(C3, Yarrowitz) A Greeting from the Guardians ~ The People of Yarrowitz (16th Board)

Description: Once the GD conference had ended two guardians, Sebantais and Vitreasa, departed for Yarrowitz with one simple goal. This would be a call to arms. However, the people of Yarrowitz have been particularly eroded in their loyalty to the council for years, with a city plagued by the tough-handed Kaionarians just to the east and a general disconnect between them and most of DDC lands, there is a disturbing presence of apathy.

However, with two legendary dragon figures present, can they evaporate these fears and turn the people to their side?

Setting:
Yarrowitz marble plaza; a frequented meeting location for many kinds of groups of people.
The weather is soft for now and warm, however impending tropical storms later in the day.
Time: Midday
This takes place a week after the GD conference.

Day: 2nd July, 3709

Joiners:
---Eldarwen (Sebantais + Lolantellah)
---Monty (Vitreasa)
---Spiritdragon (Sarka)
---Artemis (Zykolos)
---Aero (Yarrowitz Official)
---
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(Joiners are welcome)

The meeting between the Guardian Dragons had gone somewhat according to expectations and Sebantais was glad to be on his way now to do something rather than stand around and talk, even though the latter had been necessary. He had never been one for many words, preferring to let actions speak or themselves. However, these actions needed to be thought through rather than impulse deeds, which most of the time were regretted afterwards.

With a last gentle flap of his enormous wings, the emerald Guardian touched down onto the marble plaza in the centre of Yarrowitz, the one place where mostly everyone gathered together when there was something important had to be announced.
Sebantais looked over at Vitreasa, glad to have the purple Guardian by his side in this endeavour as talking to the people of Yarrowitz was one thing, but convincing them to join their cause would be almost as futile an attempt at speaking to walls and waiting for a reply.

The plaza itself was breathtaking, a gem within the city and a demonstration of the extraordinary skill of Yarrowitz’ artisans. Completely made out of marble, it was always kept impeccably clean and now at midday, in the gentle sunlight, it looked as though it was glittering all over. A large fountain, surrounded by a beautiful array of flowers and statues, was stood at the very centre but the marble plaza was still spacious enough to accommodate a large number of dragons and people at the same time.
It was exemplary for the rest of Yarrowitz as well, the city being polished into its tiniest and most hidden away corner with trees and other plants sprouting in regular intervals, growing so large they even overshadowed some of the city’s impressive buildings.

Like its counterparts Racksom and Didienne, Yarrowitz had been built to accommodate dragons but unlike Racksom, Yarrowitz was as clean as a whistle, and unlike Didienne, the jungle city was not buried underneath pomposity but it rather shone with a natural beauty.
Yarrowitz was a marble jewel built in and even out of the jungle; the city retained the wild aspect of the rainforest while at the same time representing the various artisan skills to the fullest, with almost every building having some sort of adornment. The structure of the city itself was a work of art, its creative use of riches and trees unparalleled anywhere else on Dragon’s Cove.

The two Guardian dragons had not even fully reached the ground yet when the crowds had begun gathering around the plaza, respectfully leaving enough room for the huge dragons to land without having to worry about someone getting underfoot. The inhabitants of Yarrowitz were not unused to having word of Sebantais but they had never actually seen the Guardian with their own eyes. The green dragon preferred to keep to himself and not reveal his presence all too often but those who worked for him and in his name made sure that his name and his presence were never forgotten.

Today however, it was different. The matter was too important to send someone else and thus Vitreasa and Sebantais had come to Yarrowitz themselves in order to plead with the people. Sebantais hoped that despite all their differences – it could already be seen in the masses that there were quite a few different groups of people co-existing in this peaceful city – they could come to an agreement which would suit all of the parties involved.

The people of Yarrowitz, no matter how varied their skins, their skills, their ideas, their visions, were, they all agreed on one thing: war was something to be abhorred. The fact that they were suppressed by the neighbouring town of Kaionar did nothing to change this fact or appease them on the idea of using violence to achieve anything and Sebantais was dreading the moment of the people’s reaction to the Guardians’ request.

It had been a somewhat rather long time since Vitreasa had stepped foot in Yarrowitz. A few decades perhaps? Who knew, but one thing for sure, was that its beauty had remained unchanged since her last memories of it.
The marble walls shone elegantly in the not-so-harsh light that peered through the clouds. It was as if the rays were focused so they could reflect the shimmering stones, and them alone. She half wondered why she hadn’t come here more often in the past, but that question was soon answered when they touched down.

The streets soon swarmed with crowds of people, some shouting and gasping at their presence as they formed a circle just large enough for them to land next to each other with a few wings distance apart. As she flapped her great wings once more before digging her talons into the ground; trying not to catch anyone’s eyes. Instead, she stared straight ahead until her wings were neatly folded into the sides of her body.
It had been a long time since she had been here yes, but an even longer time since she had this many eyes set on her at once. Hiding in the shadows and working behind the scenes was something she had grown used to in the past years, so much so that she had almost forgotten what it was like to step out into the presence of others. Nevertheless, if they didn’t do this now, then the time may never come again and it would be too late.

Sebantais was the known Guardian around these parts, so his name would be more accustomed to the crowds, which were growing much larger now, than hers. But nonetheless, the majority of them still looked shocked at their appearance, even if it was well hidden behind their amazement.
Vitreasa straightened herself up and glanced over to the green Guardian beside her, hoping to catch his gaze.
“It would be best to speak to the Officials first, and if they don’t take it too well, I suggest our next move should be turning to the people directly. What do you think?”

Sarka could only stand staring in awe of the huge Guardian dragons, though she was careful to keep her head low and turned slightly away from them so it would not look as though she was doing so. After all, staring was not polite. And while Sarka generally did not care what people thought of her, this was different. The Guardians were to be respected and revered, and so deserved her utmost polite behavior.

The chances of her being in this place in time to see this spectacle were naturally not very good, but she had been passing through and decided to stay to wait out the storms. Seeing this was just the icing on the cake. But what were they doing here? Was something going on in this town? The Lifeblood wanted to ask but was actually nervous about drawing attention to herself or saying something out of place. Still...

"Excuse me," she said softly, slowly making her way through the crowd, head lowering further at every step out of deference to the pair. "Is there, perhaps, any way I can be of assistance?" Considering she did not actually live in the town, and was just a simple Lifeblood dragon, she doubted there would be anything. But at least she had offered... right? She paused on the edge of the crowd and waited silently, the perfect picture of obedience and submissiveness. Normally such a thing would have been nearly impossible for her, but when faced with two Guardian dragons before her it was actually easy for the first time in Sarka's life.

