You hastily send for an envoy to come.
Few days later, the caravans of salt and cloth from Xane-Peon conclude their business, and the Treasurer does the accounting.
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"Sire, I bring the report on our profits from trading in salt and cloth. They're barely average, the salt almost not paying for its price we've paid to the Xane-Peonian merchants. However, the money acquired still has filled our Treasury somewhat." You thank him for the report and hope that next year the trade will be more profitable.
402 AEC, Mid-Spring
Army messengers arrive day by day, bringing reports that this or that fort in the east fell to the Satoriassi, or that they've taken a hamlet, a village or a small town, pillaging and stealing as they go. The main body of their army is besieging Estera, a wealthy city and one of biggest walled settlements in the eastern Kastoria.
Nobody mentions any Satoriassi envoy on the way to your capital, though.
Few days later, catastrophic news arrive from the northwest of the Kingdom!
Populace of several cities and smaller settlements there has rebelled against your rule! Citing the displeasure they have with your governance, your incompetence and stubborness in dealing with this war, they've decided to back a local noble, Baron Eugo Saltazar. They've already hailed him a King, and in turn he promised to march to the capital and throw you off the Kastorian throne.
Reports indicate that his followers number at least five thousand, of which only about a tenth is properly equipped soldiers and warriors, probably coming from Saltazar's personal holdings. The rest is peasant rabble armed in clubs, hatchets, slings and bows.
The council gathers to discuss the situation. The Marshal stands up and salutes to you.
"My liege! Able-bodied soldiers in your service number about a thousand. Although our enemy is peasant rabble, we cannot expect to win with these numbers unless the Father and the Mother intervene to grant us victory." The Advisor stands up and, after glancing at some scrolls, he sighs.
"My liege, with current situation in the Kingdom, the best we can do is try to hire some mercenaries to help us deal with this mass uprising." Some courtiers, noting your diplomatic skills, propose that you should send a letter to Saltazar's underlings and officers, persuading them to switch sides and thus gain amnesty.
A) "Mercenaries will be procured and the Army will be sent to destroy the rebels. This is our only option!"
B) "We need to finish the war with Satorias and Maestrimar first, only then we can decide on this matter!"
C) "Our only option is to sow discord within Saltazar's camp. I shall send a secret letter to his subordinates!"