To War 117.

Summer. Calinar. Melaurn.

One of the carriage door opens after a footman puts down the step box.
He holds the door, as a man in his middle years makes his way out of the carriage.
Once out he steps to one side, and helps an older woman out of the carriage.
It's the dowager queen, the mother of king Harmard the Third of Melaurn.
Narladene the ground pixie watches the old queen as she chats with a couple of other people who have gotten out of the second carriage.
And as most of the horsemen who accompanied the dowager queen on her journey, head to the barracks on the other side of the palace grounds.
The ground pixie who is invisible to all, except for the horses.
Looks across the courtyard, to beyond the main gates of the palace grounds.
And she spots Mira Reinholt the mage and Dalinvardèl Tanith the elven spy on the opposite side of the square infront of the Palace of the King.
The naturally magical creature from Sunreach Mountains then rises up into the air.
And she sees the safehouse just a couple of streets away, and spots Beldane the cleric and the prisoner, general Sumic.
At the windows of one of third storey rooms in the safehouse, watching what's happening here infront of the main building of the palace.
The tiny winged creature drops back down towards the ground as a number of people make their way outside from the main building of the Palace of the King.
And though most stay up on the steps, waiting to greet the dowager queen who has just returned to the capital.
One of them hurries down the steps, and makes his way to where the carriages still are.
He has a quick word with the old queen who steps aside to hear what he has to quietly tell her.
Narladene sees a look of anger briefly cross the face of the king's mother as she listens to what the court official is telling her.
The ground pixie slightly smiles, and watches as the court official makes his way back inside after the dowager queen quickly tells him something.
The naturally magical creature sees the old queen share a look with the man of middle years who was in the carriage with her.
Narladene knows it's the sorcerer who is the distant relative of the dowager queen.
One of her cousin's sons, who she brought into her inner circle a number of years ago.
The tiny winged creature watches and listens as the old queen, says some quick pleasantries to those in the other carriage.
Before she along with the sorcerer, who Narladene recalls is named Garbén.
Along with a few of the dowager queen's retainers, who rode back to the capital with her.
Make their way inside the main building of the Palace of the King.
The ground pixie from the Sunreach Mountains, follows them. Keeping close to them, so that she can watch and listen to what they do and say.
"Dismiss them, i have no time to go to my rooms" says the dowager queen to one of her retainers.
As a number of her personal servants who didn't travel with her, are waiting for her in the entrance hall.
The old queen, who is in her late fifties, who apart from the king, is the most influential and powerful figure in the kingdom of Melaurn.
Would very much like to freshen up after her journey from down the coast here in the province of Calinar.
Where she drummed up, and got further support for the war in the south of the kingdom.
The war the crown is in, against the Karricawian nobleman, lord Gormica of Salmah Forest.
But the information she just got from one of her loyal officials, does away with any hopes of freshening up after her journey.
Walking beside her second cousin, Falacíll's son, Garbén. The dowager queen quietly says "Trouble".
In response to Garbén the sorcerer quietly asking her "What is it?".
The old queen, then quietly elaborates with "That fool of a son of mine, has allowed the topic of calling off the war, at court today" followed by "He's granted a submission".
More than a few frowns and scowls appear on the faces of the dowager queen's retainers when they hear that.
"They've just reconvened court, and no doubt that's the only topic being discussed" quietly says the king's mother as they head towards the massive chamber where court is held, here in the main building of the palace.
"Tulbart's tried to get it dismissed, but he's been unable to" quietly says the mother of the current king of Melaurn.
"He's distracted about something that happened at his townhouse first thing this morning" quietly says the old queen, who follows that with "He thinks it might of been something to do what was done yesterday here in the city".
"That was successful then?" quietly asks one of the other retainers.
"Some" says the dowager queen, who looks at her retainers, including her distant relation Garbén, warning them not to talk about that in public.
The sorcerer nods his head, then quietly asks "Tulbart been stalling them then?".
"He has" is the answer from the old queen, who is still allowed the title of queen, even though there's a current queen of Melaurn.
She's allowed it until she dies, or it can be stripped from her, only by the king, her son.
The old queen, who is referred to as the dowager queen, quietly says "We have to stop it before it gets any kind of momentum in court".
She follows that with "You just know some of the southern lords will be for it, even those who are against that rebel Gormica".
At court, it's the nobility from much of the southern provinces, who are the bane of existence of the dowager queen.
They always have been, even when her husband was the king of Melaurn. They pretty much go against everything the crown suggests, and goes for.
Even the aloof provinces along the eastern border with the Great Southern Tundra aren't a nuisance like the southern nobility.
At least the eastern dukes keep out of everything done at court. As it's a miracle you'd ever find one here in the capital as they're so independent.
As they approach the massive chamber where court is held, the king's mother, glances sideways at the sorcerer Garbén who dryly says to her "I can't go into court you know".
As the king has banned the sorcerer from entering court. Infact the only spellcaster allowed in there, is the court wizard.
An old man who served the grandfather and father of king Harmard the Third.
The dowager queen loathes the old wizard, who pretty much sleeps through the court sessions. Often snoring as he does so.
"I know" quietly says the old queen, who then tells her distant relation "Go up get the other one" followed by "It's up in the bedroom in my suite, you know where it is?".
