In the morning of the day of the council, Kidu dressed in the traditional black and white colors of the SanKai. There was an outfit already laid out for him. If he was not a Peer, no one would be able tell the difference. 

The King’s council chamber was a large room with a vaulted ceiling. Intricate stonework adorned the columns and large elaborate tapestries hung from the ceilings. Others were already gathered around a large round stone table with the king's high seat at one side of the table and eleven other seats surrounding the table.  The high seat was empty, as well as three other seats.  Beside the high seat sat Edmon, and Menquist stood beside him.  Several of the seated council members were drinking wine.  The gathering reminded Kidu of the Ministry Office back home in Angshar when he first heard the news of Mazi's death. Kidu stood next to the other Peers, who were standing behind an empty chair. 

Edmon gestured toward that empty chair. “The seat of the Scales, reserved for the senior Knight of the Northern Houses. Please, the senior among you, take a seat.”

Norbu slipped onto the seat. 

"Looks like we are all present save for two, but we expected that," Edmon said. "I thank you all for gathering. Rare do we get a chance for all the Earls to gather. I think of the times in history where great men have gathered here to discuss the building of this county. This hall, and even this table, has existed for over a thousand years. When Eargon invaded these lands he had a dream of unifying all the clans in Kienne, so he set up Earldoms across the kingdom, abolishing the clans’ territories.  He held his first Earlsmoot here.  He sat right there, in the High Seat desire me, with his son sitting where I sit now. His son of course would be Earc the Conqueror, and you know how his story went.  So I welcome Kienne’s Earls, as well as our foreign friends.  Some faces we are not familiar with.  Please introduce yourselves.  I am Edmond, Steward of Lanfrydhall and speaker for our King Gordyn and for our Prince Andrew, Earl of the Kingshold."

"I am Gabrel son of Gaer, and I am the minister of trade for Kienne," said the man to his right on the other side of the empty High Seat.  "I am the Earl of the Portlands."

"Alegandr, Earl of the Headlands," said a hard faced man with thin hair and a mustache than ran down the side of his face to Gabrel's right.  "Let's be quick with the pleasantries, I have much to discuss."

"Lars of the Vale, where my father Larthkyrk is Earl. He regrets he could not be part of the council, and sent me in his stead."

"Hanrik, Earl of the Forelands my lord steward.  It is my honor to be in the presence of my fellow lords."

"Caspyr, Captain of his Grace's Archers, and Earl of the Promise."

"My esteemed hosts," said a man dressed in gold silk with a woolen hat, "I am Torombatar of the United Yhgr Tribes.  I am a lowly tradesman along the old routes and we have no Earls in the Smote, though our clans have long standing families that serve as Magisters.  I am humbled to be honored to sit on this seat."

"Mister Torombatar," Edmon interrupted, "where is the Marshal?”

"I regret she was unable to free herself from her duties to join us.  Inspector Singis is tracking perpetrators of an event that occurred a fortnight ago in Isimil.  A most horrendous incident.  Horrible for our innocent families, horrible for our business."

"I heard the magister’s son was murdered at his own wedding," Lars said.  "And that the magister himself lost an eye."

Torombatar nodded.  "We are here to address all events around the world but these are dark times for us all.  Even our soothsayer could not foresee this."

“The Yghrs and their soothsaying,” Alegandr scoffed. 

"My lord, please," Edmon said to the next man.  He was a tall, muscular man with a bald head except for a patch of hair in the back of his head that ran as a long black braid.  While he wore a simple brown quilted coat that buttoned up to his neck, there were several tattoos visible beneath his collar. 

"I am Sarengerel, Song Lord of the Twelve Trees and General of King Burulgi's Field Riders.  I am also the new crown prince of Neredun."

Menquist placed his hand over heart and bowed. Sarengerel stood and bowed in return.  The members of the council stared at the empty chairs, then at the monks. 

