"So, Your Majesty, it is clear that the Khaganate and the Indralans are planning some kind of action against Zardugal, possibly in the next few years" the Princess-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yukio-Labsburg Yuno - read off a hand held tablet which she flicked at from time to time with a nimble finger.
"Whatever it is, we should make it clear we want in" chimed in Beatrix, the Princess-Minister of Defence "we are elevating more and more families to Great House status. A foreign war will be a test of their loyalty. Besides, we can't be sure of our militaries real quality without practice in the field. The Crownlands barely went to war in the last few centuries. Soldiers hardly knew what their own field gear looked like because they spent their whole lives in ceremonial parade uniform, so actual officer experience is basically nil underneath all the fancy theory and equipment."
"We've spent enough time building up" the Empress mused, tapping her ceremonial sword "but what would we specifically have to gain, experience aside? We shouldn't offer unconditional support, we should suggest we might be interested - make them ask us to join in return for something, not just blunder into the Khagan's embassy and offer our swords out of the blue. That would be vassal-like behaviour. So, what would we expect to gain?"
"Support for our claim on Sekowo, a permanent military alliance with the Khaganate and Indralan in return for our aid" Yuno instantly jumped in, most of the cabinet knew this was the agenda, these meetings were only 10% discussion, the other 90% was a test to see who was learning the best.
"In other words, we go to war with Zardugal some time in the near - maybe they go to war with Sekowo some time in the far future, when we are ready" the Empress nodded, satisfied with the answer, she gave a small smile "time is relative. We do everything a little bit at a time so we get everything done eventually, that is the Arisocratic way of politics. Gradual, over generations, we don't have term limits. Maybe we will be ready to take the throne of Sekowo is ten years, maybe in ten centuries, but until then we build relationships bit by bit till we are ready to sit on that throne our ancestors sat on. We already sit on the throne of our former enemies. That's foresight, that is what a dynastic system is about. The Jelbics and the Indralans understand that too, that's why we're offering support to them and not the fifthly Zards. Of course, try and keep the Zards out of the loop for as long as possible, they are probably already weary of us. Let's make no open moves, no big treaties. Just send out feelers, make our mood know to our friends but not to our enemies."
"What about the logistics?" asked Jo, the Prince-Minister of Finance "our military is expensive enough as it is, moving it off continent while maintaining homeland security will cost a fortune. We might only be able to make a minor contribution, hardly anything that would impress our allies."
"Ja, a good point" the Empress seemingly conceded the point, but pointed a finger at Jo in a manner indicating a incoming lecture "but one which applies to Indrala too, and one which we are trying to remedy. Beatrix mentioned the new Great Houses, well, there is a reason why we are creating them. We will not exclusively pay for this war, in the manner of a modern democratic nation-state, but will expect our vassals to contribute their own assets to ours. That's why we have made sure to appoint Imperial Monopolists in all industries relevant to war production, supplies, logistics and such. It why we allow private armies. It why we've given all the Northern costal towns to that fat man, the Baron. I've made it clear to his fat brain that he can have all the profits he wants only if every warship in those docks is updated to the best of modern technology and in perfect ship-shape condition. This is why we need a aristocracy, to delegate to."
She raised a glass in mock toast, "to war, the health of the state!"
