A Grand Design 52.

Winter. In And Around The City Of Oaklynn. The Kingdom Of Girdane.

Two days later, and representatives of the crown's army and the eastern dukes. Approach the city of Oaklynn under a flag of truce.
With them are a few of the dukes from the central region of the kingdom, and the western region. Like the dukes of Poldis, Isanor and Wostin. Who weren't involved in the war between the rebel dukes and the crown.
They've all stopped about a mile to the west of the city of Oaklynn, the capital of Girdane.
On what's a sunny, though chilly winter's morning, here in the duchy of Marsin.
Facing them on the road, are representatives of the rebel dukes who have taken the city of Oaklynn. Who have also taken a number of important individuals as prisoners. When the capital city fell to them at the start of the week.
"That's commander Kaim third from the end on the right" quietly says Helbe the elven thief as he sits upon a horse, next to one that Tamric Drubine the field commander is on.
"He knows basically nothing of what the regent was up to" adds the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel, who has just read the mind of the former mercenary, who is the commander of the regent's army.
"Just like his advisor sir Welsan?" quietly asks Tamric Drubine the field commander, referring to the regent of Oaklynn's advisor, who was taken prisoner when the city of Oaklynn fell to the rebel dukes, and the mercenary army from the lands Farque who they've hired.
The highly talented elven magic user nods his hooded head in reply to that, then the elven masterthief who happens to be the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel quietly says "Pretty much".
Then the elven master assassin who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque, and the nobleborn teenager who hails from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin fall silent.
And the two of them look over to their left, to where sir Passic, the older cousin of duke Hilloc of Dalmar is on a horse.
The young field commander in the armies of Farque nods to the nobleman from the western duchy of Dalmar.
Who nods in return, then he along with Tamric Drubine and Helbe the elven thief ride forward down the road.
While a trio of the enemy riders make their way forward from the others who are with them.
The two small groups stop just ten yards from each other. Where they look at one another. Before finally someone speaks up.
"Well, we're here" says duke Furnek of Marsin, whose duchy they're in at the moment.
"What do you want?" continues the duke of Marsin, who has rode forward with Jaqor Kaim the commander of the regent's army. And duke Tremane, the duke of Isanor. One of the so called neutral duchies during the rebellion.
"And good morning to you" is the reply of sir Passic the swordsman, who glances over at Helbe the elven thief, who slightly nods his hooded head, indicating that he'll take over proceedings.
"As what was sent in the message" says the grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel, who continues on with "Court is to be convened, so that you all may bare witness to what's really happened" he then adds "Not just to do with the rebellion of the dukes from the very west of the kingdom. But other events too, both recent and older".
"How do we know riding into the city isn't a trap?" asks the duke of Marsin, who then adds "And what's to stop us from taking the city back?".
Duke Furnek briefly pauses, before he continues on with "And for that matter, who the hell are you two?" as he gestures at the young elven noble from the principality of Laerel, and the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin.
"It isn't a trap" says prince Helbenthril Raendril, who continues with "Nothing's stopping you" before he adds "And the two of us are part of the mercenary army that the dukes of Dalmar, Girnath and Falosen have hired".
The elf who is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque briefly pauses, before he continues on with "The same mercenary army that's defeated you lot in every battle we've come up against you" followed by "The same mercenary army that defeated the regent's army here in Oaklynn, and took the city in a morning".
The highly talented elven magic user then falls silent, to let that sink in. As the duke of Marsin sourly smiles, as does commander Kaim.
While duke Tremane of Isanor, is more circumspect, and has a more composed countenance as he watches on as the two small groups of riders face one another, here on the road, just to the west of the city of Oaklynn.
It's duke Tremane of Isanor who finally speaks up, when he asks "Why exactly do you want court to be convened?" followed by "To bare witness to what, and to whom?".
Sir Passic and Tamric Drubine both glance at the elven master assassin, as it was a possibility that this would be brought up. And they hadn't decided how they'd answer it.
