Lord Aesin wasn't the highest Ranked Aziza, in fact, he was well down the list of Aziza Powers. But that was what made him so effective in his role as my spymaster. He could go missing when he needed to, and his Rank wasn't high enough to warrant any real attention. Additionally, if anyone did notice him pocking around where he shouldn't, his lack of Rank would make his actions seem one of inclination, they would think him insignificant.

But he was perhaps one of the most intelligent people I had ever met. His ability to not only ferret out secrets but to understand the breadth of meaning behind those secrets. To see patterns and permutations that connected disparate events was what allowed me to see the bigger picture and ramifications I would have missed otherwise. The longer I reigned, the more responsibilities and obligations existed. I simply didn't have the time or ability that he had.

I had come to rely on him extensively, and I thought my rule as King was better for it and him. There were only a few people who were willing to speak truthfully and honestly with me, no matter what repercussions those words might unleash.

Lord Aesin was one of them, he had enough faith in me to believe when I asked and demanded unvarnished truth, that was what I meant. And that I was not the kind of sovereign that would kill the messenger. Because of this belief, he refused to sugarcoat, or hide issues that may anger me.

It was this attitude that forced me to confront one of the twelve Houses, to hold responsible one of the Twelve for the actions of those under his rule. A House that paid lip service to my rule of no serfs or slaves but maintained the practice by paying token wages to Wisps and Brownies. Individuals that had been all but enslaved by their intrinsic nature to serve, people that weren't even paid at subsistent levels.

Confronting the House, an Unseelie Ranked Duke, forced me to unravel the repercussions of Benefice and how those oaths could harm my entire council. My ties of Benefice acted like a spiderweb. Strands extending between each House, weaving a web of connections that aligned each House, one with each other through me.

When the web of one House was broken, it created a fracture in the entire pattern. The weave weakened as each thread resonated with and absorbed the negative energies that breach of Benefice caused. Until that part of the web was repaired, the fraying and destruction of the entire structure would continue.

My vision for the Kingdom had almost unraveled during that crisis. Thankfully, there were fail-safes built into the oaths that Benefice demanded, ways to temper Oath violations, and bring an ally into compliance or sever the Benefice. House Caien was in breach of those Oaths, and although I had to allow them to respond and give them a reasonable amount of time to confirm their perfidy, that didn't mean I had to allow the duplicitous actions of their House members to continue.

I allowed them to change, and they ignored that time I had given them, instead, attempting to play a game of hide-and-seek with those lives that had been entrusted to them. And when Lord Aesin and his people reported back that any changes they reported were nothing more than lip service, I was able to act. They had moved people around, trying to obfuscate evidence, while not changing. Their actions were the first time I convened the Court and acted as Judge. As an ally that enjoyed Benefice, any actions I might take had to be done in the full view of Vassals and Benefice.

I allowed evidence to be presented. I allowed them to defend against those accusations that were leveled against them. And I allowed them the right to challenge, acknowledging their inherent rights of Noblesse oblige. It was a long-standing tradition, a last desperate effort that any Vassal might take if they refused to conform to agreements made before they were sworn.

I could have named a champion when they decided to issue a challenge. It was what the Seelie and Unseelie normally did. But I would not ask anyone to do something I was unwilling to do myself. And I certainly would not ask someone to risk their lives to defend a practice that I thought anathema or my Right of Rule.

The only concession I made was to kill quickly. The duel ended almost instantly as I released an oscillation of fire and ice that destroyed my opponent, the floor, the ceiling, and the walls of the stage the Sithern had created for the challenge.

But I'd wanted to make a statement. Lord Aesin had suggested I broadcast this duel, to punctuate that my benevolence had a point that could not be crossed and that not even members of the Twelve or those that I had sworn Benefice with were exempt obligations they had agreed on. Certain issues were so egregious for me that I would take up arms, slavery was one of those issues, and I had to make it publicly known that this line in the sand existed.

"I apologize if I've kept you waiting," Princess Wynne said as she entered the room and deftly moved to seat herself at the table. Her entrance drew my attention and kept me from spiraling into a never-ending morality debate with myself. I played the 'if only' game with myself too much.

As a Ranked ruler, I had the ability to invest and elevate anyone I wanted to a higher Rank, the only caveat being that the experience for that elevation had to be paid, eventually. It created a System debt, and no skills, spells, or levels could advance until that debt was paid.

I thought the Sidhe Ranked that had been stifled and not allowed to progress under the tight restrictions of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts had long chafed at the injustice and stagnation the Courts demanded. These individuals had been able to bank experience, saved experience that could be expended during an elevation. But they were commanded not to increase their Rank.

The Knocker Queen was more obliging, to those that owed her fealty. The Duchess had only recently achieved her Rank as Duchess when I'd first met her; it was the reason she found herself in the predicament she had. If she had had time to consolidate her gains, to claim Land, then she would have been unassailable.

Her need to branch out and establish her own community had left her devoid of the support system a landed Duke could call upon. That had changed. She refused to serve as one of my Twelve, even though we had sworn Benefice, but she did accept a Land claim that allowed her to establish a home for those that had followed and suffered with her when they had been exiled to CERN Dungeon.

When I'd elevated her Rank to Princess, she was short of the experience required. As the person bestowing the new title and Rank, System kept me informed of her status, and how much experience debt was owed.

I didn't understand why Monarchs loathed making use of the practice. The System did demand repayment of the experience expended, but Wynne's gains paid down that debt. It had taken her two years to pay System back, much faster than expected. But I had access to new dungeons including two, level nine instances. She spent those two years delving, helping her people gain experience in the process. As a unique feature of the System, it was one I was willing to use.

"I just arrived myself," I assured Wynne, motioning for the staff to serve before grabbing a cup of Unrey. The coffee-like drink was still my beverage of choice, the addition of cream, and a dollop of honey the best part of waking up.

Once each of us had been served, Lord Aesin's portion every bit as large as mine despite his diminutive size, I opened the discussion. I'd found it best to be upfront and frank when dealing with my Court, and the same held for friends, Vassals, and Benefices. There was less chance of offending my mistake or misunderstandings by being blunt.

"Tulley informed me during this morning's briefing that your recent attempts to hack the Olympus Embassy was noticed. They have lodged another complaint. This time demanding that I turn those responsible for the attacks over to them so that they can be punished under Olympic laws," I informed the Princess.

Wynne's only reaction was to snort in laughter as she nimbly segmented a piece of fruit and nibbling on what was plainly an orange, no matter what Universe you were in. I had every expectation that Aesin already had this information, but he maintained his stoic expression as I explained the reason for this meeting, never reacting, so I had to base my expectation on past discussions.

"My reaction was slightly less amused," I said.

"We have had an Ambassador Extraordinary, and a Plenipotentiary named and seated with the Universal Senate for months now. I will have them explain in language even Zeus can understand that I don't trade my people, not for anything. Certainly not to allow them to be tortured or imprisoned.

"But.

"I'd like an update on how your search is going. Have there been any results?

"If I'm going to continue to stave off demands for your head, I would like to know that you are making progress," I explained.