Enlightened Empire

Every time he came back to Saniya, there was something new for Atau to see. This time, he finally had the chance to inspect Corco’s new school building. Located within the inner city, the walls between several courts abandoned by Sawo’s demoted warriors had been torn down and extended to form one connected campus. Since it was positioned close to the three islands of the Mayura Delta and Rapra Castle, the new construction was in the perfect spot for the teachers, who would come over from their new homes on the islands .

At the same time, Atau suspected that the location was a convenient excuse for Corco to let the commoner students enter the inner city, to do away with the sort of elitist segregation his cousin hated so much. After he had walked past the classical Medalan buildings of the campus for a good while, at last he found someone with the light skin tone of an Arcavian come towards him, his head lowered and mumbling to himself. Not only was he one of the teachers Atau had been looking for, the man was even someone the captain knew by name.

"Excuse me, you’re Berrat, right?"

Shocked out of his apparent contemplation, the former Fastgrade clerk looked up. However, once he saw the man who had called him, a smile of recognition formed on Berrat’s face.

"Ah, Captain! What great surprise. What brings you here into our school?" Berrat asked as he came towards his former boss.

"I’ve been looking for my cousin. I got some food, plus a letter from Puscanacra. At the inner city gates, the guard told me that he’d be here, teaching his Fastgrade class. You’ve seen him around?"

"Master Corco left our class a while ago. He has moved inside the castle, to prepare for the banquet, as he said."

Atau nodded his head, aware of his cousin’s uniquely jumpy attitude. Sometimes, Corco would whirl all across the city, his mind always focused on the next great task. With a crooked smile, the captain raised the sack he had slung over his shoulder. "That’s good timing, since our last shipment from the eastern coast included some stuff for that banquet of his... though I really thought he’d have enough of banquets after what happened in Arguna."

"Sometimes we cannot overcome common customs, not even as kings," the teacher smiled. "My own work shift has ended, and I am back on my way home. Maybe we could take a walk together. I am deeply interested in the happenings of the hinterland as well."

"Sure thing." Atau agreed in a refreshed manner, before both men walked towards the edge of the inner city walls, towards the bridges which would connect to the three major Islands of the Mayura Delta. As they marched past the inner city square, they saw young local soldiers running drills in formation, under the supervision of their Arcavian instructor.

"So there was a letter from Puscanacra?" Berrat opened.

"Yup, grandfather’s been in contact. It’s no surprise really. I bet he’s after our fertilizer."

"From what I hear the harvest looks promising," the merchant tried to change the topic. "Auspicious news for master’s banquet."

"True. The villages with the king’s contracts have started their harvest already. They’ll be done long before the first guests arrive. Even the other villages will though. It’s been a warm summer, and pretty dry. Plus, the new tools and techniques have made work much easier."

Berrat nodded in agreement. "As a result of the new iron tools and King Corco’s improved designs, the agricultural bureau estimates that uncontracted villages have tilled almost fifty percent more land than last year. At the same time, work requirements have gone down due to easier labor and larger average fields, so we have people moving into the city again, to look for work."

"Guess that’s where those guys came from," Atau said with a point back to the noise of the soldiers they had left behind in their path.

"Indeed. They are farmers out of work, but the group also includes some of the city’s former craftsmen. The removal of thousands of warriors from the inner city left many craftsmen in Saniya without work. Luckily, King Corco managed to replace the lost employment with his new industrial projects and an increase in the size of the army. Some of the younger apprentices could even go to school and learn, just as King Corco had intended."

"So how has school been going?" Atau asked in an attempt to change the topic away from the man’s rampant Corco worship. However, when he saw how Berrat’s face brightened up in response, the captain knew that he had made a mistake.

"Outstanding. There is still much to learn for me, but master Corco has taught all of us very well. Always patient, he conferred to us deeper and deeper secrets of the universe. Truly, master appears to be a never-ending well of inspiration for normal folk like us."