The highly talented elven magic user who could easily use spellcraft to get the enemy to do what he and the others want. Has decided not to, and instead pretty much tells the enemy the truth, though to a point.
"Well" says prince Helbenthril Raendril who continues with "You'd say treason, and over a number of years too" followed by "Which has seen disease spread through the very west of the kingdom, creatures unleashed in the remote areas out west, causing an uprising and a rebellion".
The elven master archer briefly pauses before he adds "Treason that's also seen your king murdered, and near the entire royal family wiped out".
As duke Furnek of Marsin frowns, as does commander Kaim. Duke Tremane of Isanor slightly nods, then he says "That's why" followed by "And who shall we bare witness to?".
"Well, isn't it obvious?" says Helbe the elven thief, who first looks at Jaqor Kaim then he looks back at the city of Oaklynn.
The elf who is a member of the personal council to the lord and ruler of the lands Farque looks at the trio on their mounts, and tells them "The only living member of the royal family left alive".
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel continues with "Among others" followed by "But him chief amongst them".
As commander Kaim scowls in anger, and duke Tremane of Isanor slightly nods, duke Furnek of Marsin whose duchy the city of Oaklynn lies in, frowns, then says "You speak of the most important man in the kingdom" followed by "How do we know what's said at court is the truth?".
"You are permitted to bring spellcasters to court to verify that the truth is being said" says sir Passic the swordsman, the older cousin of the duke of Dalmar continues with "You know this is not normally permitted, and only spellcasters in the king's guard, and those nobles with magical abilities are actually allowed at court, but not to cast" he then adds "This will be the one time there's an exception".
The trio from the enemy army that's camped about five miles to the west of the city of Oaklynn, are silent for some time, then they all look at one another.
And finally duke Tremane of Isanor says "We will need a little bit of time to discuss this in private".
"Of course" says the elven princeling from Laerel, who along with field commander Drubine, and sir Passic, turn their mounts, and ride back along the road towards the city of Oaklynn, stopping about a hundred yards away.
"Looks like they're in a heated discussion" says the older cousin of duke Hilloc of Dalmar "That they are" says Tamric Drubine or Tam as he's more commonly called by those who know him well.
The son and former heir of a previous knight of castle Drubine, which is located in the forested north of the kingdom of Sarcrin, looks at the elven spellcaster and asks him "What are they saying?".
"They're arguing over to accept our offer or not" replies the elven masterthief who is the grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel.
"The commander is dead against it, and doesn't believe the regent is guilty of anything" says the elven magic user, who continues with "The duke of Marsin is undecided at what to do, while the duke of Isanor wants to find out the truth, and to know if the regent is guilty of what we've claimed".
"You using a spell to find this out?" asks sir Passic as he looks sideways at the young elven noble on the horse beside him.
"Hardly" dryly says the elven master assassin, who continues with "I can hear them from here".
A short while later, and field commander Drubine says "They've decided" as they see duke Furnek of Marsin wave to them to ride forward.
As the three of them head down the road, sir Passic quietly asks the elven master archer "They'll come to court?".
"They will" replies prince Helbenthril Raendril of Laerel as they ride forward.
And once they're before the trio of riders representing the enemy army, duke Furnek of Marsin says, though a little grudgingly "We will attend court".
Nodding his hooded head, Helbe the elven thief "You will have safe passage into the city" followed by "The dukes, lords and ladies may bring their routine and personal guards too".
The dukes of Marsin and Isanor, as well as commander Kaim all look at sir Passic, who nods and says "You may" followed by "The rest of the army is to remain camped where they are".
After a brief pause, duke Tremane of Isanor says "Very well" then after he looks at his fellow duke, and the commander of the regent's army, he asks "When?".
"Now if you'd like" says the elven princeling who is a member of the personal council to lord Farque, who then adds "Or as soon as possible".
The duke of Isanor nods, and so does commander Kaim, though reluctantly, then the duke of Marsin finally nods, then he says "Soon then".
He nods to the trio who have come forth from the city, and then he turns his mount, and heads back along the road, followed by duke Tremane of Isanor and Jaqor Kaim the commander of the regent's army.
