Thread: An Empire in 100 Nights (Rosewood x LeatrixSage)

He watched as she fussed and fidgeted in her chair before finally rising and he listened to her grievances patiently without interrupting. At certain points he even nodded in understanding, many of the points she were making were perfectly understandable. She no doubt felt trapped between the incompetent nobles of her nation and him, the conqueror of a nation she would soon no longer rule. Or so she felt. This was to his advantage, he felt like he could make himself seem like the better of two evils. She seemed to think so poorly of the nobles of her land that she left no illusions regarding who would negotiate this deal with him. When she opened the dress and revealed the thin shift beneath his eyes enjoyed the feast presented to them as subtly as they could. As he had thought her body was as endowed as her spirit. She truly was quite the treat. Before I tell you what I want, let's make a few things clear. As I mentioned before your culture and your way of life do not need to change. Even your political situation doesn't need to change, save for one thing. The Empire expects you to serve as a Steward. A Steward is essentially the person who the Empire chooses to rule it's member-nations on their behalf. The Steward is almost always the person who was in charge in the first place. Once a Steward is chosen they rule until they prove they can no longer do so or until they voluntarily abdicate. Once you are made into the imperial Steward, the aristocracy of your nation won't be able to do anything against you as you will be protected by imperial law. I also doubt the people will have a problem with this, he said calmly and reassuringly. As for what we expect, we simply expect you to your fair share in return for all the benefits that come with being a member-nation. This means paying modest taxes. We don't conscript people against their will, we simply offer people the opportunity to rise in station by way of joining imperial forces. In return your country will join the larger world. This means access to numerous luxuries you've never seen before as well as an assortment of technological advances, entire cultures worth of art and literature. Not to mention the full protection of the imperial military against both external threats like foreign nations and internal threats like bandits, raiders and the like. If your nation falls on hard times we will be there to aid you. It's a mutually beneficial partnership, he explained, taking his time to highlight each individual aspect. The Steward of this nation, aka you, would be given the rank of imperial nobility, something like a countess or a duchess. Within your own lands you'd retain your title as queen of course. You'd also retain virtually all of your sovereignity. You'd make all of the decisions so long as your nation functions well, pays it's fair share and cooperates with the Empire. Once again, I understand it's a difficult tradition but I think you'll find it's not as bad it may seem, he said sympathetically as his eyes followed her pacing back and forth. He'd continue to draw her in and once she was committed, that's when he would bring forth the final requirement....