When Lessa and Honsa behind her rode into camp in the morning of October 7th, Temek was already waiting for them with open arms. They embraced each other, exchanging a few happy words.
They got all the way to dinner and Temek was looking forward to a nice evening with his summand.
Then, Otane had a moment to interrupt them.
"Tribune. Join me.", he said pointedly.
Lessa was incredibly reluctant. She showered her summand and foster in affection and told them not to worry.
Worry? This didn't bode well.
When they arrived in his tent, Janai was already waiting, tapping her foot.
"Lessa, I have asked Prime Legate Janai to join us. First. What's going on? I received your report. Bounty hunters?"
Lessa shook her head. "It was a lie. I've killed an Interpreter."
"You what?!", Jainai flared, sparks coming off her hair, "Are you insane?!"
Otane eyed the sun elf, gruffly. "It may be prudent to let her give us the whole story, comrade, after all we're not model citizens, either. Lessa. Please afford us the mercy of an extremely good explanation."
"After the incident with Prince Callum, Regina Lunaris' Interpreter Ivine joined us for dinner. In the course of the meal, she made sure to sabotage many opportunities for peaceful conversation. She was asking for the release of the Dragon Prince, Azymondias, into her care."
"I take it the prince and the moonshadow assassin were there?", Otane asked, curtly.
"Yes. They took the brunt of her intrigue. Predictably, she managed to interfere with their relationship. When I confronted her about it, she chose to take violent action."
"She ordered her templars to attack you?"
"No, Princeps. She ordered her templars to kill Rayla and Callum. It was her goal to remove the Dragon Prince from their hands, willing or not. I'm afraid I lost my composure and, rather than let her kill my foster and her companion, I stood my ground."
Janai shook her head. "Damning. This is damning. You killed one of our civilian leaders, Lessa! While she wasn't even in control of her own actions!"
"Where are the Dragon Prince and his posse?", Otane asked, matter-of-factly.
"I don't know. I'm assuming they understood the situation and escaped. We found no bodies. I'd like to add something to my report."
"You better", Otane said.
"Part of why I took such a strong stance against Ivine was because she threatened the Dragon Prince's life."
Momentary silence fell on the tent.
"In how many words?", Janai asked, grimly.
"I'll try to quote her as best I can. `From where we are sitting, the prince is tainted by human companionship. We must take final measures against him as a potential spy.`"
"Potential spy?"
"Honsa shed some light on this for me. King Ezran has a connection with Azymondias."
Janai and Otane both seemed incredulous.
"He appears to be capable of interpreting for the human king and vice-versa", Lessa continued, "When Honsa was traveling with Rayla, the Dragon Prince used the gravel of the road to draw an imprint of a massive battle taking place at the Breach. There were dragons attacking the human side and a gigantic specter - her words - destroying ours. Judging by the state of the Breach and from what Temek told me, I'd say that's an outlandishly good guess."
"That's what Amaya meant when she said he had some insight! But… I've never heard of any humans being able to interpret", Janai said, "The implications are staggering!"
"More destabilizing to our common narrative as a elf-human relationship", Otane grumbled, "For seven octades I've held on to my beliefs - now they're all being chal-"
The flap of the tent was shoved aside and in strode Helmond, Anzha in tow.
He blinked. "My apologies. I need to speak to Prime Legate Janai, immediately."
Janai grinned brightly.
"Helmond! Welcome back! Good to see you alive!"
She glared.
"One would have thought you'd let me know, you echo-brained twilight partridge!"
Helmond's ears drooped and he muttered a weak excuse.
"Whatever!", said Janai, "Meet Prime Legate Yatende Otane and Tribune Lessa. If this has anything to do with Azymondias or his posse, you should speak."
"Helmond? The Legate of the Lucid who…", Otane started, but was cut off by the look Janai drilled into his face.
"It's actually my summand Anzha who intends to add to whatever conversation you were having", Helmond said.
When they recognized Anzha's Assembly robes, they all stood and saluted - safe for Lessa who seemed to shrink into the smallest possible volume her body could possibly occupy.
"Interpreter for Triton, Anzha. I'm here unofficially. Be seated. Principies, it appears we are facing a conspiracy against the Dragon Queen."
"Well! Wonderful!", Otane clapped his hands together, sardonic glee in his features and voice, "I can't wait to hear this!"
"While traveling to see my summand, I've met the Dragon Prince. I take it everyone here knows him and his companions, so I will skip the details", she sat on one of the foldable chairs littered about the briefing tent, "The last dispatch I requested and received was at Larwein, a few days ago. Not a single word of Azymondias."
"So?", Otane interrupted her pause-for-effect, sounding annoyed.
Anzha turned to him, her gaze tearing right through the fabric of his pompous exterior, "Sir, mind your manners! You are not a child and your bad attitude will not be forgiven, merely belittled! Think! If the Assembly knew that the Dragon Prince had returned, it would be in the dispatches."
Otane blinked, the effect of her steelclad reprimand clear in his expression.
Both Helmond and Anzha observed everyone very closely.
When nobody had any strong reactions, she continued.
"This leads me to a single conclusion. The Defense Senate of Korhal, Antioch and Tarsonis were conspiring to incinerate this conflict and they do not want to risk the interference of Regina Draconis."
The hammer fell, leaving nothing but numb confusion on everyone's faces.
Janai was the first to raise her voice again. "If this is so, there are a lot of conspirators. All the delegates, the dragons, some of the canon guard… it seems to me an insurmountable problem of control?"
Helmond stepped forward. "Remember what I told you over my sons' red letter, Janai. The senate followed where the dragons led. They probably don't even realize that the dragons are hiding anything from anyone. As far as they are concerned, the Interpreters across the federation are the conduit of all important messages. Unless the dragons chose to share those messages, nothing will be known."
The Ex-Legate clasped his hands behind his back, "From what I've seen, it doesn't matter who holds the right to make decisions. All that matters is who commands influence over them. It's convenient for the dragons since they can hide behind a wall of voiceless, thoughtless bodies. There's little accountability for a politician's warped vote. It appears most of the dragons are conspiring, safe for ocean, who have been removed from the Assembly by… well, a convenient half-ruse, I suppose. Once the war senates arrive at the Assembly, it would be too late, either way."
Fury claimed his eyes. "If everything had gone according to their plan, we would already be standing on the walls of Taelin, self-righteously basking in sheer death and destruction."
Anzha spoke up once more, "I've since corrected this… shall we say, `miscommunication`. Triton is now aware, so is the Queen. Safe to say, she is beyond restless. Doubtless, she will rain her fury upon her opponents once Azymondias is safely in her hands"
"Until then", Otane said, firmly, "We have to assume that our forces are commandeered by bad intent. A beautiful mess."
Janai nodded, "They know. They know for sure. We must be ready for an attack from the interior. We cannot in good conscience let a corrupted Senate dictate our ways."
"What are you suggesting?", Otane said, cautiously.
Janai smiled, grimly.
"Rebellion."