Chapter 453: Chapter 450: The Petty Disputes of Nobles

Chapter 450: The Petty Disputes of Nobles

 

  Lucius Glaz glanced around at the other six faces in the council chamber, some were filled with anger, others with frustration, but all carried a sense of worry. Lucius felt the heavy weight of responsibility that had been thrust upon him. He knew this day would come but he thought it was decades in the future. His mother was meant to guide him through the steps on how to lead the most powerful of the city’s Houses and to navigate the dangers of this council. But Ayda Glaz was gone, like most of her army, destroyed at a skirmish in Dusk Valley.

  Now the enemy was coming to finish their reckoning and if Lord Noir’s words were to be believed their army was at least twice as large as any of the reports had noted. Lucius wondered what his mother might have done in his place.

  Act.

  His mother’s voice echoed in his voice. She would have acted. Ayda would never have sat back and let her city be taken by savages.

  Lucius stood up from his chair and the rest of the bickering council quieted. He opened his mouth to speak, but he wasn’t certain what to say. They all stared at him in questioning silence. 

  “Hah! Look at him, the boy is at a loss for words,” Lord Zorn Goldelm laughed. “Remind me again why he stands as the leader of this council?”

  “Perhaps we should choose a new leader now?” Lady Alessandra Helene noted with a sweet edge to her voice.

  “Let me guess, you’d nominate yourself?” Goldelm sneered.

  “You’re words, not mine. Though I’d certainly serve better than a senile old dwarf,” Alessandra said.

  “Come closer and I’ll show you who is senile, you fucking hag,” Goldelm growled.

  “Is that a challenge?” Alessandra smirked.

  “What? Too scared to face me in a proper duel?” Goldelm taunted.

  “Alright, I’ll bite. The loser will vote for the victor’s bid for council leadership,” Alessandra said.

  Goldelm grinned. “You’re on, you ugly—”

  “Enough,” Lady Calantha Ashe spoke up. “Lucius’ position is temporary, inherited from his mother, as is his right. An official council leader will be chosen at the proper time. After we resolve the crisis of this war.”

  “...As you wish, high priestess,” Zorn Goldelm conceded.

  “Of course, Lady Ashe,” Alessandra bowed her head. 

  Calantha glanced at Lucius and nodded for him to continue.

  Lucius smiled gratefully. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath, “First, I’d like to thank Lord Noir for bringing to attention the severity of the looming threat just beyond our walls. After reviewing the situation, I am in agreement with Lord Noir’s city defense proposal and his nomination to make Lord Krall Katag Hollow Shade’s War Master.”

  Elzri nodded in acknowledgment.

  Alessandra Helene clicked her tongue. “While Lord Katag does seem to be the most fit candidate for the position of War Master, I am not quite certain about the defense proposal. Enlisting not only the commoners, but the merchant class, and aristocrats as well? Surely there are better alternatives.”

  “I understand as the city’s merchant queen you are not keen on giving up your men and resources, but we all must cooperate together if we are to survive the warlord Marek’s army,” Lucius said.

  “Certainly, but I don’t see why I must sacrifice my own—”

  “Do not speak to me about sacrifice!” Lucius snapped. 

  Alessandra smiled wryly, “I understand you are mourning your mother, but you are not the only one who has lost family to the valley tribes. My sister was taken from me over twenty years ago by those savages. Her death plagues me to this day. I also want revenge but I know my House’s longevity is more important than a petty vendetta—”

  “Oh, please, spare us the fake tears.” Lady Elise Veres rolled her eyes, “The only reason you sit on that chair is because your older sister was killed by the savages. If it wasn’t for them you’d just be another merchant noble scheming ways to swindle the other Houses.”

  Alessandra jumped to her feet. “How dare you!” she yelled indignantly.

  “And another thing,” Elise said. “I was told you were the most beautiful human, if not woman, in the entire city. Clearly, the poets must have been referring to several decades ago. Try and hide it all you want, but your beauty is fading.”

  Alessandra narrowed her eyes, “I see… You simply wish to try and anger me. How childish. I am not the only one who wouldn’t be sitting here if it wasn’t for their older sister’s death.”

  Elise scoffed with a smile. “True, but that is where our similarities end. You see, unlike you, I don’t dabble in bullshit. I didn’t join this council to hear a bunch of old fucks argue with one another either. My father and my sister didn’t die on that battlefield for me to sit here and twiddle my thumbs. If we are going to defeat our enemies I will make sure we use every resource we have at our disposal, including yours.”

  “In other words, sit down, ya old cunt!” Zorn yelled.

  “Veres and Goldelm, the classic friendship of useless idiots,” Alessandra frowned. “There is no point in arguing with fools. If you wish to try and take my resources you will have to kill me first.”

  “Is that an offer?” Elise smiled coldly.

  “There is no need for violence, not yet anyway,” Lucius spoke up. “Let us take a vote on Lord Noir’s proposals. All in favor?” He raised his hand.

  Lady Veres, Lady Ashe, Lord Goldelm, and Lord Noir raised their hands immediately. With Lucius, that made it 6 to Helene’s one.

