Indebted

82

Harlen had no reports. No allies, no friends; his sister was likely still blacked out drunk and useless. Harlen just had himself and what he already knew. "A scribe told me, they can't lie, I don't know anything more." Magnus let go of Harlen entirely and turned away, looking at the stained glass histories behind the throne.

One weak link can break the chain of a mighty dynasty. "I don't want to break the dynasty." Magnus stood up straighter, no one else was coming to advise or plan. Magnus knew Harlen. As well as he knew anyone at least. Harlen had been born and raised his entire life in court residence. A soldier through and through. A soldier who stuck to protocol. Kept his head down, was efficient and responsible. Those had been the words ascribed to his military record. "You are the last high lord to return the king's summons, and leader of the military and police." Turning as he spoke to meet Harlen eye to eye. "Advise your king." Magnus commanded.

Harlen had been thinking harder than he ever had before. He had no idea, not even the first clue how to politic. Harlen knew battles and standoff strategies. "Prepare the castle for a royal visit as fast as possible." Trying to break the information into components that made more sense to Harlen."You don't have time to mount an attack or defence strong enough to hold back The Council if they come in force. If The Council say they are bringing a Queen, prepare for a Queen. Play their game." Never attack first in an open field when at a disadvantage.

Harlen felt like he might have a headache that would never end after today. "Your son, he is of an age as the young Lord Fowler?" Roddington had listened to Zinnia and Holly talk about the younger lords and ladies over many family meals. Magnus nodded, rolling his hand gesturing for Harlen to continue, "Send a scribe, promise peace while negotiations for Caspian's return are in process." Honestly telling the king what he would do in the king's position.

Harlen had been a solider. When an enemy told you they were coming and under what terms, it was wise to prepare to meet them as they announced, and prepare a back up plan to cover your ass. Meet The Council, play the game as they presented it; and try and figure out what the real plan of attack or target could be and prepare for as many of those as possible.

"How do you suggest we accomplish preparations for a royal visit with no staff and most of court empty?" Magnus growled. Looking around the empty throne room. "Who do we have left in the castle to prepare for a Royal visit? Soldiers wont arrange flowers, decorate or bake." A second spark of an idea striking Harlen.

Trying to summon every bit of courage he had ever possessed. "Well sire, a great number of the serving class were imprisoned early in the rebellion, and there is also mistress Nigella, she would be able to manage the staff for decorating, cooking, and preparing rooms." Harlen offered. Daring to hope that he might be able to finally get Holly out of the prisons and home safe where she belonged.

Magnus pondered Harlen's suggestion. Harlen was acting like a much more cautious man today than he had been since being raised to high lord. Demonstrating a depth of thought Magnus had not thought the man capable of.

Considering the options, Harlen's suggestion was reasonable. Magnus drew a rune in the air to summon a run of scribes to hear his decree, Agnes Templeton, the slave mistress also joined Harlen and the king in the throne room before Magnus announced his order. "Collar one and all of the current prisoners and put them to work. Harlen, educate Templeton to the current need." Magnus said, already heading towards his private quarters.

Calling out, without even glancing back. "Templeton you do exceed at gaining compliance when needed. Full authorization of all training options sanctioned." Harlen's jaw fell open. As Magnus walked away. "I am going to rest, wake me in two hours with a status report on the preparations in the castle, and for negotiations. I want a full strategy brief." Not giving Harlen a chance to protest the instructions.

Magnus went to his bed, he had been up all night worrying first about The Council, then Caspian after Celestia had informed him that the Fitzprince had managed to escape his guards and was missing. Magnus now knew where his son was, once Celestia arrived, she would be able to retrieve her brother one way or another. Magnus was truly feeling his age today.

In a far away wing of the castle, in her royal apartment that remained trapped in regency age styling. Myrrh was fuming. Her tether on Harlen had broken. He was thinking for himself once again, all of Myrrh's allies had already fled the castle. Fearing The Council, just as she had trained them all to do. The outside was dangerous, The Sovran dragons could only ever be safe if they kept to themselves.

Myrrh liked having a small controlled chess board to play on. Keeping the Dragon Court isolated was always in her best interests. Here she was a royal descendant. It didn't matter how far down the succession she was, Magnus was her relation. Being here made her important. It had been easy when she was young. A beautiful, technically royal blooded maiden was a fetching bride or mate.

Myrrh had rejected every single suitor who had ever come to call on her. Certain that there would always be someone better. A man more handsome. With more connections. More resources. Until one day she realized, no one new had come to call in days.

Days that turned into weeks.

Then months.

Then the stunning realization it was over. Her peak was gone, and she wouldn't ever be able to undo the time she had wasted. Chances she had spurned. Myrrh couldn't go back. So he had done everything she could ever since to stay relevant. Be part of court one way or another behind the scenes. Twist the machine of court to bend to her desires.

Myrrh was losing her control. Harlen was ignoring her, he was her most powerful pawn left. The castle was quieter than it had ever been, The Council ready to descend upon the court, with the lie of a new Earth Dragon Queen. There wasn't any such thing as an Earth Dragon. There had been no dragons on earth before the Sovran came here to escape the great destruction in their original world. Their promised land.

Myrrh got dressed after a night of no sleep, she was going to find a scribe. Torture it to see if there was any information she had not heard. Something new and useful. Myrrh was exiting the wing of the royal family. As she walked down the main corridor of this wing of the castle, Myrrh sensed as the amount of activity increased around her. There were servants in the walls, work being done.

Myrrh steps increased in pace. Never running, that would be inelegant, unbecoming. Certainly moving quickly. Something was happening, and she did not know about it. Myrrh needed to be in the center of whatever was happening at court. Needed to get back on the inside, her web of control was falling apart.

First it had been that upstart kitchen whore Andromeda trying to use her open legs to influence the King's mind towards opening the kingdom to the greater world. Poor thing, poisoned, and no one had been able to tell how or who.

Then a blissful period of mourning when Magnus had been too depressed to change anything. Until the upstart pauper lord Alric had come to court and starting to speak of imaginary Utopian places, carting that annoying daughter of his all over the court. Myrrh should have murdered the bitch while she resided under Myrrh's roof. Would have saved everyone so much turmoil. 

Not to mention that her brother had needed to be quietly disposed of to reallocate his fortune to his only official living relative, herself.  Atticus was thought to have died catching Myrrh off guard when the man had come to court. She had thought he could have been a useful new pawn on her chess board. What a mistake that had been.