“They make excuses. Turn a blind eye to her excesses and have abrogated their duties and responsibility to Sidhe, including her beloved Seelie,” Una explained. “Her methods have moved from the hidden chambers of torture into the light. She is just as likely to attack and torture someone that comes before the Court as she is to hear them out.

“Even members of her Court, those whose House stretch back as far as hers, have held the reins of Power for years past counting has found themselves attacked, cherished children and loved one's have been banished from the glitz and glitter of Court life and balls as more and more of those with Power refuse to risk her fickle nature.

“Only the Morrigu seem to have a restraining influence on her actions. Perhaps because they are coequal in Rank, or perhaps enough sanity remains for Queen Mab to realize she risks a Duel Noblesse if she released her insanity upon the Unseelie,” Una finished.

Una’s words made sense, and I was impressed with her political acumen. She seemed more informed and versed in the minutia of Court as well as the interplay that existed between faction. She would make a good advisor for Blayney if she were able to martial her anger over Irvin. Now, instead of a voice of reason, someone to calm the currents that the Blayney Herd needed to navigate, she was churning the waters.

“Do you think my new Rank as King would force her to be as wary of me?” I asked. “I want vengeance, but the priority, what is most important is Irvin, Cedric, Uron, and Lohne’s safety.”

“King? How is that possible without a Kingdom?” Blayney asked confused at my Rank and how it factored and compared to the Seelie Monarchs. “I thought part of achieving Rank: King required you to have established a territory to rule.”

“The Rank was a System reward for completing quests. Quests that answered the question about System virus, as well as a few including the CERN Dungeon resolution,” I explained.

“Would Queen Mab treat my Rank and House according to the treaty, or should I assume she is so lost to the madness that I have no recourse?”

“If you are planning on heading to the Capital and confronting the Monarchs because of your Rank, as much as it pains me to say this, knowing how my son is being treated, you should wait,” Blayney advised.

“I would guess that you are planning on claiming land and forming a Kingdom in those lands that the Seelie and Unseelie have set aside as neutral?” Una asked.

“Yes,” I acknowledged. “The land is suitable, and I have a blessing from Danu that will expand the area I claim by 20 percent. I’m not sure if this means new land will arise from the sea, or if it just increases the area I can claim from whatever is available, but either way, I should be able to claim enough Land to be comparable to the area claimed by the Seelie or Unseelie.”

“It is probably a smarter first step. A King without a Kingdom would be perceived as a threat,” Una warned, “no matter your intention, the Seelie Monarchy would assume you planned to steal their throne.

“If you have your own, though. It should give them pause long enough to way the political cost of simply attacking you. Especially if the Unseelie are present when you attend Court.”

“That might work. A joint court session is planned in a six-weeks’ time. If you can claim your territory and get a start on building your Kingdom before that joint session, it would mean you attend as an equal ruler. But then what?” Blayney asked.

“Are you planning on invading or declaring war? Where will you get subjects and resources? I doubt either faction is going to sit still and allow you to grow your Kingdom with citizens from their countries. They will attack and try to destroy you before you can even get started.”

“There aren’t any Sidhe, of either faction that has been repressed or denied advancement because of cronyism?” I wondered. “I was hoping there would be a System announcement that anyone, no matter their faction, as long as they are willing to swear fealty and have the ability and skills to form and hold a Fief will be granted land-rights.”

“Those Sidhe considered lesser by the Seelie and Unseelie will be given full council voice and vote. And any King or Queen of these ‘lesser’ Sidhe will be considered equal and allowed to form and grow a Sithern to establish both House and Kingdom. I will allow them to return to Underhill,” I promised

“Minimal tithes, levies, and resources will be demanded as Our right as Sovereign. Instead, I hope to build and establish alliances and treaties based on respect and tolerance. How these Sidhe Kings and Queen's rule in their domain is not my concern. The only requirement I will hold is that free movement is guaranteed, people should be able to come and go as they choose,” I explained.

“It will take time to create what I have envisioned. Perhaps even millennium. There will be false steps. Treachery and backstabbing. But I intend to treat others as their Rank deserves. But make no mistake. I will return treachery and attacks in kind. For those that deal fairly with me and mine, I will offer opportunities to form alliances that will bear fruit. A government Council and Court that represents all and that sparks interest and change in both Seelie and Unseelie Nations.”

“The most important benefit that I will possess after claiming and establishing my Kingdom has to do with Out-Planet negotiations,” I affirmed. “The Seelie and Unseelie have blocked all negotiations. Equal in power, they keep vetoing any reasonable plan, afraid of making concessions and appearing weak or at a disadvantage.