Norbu cleared his throat.  "I am Norbu e'Hanzao of Sui’din House, from the islands you call the Scales. With me are my brothers from the Scales. As the most senior monk, it is my duty to now sit on this seat once kept warm by Mazi e’Rengu, Peer of the North.”

"To Master Mazi," said Hanrik, raising his cup.  Others with filled cups did the same.  "It has been quite some time since the last gathering of the Earls.  I am grateful to see old friends and new."

"Yes, yes, now we know one another," Alegandr butted in, "we need to discuss the chaos in the Headlands.  Visant roams the northern shore with his pirate fleet shutting down our ports.  It has been said that he intends to invade the Vale and take the Withings.  When he finds out you have his son, whose fishing villages do you think he will burn first as a show of defiance?  My men are already spread thin protecting our shores."

“What is this Withings?” Torombatar asked. “I am not familiar with this.”

"The Withings is a long stretch in the northern part of Ian’s Vale, my territory,” Lars explained. “The main road runs through the Withings. It is rugged terrain with two sheer cliffs on each side and have served as a natural defensive landscape from those that attack from the lower ground in the south. Wars have been won in the Withings, as the those who control it cannot be assaulted. My father has men in the forest but if the baron takes the Withings, it will be impossible to press their defenses."

Kidu glanced back at Timlan and then at Menquist.  "I’m sorry, my lordships,” he interrupted. “But the Scales are fully garrisoned.  Peers could aid you.  They were to depart behind us.  Did they not come through Sundersport and go through the Withings?”

"Who is this boy? Did you not hear of the ports being taken over by Visant?" Alegandr asked.  "Nothing moves in the northern seas while the baron owns the water.  Wait, you're the one that caught one of the twins, are you not? Yet the other twin roams free.  You'd have been better off snatching the other."

"My lords, we are here to talk about the conflict in the west," Edmon reminded them.  "The Earls of our countries may convene to discuss our internal struggles without the company of our foreign guests.  The Isnumurti plans an assault upon Aredun.  We must rally to their aid."

"And yet Aredun does not send a representative to this council," Gabrel of the Portlands said, motioning to the empty seat. "Perhaps they do not feel our aid is needed.  Sending Kiennese men over the Crossing would come at great financial cost.  A war to the west and one to the north.  Our treasuries would run bare."

"For what it's worth, our forces are replenished, trained and ready in Ronynhall," Caspyr said.  "All we’ve done is train. We would be able to mobilize and cross the Boiling River into Aredun if we needed too."

Edmon rose.  "Aredun is in turmoil.  The political climate has chilled to the point where we fear their governors would turn against their King Padrig.  I am ready to commit our forces but we need Aredun to be a united republic.  Their governors must be rallied lest they face the Isnumurti Sword as a divided country."

"Why now?" Lars asked.  "Why do the Isnumurti venture against the Eastern kingdoms?  What do they seek to gain?"

"And does it really matter?" Alegandr snapped.  "I have sympathies for Aredun, but war is war.  Landlust has been the curse of men since the beginning of time."

Sarengerel tapped his cup on the table two times. "Erehu has his Sword, and Erehu has his Table. At Erehu's Table sits their High Prophet, waiting to usher in an era of perpetual Spring, where the blooming of their chosen people will be fed by the blood of more common folk. This is the religion of the enemy. They seek to fight a holy war. The Isnumurti attack now for they believe their god Erehu nears his return to this earthly dominion."

"And you know this how?" asked Earl Hanfik.  "How does a horse lord from as far away as Neredun come to know about the religion of the other end of the world?"

"That's what is is then?" Alegandr added.  "Religious fanatics?"

“You are a curious people, my prince from Neredun,” said Caspyr, Earl of the promise. “Perhaps you are not the close minded horsemen as such is common belief. It is a marvel we are only meeting now. What could we do, Neredun and Kienne, if we stood together?”

Alegandr laughed. “You’re both fanatics as well.”

