Elder Isles 2: The Green Pearl by Jack Vance

Lutez was said to be a treasure-house of beautiful objects.
    Langlark, plump, florid, and modest, used a tactic of half-rueful, half-perplexed self-deprecation which by some devious means made the arguments of others seem foolish and overheated. Often he pointed out simplicities which everyone else had overlooked, and Pirmence took great care not to run afoul of Langlark, who was perhaps the single minister more subtle than himself.
    Witherwood, neat and precise, attacked views which he considered illogical with vicious fervor regardless of person; Aillas had often felt the sting of his criticism, and Maloof despised him utterly. Foirry spoke little and listened to others with an air of sardonic amusement, but when aroused he could be almost as acerbic as Witherwood.
    During the venison course, the conversation veered toward the South Ulfland involvement, and few optimistic opinions were heard.
    Upon the death of South Ulfland’s King Oriante, the crown devolved by a tortuous line of descent to King Aillas of Troicinet. King Casmir was taken by surprise: while he paced fuming back and forth in the Green Parlour at Haidion. Troice ships brought an expeditionary force to the jetties of Old Ys. This force reduced the terrible castle Tintzin Fyral, garrisoned the fort Kaul Bocach and so guarded South Ulfland from the ambitions of King Casmir.
    Maloof spoke in measured detachment: “It is an uncomfortable land, all rocks and moors, with here and there a bog, or a ruined hut. It may at some time yield a bare sustenance to its folk, but only if they till their soil with the same zeal they use toward killing each other. The Ulfs are a brutal people!”
    “A moment!” cried Glyneth, speaking for the first time. “I was born at Throckshaw, in North Ulfland, and my parents were by no means brutal. They were kind and good and brave, and they were killed by the Ska!”
    Maloof blinked in embarrassment. “My apologies! I overspoke, of course! I should have said that the South Ulfish barons are a warlike folk, and that prosperity will come only with a cessation of their feuds and raids.”
    Sion-Tansifer gave a disparaging grunt. “This on the day gold coins fall from the sky in the place of hail. The Ulfs cherish vendettas as a dog his fleas.”
    Pirmence said: “Ten years ago I had occasion to visit Ys. I then traveled the overland road to Oaldes. I saw very few folk: herdsmen and crofters, and fishermen along the shore. The land is windy, open and generally empty, and here is its single advantage: it will provide holdings for all our younger sons, if King Aillas so dispenses.”
    “The country is empty for good reason,” stated Foirry. “If the mountain barons released all those immured in their dungeons or stretched out on their racks, the land might even be over-populated.”
    The literal-minded Maloof raised his eyebrows in consternation. “Why have we ventured into this unhappy land? We waste toil, blood and gold on warlike sorties! The Ulfs are nothing to us!”
    “I am their king,” said Aillas in a mild and reasonable voice. “They are my subjects. I owe them justice and security.”
    “Bah!” snapped Witherwood. “The argument fails. Suppose suddenly you were acclaimed King of Cathay; must we then send a flotilla of ships and regiments of Troice soldiers to guard their security and see to their justice?”
    Aillas laughed. “Cathay is far away, South Ulfland is near at hand.”
    “Nevertheless,” said Maloof stubbornly, “I feel that the proper use of your revenues is here, among your own people!”
    Sion-Tansifer issued a surly pronouncement: “I confess that I am not happy with this expedition. The rogue barons guard their glens like wolves and eagles! If we killed them all, as many more would hop from the gorse to take their places, and all would be as before.”
    Langlark looked across the table with brows knitted, in his customary expression of perplexity. “Do you suggest that we abandon this wide