A Meeting with the Chancellor [Closed]

[rivechancellor]

WHO: Chancellor Nachitah and those approved on the list
WHAT: Meetings to decide council members
WHERE: The Castle
WHEN: Day 58 (May 16) -- noonish

Comments

[spangledsamurai]

Sakamoto was late. He ran on his way to the castle so he obviously wasn't in his most presentable state. He paused when he saw the guards, smiled, and pretended to be calm. He was good with pretending to be calm, it's one of the things you learn when you trade with so-called terrorists.

The garden didn't make him feel any better. Sure, it was a lovely garden, comfortable and airy. But the stone walls and the guards everywhere? It lacked freedom, and Sakamoto was a man who valued freedom the most. He found himself immediately thinking of an escape plan as he sat down on one of the benches and whistled a happy tune. It took a while for him to realize that he wasn't alone in the room.

Standing up quickly, Sakamoto bowed as low as he could. "I'm sorry for being late, Ma'am! And I apologize for not noticing you earlier. I don't know how I could miss such as lovely sight such as yourself."

[rivechancellor]

She laughed heartily then. "Oh my but that is funny." She made her way over to the man and inspected him from head to toe, crossing her arms over her chest. "Are you always so unobservant?"

[spangledsamurai]

"Not really," Sakamoto said with a laugh. "I apologize. I was a bit preoccupied with my thoughts. My shop-assistant has been having some problems regarding someone affected with the recent blood curse and I can't help but worry with him." He touched his head and remembered that he still had his hat on. He tapped it off and held it close to his chest. "But then, I trust the boy. He's a bit wild, but I'm sure he's the type who'll stop at nothing to help the ones he care about."

"Sakamoto Ryouma, ma'am, humble shop owner and self-proclaimed neutral member of the society, at your service," he said with a more composed bow.

[rivechancellor]

"Oh you're a shop owner here? What sorts of things do you sell at your shop? And you... place that much faith in a young boy to run your shop? How interesting, Master Sakamoto..."

She sat on the bench as if to contemplate his words, staring out into the garden with her legs crossed and her hands on her knees. "How very interesting, indeed..."

It was definitely an invitation to continue speaking with her.

[spangledsamurai]

"A spice shop," Sakamoto said proudly. "Figured I'd do some trading while I'm still here. And the young boy seems like a type I can trust. It's just a gut feeling but I think I'm right."

"I find the trade habits of people in your country very interesting, by the way..."

Sakamoto smiled back at her. If she wasn't going to give away much information, neither would he. Trade was a give or take relationship, after all.

[rivechancellor]

"You are one to trust your 'gut instincts' above all else, then? Or is this not a common practice among shop-keepers where you come from? Also, how would I know anything about the trade habits of the people in my country," the woman chuckled amusedly, "if I am but a gardener here?"

Maybe he'd already seen through her, but she needed to make sure.

[spangledsamurai]

"Can't say why I shouldn't," Sakamoto said with a shrug. "It's saved me from life-threatening situations before."

"A gardener?" Sakamoto doubted what the woman was saying. She was far too refined to be a common gardener. "Even so, Ma'am, I don't believe that you haven't gone out and bought some stuff, traded. Surely you've seen how the citizens here freely give goods out to us foreigners? I find it strange, that's all."

"Or does the queen subsidize for what they give us? It must be such a rich country then, if that's the case. But then, seeing at the current political state and how the queen is at war with this... ZUI-KA-" Sakamoto was having a hard time pronouncing that name, so he gave up. "This beast king, then surely the queen has money to spare for defenses."

Sakamoto paused for a while, thinking about what the gibberish he just said. He shook his head and laughed. "Forgive me, forgive me... I was just thinking out loud. You tend to forget things when you're out on sea for too long."

[rivechancellor]

"Has it now? That is good to know," she said as she nodded. "And as far as I know - take this for what you will, Master Sakamoto - the Queen never intended for things to stay free forever... merely for the newcomers who have yet to settle in to Her city.

"Oh, by the by... I believe it is pronounced Zik-'ad-hah-rah."

She tapped her chin in mock-thought. "Out at sea? Whatever you do mean by that?"

[spangledsamurai]

"Oh? So it's going to change soon? That's good to know. Is this part of your knowledge as a gardener or your knowledge as someone else? I have a feeling that you're more than what you seem." Sakamoto was scratching his nose, wondering if he should continue to question the woman's identity. He smiled, deciding that that probably wouldn't be fair

[rivechancellor]

"Truth be told I have seen far more than these four walls. I know every inch of this castle and every face within it. I have also been outside it, though not much these days. After all..." she smiled knowingly at him. "I have a Council to prepare for and potential Councilors to interview."

"This..." She waved a hand up and around in a casual gesture, "is merely a pastime of mine. Your feeling is correct. My name is Ashire Mihamocha Nachitah, Master Sakamoto. Does that perhaps mean anything to you?"

[spangledsamurai]

Sakamoto had no time to be smug. A chancellor demanded more respect and, while he tried as hard as he could not to be rude earlier, he knew he wasn't paying her as much respect as he needed to.

"Chancellor Nachitah! One is humbled by your presence. One finds it very commendable that you yourself have decided to meet with each of us personally despite how we hardly know each other." He knelt and bowed deeply, his forehead almost touching the grass. "Please, please, do drop the Master part. I am merely a shop owner and nothing more."

[rivechancellor]

She had to wonder how much of that was an act to get on her good side and how much of it was really just how quickly his emotions tended to shift. That could be good or bad for a Councilor.

"Very well - Sakamoto, then? - are you quite sure that you cannot fathom any skills that a shop-owner might possess that would prove useful to you while seated at a Council?"

[spangledsamurai]

Sakamoto didn't raise his head. He couldn't. He didn't know how to talk to someone as high ranking as a chancellor, and planned to be as polite as possible.

"As a shop-owner, Councilor, one has learned a lot of things. One knows that one should not discriminate among his customers. One has learned that the customers, as they are not always right, should be guided gently towards the process of choosing what you think is best for them. And one has learned to negotiate when your customers fight, as it is best for both them and yourself to avoid conflict at all costs."

[rivechancellor]

"And perhaps do you possess any skills not gained through being a shop-owner? Others that I have interviewed possess magic of varying sorts or mêlée prowess," she explained coolly, crossing her arms as she continued to look down at him.

Really, the formality is saying a great deal about his desire to get this position.

[spangledsamurai]

Magic? Melee prowess? Sakamoto lifted his head to stare blankly at the Chancellor's seat for a while and then remembered to bow down again.

"One is aware that some of the people that arrived here are much unlike this humble shopkeeper. Some have magic like healing and element control while others posses physical abilities like flight or super strength. Alas, one possesses none of those skills. I am merely human, though I have great pride in my ability to fight with both the sword and he gun. One would like to show you, but one has left his weapons safe with his shop-assistant as one would not like to appear threatening to the people in this meeting."

And it appeared as though he didn't need them, his guns. Was he merely paranoid when he doubted that this meeting would go smoothly? The walls were high, there were guards everywhere and it would be naive to think this beautiful woman in front of him would not pose as a threat. Sakamoto shook his head slightly, trying to shake off all his doubts.

[rivechancellor]

"That was most astute of you indeed, Sakamoto. Are you perhaps of the type to normally carry your weaponry with you wherever you go? Have you a need to fear attack?" She was trying to keep her tone neutral, that much was evident; his time was drawing to a close, but she did want that much answered.