Lady Vesper comes to Gerard to complain of the conduct of a young royal, and this time it isn't Paige. Her daughter Solace is in a family way, and she has named cousin Lucas as the father.
[Lucas]
So what does she want from this?
She wants Lucas to do the decent thing and marry her daughter and be a father to the child, what else?
Hmmm...well, how old is Solace? Are the allegations true (Jerod's asking Gerard if he thinks they are or if there's something else going on). And even if the allegations are true, was anything "improper" done? (ie: if Solace is considered socially underage or "off-limits", that sort of thing).
Solace is recently of age, which puts her in her late 20s. It's bad form to seduce noble virgins, but it has been known to happen in the past. Solace herself is kind of screwed here; if Lucas doesn't marry her, she'll certainly be thrown out of society. Plus whatever her mother does to her.
The logical question that gets asked, when Lucas is around is - is it true? And if it is, is he going to do anything?
Jerod also does a bit of digging through the nobles and along the court gossip lines...to see if there's anything unusual going on...and what Lady Vesper and family have been up to.
As an aside, Jerod makes the rounds with Nestor in the library concerning previous situations where this kind of thing might have occurred, the circumstances involved and how the situations were dealt with.
He will speak to his sister as well concerning this since she has done considerable research on Amber's culture.
Jerod then gives Paige a shout to see if she (or any of her assistants) has a bit of spare time to see if there's any legal precedents concerning this. He's figuring since it involves family they'd be covered by Royal Law, but he's curious anyway.
What a surprise. I'm sure we're all very shocked to hear about this. Unless the girl is underage, or is willing to swear that she was raped, Vere considers this a personal matter between her and Lucas.
Ossian suggest that the laws should alow a person to marry into citizenship, thus solving some of the problems with the ambassadors, and maybe the problem with young lady Solace too.
Assuming there is nothing like this currently on the books (I've dug through my messages concerning citizenship but I can't finding anything that references citizenship by marriage), then Jerod thinks is a damn good idea and is willing to sift through the nobles and ambassadors quietly to guage their reactions to this idea before anything gets enacted (just in case it turns out there's some kind of violent opposition to it).
From the politics page:
"A citizen is a man who has earned a patent of citizenship; is the wife of a citizen; or is the son or daughter of a citizen. Citizens maintain their birth and marriage records carefully because of the citizenship laws. Patents of Nobility, both hereditary and life, automatically grant citizenship."
The problem with the ambassadors is that most of them are men, and it would require a specific grant of citizenship if they were to marry ladies of Amber. Not to mention that some of them are already married.
Privately, to family ONLY, Solange gives the following opinions:
If it's even Lucas. Solace is of age, feather-brained, and No Better Than She Should Be -- it's not so much that she's actively wanton, just that she's foolish enough to fall for even the flimsiest of "lines." I don't expect Lucas to deny bedding her, but I could name at least two other young men who might also bear responsibility. I wouldn't be surprised if Lady Vesper encouraged Solace to, ahem, yield to Lucas, because it solved her dilemma of What To Do With Her Wayward Daughter and gave scope for social advancement into the bargain.
Lady Vesper is ambitious and probably did prod her daughter to play up to Lucas, but she certainly didn't tell her to get pregnant. Solace is pretty dim, so she probably didn't come up with such a scheme on her own, either.
Last year, Lady Vesper was throwing Solace at Martin's head at every opportunity. I think she's just found another line of attack she hopes will be more profitable...
Martin opines to his cousins that it would be a kindness to get the girl away from her harridan of a mother, no matter what, but otherwise keeps his thoughts to himself.
Vialle doesn't offer a direct opinion, but her belief in the improving virtue of marriage is well-known. And a marriage would certainly provide festivities to take the mind of the people off their troubles, and it would be nice to have a baby around the castle ...
On principle, Lucas probably shouldn't marry her. However, if he confounds all expectations by declaring his utter willingness to do so, there are other ways of making sure she and her horrid mother are no great burden to the family as a whole. Careful marriage settlements (entail it on the child, with a pittance for Solace and nothing for her mama...) and a degree of Splendid Isolation might do.
Or I suppose we could just invite her to tea and flavor her mint cookies liberally with pennyroyal.
While well out of Martin's earshot, Paige might suggest that in such dangerous times in Shadow that it's not only possible, but often probable for young women to miscarry. It would be a shame though, and Paige really dislikes this idea. She feels it's definitely a last ditch effort, and is kinda pleased by the idea of being Aunt Paige. the real decisions fall on Lucas.
