[center][h3]Peace Talks[/h3][hr][b]8:45 PM Last Seed, 21
Castle Wayrest[/b][hr][/center]

“These negotiations seem to be heavily weighted in the Black Bastard’s favor, [i]Fontaine.[/i]” Said a woman whose long blond hair tumbled over her shining plate armor adorned with golden tassel, her blue cloak draped over one of her shoulders. Her voice is bold and fearless, and her ostensive dress pointed to the degree of importance of which she assumed in her knightly order. Lady Ervette spoke with a certain degree of spite in her voice, making sure to address the other party by their name -- and doing so with particular stress, as to denote their lack of an official station. She continued, “Are you sure your terms are not the bidding ordained by Broken-Shield? Everard has much more to gain from this peace deal than our lord, High King Ferrand.”

“Ma’am, please.” Fontaine Dupont replied gently and respectfully. “King Frithjolf has acknowledged the Trifection as a legitimate order since its transition.”

“So you are indebted to him?”

“Our legitimacy has been acknowledged by a kingdom of who’s borders the order exists within, simply that.” Fontaine maintained. “But back to the proposition, the interests of both sides of war are being considered, however true it might be that Everard might see a disproportionate amount of aid or leniency due to the section of the city which they occupy. Given Ferrand’s longer occupancy of the main docks, most of the pirate threat has been dislocated, but since the conflict, chaos by the private docks which Camlorn and Jehanna occupy allowed for these threats to remain within Wayrest. Our ultimate consideration is the welfare of Wayrest’s people, who have been unfairly caught in the middle of the conflict and suffer from the pirates and criminals taking advantage of them in these chaotic times.”

He gestured a hand to a man on his other side, also wearing armor which has been layered over a red gambeson. Continuing, he said, “And we will not be taking care of the problem ourselves [i]for[/i] the rebellion, but our own Lady Carlisle will be commanding the provided auxiliary support for Sir Ithacus and his troops. The hope is that after this time passes, not only will Wayrest be safer for the people who live here, but the cease-fire will allow everyone time to calm down and we can continue with peace talks.”

“Wait, you mean my daughter Carlisle?” Ithacus asked.

“No, a different Carlisle. From my order.”

“Ah, I see. Well, Lady Ervette,” Ithacus tutted, rubbing shoulders with Duke Egan, “I would hope you are not so preoccupied with your own agenda that the Order of the Dragon would forget about the good people caught in the crossfire.”

“Crossfire which occurred only when the Bastard took you and his men past the wall and brought this conflict with him.” Crown-Prince Gregory Bellemont interjected. “Don’t be so eager to forget that it was your Knights of the Flame who rained destruction on the city’s defenses and challenged my father, not the Dragon’s.”

“Enough,” Sir Fontaine demanded, his voice cutting through the bickering. “Do not reduce your noble orders to bickering like petty nobles. The fact remains that [i]both[/i] sides of this conflict are responsible for conscripting Wayrest’s own people to fight this bloody civil war. If this continues, there will no longer [i]be[/i] a Wayrest to rule, only an empty castle.”

He released a tired sigh and continued, “As the grandmaster of the Trifection Templars, I am giving this discussion my final word: a cease fire [i]will[/i] be in place for my order to assist the Free Realms in clearing out the concentration of pirates and criminals by the south docks. Greater High Rock, with your larger and more organized army, should be more than capable to clear the East docks. If this is not the case, then we will spare a few men, but no more. By the end of these operations, we can continue peace talks. Are we agreed?”

There was a discordance of tentative mutterings, but the lot of them were in agreement.

“Finally.”