Emperor Jessari de Mezante de Auriga rose from his throne when his old acquantaince entered the audience hall. "Ducerain de Lereyne. It has been too long."
The old scholar nodded and shook the emperor's hand. The stalwarts closed and braced their spears again after Ducerain's escort had passed.
"It is good to see you again, your Majesty. I trust Vallaris has been well?" Ducerain said, though Jessari sensed little joy in the asking.
Still, he replied with his usual good humour. "It has, it has. The winter has only lightly dusted our rooftops as of yet, and the necrophages seem to have retreated from the cold to hide in their burrows."
Jessari glanced past Ducerain at the humans that stood behind him. Four total, all in travel gear and with snow still melting on their clothes. "Ducerain, who are your companions?"
"Ah," Ducerain said, "Allow me to introduce Lyriana, daughter of Joalor. She is from a settlement on the Amber Plains, close to Calimdar. She is a friend of the family. Lyriana, this is Jessari de Mezante de Auriga, our Emperor."
The human woman called Lyriana bowed and said her own greetings. Only her face betrayed her deep fatigue from the road.
Jessari nodded and turned back to Ducerain. "As much as I would love to talk and hear of your journey, I was informed you had urgent news."
Ducerain nodded and, with no further preamble, handed him a letter. When Jessari inspected it, he saw the seals of three separate houses; Lereyne, Kelsira and Brumlen. An attendant handed him a letter opener and the emperor set to reading the letter with no delay. As he took in the contents, his good humour faded and he straightened slightly. The tension in the audience hall grew as everyone present waited to hear what the letter contained.
Jessari reached the end of the letter and folded it up before replacing it in its envelope. Without a word, he turned and walked back to sit on his throne.
First he looked at Ducerain. "Ducerain de Lereyne, I wish to thank you for bringing this to my attention."
"Thank not me, your Majesty, but thank my son and my daughter-in-law, for it is they that worked to uncover this and foil his plot." Ducerain replied. At Ducerain's request, a wooden box had been brought with him into the audience chamber and was being held by one of the court-aides.
"Then they shall have my thanks as well. And to you, Lyriana, daughter of Joalor, I offer you and your people my deepest, sincerest apologies for how you have been treated."
The woman bowed again, though her expression did not soften.
Finally, Emperor Jessari de Mezante de Auriga looked to his attendant. "Summon the lords of the city to council."
His attendant, a sensible woman named Raiana, bowed. "As you wish, your Majesty. If they ask, what is the purpose of the council?"
"A council of war," Emperor Jessari replied, "To retake Calimdar and depose Martin de Ildan de Suluzzo."