Highlord of Kalzasi, Pt. 1

[Paragon]

P A R A G O N

1 Ash 122

Across the city-state of Kalzasi, to every corner that pledged itself both to the fealty and service of its sovereignty, a summons was issued to those who held the rank of noble. In the centuries of Kalzasi’s existence, since its founding, this summons had only been issued thirteen times prior. Now, it was issued for the fourteenth time.

Savien Praetus Novalys, Sovereign of the State of Kalzasi, The First Wind of the Synnekar Avialae and Leader of the Eastern Free Cities, had been put to rest.

The time had come to choose his successor now that Zaichaer had been dealt a fatal blow in a war that had seen surprisingly little in the way of outright bloody conflict. While the politics of that fallout were still being debated among the Conclave of States across the Free Cities, it was time for Kalzasi to settle matters of internal politics. At the behest of the Iron Queen, the Assembly of Lords of Kalzasi were called to perform their duties. It was time to select a new Shokaze for the State of Kalzasi. Across the territory, the noble lords and ladies had been gathering in order to marshal their support for the Great House they supported most.

The morning has already been filled with deliberations between the Daizoku and the Iron Queen. Now it is just past noon and the greater Assembly of Lords of Kalzasi have been called into the Council chambers so that the full Assembly can make motions to put forth their candidates to be awarded the Throne of the Shokaze. As the many lords and ladies of the realm gathered into the chamber, the Speaker of the Council eventually called everyone to order. The pounding of a gavel caused many of the conversations to come to a hush. Tizan Veyl, Highlord of House Veyl and the Speaker for the Elder Council rose from his seat.

“Let the Assembly come to order.” His voice echoed over the chamber. The elder Avialae looked out over the gathered representation of the nobility of the realm.

“It is not lost on any who gather within this chamber the ordeals that we have faced in recent years.” There were murmurings of assent. “The time has come for the mantle of leadership to our people to be passed to its rightful successor.”

There was some shifting in the chamber. Tizan Veyl always chose his words carefully when speaking. The quiet barb that was being flung in the direction of the Queen-Regent was not missed but Sahfri, who was seated, not upon the throne of the Shokaze, but just beside it, made no outward reaction.

“By the laws of our Assembly, the Shinsei is automatically considered for eligibility to the throne.” He nodded to one of the clerks of the council. The clerk stepped forward and released a crystal that drifted into the air. As the crystal floated into the air above the heads of the assembled lords and ladies, a projection of the banner of House Novalys materialized from it. It was soon followed by the silhouette of a silver winged Avialae whose profile was easily recognizable as that of Talon’s.

“It shall be reminded to the Assembly that only an Avialae of the Great Houses is eligible for the Throne of the First Wind.” Other clerks stepped forward and each of them held crystals from which were projected the banners of the other six Great Houses. Those crystals were placed on pedestals that held them upright. They did not float with the banner of House Novalys as the reigning House was already afforded candidacy given Talon’s status as Shinsei.

“The deliberations shall now begin.”

Off Topic

The selection of Kalzasi’s next sovereign shall proceed in the following manner:

This thread will remain open across the various days that debates and arguments take place within the Council Hall. The selection will progress in stages. This is going to be a long string of threads because the selection process is expected to take place from now through the end of the Frost Season. Which means that the new Shokaze likely won’t be crowned until Glade or very close to the end of Frost.

Stage One - All Kozoku, Koiteki and Hatakomon Houses will be afforded the opportunity to step forward and pledge their banner to one of the Great Houses and give a name to their candidate for the throne. Only the Great Houses can be nominated. In this phase, nobles need only voice their support for a particular House. They do not need to select a specific nominee. That will come later. Until such time as the window to make these declarations closes, nobles can change their vote if they are persuaded to give their support to another Great House. Regardless, they may only support one Great House.

-Players are encouraged to debate and deliberate how they see fit. I will be inserting various NPC’s to converse with the players as I see fit.
-Progression to Stage Two will happen when I have deemed the plot to have moved forward enough to warrant such a progression.
-The two Great Houses that receive the most support, will move forward to Stage Two.
-House Novalys automatically progresses to Stage Two due to Talon occupying the role of Shinsei.

Stage Two - House Novalys and two other Great Houses will move forward to this phase. Those Great Houses who did not receive enough support to win advancement, will not move forward and thus are no longer eligible for consideration to the throne. I will release the thread for this stage when it is deemed appropriate to move the plot forward in this regard.

