(C2, Didienne) The Greatest 10; a Meeting with the High Council & Other Events (13th Board)

Skeloph was as quiet as the others in the aftermath of Feronia's message. Unlike them, however, her silence was prompted not by shock but by a desire to remain quiet. She knew all about the incident and if that became too apparent to the others then it would be difficult to explain why she had kept the information to herself- the obvious truth shed a rather bad light on her.
So, she maintained an expression of grave shock until blathering Farios finally broke the silence with a most unhelpful remark. Obviously it was an unexpected occurrence for them all- and the very issue was that they had no army. The Theodonys boy was mildly more constructive. She gave a gracious nod at his mention of her name, wondering what he meant to convey by it. An empty comment by a fraud of a politician? Did he seek to ally himself with her, to patronise and belittle her? The smile on his face did little to shed light on the matter, his absent-minded face suggesting it was over an unrelated matter. Whatever his aim, though, it would turn out badly for him. Invaders meant war, and war invariably meant power up for the taking. Admittedly, rarely if ever had Dragons Cove seen it on this scale, but it was a fact of humanity.

She didn't speak for a time longer, but when Typhon told her nothing new as he elaborated, she concluded that this meeting was not going to be at all fruitful for her unless she spoke up soon. Before the idiots who were supposed to be her co-workers managed to settle on plain surrender or something worse.
"My fellow councillors," she interjected smoothly as Farios finished, rising to her feet with a rich rustle of silks. "Esteemed guardian dragons. In this matter, every minute which we waste could be vital. I am sure we will all agree that a peaceful negotiation is the best solution to this situation- or at least as peaceful as possible, given the damage already done by these Surahnians." Her tongue did not falter over the harsh and strange- sounding word, the sounds of it made familiar by the time she had spent attempting to learn the language of the newcomers in private. Her network of scroll dragons, such excellent learners, had proved invaluable; she had set several of them to unearthing every word they could that might help her communciate with the Surahnians. "However, we will of course attempt to treat with them regardless. Let us consider what we have to bargain. Our crops, our trade goods and our knowledge they could take by force if they so desired. Why should they pay for what they may have freely? The only sensible course is to form an army of our own. We must pray that they will never go to combat, that no lives will be lost in this effort, but even if only for show we will need a force. Let us send out word: call in the mages, the weaponsmiths, those able to fight. Ask all those who would defend their home and country to present themselves and aid the effort in any way they can. Dragons Cove is a rich nation in many ways. For years, we have believed that we were the only ones. But now it becomes apparent that we are not alone in this world. Why else are there words such as country, nation, that to describe several different ones? Our wealth and experience is unrelated to war, it is true, but that is no reason for us to appear weak- no reason to be weak. We must talk to the people and we must band together, and we will be strong."

Of course, the last thing she wanted was for the Surahnians to sail away and leave Dragons Cove to continue with the archaic and useless High Council rule, but if she was to take power then getting people to follow her at all was a good start. And how better to do that than to suggest something which would appeal to those desperate to imagine the Surahnians had never happened?

Kadland remained silent at Typhon's words, taking them in stride and remaining unruffled. Old as he was, the councilor had been called far worse things than simply unobservant. He did find it incredibly interesting, however, that Innace had chosen not to defend his honor or intelligence and glanced at the younger councilman from under his bushy brows, noting his petulant expression. Kadland knew for a fact that Innace had been in Racksom recently, his network had told him as much just a handful of days before when he'd inquired about the councilor's status on some matter or another that needed votes to pass. Well, perhaps that would be a useful card to keep in his pocket later if the witch Skeloph didn't use it first. He assumed that the viper knew Innace's whereabouts, having formed the tendency to assume that Skeloph knew anything that he knew a week before. It keep him from being surprised, seeing as surprises weren't any good for his heart.

Feronia couldn't help but to be sympathetic with Farios, the honesty of his question all at once refreshing and a highlight to the detriments facing them in this plight. She was expecting all of the councilors to be of the same mind, but the eloquent and long speech given by the Skeloph in favor of setting off to war was not something at all that she had been prepared to hear. Given their generations of peace, she would have thought that head biting would be necessary to get any of the lazy councilors to move, so was both relieved and cautious about this declaration in favor of fighting. "That sounds like the best course of action, and is indeed something that we had discussed previously." She replied to Skeloph, directing her gaze at the councilor briefly before addressing the rest seated in the hall. "At this very moment, Sebantias and Vitreasa are parlaying with Yarrowitz to garner supplies to support this force that we hope to rally." Hopefully they were successful, given that they were going to need a lot of supplies and a lot of men if they ever hoped to present a front that could intimidate the Surahnians, but that wasn't going to be a fear she voiced here when they were making some progress. "Unfortunately, I do not believe that the Surahnians are here for the sake of trade, Farios." She turned her head to the smaller green dragon, sounding almost apologetic. "If they were, then there would have been no need to raze Quinsilla to the ground. Prince Atleon of Mirrahl was taken as a hostage by the invaders as a result of the battle. There were no negotiations involved, and many lost their lives. When the Surahnians marched on Racksom, the situation was much the same. There was no communication between the invaders and the city, and the battle was brief but devastating to the local populace and the city itself. Part of it was set ablaze, and the walls themselves took damage and were torn down in many places. In summary, they are not here on peaceful terms, and I doubt that there is anything we could give them to make them stop, as Councilor Skeloph has pointed out."

There was of course another option: let the Surahnians take over all of Dragon's Cove without a fight at all. Dragons Cove knew nothing of war, so a hostile take over with limited casualties would go a long way toward keeping the balance of the world… but was it a bigger gamble to let these war-savvy invaders from across the sea rule the land that they had kept peaceful for hundreds of years? Or would it be more beneficial in the long run to quash this rebellion as soon as possible and hope that this war looming on the horizon wasn't going to be as horrendous they all feared? In the end, she knew that the five of them could control the locals whereas the Surahnians were an entirely different animal. Better the devil they knew. "Whatever your feelings on the matter, whether you truly believe that there is a force from across the sea or not, there is one fact that remains painfully real: An army has risen up and has destroyed two cities. This threat is something that must be responded to. We Guardians have already decided that we will fight to protect the sanctity of your current way of life, and we urge you to pull all of your resources in this effort. Without the strength of each of us, I'm afraid that a worse fate would set upon us, the peace and prosperity of Dragon's Cove cut abruptly in bloody tumult. Councilors, what say you? Our response to this threat must be swift and decisive."

