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TheDuncanMorgan and Sundered Echo

All daylight to the council chamber had been completely blocked out. The heavy window shutters had been fully closed and the only source of light in the room were a couple of dim candles that were all placed on the table. Duncan couldn't risk anyone listening in on the conversation and had taken extreme measures to ensure that nothing said in this meeting was heard by any prying ears. Duncan was not alone in the room. Before him sat everyone he knew he could trust. The first was Isabel; Duncan knew he could trust his sister without question, loyalty to the family was the main and only principle of the De Reimer's principles. Despite her short temper and spitefulness, Isabel would never betray her own flesh and blood, that he knew for certain. The next person in the room was Alex. Duncan known Alex since he joined the council under king John. He was a good-hearted and selfless man who would never of harmed Aurelia, a woman he considered a close friend. Not to mention Alex had next to no ambition, even if the opportunity arose for him to claim power he likely wouldn't take it. The final two people in the room were Alenius and Ulf. Though Duncan didn't know Ulf personally he knew that Isabel trusted him. A feat that was extremely hard to achieve.

"Your grace surely we can let some sunlight in here. I can hardly see anything" Alex stated as he desperately squinted at Duncan so he could see him clearly.

"No, I cannot risk anyone overhearing us, and the windows would be the best place for someone to eavesdrop"

"When will you new friend arrive brother" Isabel replied as she slouched back in her chair "I would prefer not waiting in this dark place any longer than necessary".

"I am sure Lady Dionisa will arrive soon, we merely need to remain patient"

Lana was late. Not out of intent, for a mage was never late. However, she had been waylaid by the excessive security the castle had acquired since her friend's death. Every guard post had stopped her, and every time she had to explain she was a friend to the king, that he had summoned her and that he would be unhappy should she be late.

She breathed a sigh of relief as the final pair of guards raised their halberds and let her pass. In the future, she would have to account for this problem… Or, ideally fly in somewhere that bypassed a number of the guards. She strode into the room, noting the darkness. It was rather fitting of the mood - distrust and fear hung in the air so thickly that it was almost tangible. She felt these things too, but grief still clutched at her heart with its icy, unforgiving grip. To mark that, she was wearing black - rare and uncharacteristic for her - and had a thin veil across part of her face.

“Thank you for waiting your grace.” She said, her tone formal and devoid of emotion. She remained standing as she continued. “I must however respectfully ask for a moment more time while I magically secure us from eavesdroppers.” She stated, her hands moving immediately in elegant patterns as she wove an illusion around the room, ensuring that anyone beyond its confines would hear only silence from within. In a few moments the spell was complete and she sat turning her head towards the king.

Isabel watched Lanaya as she sat down, clearly confused as to why she was here. How did Duncan know he could trust this woman? Did he know her better than Isabel gave her credit? could she possibly be a threat? Isabel lightly shook her head as she dismissed such thoughts; if her brother trusted her then that was enough.

"Since we are now protected from eavesdropping, could we please open the shutters"? Isabel said as she looked toward Duncan

"No, I would still prefer they remain closed, better safe than sorry" Duncan replied. He knew he was being paranoid but if there truly was an assassin in the keep he would not let his guard down. Afterall how many rulers had died untimely deaths due to underestimated their enemies. "Though if you could illuminate the room for us Lady Dionisa I would most appreciate it"

Lana was far from oblivious of the suspicious stare of the King's sister. Now that she had finished weaving her spell, she couldn't help but wonder if the king's trust in his family was misplaced. Isabel was by some accounts a vicious woman who delighted in suffering, and while Lana couldn't think of a reason why she would want to harm Aurelia, she couldn't think of a reason for her not to either.

"I agree." She said in response to Duncan. "One can never be too safe, and of course. It is but a trifle."

Light was one of the very first things an Illusionist learned, and creating a point of light in the air was simple. Never one to settle for simple illusions though, Lana gestured twice, making the roof suddenly seem to disappear, to be replaced by a grey sky with pale sunlight streaming in. Such a blatantly false image was easily disbelieved of course, but one still had to choose to do so.

