[@Eviledd1984]

"Your mother? Smith, she- she isn't here" Kara explained, not wanting to upset him. At least, not get him more upset than he already was.

[@LordofthePies][@bloonewb]

"Very well. I shall not tell anyone about that little 'misunderstanding' just now" Mazdak explained. "Of course, if you think this city is lovely, you've clearly never seen Naugo-"

Mazdak was cut short by the sudden arrival of a number of heavily armed and lavishly armored guards who had emerged from behind a pair of golden doors which had been securely closed not a moment ago. While their roles were as much a matter of ceremony as they were for actually keeping the monarch safe, they were clearly serious about their jobs. Without a word, they joined the messenger and ushered Rebat, Mazdak, and Norix into the Grand Prince's throne room. There were several such rooms in the palace, although this one was the only such room currently operating. 

The room itself told a story, with elaborate mosaics, frescoes, bas-reliefs, and oil paintings adorning the walls and telling the history of the city in images. The oldest mosaic depicted the city's founding by a powerful dragon, while the most recent painting showed the crowning of Ternoc himself. Mazdak felt a soft carpet under his feet as he entered the chamber. It was the result of a decorative move which had surprised him given how informal it all seemed. Of course, etiquette as to what constituted an appropriate throne room for a king did not apply to a grand prince. It was one of the few perks of Ternoc's position. The grand prince himself sat on a relatively modest throne, taking a moment to apprise the newcomers before he spoke.

"At last you are all here. This is well and good. I have need of all three of you if we are to make Hekaga great again" he rose from his throne and turned his gaze towards Norix. "Esteemed oracle, I have need of your insight. While fate isn't set from the moment of creation, it is subject to the currents of causality. As I discuss matters with Mazdak and Rebat, I will periodically ask you to tell me what the likely long-term consequences of our negotiations will be and I expect you to intervene if you detect that our conversation will probably lead to disaster, and suggest a corrective course of action. I don't expect you to give me absolutely clear-cut answers, only to inform me if our diplomacy is going to have negative repercussions or not. Can you do that?"