[center][h2][b][i][color=00aeef]Qar[/color][/i][/b][/h2][/center]

It was beginning to all make sense.  Qar could see the source of the young Pharaoh's resentment, his distrust of the trappings of power and his reluctance to become Pharaoh.  Their fight out in the city and his freeing of the slaves had obviously ignited his ambition again, reminded him of a purpose most dear to him and, now that he was here to take the throne there would be no stopping him until that goal was achieved.  As the Priestess said, the Viziers were there to advise him and make the Pharaoh's wishes come true, regardless of their personal opinions.  As Zamonth, until now quiet and removed from their discussions, spoke Qar could begin to see a uniting purpose in the council.

Aperel would be against such revolutionary talk but Qar had long since assumed the man to be against any kind of reform and suspected him of being some kind of spy anyway.  He, himself, and the Priestess both saw benefits to the current status quo but for Qar it was not the practice itself but the order it had brought.  For as long as he could remember, and many generations before him could remember, slavery had always been in existence in the Kingdom and it was just an accepted fact.  Those who were not a slave were grateful to not be, those who owned slaves became rich because of it and the slaves were too weak to do anything about it.  Just freeing all the slaves in the kingdom would turn order on its head and chaos would reign by the end of which the Pharaoh would probably be dead and his kingdom in ruins, split piecemeal between opportunist neighbours.  If they were to press on with Amen's wishes then it would take careful planning and enacted in phases with sufficient support to maintain order with some kind of transitional period in place and now, when they were weakest, would be a bad time to announce it.

Finally, the other Viziers had said their bit and Qar sought to brought them back to the task at hand.

[color=00aeef]"I think we're all agreed that, whatever our own personal opinions the Pharaoh's wishes are ours to make reality.  For me, the reality is difficult to imagine but perhaps that is merely the effect of centuries of this status quo.  Whatever we do, it must be from a position of strength and gradual.  If the Pharaoh, and thus this council, fall before the task is completed then whoever takes control will most likely reinstate the status quo and it will all have been for nought."[/color]  He turned to Zamonth and nodded in respect to the huge man.  [color=00aeef]"As Zamonth has said, it would not be best to announce this policy right now.  It would create too many enemies and our purpose in crafting this speech is to make the Pharaoh's position stable, first and foremost.  Once that is done we can begin to find allies who would support the Pharaoh in this, especially amongst leaders in the military."[/color]  He glanced at Satiah, wondering how well connected she was amongst its leaders.  Her control over their armies would be crucial if there were ever a challenge to Amen's authority.

[color=00aeef]"It would be wise, as Zamonth has said, to make overtures towards the Free Cities Alliance in the Pharaoh's speech.  Not to announce our intentions but we can use their experience in abolishing slavery to forge a safe path to that eventuality.  We could invite their leaders here under the guise of talks regarding trade; I'm sure the nobility and merchant classes will be pleased with the potential for increased trade regardless of where it comes from.  I have some thoughts with how that may tie into our first steps but that is for another time.  First we must craft this speech.  Vizier Aperel,"[/color] Qar carefully addressed the old man using his title, [color=00aeef]"if you could begin.  We have little time and the Pharaoh must be able to deliver this speech confidently or else the words themselves will have no meaning and that means practice.  I believe we should lead with addressing the concerns of the nobility, as Priestess Nebet and yourself have both made clear they are the greatest threat to the Pharaoh's authority.  The less astute will cease to pay attention when the Pharaoh moves onto the matters of the people, giving us greater room to manoeuvre in that regard.  I believe Satiah, Zamonth and the Pharaoh himself are best situated to craft that part of the speech."[/color]

He looked around the room, seeing the divisions in the group.  They were an odd assortment, himself included, to be gathered in one place.  With Amen's vision perhaps they could finally work together, whether in respect to his position and authority or through devotion to his cause?  Qar was determined to make it all work, even if it meant his role was merely that of peacekeeper.

[color=00aeef]"It would be best to keep the speech short, we have little time for eloquent prose and the Pharaoh has even less time to commit the speech to memory."[/color]

With little else to say, he sat down and hoped, prayed, that they would have enough time to write a worthy speech.