During Alarant's two weeks of absence, Lisabelle de Lereyne had had the family estate further refurbished, so now the exterior of the estate was just as it had been during the heights of the family's power, with the family symbol emblazoned on flowing pennants and flowers from the gardens in arrangements around the facade. Flowers with amber-coloured petals had been arranged around the estate gardens and a gazebo erected in one of the far corners. Finally, a new table had been commissioned to be put in the study hall.
Alarant took in the changes as he walked the estate with his wife, telling her of his experiences on the expedition. In turn, she told him of the events of the city. While they were few in number, some were not without their own portents. The court had been regular but quiet, the few audiences brief and uneventful. The scholars that had presented the initial announcement of the oncoming winter had made another announcement as to its expected length. Ducerain had visited the estate quite a few times during Alarant's absence, and Lisabelle and he had visited Anna's chapel. She had been well, but it would still be months yet before she could join them.
The most disturbing of the events was a second expedition. Smaller than Alarant's, it had been headed by Jace de Kirgaan, one of the Marquis' personal retainers. It had received much less fanfare than Alarant's winter sanctuary-expedition, affectionally dubbed 'The Winter Vanguard' by the city's populace. Jace de Kirgaan had taken a second regiment, bringing 40 ryders into the mountains north of the city. He had left a few days after Alarant's departure and returned a week ago, each ryder dragging a wounded necrophage creature after like them a slave-train. They had returned in the dead of night when the populace had retreated from the streets, but Lisabelle had contacts among the other stalwarts. The necrophage 'prisoners' had not been taken to the jails of the city, but rather straight to the citadel. What had happened after that, Lisabelle could not say, but neither of the Lereynes liked the news.
"And what of this 'Second Assembly' moniker?" Alarant said and indicated the envelope on the table between them. They were sitting in the study hall, relaxing and settling into the new table. Made from trees deep in the forests that predated the Calamity, it was decorated with an embellished history of House Lereyne.
Lisabelle de Lereyne chuckled, the sound given a strange quality by their metallic bodies. "It was Ristel de Kelsira's idea. I know that she has been reading the chronicles of the Hangomer dynasty in her family chapel to entertain them, and maybe the stories have been getting to her head."
Lisabelle put another envelope on the table. Alarant could see the symbol of House Kelsira on the wax seal. "She brought it by me five days ago, when she intended to call for a second gathering."
Alarant leaned back in his chair. He had to admit that 'The Second Assembly' had a certain ring to it, but he was wary of making their group seem more grandiose than it truly was. They must not forget that they are, in all likelihood, outnumbered compared to the followers of the Marquis in the city. Additionally, they were having secret meetings about a city governor personally appointed by Emperror Jessari himself. Depending on the outcome of their and the Marquis's plans, they could end up branded as traitors.
"To my understanding, all the attendants of our first meeting have been invited to the second one, with Gardt and you bringing up the rear, so to speak." Lisabelle said.
"And Ristel de Kelsira is not holding a formal gathering first to hold up appearances?" Alarant asked. The letter had not mentioned either way.
Lisabelle de Lereyne shook her head. "She said it would be inappropriate with so much of her family still in stasis."
"Perhaps overly cautious of her," Lisabelle admitted, "But I intend to be there."
The next day, Alarant met Chief Latega and Captain Lyriana at the border of the Beloch Palisade. The townsfolk had not been expressly forbidden to leave the district, but it had been suggested that they not do so without a guide from the city, so as to avoid them getting lost in the sprawling streets and alleyways of Calimdar.
"Is the Beloch Palisade to your liking?" Alarant asked. He mused that this must be the first time either of the two women saw him without any weapons on his person. In addition, he wore one of the formal robes of his family, dark-green cloth with the House Lereyne family crest in Dust-thread between the shoulders.
Latega's cane tapped along the cobbles as they walked, though the woman did not need the support. "The architecture is marvellous and the houses are lovely and warm even in the dead of night. When I awoke, I went for a walk. Your city looks splendid in the light of dawn, Sir Lereyne."
"I wish I could have shown you the city in its prime. Every keep, spire and estate flew with the banners of the knightly houses. House Erastin, House Gelmont, House Rigaldo to name but a few. Spring made Calimdar a wonder to behold." Alarant said wistfully.
