The tapering sound of footsteps echo through the halls of the castle, Markus' movements rustling the clothes on his back as he gazes down towards the papers he carries. One hand holds a clipboard of notes and the other a solitary pamphlet of paper with requests and pending designs for irrigation systems, pathways and road-maps drawn over a map of the empire's core regions. Lexios keeps up, with him are two other guards to take the place of Julius who had been found hung-over from the previous day - he had gone out drinking even more after the trip to the ale-house. "It is you third day here, sir 'M', surely, the queen would hesitate on beginning such operations in haste?"
"I assume that much, that's why I have a few other proposals as well... but these projects are clearly ones that have been mulled over for the past few years now... honestly I do not understand what that 'prince' thinks most of the time."
"You speak with familiarity."
"I should, even if no-one else remembers me." Markus observed Lexios' silence, the pondering look he gave out from his eyes. "I didn't spend my time in the mountains studying nothing... mages are not just casters, but we are made to study a wide array of subjects." Their walk continued, Markus looked over at paintings and noticeably more archaic looking architecture. "... what I am getting at is... well... Do you know where the term 'mage' came from?"
"No, I do not. I assume it comes from 'magic.'"
"That's what most people would say, so said my teachers. It actually comes from a word that means great, often ascribed to people with great knowledge of various subjects. The 'Trismegistus' is someone you should think about to make it easier to remember, their name means the 'thrice great'."
"I see..."
Trismegistus, the grandmaster of mages who oversees all knowledge and maintains a great library in the world's end. It is a title that was passed on four times, each Trismegistus would be chosen from a candidate who had managed to study all there was to learn in the world, a hermit of certain renown. Those who held it were known to live longer than most, though the correlation was not the same as the causation.
Markus kept his pace, "... so it stands to reason that those with the 'title' of 'mage' would know more than just magic. If we didn't, we would be considered simple spellcasters like the 'prince'."
"You know of the prince's magic?"
"Of course I would, we went to the same school before I departed for the academy." With no response to such a declaration, Markus turned around to apologise and asked Lexios to forget what he said, lest they both be tried for some ridiculous crime. "... anyway, I'm confident in my management skills. Though most who study at that royal academy don't become mages, everyone still has to pass a few classes regarding civil engineering and etcetera."
"I see."
"Please do try to be a bit more conversational? I'm dying of boredom here..."
"You will not."
...
The hall where the meeting with the queen, or more importantly for now: the prince, would be held was behind the throne room. It was clear to anyone who payed attention that that was the case, most likely that was the intent aswell... Markus looked around, observing the opulent paintings and gold trimming on the pillars, a very clear sign of powerplay. With Lexios watching over him, Markus sat down at the designated chair - it was soft and almost unnervingly rigid still. He waited there for a few minutes, to him it felt like almost half an hour, until the prince graced him with presence.
"Good day, mage." Behind him came the queen, who was thoroughly displeased with the meeting.
"To you as well, and good morning your majesty." Markus gave a short bow from his chair as he layed papers down on a nearby table between the round of seats. The queen acknowledged the gesture before sitting down, her impatient fiance not even taking a notice of her. "Shall we begin?"
"... with 'pleasure', we... I have a lot on my plate today."
Not hiding much, eh?
Alexis took up one of the papers, a request of materials and permits. "What's this? This is what you wanted to bother us with?"
"I came to bother you with it, I need the permission of the commissioner to complete this project."
"I believe I am a bit more than... forget it, so you want me to sign this?"
Markus looked over at the queen, wondering what the dynamic was here exactly, before returning to the topic at hand. "Yes, but also from the queen herself. I urge the two of you to look over these in more detail so it may not displease you in the future."
"Already expecting complaints, mage?"
"I am simply making sure I follow procedure, your highness." Markus could feel an appreciative look from the queen and Lexios, though he was sure it was to be expected from them, the two seemed the types to be happy as long as the proper procedures were followed.
After looking over, begrudgingly, Alexis was satisfied with the proposals, though clearly just for show as he would prefer it to simply be rushed. Octava was finished with her part of the agreement quite some time ago, her pace honed from proper education for her duties. "... fine, it's fine... adequate even, just get on with it now."
"Thank you, your highness, I wish you a pleasant rest of the day...", with it Markus gave a polite bow and left with his guard. "That went quite well."
"Yes, it seems the prince's decorum has improved..."
"... don't tell me he's usually worse?"
"I will not say." Lexios' reluctance was easily understood, he was still on the job and just beyond the doors where the prince hid behind, not to mention his standards for following proper manners. It was a miracles Markus had managed to drag the words he did from Lexios. "So... am I to understand that you shall be going to the wetlands first?"
"No, though that would be the best option at first glance... I can't blame you for thinking that... Instead, we're going to the Turantala mountains, we need to gather some stone and lay some paths to the villages between here and the wetlands."
"I am sure you must have thought of this, but, where are we going to get the workforce?"
"I'll make some."
"What??"