[The nose... is swollen, unfortunately, but at least Felix isn't dripping blood all over the carpet. It's the small things! Like glancing over just in time to catch a cowed Archimedes go back to his speech-writing, which is, in Felix's opinion, far more than he deserves. He should be down there with his men...
But yes, yes. Reparations. Felix finds himself wondering if a look through the nobles' books would prove as, ah, fruitful as a look through the duke's had been? Not to excuse the duke in any way, of course, but for things to reach this point... perhaps the duke before Archimedes gave them too much leeway, or perhaps Archimedes (unknowingly) offered them more leeway than they'd ever enjoyed before. Politics! Just as gross (and as necessary) as this performative speech. Felix brings a hand up to scrub at his face, and if he winces when he touches his nose without really thinking about it, well. Don't call him out.]
Money isn't all a duke has to offer.
[Power. Positions. A greater voice in whatever new system is put into place, although there will need to be someone here to ensure said voice doesn't supersede the duke's. Felix's personal opinion of the man aside, Archimedes is the duke, and dealing with a duke is preferable to dealing with nobles running rampant...
...But he doesn't need to explain such things to Constantin, of all people, so.]
Whatever he offers them, they'll demand punishment for his thieves. [Stressin' that ownership. Love it.] Turn them over to the Priestess.
[It's a suggestion! One that sends Archimedes squawking, but maybe she can throw them in prison... get them out of the nobles' line of sight for a bit, until tempers cool and Felix and Constantin figure out what to do with them. In an ideal world, the duke would realize the gravity of his position and sever all ties—but alas! This whole debacle has proven that he will not.]
no subject
But yes, yes. Reparations. Felix finds himself wondering if a look through the nobles' books would prove as, ah, fruitful as a look through the duke's had been? Not to excuse the duke in any way, of course, but for things to reach this point... perhaps the duke before Archimedes gave them too much leeway, or perhaps Archimedes (unknowingly) offered them more leeway than they'd ever enjoyed before. Politics! Just as gross (and as necessary) as this performative speech. Felix brings a hand up to scrub at his face, and if he winces when he touches his nose without really thinking about it, well. Don't call him out.]
Money isn't all a duke has to offer.
[Power. Positions. A greater voice in whatever new system is put into place, although there will need to be someone here to ensure said voice doesn't supersede the duke's. Felix's personal opinion of the man aside, Archimedes is the duke, and dealing with a duke is preferable to dealing with nobles running rampant...
...But he doesn't need to explain such things to Constantin, of all people, so.]
Whatever he offers them, they'll demand punishment for his thieves. [Stressin' that ownership. Love it.] Turn them over to the Priestess.
[It's a suggestion! One that sends Archimedes squawking, but maybe she can throw them in prison... get them out of the nobles' line of sight for a bit, until tempers cool and Felix and Constantin figure out what to do with them. In an ideal world, the duke would realize the gravity of his position and sever all ties—but alas! This whole debacle has proven that he will not.]