One question that Jerod has considered and will mention to everyone involved is...
"Is she really pregnant?"
"I'd be amazed if she WASN'T by now," Solange says. "Whether it's Lucas' is another question entirely. Lucas was out of town the night of Lord Storm's birthday ball, and she was dancing half the night there with an enormous grass stain on the back of her skirt."
Jerod would nod at that comment, thinking for a moment. "That's why I'm wondering if there's a way to find out. Given what I've heard about Solace recently, and the fact that while Lucas might be our fop in residence, he's too smart to have allowed this sort of thing to happen. Unless he got careless...and somehow that doesn't fit."
"But, no matter how dim the girl may be, she's also been doing this for a while now. One would believe she would've had to get careless also, and with that woman for a mother, well... unless this is a plan to get out of the house, even if in disgrace, it seems rather sloppy." Paige thinks.
"Sponges soaked in vinegar aren't foolproof," Solange says, "if she even knew that much."
[Paige]
"Perhaps we girls should have her out for tea, minus Lady Vesper....
"Just as long as you don't expect much wit," Solange says. "There's no malice in the girl -- unlike her mother, I might add -- but she's never been the sharpest pencil in the box."
Lucas has indeed determined that she's pregnant and it is probably his child. He'll let this information disseminate, starting with Gerard, then Martin, then the rest of the clubhouse gang.
He's also taking serious considerations to marry her. High waters can tell that he's not even upset about it. Make of it what you will.
Vialle is looking forward to planning the wedding, which she will take on as soon as Lucas and Solace formalize the engagement.
Jerod just has one thing to say when he hears this...
"ooh boy"
[Solange]
"Paige, guess you were right about needing to invite her to tea...
shall we?"
"Well, it can't be anything formal, else we'd have to invite Harmony also, so, perhaps we informally pick her up? Ideas?" Paige asks. "She study music or art with anyone we know or could get an introduction to?"
Folly's initial reaction [to the pregnancy] is, "Yeah? And?" She seems to think it's not especially anyone's business but Solace's and perhaps Lucas's, if he really is the father. She'll offer Solace sisterly care and support, if Solace seems to want or need it, but her opinion is pretty obviously that getting married is a silly response to getting pregnant.
Solange will try her best to explain to Folly that, silly as it might be in a logical world, in Amber noble society, getting married is just about the ONLY response to getting pregnant. Well, that or having the girl retreat to a private location under cover of illness, and have the child discreetly adopted by people who have been bribed not to tell the story.
"It's unfair as all get out, you don't have to tell me that, Folly. But there's actually a logic to it -- the nobility around here figures inheritance by male primogeniture. And none of the birth control methods we've got are especially reliable. So young noblewomen are expected to be virgins, or at least be able to give the appearance of being virgins, when they marry, so that their husbands will feel confident that their first-born sons are actually theirs. And there isn't much of anything for young noblewomen to DO except marry if they want independence from their parents. You want to change this? Help me convince Paige and Jerod to change the laws, so that married and unmarried women both can hold property in their own names, and change the laws of inheritance so that women will HAVE some property and not be dependent on their fathers and brothers and husbands. And even then, expect it to be a long, slow process." Solange sighs mightily.
Does Solange mention this in front of Jerod?
Solange's lecture on the whys and wherefores of the local emphasis on virginity is given only to Folly, or perhaps in front of all the girls at one of the poker nights. However, Jerod may remember that she HAS mentioned changing the property and contract laws to recognize women as well as men when judicial matters have come up over family dinner.
She has mentioned it in the past...the depth of the conviction was not immediately apparent from the messages however...:)
Continued discussion on that topic line would reveal that Jerod does not have any problem with changing the laws...in fact, given his background he sometimes views the patriarchial manners of Amber to be somewhat foolish (and in some cases stupid). His only problem is not changing the laws (and customs)...but changing them haphazardly. Striking a good balance is such a difficult task.
So anyone who's got a plan to begin this process...he's more than willing to listen...:)
Martin, whom Solange is also aware is sympathetic, suggests Paige might have her staff look into the recorded edicts to see whether it's actually a matter of law or simply a matter of custom. If the latter, well, just start ruling the other way in cases in equity and set the precedents that way. That'll be the best way to start a slow social change.
If we have to justify changing an edict, maybe we can decide it's an emergency measure of some sort like the usury caps, and be ready to convince the next King of Amber not to revoke Gerard's work when the rest of the family comes back. Like the next King isn't going to have enough troubles that this will be a minor problem for him, anyway.
