Sacrifice

Chapter 25 - The Misconceptions

That evening when Kalli arrived at the Elinger's family home, she was met with the sullen, distrustful stares of Helena, who thankfully said nothing as Kalli headed to the roof. As usual, Raphiel was all set up and ready for her arrival, this time though Makiel was also there, practically bouncing in his chair.

"Hi there Lady," he called out with his normal cheerfulness. "Mother and Grandfather said I could spend the evening on the roof with you!"

Kalli saw that a child's telescope had already been set up. "Are you going to be working too?" she asked.

"Naw," he answered with a shake of his dark little head. "That's just for fun."

Both Kalli and Raphiel listened with interest to Makiel's innocent chatter as she set up her telescope next to his.

Raphiel called for silence when they sat down to supper though.

"Now," he said, "I think that this would be a good time for us to continue debunking any outstanding myths and rumours that are floating about concerning the Cirts."

Kalli hesitated, glancing at Makiel. There was one myth that she had been hoping to talk about, but she was unsure what Makiel's reaction to it would be.

"I'm not sure now is a good time," she ventured.

"On the contrary," Raphiel said. "This is the perfect time.

"Well," began Kalli slowly, "there are rumours that say that the Cirt people will do anything for bit of money no matter how unprincipled. Those rumours have gotten more frequent of late."

She flushed slightly as Makiel looked at her wide-eyed.

"No way!" he exclaimed. "That's what they say at school about Imkanians." He turned to his grandfather. "They can't both be right, can they?"

Raphiel smiled at his grandson. "Indeed, they are both very wrong. Our respective cultures have people who are both good and bad, selfish and giving. However, I would suspect that both set of rumours spring from the same source."

He looked at Kalli.

"What do you know of Emperor Hummad's Princely Project?"

Kalli shook her head. "Just that it involved the financial sector," she answered.

"You're correct," Raphiel said. "To be more specific, the Emperor used the money from his Princely Project to finance some very risky investments, mostly on speculation. He gambled big and won big. Perhaps it was skill, or perhaps he got lucky, I'm hardly in a position to judge."

Kalli thought about the stern-faced man she had seen. "Probably luck," she muttered, but Raphiel pretended not to hear and continued.

"Over the course of his reign, he has continued such investments and, in the process, has made both himself and his close courtiers a lot of money. But as such things normally go, the more he won the more he gambled until he began to lose some of his gambles. When he had maxed out his credit with the various lending institutions in the Imkan Empire, he came to the Cirt people in search of a loan." Raphiel sighed. "It is a risky proposition to become the creditor of a friend, but it's downright dangerous to become one to your foe."

"But the Cirt people lent the money anyways," Kalli guessed.

"Yes, they did. The Council of Elders signed off on the loan, and since then, the Emperor and his friends have paid a small fortune in interest but haven't even touched the principal. The Council of Elders has begun pushing harder and harder for the principal to be repaid."

Kalli felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. "What will happen?"

Raphiel looked troubled. "The Emperor cannot afford to default on the loans, the backlash would be devastating for the Imkanian banks. But the council won't back down either, and if they get what they want, the personal finances of many prominent Imkan nobles, including the Emperor, will be left in tatters. They'll survive, but barely."

Kalli was sobered by the thought of what would happen if some of the most powerful noble houses on the planet were left near bankrupt.

Makiel piped up. "Why don't they just meet half way? That way the Elders will get their money back but the Emperor won't be totally out of luck."

Raphiel smiled at his grandson's reasoning. "That would be a solution; however, both parties are disinclined to budge from their current positions."

Makiel just shrugged. "You'll talk them into it grandfather; you can fix anything."

Then, satisfied that the world's problems had been solved, he applied himself to the meal with gusto.

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Makiel fell asleep curled up by his telescope long before Kalli left. As Kalli packed her gear carefully in order not to wake the boy Raphiel addressed her in a hushed voice.

"I have a favour I would like to ask of you."

"Anything," Kalli answered.

"There's been some work done by the Empire to the sewers and pipes that are under our compound, and neither the workers nor their supervisors will answer our questions."

"What can I do?" Kalli asked.

Raphiel seemed to consider his options for a second. "If it wouldn't be detrimental to you, could you ask the Crown Prince what is happening? Most of the workers wear the uniforms of Imperial engineers; normally the work is done by the city's civil servants."

Kalli nodded. "I'll ask," she promised.

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