Buying Altria?
Morgan, now in a relaxed state with Lott, was feeling quite content. She had orchestrated the situation masterfully, and now she wanted to enjoy a meal without pretence. She had refrained from eating in front of Altria, partly to maintain her queenly image and partly to avoid any negative gossip about the queen being a "rice bucket" due to the food shortages in Britain.
"Forget about that old liar for now," Morgan said, looking at Lott. "I'm a bit hungry after all the fuss today."
She had been very hungry earlier, but her queenly status had prevented her from eating freely. With Lott now beside her, she could indulge in the exquisite food prepared for them. The chef had outdone himself with a selection of fine dishes, and Morgan and Lott enjoyed their meal together.
Lott observed Morgan with affection as she expertly used her chopsticks to pick up some fried greens and mix them with pasta. He ate his bread, though he missed the taste of rice, which was hard to find in Britain.
"Rice? What kind of food is that? Does Segouzi like it?" Morgan asked, noting Lott's wistful expression. She made a mental note to look into finding some rice for him.
As they ate, Morgan shifted the conversation back to the nobles. "Lott, you don't know how horrified the nobles looked today," she said with a smile. "I had Altria draw the sword from the stone, and now they all believe it was my influence that made it happen."
Lott chuckled, "So, are we just eating now?"
Morgan shot him a playful look. "No, I meant the nobles are terrified. They're probably scared out of their wits right now."
Lott agreed, "If the nobles were united, it would be impossible to deal with them all at once. But we can certainly use their internal divisions to our advantage."
Morgan nodded, impressed by Lott's insight. "Exactly. We'll let the nobles fight among themselves. They have different interests, and their weaknesses are greater than those of the capitalists. We'll use their discord to our benefit."
Lott continued, "Unite some factions and then let them battle the others. Feudal aristocrats are more driven by immediate interests than by long-term goals."
Morgan took note of Lott's strategy, even though she didn't fully grasp all the details. She understood that the nobles were unreliable and that strengthening their power was crucial.
She then walked over to Lott and started massaging his shoulders, a gesture of affection and support. "You'll be busy next. Let's get you energized."
Lott enjoyed the massage but was also determined not to be overworked. My role isn't just to work endlessly, he thought. I need to focus on strategic actions.
Morgan was aware of Lott's desire to avoid excessive work and decided to keep him motivated. She leaned into his arms after the massage, wanting to ensure he was both relaxed and driven.
While Morgan and Lott enjoyed their meal, the situation among the Camelot nobles was tense. Many nobles were now anxious and uncertain about their future. They felt intimidated by Morgan's manoeuvring and feared her growing power.
Some nobles were already considering surrendering to Morgan, realizing that resisting her might be futile. Others were determined not to give up their power and sought alternative strategies.
A few nobles, unwilling to concede, began plotting. They decided to approach Altria, the knight who had drawn the sword from the stone. They planned to persuade Altria to claim that she had drawn the sword by her power, not under Morgan's influence. If successful, this claim could potentially shift support away from Morgan and towards Altria.
They reasoned that if Altria publicly contested Morgan's claim, it might weaken Morgan's position and give them a chance to regain control. By making Altria the focal point of their resistance, they hoped to rally support from those who were dissatisfied with Morgan's rise.