Really, it was lucky that he hadn’t dropped out of the sky from shock. It wasn’t every day that you saw two colossal dragons winging their way past you- and even rarer for them to be guardians. Sebantais he had seen plenty before and even exchanged words with on several occasions, reporting on the area- although of course his patrol leader did most of that. Vitreasa, on the other hand, he had only ever set eyes on once in his training days back at Guardian’s Peak- a place he still regarded as his home, despite having been stationed in Yarrowitz with his patrol for some time now.

When the guardians had come into sight, Zykolos had been patrolling the skies over the city. It wasn’t his day for duty down on the ground with the people in the city, which he preferred really- not the company so much, he just wasn’t a natural in the air- but it wasn’t a tragedy. At least it wasn’t raining, which made a change. The first glimpse had been too early for him to identify the dragons and he’d been prepared to set off a flare to call his patrol and defend the city. When he realised who the arrivals were, however, he immediately set off back to the city.

Now he swooped smoothly into the ground and touched down straight into a run, leaning forwards and using his front legs to help propel him along the ground. He was heading for the main plaza; it had the most room for landing in, and those dragons would need room. And of course, it was the centre of the city, designed for such occasions. It didn’t take too long for Zykolos to reach the plaza- and there crouched the two guardians. Well, where else?

Straightening to take a more humanoid silhouette, the sword dragon strode smoothly up to Sebantais and dropped to his knees in a bow, staying there for a second before straightening and moving on to Vitreasa, repeating the gesture to her. After moving back a few paces, he found himself at something of a loss as to how to continue addressing them. Hopefully another, more senior patrol member would arrive soon- or ideally the leader. For now though, he’d have to say something to them. Noticing a lifeblood nearby, he nodded to her, before turning back to the guardians. They still overwhelmed him; maybe Yarrowitz had Sebantais around a fair bit, but on the rest of Dragons Cove the guardians were legendary.

“Sebantais, and Vitreasa, we’re honoured to have you here. Especially both of you together, I don’t believe we’ve hosted you before, Vitreasa. May I ask what brings you to the city today? Can I be of any help?” This was so much more difficult than simply reporting; he had no idea what he was meant to be saying right now. This was the patrol leader’s job normally. If only he hadn’t been first to arrive… Taking advantage of the pause, Zykolos sent off his flare, coloured blue and purple so that the other patrol members knew it was him, and then reached out with his mind to the familiar consciousnesses of the others. He didn’t bother to count which ones could hear him and which couldn’t, instead generally calling out to them,
Sebantais and Vitreasa are here, in the plaza, I don’t know why!
The flares were only to be used in emergencies which he couldn’t handle alone, but he felt that having two guardians visit randomly merited a full patrol gathering to greet them. Probably most of the others had seen them arrive, but it was possible that somebody had missed it.

Yarrowitz was almost as far removed from the central happenings as you could get. Aside from Turich, there was probably very few other cities that were so wholly removed from the going's on of the rest of the island as this pristine city among the trees. Aside from the talk that came from the Kaionar traders, there was no news here but what they generated themselves. It had been like this for years, and as far as Elai SelDakovhen cared, it could stay that way. If the Guardians had a problem with their continuing isolation, Sebantais had never said so, and he was content to take the silence of a Guardian over the yammering of some man on a meaningless throne hundreds of miles away any day. Besides, Yarrowitz was fine as it was. Their bustling community of artisans and creators was truly something to behold. The city itself was a work of art, shining brilliantly in the humid noon sun, and he proudly surveyed the work of his people with a smile.

The runner sent ahead for the Guardian's arrival arrived barely an hour in advance of the actual Guardians themselves. No time to put together a special reception, it would take all of his effort to get together the highest officials for the rather abrupt meeting. He had never thought that in his lifetime he would see two Guardians at once but…

The small parade of officials was nothing particularly spectacular in a city where small parades were commonplace whenever the citizenry felt it had cause to revel. Dragons and non-dragons alike marched to the square in a short column of representatives with Elai at the head of the group. He looked up when a flare overhead burst in the sky and he hoped that it had been a false alarm. Certainly, no trouble would befall them with not one, but two Guardians present? When he arrived in the square with the other officials in tow, Elai took quick stock of the crowd, judging their mood and instantly recognized Zykolos standing at the front of the throng. Well, it was proper for the Elites to be there for a meeting of this magnitude, even if the sword-dragon wasn't exactly the leader of the outfit assigned to Yarrowitz.

The crowd parted in front of them and Elai gave a deep bow to the Guardians, the other officials. He rose gracefully and put two fingers to his throat, using a bit of magic so that his voice would be projected over the crowd for all to hear. "Guardians Sebantais and Vitreasa, Yarrowitz welcomes you humbly and with much honor." He paused for a moment to let the crowd voice their assent to what he'd said, the awe of the others in the crowd at actually seeing in the flesh breaking their silence as they openly praised the two majestic dragons. "I am Elai SelDakovhen, govener of this fine city. It is my pleasure to welcome you personally."

Sebantais could feel Vitreasa’s unease and he shared it. He too was uncomfortable with so many faces openly staring at them, with so many people and dragons paying attention to every single move the two Guardian dragons made, and if it was only to glance at each other. He had not been keeping to himself in the jungle for the greater part of the last few decades for nothing. Preferring peace and quiet, Sebantais had kept to himself for so long, it was unusual for him to be surrounded by so many, but alas, what needed to be done, needed to be done, and he had better get used to so many eyes staring at him once again.
Back in the day, the Guardian dragons had been huge, they had been celebrated and everybody had been happy to see them. It was not all that different nowadays, but Sebantais could clearly feel the shift which had occurred in the many years that had past. The Guardian dragons were still revered but it wasn’t quite the same anymore as it had been way back when. Of course, people changed, points of view changed, but the green Guardian was still a little weary sometimes.

As the purple Guardian managed to catch his eyes, he nodded his agreement. “It would indeed be best to go about this in such a manner.” His eyes catching sight of a dragon approaching them, made him add: “However, it seems as though the people, or in this case, dragon, are beating us to the punch.” As the white and red dragon came closer, Sebantais took a closer look at the female, surprised by her appearance. A lifeblood? In Yarrowitz? He wasn’t astounded by the fact that she stepped forward to request after their purpose but because he had not thought a lifeblood would venture into these parts of Dragon’s Cove considering the reputation of the Healer Triad worshippers. It could be dangerous for a lifeblood if they were spotted by one such fanatic, not to mention a few of this group, though the latter apparently rarely ventured into the city itself but rather preferred to stay out on their fields for the most part, cultivating their land.