First Round

-Nobles will declare their support for a specific candidate from each of the three Great Houses.
-House Novalys candidate is already decided due to the role of Shinsei.
-Once each candidate from each of the Great Houses is chosen, the Assembly of Lords will vote on which candidate from each House to support. Following this voting, the prime candidate from each House will be decided and put forward toward the second round.

Second Round

-The three candidates are pitted directly against each other in voting. The Assembly of Lords will pledge their support to the candidates that they most want.
-The two candidates with the most votes will move forward to the final stage.
-The Shinsei only advances if they have enough votes to do so. This is where automatic advancement ends.

Stage Three

Only the candidates with the most support from the final round of Stage Two will move forward to be considered for the throne. The full Assembly of Lords will vote to support one candidate or the other. The winner will be crowned Shokaze of Kalzasi.

[Reika]

It was a turbulent time for Kalzasi and after seasons of uncertainty, it seemed like they finally had enough of it. A few weeks ago she had seen the invitation to the Assembly of Lords being delivered directly to her grandfather and barely an hour later her father had gone to speak with him. They stayed in the Silver Skies Pavillion for hours, dismissing anyone who tried to enter. One could only guess what the two avialae talked about that night.

The Great House of Dahshida was one of the houses that arrived early and fortunately, Reika found herself standing behind Haruhiro and Senrian Dahshida with other representatives of their house. She had to admit that she was slightly in disbelief that it had been so easy for her to get here. When the young woman came up to her father and asked to be allowed to attend the assembly, the man said yes right away. Reika expected a no and had prepared arguments to make sure that she could go, but it went unused.

While she did ask to attend the event, Reika still felt oddly out of place surrounded by these powerful figures that had been leading their city for years. It was difficult not to feel small and insignificant when she thought about her own place in this family. She shifted uncomfortably on her feet as they waited, fidgeting with the icewing eagles threaded into her black robes. At least, Haraka, her older brother was also attending, unsurprisingly. While she had to ask to tag alone, he was told to come by their father.

When Tizan Veyl finally spoke up, she turned her head to look at the image of Talon Novalys projected into the air. She did not know him well, but these past two years all everyone could talk about was him. Her eyes then went to Karam Senue who was surrounded by his supporters, looking confident and determined. It didn’t take a lot of surveillance to know that the man had tirelessly lobbied and collected favors allover the city to secure his place.

Haraka noticed her gaze and gave her a lazy smile, clearly amused by her intense look. Despite being one of their father’s favorites, her older brother had always been disinterested in politics. He had made a name for himself as a formidable warrior and that was enough for him. He certainly did not understand her fascination with it. “Do you think he has a chance?”

Reika shrugged as she mindlessly fixed one of the silver ornaments in her hair. “A lot people have been more and more interested in the idea of the Novalys passing on the torch to another house, that another house is just as deserving and qualified to lead the city.” And their own father was one of them. It was no secret to their family that Senrian Dahshida always believed that their family was destined to do something greater. Something other than sitting by the side of the Novalys. “People are itching for a change.”

“Nevertheless, when your competition is an actual demigod of light… It’ll be a tough one,” her brother pointed out.

The young Dahshida was no politician, but there was no doubt she was interested in it. How could you not care that this meeting could change the course of their world forever? “I suppose we will see what everyone had to say.”

[Paragon]

P A R A G O N

The Assembly was abuzz with lords and ladies all discussing matters amongst themselves. These decisions came only once in a lifetime and, depending on who was chosen to succeed the late Shokaze, it might be the final time any such decision was made. It was not lost on members of the Assembly that as a demigod, Talon Novalys was immortal. The prospect of gaining an Immortal God-King was appealing to some and unsettling to others. On the one hand, it could lead Kalzasi to even greater heights of prestige and prominence, overtaking the still lingering political shadow of Zaichaer. Whereas the gaining of an Immortal God-King would certainly be cause for concern among their neighbors. It was a topic that was being heavily discussed in several circles.

Daizoku Haruhiro Dahshida sat quietly on his throne. The patriarch of House Dahshida, a quiet man though he was, wielded considerable power among the nobility due to his prowess as a warrior and his wisdom as an elder of the Synnekar in general. It was a well-known fact that, while the man had no ambitions toward the Sovereign’s Throne himself, there were those among House Dahshida who were pushing the wise Daizoku to give the support of Greater House Dahshida to another.

