Anne is too young to be playing with hexes. She's a smart kid, we can leave the option open for when she's closer to twelve or thirteen. (By my reckoning we started those classes about age nine, and then it is stated as "years" before we actually got to cast them.)
De'Villes can keep their jobs – but send a letter or have a meeting expressing how much this is using up our favor for Burt's support of our reign and wedding.With all this in mind, the Bleachedkin of New Mahallo have decided that it would be beneficial to us if your reign were to be long and stable."
Atleast they actually want to support us though even if its just for their own self interests
Yeah this was not quite the cleanup I was hoping for. I suspect we'll have to take their offer simply because we're in too deep with them to gracefully follow any other plan.
I disagree that we're in too deep. At the moment, we are exactly as deep as we were before the purge. It is true that we can take little direct action against them, yet if we were told the truth about our curse then they cannot threaten us or our circle in the same way that the non-vampire criminals just attempted.
One thing is that our current deal has an expiration upon our death, and is only useful where we have control in the land: the vampires indeed want our reign to be long and stable regardless. I'm not surprised that they would take an opportunity to strike a new deal that would likely entangle any successor as well. The money is tempting, but it also commits us to being as much a crime
boss mook as a king. We ought to just sign up for being a vampire if we go that route, and we won't likely end up at the head of the local organization.
Decline the vampire offer. While we are not fans of Imperial intolerance, we have been attempting reconciliation with the Mahallo and the distinct possibility of Mahallo-dominant or Mahallo-Imperial fusion culture. Siding with vampires is a step in the opposite direction and certain to harden the resolve of the rebellious druid faction, our other chief worry. The vampires have played up the monetary benefit and tried to discount the political fallout.
Advise Anne to give her parents more time to accept Alan's recovery. Their current attitude is the result of many years of worrying, it is a sad truth that adults usually don't change their minds as quickly as children do. This is a thing that even the commands of a king can barely effect. If Alan is truly feeling better, then the physicians and parents will eventually believe the change in his behavior; Anne can aid Alan best by being an emotional support for her brother, an advocate on his behalf to her parents, and even a physical help when he has trouble with the chains.
Promise her that we have been receiving regular reports and if the situation doesn't improve in the coming season or so, we will have a stern talk with the physicians about his actual need for restraint.