It made him uncomfortable that they so readily wrote off all he said, and yet, he was confident he spoke for the masses. He must have been playing in a different game though now, even if only briefly, as he was on the High Council. For some reason he had expected this all to be wholly different, others had always spoke of the High Council in a mixed way but...Farios always imagined how great they must have been to be placed in this rank. He was feeling disillusioned, but optimistic that their talents would show with time.

As Skeloph rose and spoke her part, Farios started to stir a little in his place and looking about to see anybody openly disagreeing with her. Unfortunately, nobody did, yet, he could say nothing in return. It was a truth now that the vastly improbable had finally happened.
When Feronia then broached the subject further he scrabbled in his head for a good line to follow, but could not help but agree surrender would fail.
"Although it is against all sense of my moral judgment, I fear you are correct then Guardian Feronia. Whatever is required, in sensibility, must be extended to stop this. I suggest though, before we seek to put the civilians in harms way, to consult the Southern Academy for its full support. The elites will probably have already chosen to act of their own volition, too..." These words were barely his own, more a necessity than a true original thought of his. Farios was not a warmaker. "Our southern academics are quite vast, enough to perhaps provide good support to parry away the rage of the foreigners from making their way north...."

He didn't even want to imagine that such a thing could happen, Didienne, destroyed or even merely at a change of hands.

"No, if not for the violence, we cannot allow all we have at stake here to be poisoned by the unknowing and destructive." He declared, unawares just how strongly he had accidentally allied himself with Councillor Yeriss.

Guest

The consequences of the Guardians’ and his fellow council members’ words shaped into terrible visions in Theodonys’ mind. The town he loved would maybe be changed forever; his daughter and grand-children would be in grave danger. As for Jeremy, he would never survive the restrictions of a siege if Didienne was attacked, that much was certain.
A little ashamed, he realised that he was ready to fight for his family first. As a council member, he was expected to think for the greater good, for Didienne. His own interests were secondary. He wondered what his fellow colleagues’ thoughts were in this moment. He had the disturbing feeling that they would follow their own agenda to fulfil their goals and he suddenly felt quite old and has-been. He had been an idealist all along, a firm believer of the high council’s mission; for which result?

“We need to talk to the people.”
Jeremy’s voice rose quietly and the Count looked at him in shock when his son kept silent afterwards apparently lost in his thoughts. Was he conversing with Altea again? A feeling of frustration slowly grew in Theodonys and just as he was about to call the albino’s name to have him focus on the now and present, the latter spoke again:
“To us, war is as foreign as those invaders are. But they are a reality and so might be war. We are no fighters at heart, and yet we cannot sit here and wait until they take power over us. You’re all right, we shouldn’t appear weak; we should defend what we built, what we have worked for. Didienne is our home and we should feel safe here. But we have a duty towards the population we represent. We owe them the truth and we should expose the situation to them, because they have a right to know what may happen in the near future. They need to know that we need to all stand together and that we, as council members, are ready to fight for our land, family and lives but that without their support, we are nothing. We cannot force them to form an army if this is not what they wish. Some will panic; some will run away in fear. Let us not blame them, but focus on those who will remain and offer our full support to them. They will be our army; they will be our heroes. Those who choose to fight will become an inspiration for others. They will bring others to join in the fighting. Not us. All we can do is ensure the population that this is the right decision, that we will advise them and represent their voice, to the fullest of our abilities. It is time for us to rise together to aim at the only goal of importance: the survival of Didienne and Dragons Cove. We need to reach a unity and therefore gain the strength required to face the difficult times about to fall upon us.”

The Count involuntary held his breath. Jeremy had unexpectedly left his moderation skills aside to take a step and formulate his own opinion, based on his analysis of the others’ speeches. This was so unusual that Theodonys felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Knowing the rest of the assembly, they would certainly not be very happy to see the quiet diplomat suddenly turn into a man of beliefs and opinions.

Typhon inwardly groaned to himself as they each had their say, rolling his eyes and shifting a bit where he sat. It was annoying how they each had to speak as if they had the only correct answer, as if what they sai was the final word on the subject. Well, they are council members, He thought. It must be a part of their egos to talk as such.

"Councilor Jeremy, a heroic group would hardly be enough." the yellow guardian said, eyes focused on him. "I admire your belief in our people, and wish that I was of the same mindset, but thats not how our people are. As you yourself said, the majority of our pople are not fighters; they would not readily join a cause so foreign to them, leaving our nubmers a bit lacking for any considerable force. We are not yet, nor are anywhere near ready for an all-out war. Instead, I suggest subterfuge." He already had the gears set in motion for a spy, which his brethren were aware about. "We should be attacking them from the inside, weakening both their numbers and their morale. I have already set in motion plans to put a spy into their ranks, and I suggest we set traps along their path which, and we all know this, is most likely this very city. If we could lower their numbers enough, at the very least we would be on more even ground." Diplomacy would be impossible with them, as they've already done too much damage. Hopefully they would see some sense in his words and agree.

It had occurred to Silverwing that upon entering the room and taking his position next to his fellow Guardians, he had not uttered a single word. Instead, he had been eyeing up the supposed almighty council members who would bicker at any chance possible rather than take into consideration a single word they were saying. He found it very hard to remain quiet, even after the slight prompt and nudge from Feronia, but he knew it would be even harder to speak in a pleasant tongue. Thus, his silence remained.
Typhon lead the introductory talk, of which he was pleased, since it meant he could dwell on his thoughts a little bit longer in an attempt to ignore the current annoyances. What he found astonishing however, was the somewhat disheartened attitude toward the mention of an army. Although Farios denied questioning the truth, Silverwing could see his uneasiness as to believe the majority of the story. But is the matter not obvious? Would three guardians just stroll over here to spread rumours? Would Silverwing have scarred himself as evidence just to make the battle sound convincing? Keeping his mouth shut was proving more and more difficult as the conversation pressed on, and he knew it would come to a point where an outburst would be inevitable.

Now there were mutterings about small heroic groups and diplomatic measures coming onto the scene. Had the Surahnians been diplomatic when they burned Quinsilla to the ground? ’Good support’ wasn’t what they were looking for, nor would it do any ’good.’ Nothing was currently arrising from this meeting, but at least now it seemed to be taking a turn for the better in talking about tactics and possible solutions. Nevertheless, it was nothing the Guardians hadn’t discussed separately and thus they were currently running in circles.
He shot a harsh glare towards Jeremy as he began to speak up. ’War was foreign?’ It won’t be so foreign when it knocks on your doorstep and burns the city into the ground now will it? They were speaking as if war had never existed, that it was all a mythical legend. As if it was only told in bedtime stories to scare children into behaving.
He was really losing his patience, so much so that he had to turn his attention over to his brethren in an attempt to hide his ever-deteriorating diplomatic face from the council.

