The Pirate's Legacy: New Horizons

Chapter 31: The King and the Prince

The doors opened, and Baron Leonce Odina strode into the council room. The three tables which the council members sat around were changed from their U shape formation. The two vertical tables on the sides were pushed up against the wall. The horizontal main table was placed at the center of the room, around which the last other thirteen barons surrounded. Atop of the table was a long map of Tarym. A fist-sized obsidian statue in the shape of a dragon towered over little wooden homes and flames. Only a small portion in western Tarym was covered in the flames, Baron Odina's province. Every baron dressed in their houses' colors. Baron Odina wore a hose and undershirt that were dark blue; the rest of his attire was black. Baron Demitri Phoenicus, the King Regent, wore red and gold attire. Around his neck was a heavy gold necklace emblematic of his office. The King Regent wore a smile on his handsome face as Baron Odina approached the table. The other barons presented him frowns or nodded with stoic expressions on their faces.

When Baron Odina settled between Baron Deist and Baron Phillas, from across the table, Baron de Lessops remarked, " 'Tis good that you have finally joined us, Baron Odina. Were you quite taxed last night?"

Baron Odina flicked his dark eyes over to the slightly heavy baron as a handful of other peers chuckled. "In fact, I was, Baron de Lessops. I stayed up worrying about my ancestral lands burning down while I am sure you were quite thoughtless and comfy in your chambers. By the way, how is your newly created, monarch-given estate doing?"

"Baron Odina," interrupted the King Regent before Baron de Lessops could reply to the insult. Already the baron of the lesser lands grew red in the face. "Have our scouts arrived yet?"

"Yes, Lord Regent." Baron Odina, who was the head general, straightened to attention and saluted. "Only last night. To start off, we lost three scouts due to ineptitude while two more sustain severe burns. As for the dragon, it has now moved down to Cola province—"

"Where, exactly?" asked the King Regent as he took the obsidian dragon on the map and slid it from Odina province southwest to Cola province where many little paper cones dotted the dark green landscape.

"The remaining scouts are trying to find that out," said Baron Odina, twisting his mouth to display his displeasure. "The three scouts were caught in the first wave of attack when the dragon encountered the camps. I assume the dragon is still running amuck there." Baron Odina and his peers watched the King Regent take a handful of wooden flames and scatter them amongst the paper cones, which represented the camps. Baron Odina continued, "Many of the half-Draconian families in the camps are dead, but the remaining spies are saying that the ones left alive are fleeing Cola and making their way into my province. The scouts' recommendation is that we evacuate the western countryside further east and south. Once the dragon has done its carnage in Cola, it will come for more to destroy."

The King Regent nodded. "We shall take their recommendation, then." He turned to the entire table full of barons. "Gentlemen, we will prepare to accept the refugees. Tell your people to open their homes for them, and if you have room to spare in your own homes, Helena be praised for your accommodation."

"Lord Regent," said Baron Haskell, a man in his middle years whose voice was as smooth as honey. "What of my small barony? If it had still once been as a whole during Baron Drumbolt's tenure, I would have been the first with open arms to the refugees. Yet, my lands are not so large. The people under my care would be elbow to elbow if we acquired any more settlers, and I have so little coin to spare for anyone other than my people."

"Regretfully, I must second Baron Haskell," said Baron de Lessops with a small shake of his head.

Baron Phoenicus said, "Yes, I understand completely that you esteemed gentlemen must think of the people under your care foremost. The crown shall take care of any expenses on your behalf. Count on that."