Forgotten Embers

49. Elkshire

They were talking in the hallway about a place she had heard of but never been, a town called Elkshire. Sometimes referred to as the "Kingsmen Capital", Elkshire was a forest town and the most prominent of the eastern region. The town itself was relatively unremarkable with two notable exceptions. The first: that the Council of the Kingsmen was seated in Elkshire and from there they judged the Kingsmen from throughout the empire. The second: that Elkshire was itself a city-state, entirely independent of Altrüon and its government.

It was vital that Altrüon and Elkshire should remain in each other's good graces. Diplomatic relations were vital between the two states, and they were quickly falling to pieces, because the man the Council sent to Pyre was the same man that Zephyr was hölle-bent to destroy.

The Kingsmen Council consisted of seven representatives from each of the regions throughout Altrüon - Euphess to the south, Asrymn to the west, Pergum to the southeast, Tyra to the northwest, Sa'ar to the north, Delphi to the northeast, and Laoce to the southwest. These representatives were elected each year at a regional meeting of the area's overseers and sent to Elkshire to rule there. Together, the seven would send forth proclamations, execute judgements, settle disputes, allocate resources, and govern the Kingsmen body. It was, also, within their power to declare war, though that had never been done in all the years of the Council's existence.

The conversation passed her door, moving on down the hall, and she hurried to prepare herself for the morning meal, wanting to hear more of their plans.

When Avera arrived in the banqueting room, the others were in the midst of a dispute over when would be best to depart on their journey, whether better to travel by day or by night.

"To go by day would be to leave ourselves open to scouts and tracking. They would know where we were and where we are going, and they would have guards waiting for us in Elkshire long before we arrive!" Justice contended.

"Howbeit, if we were to travel by night as you suggest, we would be leaving ourselves vulnerable to ambush and identification by the guards as we would be in violation of curfew," Webber reminded him.

Benjamin was sitting back in his chair, considering everything in pensive silence.

'I wonder what goes through his head. It's hard for me to believe that he could really have nothing to say.'

"Hm... I am inclined to agree with Atticus, but Webber makes a good point about the roadblocks," Kypher considered. "There's nothing wrong with off road travel, but at night it will be difficult to see and we won't be able to use our maps, either, which may lead to problems for us getting there."

"Well, I think it's better to go by day," Vanguard asserted, "for the reasons you just mentioned. If we were to be followed, at least we would be able to see and we could make adjustments. We have no chance of that with a night ambush in the middle of Elk Forest!"

"We could ask Dorcus," Benjamin said. "I would like to consult her before making a decision."

"Understood," Justice said with a nod in Benjamin's direction.

"Of course," Webber politely conceded.

"Hey..." Kypher said, looking around, "where is Dorcus? I was wondering how this had gone on so long. Isn't she usually here to help settle our disagreements for us?"

That was the first that anyone had vocalized Dorcus's lack of being there, and Avera was surprised by it. She glanced around the room to reconfirm the lady's absence and began to take account of all those present.

'Benjamin, Kypher, Justice, Webber, Vanguard...'

Kypher was right - Dorcus was missing, and that was highly unusual. Mira and Ellis weren't there, either, but that wasn't abnormal. She was sure they would be found in the kitchen, preparing the meal for them.