"There is yet time for a choice of Governor to be made," I decreed, letting my voice echo off the vaulted ceiling. "Once the first stage of reconstruction in Qohor nears an end, we shall begin looking into candidates. The Senate is free to nominate its own choices in the meantime."
The politicians bowed as one, their white togas rustling like a flock of startled doves.
Iskarn stepped into the void left by the retreating senator, seamlessly pivoting back to military pragmatism. "If the city is to be rebuilt rapidly, Dominus, we face a deficit. The budget requirements for stone and timber will vastly exceed the supplies currently moving with Domina Liliana's legions."
"Lift the trade restrictions along the Western borders," I answered smoothly. "Materials can be freely traded between our provinces to supply the effort. Whatever shortages remain can be fulfilled by trading directly with the Free Cities. Qohor possesses enough plundered wealth to fund its own resurrection."
I stood. A herald immediately slammed the butt of his spear against the floor, his voice booming over the assembly to announce the court was concluded for the day. Every man in the room dropped to one knee.
I turned and descended the dais. With every step I took down the marble stairs, the crushing presence anchored to the throne began to recede. By the time my boots hit the main floor, the pressure vanished entirely. Men gasped for air. They wiped sweat from their brows, their shoulders sagging as the magical gravity lifted. A smirk pulled at my mouth. Watching their physical relief was exhilarating. I wondered briefly why Father so rarely held court in this room when wielding such absolute dominance felt this intoxicating.
The journey to my personal quarters offered a welcome silence. My chambers spanned a vast portion of the palace's upper tier. Crimson velvet curtains were drawn across the high balconies, blocking the afternoon sun and casting the room in peaceful shimmers of light. The sheer scale of the space was swallowed by the endless machinery of statecraft. Armor stands bearing polished imperial steel stood like sentinels in the corners. Wooden book stands groaned under the weight of ancient ledgers. Scrolls blanketed every available surface, covering the tables and spilling carelessly onto the sheets of my bed.
Art adorned the walls, bringing colour to the chaos. There were masterful Valyrian tapestries depicting dragons in flight, alongside vivid paintings of Qohorik timberlands, the golden palaces of Yittish emperors, and the towering charioteers of old Sarnor. Yet the centrepiece hung directly across from my desk. It was a portrait of a man with a remarkably youthful face, appearing even younger than my own years. His eyes were pools of absolute black. A mane of vivid red hair cascaded down his back, tied fiercely in long locks, matching the neatly tamed beard that framed his jaw.
Hero of Rome, the original Flame kissed. Rufus.
Servants had already arranged a silver platter of spiced olives, cheese, and watered wine upon my desk. I popped an olive into my mouth just as a heavy knock sounded at the oak doors. A Praetorian stepped inside, bringing his fist to his breastplate.
"Senator Cato requests an audience, Dominus."
The heavy oak doors clicked shut behind the Praetorian Guard. Senator Cato stepped into the room. He paused for a moment to survey the sheer chaos of my chambers. His eyes lingered on the art pieces that adorned the walls. Though I could not wager which piece enticed him the most for he looked upon them all with a similar gaze.
I popped a spiced olive into my mouth. "Sit, Senator," I instructed, gesturing to the chair opposite my desk. "Tell me what your shadows have unearthed."
Cato tore his eyes away from the walls. He took his seat and smoothed the wool of his toga. "I have investigated Argus and I managed to extract several pieces of information from the merchant guilds. The esteemed senator is drowning in debt. He owes a vast fortune to the Lorathi Merchant Guild."
I chewed the olive slowly. The revelation settled into my mind, locking several disparate pieces into place. "That explains much," I murmured. "It explains his sudden desperation for a peace treaty. It explains his blatant favouritism toward the Free Cities. It certainly explains the collapse of his own merchant company. He lacks the acumen for trade and seeks to offset his losses through political grovelling."
I leaned back against my chair. "I wonder. Does our indebted friend intend to nominate himself as the gubernatorial candidate for Qohor?"
Cato snorted. "That is highly unlikely. Argus possesses little power beyond his station as Senator. Even if he were to nominate himself, he would be found sorely lacking in resources. He commands no manpower. He holds no monetary means. Even if the treasury were to aid him, he still does not possess a strong group of individuals whom he can trust to handle the daily matters in Qohor."
The senator leaned forward, his disdain unmasked. "He has no record of military service. He has no landmark legislation attached to his name. All in all, he is a thoroughly ordinary man. He simply lucked himself into the position of Senator through flowery words."
I poured a cup of watered wine and slid it across the polished wood. "You underestimate him, Cato. Argus has the better part of two years before the next election to make himself a worthy candidate. Even if he fails at that, he still possesses the backing of the group hiding in his shadows. That faction orchestrated the peace talk attempt. They will try to position him for their own ends."
Cato accepted the wine. He took a slow sip, considering my logic. "That is true. The hidden group may attempt to support his endeavours. But you can subvert all these matters, Dominus. You need only appoint your own chosen candidate."
I shook my head. "While I have people in mind who can serve as Governor, they are not candidates the Senate will accept. Furthermore, Qohor holds little meaning to me right now. It is a ruined city. It will take two decades at the very least to scale back to its previous mercantile position."