Beyond the Void

Chapter 23, Strength rules the Empire

KELDIN

One moon and one ten since the Mark of the Other One blossomed.

Keldin frowned. Var'adiel, the High King of the Alyar? And whose efforts has he noticed? Keldin thought, almost in passing. With his head still stuck in his plans to inspire awe in his subjects, it was difficult to gather his attention.

"Yes, Lord Sool. There is little doubt at this point. The most recent Alyar ambassador came from Falls under the Sun." Another answered.

"It was about time. She arrived a moon ago, didn't she?" The first voice commented.

"I am still not convinced. I told you about the rumours surrounding Var'adiel. The Alyar High King is missing!" A third voice joined the conversation. This one with a slight accent that reminded Keldin of the eldertongue dialects used in Ildar and Dorwald.

He turned his head towards the conversation. A thick evergreen hedge made it impossible to see who was talking. He sat down on the bench and tried to make himself as comfortable as possible. He might learn something of the Council.

"Rumours!" A fourth voice, a man with a raspy voice, laughed. "I forget you lot in Whitefall." The man kept chuckling as two other grunts of laughter sounded beyond the hedge.

"Rumours always hold a grain of truth. If we want to succeed in our current endeavours, I suggest you listen to what I have to say." The third voice sounded stern and irritated.

"And I suggest you remember where you are." The first voice rumbled once again. That was Senator Sool. Keldin recognised his voice now. A successful merchant Lord who held a position in the Grand Council. "This is not Whitefall, you are here only because I allow it!"

"Mind what you say, Lord Sool. It would be beyond foolish to throw away our help."

"You begged us to be included in this." The raspy voice chuckled once more. "The Crux came to us, on their knees. I am sorry to say, but your value to us has been insignificant. I will admit, it helps to get fresh news from the opposing side of Tavran, but we can afford to ditch you whenever we feel your employers are getting too troublesome. You bring us little more than their ridiculous demands." The man hacked a cough. "We are wasting time. Airik, the elf! Tell us."
"She is definitely trying to find the people who asked to get in contact with Var'adiel."

"Listen to me." The Whitefall person was not giving up easily. "She is from the Brilliant Dominion. To you, all three Dominions may look as one, but they are still separate entities."

Keldin did not understand. What was going on here? Should he interrupt the meeting? Why would a human seek the Alyar High King? And why was the Crux mentioned?

"Get to the point." Sool sounded impatient.

"The High King is a verdant one. There is little chance that the personal trustee of the High King is from another Dominion."

"A little chance is enough to gamble." The man called Airik laughed.

"This is no laughing matter." The guest from Whitefall was getting more and more upset.

"The seat of Alyar power lies in Falls under the Sun. Not the Resting Shade. I do not see the problem here." Sool sounded irritated.

"You want news from the opposing side of Tavran. Listen! One thing is certain, all the Alyar key figures behind the trade treaty are from the Verdant Dominion. The treaty will not be between the Empire and the Three Dominions, but between the Empire and the Verdant. She is the only ambassador from the Brilliant Dominion." The man from Whitefall was growing desperate by the sound of his voice.