“Honorable Dahshida-sama.” The handsome visage of Rien Novalys appeared. He was dressed in the traditional colors of his house. Two grey-white feathered eagle wings were folded comfortably at his back. He bowed to Haruhiro and then to Senrian and Reika. The Second Son of House Novalys offered an amicable smile to the Clan Dahshida as he approached them once Haruhiro gave the young man a nod of acknowledgement.

“Lord Rien. You are here to seek support from House Dahshida on behalf of your brother.” Ever a man who was straight to the point, Haruhiro folded his hands in his lap as he regarded the young man opposite of him. Rien nodded his head.

“You doubt your family’s standing in my eyes.” Haruhiro’s gaze did not waver and Rien did not quail nor flinch at the scrutiny.

“It is no secret to us that there are those among your Great House who have opinions that differ from your own, Daizoku.” Rien’s eyes drifted to Reika and to Senrian. “You and my father shared many a good memory. You stood by him even after the madness of our disgraced patriarch, Jacien. We understand that there are desires and concerns that need to be addressed, even after thirty strong years of peace at the guidance of my father.”

There was no denying that Savien had been a masterful diplomat and the primary force that had preserved peace in the Karnor region during his reign. To state otherwise was to ignore the fact that in his absence, the region had descended into a tumultuous state. Even in the face of those who urged for a more direct conflict with Zaichaer and its supporters, Savien had remained steadfast and clear-headed enough to maintain peace. That was Savien however, and many both wondered (and some hoped) that his son might adopt a more aggressive stance if given the mantle of King.

“Very well, Lord Rien.” Haruhiro glanced at both Senrian and Reika. It was his silent, but very pointed, permission for both of them to weigh in on the conversation that was about to take place.

Off Topic

Reika - You may adopt control of Senrian. Both Reika and Senrian may question Rien.

[Reika]

As more and more nobles arrived, people had begun to mingle and group together. Some talked seriously in low voices, while others talked and discussed boisterously. While her grandfather took his seat, Reika found herself wandering around, catching snippets of conversation. Meanwhile, Haraka had swiftly lost interest and unsurprisingly disappeared between the crowd.

Noticing that her father had left his seat, the young Dahshida decided to approach him. While she had the chance, she wanted to ask what he had in mind. Unfortunately, Reika never had the chance as the crowd parted to reveal Rien Novalys heading straight toward them. As the avialae greeted her grandfather, Reika watched him a little bit more closely. As far as she could remember, this was the first time she had seen Rien Novalys up close in the past few years.

She had heard her sisters gush over him a dozen times back when they were younger and she couldn’t say they were wrong. While her sisters attended various parties, Reika’s training had taken most of her time and she would be lying if she said she didn’t resent that a bit. Her missions would often take days and once the young woman returned all she could do was sleep. Or if she failed one, her father would make sure to punish her with more. As a result, she hadn’t had that many chance to interact with many nobles directly.

“It is no secret to us that there are those among your Great House who have opinions that differ from your own, Daizoku.”

It was a jab towards her father and her, but she supposed she couldn’t blame him. Everyone who bothered paying attention would recognize Senrian’s contempt for what the queen-regent had done. Their house had always been in charge of cultivating foreign relations, including ones with Zaichaer. The moment Sahfri announced took charge and the war began, they didn’t have time to prepare. Shadowguards stationed all over Zaichaer lost their lives and it had been quite a blow to their house.

“Lord Rien,” Reika said with a bow and a neutral smile while her father remained stoic as he greeted the Novalys . To most he would seem at ease, with his crane-like wings relaxed on his back. But his dark eyes were hard and critical, watching everything all at once. He was just as he always was - an unreadable mountain.

A beat passed and Senrian didn’t say a word and so the young woman quickly decided to take the lead before the silence was noticeable. A part of her wondered if this was some sort of test from him. “Your family’s stand has never changed in our eyes. In fact, we can’t help but wonder if it’s the other way around.

“As you said, my grandfather had always been in support of your father and our families have been tied together for decades. This was why it is concerning to find out that in a time of crisis, we were blindsided by your house’s and the Queen-Regent’s decisions.” This was a sentiment she had heard countless times from various members of her house. The Dahshidas had wondered if their steadfast allegiance to the royal family was taken for granted. Whether another house would value their support more than the Novalys did.

Reika straightened as she continued calmly, “Instead of coming to us, your family sought Briathos, Senue, and Zatrian for support.” She was still Haruhiro’s granddaughter and she wasn’t about to beat around the bush - especially when Rien had been forward as well. “Does your family not value our support as they used to?”

