Her hat's in the ring.

[channe]

In the evening, Agnieszka Kaczmarek, dressed to the nines in the best she has -- that long, lined winter coat, her cleanest farm linens, the rapier, boots she's shined enough to reflect the moon -- enters the government offices, and puts down a number of letters. They are addressed to Cinnabar, the governor; the court clerk; and copies to be circulated to the other Councilors.

The letter is written thusly, composed in an uneven, misspelled script. Those familiar with her work would know just how much time she's spent on this. Days, probably:

Ser counsilors,

We were prumised a genrul election when the good Ser Guvurnor Calomell started up continyuing frum Alteas Broms promise. So I am declaring myself a candidate for Counsilor of Defens, if you want to appoynt me or in the election.

I am a landownur I own land on the lowur block of Sawyur Street, you can check with the clerk. I bowt it from Guddy Shermun's son when she died three days ago. I surved withe the Brutherhud of Janayro for two yeers and was a speshul strateegic counselur to Marshal Karolinjer and I know yu dont like him one bit but yu have to admit he knows his shit. I know my shit too. I also was gud at trayning soldyurs. I lived in Myrken my whole lyfe and I know all about its defenses and weak placus and strong placus and whut it takes to defend the cuntry. You wil not find aneyone who knows any of this betur than me -- no men. The rest are all dead or left Myrken. There is me and I am a gud choys. The best you got.

Yu would be dumb to not have me as a Counsilor.

With all rispect,
Miss Agnieszka Kaczmarek
landowner on Sawyur Street

She makes it clear that she expects a response posthaste.

[Glenn]

"Uh...huh." Glenn had been provided the note to peruse as he sat across from Cinnabar in the Governor's office. So, THAT was what she had been so excited about. At least Rhaena wouldn't find herself betraying Agnie's trust to Glenn again, and Glenn wouldn't warn off Agnie either, not given the truce they currently have. She was on her own. If she wanted to shake the boat, that was fine, but really, she was just barely keeping herself above water as it was.

Still, there was something of a bewildered smile on his face. "Well, I'd take her over Aldred. At least she'd get stuff done." Who knows? A suicidal assault against channelers sitting on the other side of the boarder might be fun... for someone, at least. "I'm going to guess that no, we're not going to be having general elections though." It did not seem to match up well with Cinnabar's ideas to restructure the Council. "Can a woman even legally be a Councilor? Not that Agony's exactly a woman, mind you." He should know that. He knew that they couldn't vote, at least. Another one of Bromn's promises that never went anywhere, just like that election.

[Cinnabar]

"I'm not really sure how seriously to take this. You think she really means to seek a position on the Council?" Slender fingers lace around his teacup as he takes a thoughtful sip, grey eyes on that appallingly-spelled letter. As if he didn't have enough to worry about.

"The general election was Bromn's promise, not mine. Given that Bromn got his feckless behind into the Governor's office again on a tide of public support, I hold little faith in the ability of Myrken's citizens to select their own leaders. A popularity contest won by whoever might make the most grandiose promises to win over the populace is not what Myrken needs right now." A firm shake of his head as he sets down the teacup, fingers warming around the hot earthenware.

"I'm not aware of any reason why there can't be a woman Councillor, so to be honest I'd say that's not really a consideration. That aside... to consider the positives, she's enthusiastic, yes. She's sharp, for all that her education has been sorely deficient. She's got military experience, though not as a commander or even an officer - there are veterans of Straka and the Militia who have her well outstripped in that regard. She's determined, and speaks her mind. Her experience of training Brotherhood recruits could be counted as a point in her favour, though more experience would always be useful." A slow breath inhaled, released as a sigh.

"I'm just not convinced she's the right person for the post. She's young - extremely young - and her limited experience in the military counts against her in that. Her tenure as "special strategic counselor" to Karolinger is a joke in exceedingly poor taste, given that they were sleeping together at the time, and her claim of being a landowner is risible at best." And if it turns out to be acceptable then Calomel's out of pocket to the value of one large farm, plus three dozen formerly-indentured workers. Which would be irritating.

"Separate from the question of her qualification for the role is the matter of whether she'd be able to work alongside the rest of the Council. She's got an ingrained distrust of authority, particularly noble authority, which combined with her quickness to anger is a disaster waiting to happen. Can you imagine her in Council meetings with Guillaume and Treadwell and Goldenhair and all? She'd end up calling them all useless shitheads and challenging them to a duel or some such. Not that I'm against the idea of such, but there's a time and a place." A grimace at that, an image that would be amusing but for the fact that it's also frighteningly plausible.