Much to her amazement, not one of the other Councillors spoke out directly against her. True, what Theodonys’ boy said was not exactly in line with her own opinion, as Typhon pointed out. Support from Farios meant little, but having Feronia directly agree with her was a powerful bargaining tool, especially when she was about to pit herself again Typhon. Subterfuge, as long as the spy was carefully selected, would likely not be an issue. The problem was that he seemed to imply gathering an army was a waste of time and a lost cause.
“I agree, Typhon. Those few of our people who will freely offer themselves up to slaughter at the hands of the Surahnians will do nothing to help our cause alone. However, as Feronia has said, an army is undoubtedly needed. Farios does not customarily sit in with us, it is true, but he is still an esteemed member of our society and I am sure we all respect his opinion.” Likely the only ones present who might were the guardians, but there was no need to mention that just now. “Subterfuge to level the odds is undoubtedly wise. Perhaps we can contact the mages of the Academy in order to ask them about a trap they might be able to set up; I doubt any non-magical trap will make an impact on such a vast army. However, the fact remains that even with lowered numbers we will need to fight them back, or at least display a force to convince them victory is not a certain thing. Merely giving an opportunity to those who wish to join us will not be enough. As I have said… we must send out messengers to all those we know can help us, but moreover, yes. We must talk to the people, we must call them to arms and defend Dragons Cove. If the Surahnians reach Didienne then every last man must fight against them, and those women who are able, for we cannot allow our capital to fall. Moreover, though, we must meet the enemy and ensure that they never have a chance to attack us at our core. If we meet them on our terms rather than on theirs, the advantage will be great. After all, we know this land better than they could ever hope to even after years of occupation- we will always be the people of Dragons Cove.”

She left a short pause before she added her next words, trying to gauge how they would go down. Being in charge of all affairs with other nations, she should really have more say in the entire situation than any other here, but for centuries all the position had meant was that she had to deal with Kaionar. She was well acquainted with the place by now, and she knew that its residents wouldn’t hesitate to turn their back on Dragons Cove and aid the Surahnians, if it suited them. Of course, she had already sent messages to the leaders of the Confederation, knowing that the Kaionarians would be in the know as well as her- but that didn’t mean she’d have their support by any means.
“I believe we should also make moves to secure the Kaionarians as allies. Them being surrounded by our land on all sides and such a small area, it is easy for us to simply consider them as a somewhat alternative part of the same nation. We must remember that while they are part of Dragons Cove as an island, they are not as a country, and it seems entirely plausible that they will protect themselves by siding with what seems like the stronger side in this upcoming war. This would betray our superior knowledge of the island and of magic, and I am sure I do not need to tell any of you that that would be disastrous for us.” She did not stand through all of this, though she did lean forwards and meet the eyes of the others around her. Sometimes you could practically see them squirm as they were pinned down; with some luck, this would be one of those times. Unfortunately it seemed unlikely. With the Guardians present, she didn’t doubt that all of the councillors would be on high alert.

Bored out of his wits, Innace listened to the back and forth of the other council members, wondering when they would finally get to the point so he could get out of there again. In the meantime, he was cursing his manservant for having coerced him into going to this meeting. If he had done as he had actually wanted to, he would be in the bed of a beautiful woman right now, being pleasured.
Or counting his gold.
Or admiring his precious stone collection.
Anything really. Anything would be better than having to sit in on this boring meeting.

Of course there were still the odd moments where he was afraid that someone might address the problem of his whereabouts prior to this meeting but as long as nobody questioned him openly about it, there was no need to act worried and thus arouse suspicion.

Ugh, fighting... It was safe to say that Innace was not one who was big on fighting and he would go to many lengths to avoid such a thing happening. Thus, he finally decided to speak up. “Is there no other way than fight battle after battle? You have suggested bargaining and trading – maybe that is what they want and need? Since they have already ruined Quinsilla, why not offer them to stay in that place? They could settle down there if that was what they wished and we could all continue with our lives, undisturbed without having to shed unnecessary blood.”

Taking a quick breath before continuing: “But yes, if that were to fail, I agree that we need allies. We need all the heroes this island has to offer, as Councillor Jeremy suggested, as well as allies with powerful resources such as the Kaionarians. As far as attacking them from the inside goes however, how are you planning on doing that?”

Once again, Innace was foolish enough to openly challenge a Guardian dragon but in his own humble opinion, he did have a point. “If these people come from another land, we are bound to be nothing like them. Don’t you think they would notice if they were being infiltrated? Even if we used powerful mages to spy on them and break them from the inside out. It would be noticeable sooner or later.”

It was hard not to feel the tense waves practically rolling off of Silvering, and standing right next to him, Feronia could fell it all too well. She lent a sympathetic glance his way out of the corner of her eye, brushing his wing lightly in a comforting gesture. 'We have done well all these years…' She whispered quietly on the mindlink that the Guardians shared amongst themselves. '…to keep the island free from violence and conflict on such a scale as we now face. We should be impressed that they have agreed to this much so quickly.' As much as she would like things to hurry along with the councilors blindly obeying their every whim, it was an unfortunate fact that these bureaucrats had minds of their own and were prone to thinking for themselves.

He couldn't help but to raise an eyebrow at the flow of the conversation Dragon's Cove at war. Perhaps he really was getting old and senile, as some suggested to be hearing all of this. But, everyone else seemed to be convinced of this great travesty, and three Guardians certainly didn't pay a visit to share tea and cookies. "It seems that we are all in agreement that the Academy is our best chance of rallying anything that resembles a force to be reckoned with." He paused for a breath to see if anyone readily disagreed with the notion before continuing. "And as such, we should create a movement to proceed with informing the Academy that it's expertise will be needed quite desperately in the immediate future. Furthermore, as Councilor Skeloph has stated, the Kaionarians may be a very large part of the upcoming battle that we must prepare for. I would move to suggest that seeing as she has the most experience with the Kaionarian government, that it should be her responsibility to see that they join the right side of this…" he gestured vaguely with a withered hand "…war. We simply cannot afford to be putting inexperienced pages to the task of quelling national distress when it is so very high on the list of priorities." Let her get caught up in the scheming of those back-stabbing sand-merchants for all he cared. Her acidic temperament and silver-bladed tongue could certainly get her far enough to annoy whoever was in charge of that lawless country of assassins and urchins.

