An offer of Kingship

The words of the message magically appear on the stiff paper in a green-blue ink as the heat from the fire toasts the thick paper. You have heard of words hidden in plain sight like this, but you have never seen an actual example, had it not been for the damp weather you would never have stumbled upon the secret offer. The alchemy involved in a secret message like this is expensive, and can only be done by a very select group of mystical men, so it does not surprise you to see the note is signed by six members the High Council of Athenapolis. Who else has the resources to send this appeal to the City of Apollo.

As you carefully heat the paper to expose the rest of the message you review in your mind what you know about know about the High Council of Athenapolis. Unlike in other cities, the merchant advisory council holds great power in Athenapolis, in many ways even more power than the aristocracy that nominally rules the city. You have heard many of the common people assert that this imbalance in power was because Athenapolis was ruled by a Regent and not a real king. Your guess is simply that these men were the ones with the gold to pay mercenaries and the ability to control the flow of food into the city, it is this that gives the High Council of Athenapolis the power to veto the decisions of the Regent and his court.

"What does it say?" Lady Relia peers over your shoulder with as much wonder as you. She is either one of the best actresses in the world or she too is seeing these words for the first time.

"It's an offer of some kind, but let me concentrate on the rest of the letter and then we can read it together." It took about five more minutes to finish the job, there were two places where the paper had been scorched and other spots where the ink was just barely visible. Luckily, not much of the letter was lost by the strip that you sliced from the edge of the envelope and between the two of you you are able to read the entire offer.

To His Most Noble Highness Crown Prince Anochises of the City of Apollo,

Whereas, your city and ours have always shared a special relationship. The closeness of Athena and Apollo themselves is reflected in the mortal world as has been evidenced for over three hundred years and through multiple partnerships over the years. It is our understanding that you understand this connection and refused to join your august personage in the illegal and exercise of personal vengeance perpetrated by the High Priestess of Heliopolis and the weak-willed King of her minor city.

Whereas, it is the belief of this undersigned that one of the main reasons that our city has been so maliciously set upon is our lack of a true King to lead our city and to deal with the slander and jealousy of those who inspired this great wrong.

Whereas, you have been grievously wronged by that same Priestess of Helios who has spoken of you words that we will not repeat. It is our belief that such heinous lies grow with each repetition and we will not be part of her slander; know however that no matter how you are moved when you read this invitation that we will never believe that a Prince of your august personage could ever be so lacking in character. We too have been the victims of her serpentine tongue and will give no more credence to the claims of your cowardice than we do to the false rumors that have been circulated about out great city.

Whereas, A prince of your stature, much like the gods themselves, has within him the ability to change the outcome of worldly events when he sees a wrong such as that being committed at this very moment.

And Whereas, a man like you you should not languish in the shadow of his father, but should have his own city to govern without having to wait for the eventual **** of his king and sire.

It is the opinion of the High Council that these injustices can - indeed must - be resolved in a way pleasing to all concerned and the gods themselves by offering you the Kingship of our city with all the privileges and rights granted to you and your heirs for all time. Upon receipt of this message (or multiple copies as we sent several messengers with the same offer) we recommend that you summon your personal guard and ride immediately to liberate your besieged city.

You of course, as a military general with no equal, know better than us what strategy to best accomplish this task. However, it is our thought that you not make public your new status until you have reached the so called United Army's camp outside our walls. There speak with those Captains from your city that you can trust to do what is right, and inform them of the change in your situation. Once inside the guard of the thrice-cursed union of city's army it will be well within your power to end once and for all the bloodshed, destruction and enslavement of your grateful peoples.

We the citizens of Athenapolis long for the day when you reside in the royal palace and the light of your divine spirit rules over us like the light of the Sun God himself. All that we have is yours, and we long to serve you in whatever way we can.

It is a small token of the love and respect that the people of Athenapolis already have for you that all the daughter's of the city have pledged themselves to serve you in whatsoever manner that pleases their new king. Such is the fame of your divine visage, chiseled figure, gracious nature and manly virility that every maid in the city (even the Regent's own daughter) has begged to be allowed to serve you in your bedchambers.

Your humble servants, ....

The letter was signed by six of the nine members of the High Council, notable for its absence was the signature of Lord Aegricion, Regent of Athenapolis. In all likelihood, the man who had ruled Athenapolis as its king for the past fifteen years was not even aware of the offer that would depose him if successful. The paragraph offering Prince Anochises his pick of the virgins of the city including even the Regent's own daughter as his personal playthings was typical for the powerful families of Athenapolis. If you have any doubt about if this is truly what the offer entails the final postscript makes their intentions perfectly clear.

Post Script: Your Majesty, we have selected as couriers six of the loveliest flowers of our city; if you find them pleasing, feel free to make what use of them you may, either for your own pleasure or for your men to sample the delights of your new city. If on the other hand they displease you in any way, strip them of their robes and throw them naked to the lepers and vagabonds outside your city's gates for they have failed in their duty to city and goddess.

The way Relia's grip tightens on your arm makes it clear that she too sees the post-script and what this note could mean for her if she delivers it as intended to the Crown Prince.