"And now?" Lyriana said. The militia captain of Ariana's Bend was less relaxed than her chief, spying down every street and alley they crossed, one of her hands on a blackwood singlestick in her belt. Alarant wondered what she thought a stick would do if she was truly attacked by one of his people, but did not voice his thoughts.
"Many Houses are still in stasis." Alarant indicated the eastern gatehouse towering over the workshops on their left. On either side of the gate, blue lights were lit on watchtowers that rose into the air. "House Kelsira has historically been in charge of Calimdar's defense, but their only waking relative had not been trained for the duty and the rest of her family lie in stasis still. Unwin Weybridge, formerly a lieutenant of the House Kelsira family head, holds the position till Ristel de Kelsira is ready."
"That is also why the Beloch Palisade was chosen as the site for the caravans to live in," Alarant said while indicating the hillside residential district to their west, "Many of the families that lived in Beloch before the Calamity either remained in the capital or have yet to return from stasis."
"Even my own family is yet incomplete." Alarant said after a moment.
"Who is missing?" Chief Latega said. The tapping of her cane on the cobbles stopped as they left the confines of the workshop-street to emerge onto the Plaza of the Second Dawn. In the Old Empire, it had simply been called the Summer Plaza. There had been a tree there, a survivor of the construction of the city of Calimdar. Every year, the arrival of new buds on the branches of the tree heralded the start of summer. But when the people returned to the city after the Calamity, they had found the tree dead, killed and uprooted by the winter winds. A cathedral had been constructed in its stead, one of the first buildings to be constructed in all of Calimdar. A marble-and-Dust-alloy tree was sculpted inside the cathedral to honor the history of the place while the rest of the cathedral was given over to the numerous citizens still recovering from their transformation.
The cathedral was built with quarried marble and steel. Four spires rose out of the ground on either side of the cathedral's central body, each topped with a blue light. Stained-glass windows, depicting defining moments of history, were placed to let in the light of the sun during the day and the light of the spires at night. The wooden double-doors shone like mahogany and, with gold filigree, depicted the victorious moment of the current ruling dynasty, House Mezante. Alarant wondered if the Marquis wanted to replace the imagery with some of his own.
Lyriana and Latega made no comment as they crossed the plaza and entered through those magnificent doors. The interior of the cathedral echoed the spires without, the interior design making it seem like the central body had been built around the spires and their supports rather than the other way around. The designs on the windows spilled onto the walls with the light of the morning sun, playing scenes of history in colour. In the centre of the cathedral was a shrine. It was a shaped block of marble with a pair of incense-candles placed on top. If visitors wished to pray for their families, they would bring their own icons of worship. Alarant had not personally prayed for many decades, even before the Calamity, but he knew it was often done. Instead he walked along the rows of pedestals till he reached his destination. At a distance the pedestals looked very alike, and only if you knew what to look for would you know where to go. Alarant had been here many times now, both alone or with Lisabelle or Ducerain or even Gardt. He did not need to search for the House Lereyne family crest engraved on the sandstone pedestal.
"Anna de Lereyne," Alarant explained to the two humans as they approached the orb of flowing Dust atop the plinth. Patterns made and unmade themselves within the orb as the Dust-essence swirled around and around, endlessly shifting. Sometimes Alarant wondered if the patterns were Anna trying to communicate, but the bishops had assured him that it was merely random energy fluctuations. No one who had come out of stasis had ever reported being able to see onlookers or remember anything from their time in stasis.
"This is your family?" Lyriana asked. The glowing Dust reflected in her eyes, appearing like flecks of gold.
Alarant nodded and touched the surface of the orb with his gloved hand. "My daughter."
"How old was she?" Latega asked, squinting at the orb.
"She was 12 when the device was put into use. When she wakes, it will be as if she awoke from a long slumber." Alarant remembered his own awakening. Lisabelle had adapted faster than he had.
"I'm so sorry." Lyriana said.
"I appreciate the gesture, Lyriana, but she is alive, in a fashion. My wife and I will see our daughter again." Alarant said, taking strength from the words.
