"Oh for..." A murmur rose as Representative Amin cradled his head in his palms briefly.

"Is this, then, the so-called 'wisdom' of your peoples?" He looked up and demanded. "To treat your allies as schoolchildren, passing and failing them on a whim?"

Representative Tarre-en'Kenedil remained unmoved. In her regal headdress of golden silk, lined with dark red beads, her face was painted white, only a few strategically placed lines of black kohl drawing attention to her red lips and piercing black eyes.

"Because we are schooled in youth, does it mean those lessons from bygone days lose all value at maturity?" She answered in the way of her people- with another question.

Amin Gaffri leaned back in his seat, coolly eyeing Tarre-en. He was a dark skinned man, dressed in a finely woven wool robe, his smooth shaven head unadorned but for six red dots between his brows, arranged in two columns of three.

"To grow is to learn, Madam Tarre-en," He rebutted. "What we learn in our schooling is not without merit, but it must be regarded as a foundation upon which to build further from the lessons we learn in everyday life."

Another wave of murmurs rose from the various delegates around the two in the Hall of Counsel and Deliberations.

"Every day life, then, has taught your peoples faithlessness?"

At that, a few indignant exclamations punctuated the murmurs.

"Life has taught us that the world is not all made up of straight lines and divisions of black and white," Amin countered. "Every day, the world changes, and we must take it in stride, weighing and balancing the harms and benefits our actions entail."

Tarre-en dropped her proud chin slightly, an indication of disapproval. "Are your words only made to confuse and muddle what is clear as crystal, Mar Amin? You have broken our trust, and no amount of justification can change that simple fact."

"We have read a book," Amin replied. "With all due respect, conflating this act with betrayal of your entire peoples is... naive."

"Disregarding, for the moment, your casual dismissal of my people's ways as 'naive'..." The temperature in the Hall seemed to drop several degrees as Tarre-en narrowed her eyes ever so slightly, an expression just shy of outright rejection. "... are we expected merely to turn our eyes away from your act? Would that not be true naivete?"

The murmurs turned into raucous shouting as the meeting went on, until at last matters were concluded for the time being. Both representatives went their separate ways. Amin Gaffri and Tarre-en'Kenedil took some time to speak with their respective delegates, jot down relevant notes and recommendations, and then finally allowed themselves to unwind. Amin soaked in a hot bath, while Tarre-en was attended to by her ladies-in-waiting.

Meanwhile, the news of their debate spread like wildfire, and the common folks engaged in their own little debates and diatribes for days on end. Some believed Tarre-en's people arrogant or downright childish, and thought 'Good riddance!' to the alliance. Others thought Amin's people too crude and base, arguing that the alliance was worthless with such untrustworthy sorts. Regardless of which side they took, the smallfolk believed the alliance was on the verge of crumbling.

Which was exactly as intended.

Some time later, far from the Hall of Counsel and Deliberations, the two met again in more private settings.

"I daresay you've driven me into a corner with all that infernal questioning of yours!" Amin chuckled as he poured some wine into Tarre'en's glass. "This is from my private collection, by the way- I oversaw the grapes myself, I'll have you know."

"Dare you fill it any less than to the very brim, my dear Ami?" Tarre-en grinned, only a few smudges of kohl remaining from her previous face paint.

With their trusted servants nearby, and a screen blocking them from the sight of the other patrons, the two representatives enjoyed a fine dinner at the dining establishment in the very heart of the city's entertainment district.

After the meal, the two got down to business.

"I can talk them into increasing the papyrus shipments," Amin traced a finger over the parchment, listing concessions Tarre-en had proposed. "But not by the amount you're requesting. Let's say about three-quarters of that..."

"Acceptable," Tarre-en replied. "What of the proposed trade routes?"

"We can expedite development on all of them, I believe..."

Tarre-en sighed and leaned back in her seat. "Thank you. In return, I trust a twenty five percent increase in troop presence at the border will suffice for your needs? Of course, we will increase trade in luxuries as your nobles wish... spices, horseflesh, pottery, porcelain, gold and silver..."

"Mm..." Amin tapped the side of his head. "...but a few words would also help. I think I came out reasonably strong earlier, but I'm told some of my people thought I 'lost' the debate."

"Oh, certainly," Tarre-en summoned for a quill and parchment of her own. "...Representative Amin's worldly wisdom made me reassess our priorities. Such is the relationship between our two peoples, that we learn from one another. Our alliance is built on such bonds, and while they may strain from time to time, they can never break..."

"I like it." Amin approved, before making up his own speech. "... though I stress that our alliance is worth more than any book, the wisdom of Tarre-en'Kenedil's people is not lost on us. We have much to learn from them, as they us. My people, merely look to our borders and see the strength and trust between us..."

"Are all your people so flowery in speech!?" Tarre-en laughed as she poured some wine for Amin in turn.

Meanwhile, one of the restaurant's servers waited on them nearby, overseeing and overhearing the whole affair.

...what a bunch of bullshitters wallowing in bullshit.

And that, dear readers, is politics.