"One day our neighbours will complain, I am certain, but that's the benefit of living in the main hold with thicker walls than being packed in like sardines down in the barracks." Carefully cutting some purses too so she can donate the funds to worthy causes like the mages or the elves same as she would to feed the hungrier parts of town back home? Incredibly satisfying.
And since she's thinking of a mostly oblivious older generation… "From what I know - and I am but a thief, though my father and mother have both been summoned to audiences with her for what they do, her council are mostly the old guard. They try to fight her tooth and nail." Araceli's good at lying about not knowing how that bit works when she knows each and every one of them very well indeed, all their tics and habits, all the tells they have when they lie, when they're about to snap, when they can be pushed into agreeing. "I think that they serve for a term but it's a very extended term and to be seen to suddenly replace them without grounds could cause a great deal of upset that would be visited upon those in the least position to defends themselves against it. She moves carefully."
A young queen, a new queen, there's no other way to do things but softly softly until no one knows what she's doing until it's too late and the board is already set. That's the plan at least.
"Does that not pose a danger to them in the end? Even if there are enough families, eventually they start to overlap and the blood intermingles too often, I know that there are many things my people are less advanced with in what others call the sciences but we know that part." Araceli's stolen some family pedigrees to sell to fences and the sums some of those have been worth have been absolutely staggering until she'd sat down and realised what they'd meant beyond being papers with names scrawled on them. "Hard work and dedication alone are not enough I take it. Or is it a self-fulfilling prophecy where if you are told a thing often enough that it becomes true because it takes root within you."
Times like these are when she appreciates how much freedom she was given as a girl. Lessons from her parents and tutors but plenty of space and support to go out into the world to make her own path and mistakes, knowing that if she fell flat on her face so she had a space to do it. It would be her choice, not something they plotted out for her. Having to live a life dictated by another would be a cage to her, no matter how elegantly gilded and lavishly furnished it might be.
Her brow furrows very slightly. "Mages are not allowed to us, or are looked down upon or scrutinised, if they use a thing that is considered to be for the use of non-mages?"
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And since she's thinking of a mostly oblivious older generation… "From what I know - and I am but a thief, though my father and mother have both been summoned to audiences with her for what they do, her council are mostly the old guard. They try to fight her tooth and nail." Araceli's good at lying about not knowing how that bit works when she knows each and every one of them very well indeed, all their tics and habits, all the tells they have when they lie, when they're about to snap, when they can be pushed into agreeing. "I think that they serve for a term but it's a very extended term and to be seen to suddenly replace them without grounds could cause a great deal of upset that would be visited upon those in the least position to defends themselves against it. She moves carefully."
A young queen, a new queen, there's no other way to do things but softly softly until no one knows what she's doing until it's too late and the board is already set. That's the plan at least.
"Does that not pose a danger to them in the end? Even if there are enough families, eventually they start to overlap and the blood intermingles too often, I know that there are many things my people are less advanced with in what others call the sciences but we know that part." Araceli's stolen some family pedigrees to sell to fences and the sums some of those have been worth have been absolutely staggering until she'd sat down and realised what they'd meant beyond being papers with names scrawled on them. "Hard work and dedication alone are not enough I take it. Or is it a self-fulfilling prophecy where if you are told a thing often enough that it becomes true because it takes root within you."
Times like these are when she appreciates how much freedom she was given as a girl. Lessons from her parents and tutors but plenty of space and support to go out into the world to make her own path and mistakes, knowing that if she fell flat on her face so she had a space to do it. It would be her choice, not something they plotted out for her. Having to live a life dictated by another would be a cage to her, no matter how elegantly gilded and lavishly furnished it might be.
Her brow furrows very slightly. "Mages are not allowed to us, or are looked down upon or scrutinised, if they use a thing that is considered to be for the use of non-mages?"