"Is this what you meant by stasis?" Latega asked. The woman looked around the cathedral floor at the hundreds of similar pedestals.
"Yes. To survive the prolonged winter we call the Calamity, we turned to a device of Endless origin that transformed our bodies from human to what you see now."
Alarant turned and looked up at the stained-glass windows. The moment of transformation was one of the last pieces in the line of history, for when this cathedral had been built, it was still a fresh memory. "But not all of us made the change. In retrospect it seems to have been deeply arbitrary, if not entirely random, as to who was awake in the aftermath. We were lucky that Emperor Jessari de Mezante was one of those. I shudder at the thought of how much worse it could have gone if he had been in stasis."
"One of the first developments of the New Empire was the order of the Dust Bishops to oversee bringing the rest of our people out of their stasis and into new bodies." Alarant indicated one of the robed figures patrolling through the cathedral. While their special hooded robes identified them as bishops, they wore no masks while in the cathedral, leaving a swirling void of blue energy where their face-mask would be.
"How long does it take?" Latega asked.
"It varies. Anna should awake in a few months, while Golt Raddlen, the clerk helping your people in the Palisade, awoke four years ago. I myself awoke as one of the first, as did my wife." Alarant said. They had been pillars of support for each other in that early time.
Lyriana touched the surface of the orb. "I should like to meet your daughter, Sir Lereyne, when she is awake."
"I know Anna would love that." Alarant said and turned to Latega. "Now, Chief Latega, about that promise I made."
The next evening, Alarant rode alone to the House Kelsira estate. Gardt and Lisabelle had preceded him, and he supposed they had already arrived. Situated close to the eastern garrison, House Kelsira had been ever-ready to defend the city before the Calamity. Now Unwin Weybridge lived in part of the estate while Ristel de Kelsira worked to reestablish the family house. It had fallen on harder times than the Lereyne estate and Alarant knew that Lady Kelsira had her work cut out for her in the refurbishment.
"That's a house? Most of my entire town could live there."
"Lady Lyriana," Alarant said and shuffled his cloak to help conceal his hidden passenger, "It would be best if you would keep still and quiet till we arrive at the estate. I am sure Ristel de Kelsira would love to show you around."
"I'm no lady." Lyriana said, but then followed his advice, keeping silent till they walked up the cobbled pathway to the opened double-doors of the Kelsira estate. Alarant had visited the Breloch Palisade on his path and smuggled Lyriana past the gate guards by hiding the woman under his cloak. Chief Latega had laughed out loud at his suggestion that Lyriana should attend the gathering of the Second Assembly. The old woman had not intended to mock Alarant, but had simply thought the idea of her captain hiding under a cloak, like a child sneaking into a theatre, highly amusing.
Two robed attendants stood at the doors, welcoming the evening's guests. In the distance, Alarant could still hear construction work being done on the grand estate. He lifted his cloak and Lyriana slid gracefully down the side of his mount before gazing up at the estate facade as it towered over them. The Kelsira estate had been constructed to evoke the gatehouse that the house protected, and it carried some of the same grandeur.
"The human is here under my protection as my guest." Alarant stated to the two attendants who started at Lyriana's presence.
"Lady de Kelsira requested we turn all away who were not specifically invited." One of the attendants said. Their face-mask was a plain disc with eye-holes.
"Then fetch the Lady, so that we can resolve this. Tell her Alarant de Lereyne has arrived."
The attendant looked at their colleague and went inside the estate. Alarant waited patiently on his mount, cautioning Lyriana from venturing too far from him. After a few moments admiring the appearance of the estate, she came back to stand at his side to wait for the arrival of the lady of the house.
Ristel de Kelsira arrived ahead of her attendant, a grey robe with gold lining draped over her armour. In addition, she wore a headband at the top of her face-mask, giving the appearance of golden wings rising above her temples. Alarant slid down from his mount to stand on the cobbles.
"Alarant de Lereyne," she said happily and strode down the stairs and across the cobbled path, "My attendant told me you requested my presence here." Ristel glanced at Lyriana but otherwise kept her gaze on Alarant.
He bowed. "Lady de Kelsira," Then he rose and indicated Lyriana with a wave of his hand, "This is Lyriana, daughter of Joalor. She is the militia captain of Ariana's Bend, one of the towns to which we extended the Marquis's generous protection."