Folly digs through some of the records trying to find rulings that might serve as useful precedents. She isn't just looking for things about women specifically; anything that grants some property rights to anyone who might not traditionally have them is of interest to her.
The reason why the poor don't have much property is that they're poor, not that they don't have land rights.
The legal records are a real mess. Mostly you have the pleading rolls, which are literally scrolls in which the results of cases are recorded by hand, and the chapbooks of the legal observers, which apprentice lawyers use to learn the precedent system.
(Amber has early printing presses and has both printed books and broadsheets, but printing technology is such that unique records like law cases are still made by hand.)
As for women, the status of never-married women in contract and property law is nebulous, but the law about married women is pretty clear -- they are under coverture.
Brita wonders if we can kill two birds with one stone. If some of the settlers in the land dispute in Arden were killed, presumably there are some women without husbands or daughters without fathers at this point. Maybe we could grant them the ownership of land rights (hopefully in a non-disputed area).
Someone will undoubtedly explain to Brita that there is already such a program to send brides and orphans to resettle in Garnath, founded by Lucas and Solange.
Jerod will caution the group not to get too eager to start dropping precedents left and right. The granting of property rights is not something that can be overturned easily, and if they are granted, Amber will start to see a significant shift in material wealth to other areas. While this might be "morally" right in some cases, it can also lead to a considerable amount of economic hardship in general if its not properly (and slowly) implemented.
Martin doesn't see how that can be the case with married women's property and contract rights. Unmarried women not under the protection of their fathers and widows are already considered legally competent to own property and make contracts, he points out. Extending those rights to married women will in no way affect the equity and entail settlements for rich women.
What it will mean is that middle-class and poor married women who are already conducting business will no longer be vulnerable to having contracts broken on the grounds that their male guardians didn't approve them, will no longer suffer male guardians skimming off the top of the business, etc. Given that in the lower classes, e.g., among the docksiders, women are more likely to be the breadwinners and the stable centers of the family, Martin thinks it will actually reduce economic hardship in that group.
In the long run - yes. In the short term, as Jerod has previously indicated, if its not properly implemented, there will be problems. Big problems. Jerod's not against people having property rights, but he's not foolish enough to consider supporting those rights just because someone has a "pet project" that hasn't been considered.
[Solange]
Would you like to elaborate on the "big problems" you foresee,
cousin? And, perhaps, suggest constructive ways of implementing
the granting of rights so as to AVOID these alleged problems,
instead of just being a wet blanket?
If this is at dinner, Ossian may recall the "bad cop" Solange he first met. :)
Jerod is more than willing to play Devil's Advocate in this matter...especially since he's the one who has to deal with the brunt of the flak in this matter should it go awry (he wonders how many of his esteemed siblings have considered that)...so getting his support is also a reasonable idea - if he's going to get kicked because of something one of his siblings is doing, it's a good idea to get his support first. (and a bad idea to blind-side him with it).
No, no, it's not anything with which Solange is trying to blind-side you. :^) She DID mention it early on as a reasonable reform to put through while you were working on the finance laws to ease some of the economic impact of the Sundering.
OOC: Jerod was working on the finance laws? curious look...I thought that was what Paige was working on that?
[Solange]
I thought they both were.
[Jerod]
I think maybe Jerod might have helped out a bit as far as contact information
would go, but anything legal in nature, especially if it got into the
nitty-gritty of legalism, was Paige's area if I remember correctly (and Jerod
won't interfere in someone else's turf, at least, not normally).
Paige is in fact the "expert" although when she's stuck she's often recruited Vere's research abilities and vast knowledge, as she does Nestor or Lorring's talents in the area also...
1) Jerod will ask what are the benefits to all levels of society in this plan? Has anyone considered this and can they explain these benefits in clear terms? If the benefits cannot be explained clearly, in concrete terms (instead of virtual or philosophical concepts), then the idea is doomed to failure. Democracy and equal rights are wonderful concepts - take away someone's property, or threaten their livelihood...and watch those concepts go right out the window.
[Solange]
Did Jerod not hear Martin's explanation?
[Jerod]
He heard it...he just doesn't believe it's that simple.
Martin doesn't believe it's entirely that simple, but he doesn't foresee all the difficulties Jerod does either.
Solange also wonders how "democracy" crept into the discussion -- since we're not proposing a shift of power out of the royal family.