Sebantais nodded to the lifeblood in acknowledgement of her presence just as a sword dragon strode over to formally greet the two of them. A friendly twinkle reached the Guardian’s eyes as he recognised the sword dragon to be Zykolos, one of the Elite dragons stationed in Yarrowitz.
“Thank you, both of you, for welcoming us here today,” Sebantais began, not wanting the unknown lifeblood to feel left out now that a more known dragon had approached them as well.

Before he could continue however, a small procession of people, who looked like they were going to turn out to be the Yarrowitz officials, made its way towards the Guardian dragons. Sebantais began to be slightly edgy, there were far too many people staring at them and nothing real was being said. As the governor of the city addressed the Guardians, the emerald dragon wondered for a brief second if the human had really thought Sebantais did not know who he was.

Swallowing down a snort, Sebantais replied: “Thank you for your kind words. However, seeing as we do not have a lot of time for pleasantries and general introductions, would you please be so kind as to make sure that the subsequent conversation will be kept somewhat private?” Seeing that the man could enhance his voice to carry over the crowd, he would certainly be able to achieve the opposite as well. As Vitreasa had suggested, the Guardians wanted to talk to the officials first, and only if such a conversation would not bear any fruit, then would they turn to the people themselves.

Not all too far from the city, a small gathering of Elites were conducting a verbal fight with a few pigheaded farmers, debating over who had intruded on whose land. In the middle of this group was Lolanthella, an energetic and still relatively young antler dragon who was starting to grow quite impatient with some of the farmers, having to struggle to keep her annoyance at bay. However, she was an Elite and as such, it was not her place to burst into screams, especially not over something as meaningless as this, even though she desperately felt the need to finally teach these farmers a lesson. Probably sensing what was going on in Lola's head, the patrol leader gave her a stern glance before turning his attention back to the farmers. It was true, Lola was not known to be the most patient Elite to ever have walked the face of Dragon's Cove but she was a natural nonetheless, despite her sometimes flaring temper.

It wasn’t even an important fight for the farmers but rather the typical bickering they seemed to love to indulge in on a far too frequent basis- in Lola’s opinion. The antler dragon glared at the squabblers and wondered when they would finally agree that neither had actually done anything wrong. Every single time this happened, it was resolved in the same manner. Sometimes, the antler dragon couldn’t help but wonder if her life as an Elite was really supposed to be reduced to this, namely listen to farmers argue over a fingerbreadth of field – if at least this would not be a daily repetition, Lola wouldn’t mind, but this was just ridiculous. Had they asked her to help them plough their fields, she would have agreed in an instant, but this sorry yapping.

Instantly, she felt sorry for even having thought such things; after all, she was an Elite. Whatever people needed her for, she would do it and she would happily do it, too. She always had, and she always would. Only a couple of days before, one of these specific two farmers had begged her to give a helping hand to his wife who didn’t manage to do her washing due to a massive back pain that kept her from doing anything that remotely involved her bending her back. Shaking her head, Lola looked at the farmers once again. She really loved this, even though she was sometimes annoyed by her own lack of patience when it came to stupidities, but she loved it nevertheless, there was no denying it.

When the farmers, with help of the Elites, finally came to a conclusion and just as the dragons were about to set off to continue their daily route, two of them on the ground, two of them in the air, a flare went up over Yarrowitz and abruptly, every single one of the Elites turned in the spot and headed back to the city. Seconds after the flare had gone off, Zykolos’ voice penetrated Lola’s mind and she instantly began to worry about the ongoings. Had something happened? Why were there two guardians all of a sudden? Sebantais might not be as hidden as he generally considered himself to be but it had been many years since he had last made such a public appearance.

Within no time, the Elites had reached the city and headed straight towards the Marble Plaza in order to greet the Guardians as well. Lola could not wait to find out what this was all about, but when they set foot onto the Plaza and rejoined Zykolos, the Guardians were just starting a conversation with Elai, thus, neither of the Elites dared to interrupt, merely respectfully bowing their heads to the Guardians and staying at a deferential distance. Apart from Lola, who quickly rejoined Zykolos and cast a questioning glance at the sword dragon.

Vitreasa too, nodded her acknowledgement to the lifeblood. She really didn’t want to say much to be honest, not now anyway. Not with so many people around. She wasn’t really one for formalities anyway. And as the sword dragon approached them, it seemed obvious that Sebantais knew of it. Whereas her on the other hand, knew next to no one around here.
Oh, but then again, wasn’t it one of the Elite dragons? Before she could have time to contemplate the matter further, the green Guardian was answering to someone who had the mother of all voices. And magic, to say the least to grab their attention in this crowd.
Again, there was no need to say anything else since Sebantais had said more than enough. Already.

For some reason, she was starting to feel impatient. More and more people were gathering by the minute; dragons with antlers and all. Impatient or edgy, she wasn’t sure. All of a sudden it felt like they couldn’t get somewhere more secure to talk soon enough. Like every minute now they could be sat, discussing, planning, gaining their aid, making them see sense.
“Is everyone required here?” She spoke up eventually. “Or are some waiting elsewhere? We really need to get this meeting underway as soon as possible.” She probably sounded rude, or bored to say the least. After all, she hadn’t really thanked him for the welcome. Although it wasn’t much of a welcome, but that was besides the point.

Sarka had to admit she felt a little useless being here, considering she had no real knowledge of the town and therefore could not provide that much help to the Guardians. Still... it was utterly amazing to see them in person. Even if the sword dragon who had approached might now take them away from her. It took a great deal of self restraint to keep from glaring at the smaller creature, but Sarka managed it, knowing it would not look good to the pair of Guardians. Perhaps they would let her follow them as a sort of assistant or nurse, just in case something should go wrong. Though what that would be she had no clue. After all, who would be stupid enough to attack a Guardian, let alone two?

Looking around the gathering crowd, careful still to keep her head low, Sarka had to agree with the purple Guardian. "Let us either move this crowd away or find a more secluded spot," the Lifeblood said softly once she was certain the greetings were finished an everyone had concluded speaking. "I am sure the Guardians have important things to say that not everyone needs to hear." Crowd control was a delicate thing thought, that much she knew, and honestly the female had no idea how to go about it without causing a fuss. "Though I certainly hope I might be allowed to remain and hear what has to be said, even if from a distance," she added, glancing back at the pair carefully but hopefully. She was eager to hear anything they had to say, and that would be impossible if she was relegated to the distance with the rest of the crowd. Of course, it was not her choice, but Sarka was determined to at least hear what was going on, if not actually participate.