Now he turned his attention on Innace, who had done a remarkable job of not sweating under the collar considering what was at stake for him personally. "Do remember Councilor Innace, the Surahnians have also taken and ruined Racksom, by the Guardian's own account. Would you so freely give these invaders Racksom as well? If I remember right- and please do correct me if I'm wrong, I am an old man after all- but don't you often oversee Council activities in Racksom? I would think that, having so much history with the town, that you would be more sympathetic to the city's current plight." Kadland didn't smile, he never smiled when he was in the council chamber, or really ever at all. But there was just enough of that grandfatherly-ness in his tone to take the sting off of the highly insinuating words. Was he quietly accusing Innace of quite literally throwing Racksom under the wagon? Was he aware of the man's whereabouts shortly before the city's sacking. Perhaps. Or perhaps he was simply an insightful old man. It was up to the younger councilor to decide.

Feronia glanced to Innace briefly when he suggested leaving Quinsilla in the hands of the Surahnians, but even she doubted that simply offering to let the invaders stay in a city that they had already conquered and occupied was going to keep them content when they already had a second larger city under their control. "As has been stated previously…" She began in the most patient tone she could muster, despite just how incredibly distasteful she was finding the Councilor Innace, "We have no means of bargaining with the Surahnians. Offering them a piece of land they already have is not going to make them drop their arms when they feasibly have the military might to walk to the council doors and take the city by storm. As far as it may keep from more spilling of blood, we must operate under the assumption that the Surahnians will not stop until the entirety of the Cove is under their command. Then we can hardly be surprised when they attempt a march North East and threaten the core of our nation."

Indeed, I'm quite surprised by all of this. Typhon added through their mind link. I was expecting hours, if not days of squabble, yet even Innace is being cooperative. Perhaps we should give them more credit. Of course, that last statement was just to help put Silverwing at ease; his prejudice kept him assuming (and in Innace's case, knowing) that the majority of the councilmember’s thoughts were drifting towards the area of 'how can I turn this to my advantage.' There were a few exceptions, yes, but he had seen too many times how humans would put themselves above others in a pinch.

"I agree." Typhon said, nodding his head in Counselor Kadland's direction. "I highly doubt that these invaders would accept a gift which is already in their possession. In fact, it may just encourage them; we would be pushovers, then." He then turned to meet Innace's eyes, the tip of his tail flicking lightly. "In some ways, I have already begun. I have held correspondence with a well-known mercenary who, after some debate, has agreed to act as a spy for us. And," He gave each of the councilmembers a sweeping look, being sure to meet eyes with each of them. "Before you say that mercenaries are untrustworthy, know that I have a trump card that will undoubtedly keep him in check. As to who it is and what our deal is, I won't say. Secrets of the trade, you understand." He sat back a bit, relaxing himself. He always got an annoying crick in his back whenever he got too wound up, he did not know why, and he was already starting to feel it form. "As for other methods, I suggest small, swift groups of soldiers and magicians who, at intervals, will attempt to set traps which will sever supply routes and shear away at their numbers. By the time they arrive here, if they do, this will have lowered their numbers, and moral as well most likely, quite substantially."

The Butcher's words were having a desirable effect; Other tradesmen in the crowd were becoming angry with the council. They shouldn't have to fight for something they should be given anyways! Family members and local workers, however, were not so moved. They would occasionally shift on their feet, and some were siding with the Butcher, however others were inclined to just go home, which they did. The number that actually left was small, however; Many stayed anyways because of the possible social implications of leaving, being seen as mindless sheep or not willing to stand up for themselves. So, whatever their reasons, the crowd gathered around the butcher was still quite large, definitely enough so that the council would not be able to help but notice if they did anything.

One member of the crowd, a jeweler who sets up shop near the heart of Didienne, called out from the crowd. "Why do we not go now? Surely there could be no better time!" Murmured agreement rippled through the crowd; They were all together, right now, and from the looks of things the council was meeting at that very moment. Having the Guardians there too was just icing on the cake, because they will have brought recent news on the subject.

It took all of Innace’s willpower not to jump up at Kadland’s open accusation. How dare that old excuse of a skeleton even say this to him? Openly challenge him like this and put him in a bad light? Preposterous! Furrowing his brows at the other council member, he did not rise to the bait however, even if it took every ounce of concentration he had to formulate a decent reply.

“I may oversee actions from time to time yes, and I do not say that we should give them everything they want, especially not Racksom. I would never even consider such an option. However,” he took a breath as his rather heavy breakfast was starting to give him some trouble – he really needed to go see a physician about that sooner or later.
“However, if we do not come to some sort of conclusion, and in case your wonderful mercenary idea isn’t working,” he waved in the general direction of Týphon without really looking at any of the Guardians, “then what will keep them from marching straight to Didienne and taking the capital too? Would you so lightly take a decision that is more convenient for you if it were this city we were talking about rather than Quinsilla or Racksom?”

Sighing as he shifted in his chair, trying to find a more comfortable position, he finally looked at the golden dragon with a bored expression on his face. “But what am I saying. It seems as though you’ve decided on our course of action without our consent already anyway. So what is the point of this meeting? I do wonder.”

"Why do we not go now?" The Butcher asked, repeating the jeweller's question. "You are quite right! Let's band together! Now! Our time has come to fight for our rights, for our freedom of information and knowledge. Let's go into that council hall now and force them to tell us the truth! Force them to finally consider us as real human beings instead of little children that need to be held by the hand and fed information by the spoon because they think we cannot handle it."

Looking through the crowd once again, he added: "Let us show them that we are grown-up men and women, that we can handle ourselves and that we do not live to serve their well-being. No! They should fight for our well-being, not the other way around! Now, who's with me?"

Valx had a look of mischief on his face, yes, indeed! There had to be a first tiem for everything, including rallying the people forward against the infamously lax High Council. Powerful, unfair and yet hopelessly pathetic. He had no reason to believe this man was lying so he joined the peoples cries.
"Yay to that friend! Let us go this moment! Now is the perfect time, perhaps the only time to catch the members at their work, if indeed they do any /even now/ as they say!"
Nobody normally would see behind the high council doors, well, not to the high councillors themselves. Perhaps when it was empty...Some had become to wonder if it were ever filled.
True to form, Valx managed to pry people away with him, taking up close to the front of the "mob", steering them directly for the hall as he checked back to the butcher periodically. It seemed their glob of people was snaking its way over the grand square quite definitely. Now people were joining simply to see where they were off to...it was...exciting and their numbers were beginning to look more than a little impressive. Before long they were at the grand flights of steps, the guards? They looked to be overwhelmed, coming forward to meet the swathes of people with uncertainty.
"Stand aside! We come to press forth to meet our councillors, servants to our wishes!" He called, content to act as a spokesperson for the butcher, among the voices of others.
The noise was growing, and growing. Surely it could be heard to those inside. So much so, the guards individual voices were utterly drained against the mass. Valx fought to look back, to see the butcher, they needed him to take the lead...to have his way at the front.
"Listen, even as the man that knows the truth speaks for us!"

