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Chapter 7
Floods and Famine
Franklin, the editor of The Lancastrian, has heard the news too. She knows everyone and she knows everything. And she’s trusted to keep sensitive information to herself, which she does with astonishing integrity. The rumour of an incursion is almost certainly true, so interrupting her normal Friday routine, she makes a beeline to see the ElderWolf at the Chamber.
Franklin is one of the lay members of the government. Her broad knowledge of the people of Wolfland, its history and its relationship with neighbouring territories, makes her an invaluable contributor. When she was a junior reporter she travelled widely, speaks English and Welsh well, and also a fair amount of Irish and Manx.
She’s just the sort of candidate who might be the ideal head of the diplomatic service.
Not that there is a diplomatic service!
No modern territories are big enough to merit having what used to be known as “The Diplomatic Service”. In any case, these days governments don’t have enough money to support a network of embassies across their neighbouring territories. Life in the twenty fifth century is tough, and it might be just about to become tougher.
The ElderWolf leads the government. She was selected by a conclave of luminaries, and in the old days she would have been called a “prime minister”. Periodically the luminaries select all of the ministers in Wolfland’s exceedingly small chamber. Five in total.
- The Chancellor (Minister of Finance);
- The Justice (Minister of Justice);
- The Provost (Minister of Education);
- The Professor (Minister of Health); and
- The Engineer (Minister of the Interior).
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