Ristel de Kelsira scoffed lightly when Alarant mentioned the marquis and then turned to Lyriana. "A pleasure to meet you, Lady Lyriana. I am Ristel de Kelsira, acting head of House Kelsira."
Lyriana bristled at being called a Lady, but did not mention it this time. "Likewise, Lady de Kelsira. I heard about your family. My condolences."
"Thank you, Lady Lyriana. They still live and I will see them again. Till that day, I have a duty to perform."
Alarant mused that 'I will see them again' was something of a mantra to his people.
Ristel de Kelsira moved past them and turned, putting a hand on each of their shoulders. "Now, let us go inside before we create any more rumours."
The interior of the Kelsira estate was much like the decor in the Lereyne estate, though House Kelsira had built their estate taller. Paintings covered the walls, depicting the long lineage of House Kelsira. Pride of place among the paintings was given to Garellus de Kelsira, the past head of the family that had been the first garrison commander in the family's history. Many of the paintings were cracked and damaged by time and neglect, for painting was another artform still recovering from the effects of the transformation.
The attendants closed the estate's front doors behind them and stayed to stand watch. Ristel, Lyriana and Alarant moved through an impressive foyer and up a winding staircase.
"You are the last to arrive." De Kelsira said and opened a single door that led into a large two-story study, the bookshelves reaching up past the walkway above them to the second floor. A wide open space in the centre held a chandelier that glowed with a pale golden light. All the attendants were seated at a table underneath the chandelier, while a second table stood unused off to the side. Among the attendants, Alarant recognised all who had come to the first meeting; Gardt and Lisabelle had left for the meeting before he had. Ducerain had arrived early, on the pretense that House Kelsira had some texts of a scholarly interest. Raleigh de Brumlen and Gladin Palisar were there, the Clerk of the Court tapping his fingers on the table surface. There was one more person at the table, a newcomer. It took Alarant a moment to recognise Sarell Kelkstein from his expeditionary force.
The moment the trio entered, murmus broke out amongst the attendants. Lyriana stood straight-backed to the side of the doorway, glancing at Alarant. He had asked that she attend and had told her the basics of what they would be discussing, but now she was unsure how to proceed.
"And with this," Ristel de Kelsira said and moved to the door, "We are all present. Before we begin, however, I believe Alarant should introduce his guest." The head of the estate held the door open for the moment.
Alarant put a reassuring hand on Lyriana's shoulder. "This is Lyriana, daughter of Joalor and captain of the militia of Ariana's Bend, one of the towns we brought to Calimdar. I do not find it difficult to believe that the Marquis's schemes will involve the townspeople, and so I find it prudent to involve her, to help her protect her people. Any objections?"
There were none. Ducerain welcomed her and Lisabelle rose to fetch one of the chairs stacked against the bookshelves. Lyriana was seated between Alarant and Ducerain. She was not a small woman, but seated next to their armoured forms, she looked for a moment like a child that had snuck into a war-council. Everyone at the table introduced themselves, primarily for Lyriana's benefit. The human studied each face-mask in turn, doing her best to commit the differences to memory.
The introductions finished, an anticipatory silence fell on the gathering, Ristel de Kelsira rose from her seat as the host. "Welcome one and all, expected or not. In the interest of the newcomers, I will lay out the initial topics and our work thus far. We are here to discuss the developments in Calimdar, specifically those related to Marquis' designs. His demonstration at the plaza a month ago revealed that something has been happening under the surface of our court, something we discovered has been ongoing for some time."
At this, Ristel motioned in Alarant and Ducerain's direction, for their talks of the Marquis' plans and new allies had been the focus of the first meeting, then she continued. "After that first meeting, I travelled to the capital on family business, but I also had a message for Emperor Jessari, long may he reign."
An old adage from the Old Empire. But since their new bodies did not age or grow ill, that adage might now be more true than anyone had realised.
