Bloody reform

Letters were sent, inviting all nobles of import to attend the surprise meeting in Viscount's Keep regarding the problems of Elven refugees. Marian had discussed with the Captain of the City Guard on how to best contain the opposing nobles should they decide to take to the streets, even as the Elven refugees tentatively settled into their temporary homes and huddled together, mouthing prayers for the Inquisition to take them in.

Not wanting to cause any additional friction where possible, Marian made sure the Elven refugee camps were situated well away from the entrances and away from the roads, and that her flags and troops were planted at said camps.

This serves its purpose as a train of carriages and knightly escorts slowly snake into the city, and as expected, quite a number of them turn up their noses at the sight of the refugee camps but do nothing.

Gradually the nobles assemble in the throne room, milling about and engaging in their usual power plays and schemes behind amicable chatter and false masks, while Marian overlooks the audience with an impassive face.

“Milady, the nobles are all assembled,” One of the guards said.

Marian nodded and motioned towards Fenris, who banged the gavel - a long staff made of silverite with a hammer-shaped head - once on the floor, the sound echoing throughout the throne room to deafening volumes before settling down, and all the nobles now focused their attention on the Viscountess who stood up to speak.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I call this meeting to order regarding the state of the Elven refugees, and the course of action that should be taken regarding their fates,” Marian began, “Is everyone ready to continue?”

A chorus of ‘Yes, Milady’ echoed from the audience, and Marian nodded.

“Let the meeting begin.”

At first the meeting went rather well, with all the nobles stating their grievances and problems as per procedure, but when it came to Marian suggesting they accept Inquisition help, that was when the chaos and mayhem began.

"This is outrageous!" Yelled Lord Collier, " I absolutely refuse the Inquisition's help! Just because they manage to bring peace between the two nations, doesn’t mean we need to delegate our domestic problems to them! Kirkwall is a sovereign state, we can solve our own problems in our own way! We need no foreigners interfering in our private affairs!”

"He's right! No Inquisition in Kirkwall!”

Lord Collier’s faction echoed his statements in a show of both loyalty and faux loyalty.

"Hmph… Only now you're thinking about sovereignty and what-not. I didn't hear any of this in the last meeting," Voiced another noble, "Are you truly fearful of the Inquisition, or merely concerned that it would make the Inquisition look more competent and compassionate in the eyes of the people, instead of the born-and-bred nobles of Kirkwall?"

Marian remembered him to be Lord Morvred, an old and wizened man and one among several nobles who fully support the Inquisition taking over the refugee crisis, due to more demanding issues at home.

"From the rumors I’ve heard, Inquisitor Aedan has a good relationship with the Elves of the Brecilian Forest. Maybe he could transfer some of them there?" Another Lady suggested.

"Pah, he probably impregnated their whore of a leader and took over them without them knowing any better,” Lord Collier derided, sniffing haughtily, “But I still will not tolerate Inquisition interference in this matter.”

“Even if it means foisting off a problem of ours onto them instead of having to deal with it ourselves?” Lord Morvred questioned, “Your views on the Inquisition aside, you have to admit it would serve us well.”

“And the Inquisition is already powerful enough; if we have to owe them a favour, they could use it to infringe on our sovereignty,” Lord Collier countered, “Imagine this: One day the Inquisitor visits Kirkwall, then seduces our Viscountess and then proceeds to seize control! Do you honestly want that happening!?”

“Hear, hear!” Collier’s faction echoed.

Lord Morvred merely shook his head, saying, “Are you honestly this daft?”

Not expecting Morvred’s words, Collier was struck speechless as was most of the court.

“I-I beg your pardon?” Collier questioned.

“I asked you if you were honestly this daft,” Morvred reiterated.

As Collier was left opening and closing his mouth like a fish, Marian and Fenris resisted the urge to snigger at Collier’s discomfort, though their slow smiles were not lost on those who watched her reaction.

“May I ask what warrants this… opinion of yours?” Collier cautiously asked.

