“A spy caste? That is a complex question with a simple answer. In a kingdom such as this, a spy caste is not only important- it’s absolutely essential. Trouble brews on the horizon of both of our kingdoms, trouble that threatens our very way of life. We know for a fact that we can count the kingdom of Sylva among our enemies; and as their relationship grows with Loess, can we expect the same from Arthas? What of the other leaders? Certainly, they may say that they are our allies, but there are so many unknown variables in such a system. Unknown variables that a kingdom such as this, successful and blossoming, cannot afford to ignore. Even the best of warriors may lose a battle if the opposing side possesses the element of surprise. That is where the spies come into play. Spies eliminate such variables, delving into the very nature of a foreign territory. Good spies are particularly talented at extracting secrets from their targets, leaving no trace behind. A spy caste allows us to incubate such talents in individuals, to train them in the art of cloak-and-dagger, and to release them into a world unsuspecting. Such information gathered can make the difference between kingdoms which we speak of in historical accounts, and those which still prevail today.”
“This is not the first time that I have seen the workings of a hierarchy. Nor the first that I have played along in this game of politics that organized kingdoms do love to engage in. I understand that there could be a measure of political risk involved with sponsored espionage. I would be remiss, however, to forget the tale of how a spy saved my life.”
“Long ago and far from here, in a world where a girl could be…” here the spotted mare paused, for the first time breaking her intense gaze and looking off over the waves, as if they could deliver her from whatever troubled her. After a moment, she took a deep breath, looking back to her debate partner with passion renewed. “In a place where terrible things could happen to fillies, there was one whose actions rescued me and several others from a terrible fate. Such was the nature of the place of my birth; the residents were calloused and wicked, and passed that cruelty on to the children of the kingdom, believing it would strengthen them.”
“He was from a kingdom known for their good deeds, but he disguised himself in order to freely enter the house of my birth. A spy, in other words. He was quite charismatic and did nothing more than gain the trust of the locals, slipping unnoticed into places he didn’t belong. He took back to his homeland a world of new information, from geography to hierarchy to overheard plotting. When his work was complete, he was betrayed, and his true identity revealed. He was met with scorn from both kingdoms: those from my own former home for betraying their trust, and those from his own kingdom for jeopardizing relations between the two kingdoms.”
“The argument made by those of his homeland was irrelevant, however. Relations between the two kingdoms were tenuous at the best of times, and the intelligence delivered to his king was of great benefit to those people. Due to the spy’s actions alone, an ambush against his homeland was prevented, and many children were freed from the atrocities of that terrible place. Still, his people wished for a scapegoat to blame for the troubles of the day, and even when the lords of his kingdom recognized his contributions, he was shunned. Should there have been a spy caste at the time, perhaps he would have been prevented from this terrible time of excommunication. He would have been far better equipped to keep his infiltration a secret shared only between himself and his leaders. He would not have achieved fame nor glory, for those would have betrayed his secrets; but such is the life of a spy, traversing the shadows and the storms, only to know that their actions have saved others.”
“To me, that spy will always be a hero, both on a personal level and as a hero of the kingdom that saved me. Without his actions, I would have been left to face a cruel fate and a terrible way of life. If an official spy caste had existed, and his actions better understood, I think that many more would have recognized his true worth and contributions to his homeland. Having an official caste will also attract others to those positions, particularly those who do not fit well into the existing castes. Allow me to serve as an example in that scenario: I possess neither the silver tongue of a diplomat, nor the fires of war that burn in the heart of a warrior. Yet I have learned certain skills from the darkest times of my upbringing, skills which may benefit the land I pledge loyalty to. In social scenarios, I can become nameless, disappearing into the background of a kingdom like so many insignificant faces. I can vanish among the shadows, becoming nothing, no-one, nowhere. I suspect that I am not the only one with such talents. With a spy caste in place, I can hone such skills, and benefit my home in a way that I am best suited.”
“Thus, creating an official spy caste is a move that not only benefits the kingdom as a whole, but also directly benefits her occupants. It could yield valuable information from our enemies as well as our supposed allies, and allow individuals who do not easily fall into existing castes to contribute. As such, I believe I’ve made it quite clear why I am in favor of a spy caste, and why I believe that you should be as well.”