It was reassuring to see that friendly, familiar glint in Sebantais’ eyes. Zykolos had a nagging suspicion that something big was happening, bigger than anything he’d ever experienced before- and maybe here was his chance to do more as an Elite than simply govern farmers. Not that he minded, at all- he was always glad to help people- but the more help he could give, the better, right?

He didn’t know who this lifeblood was, and judging by their reactions nor did the guardians, but she was definitely quite forward. And while she didn’t exactly say or do anything to confirm it, he got the impression that she wasn’t too keen on him. Something subtle about her body language, perhaps… It was hard to pin down. He was generally quite good at guessing people’s emotions, something which came in useful during his work.

He stepped obligingly aside to let Elai pass and talk to the guardians. He didn’t have a lot of direct interaction with the governor- again, that was his patrol leader’s job- but the man showed proper respect to the guardians and seemed to be a decent person, so Zykolos was happy to treat the city’s leader as he ought. In fact, it was a bit of a relief to give the formalities over to somebody who really knew what they were doing- Gods forbid that he should offend the guardians, especially Vitreasa, who didn’t know him at all. At least Sebantais knew that he wasn’t yet a fully-fledged Elite. Nearly there, though.

If Elai arriving was a relief, his patrol’s entrance was a cause for celebration. He let out a quick huff of breath and cast his gaze over the other dragons. Good, they were all here. As Lola sidled near him, he slid his gaze over to her and gave a quick shrug, a baffled shake of the head. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why the guardians were here- but obviously, it was going to be a serious matter. Their next words only served to confirm that; this sounded very serious indeed, if it was so urgent that a few minutes would make a difference.

He was expecting Elai or the Elite leader to offer a better place to relocate their meeting; what he didn’t anticipate was the lifeblood stepping in again. Well, she seemed to have the right intentions, and there was probably some reason for her to take on these responsibilities. And… a reason to be in on this meeting. There were bound to be important people in Yarrowitz who he didn’t know. It was a whole city, after all.

“If I may,” he interjected, stepping forwards with his head bowed in deference. “While we can of course relocate to wherever suits our needs best, I think that maybe the guardians should give a brief address to the crowd before we do.” He glanced hesitantly up at Sebantais, before nodding deeply and stepping back in line with the other Elites. He felt somewhat presumptuous, but it was hardly fair to just leave the locals with no idea of what was going on.

When the rest of the Elites finally arrived on scene, Elai found the eyes of the patrol leader and gave a small dip of his head, a cordial greeting between two persons of importance before turning his full attention to the issue at hand. At Sebantais and Viteresa's insistence that they go somewhere less public, Elai was more than happy to agree. Anything to keep the Guardians content, as was warranted of dragons with such stature and prestige. If you didn't show utmost respect for two living legends, then who did you show it to? The offer to retire to the council grounds where they would be more or less sheltered from public eyes died on his lips as the lifeblood came forward and inserted her opinion, after which Elai let himself stare a moment. Briefly he looked to the Elites to see if this unmarked dragon was one of their fold, since he did not recognize her as one of the dragons belonging to the council. After an awkward second of the Elites seeming to not know what this dragon was on about either, he decided that this lifeblood had appointed herself the right to speak amongst the most important people on the west side of Dragons Cove. Then, calmly, he let the moment pass and continued on with what he was about to say, rolling right over the moment without another pause.

"It is of course up to you if you wish to address the people now or not, Guardians." He had adjusted the magic controlling the projection of his voice very slightly so that only those in the immediate vicinity could hear him. Normally, if he'd wanted to talk to dragons that were as tall as a building he'd have to shout to reach their ears properly and everyone would be privy to his words, but just using a bit of household magic was much easier and far less boisterous. "If it is your wish to be away immediately, I would be more than happy to escort you to the Council Hall where we may convene in relative privacy." The other councilmen appeared to agree readily, watching the Guardians with due amount of reverence. Of course, their meeting would not be some huge secret thing kept from the public. The appearance of any important officials usually was cause enough for a festival on the streets of Yarrowitz where creativity and freedom were of the prime importance. Word of this sort of thing spread like wildfire, and he hadn't the slightest doubt in his mind that by the night's end, the whole city and the surrounding farmlands would probably know of the Guardian's arrival. He was already planning a speech in an effort to keep the people under what passed as some amount of control.

The more time they spent merely standing around in the plaza, the more impatient Vitreasa grew, and Sebantais along with her, and to top it off, the more impatient the crowd grew. The looks of reverence were soon replaced by looks of worry or annoyance because nobody knew what was going on and Zykolos had made a very good point by suggesting one of the Guardians address them.

Nodding to the sword dragon with a slight twinkle to the antler and the rest of the patrol who had just arrived, he ignored the governor for the time being and lifted his head to the airs so as to present his full height.

“People of Yarrowitz!” he called. “We thank you all for coming here today to greet us and to welcome us into your wonderful city. It truly is an amazing piece of art and you have done a fantastic job in upholding what once used to be a small town, but what is more, you have transformed it into a jewel amongst the cities of Dragon’s Cove.”
A little flattery always went a long way, and by the reactions on the crowd’s faces, he was apparently hitting a few notes and the looks of distress soon began to vanish from most of those faces. Lucky!

“However, as we have some business to discuss with the officials, we would ask you to please go back to tending your affairs while we do so. We do not want to keep you waiting, but we shall be available for you later on.”
‘Whatever that meant,’ he thought.

Turning towards Elai and the other officials, he nodded briefly: “Lead the way, quickly now, if you please.” The last bit he added for he sensed the purple Guardian close to bursting. And she was right, they were losing precious time. Time they did not have!
“I’ll keep an eye on the crowd for a little longer and talk to the Elites while you already go ahead,” he told Vitreasa in a way that only she would hear before turning towards the Elites. She had met Zartear, she would be able to relate all of this much better than him anyway.

’Hmm, so Zykolos has no clue what’s going on either.’ Lola thought, not all too happy with that notion. It was just odd, especially since Sebantais rarely, if ever, showed himself in public. This really must mean something, and from what she had come to understand from her studies, it had to be something of real importance. “Hopefully nothing bad,” she mouthed close to the sword dragon’s ear for him alone to hear.

As the officials, and mostly the governor, spoke to the Guardian dragons, she almost laughed at their apparent nervousness. It reminded her a little of the first time she stood across from Sebantais. There was something about those guardians that made anyone’s knees turn to jelly even if they did not even appear threatening. Even the crowd seemed to quickly understand that when Sebantais turned his voice onto them.

While the officials began to move away and even the crowd seemed to take Sebantais’ meaning and slowly started to dissipate a little, the antler dragon perked up her ears and turned her full attention onto the emerald guardian.

