Vol.0 Ch.139 Call for an Emergency Meeting


    <span ss="userText">Once the events of the interrogation were over. The men standing in the secret knights'' room were in shock that the Queen was able to get some of the loyalists to confess. They were General Kane, Earl Nathaniel, Lord Brice, Lord Gawain, and a distraught King Cyndre who couldn''t take his eyes off the magical observation artifact that caught<span ss="aiText"> every moment.


    <span ss="aiText">"This is quite the mess, <span ss="editText">Your Majesty<span ss="aiText">. How do <span ss="editText">we<span ss="aiText"> intend to fix this?" Lord Brice asked.


    <span ss="aiText">"I don''t know..." King Cyndre said as he held his head in his hands.


    <span ss="userText">The Earl saw his friend<span ss="aiText"> in despair and tried tofort him, "Your Majesty. You couldn''t have seen thising. <span ss="editText">And your brother yed us for fools<span ss="aiText">. None of us could''ve seen his true colors."


    <span ss="aiText">King Cyndre stood up and turned around to look at his council.


    <span ss="userText">"No... All of you tried to tell me in some way or<span ss="aiText"> another that something was wrong with my brother. I just didn''t want to believe it... But I was too blinded by my <span ss="editText">love and trust<span ss="aiText"> to see that ric<span ss="aiText">wanted power so bad<span ss="editText">ly<span ss="aiText"> that he was willing to murder my son<span ss="editText">... All so he could<span ss="aiText"> take the throne<span ss="editText"> for his son<span ss="aiText">," King Cyndre said <span ss="editText">with<span ss="aiText"> tears in his eyes<span ss="userText">.


    <span ss="userText">The King was first gued by sadness but the more he thought about it the more anger<span ss="aiText"> started to build up in his heart.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Does he think I chose the be the King?... It wasn''t my fault that I was born with my father''s eyes! It wasn''t my fault that I was born second... I didn''t go to the higher nobles of the Fiafyr Kingdom and ask them to dere me as the next heir! That was Father''s council''s doing! <span ss="userText">I tried to do everything to make things right with my brother and what did I get?<span ss="aiText"> An attempt on my son''s life! <span ss="editText">Undermining my authority! <span ss="aiText">NO! No more!" King Cyndre shouted.


    <span ss="aiText">"Your Majesty. <span ss="userText">We understand your anger, but we need you to have a level head<span ss="aiText">. If not then <span ss="editText">the Marquess will think you''re trying to im more power over the other Nobles<span ss="aiText">," Lord Brice said.


    <span ss="aiText">"I am aware. Forgive me for my outburst," King Cyndre said<span ss="userText"> as he rposed himself.


    <span ss="aiText">"What should we do <span ss="userText">about this, Your Majesty?"<span ss="aiText"> Lord Gawain asked.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">Haa... we need to have an emergency with the Thirteen<span ss="aiText"> Great Noble Houses. This cannot be allowed to continue. We need a solution. My brother is a threat to my family''s line of session and the throne. He is a threat to my <span ss="editText">child<span ss="userText">.<span ss="aiText"> A threat to my people," King Cyndre said.


    <span ss="aiText">"I agree. But <span ss="userText">if your brother is punished and kicked out of the Thirteen<span ss="aiText"> Great Noble Houses. Then <span ss="userText">his two allies will<span ss="aiText"> join him and that will cause a rift between the Nobles. Which can be catastrophic for the future of our Kingdom. If the Nobles are fighting each other then there is no telling what the neighboring Kingdoms will do," Lord Brice said.


    <span ss="userText">"That is why we need this meeting as soon as possible. Even if Baron Coldforge can''t<span ss="aiText"> make it. I want the other <span ss="editText">eleven <span ss="aiText">Nobles to see the evidence and the truth. So that the Duke will be shamed and cast out of the Nobility. And maybe if we''re lucky then his allies will distance themselves from him," King Cyndre said.


    <span ss="userText">"Shall we send for them now<span ss="aiText">?" <span ss="editText">Lord Gawain<span ss="aiText"> asked.


    <span ss="aiText">"Yes. And the sooner the better. But we need to create a false emergency to summon the other Nobles to the pce. If my brother and his allies get one whiff that we are on to them. Then I don''t know what they will do. I trust you two toe up with a good cover story," King Cyndre said.


    <span ss="editText">Gawain and Brice both <span ss="aiText">bowed, "As youmand."


