Devlin felt goosebumps up his entire body, then he sighed as he looked between the dukes, emperor, empress, and imperial children. "We should talk." Devlin sighed. A few minutes later they were all sitting around a table silently.
"Duke Darnings, what did Lord Reece do to you back there?" Leonard asked when no one started the conversation.
"I don't know, for a moment... I felt as if half of my face had been burned... then nothing. But I still feel like something is wrong." Jaxon admitted using his tongue to poke at his cheek hesitantly. After today's little spectacle... well if his soul had been burned it wouldn't even be a surprise.
"Perhaps we should inquire with Prince Zane and the others, they seem to understand such creatures better." Randal ventured with a trace of a sneer curving his lips.
"That might be a good idea... Adar has regular contact with their hippocampus Alaina. I understand she isn't a sin beast, but a beast of virtue so many ascending beings travel to Adar for a safer environment." Leonard agreed ignoring the sarcasm.
Charmaine looked at her cracked fan, the once beautiful pattern against the white satin had yellowed from the heat, "We need to find a way to keep him controlled. He just threatened the entire empire."
Charles patted her hand, "We will, clearly breaking the oaths would be bad for him, so at the very least it wouldn't be a decision he makes lightly."
"Summon them." Lucian ordered cutting Charmaine off. A few moments later Zane, Rommel, Jantje, and Lucera were all escorted in and given seats.
Aaron greeted the visiting royalty and nobles, "We were hoping to learn about Alaina and the others, to better understand Lord Reece." Aaron explained smiling.
Rommel snorted, "Not even offered a cup of tea, but demanding so much. Why am I still surprised?"
Lucian started the younger man down, "You have complaints about Us?"
Rommel wasn't cowed, "Clearly, I'm not the only one. If this is how you treat honored guests when you're asking for help... well no wonder the line is long."
Charmaine flushed, "Presumptuous!"
Rommel chortled, "Can you afford to make enemies of three nations right now? It would make sense... since your human sacrifice was used to anger the Fae, and Lord Reece."
All the Smyrnaean's paled, staring at the quartet in horror, "You were aware?" Charles croaked out.
Zane leaned forward, "Of course, Smyrna has been taking prisoners for almost 700 years. Do you think we're all blind?" Zane added in a snort. To his surprise... all the imperials looked... blindsided, "How have none of you been aware?"
Leonard stared mutely, none of them had an answer... this would also explain why no country had ever willingly surrendered. Almost every nation they had warred with had rather died fighting than be imprisoned or stepped foot in the empire. It would also explain why even after several overtures no nation had agreed to enter even an informal alliance with Smyrna.
Leonard closed his eyes, he had thought Smyrna's peace had been too short lived to have gained the trust of the other nations. Now his offers appeared to have been poisoned apples.
Jantje couldn't hide her disgust, "Have none of you ever wondered why the Lindorm faith is so reviled? Nor why there is a church in the center of every town, city, and even your capital?"
Lucera gave an overly pleasant smile, "Or why no priests visit without elite guards? Or why there isn't a homeless population in a nation that is always at war? Pray tell your Majesty, what happens to men crippled at war? Where are they?"
Zane leaned back, all their courage was bolstered with Young Song's blessings, temporary as it might be. "I thought you were disbanding the faith because... the empire finally saw the light and... well a new beast had arrived."
Rommel grinned, "To know the beast is here under duress... well helping you harm him? I think we have more sense than that."
Jaxon took a deep breath, "We just want basic information."
"Surely we can come to some kind of agreement." Charles added when the four remained silent.
"My throat is rather dry." Jantje informed with a pleasant smile.
"The road was rather long, and today I saw a horrific death the moment we stepped into the royal garden," Lucera reminded pretending to wipe teers away with a handkerchief.
"I think a nap is in order," Rommel added as he started to stand up.
Zane closed his eyes as he also stood up, "I do not appreciate the welcome we have received thus far. Perhaps when the reception meets even the most basic standard I might be inclined to visit again. Until then, I do believe a nap would do our delegations better."
Jaxon stared... none of the delegations had ever been so... dismissive.
Rommel sneered, "We've always maintained the peace, watching our citizens being sacrificed year after year has hardened even the softest of hearts. Knowing Smyrna doesn't have much longer... well it will be nice to share the news back home."
Zane turned to the still silent noble, "Duke Carlos, you are clearly the last bastion of reason in this country. I wish you luck."