“Listen, the crowd needs to be kept quiet and controlled. I know that our sudden appearance may have been cause for fear for some of them, prevent them from hyperventilating, panicking or doing anything stupid.” Sebantais’ eyes were glued to the patrol leader. “Take care of any situations that might arise. We are not to disturbed. This meeting needs to go smoothly.” There was no need to add anything further. Every single one of the Elites had understood the underlying meaning.

For a flicker of a moment, Lola felt as though her stomach was being eaten from the inside out. Such grave words could only mean one thing: bad news!
Before the feeling could take a hold of her however, she shook it off. She was an Elite. There was no time for fear or for doubts; there was only time for actions as were required now. Yet, Sebantais nodded for her and Zykolos to follow him into the council hall, whereas the rest of their patrol was to remain behind to keep the people in check, just in case, and to nudge them to go back to their normal business.

As the green Guardian turned around to follow the others, his eyes fell back onto the lifeblood who had so courageously stepped forward while neither the Elites nor the officials had been around at first, and he looked at her for a long moment.
Maybe it was not a bad idea to test their news on an outsider, see how they’d react before addressing the crowd. Seeing that she most definitely was not from around Yarrowitz anyways, the lifeblood might even be able to procure them with some information they did not yet have. Anything was possible after all.
“You may come along, if you so wish,” he invited her with a hint of a smile. Maybe he really was too nice, but for now, he preferred to keep everyone on their good side. The Guardians would be hated soon enough once they spread the fruit of this council meeting. After all, the Guardians were not quite as heartily loved anymore anyways. Those times seemed to be long gone.

Sarka had a suspicion that the humans in the crowd, the ones that ran the town at least, were not pleased with her making her opinions known. She pursed her lips slightly as she tried to figure out what to do. For one thing she hated being looked down on by humans and dragons alike (especially when she could heal them for goodness sakes, not to mention the fact that she was far bigger than most of them were) but she also didn't want to look bad in front of the Guardians. So if that meant stepping back and letting the others run things then she would let them, though it rankled at her pride.

So Sarka stepped back as the Elite gave her a surprised look, offering a vaguely apologetic smile, hoping it didn't look like she was simply baring her teeth at him. Before she could consider adding an apology one of the Guardians spoke and she directed her full attention to him, though most of what he said meant nothing to her considering she didn't actually live in Yarrowitz. Thank goodness for that too, she wasn't sure how well things would end up if she did.

Realizing that the Guardians were about to move Sarka stepped as close to the edge of the crowd as she could to give them space, simply trying to keep out of the way. For a moment she felt disappointed, thinking she was not going to be allowed to attend the meeting, but then the same Guardian that had spoken before turned to her and gave her the best bit of news she had gotten in years! "It would be an honor," she said with reverence, lowering her head respectfully, a faint smile flickering at the corners of her mouth as well. It was all the lifeblood could do to keep from bursting into a brilliant grin which she felt would be unprofessional. Something big was going on, and she was going to know what it was firsthand! How much better could things get?

Then she had a moment of worry, what on earth could the Guardians have to say to the people of Yarrowitz? She could only hope that it was not bad, but there was nothing else she could think of. After all, rulers seldom appeared before their subjects unless something bad was going on. Still Sarka managed to suppress her fear into a small ball to be dealt with if her suspicion proved to be correct. There were more important things to be doing.

Once the Guardian's speech was completed, Elai happily lead the procession of nobles and councilmen back the way that they'd come, the group moving together in a tightly knit group, talking to each other in hushed voices as they went about the recent events. And really, who could blame them? Keeping government business in the dark wasn't exactly their way, but a private meeting was a private meeting, and Elai would do his best to make sure that it stayed that way. Whatever measures the elites were planning, the governor was not planning on being upstaged. Gesturing for a page, Elai gave the boy instructions to have the guards close off the halls leading to the council rooms to keep nosy visitors from getting in. Only the lifeblood would be allowed in on this, who had for whatever inexplicable reason convinced the guardians that she was a person of importance. Maybe she was and he was just woefully unaware, but that barely seemed the case.

Either way, the procession made it up to the council hill in swift enough time. The hall was shaped like a temple standing upon a ziggurat, white fluted marble pillars standing tall and strong with a domed cap made of bronze that shown brightly in the intense sun of the jungle. A tall spire at the top of the building seemed to pierce the sky, a distant reflection of the towers in Racksom and Didenne that were not present in the relatively flat jungle city. The outside of the council hall benefited from centuries of peaceful artisans, sculptures of noble dragons and men alike holding up the bottoms of the pillars and making gestures of welcome from their shallow reliefs in the front walls. Large doors made of old nearly black wood opened to reveal the pillar-lined hall beyond, the polished marble floors reflecting the light from the sun roofs above. Some were clear glass that had been specially made and set for the building, but were alternated with stained glass that depicted scenes of artistry and peaceful diplomacy. The colors of these stained glass masterpieces broke up the marbled white of the long hall with cheerful splashes of color.

The inner chambers were in much the same style, though the pillars were thicker and built with a shallow staircase that lead to a cubicle-like seat meant for a council member. Ten of these fat pillars stood in a shallow arch around a central dais, the floor of which was made of a yellow and red stone that stood in stark contrast to the white of the rest of the government building. The inside of the bronze dome stood above this room, the inside decorated with an entire mural of carefully arranged colored stones to depict a rendering of the five guardians in flight, the stones colored like their scales glazed with a highly reflective shine to make them seem more alive than any flat rendering should have. The space was lit by a gap between the end of the marble walls and the beginning of the domed ceiling that let in light from all hours of the day. Sconces holding unlit torches were set into the walls, the wall mounts another working of artistry as lions or other exotic creatures native to the jungles wrought of metal held the torches aloft.

Once into the council rooms the councilors spread out and took their seats, Elai moving to the center pillar and seating himself, folding his hands in his lap and waited patiently for everyone to get settled. Once everyone of importance was inside, the doors behind them closed at the hands of two honor guards that grimly took to their duty guarding the doors from intruders at the outside. It was incredibly doubtful that they would actually be needed, but a pair of armed men was a better deterrent than an open door, at any rate. "Vitreasa, Sebantais, I again would like to extend a warm welcome, though as you have stated before, time is of the essence. Please, would you like to inform us what pressing matters have brought you to our city?" He asked, inclining his head slightly and was sure to sound as respectful as possible. These were Guardians, after all, and besides that, honored guests.

Sebantais could feel the growing impatience in Vitreasa and he was glad that they had finally reached the council hall. The building in itself was still as magnificent as he remembered it and he specifically looked for the picture of the guardians, amused by his memory of seeing children trying to imitate it in their games, either by drawing it in the earth or using twigs and sticks to do so, spiced up with anything else they could find that would help them bring a little colour to their work of art.