Duncan sat down with a clear look of severity on his face.
"As you all know, Aurelia was murdered last night. The people behind her assassination are currently unknown to me. I believe that whoever is responsibility is not only within Nyhem, but inside the wall of the keep itself." After finishing his sentence he pulled out the small note he had found on his desk, before throwing it on the table so the other could read it. Isabel was the first to pick it up as she glared over the piece of paper before passing it over to Lanaya. "I found this note on my desk shortly before I was informed of Aurelia's death. I think it is likely that whoever wrote this note was also involved in Aurelia's murder, implying that at the very least they have connections within the keep. In this room are the only people in this city who I currently trust. And the list of my potential culprits is enormous. I want to hear your inputs of who you think was behind this, and who you think we should be keeping a close eye on"? The room feel silent. Isabel was clearly mulling over the various people she thought responsible, however like Duncan, the list of suspects was too large to be of any use. Alex on the other hand was at a loss; not only was he shocked at the idea that there was an assassin in the castle, but the idea that someone they knew had betrayed them was unthinkable.

Lana listened to Duncan set the scene. She already knew much of this, though the note was new to her. It suggested the motivations were more in line with striking at Duncan, but it did not change her approach to the situation for now. What she was about to say was bold, and may annoy Duncan, but she believed it the only way to unravel this plot expediently.

“There are many who could be blamed.” She began. “So let us consider possible motivations. To do that we need all the facts.” She glanced at Duncan then, but turned her eyes away as she continued. “Aurelia and the King had deep feelings for each other. Though kept fairly secret, one with access to the keep or able to eavesdrop on her tower would know this. In time, I believe Aurelia may have become queen. Killing her now…”

She fought back emotion at the words. She could not break down now, in front of this council. When she continued it was with a steady but emotionless voice. “Killing her now strikes a personal blow at the king and prevents her, a lowborn mage, from ascending to the throne alongside Duncan.” She paused a moment to let this analysis sink in and stand on its own before continuing.

“The alternative, perhaps less likely, is that she was killed to strike at me. I have fewer enemies than his majesty, but there are those who would oppose my ideals.” A hint of fear crept into her voice before she realised she felt it. It was only now she considered the possibility of an Assassin coming for her as well. If they could reach Aurelia, they could reach her too.

She quickly moved on, seeking to draw attention away from her slip. “Who then is opposed to Duncan being married? And who is opposed to mages in positions of power?”

Duncan body tensed up. Though he knew that everyone in the room would need to be informed about the feelings that he and Aurelia shared, he would have preferred to have told them himself. He threw Lana a harsh glance, before quickly dismissing it; what was done was done, and he had bigger things to worry about. A look of shock was shared by everyone in the room, all with the exception of Ulf; seemingly uninterested in the meeting.

"I was, unaware that his grace and the lady Aurelia had such feelings for each other" Alex stammered "Hearing this has made this ordeal even tragic then it already was. I am truly sorry for you my grace". At this Isabel gave a sympathetic nod in agreement; something that surprised Alex even more then the revelation about Duncan and Aurelia. In all of his encounters with Isabel, she had been cold and aloof. This was the first time he had seen her ever express any sort of sympathy.

"I thank you for you sympathies, and Lady Lanaya is correct on both accounts. There is a distinct likelihood that the assassin targeted Aurelia to prevent a mage from becoming queen. If this is the case then the perpetrator is likely a member of the church. They are the only organisation who have enough power to order such an assassination and the only known institute in Nyhem to regularly speak out against mages. Not to mention, the Grand Cleric died under suspicious circumstances recently, perhaps there is a link"?

Lana met Duncan's gaze with sympathy, though not apology. As far as she saw it, it was as much her secret to tell as his. She felt she stood in for her friend at this meeting. Fortunately the king seemed to have a good separation between his feelings and the thoughts, as he continued.

