The Banquet Gallery breathed with low music and drifting laughter of nobles while servants moved endlessly with silver trays and filled goblets.
Beyond the adjoining feast hall, a group sat at a secluded table beneath warm chandeliers. Here, the atmosphere was looser. General Tobii Yorke amongst three Dravane sisters. Table littered with wine cups and ash dishes.
Miir Dravane leaned back in her chair with a briar pipe hanging lazily from her fingers. Smoke curled from her lips as she scoffed, "What about that his ugly sister, Satorii?" She asked Tobii, "She just as insufferable as him during council meetings?"
Tobii refilled his goblet without much interest. "I scarcely pay her enough attention to notice."
Corinne Dravane, playful by nature, suddenly lunged across the table and shook his shoulder.
Tobii jerked. Wine splashed across the table.
Corinne burst into drunken laughter while slumping back into her chair.
The youngest, Mae Dravane laughed too. Among them, she resembled their half brother, Knyyt Dravane the most. Like a younger and feminine version of the Queen's bodyguard.
Miir allowed herself a smile while Tobii hissed irritably and shook droplets from his hand.
"The only person our dear general pays any attention is Schar… of the Sandstorm," Corinne teased through hiccups. "Still wounds your pride, doesn't it?"
"At least my family still has relevance," Tobii shot back bitterly.
Mae idly rotated the ring upon her finger. "If only Miir had been born a man, she could have inherited father council seat."
Corinne snorted into her goblet.
Miir dismissed the comment with another puff of her briar.
Mae continued, "Still, your situation is arguably worse, Tobii."
"Absolutely!" Corinne agreed. "Grand General of Elsemer military used to be a Yorke's birthright.." she hiccuped. "Now you share it with a peasant-born soldier who even commands more influence than you."
Tobii's expression darkened.
"Sad thing to witness, honestly." Mae added.
Corinne cackled while Tobii seethed.
Miir tapped ash into a dish beside her. "Ease yourselves before this becomes another blood feud. Elsem has enough of those already."
Tobii gulped down before muttering, "A female heir did not stop the Kaines from preserving their council seat."
The table fell silent.
Then all three sisters erupted into laughter.
Corinne nearly folded over herself. "Gods, I absolutely loathe those pompous Kaines," she declared.
Mae glanced toward Tobii. "Think he did it? Orchestrated the Queen's attack then killed Rudeus?"
"Of course he did," Corinne answered before Tobii could speak. "The Kaines always thought themselves untouchable. Worse now without Leonhart."
"Keep your voices down." Miir warned.
"That reminds me!" Corinne exclaimed suddenly. She leaned across the table and dragged the candleholder closer. Firelight danced across her flushed cheeks as she lowered her voice in a theatric. "The streets are abuzz with a new tale. Taverns. Inns. They speak of Brimmah the Runeborn. They say the Kaines performed Human Enchantment on him. Pulsing underneath the flesh of his arm." She paused. Then whispered dramatically. "He single-handedly massacred a dozen Black Batch without weapon. But that's not all… he even slew a Runeborn Beast."
Miir exhaled smoke. "Sounds like drunken nonsense."
"Perhaps not. I heard the same earlier today," Tobii admitted. "One of my soldiers reported it. I dismissed it until I recognized the boy at the trial. I knew for certain he accompanied the Kaine expedition. Somehow he survived where most others did not."
"You recognized him?" Mae asked.
"Aye. Satorii Kaine's bodyguard."
"Oh? And you say you scarcely pay her any attention." Corinne teased.
Miir removed the pipe from her mouth. "Human enchantment," she murmured thoughtfully. "Then Fredderich humiliates a Whyteleafe before the entire court…"
Mae snickered behind her hand.
Corinne showed no restraint whatsoever. She burst out laughing, clutching her stomach while repeatedly slapping a palm to the table. "The Headmaster's face!" she wheezed between laughs. "Gods, Esq looked ready to explode!"
Her laughter continued until Miir's eyes suddenly darted past Corinne's shoulder.
The atmosphere at the table changed instantly.
Mae stiffened.
Tobii stopped drinking.
Soon, Corinne's laughter slowly weakened as the silence around her became noticeable. Confused, she turned.
She froze.
Esq Whyteleafe stood directly behind her.