Sebastian looked into Prince Zane's kind gaze, then nodded. In truth... he didn't have much hope. Sebastian watched the four youths leave... Smyrna had offended too many people. They had no allies to call upon in this dire hour.
Charmaine threw her fan down, "How dare they! Usually cowering like quails! Scurrying like bugs! Yet now they taunt us!" She screeched glaring around.
"Your Majesty! Please calm down!" Charles jumped up to keep Charmaine from kicking her chair. Her hair had already come loose. Her rage was... so unlike her... no, so much was being dumped her on all at once. Not to mention, his Majesty was only blaming them, ordering them to fix things, yet providing no assistance. Of course, his daughter was being overly sensitive.
"Have them imprisoned! They will give us the information!" Charmaine practically roared glaring at Lucian as she attempted to pull her arm from her father's grasp. By all that was holy, she would have her answers! One way or another!
"Lord Reece has promised them safety until they return home. I personally will not be testing his patience. Perhaps we should not alienate any other powers. If we start a war by imprisoning royals of three nations, we won't have time to root out any rebel forces." Sebastian reminded calmly. Empress Charmaine had always been spoiled, now that there was someone who could deny her... well, her usual grace had seemed to be as fleeting as the wind.
Charmaine would have slapped Sebastian if her father wasn't holding her arm, "You're clearly in leagues with him! What did he promise you?! Spare the duchy? Join his little barbarians and his Pride?"
Sebastian met the empress's eyes, "I am loyal to Smyrna. If the end comes for her, I will die with the empire." Sebastian wasn't angry or challenging... he was resigned. Even if Ashton had promised him safety from the rebels... they weren't the main threat.
The room was quiet as Sebastian looked at them placidly, then stood up. "Lord Carlos... her highness didn't mean it." Leonard tried to explain. The older man was clearly weary.
"I am aware the only reason the Carlos Duchy still stands is because I was too large an influence to remove during the purge. My values also put me at odds with many of the imperialist faction..." Sebastian added with a wry smile.
Leonard's stomached lurched, Sebastian almost sounded... defeated.
"If you have any orders your majesties... please send word. I believe the only resource left I have are these stubborn bones. Please excuse me." Sebastian admitted with a bow, then slowly walked out, the tapping of his cane the only sound.
Leonard stared after Sebastian with a sinking feeling, "Your majesties, perhaps we should take a few minutes to calm ourselves before we continue."
Lucian was gripping his armrest but nodded once. He watched coolly as Leonard quickly followed after Sebastian.
"Your Grace, please wait." Leonard called seeing Sebastian sitting down with Calix and Reinhart. Sebastian only looked up but didn't dismiss the other two. "A word please."
"Is there anything left to say Marquis? Continue your scheming, I will follow my orders but not participate in plotting. That will hopefully ensure only one head of the Carlos Duchy rolls." Sebastian informed nonchalantly.
Leonard balked, "You have so little faith in the empire your grace?"
Sebastian only sighed, "Lack of faith? No Marquis Silas. You underestimate our adversaries. Smyrna has been the leading power so long... we have only ever been a victor. This will be a humbling experience... for those who survive."
Reinhart rested his hand on his older brother's shoulder. "We will send word out to prepare for the worst," he promised not bothering to look at the Marquis. He'd never been particularly found of the man, but until recently he'd at least respected him.
Calix hesitated, "I will organize the others to go over all the clues we have about the rebels, we should still hope for the best."
Sebastian looked at both his brother, then grandson and nodded. "Go, I fear our time is running out."
Leonard watched the two leave, "We are not defeated so easily."
Sebastian continued to watch his family, "When Lord Devlin or his companions can fend off a single attack, I might believe you." Either his majesty's believers were aware of something that gave them hope... or they weren't seeing the same reality. Sebastian feared it was the latter.
Leonard gritted his teeth, "Those weren't human opponents, hardly a fair comparison."
Sebastian finally looked up, "Only the weak bawl about fairness Marquis Silas."
Leonard felt as if he'd been slapped, the empire almost only ever fought guaranteed battles with sheer overwhelming numbers... to have quality slap them so repeatedly... it had indeed been a humbling two days.
"Now, this stubborn fool wishes to spend some time with his family. Please return Marquis." Sebastian gave a brilliant smile as he started toward his brother, his children, his in-laws, and now his grandchildren. He had lived a good life.
Leonard was still pale when he returned conference room. Leonard looked to Devlin, "What are our chances if we receive a bombardment from even twenty of the Fae at the level of their crown prince?"