As another one of Corco’s students began to rave about his cousin as if he was some all-knowing savior, Atau did his best to prevent an eye-roll. If only these people knew and met the real Corco outside of classes and work, they would soon realize that besides his strange, foreign knowledge, their master wasn’t the greatest role model. Still, there was no reason to deny the man his heroes, and Corco’s stellar reputation among the government officials would only be beneficial in the future.

"When it comes to teaching, Corco knows what he’s doing, yeah." With a look out to the river delta, Atau once more sought to switch topics. "So what about your own students? Going well?"

Even though Atau was as clumsy in polite conversation as always, Berrat didn’t mind and retained his happy attitude. "Yes, at first I believed myself to be somewhat inadequate as a teacher. I had thought that I could never teach like Master Corco always had. What a challenge, what pressure, to be compared to the great teacher Corcopaca."

This time, Atau’s eye-roll had become inevitable. At least his cousin wasn’t here to hear the bullshit. Corco would have chewed the man up for his ill-advised hero worship, and for the unhealthy comparisons he had drawn to the Chutwa scholars. Even so, unaware of Atau’s developed frown, Berrat still kept on going.

"However, the new students truly surprised me. At first I had not expected many children to come to the classes, but with all the young ones coming over from the various villages and the additional apprentices from the city, my classrooms have been filled to the brim. The youngsters are all so, so eager to learn."

"So it’s been going well then." Happy that they had moved on to less unsavory topics, Atau relaxed his tensed brows. All the while, they had passed the first major bridge over into Sillu island. Since both of them were well-known personalities within Corco’s staff, a simple nod towards the guards was all it had taken for all barriers to give way. Once inside, Atau had found himself confronted with the true nature of the new Saniya.

"So what does captain think about your new home?"

Before Corco had arrived in Saniya, the smaller islands besides Rapra had been almost entirely empty. All they housed were one short guard tower each, to support Rapra Castle and keep the flow of boats along the river under control. Beyond security concerns, the islands had been left barren. Now however, the islands in the Mayura’s river delta had formed the beginnings of a second town beyond the old Saniya on the shore.

In truth, the new buildings were remarkably similar in form to the classic style of southern Medala. Very open, with large courts and airy hallways along their flanks, ready to welcomed the World inside. Just as the classic buildings, they had the same rounded roofs, their walls still covered in white plaster. However, the new materials brought on their ships had allowed for more creative construction. Through the use of concrete, the modern structures were much taller than anything the city had seen beforehand, anything beyond the castle and towers of course. Even so, the new buildings, and moreso the speed with which they had been created, could be considered a marvel of engineering.

"It is a beautiful neighborhood, is it not?"

"It’s nice," Atau echoed as he followed Berrat’s look around the neighborhood. "Still, wouldn’t it be better to build with less frill? I mean, the islands don’t have much room in the first place, and we need to fit in all the craftsmen from the new industries, plus our entire administration on top of them. All the random ornaments and gardens are a total waste of space and money if you ask me. We could really use those resources elsewhere right about now."

"Haha, the men from the finance department would love a chat with captain, I’m sure. We have been spending an awful lot of coin just creating enough employment with the new industries and larger military. At this rate, the gold brought over from Arcavia will run out before the year does. Even so, we have built these lavish new houses. However, master Corco insisted on it. According to master, quality of life is more important than saving costs. Humans aren’t beasts after all, and they need some space to live if they don’t want to go mad. Master said that no one would want to live in giant gray cubes, and that he would much rather have our architecture blend into nature and play with the world around it. Building it cheaply would be at odds with the world at large, master said."

"An old Pacha tenet, huh? Can’t really argue with that, cousin was always the more religious one anyways," Atau mumbled as he scratched his scraggly beard. Even if Corco’s reasoning was sound enough this time, in the future Atau would have to be careful and make sure that his cousin’s faith wouldn’t become an obstacle for their plans. Spending money for the sake of the priesthood sounded like a bad idea to him no matter how Corco justified it.

"As expected of Master Corco, truly a mind far beyond his time." Once again the clerk had returned to his favorite topic.

