The next day, the lecture was on the so-called Kingdom of Xiarmah. The youngest of the nations comprising the International Assembly, having only existed for three hundred years, it had been formed by five clans banding together to protect themselves from the warlords of the time, and therefore supporting a singular warlord that killed all the other warlords and subsumed their lands. Once all the warlords had been defeated, the five clans—the Sungs, the Tangs, the Hongs, the Fangs, and the McSweeneys—then proceeded to war among themselves until a lone knight, tired of all the fighting, went on a rampage to each other their lands, defeated the lords of each family, and declared themselves king, symbolically taking a wife from each family to show his dominance over them.
It was a practice that was continued to this day, though in function the wives and husbands from each clan functioned as their clan's representative to the monarch. Incongruously, it also discouraged the sort of inbreeding that tended to develop in nobility, since no one wanted to send a wife—or husband—to the King or Queen that was too closely related to them. This had led to the five clans adopting other noble families as cadet branches so that they wouldn't have to send a cousin or sibling to marry the monarch. At least, not anymore.
Despite this violent start, Xiarmah was able to stabilize itself. The five clans administrate the five of the six territories of the nation in the name of the current Empress, with the empress only directly ruling the capital city and central territory of Xiarmah, from which the country gets its name. Because the mountains of the country were poor in iron, the metal as well as steel was expensive and had to be imported in, with most tools and weapons in the land being made from bronze and bronze alloys made from the rare metal found only in Xiarmah, silver jade.
Due to the wet, marshy conditions of many of their lowlands, the primary staple of Xiarmah was not wheat but something called rice. Maria was only familiar with the grain because one of her wards was growing some on her lands. These same conditions also made the country well-suited for growing various medicinal grasses like the various moon herbs, medicinal lotuses, the green blossoms that made the stamina-restoring tea Sophia drank far too much of, and even the rare amber, twilight and dusk herbs that can restore the stamina of the mind when casting too much magic.
The perfumers of Xiarmah were noted alchemist, making and exporting some of the most potent—and expensive—medicines in the world. They are also known for deadly poisons, antidotes and pills that temporarily strengthen a knight's abilities. This has allowed Xiarmah to grow relatively wealthy in the intervening years, as well as given them a decisive edge in the few wars since that they'd been a part of, since their knights could recover faster than that of any country except perhaps Sorcier.
The lack of strong, relatively lightweight metals in Xiarmah—silver jade, while light, was so soft a bar of it could literally be tied in a ribbon by most knights—the knights of Xiarmah had eschewed armor for speed, wearing lightweight robes and wielding weapons made of heavy wood, relatively fragile weapons made of bronze, or simply their bare hands more often than not. While Maria could understand, even approve of being light and mobile, being barehanded seemed bizarre to her. Using one's bare hands was only really practical under certain conditions, like if one was close enough to shove up into someone's ribcage and pull their heart out, or if one was dealing with a giant pig in the sewers, which… was still utterly disgusting.
Xiarmen knights also supplemented their armaments—or lack thereof—with extensive use of alchemical perfumes and potions, such that some joked they were all drug addicts endless consuming pills and sniffing powders for their temporary boost of strength. Still, Xiarmah's knights made good use of the strength they've cultivated as they work to keep the nation's dangerous population of flame salamanders in check to drive the large, fiery predators away from the farms that gave the country its wealth, as well as to harvest them for their cores of fire gems.
Even though Xiarmah was one of the nations bordering Sorcier, the tall mountain range that separated them, as well as the nation's rather insular policies, meant there was little contact between the two except in the few areas where there were mountain passes and at one point where the mountains were low enough to be hills that could be easily traversed. Still, there was some trade, and where the two countries met, far from each other's capital, the people who lived at the borders generally got along, more concerned with their day to day lives than anything else. That eastern region of Sorcier at the border was the only place in the kingdom that grew rice—not counting Maria's estate, the knight noted wryly—while that western Xiarmah province—the Azul Hills, named after some legendary sorcerer who supposedly tamed the power of a comet before the soul arts were forgotten, and in the territory of the McSweeney clan—was the only place that grew wheat.
Sorcier actually had more contact with Ethenelle than it did Xiarmah, which was ironic because Xiarmah also had more contact with Ethenelle than Sorcier. Because the two countries often had disputes about fishing rights and territorial waters—Xiarmah regularly asserting absurd historical claims over stretches of water—the two were always in the middle of rehashing discussions, always just short of open naval conflict.
"In recent years," Professor Vaati said, "it has been theorized that the two countries are actually in a secret alliance, perpetuating the same points of dispute as a means to extort support and concessions from other countries. Some analysts have pointed out that despite these regular disputes, trade between the two nations is stronger than ever, and Xiarmah regularly employs Ethenelle mercenaries in its border disputes with Daiuan, and Xiarmen teachers and academics are highly sought after in Ethenell."
It was a strange note to end the lecture on, but Maria committed it to memory. While her function was to protect the king, and there were no doubt other people already aware of the possibility and were watching closely, it behooved to maintain her awareness.
"Wow. Five wives and husbands," Katarina mused as they put away their notes. "I can't imagine what that must be like." She glanced at Maria for some reason.
"Oh, I'm sure you can do so easily, with some effort," Maria said blandly.
Lord Keith, Lady Mary and Sophia gave her flat looks in turn, even as Sophia blushed, probably thinking of inappropriate things..
"I wonder if the Queen even likes any of them, or if it's all just a bunch of loveless marriages because it's what's traditional," Katarina continued, strangely melancholy. "That must be so sad, married to someone you don't love. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. You're really lucky, Mary."
Mary blinked. "I am?"
"Yes, because you're engaged to Alan, whom you actually love, remember?" Sophia said flatly.
"O-oh, yes! V-very lucky. Yay…" Lady Mary said a bit too brightly.
