Baron Curtis Blackwell who was so animated at the beginning intrudes,

“Since we did discuss about lacking weapons, as one of two families that handle horses, we are concerned about our current numbers. Horsemaster Dennet had retired and brought most of Ferelden’s horses with him. I believe we won’t have adequate cavalry if war arises.”

The attendees straight away turn to Knight Commander Harrith Drake, the nephew of the retired Horsemaster, Dennet Drake.

Harrith only shakes his head.

“Are you still trying, Knights Commander?” Isolde senses this is a good chance to divert the negative view towards another person, he poses this question so that he will be the scape goat for tonight.

“Indeed, my lady. I even conspire with my aunt, his wife to persuade him. As you know, Dennet is hard-nosed.” Harrith omits the fact that Dennet the horsemaster retires to the remote area in Haven, Hinterland as an act of defiance against Isolde’s inefficacy. As a mater of fact, there is growing dissent against the marchioness lately.

“Since he goes independently to be a horse merchant, Dennet wants profit…..do you not wish to negotiate his share, Knights Commander?” Isolde asks that because she wrongly fathoms Dennet’s intention, but Harrith deduces that it is better for his lady Marquis to remain oblivious. Thus, he merely measures up her oblivious standpoint,

“From what I saw, you’ve already put in a reasonable share for him, right. I’m sure that this will be profitable for all of us so please wait for the result.”

A good number of barons and baronets watch the exchange between the oblivious marchioness and diverting Harrith already get the hang of artificial exchange between those two. They seem thwarted towards their lady’s endless simulacrum.  

The marchioness may innocently be playing lip service, but what makes things worse is when the upper echelons would apologetically scrape the bottom of the barrel to stick up for the unconversant lady.

Notwithstanding their status as the head of a noble or baronet houses but there’s no way that they can prevail upon the negotiation with big-time aristocrats like the viscounts and a marchioness.

Baronet Stanley Barclay who was also animated in the beginning returns with an issue,

“With regard to limited number of workforces, we who run wheatfield, need more peasants to man the field. Otherwise, our flour production will dwindle. We may not be exporting flour, but breads are Redcliffe staple food as important as seafoods. I suggest we retrain the anglers to work in wheat field.”

Dozens of noble families may own fishing boats, but anglers are known to be independent. Most of attendees think Stanley Barclay’s idea is workable as they don’t interfere with other noble families. But Viscount Jascha Alatt perceives differently and evinces,

“They may not belong to any family, but these anglers are now not tied down. They may be stone broke, at least they are not under anyone’s thumb. Compelling them to serve specific nobles could sow the seeds of rebellion. They are better off being left to their own life.”

Stanley Barclay shoots back, “Are you saying it is fine to have left breads for Redcliffe inhabiters?”

Jascha is just smiling friendly for a while to let Stanley get hold of himself before clearing up dissension between them,

“Sir Baronet, we are in the business of making choices. We choose something but we let go of something else because of constraint. The constraint in our gainsaying is limited labourers. Do we have a way to sort that out? Here and now, no. Unless we work that out, we must resign yourself to that. Less bread doesn’t mean starvation. No one can stop us to get anything from the sea.”

“We all cede something after all.”  Keigel Hohmann, the port owner also speaks up for his fellow viscount.

Since they have already made up their mind to give up some of their own gain to some extent, all they want is for the entire aristocracy to use their extra share to work hard for the territory. The attendees are being made to get that big picture.

“I don’t know if you are simply being perspicacious or despotic here, My Lord……” Baron Leonhardt Strauch swipes at the higher ranked, Jascha in support of the fellow junior aristocrat, Stanley. Stanley slightly bows his head in gratitude.

“Well, you can rest assured that you are not dealing with a short-sighted second-rate lord here.” Jascha, aware of their intention, sarcastically banters.

Of course, Jascha as the head of House of Alatt who own farming land is in the same boat as the likes of Stanley. He is trying to bring the aristocrats to fathom the big picture.

Perceptivity from big picture was the previous lord’s way of doing things although the newly appointed Jascha was not around at that time. If some of the aristocrats started making greedy proposals, Eamon would rip away the privilege that he gave them in conducting the businesses in his territory.

Now, Marchioness Isolde is now in a position that can give and take away such privilege. Jascha heard from his late father about Eamon’s way of doing things, but he is sceptical on whether the female lord could imitate her late husband’s monocracy.

Meanwhile, the barons and baronets are aware of such things and are even now more cautious than ever about the upper echelon.

“Come to think of it, I’ve recently obtained a good painting. I think that it will suit your mansion very well, My Lady.” Viscount Keigel Hohmann interjects while two of his underlings enter the hall to show off the painting.

“If that’s the case then, My lady, please take this pottery from our company as well. It’s one of the masterpieces that was made in the north.” The mayor, Viscount Murdock also has his man showing off his gift.

“Ahh, I will gladly accept then.”

The barons and baronets seem miffed at the viscounts who try to appease the marchioness unnecessarily.

On the other hand, Marchioness Isolde Guerrin fathoms that the viscounts won’t be able to hold her for anything with such level of gifts. On the other hand, an upright lord who does not accept such gifts would have the reputation of being a hardhead and inflexible instead.

Isolde decides to not think about it too much and just accept their gifts whether they came with good or bad intentions.

“Well, everything is for the sake of surviving the day after all.” She laments quietly.

After the young widow renews her determination, she pours the wine into the luxurious pottery glass and down it in one go.

Recently, the quality of goods that are circulating within Ferelden Kingdom is increasing and the taste of alcohol and food in other territories have improved a lot.

While she is content with that, she proceeds with the remaining agenda watchfully. On the  other side, the lower lords are brimming with querulousness.