[Jerod]
The re-alignment of property rights is an initial start to the development of
more democratic forms of government...since most forms of government evolved
from land ownership as the basis for the determination of voting priviledges,
for example. Whether an evolution of government actually reaches to the top of
the power structure is another matter...you can have a monarchy with
democratically minded reforms and ideals, for example, but which remains a
monarchy.
Martin shrugs. "I'm not so keen on historical inevitability, Jerod. If every city is a shadow of Amber, I suppose Amber must have had or will have a more democratic period. I suppose if I were a better metaphysicist," and here he grins at Cambina and Paige, "I could make an argument for democracy as a Chaos influence, but that doesn't sound quite right either. In any case, I don't think that there's a threat of the Royal blood losing control of Amber unless we lose our special abilities. In fact, in the current situation, I'd say we're even more powerful than we were."
[Jerod]'s got a point in Paige's book, but depending on the system, women owned property long before they were entitled to a vote. Paige lived through that. We're talking about property here at the moment. While it's right to consider further developments, we've never suggested any sort of Parliment or such, not does Paige see a current need for it. Right now it would do no more than further divide the rift between classes. Let's stick to the matter at hand.
[Solange]
Two things here: first of all, there IS no representative form of
government in Amber, so anything that has to do with "voting
rights" is utterly irrelevant; secondly, AMBER NOBLES ARE NOT
NOBLE BY VIRTUE OF LAND OWNERSHIP. Amber is not a
feudal agrarian economy that later grew to broader wealth through
trade. Amber's wealth from the very beginning has rested upon
trade. This is why we had such a food crisis when our trade routes
were cut off, remember? If you go back and look at the men who
were granted patents of nobility all those centuries ago, you find
MERCHANTS, and of course Naval officers who distinguished
themselves FIGHTING OFF PIRATES, which is to say
PROTECTING MERCHANTS. The wealthiest nobles have just
been successful merchants LONGER than the ones without titles.
(Admittedly, a number of the nobles no longer directly control
shipping enterprises of their own, but invest their capital in others'
companies.)
The wealth we're talking about them conserving is not land, except
incidentally as it describes their residences, but CAPITAL.
This makes it even LESS likely that Amber will develop some sort of representative governing body, because the nobles bear no particular responsibility to any group of commoners merely by virtue of their place of residence. The yeomen farmers don't have any intermediaries between them and the monarch. We chose to perpetuate that when we went with homesteading claims instead of noble land grants, too. So far the farmers seem to be well enough served by the current system of Royal circuit judges, and haven't established any local forms of government -- have they?
So, since wealth in Amber depends on trade, and trade depends on the Royals -- that's us -- any attempt at "democracy" (rule of the people) is pretty much doomed. We don't really have anything to fear on that scale, any more than the cat had to fear being belled by the mice.
Let us not be distracted by talk of "democracy" in opposition to the "establishment" when what we're discussing is a matter of justice, one that is in OUR power to set right.
The means of re-distributing wealth is reasonably straight forward, but it means someone with a lot of wealth might not have as much. They're not going to like that - if you can't show them a reason why it's in their best interests to support the endeavour, then you're going to have resistance.
[Solange]
Allowing married women to maintain the ability to own property and
make contracts doesn't actually re-distribute much wealth among
the very wealthy. It might have some minor tax implications, and
Solange is willing to sit down with the tax code and fine-tune it so
as to cause minimal impact to the Crown. The very wealthy
already keep most of their capital entailed so as to preserve it for
future generations. And it will be optional -- it's just that all
property of a married woman doesn't automatically either belong to
her husband or have to be entailed away from either of them under
the reform. So, for instance, a noblewoman could retain title to her
jewelry, so that if her husband proved to be a wastrel he couldn't
necessarily pawn them for his gambling debts, but she would still
be able to sell them if SHE developed a pressing need for cash, as
she couldn't if they were entailed on her descendants.
A reasonable example - certainly nothing that Jerod would take exception to. But this indicates a benefit only to the recipient. What about the wastrel husbands currently in power who would choose to side against this idea - they'd still want to have access to those jewels, or lands, or whatever. Solange might not have a problem convincing a devoted husband to agree with this idea (and lo and behold, there are a few of them out there at last report...:), but the others might be a problem. How could this be done?
