“And I don’t suppose you could run me through that again, dear.” said the Green Granny. Her brow furrowing as she took a sip from the tea cup she held in her hands.

“Um...er...sure. S-, so, Master William’s suddenly found himself in possession of territory of a few hundred thousand miles of territory in lands beyond the hinterland.

Most of it is largely unpopulated and since the master has already pushed out all the bandits and beasts...it’s all sort of just sitting there...Empty. So he was wondering if maybe we have any people, or know any people, who might want to settle in that area.”

The old woman frowned, running her finger along the edge of her porcelain, cup and then she nodded looking slightly pleased.

In the end she’d decided it was a good thing. On the one hand, she wasn’t sure how to feel about having the enigmatic  Lord Sorcerer have designs for her people and plans for their future.

On the other hand, his having plans for the Aria was a fair confirmation that he didn’t intend to just abandon them anytime soon.

In fact now that she thought of it, it occurred to her that so long as she pulled the more foolish of the tribal elders back into line and played this right, this could perhaps ensure her people's safety and prosperity for several millenia to come.

A greedy thought perhaps, but one that she’d had on behalf of her  Aria and the unborn youth. Perhaps this was just proof that even ‘she’ held some of the same avaricious and ambitious tendencies that Aria were known for.

All Alma knew was that a thousand years was not enough. The others sought to return to their old glories through war and plunder.

Alma knew better, she’d seen the wretched past and she’d seen the peaceful present, for some time now her eyes had turned towards and glorious and somewhat idyllic future.

It well have been the overly optimistic view of ‘silly old woman’ as some of the elders dared to call her, when they thought she was out of earshot.

But somehow she felt that if her people remained under the Lord Sorcerer’s protection it wouldn’t be long till the Aria returned to and then exceeded the glories that they’d left behind when they first came to the Hinterlands.

Were the opposite to happen, they would likely soon destroy themselves, if their enemies didn’t kill them first.

As much as it pained her to admit it, at this point in time there were two many hot heads and glory seeking fools amongst both the elders and the village youth.

Anarchic Individuals who would lead her people into perdition if left to their own devices. Believing themselves unbeatable, despite numerous defeats.

More so, than the prosperity and safety being under his auspices had brought, the order he brought was the biggest boon the Aria had gained from their covenant with the Lord Sorcerer.

Providing enough time for young seedlings to be grown with the coming generation. Level heads, cool minds, and clear eyes that would allow their people to be able to progress on their own.

Thus it was that after only a little thought, and a quiet siphoning of the contents of her cup, she nodded.

“Mhm...That sounds...promising. I’ll pass the suggestion along to the council.” said old woman. As if pretending to forget her position. Barely paying any mind to the fact that despite her having ‘retired’, a suggestion from her might as well have been an order.

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The girl who sat across from her, bowed her head. Bowing deeply.  The old woman sniffed at Alessa’s overly respectful manner.

Alma had no problem with the girl keeping the old ways and being polite, but at least here, at least in private, after all the times that Alma had said the girl need not be so formal, it was a small failure.

It was apparent to Alma that the girl didn’t understand it yet, she didn’t understand the role she currently she held and roles she’d likely hold in the near future. In certain ways power was more about one’s attitude than one’s actual ability.

In certain quantities and certain situations a little arrogance could do more good than harm. People who were important, had to act a little self important.

People who were in charge had to act with a just a bit of superiority. If it was well placed and well timed, it did wonders for bolstering the confidence of the people.

Similar to how a disorganized crowd might line up behind someone who knew what they were doing. Or how a steady, loud voice was the one most readily listened to.  Wear the right clothes, sit in the right chair and show the carriage and one would be surprised what people would be willing to listen to.

The right balance of arrogance and humility was something any leader worth their salt needed to have. Alessa had humility in spades, she had frankly too much of it in fact, underestimating herself and letting others do the same.

It was only now that Alma had broken her of her habit of trying to shrink  herself down….As if such a thing was possible for a girl the gods had deemed fit to build so tall. It seemed it’d still be some time till the girl properly learned confidence, but she ‘would’ have to learn it sometime. A mouse could not lead a pack of tigers.

Alma sighed, quietly praying that the gods would hold off on calling her home, and grant her enough time to properly teach her young heir the things she needed to know.

She opened her eyes and found the girl fidgeting, chuckling bemusedly because in five hundred years of living she’d learned that fidgeting was a thing that young folk just couldn’t help doing.

A few thoughts went through the old woman’s mind as she began to quiz the girl, on both her life with the sorcerer and the history and needs of the tribe. Then a wicked gleam enter old Alma’s eyes as she thought of something.

“Ah...speaking of young Aria settling down...How ‘are’ things with you and the young Lord going. Are you already with child? Those paps of yours certainly ‘seem’ a fair bit bigger.”

The old woman gleefully watched the girl’s face turn all of sorts of colors while her ears reddened like superheated steel.

“Gr-...Granny?!”

In all honesty, this simple teasing was slowly but surely becoming one of her secret pleasures. She’d likely still give the girl a push in that direction, but it was fine if they took their time.

The girl’s cultivation was already such that even if another century passed it would still not be too late for things to develop along that line.