City of Snakes - Book 2 The Council of the Light

-Twenty-

"The prince should have left weeks ago." Silvan DeWolf was losing his temper. He'd been waylaid on his journey back to Joining Earth by some trouble on another world. After lending his support to quash a Humanist uprising, he hadn't been best pleased to come back to the Fortress to find the prince was still here and his King was sick. He directed his anger towards Fraggle, and Fraggle gave as good as he got. Clarence sat watching them argue, Beatrix next to him, both of them nursing a large glass of wine.

"Pardon me, Silvan, If my powers have been curtailed somewhat whilst you are absent. The King is sick. His wife the Queen has a voice and in her husband's absence she rules. It is safe to say I am not her favourite. Unlike you, I am an army of one."

Silvan ran a hand through his hair and clicked his neck.

"Why are you so worried anyway?" Fraggle asked, "What's happened?"

"What's happened?" Silvan echoed as if Fraggle were crazy, he spread his arms and leant forward. "Your King has been poisoned, his wife killed Madness and the Humans are growing restless. Light Fraggle!"

Clarence agreed, but Silvan was being overly harsh. As Fraggle said, with him unable to rule, his wife had the power to take over.

"The only thing that should have occupied your thoughts is getting Od to Everment Castle."

"I couldn't move him. Not with the Queen blocking me." Though Fraggle was trying to keep his temper hidden his voice wobbled as he spoke. "Clarence was too ill to stop her."

"He doesn't look sick to me," Silvan looked across to Clarence, but his face contorted and he paused before he spoke again.

"I'm back now. I strongly advise that we move to remedy this situation, Sire."

Next to Clarence, Beatrix snorted into her drink. "Sire," she muttered.

"Beatrix Sung Smith, I presume?" Silvan's voice didn't convey much friendliness.

"You presume correctly," Clarence answered for her, letting his tone say a warning for him. "What do you propose I do Silvan?"

"Announce to the small court tomorrow morning that you will place your wife under arrest for your poisoning, remove her servants from your court and send your son to Everment." Silvan's eyes turned to Beatrix. "You will need to consider what you wish to do with- '' He paused and his chin went higher, the assinuation was clear, he thought her beneath his contempt.

"Beatrix," she told him, really rather dignified for somebody being insulted.

Silvan didn't acknowledge she had said anything. "It needs to be done quickly Sire. The Human uprising I dealt with-" He paused and his lips drew thin. "Some of them were armed with the white stone weaponry. If you wanted evidence that they had been recruited by these New World Order people- that is your evidence. You must make ready for war, you must issue Empire wide decrees. We have a plan, now is the time to act."

"Call the Council tonight Silvan and talk to them on my behalf. Take the doppleganger with you if you must."

"You will not come yourself?"

In response Clarence stood up, and struggled to do so- "I must get better," he said. "You can see that, can't you?"

Silvan grumbled his assent, "Your will is my command," he said and he turned on his heel and left them.

"He's angry with you," Beatrix, helpful as always.

"Only because he's worked like an ox to make sure I'm safe then he leaves for a few weeks and this happens. He's been trying to quit since my parents died."