[Paige]
"We're talking about property rights, from this point forward, not
changing any currently existing property division. Like Brita
suggested, the men who died in the Arden Incident most likely have
surviving widows. We look toward awarding the property of the marriage
over to the wife, with the correct wording to ensure they keep it
should they remarry. It can be our litmus test. Dangerous because
it'll be a high profile case, but also due to that, we should get a
good return."
[Solange]
Ah, but the wastrel husbands potentially distressed by this ruling
are offset by their families, who would prefer NOT to see the family
assets squandered.
[Jerod]
Possible - this assumes that said wastrel husband has no access to the women's
assets in question - correct? If that is not the case, there would be no
offsetting of that wastrel.
[Martin]
"Not necessarily. What if the woman's family wants to give her something,
but can't for fear of the husband getting hold of it? Unless they are
wealthy enough and have the kind of legal firepower to set up reasonably
airtight entailing, they're screwed under the current system."
Would a woman be given rights to her husband's property by virtue of simply being married to him, or would the property have to be bequeathed to her, or otherwise transferred to her name? Would this work in reverse (where the man would receive property rights from his wife)?
[Paige]
One could assume personal property for each and communal property for the
marriage period, no?
"There are also established methods of deeding gifts between family members which could be adapted for marital gifts, aren't there, Paige?" Martin suggests.
[Solange]
Furthermore, there have always been ways to limit the wastrels'
access to capital or heirlooms. Notice I keep mentioning "entail"?
This would just be another option to add to the things that the
lawyers can specify when drawing up marriage settlements for the
wealthy, an option that would allow women some greater measure
of financial autonomy than they now enjoy, without seriously
redistributing any upper-tier wealth.
Cambina says "Now, as to this proposed change, I'm for it. Given how many men have marched off and how many women have been left to feed their children alone, it only makes sense. They're doing the work, they need the protection of the law. The circumstances have changed. If we did a census, how many women do you think we'd find who were single householders?
"I've read about this many times. In a war a society calls on the marginalized communities to contribute to the effort. Rules loosen. They're already looser. You can see that if you walk around the city. It's up to us to decide if we're going to put the restrictions back on after the crisis or if we're going to ride it forward and direct where it goes. I think we'll lose greatly if we don't manage the change.
"It's also worth considering how long it would take a change like this to filter down far enough to have any real effect on property. Oberon was King for thousands of years. If we have another king with that tenure, do you think Father's reign and this regency, even if it lasts a hundred years, will be more than a footnote?
"Fundamental changes like this take generations to become entrenched in a society. Do you know how long it would be to fully replace the entire nobility? That's what it will take to see the long-term consequences of this. It gives us or whoever a long time to make any little course corrections are necessary.
"Paige may know more than I do, but I think we're still working inheritance cases that date from before Prince Corwin disappeared and I'd hate to think what would get tied up if Cousin Reid showed up in court.
"In the short term, we'll get complaints and we'll have more legal and moral backing for being just. It's something we've all claimed for ourselves already, and you accepted when the council was created larger than a certain poker group. There isn't any real challenge to Paige as a judge or Solange with the Rangers or to me, for that matter."
"There's no challenge to you, and little enough said to your face," says Martin, "but I've spent time enough at the Red Mill and the Diogenes and the Naval and half-a-dozen others to know what is said of all three of you behind your back. You say 'carpe diem', and I'm with you -- this is the moment when we need to lay the seeds for long-term changes -- but Jerod's right, there'll be resistance. Every step of the way, and from the unlikeliest quarters. How do you think Lady Vesper will take it if you use Solace as a test case? I think you'll win, but never think it won't be a fight."
Then he adds, "The opposition I'm actually worried about isn't Storm or Vesper, nor even Chantris and Feldane. It's what might happen if Benedict and Corwin stand against the idea."
"If they fight it...then you figure out if the fight is worth continuing." Jerod says. "And if it is...then you re-group and come back at it."
"I'm not going to worry about their resistance to the idea at the moment though. We've no clue when they're getting back." he adds, not adding the comment that is clearly there (if they're even coming back).
[Cambina]
"I say we seize the moment. If 'things are never going to be the same,'
let's make them 'never be the same' our way."
Vere has listened quietly to the entire discussion, but at this point he will quietly observe, "If we really feel that these changes are worth making, and I personally must say that I do so feel, then I would say that I suspect our only chance of making such changes is to begin to do so now, before our Elders return. Forgiveness is always easier to obtain than permission, after all. Clearly we will need Father's approval, whether expressly stated or merely tacitly given by his refusal to side with those who oppose us, if these changes are to be made. But when the Army returns I suspect our Elders will feel a desire for the status quo after the Chaos of the war." Vere smiles slightly at his pun.