“Now that House Senue decided to push one of their own for the throne, only then you come to us,” Senrian suddenly chimed in, his tone mild but his eyes alight. “Karam had come to us before with offers to win our support, of course, nothing we have agreed with yet. But why should we place our vote on the shinsei?”

[Paragon]

P A R A G O N

"The strength and valor of House Dahshida has been a sacred trust between us for generations, Lady." Rien inclined his head.

"So much so that the agents of House Dahshida were trusted to escort and guard my elder brother during his visit to Zaichaer. A joint partnership to keep the Shinsei safe in foreign lands, as we have trusted you to do for generations. The very same trip where his bondmate was abducted, the Shinsei was attacked by a violent mob, and which had to be concluded early for fear of a lack of safety." He kept his tone conversational, though he were commenting on nothing more than the weather. His face remained neutral, neither mocking nor accusatory.

"Our faith in House Dahshida was so resolute that we entrusted your wisdom to be part of the safety and security of my brother's wedding." At this Rien's mask cracked slightly. Pain. Anger. Fury. A hint of restrained wrath.

"Always we have trusted House Dahshida to be guardians against what lingers in the shadows. Always we have loved you and your family, believing your strength and loyalty to Kalzasi was unassailable." His jaw flexed.

"And now my father is dead and my brother is in chains." He spoke flatly. The hurt and anger receded back behind a mask. He stared at the three Dahshida steadily.

"When the mountain fell, House Briathos raised its mages age quelled the elements. House Zatrian opened is libraries so that our scholars could find a solution to the Dread Mists and that they could join my mothers House in facing this eclipse." He pressed on, his face growing stern.

"And when Zaichaer and its forces rallied against us, it was the footsoldiers of House Senue that joined the Sky Guard of House Novalys to fend them off under my mother's unity." He left unsaid the fact that Haruhiro had not been supportive of the regency. Quick action was needed in the face of tumultuous times. The debates and process in front of them was for peaceful and less uncertain skies. Had Kalzasi been deliberating for a new King, leaderless, it would have floundered. That would have led to a very different outcome.

"That is why I am here, Lady. Unity." He looked to Haruhiro then. "Long did you push my father to strengthen Kalzasi's sovereignty. It is time to see that dream become a reality, wise Daizoku. My brother will return. He will be free. And his wrath against our enemies will be terrible. Through him, Kalzasi will be what it always should have been; the true power in the North."

[Rickter]

Highlord of Kalzasi I

Ash 1st, 122nd Year, A.o.S.

The early hours of the morning started with an unshakeable headache, one that even challenged Telion's healing skills before it finally waned. It had been a night of less sleep than his average rest, having spent the day prior learning the play on the politics at large. The wolf already had much to think about when it came to the summons that came, as his actual nuclear family had only recently acknowledged him as a Maze. Complications from that aside he was obligated, in one way or another, to attend this meeting among the High Lords at the Council.

When those who would attend to represent his family came, it was with both of the brothers Otis and Erikson. Though it was fairly obvious the one that quickly represented the House of Waves was now Rickter, as he not only achieved noble rank on his own, but was also a knight of the prince himself. Given the dynamics he had to consider of his House now, and that they were sworn under Senue through their trade, that placed him in a bit more of an awkward position. It seemed like he had considerable choices to consider already, yet, his mind remained troubled by the greater problem looming beyond Karnor's boundaries.

Seated where they could see banners of the Great Houses once they were revealed, the wolf heavily focused on the sigils of the one most important to him. Novalys. He had dedicated himself to their cause the moment he chose to side with Talon. Now he had to consider whose side it was best to stay on now, given that he was dealing with an entire court of nobility. Garbed in a Kalzasern-themed doublet with his nova blue scarf, Rickter back into his seat to get a bit more comfortable with the masses clustered around him soon after.

The speech of Tizan Veyl had been well received, though, Otis definitely had to fill Rickter in on the political groups that were largely at play. It all generated a knot in his gut, which would've been bad enough... if he weren't already peckish, to begin with. "Have you already considered it, Rickter?" His father inquired with a noted glance at what kept Rickter's gaze.

"Not quite." He murmured back as he averted his gaze, only to provide his relatives a passing glance out into the crowd.

"Every side attacks you when you don't pick sides."