“Typhon,” Skeloph began in a tone which layered false respect with patronising sympathy. “All these things you suggest are excellent ideas and I am sure that they would be beneficial to our cause. However… we must accept that these Surahnians are vast in number and gaining support all the time. Traps simply won’t take out enough of their number to cause any significant damage. At least… no trap built from nothing in the time we have. Perhaps if we build on existing features of the land, though…” She shrugged elegantly. “We would have to consult our mages. Of course, I know that you will have chosen only a trustworthy and talented mercenary to carry out infiltration. All the same, I am sure you are in agreement with Feronia… and myself. And Farios.” The antler dragon was tagged on as an afterthought; it was tiresome that he was included in the meeting at all, really. As if it made any difference.

She had observed Kadland taunting Innace with some amusement; even if the codger didn’t know where Innace had been of late, the younger man’s discomfort was the same, and seeing his obvious difficulty in coming up with an answer she noted to herself that it would indeed make a powerful weapon at some point. Everyone knew that she would have found out about the Surahnians long before they had and therefore had obviously chosen not to share the news, but they could hardly say anything about it without evidence. Innace, on the other hand, wouldn’t be able to deny that he had been in Racksom not long ago.
“It would seem to me,” she continued, now turning to the man, “that the Guardians have taken great trouble to include us in their discussions on this matter. I am sure you meant no offence with your comments, Innace. After all, it is hardly your fault if you were never taught your manners properly.” She gave a light laugh, her eyes cold. “I do wonder, however, why you think that merely offering some kind of trade to the Surahnians is more likely to prevent them from marching on Didienne than active subterfuge is. You must have some kind of information on the situation in Racksom that we don’t.” Her impeccable eyebrows lifted slightly in a knowing challenge before she looked away, ringing a bell installed next to her chair and instructing the serving boy who came running to bring her a drink.

"We had hoped to rally the Council behind our cause." Feronia replied with a touch of bitterness in her voice. "As Guardians we can fight individually, and we can rally the people to our cause. But what we need if we are to have even a hope of winning this battle is the unconditional support of all the facets of the government-" Up until now, she had been so concentrated on trying to not bite off heads and stave off the inevitable power struggling squabbles between the council members that the noise outside had been low on her list of priorities. Now the shouting was echoing in the council chamber, and she couldn't help but to look at the door. "By the blessing of the stones, what is going on out there?" She hissed, one part annoyed and one part curious. For a fleeting second, she feared that perhaps the Surahnians had caught up with them already, but that was quickly dismissed as impossible. There was simply no way that they could have crossed the physical distance so fast. Little did she know that there was an army of a different kind waiting outside of the doors for them.

The guards had never dealt with something like this. They were simply not trained for mass crowd control that was actually angry. Riots in Didienne? Unheard of! So it was little surprise that when the people came marching up the steps that the soldiers began to panic, unsure what to make of the situation at all. "Halt!" The guard captain had made his appearance, roused from his cushy office by the noise and bother by one of his men. "Halt I say! The Council can not be disturbed! They are in session!"

Guest

Theodonys de Grysebrume was angry. If it hadn’t been for the presence of the three guardians he would probably have started to shout at the so called council members.
“This is going nowhere,” he groaned in a low voice so only his son heard him.
Jeremy slightly turned his head and smiled sadly.
“What exactly did you expect, Father?” He said quietly, without bothering that everyone else could listen. “That we would get the call and would all rise together in a perfect unity? Surely you can’t be that naïve. People think about their own interests first before taking the greater good into consideration. Could you look me in the eyes and swear that you didn’t think of a way to protect our family when you heard the news?”
The old man sighed: “I couldn’t, you’re right.”
“Well, that is the same for every single person around this table. They are ready to work out a battle plan together but only on their own terms. You can easily see the difficulty here.”
The albino went silent, listening to the growing noise outside. There was only one way to know what this was all about:
“Altea?” He mentally called. “By any chance, would you know what is happening?”
“Sounds like trouble, my dear. But I’ll have a closer look.”
A worried expression crossed Jeremy’s features and he stood up:
“Please allow me to summarize what has been discussed here and clear a misunderstanding. It is now obvious to me that our Guardians have come here hoping to find support. They didn’t come to hear petty disputes or reckonings. I wouldn’t even be surprised if they were expecting us to have discussed the matter already and united around a course of action. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for our Guardians to be here realising that we all agree in principle – we need to protect Dragon’s Cove one way or the other – but seeing that we are not going anywhere. We need to move on.”
He was suddenly interrupted by a violent cough and it took him all his willpower to keep talking. Forcing his voice to be steady and ignoring the agonising pain that went through his body, he said:
“I, Jeremy de Grysebrume, member of the High Council give my full support to the Guardians to fight away the threat. I resolve to put all my resources and skills to this unique goal and…”
He couldn’t speak further. He felt his body betray him and couldn’t do anything to prevent it.
“Altea…” He moaned before passing out.

Theodonys had anticipated his son’s fainting fit and jumped on his feet to prevent him from falling, holding him firmly against him.

Innace stared at Skeloph, that poisonous snake, without saying a word. He so wanted to jump to the bait and he would have if there had only been the usual council members present. But with the Guardians here as well, he simply did not dare accepting the challenge the way it was presented. However, the pause before answering was too long once again and his hesitation was not wiped away from his face quickly enough again. Still, maybe nobody had noticed.

“I assure you that I have no more information on this army than you have yourself, Milady.” He almost spat the last word, but it was the only hint he gave that indicated that he really had a strong dislike towards Skeloph. Years ago, he thought he could have maybe been interested in bedding her but that sentiment had quickly evaporated when she had opened her mouth. Nobody would want to spend more time with her than necessary. Every word she spoke was venom.

It was most lucky for Innace that he did not have to explain himself further – and he hoped that nobody would come back to this later on – when suddenly Jeremy spoke up and decided to burst into a vast monologue. And to top it off, he also fell unconscious! And what made it worse, it happened right when the doors of the council chambers burst open and an angry mob streamed into the council hall. Jumping out of his seat, enraged at the erupted chaos, Innace yelled: “What is this insolence? GUARDS! Get these people out of here! What do you think you are doing?!”

