To War 119.

Summer. Calinar.

"He's with me" says general Sumic to the guards at the entrance of the main building of the Palace of the King.
When they greet him, after being surprised that he's here in the capital city of Calinar, and not down in southern Melaurn where the war is.
The general in the King's Own, who hopes he doesn't run into any of the guards who captured him last time he was here in the capital.
Then tells the palace guards "He's from the province of Mofosild, serving in the army of one of our allies down there".
Sumic, who is the highest ranking commoner in the entire kingdom of Melaurn.
Nods his head, when the sergeant at arms in charge of those at the front doors of the main building here in the palace grounds says "It's good to see you back general".
As the general who grew up here in the Palace of the King, where his parents were servants.
Makes his way in through the massive open doors, with Beldane the cleric beside him.
"This way" murmurs general Sumic to the fighting cleric who hails from the kingdom of Nastell.
Who is glad he's never worn either the black tabards and cloaks of the armies of Farque.
For if he did, he'd immediately be recognised as one of the enemy, that the crown and king of Melaurn are at war with.
General Sumic, who is pretty certain he just has to avoid any soldiers from either lord Talbot, and the recently deceased sir Jurshwin's garrisons, who maybe in the palace grounds today.
As he's sure that it was them who captured him, and put him into the dungeons here in the Palace of the King.
Gestures to a hallway entrance, which he and the powerful cleric make their way towards.
As they enter the hallway, the general who is the highest ranking commoner at court, and one of the king's advisors, as the two of them grew up together.
Quietly tells the member of the church of Glaine "You won't be allowed into the chamber where court is held".
Sumic, who grew up running and playing through these hallways here in the main building of the palace.
Where his mother was a chambermaid, and his father worked in the royal stables.
Quietly adds "Only the old court wizard is allowed in there".
"I'll be close by" quietly says Beldane the cleric, who in an even quieter voice, adds "And Helbe will be even closer".
Beldane, who belongs to the church of Glaine, a god worshiped predominantly in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
Briefly pauses, as he hears Narladene the ground pixie whisper something to him.
The fighting cleric, who has never set foot in the lands Farque, but is a member of the group that travels with lord Farque.
Quickly and quietly repeats to the enemy general, what Narladene just told him.
The general in the King's Own scowls at hearing that, then he quietly says "Typical of lord Tulbart to make up things".
Then general Sumic points, and quietly adds "Around the corner here, and down the hallway".
"That sorcerer is down there" quietly says Beldane the cleric, who senses the spellcaster in that direction. He also senses the old wizard, who must be in the chamber where court is held.
"Garbén" quietly says the enemy general, who follows that with "He can be right dick at times".
"I'll take care of him" quietly says the fighting cleric as they round the corner into the widest hallway in their entire building. Also one of the busiest too.
Both general Sumic, and Beldane the cleric spot the distant relation to the dowager queen, standing with a number of others outside of one of the open double doors alongside the long, wide hallway.
The sorcerer Garbén has turned, as he sensed the cleric in the church of Glaine approaching.
As Beldane didn't bother to hold his power within himself, so other spellcasters are able to sense him.
The two of them, the general in the army of the king of Melaurn, known as the King's Own. And the cleric in the church of Glaine.
See the sorcerer in his middle years, looked totally shocked when he spots Sumic with the fairly large cleric, in the halfplate armour.
The common born general who is in his uniform, which was freshly cleaned yesterday.
Murmurs to the powerful spellcaster walking beside him "This should be interesting".
As a few others near the sorcerer Garbén, have turned and are also surprised to see the general in the King's Own, here in the palace grounds.
"You could go in through one of the other doors?" quietly says Beldane the cleric.
"Best not" is the quiet response of the enemy general, who is actually a prisoner. Though he isn't treated like one.
"Make more of an entrance down there" quietly says general Sumic, who quietly continues with "Court is actually down that end".
He briefly pauses before adding "The chamber is massive" quietly followed by "That's why this hallway is so damn long".
As they continue down the hallway, general Sumic is sure that the sorcerer Garbén, knows that he was captured the last time he was here in the capital, less than two weeks ago.
And that the common born general in the army of the king of Melaurn, escaped from the palace dungeons., obviously helped by someone.
That's why the sorcerer who is a distant relation to the dowager queen.
Looks a little nervous, as much as he does shocked. At the general in the King's Own showing up. With the powerful cleric walking beside him as they walk down the long hallway.
When they get to the wide double doors, general Sumic says "Greetings". To the palace guards on door duty.
"I'll just wait out here" says Beldane the cleric, at the same time, the sorcerer Garbén quickly says to the common born general "You can't go in there".
"Oh, is that so?" says the enemy general with an upraised eyebrow as he looks at the sorcerer, who is distantly related to the old queen. "The general may go in" says one of the palace guards on duty here.
"You, cleric" adds the palace guard as be looks at the fighting cleric who is from the kingdom of Basel
Nastell.
"Beldane" says general Sumic, who continues with "He's from Mofosild". Which is a lie.
"He's been fighting down on the border of Moleau and Corlinda" adds the common born general. Which is true. Though he hasn't been fighting on the side of the crown.
"You'll have to remain out here cleric Beldane" says the palace guard after nodding in thanks to the general in the King's Own for telling him who the cleric is.
"It'll be my pleasure" says the member in the church of Glaine.
As he puts a hand on the end of his mace as he stares at the sorcerer Garbén.
Who looks like he's going to complain again about general Sumic being allowed to enter the massive chamber where court is held.
"I'll just keep an eye on things out here general" adds the fairly large spellcaster in the halfplate and chainmail armour as he continues to stare at the middle aged sorcerer who is a distant relation to the dowager queen.
"I was rather hoping he wouldn't" loudly murmurs one of the other palace guards to another.