"Common" "Synskrit" "Norvaegan"
"Rickter"

[Mino]

Sending off a prominent leader was one thing — picking a new one was another. One that, while he understood the need for his presence, Mino would have done without being actually present for. Unmarred by any natural process and entirely in the fact that he would have to sit still for the duration of this proceeding was what set him on edge. The drain on his attention span would be…considerable. If only he could have observed this all from a distance. Teeth clicked together as he clenched his jaw. A headache of boredom already brewing as he was fitted with his clothes before his departure. Lady Blue would rather turn him into something to look at over another voice in the sea of nobles, and while he didn’t mind the way the jewels sparkled or warmed against his skin, he did mind that it felt like a bit of a collar pulled down further over his body, under a button-up that could have honestly been foregone with how open it was. Not that he minded the show of skin, either.

Brows raised as he watched the gleam of the necklace in the mirror, head tipping to the side and long ears twitching. Shoes shined, pants relieved of all wrinkles and lint. A stern warning look from his Mother as she draped first a light blazer over his shoulders and then a shawl. But even that was reconsidered, taken back as his glasses were pushed onto his face and the final pins put in place. Brows raised at his own reflection, catching the head of his house in the mirror as she gave a nod of satisfaction and turned away. No need to be briefed on this particular situation; he’d been watching. He’d been waiting. Both, of course, from the distance he would have liked to keep.

But that was the thing about being a face of the house, now wasn’t it?

Present now; no more recounting how much he didn’t want to be there, Mino had managed to sit moderately befitting of his station for most of the proceedings. Moderate in that he hadn’t outright lounged, though he did shift from slouching to not and back again within the span of several hours. The lazy hang of his eyelids over his eyes did not obscure what he needed to see. The Lady Blue had been clear in what — who — she’d wanted the house to support. He sniffed, sat up once more as House Dahshida gave their questions to the Lord Rien of Novalys. An individual that Mino had the pleasure of meeting himself, once upon a time.

But his attention was stolen instead by — well. Rickter was not an unfamiliar face. Their meetings had been somewhere between rare and common in the time that Mino had visited the palace. Curiosity, though, lighted his countenance. A bounce started to his legs, before he glanced around. It wouldn’t be a crime to move about and confer with others; this was a decision that ought not be made lightly, after all. The only excuse he needed to push himself up from his seat and cross to the other Rathari.

“Good to see your exile wasn’t permanent. Didn’t think it was a good fit for you.”

[Reika]

So then the answer to her question was yes.

If the Novalys truly went as far as blaming House Dahshida as solely responsible for what happened during the wedding, it would be risky to put all their eggs in one basket. What was worth more, trying to redeem themselves in the royal house’s eyes or finding an ally in another house who sought to rise through the ranks? It was a matter that her family needed to discuss further.

Still, Rien made it sound like her family had simply sat around and twiddled with their thumbs as the war raged around them. The Shadowguard worked in darkness and silence. They did not have the numbers to provide footsoldiers as the Senue, or the great libraries of Zatrian, or the fancy magic of Briathos.

She supposed none of it mattered and it wasn’t as if they could announce what they did to the world. The nights spent in the cold of the Northern Wilds, hunting down Zaichaer scouts. The countless battles and assassinations before they could ever set their sights on the city. The sabotage of caravans carrying their enemy’s weapons and supplies.

And the lives lost to do all that.

Her father’s expression never changed, as cool as the winter breeze. Both Haruhiro and Senrian had told her, warned her, about the nature of House Dahshida’s legacy. When they succeed, the world will never know what they had achieved and when they fail, they would be condemned.

There was no hesitation in Senrian’s movement as he gave the prince a bow. “We all will live the rest of our lives with the guilt and shame of failing the city. And no matter how many times we have said it before, no words of apology will ever be enough.”

Reika was not as good as an actor and it would be hard to miss how her eyes flared with intensity for a few moments before she managed to snuff it out. Though reluctant, she mirrored her father’s bow. She could hardly understand how Senrian could manage to deliver an apology after being insulted with such sincerity. She knew that it was the right thing to say. They weren’t here to debate or to defend themselves, they were here to assess who would be the right house to receive their support. As much as she despised Senrian’s methods, there were still a million things she needed to learn from him.

“I believe every one of us who came here wants unity, my lord,” the young Dahshida said as she raised her head back up. She swept her arm at the members of her house when Rien turned to her grandfather. “We also want to know what’ll happen once we are united.”

Perhaps it was too bold of her. She was, after all, just another lady in the sea of nobles - not one who held any special titles or power. Most would have never even heard of her. Nevertheless, her voice was strong and steady as she asked the prince, “No one can doubt that should the shinsei return, he will lead us to a victory like no other. A city led by Arcas himself. No one will dare to stand against us.

