045.2 "Galariel said that all the jewels in Creation do not make a Queen."

[Corwin]

[22:31] <Kotono> From there, Jaela returns to her suite. On command, Elena appears, "Yes?" she asks, clad in a simple peasant dress and barefoot.
[22:32] <Jaela> "Why?"
[22:34] <Kotono> "Why what?" Elena asks right back, a look of piqued confusion on her face.
[22:34] * Jaela gestures at her clothing. "The peasant look. Those mercane stopped showering you with trinkets?"
[22:39] <Kotono> "Oh." Blushing hotly, "It's not that! Galariel said that all the jewels in Creation do not make a Queen, but instead what is in her heart. I took it as a hint!"
[22:42] <Jaela> "You took it too far," Jaela says wryly. "Just be yourself. And if you're not sure what that means, copy my armor for today." She checks up on Mirajane, before arranging a plush armchair in her room opposite a sofa, with a low table in between. "For now, I need you to lead the Mercane delegation over here, and then disappear but keep on listening in. If I need your help with something, make it work without me calling on your name overtly. Can do?"
[22:47] <Kotono> Mirajane is asleep. "Can do," Elena says.
[22:47] <Jaela> "Great. Go for it," Jaela tells Elena, settling in her armchair to wait.

[Corwin]

[20:20] <Kotono> It's not long until the Mercane delegation comes to Jaela's quarters. Elena leads them in and promptly vanishes. Xatrel steps forward, "I trust you've come to a decision?" he asks.
[20:22] <Jaela> "Please, have a seat," Jaela tells Xatrel, gesturing at the sofa opposite her. "Would you like to have anything to drink?"
[20:23] <Kotono> The Mercane all sit, "No thank you," Xatrel smiles genially, awaiting.
[20:26] <Jaela> "In that case, let's get down to business," Jaela says, leaning back in her armchair and crossing her legs. "The Aurora is rejecting your offer as presented, Xatrel. That is not the same as saying we cannot possibly find common ground, of course, but if you came merely to deliver your offer and not to negotiate, I'm afraid that you have your answer."
[20:26] <Kotono> "Well then," Xatrel considers a moment, folding his hands in his lap, "I presume you have a counter offer?"
[20:32] <Jaela> "Certainly," Jaela agrees. "We believe that the matter concerning Afina directly is the most important one, as it exposes one of the Aurora's generals to liability and overcommits her services. Under those conditions, the most we could offer is a ten percent discount on anything the Mercane were to commission from Afina for themselves or as mediaries for a third party. Further, we would require assurences that certain undesirables would be excluded from this process altogether, and the establishment of steep fines for any transgression. Naturally, we would also need to agree on a workload; the contract should be for one order per month, and anything past it would be solely at Afina's discretion as an extra."
[20:33] <Kotono> "I see, I see," Xatrel murmurs, "Is this the only counter-offer, or is there more provisions to be added as well?"
[20:34] <Jaela> "Depending on your reaction to this, we are willing to consider the other matters you brought up."
[20:42] <Kotono> "The matter of exclusion and fines for breaking this exclusion are already covered with pre-existing regulations," Xatrel explains, "So that matter is entirely moot, as is the matter of workload, as that was our own inital offer." Pausing to buff a big diamond ring on his tunic, "How about twenty percent instead of ten percent? Ten percent is just too small to make any sort of effective
[20:42] <Kotono> profit, once you factor in the costs of selling and other such things."
[20:42] <Kotono> The sound of Mirajane crying is heard, piercing into the discussion.
[20:45] <Jaela> "Mirajane doesn't like the sound of that much," Jaela tells him crossly, standing up. She walks over to the crib to pick the redheaded baby up, and then returns, Mirajane in her arms. "We can open up Aurora to further Mercane presence," she offers. "Triple your presence here, say. If you want twenty percent off, then you have to guarantee those special offers you tried to entice Afina with or offer something of equal value on a monthly basis. You deal with insurance for investments, don't you? It would be the same thing."
[20:51] <Kotono> "If I may, negotiations are no place for a child," Xatrel coughs into his hand, the other mercane exchanging looks. Mirajane continues to cry in the meanwhile. "Perhaps it would be best if you hand your child over to one of your maids and we continue this discussion somewhere quieter?"