As he doesn't fancy the idea of being around the two practitioners of magic, who look like they'll start chucking spells at one another at any moment now, with the way they're staring at each other.
The palace guard who is speaking to general Sumic, smiles in apology at Beldane the cleric because of that from his fellow guard.
Then he steps aside, so that general Sumic can enter the massive chamber here in the main building of the palace, where the king of Melaurn holds court.
"Luck" murmurs the fighting cleric to the general in the King's Own, who nods in reply before he steps through the open doorway, and enters the massive chamber where court is held.
Beldane the cleric watches as general Sumic make his way across the chamber floor to where the row of seats where a number of people are.
Behind whom, the cleric assumes is the public and others.
The member of the church of Glaine glances sideways at the sorcerer Garbén, who he easily out powers when it comes to magical strength.
Beldane is also pretty certain he's had way more magical combat experience than the sorcerer.
Who is at least fifteen years, maybe twenty years older than the he is.
The sorcerer, who is distantly related to the dowager queen. After trying to get someone's attention inside the chamber, and is unable to.
Waves over someone in the hallway, who Beldane works out is a court official.
Garbén the sorcerer quickly and quietly speaks with the court official. Who nods then enters the massive chamber. As the guards on door duty don't even question him.
By this time, general Sumic has been noticed by many in the chamber where court is held.
The fighting cleric originally from the north of the kingdom of Nastell, sees who must be the dowager queen, at this end of the row of chairs, turn and see the general in the King's Own.
To Beldane, the old queen looks both shocked and furious at Sumic showing up at court.
As is the nobleman who has the floor at the moment, who is addressing the king who sits upon the throne.
Until he turns and sees what's all the commotion is, as the public are all chatting furiously, and so are most of the nobility.
"Sumic!" says lord Tulbart in surprise as he turns and sees who has walked in, and come to a stop behind this end of the row of chairs.
Not far from Tulbart's empty chair, and where the dowager queen is sitting.
The general in the King's Own, who has a slight smile upon his face has good reason to of stopped there.
"Traitor" quickly adds the influential and powerful city lord who has the floor at the moment.
Lord Tulbart turns to the king of Melaurn and says to him "Your majesty, the general is a traitor, and should be taken away, in irons i say".
"Sumic?" scoffs king Harmard the Third of Melaurn.
"A traitor?" adds the king with a shake of the head, who continues with "I rather doubt that".
The king of Melaurn, who by speaking has got those in the massive chamber to quieten down, briefly pauses before he says to the nobleman who has the floor at the moment "Tulbart, you're more likely to be traitor to the crown than Sumic could ever be".
The city lord nervously smiles, and stammers "You jest your majesty?".
"Just a little" replies the king of Melaurn from his throne, who then adds "But all the same, the general is the most loyal of our officers".
Lord Tulbart, glances back and sees one of the court officials is crouching next to the dowager queen and is whispering something to her.
"I assume the general has returned to the capital because of something important" says king Harmard the Third, who then says to his friend since childhood "Sumic you have the floor".
Though lord Tulbart actually has the floor at the moment. The king can always supersede who has the floor, and replace them with another.
So the city lord with a tight grin upon his face, bows to the king, before he turns and takes his seat next to the dowager queen.
General Sumic steps forward, going by the dowager queen and the city lord Tulbart.
Both of whom stare at him, for less than a couple of weeks ago. They were part of the group that captured him, and put him the palace dungeons without the king knowing, when the general last came to the capital Calinar.
The common born general, who has only taken the floor at court a handful of times in the past.
Infact he's the only commoner to do so in recent memory, apart from when there's public submissions once a month.
But even then, the member of the public submitting, usually a grievance about something.
Has a court official, usually a lower ranking noble, speak on their behalf.
Not so general Sumic, who is the highest ranking commoner in the kingdom.
Who bows to the king and queen of Melaurn before he speaks.
"Your majesty, i bring word from the war down south" says general Sumic.
King Harmard nods, and says to his friend the common born general "Speak freely Sumic, the throne and crown wishes to hear what's happening down there at the moment".
After a glance back and to his left, where lord Tulbart and the dowager queen are sitting at the end of the line of chairs the nobleborn are sitting on.
General Sumic says "Of course you're majesty" followed by "I don't know what you've be told of the situation down south recently".
The general in the King's Own briefly pauses before he continues with "But whatever it is, it certainly wasn't true".
The king's eyebrows shoot up, then he looks to where lord Tulbart is sitting. As the city lord a little earlier gave a brief update of the situation of the war in the south of the kingdom of Melaurn.
"Our forces, those allies to the crown, and even the King's Own have suffered a number of defeats in battle over the last week and a half or so" states general Sumic, who follows that with "Particularly along the border with the province of Corlinda".
He briefly pauses before continuing with "In some places our forces have basically been wiped out, and in others they've been forced to retreat back northwards, mostly into the province of Moleau".
There's a collective pause from everyone in the massive chamber, which is quickly broken by nearly everyone starting to talk.
With many shouting wanting to know what's going on with the war between the crown and lord Gormica of Salmah Forest, down in the south of the kingdom.
After looking sharply to where lord Tulbart is sitting, the king of Melaurn shouts "Silence!".
Those in the massive chamber quite down, then after king Harmard the Third has a quiet word with his wife next to him.
He says "Court is dismissed for the day" followed by "Advisors and senior officials, we meet in the antechamber now" as he gestures to a door in the wall that his throne is up against.
The king and queen stand, so does everyone else who is sitting, with the exception of the old court wizard who is still fast asleep.
Everyone bows to the king and queen, who make their way to the antechamber.
As do others, including general Sumic, who has a slight smile upon his face as he walks next lord Tulbart and the dowager queen, who are also making their way to the antechamber . . . . . .