“But what happens after? How does a government work when its leader is an all-powerful, immortal god? How can mortals possibly serve as checks and balances for a celestial being?” There was only genuine curiosity in her question. Will Talon simply be their shokaze for eternity, giving absolute power to the Novalys? This was a whole new territory for Kalzasi and from the dozens of eyes turning to them, she knew she wasn’t the only one dying for the answer.

[Paragon]

P A R A G O N

“Your word is why my family trusts you, Lord Senrian. Which makes our befuddlement at how we arrived to this point all the more startling.” He looked then to Reika and Haruhiro once Senrian had righted himself.

“But that is a conversation for another day.” He was silent for a moment as he listened to Reika’s questions. Whether or not he noticed the others staring, he did not acknowledge them. His focus was on the members of House Dahshida.

“House Novalys has been a guiding star for Kalzasi since its founding. Our Fathers have been the Kings of this realm, serving it as the light in the heavens shines on high.” He sighed heavily as he seemed to wrestle with something internally. Stepping forward he leaned in so that he could whisper something in Haruhiro’s ear. When Rien stepped back, the two men held each other’s gaze for a moment before some manner of understanding passed between them.

“We will be speaking at length in the near future, Honorable Daizoku.” Rien bowed, turned on his heel and left the members of House Dahshida to deliberate among themselves. It did not go unnoticed that he had not spoke aloud an answer to Reika’s question. Nevertheless, Haruhiro did not seem perturbed. The venerable elder of House Dahshida watched the Second Son of House Novalys as he began mingling with other prominent nobles. He then turned to Senrian and Reika. He then turned to one of the chamber scribes. Taking a pen he wrote in clear patient script then folded the paper and handed it to the scribe. With a bow, the scribe scurried off to deliver it to the Speaker of the Assembly.

“Father?” Senrian looked at his father. There was a clear question in his eyes. Some silent communication passed between them. Whether because it was passed along the Bond they shared as Father and Son or through other non-verbal signals, Senrian looked stone faced.

“Granddaughter.” Haruhiro’s voice, though soft, was steady and commanding. He looked at Reika. “You are invited to the Palace of the First Wind. Present yourself to the palace of House Novalys in the morning.”

More than that he did not say. He folded his hands in his lap and studied the assembly with the quiet stoicism he was known for.

---

Tizan Veyl surveyed the Assembly of Lords with a sharp eye. He watched as the scribe of House Dahshida stepped forward and delivered the missive of their support. As soon as he saw it in his capacity as Speaker of the Council, his eyebrows shot up. Few things surprised him. This did. He handed the missive to the clerk who read it, read it again, then looked at him to make sure they were reading it correctly. He nodded. The clerk made the recording.

Things had just gotten interesting.

---

“Ah! There you are!” Rien stepped forward with his arms spread wide and a grin on his face as he clasped Rickter’s shoulders.

“So, have you made up your mind? Scoped out the competition?” The Second Son of House Novalys looked to Mino and brightened.

“Lord Mino! It’s good to see you. House Lekivian is certainly always a welcome sight.”

Off Topic

This will be the last round of before the first votes will be requested to be cast among the participants.

[Reika]

“House Novalys has been a guiding star for Kalzasi since its founding. Our Fathers have been the Kings of this realm, serving it as the light in the heavens shines on high.”

Instead of continuing, Rien instead approached her grandfather and whispered something in his ear. The young woman pursed her lips as she watched their interaction, having very little idea on what they could possibly talk about. The look that they shared only fueled her curiosity, but she wasn’t brazen enough to directly ask them what it was.

Reika never got her answer and she could only watch Rien left to mingle with other nobles. She couldn’t be sure what that meant. Did he simply have no interest in explaining things to her, to the crowd? It’s not unlikely.

All things considered, she would have guessed that it was House Novalys he had written on the paper. With a heavy heart, Reika could only watch the scribe deliver it to Tizan Veyl. It wasn’t that she was wholeheartedly against voting for them. But what she wanted to know was why? Should they just serve the royal house without question? Is that the fate of their house for eternity?

Even her father seemed unsure of what exactly Haruhiro had done. But something passed in the silence between them. Senrian’s face was cold as ice and just as difficult to read, but there was enough change for her to realize that between all of them, she was the only one left in the dark.

It was frustrating, but there was nothing else she could say about it. What she got instead was a summon to the palace and that only served to confuse her even further. The look in Haruhiro’s eyes were enough to tell her that this would not be the place for her to question or to argue. She would just have to find the answers tomorrow.

With a heavy heart, Reika gave her daizoku a bow. “As you wish, grandfather.”