Enlightened Empire

*This must be the feeling of a child on his first travels.*

Egidius brushed the unruly veil of hair out of his face to look at the unique, foreign constructions around him. Though he was no architect, he very much considered himself an artist. Thus, fascinated by the strange styles all around, he studied closely, to unravel their mysteries.

The unusual walls, built at a slant and constructed with blocks of granite larger than a man, were a marvel all by themselves. The stones had been brought onto this tiny island and stacked into the sky through who knew which measures. With a seamless fit, they gave the castle a basis which exuded raw martial power. In sharp contrast, atop the walls stood stood what looked more like a house than a defensive structure. Grand in design, but a house nonetheless. The white plaster failed to cover the outer facade in its entirety, as black lacquered bars of wood stuck out, the castle’s skeleton strangely exposed. Together with the green, rounded roof, Egidius found a poetic elegance within the castle, contrasting the peace of the top with the martial nature of the bottom. Loud and clear, the castle spoke of the people of Saniya, as well as their history.

*Truly magnificent.*

It wasn’t as if the feats within view were beyond anything Arcavians could have built. No, what impressed Egidius was that the techniques, ideas, designs were so different from anything he had seen across the Weltalic Sea. So much to learn. They had suffered through months of rough travels and he hadn’t even seen his new sleeping quarters, yet he already knew that his trip would be worth it.

He turned and focused back towards the closed garden within the outer walls of the island fort. Rather than within, it would be more appropriate to say atop; the entire construction was filled up with earth, to elevate the whole internal construction to the level of the outer wall’s top, creating, in essence, a hill fort atop an island.

From the comfortable gardens around himself, the long, reed-like grass and the tall trees, budding with the first signs of spring, he finally acknowledged the men around him. The arcavian craftsmen Corco Fastgrade had lured here with his money seemed oblivious to the wonders of Saniya. Their dull looks spoke volumes as they indulged in drink and food. Around six dozen, not even a company’s worth. Though of course, they were not here to fight a war.

The various artisans of Arcavia were seated in small groups, under an overhang in the simple, elegant garden. Inside the large, open space, braziers had been hung up, enough to fight back the cool breeze which would wash in from the sea shore. Together with the tables filled with jerked meats and nuts and the deep chairs scattered all around, their accommodations had invited them to get comfortable, and the craftsmen had certainly obliged.

"Okay, is everyone here? Good." Finally, he heard the voice of the man who had lured him to this strange and foreign land.

From inside the inner walls of the castle, its lord appeared within the overhang. Corco Fastgrade, seer and merchant of Etra, or rather, the king of the south, Corcopaca Titu Pluritac. They had only separated a mere month ago, and yet the new king seemed a changed man.

Gone were the brown tunic and the frilly clothes. They had been replaced by a robe of red, a color Egidius had learned to represent the martial spirit of the Medala warriors. Atop the king’s head, his unbridled hair had been reigned in by a simple bronze crown. However, it was more than just Corco’s appearance which had transformed. Whereas before, the seer had seemed affable, now hi stride towards the seat at the front of their group was filled with an aloofness which set itself between him and the common craftsmen like an invisible shield. Though all of them had sat and drunk together with the king before, now he could read the awe in their faces; an awe only reserved for true nobility.

"I’m very sorry to have kept you waiting out here in the cold for so long. Let me welcome you, finally, to my land of Chawir and the city of Saniya, soon to be the center of the world."

Upon the king’s introduction, Egidius swallowed heavily. Though most of the others laughed at the arrogance, still busied with their food and drink, the clock maker knew that Corco was not one to boast lightly. In the end, he would always make good on his promises. Still, no matter their reactions, the king continued his words without pause.

"Though many of you will laugh at this goal of mine, calling it mirage, all of you have come here for this exact purpose, to help make it reality. You have been chosen because you possess unique, special talents which will provide vital to my lands. However, in the end, you did not make this long trip away from home just to listen to my boasts. In the end, I promised work, a way to improve, a way to show your talents and, after everything is done, enough money to return home and start your own business, each and every one of you."

As the king’s pleasant baritone sounded around the auditorium, the men stopped their actions one by one to listen. Most of them weren’t interested in pretty words or grand plans. Instead, once talks reached the matter of concrete benefits, of making good on promises, they became alert.

Thus, the king could lower his voice, still audible over the captivated crowd.

"As you might have learned by now, the fight for succession has been decided and I, Corcopaca Titu Pluritac, have been declared the king of the south. As such, I am now, at last, in the position to make good on the agreement we reached in Etra. Thus, it will be restated here, signed and made fully legal within all lands under my rule."

The king waved to the man at his side, Atau, captain of the Homeward, greatest sailor under the Fastgrade fleet. The large sailor stepped forth, a scroll of paper in his hand, and read off the agreement which would govern their life in the foreseeable future.

"Number one: The craftsmen signing this document declare that they will relocate to the Medala Empire, to live and work within their chosen profession.

Number Two: The professions in question will provide goods Medala lacks. Thus, in order to benefit the people of the Medala Empire, only work in certain professions will be accepted. These professions include clock makers, soap makers, perfumers, quill makers, ship’s carpenters and fine smiths, especially experts in the production of matchlock guns and cannons. Further professions can be negotiated on an individual basis."

