With the Creed set up not 10 minutes ride out from the main capital of the kingdom, the trade agreements and port activity in Vasiliadon had not been at the best, a worrying state for a kingdom whose income was based on percentages collected from taxes of merchants and profits from provinces. Although much has recovered, especially with the recent flower festival regaining a portion of the visitors and business profits, there was still an air of unease hanging around Vasiliadon, something that would take time yet to dispel of.
Yet, Irakles could not just sit on his laurels and expect things to fix himself. One would wonder why the Head of the Mikaelidas house would spend so much time at the royal palati, but the truth was, Irakles had already have much of the House matters running like clockwork, even before the tragedy of the Creed attack had happened. With his sharp, compartmentalized mind that was used to running strategies, plans and attacks, choreographing the movements of many regiments under his command, a small matter like handling the different provinces under his House, as well as the matters of his family members, was a small task.
As such, Irakles had left most province matters to be handled by his steward with strict instructions that any anomaly must immediately be brought to him, and had instead ended up in the palati four out of seven days in a week working on papers, agreements and matters, half of which he could not agree with. While he would reluctantly admit that Stephanos was improving in his matters of dealing with the affairs of the state, speaking with his advisors and handling grieviences brought to him by the common folk, many advisors still told Irakles in confidence that in actions and thoughts, they still thought Stephanos as a little too unpredictable. They chalked it up to his age, and Irakles had to admit the truth in the words - he was of no maturity or growth yet to take on the role as a King, no stability yet, not even in his own personal matters, much less in decisions concerning the Kingdom.
And he made it very clear to his advisors what he thought. They had come to him after the disastrous affair of the court session just a few days ago, worrying over Stephanos's insistence that he would take out the Creed in the gorge. Irakles had waved a hand at them, but he had no words of reassurance. His promise to bring the leader's head back on a pike was a hopeful one at best. Knowing the way the Creed operated, they would not let themselves be so easily taken down.
It would be too easy, way too easy to just ask for Stephanos's death during the attack on the gorge - just chalk it up to childish stupidity, and how he would dive headfirst into something without thinking. But Fotios had a point. Stephanos's death would come too quickly on the heels of his father and brother's demise. And since he was the next heir in line to the throne - well, if people were suspecting Stephanos because he had the most to gain, what's to prevent that suspicion from falling to Irakles next? So he could not simply just kill his nephew. Not yet, at the very least. Irakles wanted a clean slate, and for that to happen, his taking over must happen only, and only if Stephanos has been proven guilty.
Smiling to himself as he returned to the scroll he had in hand, the opening of his door had the elder male look up, frowning when a maid entered, stating that the King would wish to see Irakles in his study. Ire stirred in the pit of his stomach. His nephew thought too highly of himself if he thought Irakles was some dog to be summoned.
"I shall be there shortly." was his curt reply, returning his gaze to the scroll he had spent all morning studying.
'Shortly', turned out to be almost half an hour later, before Irakles sauntered out of his study in the palati. In his long, navy blue chiton with a golden ivy leaf belt around his waist, he took his time towards the stairs, ascending them in a leisurely manner. His bare feet made nary a sound along the marbled hallways as he strolled, before finally reaching the door of the study, doors which he did not bother to knock at all, simply pushed open to step in, a calm, almost mocking smile on his lips. "I am a busy man, nephew. Say what you need, and make it quick. I have to get the scrolls and parchments regarding the port agreements and the adjustments to the fees we collect from the merchants, out to the necessary people by this evening."
Yet, Irakles could not just sit on his laurels and expect things to fix himself. One would wonder why the Head of the Mikaelidas house would spend so much time at the royal palati, but the truth was, Irakles had already have much of the House matters running like clockwork, even before the tragedy of the Creed attack had happened. With his sharp, compartmentalized mind that was used to running strategies, plans and attacks, choreographing the movements of many regiments under his command, a small matter like handling the different provinces under his House, as well as the matters of his family members, was a small task.
As such, Irakles had left most province matters to be handled by his steward with strict instructions that any anomaly must immediately be brought to him, and had instead ended up in the palati four out of seven days in a week working on papers, agreements and matters, half of which he could not agree with. While he would reluctantly admit that Stephanos was improving in his matters of dealing with the affairs of the state, speaking with his advisors and handling grieviences brought to him by the common folk, many advisors still told Irakles in confidence that in actions and thoughts, they still thought Stephanos as a little too unpredictable. They chalked it up to his age, and Irakles had to admit the truth in the words - he was of no maturity or growth yet to take on the role as a King, no stability yet, not even in his own personal matters, much less in decisions concerning the Kingdom.
And he made it very clear to his advisors what he thought. They had come to him after the disastrous affair of the court session just a few days ago, worrying over Stephanos's insistence that he would take out the Creed in the gorge. Irakles had waved a hand at them, but he had no words of reassurance. His promise to bring the leader's head back on a pike was a hopeful one at best. Knowing the way the Creed operated, they would not let themselves be so easily taken down.
It would be too easy, way too easy to just ask for Stephanos's death during the attack on the gorge - just chalk it up to childish stupidity, and how he would dive headfirst into something without thinking. But Fotios had a point. Stephanos's death would come too quickly on the heels of his father and brother's demise. And since he was the next heir in line to the throne - well, if people were suspecting Stephanos because he had the most to gain, what's to prevent that suspicion from falling to Irakles next? So he could not simply just kill his nephew. Not yet, at the very least. Irakles wanted a clean slate, and for that to happen, his taking over must happen only, and only if Stephanos has been proven guilty.
Smiling to himself as he returned to the scroll he had in hand, the opening of his door had the elder male look up, frowning when a maid entered, stating that the King would wish to see Irakles in his study. Ire stirred in the pit of his stomach. His nephew thought too highly of himself if he thought Irakles was some dog to be summoned.
"I shall be there shortly." was his curt reply, returning his gaze to the scroll he had spent all morning studying.
'Shortly', turned out to be almost half an hour later, before Irakles sauntered out of his study in the palati. In his long, navy blue chiton with a golden ivy leaf belt around his waist, he took his time towards the stairs, ascending them in a leisurely manner. His bare feet made nary a sound along the marbled hallways as he strolled, before finally reaching the door of the study, doors which he did not bother to knock at all, simply pushed open to step in, a calm, almost mocking smile on his lips. "I am a busy man, nephew. Say what you need, and make it quick. I have to get the scrolls and parchments regarding the port agreements and the adjustments to the fees we collect from the merchants, out to the necessary people by this evening."