AGELESS CAMPAIGN, Episode II, Part VI.

[Silver Moon]

OOC: I am going to assume earrings, left or right mean dishonesty, bracelets, either side, mean conference.

OOC: Good assumption. Flighty Princesses, forgetting the difference between their left and right.

"At this point I make no promises of course, but the Queen seeks the same thing. Of course, the purpose of this conference is merely to negotiate the cessation of hostilities, but I personally and as representative for the Queen are working to limit as much foreign influence as we can. It is a herculean task though hopefully not a sisyphian one. It will not be possible if there is an armed faction hostile to the government. There must be a united front for other countries to deal with. If there is a separate armed force, foreign governments will continue to exploit the rift for their own purposes."

Orabi says, "But if we disband now, then the British win. They will never give up the canal or their foothold in Egypt without an armed force to oppose them. If they leave Egypt, and not just temporarily, then we might consider it."

 

[Fenris]

OOC: I am going to assume earrings, left or right mean dishonesty, bracelets, either side, mean conference.

OOC: Good assumption. Flighty Princesses, forgetting the difference between their left and right.

Orabi says, "But if we disband now, then the British win. They will never give up the canal or their foothold in Egypt without an armed force to oppose them. If they leave Egypt, and not just temporarily, then we might consider it."

"Generals, are you not Queen's men? Do you not acknowledge that the gods themselves have selected this house to rule Egypt? That Bast herself appeared on the battlefield and at her coronation. That Queen Neferka rules by divine providence and right? Are you not Egyptians? If so, then you must trust in your Queen. I have never asked you to disband today. But I have stated that it is imperative that you do disband. And I wanted to know what it would take for you to disband willingly. Have no doubts though, that my friends and I can and will become the most resolute of forces to support the Queen and will enact her wishes, by force if need be. and you have all seen what we can accomplish." George leave the deeds of AGELESS hanging, unspoken in the air for a moment, along with the subtle threat.

"However, this is also a negotiation. I wanted to know your stance, I wanted to know what you wished to see, I wanted to know what you would accept, what it would take to have you voluntarily disband. This is half the negotiations after all. I will not leave Egypt defenseless, nor will I suffer Egypt to be in the yoke or thrall of any country. I too have been charged with glorious purpose by Bast, and I shall not fail in it. I respect your position on disbanding. My goal is to leave here today leaving you bereft of purpose for maintaining the AFRE."

OOC: Yes, a Pirates of the Caribbean reference and Loki but still that was a damn nice speech if I do say so myself

 

[Silver Moon]

OOC: Yes, a Pirates of the Caribbean reference... I've never actually seen that movie. We own the first three, but I was never around when the kids were watching them. .and Loki but still that was a damn nice speech if I do say so myself It was indeed. I was wondering when you would get to the divine providence argument.

Orabi says, "We do not question the Queen's right to rule. As you are well aware, I was present at her wedding and heard the vows that she made to the Egyptian people. She is now in a position to follow through on them. This is a good start Mr. Eastman."

 

[orchid blossom]

As they move towards the rear gate in the wall, the gate comprised of wooden timbers interlaced with thick metal he asks "So Abigail, what is the intended purpose of a wall surrounding a 16th century castle?"

"Should I raise my hand before I answer, teacher?" she said with no lack of sarcasm. "Mainly defense, of course. Although like here they also create an outdoor space that is part of the house, like another room."

 

[Silver Moon]

"Should I raise my hand before I answer, teacher?" she said with no lack of sarcasm. "Mainly defense, of course. Although like here they also create an outdoor space that is part of the house, like another room."

He smiles and says, "Defense indeed. Which is why Mary Stuart had this barn built outside the wall. Normally the wall protects those inside from people beyond the wall. Here is does the exact opposite. She knew that there would be occasional guests at the castle, so with the rear gate locked it was unlikely that any visitors would find there way over to a rear outside barn."

They approach the forty-by-fifty foot structure. It looks likes a standard barn, stone for fifteen feet, then a twelve-foot high second story comprised of wood with a pitched roof providing a third story loft. He opens one of the large barn doors.

The interior looks like a standard horse barn, with the two upper lofts filled with freshly cut hay and a dozen stalls for horses below. Six of the stalls are open, with no horses inside, as they would be off pulling the carriage. Another six stalls have horses inside. There are two stall-sized rooms with their wooden doors closed. One has a sign in both English and French that reads "Tack Room", the other has a similar bi-lingual sign reading "Grain Room".

 

[orchid blossom]

There are two stall-sized rooms with their wooden doors closed. One has a sign in both English and French that reads "Tack Room", the other has a similar bi-lingual sign reading "Grain Room".

"Well, it's a barn. I'd guess there's a door to some of the more sensitive areas of the manor?"

 

[Silver Moon]

"Well, it's a barn. I'd guess there's a door to some of the more sensitive areas of the manor?"

He replies, "Sort of, I wouldn't exactly call it a door. Although I am not sure if I should show you until after my meeting this afternoon. Doing so now would only give Meagan more ammunition to use against me."

 

[orchid blossom]

He replies, "Sort of, I wouldn't exactly call it a door. Although I am not sure if I should show you until after my meeting this afternoon. Doing so now would only give Meagan more ammunition to use against me."

"Then don't. I can wait, and I can survive if it has to stay secret for a while long. I do understand that not all the secrets are only yours to share with me. Just like I know you understand there are things I can't tell you about the AGELESS group.

Although Cal, the impression I've gotten is that your group isn't going to be convinced by Meghan's arguments. They respect her, but I think they like the leadership right where it is."

 

[Silver Moon]

"Although Cal, the impression I've gotten is that your group isn't going to be convinced by Meghan's arguments. They respect her, but I think they like the leadership right where it is."

He says, "Okay, let's go for a short walk. I'll show you something impressive that has absolutely nothing to do with magic."

They head away from the barn and castle towards a forested hill around a mile away. Most of the land around has been cultivated for growing grains, but this small elevated area would have been too difficult to level for farming. The trees appear to be old-growth forest, probably the oldest trees in a fifty-mile radius. The area is fairly overgrown but there is a stone path that Callum knows which he leads her up.

They go around 400 feet to the top of the hill and look down into a small crystal blue pond that is approximately ninety feet in diameter. The area is quiet and peaceful, the sun is now directly overhead and shining down. With the ring of high trees she estimates that the pond probably gets only a hour-or-so of direct sunlight each day. A carved stone bench sits alongside the pond and Callum gestures silently to her to sit there beside him.

 

[Fenris]

Orabi says, "We do not question the Queen's right to rule. As you are well aware, I was present at her wedding and heard the vows that she made to the Egyptian people. She is now in a position to follow through on them. This is a good start Mr. Eastman."

"Then why do you not trust her to fulfill those vows and renounce the need for the AFRE?" replies George