As they watch the three of them ride away, field commander Drubine says "I notice you didn't mention that the discussion on who'll take the throne will also take place".
"Must of slipped my mind" says the elven spellcaster with a grin upon his youthful looking face.
"I bet" dryly says the nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, while sir Passic chuckles.
Then councillor Reinholt looks at the nobleman from the duchy of Dalmar, and asks him "Think he'll make a good king?".
"Furnek?" says the older cousin of duke Hilloc of Dalmar "Hell no" adds sir Passic who continues with "That'll be almost as bad as having the regent on the throne".
"I meant the duke of Isanor" says Helbe the elven thief. "Tremane?" says sir Passic, who pauses for a moment or two as he thinks about it, then he continues with "Maybe" followed by "You could do a hell of a lot worse, that's for sure".
"Well it's your guys decision" says the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel, who then nods back to where the others are waiting, and adds "Might as well head back to the city and wait for their arrival".
It's late in the morning, near midday when the nobility of the eastern duchies, and those from the central duchies, and out west. Ride into the city of Oaklynn with their personal routines. They're escorted by black clad cavalry soldiers in the army of Farque, who head towards the center of the city, where the palace of the king of Girdane is located.
As they ride through the capital city, they see very little evidence of a recent battle. Infact they see no damage at all. It's only when they get to the long street in the center of the city, do they see any damage.
Where both the city council building and the palace itself has been damaged, and even then, repair work is well and truly underway on both buildings.
And as they ride through the streets of the city, they see that life is back to normal. With people going about their daily lives. Businesses and shops busy doing trade on this chilly winter's day.
With airships coming and going from the airdocks that lie to the north of the city.
And as they ride through the palace gates, it's as though there wasn't a battle for the city just over four days ago.
Lord Farque nods his full helmed head when Helbe the elven thief and Tamric Drubine the field commander tells him, who's who amongst those who have just entered the palace grounds.
Next to the undead lord, the tall plainsman with the shaved head, Arvelle Ganard quietly asks in the elven language "Think they'll believe it?".
"They bloody better" mutters Mira Reinholt the mage in the same language as he stands on the otherside of the heavily armoured deathlord.
They're behind the dukes of Dalmar, Girnath and Falosen, and the rebel dukes senior staff and advisors. Infront of the side entrance to the main building of the palace, as they wait for the enemy.
The front of the main building is being worked on, after the mage Reinholt basically destroyed the entire facade with a mageglobe he created.
"They will" quietly says lord Farque in elven, the undead being whose nation lies faraway to the south, continues with "The regent is as guilty as fuck as you'll ever likely to find".
"And the other matter?" quietly asks the once powerful mage "That" says the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who after a slight pause, continues with "Will come as a bit of a fucking shock I'm sure".
The lord of the death realm, looks at the others, and nods his full helmed head at them to go back inside with him. With the exception of Helbe the elven thief, and Tamric Drubine the field commander who remain outside with the rebel dukes and their senior staff.
Stepping forward to stand beside the dukes of the three most western duchies in the kingdom of Girdane, the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel quietly tells the dukes of Falosen, Girnath and Dalmar "Careful with what you say".
The elven masterthief who is a member of the personal council of the lord and ruler of the lands Farque then adds "Don't want to start an incident that both sides will regret".
"We'll be careful" says duke Lombasil of Falosen "Let's just bloody hope they do" adds duke Korros of Girnath in a mutter.
The third of the rebel dukes from the very west of the kingdom, duke Hilloc of Dalmar nods in agreement.
Then duke Hilloc steps forward from the group infront of the side entrance of the main building of the palace, as the riders rein up.
And after the dukes, lords and ladies, and their personal routines dismount, and take a step forward as grooms and stablehands take away their horses.
Duke Hilloc of Dalmar bids them welcome as he says "Welcome to the palace of the king" he follows that with "We have much to discuss at court" as he gestures for the new arrivals to enter side by side with him and the others who have waited for them . . . . . .