“Don’t you dare throw us out!” The Butcher yelled over the cacophony. “We have a right to know what is happening, what is truly happening! You have been lying to us for so long and we demand to know the truth! Tell us what really is going on! Tell us why we have been taken for imbeciles for so many years, especially now at times of apparent crisis!”

Seeing all the council members and the Guardians assembled in the same place, the Butcher suddenly felt a little odd, but he did not back down. They had come here for information and they were not going to leave without it. If the council members refused, the Guardians certainly wouldn’t, would they? Most of all however, he was starting to fear that maybe some of the rumours he had heard might not have been completely true, and he did not want to be exposed as a liar before he had reached his own personal goal, which was of course a large part of this whole deal, though he also really did have their good at heart, the good of not only himself but also that of the other traders of Didienne.

"Councilor Innace, calm yourself." Kadland raised his voice, a harsh cutting tone on his lips. He could recognize an opportunity when it burst through his doors, and he was not going to end up on the losing side of this little power struggle if he could help it. The Guardians were right about one thing; they could rally the people against the Council if push came to shove. This little display of anarchy clearly displayed anything, it was that these times were quickly transforming into something alien that the current Council had never had to deal with. Riots in the streets? And peasants having the gall to burst in on a Council session? Troubling times indeed, and as it stood now, the people were poised to dethrone them all if this didn't go in just the right way. For him, the start in the right direction would be cementing his sympathies with the people. "If the people want the truth, then there is no reason that we can not give it to them. Good people of Dragons Cove," He turned his voice to the assembled crowd, knowing after years of service at just what volume and pitch would best carry through the domed council room to cut over the general babble of the rabble that had so rudely interrupted their political games. "You are correct; this is a time of crisis. Your Guardians and your Council are working together to try and prevent misfortune from befalling our beloved city, and our beloved kingdom."

Feronia was surprised to hear the sudden endorsement from Kadland of all people. She thought the old man would be the last to jump on board with them. With a small shake of her head for the turn of the tides, she lifted her head and turned toward the people, her gaze sweeping across the gathered crowd. "I do not know what you have heard, but let it be said now that what we have to say will not ease your fears any." She hated to do this. To instill fear into people that had been so peaceful, but without fear there was likely no way that they could even begin to understand the situation. It was a balancing act; walking the line between an effective use of fear and sending the crowd into a mass panic. "The reality of the situation is this: We are under attack. For centuries, we Guardians have kept this land at peace so that the people might know prosperity. It came as a surprise to us all then when a force from across the sea dared the violent waters around our land to come to us with weaponry and a lust for blood. Quinsilla is fallen! Racksom, too, is fallen! Taken by storm and crushed under the heel of these invaders! We are here now to prevent such a thing from befalling Didienne! If you value your freedoms, your families, and your very lively hood, then you must take up responsibility for your very lives!" They had said they wanted the truth, and now she was going to give it to them. But for good or ill? She could only hope that with centuries of peace, the people wouldn't know what they were signing themselves up for in a war and be inspired by her words to willing take up arms and lay down their lives. "Good people, I ask this burden of you because we can not do it alone. You have trusted us this long, trust us now when duty calls and fate deals us a dark hand! Who will rise to this cause?"

The Butcher listened to Feronia’s words carefully, shutting his already open mouth respectfully as the red Guardian spoke up. He had just been about to shout his opinion of ‘their’ council into Kadland’s face, but refrained from doing so. It would not do in front of a Guardian. As much as he had rallied the people, he did believe in the Guardian dragons, even if he thought the council was a joke.

The shock of the news however, was still sitting in his bones and it took him a moment to gather his wits to properly phrase what was on his mind. War! Invaders! Quinsilla and Racksom fallen! It was impossible! The traders had spoken of both cities housing traders who held a grudge against the covers because business wasn’t going according to their plans. It may have been interpreted quite a few ways and the Butcher had used it to the utmost for his own plans of retribution but there had been truth in the words, no matter how many lies had been twisted into them.

“That is not what we have been told. My sources have passed on a completely different knowledge as to what you have just exposed to us, my Lady.” He stumbled across the last bit, not quite sure how to address the dragon, but shrugged past it and continued because his blood was still boiling and he did not want to lose face in front of all the people he had dragged in now. He had rallied them upon the false information he had been given and he was not going to take the fall for that. He was not sorry for having rallied them but he felt sorry for having fed lies to them, mostly unknowingly. He could already hear the murmurs spreading through the crowd; it did not bode well for him.

“We have taken up responsibility for our lives, for our families, for the freedom we value so dearly but which has been taken from us by the council many years ago. Everything is ruled, everything is regulated, everything is watched over by the council, but not for our good, but for their own. Ask them how much of what we earn has flown into their pockets. Ask them how much we had to give up so that they could live amongst riches unimaginable for most of us. Us, the ones who work hard for their earnings. It was their informants who have misguided us and told us lies about what is occurring on the island. It was them who should have been there when the first invader set foot upon this land! Where was the council when we needed them, when we had problems with payments, with merchandise, with anything? Where were they then? And most importantly, where are they now? Why is not a single one of them in Quinsilla or Racksom trying to remedy things? Why have they fled from the cities in danger when they most needed their council? Who is to say that they are not going to flee again as soon as they would actually have to do something?”

So much more he wanted to say, so much more, but he was out of breath. With every word he had spoken, his tone had risen and he was red in the face now, panting from trying not to lash out at anyone any more than he already was.

Skeloph nodded thoughtfully to Feronia’s words. She was surprised to find that the guardian’s words were so compatible with her own plans for Dragons Cove; it was definitely a factor in her favour. It was a shame the dragons were so intelligent, really. It would be excellent if she could manipulate them to support her cause, but it didn’t seem likely that that would be possible.

Feronia’s next remark was again aligned with her thoughts. She turned her gaze to the door, frowning- but in the next moment that feeble Grysebrume boy had collapsed. Again. What a waste of space he was, unable to stay conscious through one of the most important Council meetings to date. The Grysebrume family had a seat, anyway- she had waited her turn to take a place on the Council. Why shouldn’t they?

Leaving the weakling to his fate, Skeloph turned and listened to Innace’s red-faced retorts. Her reply, however, was washed away by the sudden mayhem of a mob erupting through the doors. For once in her life, she found herself unable to do anything as a guard ran to throw himself before her, holding out his spear against the crowds. Perhaps he hoped to earn some kind of favour by protecting her. What, did she look vulnerable? Face barely kept from contorting into a snarl, she brushed him aside and stood to stare at the unfolding chaos. Kadland was the first to jump in, and before Skeloph could interject Feronia had begun a nice little speech. Well, she could hardly interrupt somebody she was trying to make her ally. The guardian delivered a predictably noble speech, to which the apparent leader of the peasants made his own lengthy reply… and finally she was able to take the stage.