"I met with one of the Emperor's retainers, that being Lord Ritavinn de Komterre, heir to House Komterre and a good friend of mine. The meeting was in one of the many smaller meeting rooms of the imperial palace, the room guarded by Ritavinn's own retainers and removed from the court by distance, so we would have privacy. I outlined the events in our city as well as our concerns and suspicions and gave him the letter I had penned after our last meeting. Lord de Komterre promised to present the matter to the Emperor when a more private occasion presented itself, so that it would not reach potential spies quite as easily."
"Ritavinn was troubled by my account of the Marquis's demonstration, but stated he was not surprised. The Marquis had always been ambitious, and it was his voice at court that championed a new way that resulted in him being granted governance of this city." Ristel de Kelsira paused for a moment, then continued. "Lord Ritavinn said that Emperor Jessari had his suspicions that the Marquis would move in this direction."
"Emperor Jessari knew, yet took no steps to adress it?" Gardt said, his armour rattling as he leaned over the table.
Ristel's tone was guarded, but she met Gardt's gaze. "According to Ritavinn, the Marquis's governance was a trial for the Marquis, to see whether the man could be trusted. The demonstration and the Marquis's new allies shows the Emperor that he cannot, but he cannot move his armies as freely as he wishes." Ristel said then placed an object on the table.
It was a crude tool of forged iron, spiked iron plates that had been sewn together with sinew. It reminded Alarant of something.
"The necrophage monsters have been more active around the capital than they have here, harassing villages and even launching smaller attacks on the city walls. While the soldiers are busy fending off these attacks, whole villages are raided, most of the settlers vanishing. What's more, these necrophages have weapons." Ristel said and indicated the iron tool.
A stir crossed the table, with only Lyriana seemingly unaffected. They had always known the necrophages as mindless beasts. While Alarant's discovery of the four-legged creature had shaken that assumption, this put a further crack in that old knowledge.
"Furthermore, the Emperor is loath to move his armies during winter. If possible, he will wait until the first thaw." Ristel de Kelsira said then sat down, having finished her report.
"I thought your people were immune to winter and cold." Lyriana said and looked around the table.
Ducerain replied. "Not immune, no. It still affects us. Not as much as it used to, but we still feel winter's bite."
Alarant leaned close to Lyriana. "Emperor Jessari de Mezante de Auriga is the ruler of our people. He ascended to the throne a decade before the Calamity and it was he that ordered that the Endless device should be used."
Lyriana nodded in understanding then turned her attention back to the discussion at the table.
"Could we persuade the Emperor to move sooner?" Gladin Palisar said. Alarant wondered how much, if anything, Gladin told her husband of these meetings. Zistayre Palisar had never been a man of politics.
Ristel de Kelsira pondered for a moment. "If we can convince him the threat is greater than he had at first perceived."
"We still don't know what the threat truly is." Raleigh de Brumlen said and leaned back in his chair.
Silence fell over the table for a moment.
"Forgive me for speaking out of turn, if I am, for as was said I am new to these meetings," Sarell Kelkstein said, "but perhaps we should put the matter of the Emperor's assistance aside for the moment then."
The table turned towards her but said nothing. Ristel de Kelsira indicated for her to proceed.
Lady Kelkstein collected her thoughts for a moment then continued. "After leaving Sir de Lereyne's regiment to escort the villagers of Eldvelle, we returned to the city with no issue. The villagers were given a place to live in Beloch Palisade for the duration, just like the villagers of Kelbrook already had and which was given to Ariana's Bend when they arrived as well."
"I went to speak with Lenann Boradis, for he had escorted the people of Kelbrook, but he was nowhere to be found. I was told by the court that he had left with Jace de Kirgaan on an expedition, but even after Sir de Kirgaan returned, I could find no trace of Sir Boradis."
"Perhaps he was wounded during the expedition and put into stasis?" Lisabelle said.
"If so, it was not reported to the court." Raleigh de Brumlen said.
"And every bishop I asked said that they had no one by that name in their care. I found a Rijaro Boradis, Lenann's father, but he has been in stasis since the Calamity." Sarell Kelkstein said.
As the table digested the information, Sarell Kelkstein continued. "That would be mysterious enough on its own, but he is not the only disappearance. One of my knights claims that a friend of his has vanished as well. A scholar that lives alone on the north side of town, researching the properties of exotic metals in a workshop in his own house, rather than in one of the scholarly spires."