"Amber will be a different place than the one they left, and I suspect that while they will be willing to accept whatever changes they find when they return, they will resist any further changes after that."
Vere tilts his head to the side and looks past his cousins into the distance. "Merely an observation, and something to consider in our discussion."
[Solange]
The trickiest part would be ruling on what this means to existing
marriages. It's simple enough to apply it to ones that take place
after the decree. Since, currently, there IS no concept of a
separate financial existence for married women, it would be tricky
to assign ownership of marital assets under the new decree.
However, in practice, it isn't likely to come up much, and when it
does, it can be decided on a case-by-case basis. Remember,
divorces in Amber can only be had by Royal decree... so we can
flipping well rule over the property divisions if we decide to grant a
divorce petition.
[Paige]
I see this only becoming an issue where it's brought to the
courts. Other than that, I don't see us going through the city,
redistributing wealth...
In theory it would work - Jerod tosses out one possible problem - this requires that the current legal system have sufficient checks and balances to ensure fairness amongst the officers of the court, as well as accurate record keeping. A previous mention from the GM indicates that most records are hand written - that leaves them open to adjustment and falsification. And regrettably threats of punishment would be insufficient to serve as a check to enforce this (otherwise criminal activity would have been eradicated a long time ago).
For this to work it would require a more established judiciary, and a centralized record system to keep things in order (hell - people can get married multiple times in our current culture, and we've got computers to track stuff)...if this can be implemented, then it has a chance technically of working - there'd have to be some mind-set changes amongst the judiciary as well - who interestingly enough are probably Old Guard land owners as well - just the people who would need to be brought on board...:)
Martin asks why that is. If the legal system manages well enough with the current methods of record-keeping, we can find out how to leverage its benefits and deficits to our benefit in this project.
Jerod figures that as the practice becomes more prevalent, it will become more used. The current legal system works well enough...that doesn't mean it works to the best it could. And given that there is likely to be resistance (as Martin has indicated), it is better to ensure that the system that is intended to act as a buttress for the defence of this new principle be as sturdy as possible. Personally, comments kept by "token" officials and apprentices, even if nominally paid by the Crown, make Jerod real nervous. He'd want someone loyal only to the Crown as the representative.
[Paige]
So, we have to show them the benefits...
And foot part of the bill to cover the costs...establishing such a centralized system will not come easy - and the current merchant system probably won't cover its implementation because they have nothing to gain from it - Jerod foresees the Crown paying for a fair number more lawyers and such...with them being loyal only to the Crown of course.
[Paige]
Like any single Royal couldn't ruin Amber's economy at any
point with a little determination. That's a hurdle that can be
overcome.
Jerod won't bother digging into any of the cultural mores that would need to be altered as well - those would fill an entire encyclopedia with Amber so its best to concentrate on this for the moment.
But the cultural mores are exactly what Solange is getting at. The point is, if we grant this legal right, it will have a gradual effect of changing the local customs to treat women more equitably. Especially if we do it quietly and without grand fanfare. Most people will continue to follow the customs they always have, but there will at least be an OPTION for things to be otherwise.
Jerod's aware of where Solange is going with it - he's just not interested in a discussion of trying to legislate social mores...(impossible arguments just don't appeal to him).
He will agree that adjustment of the technical rules of society would permit the gradual adjustment of social mores. It should be clear to everyone though that it will be a very long term process...since Amberites live such a long time, change is not something that would tend to occur much.
[Paige]
But those of us willing to implement these changes also have a long time to
work toward it...
[Jerod]
So long as everyone willing to implement those changes is prepared to follow up
on the time requirement...(and he smiles at that)...As his sister says, it will
be a long time trickling down...but it will also need to be constantly enforced
and checked on.
That's why Paige is where she is, no?
Solange might want to consider that having the option to do things otherwise might not be enough - if no one uses the option, then its possible it might fall by the wayside. Its a very scary thing to try something new, and most Amberites do not have the luxury of royal members who have travelled and seen different lifestyles and ways of behaviour - they may not imagine that change is possible even when it is presented to them.
Martin says, "On the other hand, the Royal family has a lot of power and influence in its own example, and we can leverage that. We haven't used any of the good will we have for what we did in the Sundering."
She may wish to investigate whether or not there are any pending disagreements before the judiciary on this matter. He's not suggesting that a situation be manufactured to allow the changes to be implemented, but if such a situation is currently in place, it could be used as a test measure to gauge levels of resistance within the culture.