"Sure, why not. You’re going home, right? I gotta deliver this stuff up to the castle, so we’ll part here."

"Yes, captain. Have a pleasant day."

"Yeah, kid, you too."

With a dry grin, Atau answered the young man he had hired more than half a decade ago.

After they had separated at the crossroads of Sillu island, Berrat turned north into the new neighborhood and towards his living quarters, while Atau kept moving west, onto the main island, where the castle proper was seated. As it had always done, the uniquely beautiful creature that was Rapra Castle towered over the Mayura Delta, though this close to the structure, it was hard for Atau to see much beyond its titanic walls made of stone and raised earth.

Despite its reputation as an invincible defensive position, entry was, in fact, easy. One only had to be the younger cousin of its owner, and all doors would open by themselves. Thus, Atau was let into the new center of their power, with one of the emperor’s ghost warriors leading the way towards the king’s location. It was a bit unfortunate that the precious ghosts had to be used for servant duties, but Corco still lacked loyal warrior servants from within the local population. After all, Saniya was to become the new political center of the south. The core of Yakua culture and politics couldn’t be guarded and staffed by only foreigners.

If nothing else, Corco’s men were working hard to change their precarious position, so that no malicious enemies could identify them as foreign invaders in the future. Over the past months, Dedrick, Nahlen and Mason had worked hard to drill out a new troop made up of local citizens, as per their contract. Once the new warriors were ready for deployment, they would cover the most obvious cracks in Corco’s claim for legitimacy. While Atau was still concerned with their future plans, distraught about the lack of respect they received from the southern lords, he had arrived at the end of his journey. Although the captain couldn’t see his cousin yet, he could already hear Corco’s unique mix of frustration, determination and excitement echo through the halls.

"No no no, that’s not how you do it! Look at it, it’s raaaaw you donkey!" With a grin to contrast the nervous twitches of guards’ eyes, Atau went and entered the room situated on the castle’s ground floor. What greeted him was chaos no less than on any battlefield he had ever seen.

"Where’s the lamb saaaauce!"

Various pots and pans had been strewn all across the room, while all manner of ingredients covered the table in the middle, as well as the counters and fireplaces on the walls. Mixed in with the usual kitchen utensils were a few strange new additions, no doubt Corco’s own ideas. Finally, in the corner of the room and right before the burning flames, stood the man himself, King of the South and Lord of Saniya, as he waved around a cut piece of meat flopping down his hands. All the while, the great king berated the servants around him.

At least most cooks in the castle were still the very same men and women who had already served Corco and his mother back in his youth. Thus, the servants took Corco’s strange outburst rather well.

"Lamb sauce?" The men and women looked at each other in great confusion. "King Corco, this servant was unaware that he should have prepared lamb as well. Please show leniency for this poor servant."

Dumbfounded, the king stared back at his servant, before his face turned a light shade of red. "Sorry, I got a bit too much into it."

Confronted with his cousin’s nonsense, Atau’s grin widened even further. He wondered if Berrat’s hero worship could withstand a look at this kind of ’great teacher’. With how much the king had loosened up since they had come south, the captain was sure that the clerk would have many chances to find out over the following months and years.

"King Corco," Atau called over. "This warrior begs you to go easy on the old kitchen staff. They have proven great loyalty over the years and can be excused some negligent behavior.."

When Corco turned to face Atau, his eyes had already dulled in response to his cousin’s great humor.

"Funny. They know I’m just messing around... right guys?"

Shocked by the great king’s jovial manner, most servants nodded their heads in panic. Only two of them showed the warm smile the king must have expected from all of them. Those were the oldest staff in the castle, ones who would still remember the young Prince Corco when he stormed through these corridors over a decade ago. With a sigh, the king drew a silk handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his brow. Even though he was a cultivator, Corco still suffered from the kitchen work, unused to the hot, humid environment.

"Okay, let’s take a short break. In the meantime, you guys can think over the recipes I’ve handed out. Please come back once I’m done talking to my cousin. There’s still a lot of work to do."