"The prince of Neredun is right," Edmon said, his eyes fixed on Sarengerel.  "Our own reports reveal the same, though very few eyes have read it.  Wars have always been waged for the gods, for lust of money and land, or for wounded pride.  Whatever the reason, it is the strength of unified men that turns war on its own head.  But first we must turn the political tide of Aredun."

"And I know just the man to do it," said a voice at the end of the hall.  A brown haired man in my an ornate flowering red robe strode in with long footsteps.  Everyone rose at his arrival. He sat upon the high seat and summoned for wine. 

"Prince Andrew," Menquist said.  "You surprise us with your presence."

"I honor you with it," the prince said.  "My father is old and ill.  I don't suppose he will be joining in many of these councils.  I've come to claim his seat. You don’t think it is premature, do you cousin?”

Edmon poured wine for the prince.  "Your Grace, we welcome you.  We were discussing the matter of the Isnumurti and our affairs with Aredun."

Prince Andrew sipped from his goblet.  "Thank you cousin. I know my father favored you to govern the Kingshold, but I am here now.  As the crown prince of Kienne I am also the Earl of the Kingshold.  I wish my father to reign over these lands forever but we all need to be ready for that day when forever ceases to happen.  That will make me the Guardian of these lands and I need to be active and ready for my rule, don’t you think? So I thought to myself, why do I still need a steward?”

Edmon sat down with a loss of words.  He could hear the conversation with Duglas repeating in his head. 

"I heard some of the conversation and I agree with our lord Gabrel," the prince said.  "We cannot afford this fight, and I don’t want to pay for it.  However, I'm also in agreement with my cousin Edmon. The governors of Aredun must unite, so they can deal with their own threat properly so it doesn’t have to come to our borders.  So this is what I am willing to commit.  Edmon, I charge you with departing for Aredun and make sure they know how to deal with this on their own."

"My place has always been here, your Grace, in Lanfrydhall.  My health--"

"You serve your kingdom, yes? Your place is wherever you perform that service," Andrew snapped, "and your health should not be an excuse, Edmon. The exercise will do you good.  As I said, I prepare myself for rule. I will be of age soon and no longer have a need for a steward. But we now need an ambassador. So make haste for Aredun, cousin.  As for the matters regarding the Baron Visant, we will ransom the Baron's son.  You there—I’m not sure I need you here either—you know the terrain well and you shall return him to the north."  Andrew pointed to the Peers.  "My terms are the return of his son for the return of Sundersport. Is there anything else?”

“Your Grace,” Alegandr stood. “Visant should not be negotiated with. I need the king’s army from the Kingsold to reclaim our ports.”

“I don’t attend a lot of these councils but is it customary to question me when I have already spoken on this? So is there nothing else?” Andrew finished his wine and tipped the goblet over before leaving the chamber. 

"That was pleasant," Alegandr said, rising and looking at Kidu and the four Peers. "I hope you four can help fix all of this.  What a waste of time. I’m heading back to the Headlands."

"And I to my father," Lars said. “I do enjoy this holiday in the Capital, so I may stay awhile. I’ll send word that to expect you in the Vale."

"There's no point in having an army if we don't use it," Caspyr said to Edmon as he left. 

The council chamber was emptying. Servants came to fetch the wine and goblets. Edmon remained seated and took a sip of wine. 

“Now what? Was this council not about unifying the Earls?” Kidu asked, standing with the Peers. 

“Unification is no mere task,” Sarengerel said. “In Neredun the families have always warred with each other. It takes a great moment to unify the lands.”

“And how did Neredun do it?” Kidu asked. 

“Through violence,” Sarengerel answered. “Through force. The war is coming. That will either rally the love for country, or the fear of extinction.”

“Then rally we shall,” Edmon said. “Menquist, you heard the prince. If they do not come to us, we shall go to them. Nothing has changed, we still continue with our plans.”