Fortunes

**Fortunes**
	ive men and three women gathered around a small table in Varossa's town hall. This would be the first meeting of the Council of Nine for nearly six months. There were only eight members today, because for the first time in history, someone held two positions on the council. Erkinwhine was both King and High-Priest. The first order of the day was to determine how to handle such a thing as a tie. Since Erkinwhine had pretty
much assumed a role as dictator after his assension to the throne, the others assumed he would insist on a deciding vote or be the deciding vote by some other means. They were quite surprised, indeed, when he asked if Priestess Bethany could occupy the seat of the church to act as High-Priestess in the meetings. There was some reluctance in accepting Bethany when Roxanne actually held a senior position, but the motion passed seven to zero with one member abstaining. Xavior the short, chubby mayor apparently thought no vote would be better received than a 'no' vote.
	That done, they decided to recess while word was sent to Priestess Bethany to come and take her place at the
council.
	Finally, all were together and the meeting could commence. Xavior admitted he had never seen the people of
Varossa more happy before he began to recite the happenings of the last five months. He rolled his soft blue eyes as he mentioned that food surplus had dropped to an all time low, but added quickly that they were now up to standard. He announced that the opinion polls for last month's 'Tax Free Empire' were quite favorable as expected. While other council members cheered and applauded, Xavior did not seem as pleased. He just stood, and looked around nervously waiting for the okey to sit.
	Leelah stood next. A giant of a woman, she was a perfect example of the steriotypical amazon. Her bronze skin
shimmered in the candlelight. Erkinwhine watched as her well developed muscles flexed and relaxed as she moved. It was obvious she was an active woman; unacustomed to staying in one place very long. She turned and smiled to her king before giving her report as Minister of Defense and for the first time he saw that she was pretty. He wondered why he hadn't noticed that fact before now.
	She said the empire had now grown to include the regions of Blashin and the Southern Peaks. Soldiers were
pouring out of the city at an alarming rate. He heard the pride in her voice as she gave the current strength of mighty amazonian war machine. The navy, too, was growing as more and more Varossans took to the seas. And a large merchant marine contengent was developing that the empire could call upon in times of need.
	Next to speak was Ellrose. Clearly the elder of the community at an age of 102, but no one had a better feel for
domestic affairs. His report was brief and to the point. Moral was, indeed, higher than he could remember in all his years, but he expressed a concern for the pace at which young men and women were joining the military. When the fighting begins, there won't be a family that doesn't stand a chance of suffering a casualty. He suggested that perhaps some sort of building could be constructed that would help to take care of the casualties so mothers would not hear so often that their child had paid the ultimate price.
	Larz gave the Foreign Affairs report from his chair. Thus far he had received communication from only the
Under Dwarves, the Dark Elves and the Sandpeople. Negotiations with the leaders of these three had been going quite well, but there was some concern about the other nations in the isles. He was interupted by Leelah who was clearly confident in the military strength of the Amazons. But obviously, she wasn't the only one as the chamber erupted in cheers of "We will crush Arragoth". Only Larz and Xavior did not join in. Erkinwhine was so caught up in the excitement that he nearly fell out of his chair.
	When Amanda rose to give the Trade report, she had everyone's attention. It could have been because they
were all interested in what she had to say, or it could have been because the major light source was behind her. When she stood, the light made her gown become shear. Examining her magnificent annatemy, it was no wonder to Erkinwhine that she had recieved such good deals from Doctor Dirt. She announced that trade had actually begun last month, and an even larger deal was in the works for the current month. She expressed the San Emperor's concerns that his people were subsiding on cactus and fish, and suggested that perhaps some rationing could be done to add some of the many foods that Varossans take for granted.
	Before discussion could begin, there was a knock at the door, and Erkinwhine's presence was requested at the
castle. Erkinwhine thanked everyone for their participation and appologized for the interruption, but said he had to make another opening in his schedule to finish this meeting, and that in might be perhaps two or three weeks before he could fit it in. They would of course have to be able to clear their schedule when he found the time.
	Everyone gathered thier belongings and made their way out of the Town Hall.