“I am sure I speak for all of us when I say that I regret you had to learn of it in this way,” she said, a mask of concern on her face. “An announcement to the city was planned, of course; the Guardians have flown from the West to bring us this news and we have been debating a course of action since. All this you say of the Council…” She bowed her head for a moment before continuing. “It saddens me that our reputation is this. This palace was built many years ago, of course, and now the taxes you pay go to maintaining the city and other essentials for the good of the people. Food stores, for instance, which will be invaluable if the Surahnians reach Didienne. You say there is no aid in the issues you face in everyday life… I am sure that, as intelligent people, you realise that the ten of us could not begin to see everyone on the island. It would be impossible. However, carefully selected district councils should be aiding you however they can. If they are not doing their jobs… Perhaps some kind of assessment is required.” It wouldn’t be at all difficult to put the blame on them. The last thing she needed was the people seeing her as… well, as what she was. “You speak of council members fleeing Racksom. Do you know which of them were present?” She kept her gaze deliberately fixed on the Butcher. Looking at Innace now would be a mistake.

Typhon was taken back, to say the least, by Skeloph's demeaning tone as she went over his suggestion. Like charging at an army that size head-on was any brighter than his! Their numbers, from the reports he had heard, far exceeded what they could gather on such short notice, while the number of people required for his plans could be easily gathered within the limits of Didienne itself. Her belittlement of Innace did little to curb his anger, despite how much he disliked that snake of a man, and was about the voice his complaints when something made him pull his head back. What on earth could make such a racket? It wasn't the parade, that had been thoroughly silenced by the walls of the council room. It was as if a large crowd was bustling right outside the door, and... oh no.

There could never have been a more perfect time for this. Though Typhon had to admit, the cityfolk were more upstanding than he thought; from how they behaved in day-to-day business, the people of Didienne appeared to be nothing more than sheep, content with nothing more than day to day life in its secure boundaries. With this, he at least learned that they could grow spines, if only through personal interest.

Feronia definitely hit the needle on the head with her speech, making the crowd stumble and waver. However Skeloph's words were as transparent as the concern on her face, hollow promises which had become all too common among councilmembers over the years. Something he would have to rectify before it put the crowd back into a rage.

"Doubtless if any councilmembers were present at the fall of Racksom, they would have said as much to us before now." He huffed, talons tapping roughly on the pedestal which he perched on. "Your arguments, sir, are implausible in this instance. The job of the council is not to directly control your success; we give you the tools to build your own. Do not toss blame at us for the very nature of your line of work, which fluctuates with the wants and needs of the people. Nor is it our prerogative to give you information with we ourselves are just receiving. It would be nice to come up with a few solutions before involving the general public. Unless you are all lending your hands to fight the enemies which have landed on our shores?" There he stopped, allowing those willing to back up their anger with action to make themselves known. How many would answer the call?

The Butcher could hardly believe his ears when the only woman on the High Council suddenly spoke up and replied to him. Did she really believe that he was going to buy her nonsense even for a second? Everybody here knew that the Council was not what she made them out to be, nor was she herself.
“Isn’t that what you as the High Council are for? Seated in Didienne, and you still don’t deign to take care of its citizens? You speak of not being able to take care of everyone. Let me ask you this then, how did you come to be in the High Council when you have so little faith in the power such a position should provide you with? Other of course than the power you are taking for yourself rather than using it to keep the people of Dragons’ Cove happy and help them in their endeavours instead of smothering them with taxes practically nobody can even pay anymore. And no,” he added, facing the Guardian dragon who had spoken, “I do not mean that they are responsible for our success but if they are hoarding everything we earn for themselves then there is nothing left for us to prosper from!”

In the meantime, Innace was sinking deeper and deeper into his chair, hoping that all attention would completely fall away from him. There was no doubt where Skeloph’s question had been leading and the longer he looked at the Butcher, the more he got the impression that he knew the man from somewhere, but he couldn’t quite place him. Better to bide his time for now and see where all of this was going.

Luckily for him, Týphon had basically just unwittingly saved his skin by ridiculing Skeloph’s accusation of someone having been in Racksom at the time of the invasion. It was a good thing the Guardians still held the council members in such high esteem. Gullible creatures they were. Maybe he should get some use out of this after all. But now was not the time. He needed to focus on this and hopefully keep the discussion steered away from him and Racksom as best he possibly could. For now, they were doing well enough on their own.

“You have no idea what it has been like to live under your precious High Council, people who have sought only their own glory and riches rather than representing what they should have been, namely you! And you have been absent all these years, how could you possible comprehend what has happened in all that time! I say, down with them now! Put up a new council! Set up a council of members who really know how to handle the responsibility that comes with such a position rather than abusing it for themselves! Vote for council members who are going to help the people rather than suppress them and demand more and more taxes for supposedly keeping their building shiny and new while instead all the gold is flowing into their own pockets! Consider our request for justice! And maybe we shall then consider fighting for your cause. Otherwise we will be fighting for our own!”

"The information that we bring may not be what you have heard, but it is no less true for the propagation of rumors." Feronia listened to the accusations of the man who seemed to be in charge of the human horde now standing before them, cooly absorbing his angry arguments. She could agree immediately with one thing: They had been away too long. The proof that things had gotten out of hand was standing here before them. How long would it have been until this riot against the Council would have broken out with none of the Guardian's there to monitor the chaos? Better late than never. This issue had come to a head, and she was determined to rectify the situation before it could get any worse.

"You are right, good people of Didienne. It seems that the Council is doing you a grave disservice to have such a list of complaints brought here before us. To brave the wrath of a Council in full session… Honesty and bravery go hand in hand. I asked you to take up the the mantle of responsibility and defend your rights from unknown invaders." She turned toward the council, putting her back to the people. "But they come here with concerns that are closer to the heart of their home. How should we respond, High Council? When the people cry foul and the evidence of your failing stands here before us. You were left with the sovereign responsibility of guarding the welfare of the people, and what do we return to Didienne to find? Discontent in the streets! Unrest in the very Council Halls! The people call for a change. I think we can acquiesce."

Skeloph could hardly believe Typhon when he began to blather about how any council members who had been in Racksom would have admitted to it. Where had he been for the last few centuries? Did he not realise that it was about as safe to trust the word of a High Councillor as it was a Kaionarian? Perhaps even less so; at least Kaionarians were more likely to twist their words and tell a white lie. Most of the Councillors didn’t even have the brains for that and were reduced to outright untruths. It was interesting to note that the Guardian came perilously close to losing his temper. He was a weak point, that one; but she was sure he had noted her down with dislike just as she had done to him. No matter. He would not be her first enemy.