  “You need a unanimous vote to elect a War Master,” Alessandra said with a smirk. “I’d be willing to give my vote if the men and women of my House and their vassal Houses are spared from the city’s enlistment.”

  Calantha Ashe glared at her, “If you do not agree to this vote I will personally use my influence as high priestess to have the city’s people refuse all business and trade with your House and their vassals from now on until the end of time.”

  Alessandra’s pale cheeks grew red with anger. “You wouldn’t! The high priestess never interferes with the trade of this city!”

  Calantha’s scarlet eyes gleamed dangerously. “My goddess is the patron of War, she is the Guardian of the Realm. I would be a failure of a high priestess if I did not guard my city during times of war. So, Alessandra Helene, if you decline this vote, I swear I will do more than just halt your family’s trade, I will leave your entire House in ruins. Do I make myself clear?”

  Alessandra swallowed hard and she fell back down on her chair.

 

~~~

 

  Lord Krall Katag stared out at the window, his face pensive.

  “You seem disappointed, War Master,” Elzri smiled.

  Krall sighed. “Not disappointed. Worried. Even with the vote, it will make no difference if I can’t manage to properly organize and lead all these people.”

  “I’ve never seen you so unsure of yourself,” Elzri said, surprised.

  “I’ve never been faced with fighting a god,” Krall muttered.

  Elzri glanced around to make sure no one else was listening. “You best keep that part to yourself. The last thing we need right now is to shatter our soldiers’ morale.”

  “Does Lady Ashe know?” Krall asked.

  “Not yet, but I have a feeling she’ll figure it out soon enough,” Elzri said as he eyed the woman in question walking towards them.

  “Lord Noir, Lord Katag.” Calantha bowed her head.

  “Lady Ashe,” Elzri bowed his head slightly more than she.

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  Krall grunted in recognition and walked away.

  “Thank you for your support back in there, Lady Ashe,” Elzri said. “Having House Helene’s resources and engineers at our disposal will greatly accelerate the construction of the trebuchets on the wall.”

  “I’m glad to hear it, but there is no need to thank me. This is my city as much as it is yours. Besides,” Calantha added. “I still owe you for letting my cousin into your academy without any trouble or questions.”

  “Mm, happy to help. Although, I did find it odd why you insisted that Sylvie not be informed of your involvement in her enrollment. Now that she’s left, care to finally tell me why?” 

  Calantha smiled, “Family matters. You know how it is.”

  “I suppose I do.”

  “What I would like to know is why Lucius seemed so on board with your proposal.”

  “He wishes to avenge his mother, obviously.”

  “And yet you and his mother notoriously didn’t get along.”

  “I didn’t have anything against Ayda. She was the daughter of my late wife’s cousin. We were family.”

  “And yet, Ayda did not trust you. So why does her son?”

  “I told you already, Lucius wishes to avenge his mother—”

  “—Or maybe, it’s because you healed his younger brother, Vayu, and currently have him resting at your mansion, hm?”

  Elzri smiled begrudgingly, “Family matters, you know how it is.”

  “Yes, I suppose I do,” she smirked. “I trust you aren’t holding back any more secrets from me, are you?”

  “Now why does that seem like a test?”

  Calantha shrugged lightly and walked away, “You tell me, Lord Noir.”

 

~~~

 

  Stryg stood still with nothing more than his undergarments. Or at least he tried to, he kept fidgeting whenever Aurelia poked and prodded his abdomen and back.

  “So, how do you feel?” Aurelia asked while checking him for any injuries.

  “I feel fine.”

  “Any pain?”

  “No.”

  “How about here?” She pressed down on his ankle.

  “No.” He furrowed his brow. “Wait, did I break my ankle?”

  “You broke both of them.”

  “Huh. Everything after I fell last night is a bit of a blur.”

  “You seem oddly calm about all of this.”

  “Believe it or not, it’s not the first time I almost fell to my death.”

  “...Do you want to talk about it?”

  “Not really,” he admitted.

  “Well, then,” Aurelia nodded and tossed him his shirt. “Your body seems fine, for now.”

  “Am I good to go then?”

  “No.”

  “But I thought you said—”

  “Your skin is two shades too pale. When was the last time you drank blood?”

  “I don’t know. A while ago? Look, I’m not a vampire, I feel fine.”

  “The blood of House Veres runs strongly through your veins. You may not die from a lack of blood, but you will certainly grow weaker as time goes on. If you are to lead our warriors into battle then you will need to be in your best shape. You owe it to them.”

  “Okay…” He said softly. “I’ll have one of the acolytes bring me a bottle of bloodwine.”

  “No, you’ll be better off with fresh blood.”

  “Goblin blood?”

  She shook her head. “Never drink from your own kind, ever. And that includes vampires and drows. You’ll get sick after only a few sips.”

  “Really?” Stryg blinked. He had never felt sick after drinking Maeve’s blood.

  “I’ll have one of the hunters prepare a deer for you.”

  “...What about an orc?”

  “Are you saying you want to drink orc blood?” Aurelia said in disbelief.

  “I mean… maybe…?” he winced.

  Aurelia sighed, and instead of hitting him like he expected she would, she turned around and walked out of the room. “Do as you wish.”

 

 

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