Three Must Decide.

Part 24 Look at me.

Chapter note. the first 3 chapters have introduced you to the Three. Each faction is controlled, to a degree, by a real life person so decisions have to be made.

Hidden consequences.

Old grievances are not easily forgotten.

Decisions.

The Grand Duchess had to decide how to rebuild their power and distract while their fleet is at sea.

Read on to see what they have decided.

The Grand Duchess began the dance again. She and her instructor had gone through the peace again and again for the past 2 hours and now Caroline was beginning to slow and find herself behind the rhythm of the peace that was being played for her over and over by the Quartet which occupied the corner of the room that had become her dance studio. It was getting late and as it was now later in summer the evenings were beginning to fail and the nights would begin to draw in week after week until the long nights came.

she slipped, just a little but it brought her to stop and with that she collapsed on the floor laughing at her mistake, breathing heavily and wiping the sweet from her eyes. Her instructor clapped confirming the lesson was over and after a short polite conversation with them all the Duchess left heading for her chambers, meeting Lady Jane at the door the guards took their place at the door. Caroline was soon ready for her bed and ready for it the day ahd been full and long. She had awaken early and gone through the business of the day and prepared for the feast that had been arranged for the following day. The early start had made sure that soon after lunch she had ridden round Peragrin Run, down to the dock and then on to the main building projects before riding out along the coast for most of the rest of the afternoon with a small group of invited friends were the chatter was light and, caroline insisted, informal. Then back to the Keep for food and finally her dance session that she had taken up to improve her strength in a way that she could enjoy. she Went through the list of final preparation for the feast and Jane left to begin to work through a few of the tasks before she herself would hopefully sleep well and be ready for the coming event. 

As Caroline felt her self drift off she was aware of her class in the morning with her fencing master. Her ability with the sward had proved to be adequate at best and soon they had chosen to abandon the sward and instruct Caroline in thier own forms of unarmed self defence. She found them more suited to her and its style of entering in and evading could resemble a dance when practiced which complimented her chosen way to try and become fitter.

So much in a day, so much more to come in just  a few days. The Grand Duchess was soon in a welcome deep sleep.

By mid afternoon the following day the hall was full. Caroline wanted to be visible even to those who may never set eyes on her. She also needed to secure her lands, give her hold depth and strength, a chance no mater the future to endure. The Grand Duchess also wanted to be visible to Ehmet, wanted his eyes on her from afare. an allie so visible could hardly be plotting against them.

Caroline remiande confident. The tables had been arranged in the shape of a horse shoe and she had taken her seat in the centre of the top table. All of the most powerful and influential citizens and countyman of her home lands. those who had stood with the crown and against them. During that war her family had been with the crown it was only after the end of the war and the persecution of their people who followed their own gods that her brother made thier house a safe place for all and in so doing placed himself between Terrill and the people he had chosen to protect.

Every place was filled and an extra place had been made for the Lady Ama Rollo. The arrival of one of the highest born emissaries of the King of Drathan had raised the tension Caroline held inside her. Outside of a high ranking member of the royal family Lady Ama Rollo was the most significant sign of their allegiance and it also ment the the Rollo Family were now directly connected to the efforts the crown of Drathan was putting in to the War even though they still could not call on their lords to finance any of it. The Rollos where well known to the elites in both Drathan and Vasted. An old family who had held enough land for long enough to have become a permanent part of the high echelons  of society and although they had never raised an army they had exercised influence in many other ways with family members high up in the King of Drathans household, serving close to the High Priest, holding enough land to influence the grain markets in Drathan and Vasted and owning several of the wharfs, second only to the crown, along the trading river.

There was nothing to be done it would not change the course of the meeting which was to confirm that she, Grand Duchess of Peregrin Run was looking for a new partner to stand with her following the Assassination of Marquees Diegou. Not a role everyone would like to take on. Every day her fleet was at sea, everyday the time when the alliance would be broken came closer and before then she would tie a partner to her, bind them with the promise of Peregrine Run and Dark Harbour. she would not for now confirm if the partner could be for marriage but she would let them think what they liked. Caroline for the first time in years felt that perhaps she could now start a new chapter and certainly taking another to her bed would be a welcome pleasure but it was more than that she knew that what she was doing was not for herself alone but for her fmaily, those who had passed on, but she now also wanted it to be for those not yet born.

By the end of the evening all had gone well, she had confirmed her desire for those who had not swarn to her to do so and presented what she had to offer and made it clear that she wanetd a new partner. The result was evident, more of the influential people in her land sware themselves to her, enough so she finally had control regardless of those who still resisted. enough so that she would be able to complete the rebuilding of her families forces. that would be easy it was a simple need for funds as many of those who had served her house were still within her boarders serving as employed guards and would much sooner return to the higher status of a serving soldier. Lady Ama Rollo had been given special attention and a tour of the city and harbour so that by the end of the evening the hall was clearing there was little else for her to do but return to her chambers where a very attentive lord would meet her for the night. A lord who could be a good fit for her but she would wait and see if she felt it was worth taking further in the morning.