"I do" is the reply of the sorcerer Garbén, who then turns away and heads to a nearby stairs after the old queen quietly tells him "Use it through the one I've got" followed by "It should easily sway what's going on in there".
In the massive chamber where court is being held after the midday break.
Helbe the elven thief wryly smiles and shakes his head as he looks over at the old wizard asleep on a bench in a corner behind a pillar.
The old man, well old for a human, especially in comparison to a two hundred and twenty five year old elf.
Which is relatively young for a royal elf like the masterthief from the island principality of Laerel.
Is now snoring, much to the annoyance of some in attendance in court today.
One of whom is the city lord, Tulbart. Who at the moment has the floor, and is arguing for the dismissal of the submission to end the crown's war with lord Gormica of Salmah Forest.
The blurred and shielded elven magic user faintly smiles as the prominent city lord, scowls as he looks over at the snoring wizard in the near corner.
"As i was saying your majesty, this seems to be a waste of time all things considered" says Tulbart the city lord, who starts to pace again infront of the other nobility who are seated.
Until he stops, as he recalls the king dislikes it when people pace back and forth when they have the floor.
Lord Tulbart smiles apologetically as he looks over at the king sitting on the throne.
The prominent city lord refrains from frowning, as the queen is in attendance now, when she wasn't this morning.
The queen who sits upon the chair to the left of the king of Melaurn.
A chair that no one calls a throne, but its sure looks like one. As it's on the same level as the king's throne.
Which is half a dozen steps up from the floor of the massive chamber where court is held.
Helbe the elven thief looks to the side entrance in the chamber, the one nearest this end.
After Narladene the ground pixie who has just appeared on his right shoulder, nods to it.
The elven master assassin who is a member of the royal family that rules the island principality of Laerel.
And is a member of the personal council to lord Farque.
Nods his hooded head after the naturally magical creature whispers something to him.
As the two of them watch the dowager queen enter the massive chamber with a number of her retainers.
The grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel, who has sensed the sorcerer Garbén going upstairs.
Slightly smiles to himself as he figures why the distant relation to the old queen is going upstairs. No doubt to the royal family's living quarters. Specifically the suite of the dowager queen.
Those seated, with the exception of the king and queen, and the sleeping wizard.
Stand at the appearance of the dowager queen, here at court today. After journeying back to the capital city, after being down the coast, here in the province of Calinar.
After a nod of greeting to her son the king, the dowager queen takes the empty seat to the left of the row.
The empty seat next to lord Tulbart, who after the others take their seats again, says "If i may continue your majesty?".
"Of course" says king Harmard the Third of Melaurn with a nod of his head for the city lord to continue.
Next to the last pillar at this end on one side of the massive chamber, the blurred and shielded Helbe the elven thief sees the dowager queen put a hand in a pocket of her jacket.
As she and the others listen to lord Tulbart argue for the dismissal of the submission for the war against lord Gormica to end.
The young elven noble shares a look with Narladene the ground pixie as she stands upon his right shoulder.
Then the two of them glance up at the ceiling of the chamber, as they both sense the sorcerer Garbén running from the living quarters of the royal family, up on the top floor of the main building of the palace.
The highly talented elven magic user, and the naturally magical creature share a look again, then grin.
Then they wait as lord Tulbart continues to speak as he has the floor.
"Those in the minority wanting to end the war down south, will put aside all that the crown has sacrificed in this endeavour against the rebel Gormica" says the prominent city lord, who follows that with "Soldiers, camp followers, not to mention all the resources we've spent so far fighting this war".
Lord Tulbart briefly pauses before he adds "All for nought if we pull out of the war now, especially considering the number of victories in battle we've had of late, we're we've pushed into the provinces of Corlinda and Karricaw".
"Now that's a lie" murmurs Narladene the ground pixie.
The grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel nods in agreement with the tiny winged creature.
As they know that lord Gormica, thanks to the Farqian mercenary army he's hired to help win him this war.
Has defeated the crown's forces in every single battle of significance over the last week.
While many of the nobility nod and murmur in agreement with lord Tulbart, as do those of the public who are in attendance in court today.
The king, along with the queen are silent as they watch proceedings.
Then both the elven master assassin and the tiny winged creature look to the side door on the opposite side of the chamber.
And they see a court official hurry inside, while just outside the double open doors over there.
Is a nervous looking Garbén the sorcerer, who is looking into the massive chamber with a worried look upon his face.
Prince Helbenthril Raendril watches as the court official goes to where the dowager queen is sitting.
Crouch down next to her as lord Tulbart continues to speak, and hurriedly whisper something to the mother of the king of Melaurn.
The dowager queen turns her head as she looks sharply towards the open doors over on that side of the chamber.
Where she sees her distant relation, the worried looking sorcerer Garbén shake his head.
A look of shock appears on the face of the old queen, followed by anger, which quickly disappears, as she quietly tells the court official something, before she goes back to listening and watching lord Tulbart who has the floor.
As the court official hurries out the doors to speak with the sorcerer Garbén.
A grinning Helbe the elven thief looks at the dowager queen as he takes something out of a hidden pocket in his cloak.
"Now what are you going to do without this then?" murmurs the elven masterthief.
A grinning Narladene looks down at the small glass ball that belongs to the dowager queen, that the elven princeling holds in his gloved right hand.
Then the ground pixie nods her head, when the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerele quietly says to her "Get ready, things are about to get interesting" . . . . . .