    <span ss="aiText">Th<span ss="editText">ey<span ss="aiText"> left the room <span ss="userText">while Cyndre, Nathaniel, and Kane<span ss="aiText"> all stared at the artifact.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">That fool wasn''t satisfied with being a Duke?<span ss="aiText">... Now, he''s made things even worse for himself," Nathaniel said.


    <span ss="aiText">"Indeed. And he''s probably thinking he''ll be able to get away with everything. But now I have enough evidence to get him kicked out of the Nobility and possibly have him executed. But he won''t go down without a fight," <span ss="editText">General Kane <span ss="aiText">said.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">Enough... I wish not to talk about my brother in this way... I''m furious with him... But how can I order his death<span ss="aiText">?" King Cyndre said.


    <span ss="aiText">Nathaniel and Kane looked at each other.


    <span ss="aiText">"Your Majesty. There are times whe<span ss="editText">n<span ss="aiText"> a king needs to do the hard thing and sometimes that involves executing the people closest to them.<span ss="userText">.. We will support you no matter what<span ss="aiText"> decision you make," General Kane said.


    <span ss="aiText">"But for now, let''s hope the evidence we have will be enough to shame my brother into exile," King Cyndre said.


    <span ss="aiText">***


    <span ss="userText">The twin moons were high in the night sky<span ss="aiText">, and the city streets were mostly empty. The only sounds were the howls of the wind and the ttering of armor<span ss="userText"> from the Night''s Watch.


    <span ss="aiText">There were five Knights of the Crown walking through the street<span ss="userText">s of Tairal. And they were making their way to the Divalo Manor. The task was to give an important letter to the Duke and escort him to the pce on foot. Order by General Kane himself.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">What''s with all themotion?<span ss="aiText">" Knight Harlowe <span ss="editText">asked<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">The King has called for a emergency meeting<span ss="aiText"> with the Great Noble houses. <span ss="editText">We have to provide an escort for the Duke<span ss="aiText">. That''s all we know," Knight Phn said.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">I wonder what the big deal is then<span ss="aiText">," Knight Harlowe asked.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">We''ll find out sooner orter... I''m just d we aren''t heading out across the kingdom to their domains. It would have taken days to get all of them to the pce<span ss="aiText">," Knight Phn said.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">Yeah, we lucked out that they all came to the city for the prince''s party<span ss="aiText">," Knight Harlowe said.


    <span ss="aiText">"I <span ss="userText">know... Let''s make this quick so we can go back to our boring patrol<span ss="aiText">s. I''d much rather do that than stand guard outside <span ss="editText">a<span ss="aiText"> Noble''s room," Knight Phn said.


    <span ss="aiText">"Aye." The other four knights agreed.


    <span ss="aiText">The group arrived at the gate of the manor.


    <span ss="aiText">"State your business,<span ss="editText"> Sir<span ss="aiText"> Knights!" The Guard at the gate said.


    <span ss="aiText">Knight Phn stepped forward, "We have been ordered to escort the Duke to the Pce for an emergency meeting. Open the gate!"


    <span ss="aiText">"Yes, sir!" The guard said.


    <span ss="aiText">The Guards opened the gate, and the Knights went into the courtyard.


    <span ss="aiText">The Knights reached the end of the courtyard where the main door to the manor was and they waited for a few minutes<span ss="editText"> until<span ss="userText"> a butler came hurrying out<span ss="aiText"> of the door.


    <span ss="aiText">"Hello, sir knights. M<span ss="userText">ay I ask why you havee here to his lordship''s home at this time of night," asked Belial<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">We are here to deliver a message to the Duke. The King has ordered an emergency meeting of the Thirteen Great Noble Houses." Phn<span ss="aiText"> said.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">An emergency meeting? Do you know what it''s for?<span ss="aiText"> His lordship has retired for the night." Belial asked<span ss="editText"> with a raised brow<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">We are only to deliver the message and to be the escort <span ss="userText">for the Duke," Phn said as Harlowe handed the butler<span ss="aiText"> a scroll with the Royal Seal.


    <span ss="aiText">Belial looked at the seal<span ss="userText"> and opened it<span ss="aiText"> up. He read the message and frowned.


    <span ss="userText">The knights were curious about what was in the<span ss="aiText"> message but it wasn''t their ce to ask.


    <span ss="aiText">Belial looked at the Knights<span ss="userText">, "I''ll tell his Lordship<span ss="aiText"> the news."