“Simple: You really think the Inquisition can afford to add Kirkwall to its domain so quickly after integrating a domain as large as Orlais?” Morvred questioned, “Orlais is the largest country on Thedas, after all, and highly steeped in Andrastian tradition - Elf-hating and magic-hating. Even though Lord Inquisitor Aedan managed to secure the Orlesians’ allegiance and support, it’s his **** of will alone that holds both Orlais and Ferelden together, especially with the looming Venatori conflict. So no, he cannot afford to do whatever you suggested.”

Collier held back his tongue, unable to refute the logic in Morvred’s words.

“...Even so, can you deny that the Inquisition is growing far too powerful for its own good?” Collier put forth, “The Inquisition’s power already surpasses that of both nations, and holds significant amounts of land and resources at its disposal, far outstripping that of all the Free Marches combined. I do not need to say what that implies for us all.”

Morvred clicked his tongue, and Collier felt a smirk crawling onto his lips.

Collier’s faction dominated the court, comprising a full four-fifths of the Kirkwall nobility, and it was easy to see that despite his rather sensible arguments, there were more human factors at work, resulting in Morvred’s faction being considerably smaller.

Such was the nature of human elites.

Marian then stood up, Fenris banging the gavel to silence the ongoing debate, and she said, “I see that we have reached an impasse in the meeting, despite all sides presenting their case and all possible suggestions. As such, I would request Morvred’s people to take a brief recess from court and await further deliberation.”

“My Lady?” Morvred asked, looking genuinely bewildered.

“This is no conclusion to the meeting, merely a recess, Lord Morvred,” Marian reassured, “We’ll call you back inside later on.”

Unsure of what to make of this, Morvred nevertheless bowed and took his leave, his people following after him.

Once Morvred’s people had left, Collier suddenly felt that something was amiss, and he cast nervous glances around the throne room as he desperately tried to find the answer behind his growing fear.

“My Lady, what is going on?” Collier asked, a bead of cold sweat on his forehead.

Marian’s answer was this:

“Cut them down.”

Soldiers drew their swords and began cutting down the nobles; men and women alike were butchered like pigs, and those who tried to make for the exits found their way barred by more troops armed with swords and crossbows, mercilessly feeding them to the growing piles of corpses.

In fifty seconds flat, the entire courtroom fell silent, the immaculate marble floors and linen tapestries stained crimson.

“My Lady, we heard commotion! What is going…”

Morvred fell silent at the sight of the corpses of Collier and his faction, and many of his people held back strangled gasps of horror, a few retching to the side.

“Fenris, send troops to all their noble estates and seize control of all their holdings, their records and whatever evidence of wrongdoing you can find,” Marian ordered, “If any resist, kill them on sight.”

“As you command, Viscountess,” Fenris solemnly bowed, handing the gavel to Marian before taking his leave.

“...My Lady, what is going on?” Morvred enquired, unable to take his eyes away from the corpses strewn about the throne room.

Marian sighed heavily, walking down the steps to the bloodstained floor, the gavel tapping the ground softly with every step.

“The Inquisition sent Leliana and Josephine yesterday to entreat with me,” Marian explained, “They were willing to help deal with the issue of Elven refugees, but this came at a price.”

Morvred instantly realised what Marian was talking about.

“They mandated that you eliminate Collier’s people before they could move in and help, and in exchange they would send help,” He stated, “But couldn’t they have sent their own people to do the job, then?”

“You yourself said it: The Inquisition cannot afford to get tangled in our affairs, not in the same way with Orlais and Ferelden,” Marian countered, “We have to do this on our own.”

Morvred nodded slowly, then asked, “What would you have us do, My Lady?”

“Work with Fenris to root out the last of Collier’s network, then start making arrangements to clothe, feed and house the Elven refugees,” Marian ordered, “If possible, recruit some of them to join our ranks as loyal agents, whether as spies or soldiers.”

“By your order, My Lady,” Morvred

Revised and edited by ebanu8