A more immediate problem was that of the assembled mob, who didn’t seem prepared to back down despite the fact that their initial cause had been proved untrue by the Guardians. She felt briefly more positive as the wrath of their leader seemed to turn upon the dragons… but apparently it wasn’t to last. It was baffling how little logic the man displayed. The High Council and the Guardians were supposed to rule Dragons Cove together; if the High Council had failed in their part, then the Guardians had done infinitely worse, as this man had himself pointed out. And yet for some reason, the Guardians were to retain their positions and set up the new Council. If these citizens wanted any changes made, they would have to start arguing one point.

Still standing, Skeloph suddenly found herself staring at Feronia, their short-lived alliance apparently coming to an end.
“Guardian,” she replied, her voice smooth and not betraying her annoyance at every other person in the room. “I would remind you that none except yourselves have ever known the High Council except for how it is now. We ten who form the Council now could not have hoped to restore the island to whatever standard you now hold us up against, when for centuries our predecessors have apparently been leading it astray and we have no idea how it should be. Why have you been absent for so long? In parts of the island people are beginning to forget you, rumour and invention filling in the knowledge of you which should be sound fact in every child’s mind. We need your guidance now more than ever, we the High Council and the people of Dragons Cove as a whole. If we are to stand strong against the Surahnians then we must be united.” Moving her hands from their customary demure position clasped before her, Skeloph made a broad gesture to the assembly. “Let this not be a time for accusations and strife, let it be a time for forgiveness. You speak of taxes being squandered on the High Council’s personal expenditures. Let me assure you that this does not happen; we have the whole of Dragons Cove to service, beyond Didienne, and each of us have family money of our own, coming from noble families. I am sure you have grievances beyond this, grievances which must be addressed. But the time for reform will come when we have addressed the threat posed to each and every one of us by this invasion of our home. We must come together to defend ourselves… and when that is done, we will do everything within our power to right the wrongs which have been done to you, people of Didienne. This I promise you.” She looked the Butcher earnestly in the eye, hands lifted to press over her heart. It was obvious that there wouldn’t be a chance to reform the High Council after the Surahnians, anyway; she would not have to make good on her promise. They did not stand a hope of fighting the invaders off. No matter what happened, she was sure the Surahnians would take some measure of power on Dragons Cove.

“For now, as a peace offering, let me try to make some recompense for the wealth you feel has been taken from you. All you whose families hunger, come to the Palace tomorrow. I will have a feast laid on. Any who wish to will be able to eat their fill. Many issues I would not be able to resolve alone, but it is within my power to prevent hunger.” Whether or not it would placate the crowd was impossible to say, but it would be worth the expense if it did. The palace laid on a ridiculous quantity of food for her each day anyway, and the same for each other Councillor, so that they could all take their pick of the dishes. It would be easy enough to provide food for the peasants.

"You are right, Councilor. We Guardians are the only one who know of the justice and lawfulness that the High Council was meant to be." She replied in a calm unruffled voice, meeting Skeloph's gaze steadily. "This slow rot that has gripped the High Council has finally eaten out the core and shown on the surface, is all." She pulled her neck back, righting herself so that she stood with her head held high, a contemptuous look on her face as she eyed the five Council members who had bothered to show up. "I do not see a proud ten. What I see is five cowards who hide behind their politics and excuses, and an adjunct that has found himself in over his head. You have been given a sovereign position and hundreds of years to do with it what you wish. You are meant to represent the best and the brightest, the pillars of light meant to lead the races of man and mer towards a future of prosperity. The seats that you perch so happily in were crafted with the purpose of seating those who would steward over this ideal. We entrusted your kind to lead your fellow man away from darkness, and yet when confronted with the very tangible evidence of your failings, you cower and dredge up excuses with such a proud veneer of ill-won confidence, as if you are entitled to fail and it is your right to ignore the situations that have been brewing under your nose."

Feronia's claws clacked on the stone under her feet, cracking a stone panel of flooring when she brought her foot down. Instantly, her distant demeanor was gone, replaced with a very real anger that was directed at a very specific source. "We will not make the same mistake. The reformation of the Council begins now, right here before the eyes of those who called for your downfall. You are right. We need to be united. But a nation can not be led by five incompetent people and five more who do not even pretend to care for their fellow man or the fate of their kingdom. I call on my fellow Guardians to do what we should have done a long time ago and give these Councilors," she spat the word like a curse, her eyes narrowing, "the guidance that they ask for and guide them firmly away from their posts. We do not need half-hearted placating actions in this time of crisis. We need people who are willing to do what needs to be done in order to bring about a resolution, and you lot do not seem like you are capable of even fathoming what it is that we ask, caught up in your little political games, too concentrated on your chess pieces that you forget other boards exist. What say you Typhon, Silverwing? The Surahnian invaders have captured one of the Stones. I believe it is long past time for action, and I believe that we should start here and bring about this reform immediately."

Had Feronia not lost her temper, Typhon would have gladly lost his temper at the counsel members. What was even their point, if all these people ever did was lounge in their own ill-gotten gains? The goings-on of the counselors wasn't even supposed to be on the guardian dragon's minds, and yet here they were, having to solve their problems. Though he was hardly surprised; Of the lot he had seen, this group of counsel members was definitely the worst, the group having been on a steady decline over centuries of misconduct. This had never been such a grand problem, though, and only now in this time of crisis did the situation finally call for interference. Then again, what better time for a little chain of command?

"I agree, sister." Typhon said, nodding. "But we will be hard-pressed to find suitable replacements. I do not think our crows, nice as they are," he dipped his head in the direction of the mob, "Has any suitable individuals. Would you have anyone in particular? I might be able to scrounge up a few people..." What wold they do until the replacements arrive? He supposed that they would just have to stay and watch over the city until then....

This was hardly a solution for the many people who had gathered in the hall. The reprimanding stance that the Guardians had taken against the counsel appeased them somewhat, but there was still no real answers being given. "But what of the war, then?" A man yelled out. "What's going to be done about that?" Another voice rang out with "Yeah, and what about us? What do we get for all that we've lost? We hardly get by anymore with all of these taxes upon us!" This last comment was met by loud murmurs and grumbles, as the crowd slowly took on this new idea. They should be repaid for all they had lost to the counsel!

» (Didienne) The Circus is in Town (23rd Board)
» (Didienne) Questioning the Guardians (28th Board)
» A meeting of heads. (Lycan X Nox)
» Chance Meeting [Kor] - Completed
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