Katarina nodded. "Yes, this makes even more important I find someone for him…" she muttered.
Maria twitched. That was not a subject she wanted her squire to broach in public. Something things would plunge even Katarina Claes into scandal if spoken aloud, and acting as a pimp for the Third Prince would definitely do it… and oh dread and maddening Great Ones, Katarina was finally actually a pimp, wasn't she? "Squire, finished putting away your things," Maria said. "We shall be late for lunch." No, no, not a pimp, one needed to actually manage to procure to be a pimp. Simply stating she intended to meant nothing. Nothing!
(+7 Insight)
The mention of food was enough to knock Katarina's boulder of thought back along a familiar murderous track, and she hurriedly gathered up her notebook, pens, ink jar, and empty bag of sweets. "Ready, Dame Campbell!" her squire chirped.
They met up with Katarina's cousins as they left the lecture hall. Maria exchanged nods with Dame Matthew as Katarina approached her cousins and hugged them in greeting.
"So, I have to ask…" Katarina said once the hugs were done. "Uncle Henryk… has he ever been to Xiarmah?"
Keith groaned. "Sis! You can't just ask our cousins that!"
"It's fine, it's fine," Lady Iosefka said. "After today's lecture, it's a fair question. No, father has never been to Xiarmah. He just loved mother and mother very much, and mother and mother eventually decided they were amenable with the relationship."
"Though we have decided not to consider what that means," Lady Adella said with a shudder that Maria recognized. It was the same sort of shudder she got when she was most definitely not thinking of how mother and Anne… Anyway! Not thinking about it!
"To be fair though, people were less likely to bat an eye at that sort of thing during the reign of the old king," Dame Matthew interjected. "Nowadays, it's far more noteworthy."
"N-not to change the subject or anything," Keith said hastily, using the traditional preface for changing the subject, "but have any of you seen the delegations from the other countries?"
"Oh, yes," Katarina said brightly. "I met one of the knights from New Catarina yesterday. She seemed really nice."
They spoke about the members of the delegations they had encountered as they headed for the dining hall. By then, all but the delegation from La Sable had arrived, though they were mostly keeping to themselves in the part of the castle they'd been assigned, out touring the city and enjoying the cafes, restaurants and entertainments, or (probably) having secret meetings with local spies and allies. Maria herself had seen some of the Tasmerian delegates in passing yesterday when she'd been heading to meet with General Solcrista.
"I haven't met any foreigners yet," Sophia sighed. "I've been supervising the nightflowers being delivered." She gave Maria an annoyed look.
"Would you rather be in charge of body guarding the king during the assembly?" Maria said.
"Ugh, that's always your excuse," Sophia pouted.
"It's not my fault you don't have any pressing duties to the royalty. Perhaps when you become Prime Minister."
"Oh, no, I'm not becoming Prime Minister. That's Nicol's fate, not mine!"
"Ooh, is that a foreigner?" Katarina said, pointing at a figure coming from into their hallway from an intersection. "Hey Sophia, you might get to see one after all!"
Maria sighed. "My squire, don't point like that for so long unless you're insulting your opponent just before you duel."
"S-sorry, Dame Campbell!"
The figure did seem like a foreigner. Wearing robes of white silk with long, voluminous sleeves, they moved with an odd, jerking gait. A white cloth was secured to their head purple cords. A thick veil fell down over their face, leaving their features concealed. Despite their concealing clothes, their body language, abrupt as it was to since they moved with a curious stiffness, they seemed lost. Their veiled head moved back and forth in the way of someone not used to the intricacies—read: murderous traps—of mythic architecture.
Her squire noticed it as well. "Oh, are you lost?" Katarina said, quickening her step to approach the strange man.
Behind her, her cousin Lady Iosefka frowned and blinked. "Ah, cousin Katarina, wait—!"
The veiled person turned to face Katarina stiffly, arms gesturing in their sleeves. "Nagraagh…Zarrah…" they moaned. (No speak. Sorry.)
Katarina blinked and tilted her head, looking confused.
"Ah, cousin Katarina," Lady Iosefka said. "I tried to tell you, this person is—"
"Aaah, gaa zam! Aragh, abzah gahzazambah," Katarina moaned, groaned and sounded like her throat was breaking. (Oh, a zombie! It's all right, I speak zombie.)
Everyone all stared as Katarina made bizarre, almost unintelligible sounds with her throat, gesturing enthusiastically. The foreigner—the undead—replied with what seemed like enthusiasm, following Katarina's gestures and responding. Eventually, the foreigner turned and began walking back the way he came and moaning something back at Katarina.
"I… think I understood maybe one word in five of that," Lady Adella said faintly. "Cousin Katarina, I didn't know you could understand the undead."
Katarain blinked. "Aaah? Uh, I mean…" Katarina coughed, clearing her throat. "Sorry, my throat's a little sore."
Lady Iosefka nodded in sympathy. "The still-living aren't really meant to talk that way."
"Come here, my squire," Maria said, summoning eldritch light into her hand. Gently, she placed her fingers against the side of Katarina's neck.
Katarina took a deep breath and sighed, looking relieved. "Ah, that's better. Thanks, Dame Campbell!"
"That was amazing, Lady Katarina!" Lady Mary gushed. "I didn't know you could speak to the undead!"
"Ah, I don't speak it very well," Katarina said, rubbing the back of her head. "My throat's too wet to make most of the sounds right. I had a horrible accent."
"We'll have to take your word for it, my squire," Maria said. "Incidentally, what did you speak of?"
"Oh, Achmed was wondering how to get to the library," Katarina said as they all started walking towards the dining hall again. "He was supposed to meet his friend there, but he got lost. Ran into one too many doors that didn't open from his side. He was pretty mad about it."