"Would that be Braugh Velmon?" Ducerain interjected.
"The very one." Sarell replied.
"I don't know him personally, but I have seen him visit the spire every once in a while to consult other scholars." Ducerain explained and sat back.
Sarell nodded, then continued. "And more worryingly, a message was relayed to me from Beloch Palisade. There have been disappearances among the villagers of Eldvelle as well. Children, people on nightly walks. They leave on some errand or activity and are not seen again. The guards at the gate never report having seen any of them, regardless of their age or what they were supposed to be doing before they vanished."
"When did these disappearances take place?" Alarant asked. Lyriana leaned closer.
"To the best of my knowledge, the first disappearance among the villagers happened 10 days ago." Sarell looked to Ducerain. "Braugh Velmon was supposed to meet with his friend the day after my own return to the city. Braugh did not show at their arranged location, nor did he answer when they went to his residence to find him."
The ryder captain leaned back in her seat. "When I was alerted to Braugh Velmon's supposed disappearance, I looked around and found other reports from around the city of disappearances. Similar circumstances, reclusive people vanishing overnight."
"If they were somehow killed," Gardt began, "Would they not be in stasis in the city or the capital?"
"A Bishop would have to initiate the process. They are as human–" Ducerain said, checking himself. "They are like us, fallible, corruptible. It is not impossible that some among the Bishops are included in the Marquis's plans."
Alarant shuddered at the thought of such a vital part of their society in the pockets of the Marquis. They could hold the entirety of the city hostage if they so wished.
"I have something of the opposite nature to report." Raleigh de Brumlem said. As he spoke, he tapped the table surface with one of his fingers.
"The court has been quiet about this matter, though it is not unknown. There has been an influx of new citizens lately. Not travellers from the capital, but people returning from stasis."
"Surely that would be a cause for celebration." Lisabelle said, glancing at Lady de Kelsira.
"Under normal circumstances I would agree, Lady de Lereyne, but all of those that have returned from stasis over the last two weeks have been warriors. No children, no artists, craftsfolk, historians or scholars. Furthermore, they have all been put under Jace de Kirgaan or one of his lieutenants for induction into the city's army."
"Growing the Marquis's forces." Gardt said.
Raleigh looked to Ristel de Kelsira. "If the Emperor intends to retake this city by first thaw, he might well find an army exceeding his own within its walls. The Marquis grows stronger and more influential by the day."
"Is it not possible that the Marquis intends to use these new soldiers to attack the necrophages?" Gladin Palisar said and looked around the table. "Jace de Kirgaan was sent on that expedition to attack the monsters, was he not? Maybe the Marquis intends to lead more such raids once winter ends or even before."
"I hear that de Kirgaan brought back prisoners from these raids," Alarant said, "Why would he do that and what has become of these creatures?"
Raleigh de Brumlen ceased his tapping, instead making a fist. "Most have been interred in the same prison that your necrophage creature stayed in, Alarant. The rest were taken into the citadel, though I am not aware if they have been seen again since. Not that we can tell two of those monsters apart."
"As for why, I cannot say, not conclusively at least. I would imagine the Marquis is continuing what he started in the plaza, but to what end, I cannot say." Ramleigh finished.
"And that still does not touch on why this influx is happening in the first place or why it is so selective." Ducerain said.
"Could they be connected?" Lisabelle said and looked around the table.
"Could you elaborate, Lady de Lereyne?" Gardt said.
Lisabelle pondered for a moment before replying. "Could the disappearances amongst the townsfolk and the vanishing prisoners be connected, is what I mean. As Sir de Brumlen said, it is quite probable that the Marquis would continue to exercise his new-found powers, perhaps even to test them on different kinds of beings."
"What about the disappearances amongst our own people?" Alarant posed, dreading the answer that came first to his mind.
"It is possible they stumbled across information they shouldn't have, or," Lisabelle paused, sharing her husband's unease, "Or they were used in these exercises as well."
"I would hope that the Marquis would not stoop so low as to use his own people like that." Alarant said, not hiding the anger in his voice.
Lyriana stood up suddenly, her chair scraping against the tiled floor. The conversation stopped just as suddenly, and all stared at Lyriana.
