Revolutions

120 - Sanqo

From where Siunqi sat at the head of the long, ornate driftwood table, the voices blended seamlessly with the sound of the tides. It was another interminable meeting, another day of listening to the Tapeu emissaries carry on about terms for new trade routes. The Sanqo were being called upon to secure them, and the leaders of the island faction's houses were throwing tantrums about what was being asked of them.

But none of this mattered to Siunqi while his daughter remained missing.

The Sanqo ruler began to lose track of how many moon cycles Walumaq had been away, vanishing from view as his ships set off to return to Haqiliqa. What has it been now? Two? Three? Only Iaqa knows. With no word yet from Atoyaqtli, all he could do was sit and wait.

Siunqi hated to sit and wait.

His fingers absently traced the smooth contours of a polished coral pendant hanging from his neck, a gift from Walumaq when she was a child. He fondly remembers the day she had found the coral on the beach. How her stunning blue eyes—their brilliant hue that seemed to hold the endless depths of the ocean, so unlike anyone else's he's ever met—lit up as she marveled at its intricate patterns and vibrant hues of deep reds and oranges, shaped by the relentless sea. How she had treasured it, turning it over in her hands to admire its otherworldly beauty, and the way it seemed to glow in the sunlight. He had it crafted into a pendant, as a token to keep her close even when he was far away.

"...security for the trade routes must be ensured," one of the Tapeu emissaries insisted, their words snapping with impatience as they gripped the edge of the table. "We need assurance that our goods will reach Qiapu safely."

"But the compensation you offer is insufficient," retorted one of the Sanqo leaders. "We demand a significant share of Qiapu's weapon production. Our own armaments are outdated. Without proper defenses, how do you expect us to protect your goods? For the scale of protections we're providing, this is the only adequate payment."

"Great Siunqi," a voice called, jarring him back to the present. He forced himself to refocus. "What say you?"

"Yes, what is your ruling? Because we will be left with nothing if—"

"We are taking ships away from our own protection to secure your trade routes," another Sanqo leader interrupted. "It's only fair that we are adequately compensated for—"

"And now you want to weaken us further by taking our weapons?" a Tapeu emissary quickly countered. "This is unreasonable! We cannot afford to leave ourselves defenseless just to appease your demands."

Siunqi raised a hand, signaling for silence. He took a moment to collect his thoughts, the pendant cool against his skin. "Both sides present valid concerns," he began, his voice calm and measured. "The Tapeu need secure trade routes to maintain stability. The Sanqo must foster trust with Achutli, but also require better armaments to ensure our protection and capability."

He paused, allowing his words to settle. The men around the table waited to see what he would say next. After a long moment, the separate parties muttered within their group, wondering where this was going.

As the murmuring started to pick up in volume, he spoke again, raising his voice over the din of discussion and debate. "I propose a compromise. The Sanqo will provide the necessary security for the Tapeu trade routes, using a smaller portion of Qiapu's weapon production, sufficient to upgrade our defenses without straining Qiapu's resources. The remaining majority of the weapons will continue to go to the Tapeu. Additionally, Qiapu can supply the Sanqo with a reasonable amount of their mining resources at a reduced rate, which will help compensate for the costs of this protection for their goods. I believe this arrangement benefits all factions and fosters goodwill."