Devlin was taken aback by the abrupt question, then sighed. "If they restrict our mana... none. Just one fae at that level would decimate the capital." Devlin admitted looking around. It would take dumb luck to defeat that fae prince without mana or enchantments...
Lucian drummed his fingers, "Can we restrict their mana?"
Devlin gave a wry smile, "If we had time... we might be able to replicate their ward. But even if we could restrict all mana for both sides... their physical prowess is beyond our ability to cope with. Their prince didn't use mana to move that fast... he was that fast." Until today, he'd believed the nature of the cerulean trees were what restricted mana, or absorbed it so completely. Otherwise, the sap wouldn't isolate mana in a way they could use small enchantments. If it was even the sap...
Leonard closed his eyes taking a deep breath, "We should focus on the rebels, and maintaining our tentative peace with Lord Reece. At best we have a year and a half left of our contract. If he stays willingly after that is our best-case scenario."
"What if... we stole his heart?" Randal asked without looking up at anyone. While he'd never participated... many of the mercenaries that took shelter on his land tamed beasts. He recalled one tamer would link an enchantment to the beast's heart, even one submission would render the beast incapable of ever turning against the keeper of the enchantment. The unfortunate side effect was that the beast wasn't as strong, nor could they out-liv the owner of the enchantment.
Jaxon stared, "If you want to burn like those two today, don't drag us to the pier with you." Jaxon snarled.
"Is his heart something we can physically take? I know they said he gave Neolani his heart... but was it literal?" Charmaine asked calmly, if they could take possession of the heart... would he become loyal to the new holder? She'd once owned a tamed fire fox, a gift when she was a child. When... when had it gone missing? No, a memory flashed, the fox bursting into flame... ramming itself into a stone pillar... it had died...
It's common for beasts to go mad without reason, don't think of it.
The echoing voice from the memory jarred her enough to remember the problem at hand. They just needed Ashton to cooperate long enough to make the Fae retreat. If he could just see things from the empire's perspective... they were the victims!
Jaxon stared at his empress, "If anyone takes the heart... I'm pretty sure they would have to kill the current holder. Do you think anyone here is capable of killing Neolani, taking the heart, and forging a bond all before Ashton realizes?" Something... something was off with her Majesty... when had her attitude changed?
Leonard shook his head, "It is also clear Lord Reece doesn't need his heart... if he were to become a mindless beast here in the capital there might not be anything left. It's better to not even think of such options." Leonard quickly added before anyone could start making any real plans.
"Then we just get Neolani to want to stay. If his heart isn't something physical, get the people to stay." Charmaine continued thinking about the feasibility of having the tribe pledge allegiance to Smyrna. The children, Serafin could take that barbarian girl as a concubine. Surely that would be enough to gain Ashton's sway.
"We should focus on the rebels. If we find the rebels everything else can be negotiated in due time." Leonard explained suddenly feeling as if he had taken Sebastian's place. He had a feeling the calm settling behind her Majesty's eyes was only in proportion to the storm of thoughts she was concealing.
Jaxon glanced at Lucian, "I agree, we can't afford a war so close to the capital, not if Adar and their allies will use the opportunity to attack the boarders."
Lucian took a deep breath, his blood had been rushing on and off for the last two days, not to mention these conversations weren't helping his mood. "Fine, other than three mages to continue the ward to find that journal, everyone else is to focus on rooting out rebel forces. And ways to appease Ashton." Lucian tacked on remembering the flaming bird he'd seen earlier.
"Does our barter to ask about the rebels still stand?" Randal asked hesitantly. He shook himself of the thoughts that had been near compulsive... take a beasts heart? After what he'd seen today? How had the thought even crossed his mind... let alone left his lips. It was happening, again... Randal didn't give away his concern as he forced himself to focus on his thoughts.
Leonard sighed, "I doubt so, the Fae did ask Lord Reece to not assist. Fortunately... or unfortunately the Lindorm churches will be a good start on new leads... especially about the human sacrifice."
Jaxon nodded stiffly, "I've already sent a unit to bring all the priests in, and to have their mana bound. I would like to have the Crows assassin's guild looking into a few leads. I've already sent inquires to both the thief's guild, and black-market handler."
Leonard nodded, "I have sent word to the merchants guild but... they aren't cooperating much."
"My younger brother will be here tomorrow, he's already been instructed to try and get close to Lord Reece, or the other delegations to learn what he can about ascending beings. Though perhaps someone else might be better after today..." Jaxon added feeling his face again.