She immediately sobered. "L-Lord Whyteleafe…"
"Ladies Dravane," Esq greeted in a cold tone.
The sisters gathered themselves quickly. They stood, dipped into hurried curtsies while muttering nervous greetings. Then excused themselves almost immediately.
Within moments, only Tobii remained seated.
Esq pulled out a chair beside him. Sat down. Poured himself wine.
Tobii noticed the stiffness in the Headmaster's jaw. "Gods will sooner walk our streets than you get an apology from me." He remarked.
"Tell me more about these rumors concerning Brimmah." Said Esq.
In a private study, Boren met with Isla Kaine.
No guards. No servants. No witnesses. They sat across each other — locked in negotiation.
Boren folded his hands together. "Orchestrated an attack against the Queen herself. Murdered a Councilman to conceal his misdeeds. Even you cannot protest your son's innocence. If yesterday's trial proved anything, it is that even he possesses no intention whatsoever of appearing innocent."
Isla looked unimpressed.
"His crimes warrant immediate execution."
"I did not come here to debate my son's guilt or innocence," she interrupted coldly. "Spare me the tiresome performance."
Boren remained silent.
"Kaine Sect remains the wealthiest family on this side of the continent," Isla continued. "That alone makes us your most valuable ally. Even the boy king understands that much. So let us negotiate."
"Fredderich's proposal to Queen Abigail is naturally forfeit." Boren answered.
"Naturally."
"When found guilty, Fredderich Kaine shall receive two winters of exile rather than execution. Kaine Keep shall be surrendered to the Crown — to be repurposed into a military barracks. You have other castles outside Elsem and frankly, I always loathed the existence of two castles inside Elsem."
Isla's eyes narrowed faintly.
"In addition," Boren continued, "Kaine Sect will fund and supply resources necessary to train five separate soldier cohorts over five terms."
Isla scoffed openly. "Ask for my virginity too, why don't you?"
Boren's expression did not falter.
"A civil war would devastate Elsem," Isla said. "You know this. I know this."
The room fell still.
"We will build the Crown a new barracks upon our outer lands and fund two terms of military training." She bargained.
Boren looked away momentarily in thought.
"Indeed," he admitted, "civil war benefits nobody but our enemies. But the Crown would require assurance against such a possibility."
Isla already disliked where this was heading.
"Fredderich is not your only child."
Realization crossed her face instantly. "No." She refused.
"A union of Satorii Kaine and young Eielhart would—"
"She is too old for him."
"She is barely seventeen."
"I said no!"
Boren blinked at the force behind the refusal.
"That girl," Isla said firmly, "shall never represent Kaine interest beyond the mistake her father made by placing her on the council."
Boren was surprised but didn't show it. "Nevertheless, a Whyteleafe-Kaine union benefits both sides," he said. "But Fredderich is too ambitious. If Satorii remains unavailable, then you must relinquish Kaine Keep."
"Satorii will not wed the King — nor will we yield the Keep." Isla rose from her seat immediately.
Boren spoke before she could leave. "Ten terms."
Isla stopped. She turned back to him.
"Ten terms of military training," he clarified. "And Fredderich should wed one of the Dravane girls."
"Those backbiting brats?"
"Their disgruntlement regarding their lost influence upon the High council has resurfaced since your son's comments yesterday. It is only right he tends to the scar he reopened. Furthermore, should that union produce a daughter, said child shall be promised to King Eielhart."
Isla stared at him, calculating silently. Then she spoke. "Two year exile for Fredder, construction of a new barracks and ten terms of military funding?"
Boren nodded once. "If the Queen judges him guilty."
Isla exhaled heavily before sitting once again. "If only my womb had birthed another daughter," she muttered, "this would have concluded far sooner."
Boren waited.
"Kaine bloodline produces sons quite reliably. The chances of birthing a girl will increase if multiple Kaine men participate."
"A rational assumption."
"Release Reuben Kaine from the Knyyt's oath. Let him wed one of the Dravane girls as well."
Boren blinked. "Was he not adopted?"
"That is impertinent. He was legitimized at five years old," Isla replied immediately. "He is as much Kaine and my son as Fredderich. Forget appeasement, the Dravanes will jubilation their stroke of good fortune."
"Very well," Boren agreed, "I shall discuss it with the Queen."