Unlike Sebantais, Lola was much more fascinated by the almost temple like council hall. She had been there a few times before but never really inside the meeting room and she was astounded by the delicate sculpting of it all, exquisite and at the same time it looked as though not even a Guardian could destroy it.

Positioning herself close to the Guardians but still in leaping distance to the door in case anyone had any stupid ideas or she was sent off on a quick errand, Lola also kept an eye on this lifeblood dragon who had appeared out of nowhere and was suddenly allowed to join in on this meeting. It was rather curious but she knew that Sebantais more than likely had had a reason to invite her to come along.

“The reason why we are here, Elai, is quite simply because we need your help as the Yarrowitz area harbours some of the best farmers and artisans. You seem to not have heard any rumours yet, thus I will briefly relate to you what has been happening on Dragon’s Cove these past few weeks.” Sebantais looked from one to the other but did not give them much chance to react as he immediately continued: “A group of settlers from a place called Surahnia have stranded on the island and now seem intent on taking over. Quinsilla has already fallen into ruin under their hands and they have proceeded to march – successfully much to our distress – against Racksom. Dragons Cove needs supplies and people willing to help in an effort to repell these strangers and banish them from our lands so that Dragons Cove may once become the peaceful place that it has always been.”

It was blunt, he was well aware of this but there was no need for flowery speeches either. The leaders of this city needed to know and so far, they had always been helpful, though of course, that had never involved them actually giving anything of theirs up. The green Guardian quite simply hoped that they would have some common sense but at the same time, he could feel that they would be in for a discussion on this. The people of Yarrowitz were known for their somewhat hermetical way of living apart from the rest of Dragons Cove.

With every word Sebantais spoke, Lola grew more and more tense, not to mention worried. How was it possible that her patrol had not heard of this before? How had these strangers managed to already get their hands on two places without any of the Elites interfering? How was this possible?

For the first time, the antler dragon actually felt ashamed of the Elites. Here they had been settling disputes between farmers rather than taking care of a much larger problem, something that really mattered most of all. She wanted to scream out in fury and disappointment.
Nonetheless, she remained silent and did not say anything, trying to get a grip on her feelings as she waited for the council’s reaction to this. No matter what they would say however, she already knew that she was going to give Sebantais and Vitreasa what they needed. Her help.

Man, life here was hard.

Especially when you're a meek man from the Healer Triad. And unfortunately, Joul was both of those things, so he was out of luck on that front. That’s not to say that he didn't try to be more confident, but he seemed to be inherently afraid of confrontation, and thus he rarely fought for anything he wanted. The only thing he really ever fought for was the affections of his dream girl who, while a bit overbearing and snide, had enough tenacity for the both of them. In fact, he was with her now, walking through the streets of the city and talking about healing magic, turning over ideas with each other and trying to come up with more efficient techniques. At the moment, she was ruling the conversation, though it was only by luck; he was usually very good at the planning of healing, but today he felt a bit off, as if something was supposed to happen.

As they talked, the conversation slowly turned to the use of draconic items in healing, a frequent topic when you were of the Healing Triad. They both were not averted from using them in potions and spells, as their magical properties were amazing, however there wasn't many ways to obtain such items here in Yarrowitz without participating in some shady affairs, which he would simply not accept. Then again, he was a bit too modest to even dare to try, but saying it was because of morals made him feel better about it. If only a dragon would show up, maybe then he'd get out of his funk....

Lillen was walking through Yarrowitz with Joul, it seemed he still had a thing or two that he needed to listen to her about. It was a shame that, even though he was the quiet kind, he seldom seemed to listen. Occasionally she questioned if they should have been considered as "courting" at all.
"And you see, that's why you, we can't do that. Nobody knows how to heal a charkaros wound...let alone one to the stomach...It just takes the magic, and you can't starve a thing that exists by being starved of magic." She recited, quite content to carry the conversation for the two of them. When he did answer her she didn't often put stock in what he said, not for now anyway. She knew she was right about these things. As was the case for most other things too.
"Joul, please which side of Dragons' Cove have you come from? We are not lawless eastern folk, we know things about healing for one thing." She smiled a little, Lillen as rightful as she often felt, rarely had an angry disposition. On the contrary, she was quite sunny today as usual but had a tendency to speak without censor.

"You know, sometimes I wonder why we do this. You and I are so different, but then, I guess the true decision lies with our families and not ourselves...mostly." Credit where it was due, Joul had approached her and she hadn't expected it, or even noticed him up to that point and was compelled to accept. "But you and I both know the guardians for what scraps they're worth don't look favourably on us. I am worried about it Joul, if we can't even stay strong in our faith to the triad what can we do?" She sighed aloud and looked back to him, allowing him to speak.

Lillen was right, to a degree; Though he mostly enjoyed her company, they weren't exactly a perfect match. But he tried so very hard to make it work, their families would be so disappointed if they didn't work out. If only there was some way to prove to her he was serious, some sort of gift he could present her to not only prove his devotion to her, but also his devotion to the Triad. If only....

As they walked, Joul noticed something peculiar; A large crowd of people. He was about to reply to What Lillen had said, but instead he trailed toward the crowd, trying to see what the fuss was about. And what it was about became apparent as he set eyes on one of the mythical Guardian dragons but, more important to him, there was another dragon that caught his interest more; A lifeblood! Surely a feather from that dragon would prove to Lillen that he meant business!

"Uh, I just remembered, I need to pick something up." He said to her, not being too discrete about his plans. He reached over and took her hand in both of his and squeezed, smiling at her then going off, hoping that she hadn't seen the lifeblood or would follow. It wouldn't be the same if she tried to help him.

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He didn't say anything back to her, that probably meant she had made him feel worse for it all by what she said and she inwardly groaned a little. Sometimes trying to get a good hold on what the other was thinking, or how to make things easier, was just too much effort. It was then she noticed that something had caught his attention and she looked around curiously, what had he forgotten? They were simply out together enjoying the company of one another - to an extent- with no place they intended to go to as such...That was another thing; she honestly wished at times he would at least tell her what he wanted, he was so avoidant and it was getting to annoy her.

That small problem aside, he moved like he had wings on his feet, quick to get away and his face had been positively lit up. What could that be? Well she couldn't just stand here, she followed a little way behind him...Not yet seeing what he had seen.