    <span ss="aiText">The Butler hurried inside while the Knights were left waiting in the cold.


    <span ss="userText">Harlowe looked at Phn and the other knights with a look of "What the hell is his<span ss="aiText"> problem?"


    <span ss="userText">"Friendly guy<span ss="aiText">, huh?" Harlowe said<span ss="userText"> with a sarcastic tone.


    <span ss="aiText">"Who the hell is that anyway?" Phn asked.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">T<span ss="aiText">he Duke''s personal butler<span ss="editText">... I think his name is, Belial?<span ss="aiText">" Knight Derrick said.


    <span ss="aiText">"I don''t like him, but it''s not my ce to question the Nobility. As long as they pay my sry and give me a title, then I''ll be a happy knight," Phn said.


    <span ss="userText">The others nodded as they waited for the Duke.


    <span ss="userText">***


    <span ss="userText">Belial was hurrying through the manor to the Duke''s study<span ss="aiText">. He knocked on the door.


    <span ss="aiText">"My lord! The Knights of the Crown havee to the Manor," Belial said.


    <span ss="userText">ric was sitting at his desk reading a book<span ss="aiText"> when he heard the knocking.


    <span ss="aiText">"What are they here for?" ric asked.


    <span ss="aiText">"My Lord, the King has called for an emergency meeting of the Thirteen Great Noble Houses."


    <span ss="aiText">The Duke''s face darkened <span ss="userText">as he closed his book and looked at the door where Belial was waiting for permission to<span ss="aiText"> enter.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="editText">Come,<span ss="aiText">" ric said<span ss="userText"> as he put his book down and stood up from his couch.


    <span ss="aiText">The Duke was in his nightgown<span ss="userText"> as Belial walked into the room and handed him the<span ss="aiText"> scroll with the royal seal<span ss="editText"> already broken<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="aiText">ric took the scroll <span ss="userText">with the broken seal at looked at Belial with a<span ss="aiText"> raised brow.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">I was making sure it wasn''t<span ss="aiText"> a forgery, my Lord," Belial said.


    <span ss="aiText">ric looked at the scroll and read the message.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">Strange? I thought we had a couple of decades before thebyrinth stampede was supposed to happen<span ss="editText">.<span ss="aiText">" ric said.


    <span ss="aiText">"I can''t say, My Lord<span ss="editText">. But it seems the Dwarf can''t handle it,<span ss="aiText">" Belial said.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">Baron Coldforge is a fool... But maybe this is a blessing in disguise. We could rid those damn dwarves<span ss="aiText"> from this kingdom forever." ric said with a sinister grin.


    <span ss="aiText">"Yes, my Lord. Shall I get you ready?" Belial asked.


    <span ss="aiText">"Yes. Bring me <span ss="userText">my best<span ss="aiText"> clothes," ric said.


    <span ss="aiText">"And the other items, My Lord?" Belial asked.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">No, my proper attire will be<span ss="aiText"> more than enough," ric said as he tossed the message into the firece and watched the note burn.


    <span ss="aiText">Belial nodded and went into the Duke''s bedroom.


    <span ss="aiText">ric was left alone in the study, "<span ss="userText">So, I just need to find a way to dy their aid and<span ss="aiText"> wait for thebyrinth''s monster stampede to crush those dwarves.<span ss="userText">.. Too bad there are human civilians living in the city of Ironside but there<span ss="aiText"> is nothing that can be done about that."


    <span ss="aiText">ric looked up to the ceiling with a wicked smile on his face.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">I guess it will be the Great Twelve Houses of Fiafyr<span ss="aiText"> in due time." ric chuckled.


    "Now I need to find a way to weaken Duval''s hold on the six of the Great Houses. I hate how that bastard has the majority to push out his agenda with very little consequence... Soon I will be Prime Minister and secure my son''s rightful ce once that boy has been taken care of."


    <span ss="userText">It didn''t take long for Belial toe back<span ss="aiText"> with a fine suit of clothes and a small bag.<span ss="userText"> And in no time the Duke was ready to meet his escort<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="aiText">"Let''s not keep the King waiting," ric said.


    <span ss="aiText">"Of course, My Lord<span ss="editText">. I''ll summon the carriage<span ss="aiText">," Belial said.


    <span ss="aiText">***


    <span ss="userText">The five knights<span ss="aiText"> and the<span ss="editText"> assistant <span ss="userText">butler <span ss="aiText">waited in the courtyard of the Manor for the Duke toe out.