“The Inter-planetary governing body has recognized all Sidhe Ranked Kings and Queens, so those, not Seelie or Unseelie could take part in negotiations, they could broker policy and act as tie-breakers while forcing an agreement between the two factions. But everyone is so conditioned and afraid of retribution from the Monarchs that no of the ‘Lesser King’s or Queen’s’ will take the risk.

“As a Ranked King, I have the right to attend these negotiations. I will be the tie-breaker to finally allow our people freedom to expand beyond this planet, and to trade in off-world goods and services,” I promised my declaration having the gravitas of Oath. An oath that wasn’t recognized by System nor binding, but words that were weighed with careful deliberation by both Blayney and Una.

Duchess Wynne was also considering my words and how my plans might affect her. We hadn’t had a chance to discuss Politics or plans. But she was a Ranked Duchess, a Duchess that was my only sworn Benefice. She would be privy to and deeded her Fief. The first of my subjects to gain my consent and leave to rule.

As a Benefice, she would be barred from forming her own Kingdom and creating another Sithern, no matter what Rank she gained. She had traded that eventuality away when she had decided to tie herself so closely to me and my House. But I would not see her neglected or regret her decision.

Her decision that had been made in the confusion and workings of the CERN quest, made before all facts were known. A decision made when she was desperate to gain retribution for her daughter. My plans were still in line with her goals, getting access to off-world travel was more important to her than establishing a Kingdom in some esoteric distant future.

“You have claimed me as ‘Brother of Kelpie’,” I reminded Blayney. “So, join me. Establish a Kelpie Colony in those lands that I will rule. Become the first of the Herd Lords that will immigrate to escape the idiocy and ill-treatment you have endured.

“Come help me build a place that the Goddess Belisama envisioned for her Kelpie. One where Kelpie are respected. Where their talents as Ambassador and Negotiator will blossom and made a difference,” I offered.

“The entire colony?” Una asked in disbelief.

“Why not?” I answered. “Nothing is keeping you here other than stifling Seelie oppression. Why not take a chance on something better? Something you build and control.”

“How do you plan on taxing tithes and resources from those that do join you and claim or are awarded Land?” Blayney asked. “And what about those that are already living and have established claims in those areas?”

“What tax rate do you owe the Seelie currently?” I asked.

“It had been 30 percent of all resources, not profit or excess, but all resources,” Una explained. “That was already usury and ruinous. But since you closed the Dungeon, the Seelie have increased that rate to 50 percent.”

“How are you able to survive?” I demanded perplexed.

“Badly,” Blayney admitted. “We have had to forgo any profits we might have been entitled to from the Silinium mine. It has allowed us to stay afloat.”

“Barely,” Una interjected angrily.

“You own partial stake in the mine?” I wondered.

“Yes,” Blayney confirmed. “Even the Seelie Monarchs were unable to steal our stake and share we were entitled to when the Herd discovered the mine.”

“Not like they didn’t try,” Una grumbled, “but the attempt angered too many Sidhe, including some powerful Seelie that were afraid that allowing them to do so would set a precedent. And they might be next.

“So, if you moved the Colony. If you were no longer indentured servants forced to serve. Then the profits from the mine would be restored to you in full?” I guessed.

“If that’s the case, it seems to make even more sense to relocate the colony. You would get your pick of available lands and have an income from the mine.”

Tapping on the M-AI strapped to my wrist, I opened two files. One the tax structure and breakdown my Council and I had mocked up. The other a Holographic projection of the Lands between the Seelie and Unseelie that had been left unclaimed.

The Hologram was created using my Mind affinity, which made adjusting and manipulating it as simple as thought. Searching for Delar, the town my people were staying at, I found it about a thousand miles near the Seelie-Unseelie World Capital of Cathair-bhaile.

Cedric, Basil, Lohne, and I had studied and researched the area before leaving Kel Demesnes, and although some of it was guesswork, we had managed to identify the vast expanse of area that was unclaimed. Rivers were abundant, with scattered lakes, some vast and deep ensconced within both prairies and forest. A mountain ridge followed along the western coast.

One of the more glaring deficiencies had to do with Dungeon allocation. There may have been a plethora of dungeons that were waiting to be discovered, but for the moment there were only three sub-par Dungeons that were being used, more for farming experience and levels than resources.

The other major problem had to do with ley-lines. The ley-lines that were woven across the territory crisscrossed and connected systematically. The problem was that they were weak. Only one large convergence that originated along the mountain seemed to possess any strength and vitality, the vast majority of the continent was generating barely enough mana to satisfy the demands of native species and fauna.

The usable land, unless we were willing to instigate an ecological catastrophe was barely a fifth of the available area. Eventually, this lack of usable land would foster jealousies and problems as Ranked looked to expand their influence and House by sending second and third children out to claim their properties.

It was a problem that would require a solution. But for now, there were enough unclaimed areas that were suitable for Kelpie for Blayney and Una to think seriously about migrating.