Though she did note the guardian dragon, and that set her on edge. People of her and Joul's kind were Healer Triad worshippers, no problem in itself...but the Guardians took issue with the fact they were true ones. The selfish dragons were jealous of their preferred gods and seized any opportunity to punish the likes of her and Joul, their families...If a guardian was here, it meant there was a problem and it was probably tied to somebody she knew.
True worshipers were not great in number, afterall.
"Joul!" She called out, and then again and then a couple more times, Lillen was feeling vexed by now. "What is it?" She shouted again, trying to keep up. "We're supposed to be together!" She then added. A sudden break off like this was just rude in the presence of a Lady like herself.

The news of invaders on Dragons Cove came as a shock to everyone in the room, and the council members all seemed to feel the effects of the strange news that they had been handed, some looking bewildered, others slightly amused, and a couple horrified.

"Preposterous." A voice called out, and all eyes snapped to Councilman Jobin, a hefty man sitting three pillars left of center, marking his status as one of the newer termed councilors on the board. When he noticed that everyone was waiting for him to continue, he mustered his courage and looked Sebantais directly in the eye. "No sailor in a thousand generations has found any countries beyond the sea, and there have certainly been no ships that have made it here either, especially not an army." He huffed and looked to the other council members for support, most of which were nodding in agreement. "If Racksom is in trouble, you do not have to make up a fable, Guardians. We all know that as of late the city has been plagued by one hardship after another. Simply ask the city officials to draw up some documents outlining their needs and I'm sure that we can come to some trade or credit agreement."

War was such a foreign concept to all of them that the peaceful artisan councilors simply couldn't comprehend the thought of an army. Once the dire news had been diverted into something more manageable, there was far less tension. Trade with another city was something they knew how to do. Calant, the councilor who oversaw most of the cities' trade, took up this new line of dialogue with gusto, it being his area of expertise in particular. "If Racksom is too embarrassed to send runners themselves, we can of course send a messenger first to open trade agreements. Of course there will be a great deal of negotiations, given that Racksom is in no state to be paying us back in the near future, but they shouldn't be afraid of that. We can certainly understand their plights and will gladly set up a payment plan that can accommodate their dire situation."

There was more mutterings of agreement to this statement, but Elai was still furrowing his brow, piecing things together. It wasn't quite adding up to him, the need for two Guardians to appear simply because Racksom was in trouble. One would have certainly sufficed, there would have been no reason for Sebantias to bring Vitreasa along on this particular journey, and he had certainly never known it in the green Guardian to outright lie like this for some ulterior goal, especially not with such a flimsy cover-up. "Tell us more about these Surahnians."

The request silenced the chatter as effectively as if he'd struck them all dead.

"Come now Governor, surely you don't believe-"

"Councilor Jobin," Elai's tone rode over the man's complaint easily, setting Jobin back to a rather unhappily silent state. "I too am highly skeptical of invaders across the seas. It's true that no significant force has shown up on our shores as long as history has been able to record. A few shipwrecked stragglers, corpses on the beach, perhaps, but certainly not an army. Then for this supposed force to sweep through Quinsilla and Racksom both without hardly a word being spread to the major cities? It is nearly unfathomable to comprehend such a thing ever occurring given that there are intelligent dragons who could fly or run to carry the news of such an impossible feat." He gave a slight pause to let the other council members soak up his words, then continued. "However, I realize that you would not have appeared here with such dire news if there wasn't some reason for it. If Racksom needs our help, then surely we could provide some assistance, but be truthful when you tell us that the city has fallen to ruin at the hands of invaders."

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As more time passed and the guardians’ demeanour grew no more cheerful- though Sebantais maintained his omnipresent kindliness despite a grave overtone- Zykolos began to be truly fearful. Nothing truly bad ever happened on Dragons Cove, surely? The longer he had to think about what this could mean, the more he didn’t want to consider it. But it was his duty as an Elite to serve the guardians and Dragons Cove as a whole- and he was greatly relieved when Sebantais instructed him to come along to the meeting. Bad as knowing might be, waiting to find out would be even worse, and he resolved to tell the rest of his patrol what was going on as soon as he himself found out. Why the guardians wanted this lifeblood along he didn’t know- it sounded more like she was being indulged than that she had a right to be present- but she seemed a good enough sort and if she was deemed worthy by the greatest beings on the island then who was he to turn his nose up at her?

He nodded in approval as Elai set guards around the building, pleased that proper measures were being taken to ensure the safety of the guardians. It was more of a formality than anything else, but he kept slightly ahead of the group, checking that each room was clear of potential attackers before the Guardians entered. If it came down to a fight then they would be doing a lot more good than him, of course. He was just there to give forewarning over anything else. The building was dazzling and inbetween his checks, he tipped his head back to take in the ornate decoration all around. The dome in particular he had always loved, and old superstitions of luck urged him to fly up and touch each of the Guardians- but obviously that was not practical. In fact, he wondered if they had placed the images of the great dragons out of reach on purpose to prevent it being damaged by the touch of every passer-by. That was unimportant for now, though; Sebantais had something big to say. Taking up a position opposite to Lola, he kept up a vigilant watch on the door as he listened to the unwelcome news.

How could such a thing be possible? It was hard enough to believe that people from another land- another land?!?- had come to Dragons Cove, but that they were a great enough force to be unstoppable?
Well, it was unthinkable. The Guardians were the greatest beings in existence, surely. For them to be beaten in battle… The situation was more serious than he had ever imagined.

When the councillors began to dismiss it out of hand, he felt an anger building like he had rarely felt before. A glance across to Lola showed similar passion on her face, though whether it had the same motivation he couldn’t say. How could they ignore Sebantais like that, practically call him a liar? Elai was the only one who seemed to trust the word of his ruler at all, though even that was laced with doubt- and a reprimand! Perhaps he should have kept quiet, but Zykolos felt he had to say something, even if he couldn’t exactly go around telling off the Yarrowitz Council.
“I do agree, Councillor Elai,” nodded the sword dragon with a slight bow to show respect as he addressed the man, even with his indignant tone. “The guardians wouldn’t bring dire news if they did not need to. I’m sure none of us doubt that they’re telling the truth- nor that we will offer every assistance we can. The Elites will join the fight, there is no doubt.” Even as he said this, he doubted himself. True battle, against fighters who could defy the Guardians? He was sure he would not last long, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t do his best.

For the first time in countless years, Sebantais felt indignant, yes, even angry. It was one thing not to revere the Guardians for what they are anymore seeing that the need for them has been fairly little over all these years, but to call him a liar? To his face?

A tiny wave of fume was snaking its way out of the emerald Guardian’s nostrils as he glared from one council member to the other, rather glad that Zykolos was speaking up before he could say anything himself, otherwise his thunderous voice might have threatened to collapse the building.