"Alarant, I can't stay here. I have to go back to the Palisade." Lyriana said. Even standing up, she was still only eye-height with Alarant.
"I will ensure that you are returned there after this meeting, Lady Lyriana. On my honour." Alarant replied as he met her gaze.
Lyriana swept an arm around at the gathering. "You were just talking about how there have been disappearances amongst the townsfolk you gathered in your own city. My people could easily be next."
The arm fell slack against her side, though she still held Alarant's gaze. "Hell, they could be taking people right now."
"I can take her back, Lord Alarant." Gardt said. He had stood up as well.
"Very well. Gardt, take my cloak. You can conceal Lyriana under there as you ride past the guards," Alarant unclasped the cloak around his shoulders and handed it to Gardt, "Once you have her back in the Palisade, ride to our barracks and brings four knights to post in the Palisade."
"What shall we say to the guards at the gate?" Gardt asked while he was fastening the cloak. Lyriana was already pacing by the door and Ristel de Kelsira stood ready to escort the two out of her estate.
"I'm sure our men can think of something, if not, tell them you want to meet whoever is living in their old familial home. I'm sure the guards would not have a tally of which families had a home in the Palisade." His own suggestion amused him, but the gravity of the situation kept Alarant from expressing it.
A moment later the trio was heading down the corridor away from the study. Alarant could hear Lady de Kelsira promising Lyriana a tour on another day before they went out of earshot.
"I was wrong in bringing her here. She must be worried sick about her people." Alarant said after a moment of silence.
Lisabelle reached out to take his hand. "You could not have known that the danger would present itself so quickly, Alarant. Now that she knows, we can be more prepared."
Alarant looked at his wife and squeezed back. "You're right. Thank you, my love."
The gathering was subdued till Ristel de Kelsira returned. There was a tension in the room as everyone considered the talks so far and the portents therein. Alarant was especially worried about the growing number of soldiers awakening from stasis. The Emperor had sent the Marquis to the city with an army to defend it and to aid in its reconstruction and repair, an army that was considerably smaller than what had remained in the empire's heartland. Alarant wondered if the Emperor had considered the possibility of this situation, or if he even knew it was possible. That said, none at the table knew the full scope. They could see some of the effects, but the cause was yet unknown.
A noise at his side roused Alarant from his speculation. Sarell Kelkstein had taken the chair vacated by Gardt. She sat straight-backed and inclined her head in Alarant's direction. "Good evening, Lord de Lereyne."
"And the same to you, Lady Kelkstein." He replied, bemused. Sarell had been there at the table when Alarant had arrived and he had greeted her much the same as all the others.
"I would thank you for giving me the task of escorting the people of Eldvelle, Lord de Lereyne." Sarell said after a moment.
Alarant listened patiently, curious where the lady knight was going.
Sarell continued at a pace that suggested she was choosing her words carefully. "At first I thought the townspeople were slow and cumbersome, without the benefits that we enjoy."
"And while that is not untrue, perhaps that is why we should fight to protect them." Sarell Kelkstein said and looked across the table, though she did not seem to be looking at the other attendants. "It would seem that the passage of time in this body has made me forget why I became a knight in the first place."
"I am glad to hear it, Lady Kelkstein." Alarant said and put a fist to his chest.
"Tell me, Lady Kelkstein, how did you come to join our gathering?" He asked after a moment.
"The Second Assembly?" Sarell said, using the term coined by Ristel de Kelsira, "Gladin Palisar approached me within a week of me returning from the escort. It was the day before I heard of the first disappearance and while I was still looking for Lenann Boradis."
Alarant nodded. "He was a good man, even if his allegiance could well lie with the Marquis. I would be sad if he has suffered for his benefactor's plots."
Sarell broke her stare to look back at Alarant. "You all speak of the Marquis as if he has some grand scheme. I do not intend to say that you are wrong, but what do you think that he is plotting? What does he intend?"
Alarant leaned over the table with his elbows on the wooden surface. "In truth, we do not know. We can see some of the effects, if they truly are orchestrated by him and not his retainers, but we cannot see the whole weave. I cannot rightly believe it is for the good of the empire or its people, but I also cannot claim to know what the Marquis intends with it all."