The idea that it was the church had certainly not escaped Lana's mind, but she was not so bold as to directly accuse them herself without knowing the manner in which her company would react. Religion made men do unpredictable things... even mages. Now that Duncan had brought the idea up though, she felt safe in pursuing it.

"They do seem a likely candidate. The hatred of mages present in the extreme elements of the church is strong enough to inspire such an attack... An investigation may be called for." She stated cautiously before continuing. "Of course it goes without saying that the vile house of Manshrew may have been behind this attack. They already struck at House Blackwell. Why not also strike at Aurelia in an effort to unbalance his majesty with grief?"

"Indeed, that is a fair point" Duncan said as he looked away from Lanaya. The truth was house Manshrew was quite low on the list of suspects; he knew that Andrew was too 'honorable' to order assassinations, despite being at war. From the perspective of everyone else however, house Manshrew would be the most likely candidate after what happened at Mercy, a fact that Duncan had forgotten. "However I still think it is more likely that the culprit is operating within Nyhem, meaning the church should be our main focus. I am particularly suspicious of Sir Lycaon, the man was almost certainly involved in the Grand Cleric's death. If he was capable of orchestrating her death then he likely had the means to kill Aurelia as well.

"From what I have heard of late." Lana began. "Sir Lycaon's influence has recently seen a meteoric rise. Do we know what he wants?" Lana knew very little about the religious knightly order he led, and had until now not considered them a threat.

"And furthermore, what can we do about him? The church cares little about the power of a Magister, or the opinion of the Circle as a whole. In fact, I dare say, if he had Aurelia killed, then I fear for my own life also." Though she made the statement with some genuine fear in her heart, she would not have said it solely as an emotional expression. She hoped that by making herself appear vulnerable here, she would gain some kind of extra concessions, perhaps for her own protection, perhaps for that of other mages in the city.

"Never worry my dear" Isabel responded "I doubt someone of your...position will be at much risk of being a target" Though it may have sounded like she was being reassuring, the slyness in her voice made it clear that she was having a jab at Lanaya's political status; as if to say she wasn't important enough for someone to send assassins after her. Duncan raised a eyebrow at this remark before responding himself

"That may change very soon sister" He said before turning to face Lanaya "I wish to offer you the now, vacant, position of Magisterial Advisor. As you are now aware you are one of the few people in this city I can...trust" Though Duncan used the word 'trust' he still remained suspicious of Lanaya. Though he was confident she had nothing to do with Aurelia's murder he was still clueless as to what her motives and intentions were. 

Lana found Isabel's petty jabs at her both insulting and amusing. She had no idea of Lana's influence, or how much of a target she could soon be. The king’s offer however, took her a moment to process. It wasn't that it was unexpected - she was in a prime position to assume this role with Aurelia gone, as she had elaborated upon earlier. But she wasn't expecting it now, and she also had mixed feelings about accepting it.

"I am honored." Lana said, genuinely. "And I accept." It pained her to step into her friends role so quickly. She hadn't even finished mourning and already she was taking Aurelia's station at court. It felt wrong. But she had to do it. It would help her cause immensely.

"Though I wish it noted that I do so only because this position needs to be filled. It pains me that some will see it as opportunistically assuming a good friend's position so soon after her death.” Lana was genuine, and she thought it showed in her tone, but she also didn’t expect the currently assembled group to care overmuch.

"Of course I understand" Duncan said. Isabel looked away bitterly. She couldn't believe that Duncan was already giving Lanaya such a position of power after only recently being acquainted. Alex on the other hand looked more than happy to have a new member join the High council
"I look forward to working alongside you Lady Lanaya. I am sure you will do Lady Aurelia proud, wherever she is now" He said with a halfhearted smile "Perhaps now is a good time to discuss the Blackwell negotiations, it is a matter we cannot delay for much longer".

