SECURITY MEETING
CASTLE ATREUS
SPRING
JUST AROUND 11 O'CLOCK
King Leto smiled and greeted his councilors as they seated themselves. There weren't many of them, but they were skilled and usually had good ideas even though the final decision on what to do was his, and his alone.
To his left sat
Captain Aloc, leader of the defense forces. Across the table were
Neol Taw, his domestic advisor and to the right was the financial advisor,
Htec Amadia.
As he cleared his throat the small council fell silent and turned their full attention on their lord.
-"Welcome. You all know why we're here. We need to discuss and find a solution to the reports of increasing hostility from the tribes surrounding us.
-"My lord, I propose that I take 4 regiments and clear the hostile tribes away, so that they can no longer threaten us."
-"I wouldn't advise that. Not only would it leave the city vulnerable, but it could also dissuade other tribes from joining us peacefully. Besides, they haven't done anything to us so far."
-"I agree. We need the forces to protect the caravan routes so that the trade won't be disrupted. We can't just pull them out to wander around so far from here. The goods must flow."
-"We will not attack them. We will defend ourselves if need be, but I will not have our troops murder innocents just because we're worried."
-"Perhaps if we built a wall instead to keep them out?"
-"A wall?"
-"Yes, then they wouldn't be able to threaten us. There's plenty of stone in the mountains."
-"No, such an endeavor would be too expensive. We do not have the ressources to get that much stone down from the mountains and the to build a wall."
-"I concur. Even if we could build it, it would still take ages to complete and at that time the threat might be gone. Besides, a wall requires many men garrisoning it. That would force us to spread out large numbers of troops and leave us stretched. It would also hinder our movements by closing us in."
-"So, no wall. What else?"
-"It has to be something cheap or the merchants will complain."
-"Surely not if it is for their protection?"
-"I still say we need to attack them. Our forces can't cover our entire border at once."
-"What about sentries?"
-"Meaning? We do have sentries at the army."
-"No, at the border."
-"That would doom them if an attack comes and we wouldn't know about it until much later."
-"Well, what if we build high towers at strategic locations and close to each other. They can then see if an enemy arrives and, if they do, then they can send a message or signal to the other towers and back to our army."
-"That could work."
-"And it's not too expensive."
-"Am I sensing agreement?"
As the advisors all nodded, Leto stood up and dismissed them, thanking them all for coming. The meeting had been short, but fruitful. An alternative had been found to attacking the neighbours and it left everybody happy.
Of course, there was still a threat even if they had worked out a warning system. Perhaps, if they could be bought off or otherwise preoccupied... yes, that was the key. Keep them happy or busy and peace should be assured for his people.