[i]'And we love you too, mother.'[/i] Thought Hornfel as he slowly pinched the gap between his eyebrows. He wanted to say how mother was merely in grief and surely would come to her senses in a few weeks but, knowing the stubbornness of the dwarves it was doubtful neither his brothers would calm down or their mother change her mind. No, the only way to calm things down was to form a slab of granite with enough of his brothers that they could convince the rest to regroup around... around whom? The obvious choice was Dourhorn, the first born, but he had just been specifically disowned by the mother of them all (And really, did he want Dourhorn as Lord-Master?). But then... who?

Someone who didn't mind trade so Hornfel may continue to earn his coins, one who didn't mind outsiders for he may continue to drink with his fellow adventurers, one who didn't force him to battle or to church so he might continue to drink without worry. But lets face it, no one in this room filled these criteria. Hornfel sighed on his island of solitude in the middle of the conflict. No one but him. Eh, the thought was laughable almost, his eldests recognize him as their Lord-Master.

Right now, it was.

But obviously this situation probably wouldn't resolve itself today. Taking a moment to think about this furthermore, Hornfel moved his perspective to that of an outsider, trying to ignore how he was right in the thick of all of this and think of how a merchant would walk out of this with more in his pocket than when he entered. Suddenly the obvious thing to do became clear as daylight. As things began to heat up even more, Hornfel spoke.

[b]"Dourhorn."[/b]

He raised his voice, so all in the hall might hear him.

[b]"Dourhorn, the first son, is the rightful heir as it is written in stone! And I shall be at his side!"[/b]

With a brisk pace, Hornfel walked to his eldest brother and placed a firm hand on his shoulder, locking eyes with him for a moment before nodding to him. Hornfel turned to his kinsmen. [b]"And no matter your arguments so should you!"[/b]

To be fair, that was debatable. But the way Hornfel saw it, if anyone was to walk out with the title of Lord-Master here, it was Dourhorn. In one scenario people were rallied by this and they could all end this feuding before it comes to, plus, as an added bonus, being the first to support him Hornfel could hopefully stand tall in Dourhorn's eyes and maybe insure some kindness in return, and maybe some trust when the time where Hornfel would have to look at Dourhorn in the eyes and say that he understood traditions and its importance. If that didn't work... well, the gesture certainly would place him on Dourhorn's good side and make him maybe willing to work out a compromise.

A compromise that could very well be named Lord-Master Hornfel.