Lana noted Isabel's reaction. It was fairly clear now, that if anyone was going to prove difficult on this council, it was her. Lana ignored it for now. She did smile at Alex for his kind words though.

"Indeed." She said, placing the scroll case on the table and seeing about removing the treaty. "As you may know. I have just returned from Alenius... I'm afraid the news is mixed. I negotiated with Eli Blackwell, but I'm sad to say Giles Blackwell is quite determined to declare himself King of his own lands at the very least. This treaty primarily secures their aid against Manshrew, and secures them as an ally... for now."

She looked to Duncan then. "I apologize, your majesty, for my inability to secure all of your demands in these negotiations." She didn't much like that this would be her first impression to the council, but it was what it was. She was ready to defend her decisions with logic she believed infallible. After all, a two front war was the last thing the Concord needed right now.

Duncan let out a sigh as he spoke "The Blackwells are more stubborn than I predicted, how...disappointing. It would seem the Blackwells will soon be rivals in our attempts to unify Formaroth under one banner" namely the De Reimer one, Duncan thought to himself "However now that we have the support of both House Blackwell and House Wulfrick, our chances of victory against House Manshrew is a certainty. Providing Andrew doesn't find anymore allies to join his cause. I assume you still have the Blackwell treaty on you? Have it sent up to to my chambers so I can go over the details of our new alliance" Duncan paused for a moment as he furrowed his brow "While I have you here Lady Lanaya, I wish to speak with you in private regarding your new duties as the new Magisterial advisor".

As Duncan spoke, she quickly replaced the scroll in its case. "I did my best to ensure that the concessions granted to them would bleed them and give us the upper hand in the future. I'm sure you will be pleased." She sounded confident, but harbored far more apprehension about his reaction than she dared to admit to herself.

"I am happy to speak about my new duties, the sooner the better." She finished with, a hint of eagerness in her voice as the thought of future plans almost let her forget the terrible events of late.

"In which case the meeting is adjourned. I will keep everyone informed in case our spies uncover anything of interest about our suspects". Alenius and Ulf were the first to leave, what with being stood right by the door already. Ulf left without hesitation, clearly glad to be done with the meeting. Alex was the next to leave as he clumsily collected up the various scrolls of paper that he seemingly always brought around with him, before hurrying out the door. Isabel waited until everyone else had left before slowly getting up from her seat before looking at Lanaya. Surprisingly the look wasn't hostile or even unfriendly. Instead the look was one of curiosity, as much as Isabel hated to admit it, Lady Lanaya interested her for reasons she could not explain as of present. Finally Isabel turned and marched out the room, her footsteps echoing throughout the hall. The door had been left open, as Duncan rose from his chair with a sigh to close it. As he walked he started to talk

"I am not sure if she made any mention of this to you" He said as he gently closed the large wooden door "but before she passed away Aurelia was assisting High Magister Alice Budwin in a project that could revolutionize the use of magic here in Formaroth. Alice was able to find a way to store magic within an non-living object with no known side-effects, a feat that even the elves have been unable to achieve.

Lana was taken aback by that news. It was significant. A magical milestone of unprecedented import.

She was aghast, losing her composure momentarily... But then smiled, a playful smile. "She did not tell me... I believe the conversation turned to the subject of you before she could tell me that last we spoke." She sighed, remembering that happier time. So recent, yet it seemed so far away.

"I assume that you expect me to assist Alice with this as well? Of course I would be happy to. It would be my privilege to be involved in such ground breaking research."

"Indeed. In fact she shall be arriving here in Nyhem in a matter of days. You will be able to work with her personally. From what I gather from the last letter I received from her, she is most impressed with your work here in Nyhem and looks forward to working with you. Do you have any other questions regarding your new position"?

"No. Not at this time. If it is not too much trouble, I would prefer to remain at my current residence however. I cannot stomach taking Aurelia's room as well as her position." She bowed a little and turned to leave. Overall, that meeting had gone better than she ever could’ve hoped.
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