Just as shocked as Sebantais and Zykolos, Lola nodded in unison to the sword dragon’s words, unable to believe that anyone would dare defy a Guardian dragon. Yes, it was odd and yes, it sounded like a fairy tale, but call Sebantais a liar? The council of Yarrowitz of all people in Dragons Cove should know that Sebantais was not the kind to play pranks or spread lies. What was this oaf even doing on the council?

However, Lola reined in her anger and forced herself back to composure, listening to what Sebantais had to say, all the while ignoring the idiot Jobin and concentrating on her job. She did not want her feelings to hinder her at excelling at it.

“You better think twice before you commit such an act as to call a Guardian dragon a liar!” Sebantais finally said, his voice calm, even a little cold, but with carefully hidden anger. “You may not believe it because your brains do not have the capacity to grasp the possibility of someone finding this island even if none have achieved this before. Whether or not we, or others, may have succeeded in the past or not, is not important in this matter. Know this. There are foreigners here and they have declared war on us. So it would be about time you removed your heads from the sand and started comprehending what this means for all of us, all of you if they succeed in their endeavour.”

Uncomfortable in her own scales, Lola shifted her position a little, glueing her eyes onto Zykolos, questions written all over her expression. She did not know what they should do to ease the situation nor did she know what would be lying in wait for them as soon as they stepped out of this meeting. But things were going to change. Drastically, even. That much she could bet on.

“We will do our best to help,” Lola threw into the conversation, picking up the words her fellow elite had already spoken. “Just tell us how we can be of service and it shall be done!”

Sebantais nodded at both the elite dragons, grateful that at least they had not deserted the ancient beliefs, which should still be as valid today as they were in the past.
“We need people and we need supplies. And we need them as quickly as possible and as many as can be spared away from their jobs. The defense of Dragons’ Cove is the most important thing to focus on right now and we cannot do it without your help. I already stated our reasons therefore.”

Looking over the council members, Sebantais felt the need to shake his head at the assembly but he refrained from doing so. Instead he added: “And if you still have doubts about the truth in my words, then consider this: when has your last runner returned from the West? When have you received news from the West last?”
He knew that a lot of the messengers had disappeared or had quite simply been killed. The question was if the council would finally see the connection between their disappearance and his words.

Sarka simply couldn't believe what she was hearing! My goodness, what is this world coming to, she wondered, looking around the assembled crowd in wonder. Who would dare to suggest that the Guardians were lying? It seemed like a death wish to her, as polite and well-meaning as the Guardians were. She was amazed when neither of them seemed to speak out, though Sebantais seemed to want to and she would not have blamed him in the slightest if he had. Fortunately someone else spoke up before she could say anything (mostly because any comment she would have made would have been incredibly rude no doubt), speaking out against what the council member had just said.

"I cannot offer supplies but I can offer my services as a healer," the lifeblood said when Sebantais issued a call for assistance. Perhaps she wouldn't be helpful when it came to fighting but she could offer that much at least. Anything had to be better than nothing right? Though she didn't like working with humans and would no doubt have to in the near future if she agreed to help this was something she felt she had to do. Everyone needed to lend a hand in some way of they were to restore the cove to peace, especially if the Guardians had to ask for help. Things are going to get messy soon Sarka realized, a little unsettled by the idea.

Vitreasa couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing. Astonished and disgusted was an understatement. The big man claimed he had not seen any ships approaching the island, but seriously, when was the last time he had actually looked? And if this wasn’t enough, his preposterous claim had some of the other council members nodding in agreement. Were they for real? Was this really happening?
She could feel a form of anger growing in the pit of her stomach, and as it grew, her expression deteriorated to match her outraged thoughts.
From the emerald dragon’s words, Vitreasa could tell the frustration wasn’t something only she was feeling. She actually found it amazing how the guardian could keep such a calm tone with the matter. Although he did imply a slight warning towards the ridiculous man for his words, Vitreasa felt this wasn’t enough.

As it stood, Sebantais was more known in these parts than herself, so the council members would know of his calming tone and peaceful nature. However, it seemed like they needed reminding that they are in no position to question the words of a guardian. Thus, Vitreasa spoke up.
“And who are you to make such outrageous claims?” She snarled, baring a few teeth. Vitreasa definitely wasn’t of the same nature as he brethren. Not now, anyway.
Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the group of councillors who agreed with, what was his name? Jobin
Perhaps she was overreacting, and had it been any other time, she would most probably have responded in a more decent matter. But not after the situation with Quinsilla and the destruction of Racksom, oh no.

Vitreasa’s cold stare remained unmoving, even after a few more spoke up with words of assistance, of which she appreciated. But as of now, it wasn’t enough. They needed the entire council to come to a decision. They needed a decision now.

He'd had a feeling that the dragons would side with their Guardians immediately, it was of course only natural. Elai felt that a course of action was necessary as well of course, but it really was hard to accept the reality that they were being handed, and the other councilors seemed just as shell shocked at the news as he felt. Jobin in particular looked unhappy, and his expression didn't improve any with the harsh reprimands from Sebantais and Vitreasa, the purple dragon's last comment being just enough to push him over the edge. "I am one of the Ten Councilors of Dragons Cove, Guardian. That's who I am to make such outrageous claims." He spat back, obviously just as outraged as the two dragons had been. "For your information, having no runners return from anywhere is a common occurrence here because of a pack of dangerous dragons terrorizing the strip of desert separating us from the rest of the Cove. A problem that has been escalating despite attempts to subvert these dragons. So please, Guardians, excuse us for trying to keep the kingdoms running together as per your wishes despite being unable to communicate with the other Council Kingdoms."

"Peace, Jobin." Elai followed up quickly, not particularly wanting heads to roll, which was exactly the direction that this conversation was going. The bad feelings brewing between Jobin and the Guardians wasn't something that could easily be glossed over, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to go ahead and try. "Councilor Calant, you are the Master of Trade here, what do you have to say about the request for men and supplies? What can Yarrowitz spare?"

Calant looked a bit startled to be pulled into the conversation, but he cleared his throat and addressed the chamber anyway. "We export a fair amount of food goods to other cities and towns. I would imagine that if this were as dire as it sounds, at least three quarters of our exports could be diverted to the cause. The city would suffer a slight recession, but if we make necessary preparations, then the impact could be minimized. As for the people… our crafting halls are the finest in all the lands, but we are not equipped to handle war. The silver, gold and blacksmiths here make armor and weapons, but largely for ceremonial purposes. For kings and nobility and ceremonies, not for actual battle. I am not sure what you are expecting of us, but I doubt that we could very much fulfill it. Our time would probably best be served devising ways to put the populace to work to produce food rather than trying to convert them into war mongers."

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