed. And whenever new wealth, generates new power, then the old power gets upset," Aiold said. "Here the merchants have mostly accepted the situation, as new products also means increased trade, but the landowners resent the situation."
"Have they lost money in dealing with the carpenter's guild?" Michael asked.
"On the contrary, if anything they have made more money from it, but they have lost in prestige and power here, and that is something the old nobility values even higher than prosperity."
"It was all kept under wraps, as long as Loghain Mac Tir was Teyrn. He was immensely popular here among the Landowners. Even if he was born a commoner, he represented what they valued, martial prowess and heroism in battle. Many noblemen here supported him wholeheartedly during the war, if you pardon me saying so."
"So some of those noblemen blamed his wife instead for the success of the carpenter's guild, and now... his daughter?" Michael asked.
"Very much so I fear."
Suddenly Michael made the mental connection to yesterday's events at the banquet.
"Would perhaps Bann Odwin, who I met at the banquet yesterday, be playing a role in these events?" he asked.
"Indeed, your highness," Aiold confirmed. "Bann Odwin is one the most influential Bann's here. He will no doubt approach you about limiting the influence of the guilds in Gwaren."
"To them you are maybe an opportunity. You are not only a hero, but one of Cousland blood. A finer lineage can hardly be found in Ferelden now that the Therin line is extinct. They value that."
Michael shook his head and then looked at the seneschal. It wouldn't be the first time someone would have approached him to make him influence the Queen, but this smelled very close to treason. He did not like the idea that he could be seen as a potential partner by such people.
In a sense the situation in Gwaren was a mirror of what would happen elsewhere in Ferelden. Anora believed that Ferelden's future lay in education and trade, not just in the traditions of the nobility. It was easy to see why she believed so, with her background, but Michael had begun to share her belief. And as far as he was concerned Gwaren was a good example of the soundness of her ideas.
The city was obviously thriving. Things where not without problems, but as much as he valued his own proud heritage, Michael had always been taught to see his Cousland blood as a duty to excel, never an easy way to wealth and power. He didn't pretend his name hadn't given him a great advantage over others, but it was also something he had a duty to make something out of.
Queen Anora did not come from a long line of nobility, but she had proved herself to have the strength, the will and the foresight to be a very capable monarch. As far as he was concerned it was his duty to serve her, not question her heritage. And I do love her, he thought, smiling to himself. I suppose Bann Odwin and his likes didn't count on that.
Then Michael realized that he had lost himself in his thoughts and that the Seneschal was expecting a response from him.
"Tell me, do you believe that this… discontent could take dangerous forms?" Michael asked, thinking of the conspiracy he had uncovered in Amaranthine before.
"I have no proof of anything beyond political squabble, and that is, as you may well know the order of the day here in Ferelden. But I can't shake the fear that this malcontent could be fermenting into something worse."
Michael nodded. Ignoring such discontent was dangerous. That had certainly been proved in Amaranthine. And the conflict between town and country side was the same everywhere.
"I can understand your previous apprehension," Michael finally said "If I had had dishonourable intents, then these noblemen would have been an opportunity for me to gain power by allying with them."
Aiold held up his hands dismissingly.
"I will keep this in mind Aiold." Michael continued. "Thank you for trusting me with your thoughts. I will consider this carefully. Have you informed the Queen of any of this yet?"
"No, your Highness. I haven't had the opportunity yet, and please, don't read too much into this, your Highness. This is only my private musings. There is no proof of anything."
"I understand, and maybe this is nothing you need to bother the Queen with yet. Just keep me informed of anything you find out."
The Seneschal seemed like he wanted to say something, but changed his mind.
"I am going to visit Bann Odwin the day after tomorrow for a boar hunt. If he wants to enlist me for his cause, then that is as good a time as any for him. You must follow your conscience in this matter, but I would prefer not to make my wife upset unless it's necessary. She has enough to think about as it is."
"Very well, your Highness. As you wish," Aiold replied.
"I am glad we had this opportunity to get to know each other, seneschal. I fear that I will have less time to spend here in Gwaren than the city deserves, so it is good to know that it is in good hands"
"The pleasure is all mine, your Highness," the seneschal said, bowing deeply.
