Chapter Twenty-Seven

Yue did not want to be where she was.

Even if she hadn't heard Devona's coy giggle just moments before (yes, that damned warrior had giggled), she knew exactly what was going on or had just concluded inside the Headmaster's chambers.

Nonetheless, the assassin also knew she couldn't stall the latest guests to the academy any longer than she already had. So closing her eyes, and taking a deep, calming breath (lot of good it did, though), Yue raised her hand and deliberately knocked on the door.

Coran's somewhat strained voice answered, "Do give me one minute, will you?"

Yue uttered a depressed sigh, but didn't respond in any other way. Muted rustling escaped through the door to her ears, and finally it opened a crack, Coran's head sticking through a mere second later.

"Greetings, Yue." He said, his cheeks flushed and breath short. "What can I do for you?"

Through the gap, the assassin could see Devona's outline through the darkness, appearing to clutch a blanket to her chest. Yue forced her treasonous eyes back towards the headmaster, and said, "There is an envoy from Ascalon City waiting for you, headmaster. I believe they are inquiring about Captain Devona's recovery. I've delayed him and his escorts all I could, but they are starting to get restless."

"Oh, yes… I'll address them with all haste." He said, the flush disappearing as his mind quickly shifted into business mode. "I thank you, friend, and I apologize if you were at all put out by my truancy."

Yue shook her head. "You had your mind on other important matters. It was my pleasure and duty to take up the slack." The assassin gave a slight bow, and added, "By your leave, I shall inform the envoy of your coming audience, then set myself to my daily tasks."

"Very well, Yue." Coran answered, and the door swung shut with a gentle click.

"Damn it." The assassin hissed under her breath, hastily beating her retreat towards her self proclaimed tasks… which would likely end with the biggest bowl of this "iced cream" the Asurans had become so fond of. She found it helped her angst moments.

* * * * *

The envoy issued from Ascalon City looked every bit the part of a regal ambassador. Well dressed in court finery, with an escort of ten heavily armored and armed members of King Adelbern's personal guard. He was a rather portly fellow as well, clearly not suffering the same lean years as the common folk of the kingdom, an observation that did not set well with the presiding Headmaster of Atal Ra.

"The king was not satisfied with the sparse report provided by Captain Devona's guild, Prince Coran. He would like to be kept fully informed of any actions involving his officers, before they become action… especially when said officers are apparently among the casualties. The king disapproves of his army begin put into harm's way without his approval…"

Coran grated against the title used to address him, but now was not the time to argue over it. But before he could reply, Devona interrupted. The headmaster was rather amazed at how quickly she had dressed, assuming he would have had a few minutes to entertain the blustering fool in front of him.

"I was presented with information about a potential threat to Ascalon, and made a battlefield decision to move forward with that information, as I am permitted to do. In addition, I was the only enlisted member of the Ascalon Army involved in the maneuvers, so I fail to see how Headmaster Coran utilized his highness's army in any way unbecoming his station."

"Captain Devona." The envoy said with a swift respectful bow. "When the king had heard you were harmed, he had assumed the worst. It will be relieving to hear that you are apparently in good enough health to move about. I assume you will return to your duties promptly?"

Now it was Coran's turn to intervene. "We have not concluded diagnosing the captain fully, and it pains me that she isn't taking her prescribed bed rest." He couldn't manage to keep his face straight, and shot a knowing grin towards his betrothed. "Let me assure you, ambassador that I have as much, if not more, reason to assure the good captain's health as my father does. Assure the king that I will keep him appraised as to Captain Devona's recovery at whatever intervals appeal to him."

"I see. I suspect the king will not be pleased by this…"

"Actually, I suspect he will, considering that for the years before I parted ways with him he spent inordinate waking moments concocting and executing plans to get the captain and me under the same roof."