[20:52] <Jaela> "Oh no, I'm fine," Jaela tells him, pacing within her room. The more the Mercane are unbalanced by the situation, the better, and she can't help but be amused herself. "This is Mirajane's chance to see how we negotiate! You wouldn't want to take it away from her, would you?"
[20:58] <Kotono> With a slick smile, "I can't fault you for wanting ot raise your child right," he admits, "But even the Mercane wait until middle childhood before serious negotiation indoctrination." Clapping his hands together once, speaking loudly over Mirajane's cries, "At the least, do something to calm her? Shouting over an upset baby is no manner in which to conduct negotiations."
[21:00] <Jaela> "Now, now, Mirajane," Jaela murmurs, pacing within her room methodically. "I know that you didn't like that offer, but they weren't really serious. It's how negotiations work. Just give them a chance to make a better one, alright?"
[21:05] <Kotono> Mirajane's cries continue, not particularly calming at all. "I do believe," Speaking over Mirajane's cries, "It is customary for you to make another offer, after our current offer."
[21:07] <Jaela> "Ten percent, and you get to triple the Mercane presence here. Or twenty percent, and you provide Afina with either a monthly opportunity or something of equal value instead of a vague promise of future rewards," Jaela repeats, this time keeping it brief.
[21:29] <Kotono> "Assuming agreement of those terms," Xatrel replies, "You mentioned the other matters, too."
[21:34] <Jaela> "One of them is covered here," Jaela says. "So that leaves just the matter of joining the Union Bank. Right now our money is being used towards the Crusade's immediate goals. If we have to take even a hundred thousand and put it into something else, that hurts the Crusade. So for us to formally join, there must be an immediate and direct benefit to the Crusade to even things out, don't you think? The Mercane have quite a presence around the Blood War, I hear. And you must pick up certain things. About Abigor. About Tiamat."
[21:35] <Kotono> "Ah, information," Xatrel nods, "Allow us to get to brass tacks. Is there a particular bit of information you desire here, or more of a sampling of potentially useful intelligence?"
[21:38] <Jaela> "I can be direct," Jaela agrees. "If you provide us with a sampling, and then supply us with further details as we settle on a target or two... let me put it this way. If you provide an actionable opportunity against Tiamat or Abigor for the Crusade, we will be signing the papers without a delay."
[21:40] <Kotono> "Well then," Xatrel hums, "I do believe that I need to briefly confer with my superiors. If we can adjourn for an hour, I can.." Pausing to raise his voice over a particularly loud cry by Mirajane, "Resume then. You understand that with so much money at stake here, a decision of this magnitude is outside of my hands."
[21:40] <Jaela> "That's fine," Jaela agrees, never stopping in her pacing. This takes patience, both with Mirajane and with the Mercane.
[21:43] <Kotono> "We'll resume here in an hour," Xatrel rises, bowing before he and his Mercane walk out. Once gone, Elena reappears, giving Jaela a simple, questioning look.
[21:43] <Jaela> "Worked surprisingly well," Jaela muses. "Can you spy on them the same way?"
[21:51] <Kotono> "On it," Elena says, before wincing, "Jaela, they had a point. Mirajane's loud." Coming over and smiling, "Poor baby. Sing her a lullaby or something."
[21:52] <Jaela> "Okay. But you're not allowed to listen. Shoo!"
[21:52] <Kotono> "You know," Elena sing-songs, "It's not like I can't eavesdrop and I'd you'd ever know, anyway."
[21:53] <Jaela> "I have my ways of finding out."
[21:55] <Kotono> "Let me remind you of who's the spirit of Medicant and who's just a general! I mean, how could you even find out?" she asks right back.
[21:55] <Jaela> "Galariel."
[21:59] <Kotono> That dries up Elena's smile right away, "Um...you wouldn't...ask Galariel, would you? Would you?"
[22:00] <Jaela> "In an instant," Jaela agrees, before pretending to be sad. "You wouldn't think of lying to him, would you? Not over something like this?"
[22:27] <Kotono> Elena deflates swiftly, "Okay, okay..." she slinks off, towards the portal. "If you're going to be mean about it."
[22:31] * Jaela waves at Elena as she leaves, and then glances down at Mirajane. "Was it mean? Think it was mean? I guess negotiations are sometimes like that, but it's important not to threaten with something if you're not willing to follow through. That's very important! Still, maybe we'll get Elena something nice later...." And Elena's advice is worth a try. Since simply carrying Mirajane didn't help, Jaela decides to try singing a lullaby she remembers from her childhood at the orphanage to the baby....