See above suggestion by Paige, already forwarded by Brita.
[Solange]
Among the middle and working classes, the benefits are as Martin
outlined. It would merely serve to cut down on the ranks of fortune-
hunting men after prosperous widows.
[Jerod]
You can order a plan implemented, but royal decree only goes so far. And
bludgeoning authority is a very poor tool of statecraft - it tends to backfire
on you...:)
(what's that phrase from B-5?..."Authority should never be used as a club")
As an example, we can look at Paige's unfortunate situation - she could have forced her way into Court society simply because she's a royal, but that doesn't require Court to actively support her - they just have to do what they're told - exactly what they're told. A person cannot be faulted for doing their job, and punishing someone for lack of initiative is the worst possible thing you can do. So, she was stuck...even though individually she had more brute force power than they did.
So - first recommendation - be able to explain your plan, show the benefits and justify your explanation. And consider Jerod to be a benevolent ally as opposed to a wet blanet...because the nobles you face when you stand to tell them this plan will be far less polite (and perhaps a lot more hostile) than he is (Jerod's willing to show you holes in your argument so you can fix them - the nobles will use those arguments against you).
2) Having determined what the benefits to society are, as well as figuring out ways to reduce the hardship on those who will "lose", has anyone attempted to enlist those in power who have something to lose when the decrees are implemented, in order to show support for this endeavour. Those likely to lose out (we'll call them the Old Guard for argument's sake) are not going to like change.
New ideas represent a potential loss of power and influence. The Old Guard will stick together, even if they don't like each other, because together they will retain their positions of power. You have to separate them - find the most powerful from within the group and bring them to your side...they become the example by which you show the weaker members of the group that what you plan is good. It also creates a sense of doubt...for if a lesser member of the Old Guard is resistant to the royal decree for property rights, but the more powerful members of the Old Guard sign on to support it immediately, then those who are seen to be fighting it stand to lose status and position in the "new order" of things. As an axiom, if you want the herd to follow you - get the leader to follow you first.
[Be prepared for] reduced trade, loss of levies, lack of support for royal decisions, black marketing, etc, etc, etc.
[Solange]
I don't see how those follow from my suggestion.
[Jerod]
They are examples of ways that those who might choose to fight
the royal family could do so...against any particular decree that they
might wish to fight (the particular decree in question is not
important). The reasons why they may choose to fight are irrelevant
for the example, merely that for whatever reason they have indeed
so chosen.
Amber is a state dependant upon trade - the royal family might lay the lines for Shadow, but it is the nobles and merchant houses that maintain the ships and thus the lifeblood of Amber. The inherent weakness of the system is evidenced by what the Council is having to deal with every day. Unfortunately, it is not something likely to change - the lack of technological advancement inhibits the essential development of a truly democratic society.
Hmph. All I am suggesting is that we give women the same chance to be considered legal individuals that men have -- there are plenty of shrewd, intelligent women out there, many of whom could run enterprises as well as their husbands or brothers. None of this would FORCE the men with the money to give it away -- but it would make it POSSIBLE for a merchant with a clever daughter and a foolish son to CHOOSE to leave his business in the most capable hands. Right now that's not possible.
I am saying that this is a glaring inefficiency in the laws, as well as an inequity, that needs redress, and the sooner the better.
[Jerod]
Jerod will remind her to remember the culture - Amber is order...and he'll
smile when he says this. Order resists change.
"Cousin Reid, how much has Amber changed from when you lived here as a boy?" Martin asks, all wicked innocence.
"And how long have you been away from Amber in the time that it has changed?" Jerod asks, also smiling. "Everything in context cousin. Buildings come and go...but attitudes are what's important here."
"Fine. Then let me in the courts be the lightning rod if needs be. I've proven to be chaotic enough for most people's tastes." Paige smiles.
"Just don't get burned too early." Jerod says. "Making a bad decision could be worse for you than for those you are ruling on."
"Right. We have to be of one mind on this and have the Regent's backing." Paige looks to Solange.
He will suggest that if she intends to proceed...to pick her first test case very carefully - make sure beyond a shadow of a doubt she can win. The importance or size of the case isn't necessarily relevant - she has to be able to win the first time out. If she fails, her plans will die right there.
[Paige]
True, if we use the Ranger Incident as the case, we need to know we can
be sure of it...
