Location: Airedale Mid-morning Airedale Keep [hr] [@VitaVitaAR] [hr] “What’s the matter?” The queen would start to respond, a smile forming. “Stunned by my beauty, hm? Or were you thinking about - gwuh~” The sword came swinging downwards, smacking the queen right in the head. Not that it hurt, or even phased her at all, really. Most other rulers might find such an action the peak of insolence…but well, she didn’t think rulers that thought like that were true rulers. So, instead, Fio would be treated to laughter as the Queen would start to leave, following behind Fio as they headed back towards Airedale. [hr] [@Pyromania99] [hr] “...Okay! Please take care, Lady Luna!” The crowd, would slowly start to disperse. Even if they wanted to pester Luna more or talk with her more, they at least understood that getting in her way would probably be a bad idea. Lugh would give a small frown at being pat on the head, shaking his head a bit to protest as he and Luna would start to leave. “But you fought a lot-mweh.” The young Tuatha recoiled slightly from the poke on the forehead, and proceeded to pout just ever so slightly. “Luna mean…” The two would have no more problems back on their way to the meeting room. [hr] [@Crimson Paladin] [hr] “A-ah!? H-hey you just gonna leave?” The fairy blinked, seeming a bit surprised. “Hah…well alright! Guess I’ll just hang around then! See ya ice-butt!” The small fairy would laugh as Ethelred left…well, it would probably be fine. This fairy didn’t seem overly dangerous to start with, now did it? Still, maybe that’s what it wanted Ethelred to think. Regardless, the Ice Knight would soon find himself heading back to the keep to meet with the Queen. [hr] [@A Lowly Wretch][@Guy0fV4lor][@Pyromania99][@Crimson Paladin][@VitaVitaAR] [hr] As Od made her curt reply, Vyrell’s face, normally bereft of any emotion other than a friendly smile, would falter ever so slightly as his lips would turn downwards just slightly. It was barely noticeable, but it happened nonetheless. He’d look away from Od, turning his attention back towards the map he was looking over as Luna and Lugh would filter into the room. “Lets say the Queen tasked you with putting out a fire, Od.” He’d begin as he’d start making a few more marks on the map, making a line marking the extend of Harzel’s easten territory. “But when you did, that fire kept returning the next day. Would you merely keep putting it out daily, or look for the cause of it?” Not that he assumed that Od would catch the meaning of his words so he’d continue, the telltale cold that Ethelred brought with him signaling the other knights arrival. “Similarly, say, for instance, you arrive on scene but Elnith is nowhere to be found? Only dead Harzel knights. Or you do find Elnith, yet the Fomorian she’s fighting is impervious to her unavoidable blade?” He’d look up from the table. “Learning the cause-” [color=fff79a]“That’s enough, Vyrell,”[/color] Before he could finish his statements, however - a voice, commanding and heavy in its presence fell upon the room. [color=fff79a]“You can finish lecturing Od later. We have more important matters now.”[/color] Heavy footfalls soon followed, the Queen calmly walking into the room. Her gold armor somehow, seeming to shine even in the interior as she’d pass by Reinhardt’s seat, moving to place herself at the front of the table. It was a stark contrast, Fio would note from her casualness earlier. The laughter had stopped by the time they had returned to Airedale, and had instead been replaced with what could only be described with a firm, commanding presence...though it was slightly hampered by a small mark on her forehead where Fio's blade had bonked her, but it was probably best not to ask. “Apologies…I have set everything up, but you can probably explain better.” [color=fff79a]“Very well.”[/color] Sorcha would say, turning to face and greet her Knights. [color=fff79a]“Everyone is here…so we shall begin. About, mhm, two months ago, there was an attack on a village near Harzelslack’s eastern border. Nothing unusual about that, even if…it was particularly devastating.”[/color] She’d point to the northernmost village that had been marked by Vyrell. [color=fff79a]“Merely a day later, a second village was sacked, razed to the ground similarly as the first. For the next three days it seemed whatever it was, had left or decided its had its fill. However, three days later…a village on the very southern edge of Albion was razed in a similar fashion. Two days later, another village a bit further north had been razed. Silence for another four days, then another village had been razed, then only two days later another village in the south met the same fate. I sent a few scouts to gather information after the fourth village had been razed. The territory there may not be under my express domain as of yet…but they are people of Albion regardless, and I can not turn a blind eye to such blatant attacks and disrespect.”[/color] Sorcha would state calmly, making sure each and every one of her words carried as much weight and as much clarity as the last, ensuring that every knight here understood. [hider=Marked Map][img]https://i.imgur.com/Y0c4STN.png[/img][/hider] [color=fff79a]“As soon as they returned. They informed me of what they had gathered from the villagers that had managed to escape. A terribly powerful fomorian is apparently the culprit who possesses the ability to command fire and feasts on humans with a skin as black as night. Needless to say, I immediately dispatched Elnith to deal with this threat. That was two weeks ago.” [/color]She would pause, letting the information sink in for a few seconds. [color=fff79a]“I’m sure you are all aware of Elnith’s condition. I do not believe it has consumed her…at least not fully. But we do not know what has happened and she has yet to send word of what has. As such, I will be sending three of you int investigate that matter. I was originally going to go myself, but the attack on Airedale this morning has disrupted the plans.”[/color] “Speaking of the bandits,” Vyrell interrupted. “I’ll send a courier to the Lightsword family for information on their operations in the area around the Giants graveyard and and Ithica lake.” [color=fff79a]“Ethelred, Reinhardt, Od. I will be sending you to find out what happened with Elnith. As its so close to Harzel border, I don’t need to tell you to be careful. I do not seek conflict with them as of now, at least. Reinhardt, I am putting you in charge for that endeavor. I myself will be taking Luna and Fio to see if we can’t find out something about these bandits.”[/color] “Me and Lugh will stay behind to ensure Airedale’s safety.” Vyrell continued. “And you three looking for Elnith…be careful. Whatever this thing is, its highly dangerous and potentially incredibly fast as well, seeing how far it is able to travel in barely a few days.” [color=fff79a]“Unless there is anything you need, my Knights, then we should move sooner than later. No doubt if Elnith has run into trouble with Harzel knights, they would not care if she is in the service of myself. Nay, if anything, they would see it as an easy excuse to disparage me.”[/color]