[Corwin]

[19:53] <Kotono> Elena returns after about a half hour, "Okay, they're taking a short break to cast magic," Elena pipes up, "They had some really vigorous debate."
[19:53] <Jaela> "Give me the highlights, please?"
[19:58] <Kotono> "They're arguing on a counter offer and how much to accept, or if they should walk. Xatrel's listening to everyone and hedging, the others are talking more there than I've seen since they got here. Oh, and you offended several of the mightily. The nicest term was an addled brained cow who couldn't hire a nanny to properly care for her daughter."
[20:00] * Jaela snorts. "It's good to be loved. So, to sum it up, Xatrel isn't sure yet and is now consulting his superiors?"
[20:06] <Kotono> "Yes," Elena confirms, "I'll let you know as soon as they're done with magical consultations. It shouldn't be long."
[20:07] <Jaela> "Thanks. Depending on how things turn out, can I count on you to take care of Mirajane when they come back?"
[20:14] <Kotono> "Okay," Elena says, vanishing. She's not gone long - maybe ten minutes. When she reappears, "Hey Jaela, listen!" Going to sit on the couch now, "So I heard them."
[20:14] <Jaela> "And?"
[20:19] <Kotono> "They're going to accept. Xatrel said, 'The situation hasn't changed, the Goldens want this alliance even if we have to take the wrong end of negotiations.'" Resting back now, "Some of the mercane weren't happy about it, but Xatrel's serene about it and is telling them about the profit they'll net in the long run."
[20:21] <Jaela> "Good for them," Jaela says with a grin. "Let's reciprocate. Do we still have some of that wine they brought along? We can prepare it for a celebratory toast."
[20:25] <Kotono> "Okay," Elena nods quickly, "Anything else?"
[20:30] <Jaela> "Let's give them a small token of our appreciation. Didn't Mom bring back a bust of a mercane a while back? Plus a chessboard of pearl? Choose which works best and we'll present it to them as a gift."
[20:31] * Jaela pauses. "Unless you think we have something in our stores they would like more, within reason? You spent the most time with them."
[20:34] <Kotono> "How much of a price range are we talking about?" Elena banters back.
[20:35] <Jaela> "Two-three thousand is reasonable, five thousand as the upper limit if we have something exceptionally well-suitable," Jaela instructs her. "Feel free to also pick little trinkets like the kind I mentioned for each member of their delegation, if you can manage that."
[20:36] <Kotono> "Okay. Who's paying?" Elena asks, "The Aurora fund or you?"
[20:37] <Jaela> "The Aurora fund, with me as guarantor. If the others don't sign off on this retroactively, I'll refund our war chest, so don't worry about it."
[20:39] <Kotono> "On it!" So Elena vanishes away!
[20:41] <Kotono> Soon enough Elena returns, carrying a big golden goblet crusted with purple gemstones. Within it you can see a mix of gold coins and small green gemstones. "Ta da!" Elena presents it to Jaela, "I got it for only 5000 gold!"
[20:42] <Jaela> "Nice work." The wine has already been prepared, so Jaela brings another armchair over to the side of the table. "Care to join me as we wait for them?"
[20:45] <Kotono> "Sure, but wasn't I going to take care of Mirajane?" Elena inquires back. "They shouldn't be long."
[20:46] <Jaela> "You're right. Too many last minute changes will just make a mess of things. Let's go with what we agreed on," she responds, settling in for a no-doubt short wait.
[20:49] <Kotono> "Right, good luck then!" Elena takes Mirajane and heads off. It's not long before Xatrel and company return, "We've finished our deliberations," Xatrel announces, "After some considerable discussion, we have reached a decision."
[20:50] * Jaela inclines her head slightly, waiting for him to proceed.
[20:57] <Kotono> "We will accept the terms you provided," he says, "Could you provide an contract outlining the terms to make this official?"
[21:02] <Jaela> "Certainly," Jaela agrees. Retrieving Elena's pick takes but a moment, and she returns with it to Xatrel. "I got this while betting on the chance that we will be able to see eye to eye, Xatrel. It is but a small token, all in all, but I hope it will be a prelude to a fruitful relationship. We did seem to have a few false starts, but your response today has done much to bring us back on the proper track."
[21:18] <Kotono> "Ah!" With a growing smile at that, "The gift of the tome will be presented momentarily," he announces, "Once the contract is signed, of course."
[21:21] <Jaela> "I will have our resident archmage put it in writing," Jaela responds, deciding to relegate this task to Tepen by way of Elena, who she hopes is still listening in as she requested before. Meanwhile, she gestures at the wine set aside on the table. "It should not be a long wait."