Even before the servants had left the room, Corco had already greeted his cousin’s return with a warm hug.

"Welcome back, man."

"Yup, glad to stick around for once." Atau hoped that the slight complaint in his voice wouldn’t go unnoticed. Since he had set foot back onto Medalan soil, he had been on the move without pause. First he had taken their troops through the south and into Puscanacra, missing his own father’s death in the process. Then once they had taken Saniya, Atau had been forced to double back to the east coast, all in order to initiate diplomatic contact with the estates of Sachay’s north-east and to transport all of their materials off their ships and into their new capital.

Luckily, with this, his seventh major expedition, he had finally managed to move all of their remaining cargo... which also let him bring the little additions which had been, strictly speaking, more luxury than necessity.

"So you brought all the stuff I asked for?"

"Yeah. Still, I’m not sure what you need all that stuff for. Rather than risk another trip, we could’ve just left it north, with Brym. It’s hell out there, you know?"

Even though he complained, Atau still brought the burlap sack with the pointless luxuries over to Corco. With the speed which had felled the great hero Pacha, the king snatched the prized possession for himself and looked inside. Meanwhile, Atau continued, dissatisfied with his cousin’s lack of response.

"I mean, it’s not only the swamp, you know? The bandits and that rogue town are bad enough, they even dared to attack a labor camp... even though it didn’t go well for them. Still, it makes us look weak, and you can see that throughout the south. You know, the lords can get pretty hostile, even when they take in the king’s own diplomat."

Like a mole leaving his burrow, the prince freed himself from the confines of the burlap sack, with a lemon in his left, his face scrunched up as If he had just bitten into it.

"Just a matter of time. You’ll soon get the respect you deserve. Soon enough, those lords will introduce you as Atau, captain of Medala’s greatest fleet, not as the king’s envoy."

Although his cousin’s soothing answer had been something Atau had yearned for throughout these months, there were far more important issues to discuss at the moment. He would have to play pessimist, to balance out his cousin’s usual enthusiasm.

"No, they won’t. The other lords don’t trust us, and they don’t respect us. All we’ve done since we’ve come here is sit in our little town and play ruler, while bandits roam our countryside, unopposed. Meanwhile, up north that moron Pacha is raising an army, to deal with the ’southern beasts’, but you’re not even in Arguna to insult him back at least. The Sachay lords are afraid. They need leadership, and if they can’t get it from us, here and now, they’ll look elsewhere."

Throughout his rant, Atau had become louder and louder, his frustration breaking loose as his voice chased Corco’s through the corridors of the castle. Meanwhile, the king had returned back into his burrow and, forced outside by the noise of his cousin once again, resurfaced soon with some exotic brown beans in his right and a curious look on his face.

"Instead of focusing on what’s important, you just sit here and play cook? What, because you have a nice cake in your head or something? How is this the most important issue right now?!" His eyes ripped open, Atau shouted, no, screamed at his own cousin. In reaction, the glow of Corco’s ecstatic face faded away, as his brow lowered in accord with his mouth. At last, the king stood up again, though he still clawed the precious ingredients.

"Have I ever told you of Louis the fourteenth, the Sun King?" he asked, to which Atau answered with a shake of his head, his mouth half-opened in confusion. "Listen up then. Food can be a weapon. Culture can be a weapon. One of the most potent ones in the world even. Whether or not we can make use of this great weapon, to unite the south, and then all of Medala without bloodshed, will depend on the outcome of this banquet.

"The bandits? They’re a nuisance, but nothing more than that. My good uncle Pacha will never make it past Qarasi, not with the new fortifications we’ve installed. That town in the marsh as well, once their support dries up they’ll disappear like summer snow. All that matters is the support of the southern lords. We get that, and we solve all of our troubles. We get extra troops to defend the Narrows from Pacha and whoever supports that swamp town would stop as well. But if we want to win that support we need a successful banquet first. Let’s rule the south. Not with force, not with an iron fist, not with shaky pledges of loyalty, but with food and drink. Let’s rule the south with ice cream!"