[hr][hr][center][color=darkgray][h1]Lucivar DeLuxor[/h1][/color]
[color=darkgray][u][h2]Dene Nehel[/h2][/u][/color][/center][hr][hr]

Lucivar leaned forward with a sigh, settling his elbows on the table, his brows furrowed as his mind raced. The circle, most of it at least, was dead. The city was in ruins, and the fact that a force had reached the Queen's manse could only mean other areas of the territory fell; what he wondered at that moment however was how they didn't hear of it before? An armed force coming into their territory should have been seen by those protected the Ways, there should have been contingencies in place for such an event, and even if their own might was strained, the fact that they blundered this much to let an army into their doorsteps was nearly unfathomable. 

Unless Kayner's comment held some truth. And even then, it just seemed all too sudden. Whoever orchestrated Dene Nehel's fall was clearly an incredible tactician to have done it in such a manner, to leave them all reeling by the time they found out what was actually going on.

And being put in such a situation left a bad taste in his mouth. He let himself get too complacent; he should have seen the warning signs and heeded them instead of investing himself into the internal politics of the territory. And what had that brought him other than death and ruin. Whatever chance he had at trying to save his new home was lost when he chose to turn a blind eye, but he needed to find a way to rectify it, to give answer to the countless horrors wrought by the invasion. 

[color=darkgray]"Excuse me,"[/color] he said, then stood and walked out, making his way down the hall towards Andressa standing by the foot of the stairs. 

He saw her turn towards him with a confused frown settling on her face. "That was quick," she said.

[color=darkgray]"Dene Nehel has fallen,"[/color] he said stopping before her, [color=darkgray]"the circle is broken, the Queen's dead. And I'm done sitting around and talking."[/color]

"Well, there may be something that could peak your interest," she turned and walked towards his solar, Lucivar a step behind her. Inside, she went around his desk and pulled out a file and placed it on the table. "Remember this?"

He picked it up and thumbed through it. [color=darkgray]"I remember you bringing this to my attention, the bandit activity in the mountains."[/color]

"I took the liberty of investigating them a little and although I couldn't find much, there's evidence suggesting they're actually rebels."

Lucivar thumbed through the pages of the file a little while longer before closing it and using the Craft to hide it away in a pocket of space. [color=darkgray]"Do you know where they are?"[/color]

"I couldn't find that out, unfortunately."

Placing a hand on the back of a chair, he looked down in thought, the other hand going into his pocket. After a while he gave a nod. [color=darkgray]"Give me a moment to get washed up and dressed and I'll meet you outside."[/color]

"Do we have time for that?" Andressa asked, raising an eyebrow. 

[color=darkgray]"I'll make it quick,"[/color] he said then walked out of the solar into his rooms.