    <span ss="aiText">It didn''t take long, and the Duke exited the Manor with his Butler at his side.


    <span ss="aiText">The knights bowed, and the Duke didn''t even acknowledge them.


    <span ss="userText">"This better not be a joke, gentlemen<span ss="aiText">. I don''t appreciate being disturbed during the night." The Duke said with an annoyed tone.


    <span ss="aiText">"It is no joke, Duke <span ss="editText">Revelia<span ss="aiText">. Please allow us to escort you to the pce," Phn said as he bowed.


    <span ss="userText">"Well, I''m taking my carriage... Try and keep<span ss="aiText"> up," ric said with a smirk.


    <span ss="aiText">Belial got a carriage from the stables.


    <span ss="aiText">"My Lord, <span ss="userText">we are ready<span ss="aiText">," Belial said.


    <span ss="aiText">The Knights were getting a little tired of the attitude that the Duke was showing them<span ss="userText"> as he got in the horse-drawn carriage<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="aiText">"Good. Let''s go, and hurry," the Duke said.


    <span ss="aiText">"Yes, My Lord."


    <span ss="userText">And with that, they sped off leaving the five knights behind.


    <span ss="userText">"Haa... Why were we ordered not to take the horses again?<span ss="aiText">..." <span ss="editText">Harlowe<span ss="aiText"> said.


    <span ss="aiText">"It was the <span ss="editText">General''s <span ss="aiText">order... But, I don''t like it either." <span ss="editText">Phn<span ss="aiText"> said.


    <span ss="userText">"Did we do something to piss the General off? I mean all the other knights had horses," Derrick said.


    <span ss="userText">"The fuck if I<span ss="aiText"> know. Let''s just get this shit over with," Phn said.


    <span ss="userText">Phn looked at his men and they all nodded.


    <span ss="userText">"Alright, let''s try and catch up to the carriage.<span ss="aiText"> I don''t want to get yelled at by the General," Phn said.


    <span ss="aiText">The Knights jogged down the streets after the carriage, hoping to arrive at the pce before it. Feeling like idiots as the Duke was no longer in sight once it made a turn.


    <span ss="userText">***


    <span ss="userText">Duke ric''s carriage was flying through the streets of Tairal. Thanks to them being empty<span ss="aiText"> there was no problem.


    <span ss="aiText">The driver was a skilled one and knew how to push the horses and carriage.


    <span ss="aiText">But the only problem was that it was a little bumpy<span ss="userText"> going at these speeds on cobblestone<span ss="aiText"> roads.


    <span ss="aiText">ric wasn''tining though. In fact, he was grinning.


    <span ss="aiText">''<span ss="userText">I need to y my cards right and I will rid myself of one less nuisance... Arathar Coldforge will be nothing but a forgotten note<span ss="aiText"> in history,'' ric thought.


    <span ss="aiText">As the Duke''s carriage was nearing the <span ss="userText">pce gates<span ss="aiText">. <span ss="userText">ric noticed eleven other carriages of the other Noble Great Houses<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="aiText">"Seems that we''re thest ones<span ss="userText"> to arrive<span ss="aiText">. Hopefully, the King isn''t angry," Belial said from the driver''s seat.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">Pfft! My brother wouldn''t dare<span ss="aiText"> do anything. He knows he needs me more than I need him," ric said.


    <span ss="aiText">They were allowed in the gates and the guards told the Duke to report to the main throne room.


    <span ss="aiText">"It seems you will have an audience, my Lord," Belial said with a small chuckle<span ss="userText">.


    <span ss="userText">"Like always... Rest the horses... It might be a long night<span ss="aiText">," ric said.


    <span ss="aiText">The Belial stopped the carriage at the stables.


    <span ss="aiText">"Shall <span ss="editText">I<span ss="aiText"> wait here with the carriage?"


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">Yes<span ss="aiText">. Wait for me and I''ll send for the carriage when I''m done. I will call upon you if I need your help," ric said.


    <span ss="aiText">"As youmand, My Lord," Belial said as he bowed.


    <span ss="userText">''Belial is the best butler a noble could have<span ss="aiText">... And he is a very good actor.<span ss="editText"> But he''s acting too independenttely. I need to correct that behavior before it''s toote,<span ss="aiText">'' ric thought as he left the carriage.


    <span ss="aiText">He walked up to the pce and the guards immediately opened the doors for him.