The envoy was not swayed, and adamantly insisted, "Much has changed since you fled your station, my prince. I would not assume to know the king's mind, especially as he needs every available hand at the ready for the defense of Ascalon, especially as the Charr are growing ever stronger beyond the tragically damaged Northern Wall…"

Coran then looked over the ambassador's shoulder, and swiftly nodded before addressing the envoy again. "I do apologize, dear sir, but it appears I have other, more urgent matters that need my immediate attention. Grazz… what do you have to report?"

At that point, the envoy turned to see the massive Charr male, looking down on him at a distance far too close for the rotund human's taste. "A Charr!" he exclaimed, then turned to Coran accusingly, "You let these… these… animals walk freely on your grounds!"

The Ascalon guard began to draw their weapons only to draw short once they noticed that the assembly hall had seem to abruptly fill with equally well armed Asura in greater numbers, and with weapons quickly at the ready.

"I'll have you know that not all Charr were thralls of the Shaman caste, and even fewer are now. This Charr specifically has been responsible on more occasions than I can count for information that has kept Ascalon safe, be it delivered to what is now the Ebon Vanguard or to myself." Coran warned, his voice taking that cold, emotionless tone that Devona shivered to hear. "Be very careful how you phrase your next words, because no matter what you might think, this is not my father's land nor his kingdom. This academy and its grounds are my authority, and I will not hesitate to ensure that you never see the light of the sun again if I deem you have exceeded your welcome here."

For once, the envoy had no reply, merely flapping his mouth like a fish removed from water as he tried to absorb Grazz's presence and Coran's abruptly icy demeanor.

"You have all I will give you to report to your king, and badgering me for more will only end badly for you. I suggest you take it and return to Ascalon before you test my patience further."

"Very well, my prince." The ambassor finally squeaked with a low bow. He looked like he was about to say more, but mercifully thought the better of it, and turned about, motioning for his escort to follow out the door and towards the exit of the academy building proper.

"Kreweman Norrit…" Coran said, his glare transfixed on the retreating Ascalonians. "Follow them at a distance until they have left the cavern. If they attempt to go anywhere other than the quickest route out, apprehend them." After a short pause, he added, "Use lethal force if necessary."

The chief of the guard did not speak, merely nodded, and his phalanx fell into prompt formation in obedience of the headmaster's order. Once they were out of sight, Coran slumped back into his chair, and tilted his head appreciatively towards Grazz.

"Thank you, my friend. You capably put as amiable of a close to that audience as I could have expected." From there, he then propped his elbows onto the arm rests, and folded his hands in front of his mouth, deep in thought.

"Coran?" Devona asked. She had seen countless battles, but had never expected to see that level of intensity in a supposedly peaceful setting. She was slightly worried about whatever the headmaster was pondering.

"I had heard reports from some of my brother's supporters still within Ascalon City that my father's mental stability was deteriorating." Coran explained, even as his eyes remained focused out in space. "He's growing increasingly paranoid, his brain is losing its ability to process the information he is receiving correctly. He is ever more certain that the Charr are building strength, when in fact, they are more fragmented then ever before, and assuredly incapable of uniting and creating any immediate threat to Ascalon. Meanwhile, he ignores the potential threat that your guild must have tried to inform him of. His version of reality is incongruous with actual events. It's why I intentionally kept him out of the loop during our assault on the shaman efforts north of the wall."

He then finally looked towards Devona. "I hope you aren't upset that any… delays… in your recovery weren't only because I longed for your company, my dear. I want to make sure my father doesn't do something terribly rash in these next few days as I fear he might, and drag you into it by his authority. I also fear that his brain might decay beyond the point of him being fit to rule far sooner than I had hoped."

"Coran, what are you saying?"

"There may come a point where I will have to assume control of Ascalon sooner than I expected; and in doing so, I may have to force my father from his perch. I have yet to hear of a clean succession in such a scenario. Just another potential headache brewing, I fear. I suspect I shall have to pray that headache doesn't come to bear until whatever headache is brewing under the ground north of the Wall is sufficiently dealt with."