Egidius looked around the room to identify how the different professions of craftsmen had already formed into smaller cliques. He didn’t doubt that they would soon form guilds. It was laughable, really. The only reason any of them had come here was because the guild system had made life for them impossible. With the limit on shops within areas controlled by the guilds, they had been forbidden from setting up shop within the cities of Arcavia and denied their livelihoods. Even so, now they tried to do the very same. Egidius was sure that he was the only man here who had come not out of necessity, but out of an spirit for adventure instead; he wouldn’t even look at the other clock makers who had huddled together in the corner.

"Number Three: For the five years following arrival in Medala, the signatories will be committed to their craft within the city. All work they do will be ordered by King Corcopaca Titu Pluritac, and all products of their work will become the king’s possessions.

"Number Four, King Corcopaca Titu Pluritac will guarantee them food, shelter and a basic wage to guarantee that their daily needs are met. At the end of the five year term, if the signatories have completed their work in a manner deemed satisfactory by the king, every man will receive one stone of silver, the payment for five years of their lives. After the term has elapsed, all signatories will have the choice to stay in Medala as citizens and continue their work, or return back home as men of wealth and repute on a ship of the King’s fleet.

"Number Five: Within these five years, each signatory will take on a minimum of four apprentices from within the local population. The signatories will teach these apprentices all the skills and secrets of their craft without retaining anything, to the best of their abilities."

Finally, a murmur spread across the crowd, which soon swelled into a disturbance. Egidius could see many of his ’colleagues’ frowning and shaking their heads.

*Simpleton, not thinking through the goals and plans of others.*

Unlike the other men, the clock maker understood why the final clause had been included. In fact, he was more than happy with the terms on offer. He would receive free food and drink, plus the leisure to explore these curious new lands for five full years. He had only scratched the surface and was already unsure if the time would be enough to sate his appetite.

"Shut up! One after another!" The king’s angry roar ended the craftsmen’s farce. At last they had remembered that they stood in front of a crown, rather than within one of their guild halls. Put back in their place, the murmurs died down, but even as the king continued, the atmosphere was still loaded with tension.

"Who here has a problem with the arrangements? Anyone wanna actually speak up, or are you just gonna keep mumbling between yourselves like school kids?"

What followed were a few seconds of uncomfortable silence. However, in the end, one man still dared stand up. Another one of the clock makers, Egidius remembered. A man of limited talent, who went by the name of Xander.

"King Corco, if I may..." he started out, as he rubbed his hands together.

"Sure, go ahead." As casual as back in Arcavia, King Corco leaned back into his seat.

"...the secrets of our crafts are our life itself. They cannot simply be taught to outsiders. If they were, how would we still make any coin with all the competition around?"

"It seems like you’re not really getting my point here, huh?" the king’s hand covered his face as he spoke. Confronted by the dull minds around him, he must have been just as despaired as Egidius himself. "You think I’m paying you this much silver for nothing but five years of your work? Why would I bring you all the way here if that were the case? I could just have you work overseas and then ship your products over. That would have been much cheaper and easier for me."

"Then-"

"I’m not paying you a full stone of silver for five years of service. You all know that your work isn’t worth that much. Without me, you’d be hard pressed to earn that amount in a lifetime. I’m paying you for those very technologies you call trade secrets, paying for you to spread them within my country. In the end, if you’re gonna be off in five years, what does it matter if there’s lots of people here in Medala who know your secrets? They won’t be competition to you, half a world away as they are. Not to mention that a stone of silver is enough for you to live out comfortable lives even if you don’t work another day. That should satisfy you, right?"

"Of course, your majesty." Xander’s words were servile, though his eyes were still darting around, his head still filled with dirty thoughts, it seemed. The king had seen just the same and reacted in a suitable manner.

"Just as a fair heads up: you best try to play this one straight. At the end of the five year term, we will test each and every apprentice you have taken in. If they are found to be lacking, so will be your final reward. So you best get some good students, and you best teach them well." A harmless smile accompanied the king’s words. It infected Egidius as well, though none of the other craftsmen were taken by the mood.

"How will we get apprentices then? And how will we teach foreigners?"

"In preparation of this day, you’ve been taught our fair Yaku language for several months. By now, you should be able to hold some simple conversations. You’ll learn the rest as you go along. As for the apprentices themselves: This is a matter I will take care of personally. No need to worry, you’ll have more than enough to choose from, just like I’ll give you more work than you could ever finish in a lifetime. Another good reason to get capable help. For now, enjoy the food and drink. After your party’s done, you’ll be brought to your new homes. Anything else will wait until later. Please feel at home and do your best, to help build a brighter tomorrow. That’s all."

Though the king set off to more inspiring words, to breathe some spirit into his new workers, he could read the disinterest of the men within the room. Dejected, he gave up on any attempts at raising their morale and ended the meeting. Egidius watched the king’s confident stride away; the man left the room towards the back, returning to what must have been a mountain of work. In the end, the craftsmen would only ever be impressed by results. Egidius knew that well and he hoped that King Corco would understand the same. However, more than anything, he looked forward to his new home, as well as the exotic, foreign world he was eager to explore.

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