Hmmm...Jerod would recommend that they stay away from the Ranger incident, at least for the present time. Since there's not enough information available about what happened there, it might not be wise to muddy the waters further there.
Besides, he was thinking it might be more suitable to apply the intended changes to the upper levels of society first...sort of a "role-model" situation. There's certain to be a few cases there where some good can be done, and the women in higher society would have had more chances for education and opportunity (as opposed to lower ranked women). He's figuring you'll have more chances to find a woman strong willed enough, educated enough and intelligent enough to be willing to stick her neck out for this (and he's very emphatic that he believes any woman who does this is doing precisely that).
Once its established as a precedent there...it should be easier to move it down to the middle and lower rank levels of society, as opposed to working backwards up the food chain.
Solange does not necessarily agree. It's the working-class women who are currently most in danger of being screwed by their inability to make binding contracts. It might be well to find a case where a good, honest working woman whose husband has gone off with the army has been taken advantage of financially because someone's decided not to honor a contract they made with her. Public sentiment will support her, and we can use deciding the case in her favor to establish the principle that all persons of legal age, regardless of gender or marital status, are competent to make contracts and own and control property. Once that's established as a precedent, those among the wealthy who WANT to use it as an option in conserving and transmitting their wealth can do so.
[Paige]
"Good point. How about Solace's wedding arrangement?"
Jerod looks at Solange at that point. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but from your comments it sounds like Solace has a bit less common sense than any number of potted plants. Are we sure we want to use her as a test case? I'd rather make sure whoever we're putting on the spot has enough smarts to be able to handle herself after we've taken our bows and vacated the scene."
"It wouldn't hurt to allow her to keep any family jewelry Lady Vesper wants to give her in her own right, rather than absorbing it into Crown property," Solange says. "Lady Vesper might even appreciate it, although she might be hoping for the prestige of the other way. However, you're right that most noblewomen haven't been educated to manage their own money. This is why I think we ought to decide it in a working-class case first, where the woman's been handling the responsibilities already, and just needs the formal protection of the law to back her up."
Jerod would disagree with that. "They might be the most in need of protection, but there's a small point that's being overlooked here. If they don't use that protection, then its useless."
"The working class are precisely that - working. Unless we're prepared to monitor them and catch the problems while they're happening, I don't see where its likely that the protections being discussed will be used. And that's the battle here. Working class people don't have time to take off work to come to Court. And that's what they have to do if they're going to gain the protection of the law. Just because the law is in place doesn't mean it magically works. The thefts down in the warehouse district are proof of that."
"We need someone who not only is smart enough to be able to afford of themselves the benefit of the law in the first case...we need someone with enough opportunity to use it. That takes it back to the upper class." Jerod says. "And there's one benefit that's being overlooked. If we find someone from the upper levels who wins and can use this protection...then you have an ally. Someone who can champion this cause alongside of you. And don't many of the noble women undertake good charitable causes? That's something far more valuable in the long run."
He pauses for a moment before continuing. "Make no mistake. It's a good cause. It's got a good moral to it. Helping people isn't usually wrong. And it will make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside to know we're the good guys. But having said that...it is now time to put aside your sentiments and personal emotional stake. You've got a battle to fight. Don't blow it by following that sense of moral rightness to the bitter end. Pick your target, line up your forces and make sure you can win this fight. If that means you pick someone less needful of protection but who assures you victory, then you do it. Cause if you lose this battle because you chose someone based on your emotions and sentiment, then this wonderful cause is dead. And we won't be the ones who suffer because we chose wrong - it'll be those people out there who will suffer." as he waves to the city and its citizenry collectively.
And having said that, he will collect a drink for himself, and for her.
Solange, he will remember, favors dark rum instead of Scotch. She gratefully accepts a large tumblerful.
And he will say that he finds it to be an interesting situation - he always likes a challenge. So if she wishes it, she has his support - for now...:)
"Thank you, cousin. I knew you'd come to see the sense of it," she says, smiling.
"It has to do with the good of the kingdom cousin." Jerod replies. "So long as they are in line, then my support is ensured. The day this policy doesn't have the kingdom's best interests at heart is the day I'll kill it myself." and he smiles in return. "That is how I see the sense of it."
Paige will hand him the bottle and hold the glasses...
[Jerod]
Scotch only though...:)
"Neat?" Paige asks in her best Vialle-as-party-hostess voice.
"You mean there's another way to drink scotch? How barbaric." Jerod asks, with a devilish grin.
Last modified: 1 Jan 2002