"It is possible that his intentions are for what he perceives as the good of the people, but he has been misled." Raleigh de Brumlen said.
Ducerain nodded. "We cannot discount the influence of someone like Samhane Haligtide. Jace de Kirgaan is an ambitious toad to be sure, but his ascendance was at the Marquis's will. Haligtide is a separate entity altogether."
"Lord Weybridge does not like this Haligtide either."
The attendants turned towards the door to the study where Ristel de Kelsira had returned. The hostess closed the door behind her, removed the vacated chairs and returned to her own seat.
"He told me as much after we inspected the western garrison two days ago. Her presence at court, even if she does not say a word, unsettles him." De Kelsira said.
"It is rare for Weybridge to admit to anything personal." De Brumlen said with a chuckle.
"It is, which is why it is all the more telling when it does occur," De Kelsira said and looked around the table, "What do we know of her movements? What has she been up to in the city, where has she been?"
"Precious little," Ducerain said and stroked the bottom of his mask for the lack of a beard, "Haligtide seems to have stayed in the shadows of the Marquis's court. None of my colleagues nor I have seen her away from the citadel except when accompanying either the Marquis or de Kirgaan."
Ducerain waited a moment for anyone to gainsay his claim, then continued. "I would imagine that whatever Haligtide is doing, is within the shadows of the citadel or the Marquis' personal estate. Furthermore, I would argue that whatever the reason is for the disappearances amongst the townsfolk and the prisoners, Haligtide is involved. Her skill with the life-draining abilities we have gained cannot be disregarded."
"We should all keep an eye out for any information we can find that pertains to Haligtide or her movements," Ristel de Kelsira said while tapping the table surface with a finger, "We would have to be careful with it, but we can ask around as well. The Marquis must know that Haligtide has been seen and noted by the populace, so questions concerning, say, 'the crimson stranger' should not overly raise suspicions."
Lisabelle chuckled. "The Crimson Stranger. You always did have a fascination for titles and stories, Lady de Kelsira."
Ristel nodded at Lisabelle but did not comment. Fanciful words aside, the suggestion was apt and affirmation was passed around the table. The attendants were silent for a moment, focused on how they would proceed after the gathering.
"There is one more thing I would raise at tonight's gathering." Gladin Palisar said.
Lady Palisar waited until the focus was on her, then continued. "It is ultimately a rumour, and I would not have brought it up if I had not heard it from independent sources all throughout the city."
Gladin was silent for a moment, staring at the illustrations at the centre of the table. "According to the rumour, the Marquis has a new relic. Some say it was found in the raid that Jace de Kirgaan carried out against the necrophages, but none can say for sure. If the rumours are true, it must undoubtedly be a relic of the Endless, for the rumours say its magic can kill one of our people, without them returning to stasis."
"A worrisome rumour, to be sure." Raleigh de Brumlen said.
"Though only a rumour at this time," Alarant said and turned to Ducerain, "Father, have you ever heard of an artifact like that?"
Ducerain leaned back in his chair. "Not to my recollection, no. I shall ask my colleagues at the spire."
"Though I suppose," Ducerain continued after a moment, "That if the relic has an ability like the draining we have, one that could affect us, it would be possible. Our essence, the Dust, would be collected inside the relic or the user, without it returning to the air."
Ducerain de Lereyne looked around the table at the other attendants. "Thank you Gladin, I will do my best to look into these rumours."
Gladin Palisar nodded in reply.
"Any further topics of discussion?" Ristel de Kelsira asked, then rose from her seat when none were presented.
"I propose that we draft another message for the Emperor. We determine the content and words today and then add our family seals to its body to help convey the urgency of the message."
The gathering continued for another 30 minutes as the attendants put together the letter to the Emperor, outlining the situation arising in Calimdar and the threat it could pose to the empire. By the time Alarant and Lisabelle de Lereyne climbed back aboard their mounts and trotted along the cobbled path away from the House Kelsira estate, the sun had disappeared below the horizon and the city was illuminated by the cold blue light from the spires and keeps. They took a detour home, passing by the Plaza of the Second Dawn and the cathedral there. The Lereynes stood in silence for a moment, thinking of their daughter as they stood before the glowing pedestal.