Prince Louis enters the chamber followed by four strapping young men carrying chests. They deposit them on the Council floor. With a grand gesture Louis begins to speak,

This, gentlemen, is a Sultan's ransom.

The Prince smiles broadly at the men, and tips a wink in the Duke de Champagne's direction.

Despite the Seneschal's refusal to live up to his end of our bargain and despite his further refusal to see an invasion of infidels as a threat I and my men have dispatched the foreign army in defense of France. The enemy's people, being a forgiving lot I suppose, have agreed to paid over fourteen thousand florins for his release. Obviously I've already negotiated the exchange.

A look of frustration and anger comes over Louis' face as he continues to speak,

This is my pledge. This is my bond. No matter how I am treated I love my country, love fighting for my country, more than anything else. Demean my House, mock my habits, and disguise your ambition to take my conquests for yourselves and it matters not, I will always serve the kingdom of the Franks to the fullest extent of my abilities.

Christophe de Perrone. Raynaud de Xaintrailles. Yvon Lacaze. Gontran de Linars... and now Gaetan de Rethel. These men are heroes of House Aquitaine. You may not care for our methods or the size of our lands, but you cannot question our results. We enrich, enlarge, and ward this nation. Someone made some claim or the other about the wealth of Frankfurt in requesting reinforcements. I match that claim now, with the wealth House Aquitaine brings to France. Reinforce us in kind, build for us in kind, or meet God's justice in the hereafter.

In particular Gaetan de Rethel is in need of mercenaries to reinforce his siege of Pamplona. We can afford them.

Secondarily there should be training and construction at Toulouse, also with an eye to completing the siege of Pamplona.

Thirdly, in my humble opinion, we might consider if some of this money should be set aside to fund the Moorish crusade which must surely someday come. I leave to the discretion of this body the method.

I vow this as well, should the Moors come again we will meet them once more. As God is my witness, no infidels shall invade France and cross her freely so long as I live.

With a self satisfied smile Louis plops into his seat.