"So, she'd inevitably end up offending or insulting the other Councillors, who would then proceed to give her a swift and brutal schooling in politics. Her association with Karolinger would work against her there, since he's currently on the run for the murder of a Constable. And that's not even considering her own involvement in the death of Jan Baker, and if she draws the Council's ire then there's no way I can protect her from the repercussions of that. There'll be too much attention on her, too much pressure, and she'll hang for it." There is an implication here, an unspoken assumption that it's Cinnabar's desire that she not hang for Jan Baker's murder, and that's perhaps... interesting. He shrugs, in any case, and takes another sip of tea before looking back to Glenn.

"I don't think she's suited to a position on the Council. That's not to say that she might not be able to manage some other position of responsibility, of course. Something not quite so prominent, perhaps. Just to give her a chance to demonstrate that she, uh, knows her shit."

[Glenn]

"Mainly, I think she means to cause trouble." For what it was worth, Glenn seemed amused. The call for general elections could be a bit problematic for them if Agnie shouted her mouth off about it. The timing was especially bad considering Cinnabar's desire to restructure the Council. It could, of course, go bad for the girl if she upset the wrong people. All it took was Ignas getting word of this and mouthing off a bit too much, for instance. Glenn knew that as well as Cinnabar. Still, past the risks, it was a damn amusing piece of michief. "She seemed really excited about it, though, so who knows."

"She's young? You're not exactly one to talk, Cinnabar. Of course, you are the oldest young man that I've ever met." Glenn meant that in a good way, for the most part. There were slips every now and again when you could see Calomel's youth, but the weight upon his shoulders did not allow such lapses much.

A wave of his hand to dismiss that notion. "Seriously, though, I doubt much will come of it. Though the notion of public service is probably a good thing for her, given the recent circumstances." And then Glenn smiled a bit michievously himself. "You could always suggest that she becomes your bodyguard. You're the first Governor in recent history not to have one, you know." A slight pause as he looked at Cinnabar. Oh hell, don't take that suggestion seriously, Calomel. Agnie would likely try to cut off Burnie's tongue for just mentioning it... or something else.

[Cinnabar]

"She got something of a talent for trouble, it seems. And why the blazes she's causing trouble now I don't know. Does she think I'm short of it?" He wrinkles his nose at that, and takes another sip of tea. Not hugely impressed with this stunt at all.

"Or the youngest old man. I'm not sure which way it goes. Either way, it's nonsense like this that'll make me old before my years. She's already on thin ice over the Baker business, and now she goes drawing all sorts of attention to herself like this. I have to wonder if she's testing how far I'll go to keep her alive." And that wouldn't be a new thing for Agnieszka, either, pushing boundaries and testing limits to breaking-point. This new idea, though... hm.

"Previous Governors have been foppish wastrels and corpulent windbags, for the most part. They probably needed them." An unspoken exception for Coriolanus Helstone, there, who'd been a man of letters above all else, and who'd tried his best. "Still, it might serve to keep her out of trouble. Or at least, keep her where I can keep an eye on her." Well, now. There could be merit in the suggestion, perhaps. Well done, Glenn. Well done.

[Glenn]

"You know, I still haven't really met Helstone. I ought to send him another letter." He had been very polite and informative with the first. It had been quite useful in shaping his opinions of certain matters, actually. "He is..." Wait, what had Cinnabar just said at the end there? Glenn actually paled a little bit. They had a truce going on right now. This could be bad.

He actually wanted... He was kidding, wasn't he? Cinnabar did occasionally joke, and at such times, he was very good at keeping a straight face, but... damn it, there was some merit in the idea. That was why he had suggested it, more or less, to Agnie, in the first place. "Just.. don't let her know I suggested it or else she's liable to run for Governor next, just to spite us both."

[Cinnabar]

"I think he might be visiting Myrken at the moment, actually; I spoke with his lady at the Dagger a short while ago, and she mentioned that that was the case. Perhaps make inquiries there, or leave a letter for him behind the bar or such. He's a personable enough chap." A nod at that, and then a slightly askance glance at the request not to tell Agnie where the idea came from.

"Well, failing that then perhaps some kind of officer's commission in the army could work. It'd probably be good for her to experience a taste of military life when she's not in bed with her commander. It'd give her the opportunity to sink or swim on her own merits, in any case. We'll see what happens." Hopefully she'll get distracted by some other interest, rather than pursuing this ill-advised foray into politics. Because it's all very well to aim high, but one does need to be realistic about such things.