Chapter 655: The Council & The Elects
Gian followed close behind Aurelia as she strode into the room, each step purposeful, her gaze strong, unbothered. The scarlet laurel wreath she usually wore sat atop her brow, but where once it signified a First mother, now it seemed more like a crown upon the head of the realm’s most powerful arch mage.
“Mom?” Stryg mumbled, wide-eyed.
Aurelia spared him a glance but nothing more. She joined the two Elects, and they sat down on the three chairs that had been prepared for them, facing the half-ring table of the Seven.
Calantha scoffed with a forced smile. “Thank you, herald, for the illustrious and unexpected welcome, but surely everyone here can see how ridiculous this is. Lady Aurelia is a Veres. A member of her family is already sitting right there.” She pointed at Stryg.
“Believe me, High Priestess, I’d rather not have anyone besides an Elect sit by my side during this meeting of powers, but—” Lumi gave Aurelia a begrudging look. “Aurelia the Blooded is a Favoured of our Mother Moon and she is a First Mother and once upon a time the apprentice of the Mother Elect. She is Mother Sabina’s heir and therefore the most qualified to sit upon that chair, regardless of her status as a Veres.”
“Lumi…” Aurelia stared at her as if she had grown a second head. Lumi ignored her.
“Quite the illustrious life you have lived, Lady Aurelia. Even if that is the case, there is a conflict of interest. We cannot be certain Lord Stryg Veres will have Hollow Shade’s best interests at heart when his mother sits on the Evenfall council, especially because Lord Stryg grew up amongst the Sylvan folk,” Calantha said.
“What are you implying?” Loh asked.
“That to ensure a fair treaty amongst our people, Lord Veres’ power to vote shall be withheld from this meeting,” Calantha replied.
“Huh?” Stryg said. Why was everything going exactly how he did not expect it to go?
“You cannot be serious.” Freya shot up to her feet. The motion was meant to show her outrage, but the high table made it so only her head stayed visible like a toddler, ruining the effect.
“This is not unprecedented. Several of your families have cadet branches living in the other Great Cities and when the time came to deal with them, your predecessors would step back to ensure fair dealings. It is how we prevent collusions, the kind that allowed us to overthrow the previous seat of power in this city,” Calantha said the final words with a poignant voice.
“You think they’re going to overthrow us?” Freya laughed. “The Sylvan just saved our asses from a literal warlord bent on murdering every noble in this city, which, last I checked, included every member of this council.”
“And we are grateful for your contribution,” Calantha said to Lunar Elects, then turned back to Freya, “But that does not change the fact that Lady Aurelia Veres is an Ebon Lord, the same power that we overthrew centuries ago. Forgive me for being cautious for our city, but I stand by my decision. All in favor?”
“Aye,” Vayu said, surprising several others. Dark bags were under his eyes and his usual calm, even mirthful, expression was gone, replaced by a grim lord. “To protect our families from foreign Great Cities, Stryg’s power should be withheld for this meeting.”
The middle-aged woman who served as Tristan’s advisor leaned over and whispered to him. The boy listened intently and nodded before speaking up. “House Helene agrees with Lady Ashe and Lord Glaz.”
Calantha looked at Loh expectantly. The fourth vote would ensure the majority. But then Loh did something Calantha did not expect.
“I do not side with Lady Ashe’s decision,” Loh said.
“Neither do I,” Freya said.
“What?” Calantha mumbled. Freya, she understood, the Goldelms and Veres had been close for a thousand years. But Loh Noir quite famously had a falling out with her apprentice, Stryg Veres. So why would she help Stryg? Could they have made up? When? Was it at the ball? Calantha had spotted them dancing, but Loh had seemed uncomfortable, as if she were struggling with something. Had something happened after the dance, before the Blackveins had ruined the ball? How could Calantha have missed it?
The last few days, Calantha had been busy preparing for the arrival of her goddess. She cursed her own ineptitude for having missed such a crucial change in the political tide of power.
“...House Katag stands with House Veres,” Krall said a moment later. He seemed distracted. The Katags stared at the Elects, thinly veiled suspicion practically dripping off of them.
And there it is, Calantha thought. Veres had managed to obtain a majority vote among the council.
“Obviously, I vote to keep my power,” Stryg added.
Gale sighed quietly in relief. For a moment, she was worried Stryg would say something stupid.
“As de facto leader of this council, I would like to remind all of you that Aurelia Veres is an Ebon Lord. Do you really want to give the most powerful being in this chamber even more power?” Calantha asked.
“This one is annoying,” Lykos muttered quietly to Lumi.
“Agreed, but she is still the goddess of war’s chosen,” Lumi whispered. “This must be a play by Bellum herself to limit the Mother Moon’s power in this city.”
Aurelia agreed with Lumi’s assessment but held her tongue. She would not interfere in the inner politics of this city.
Evelyn Katag leaned over and whispered to Krall. He nodded and cleared his throat, “Lady Calantha makes a point.”
“Lord Krall?” Calantha asked, a thread of hope in her voice.
“Our High Priestess has graciously taken upon herself the burden of serving as our de facto leader ever since Lady Ayda Glaz fell in battle. We have been unable to vote in a new council leader since. I motion we amend that situation right now,” Krall said.
“What are you doing?” Calantha asked with a sinking feeling. She could see what was unfolding, but she didn’t want to believe it could happen so soon.
“I second that motion,” Freya said.
“Then we shall proceed. I vote that Stryg Veres be inducted as the leader of this council. All in favor?” Krall raised his hand.
“What the fuck?” Stryg whispered. What in all the blood realms was happening today? Why was he not told about any of this previously?
“Aye.” Freya raised her hand, a smug smirk on her lips.
Loh gave Stryg a solemn look and slowly raised her hand. “Aye.”
“This was clearly planned and will not serve our city’s best interests. I had hoped better of you, Loh. I understand Stryg is your protege, but you are playing a very dangerous game trying to consolidate all that power into him. He is young and brash, you know this better than anyone,” Vayu said.
“I understand how you feel, Vayu, and I do not fault you. But I’m doing this for the sake of the city. We need someone who cares for more than the noble caste,” Loh said.
“I see.” Vayu sighed. “I vote nay.”
Tristan looked at his advisor expectantly. She gave him a subtle shake of the head. He turned back to the council. “House Helene votes nay as well.”,” he repeated, this time louder and more confident.
Calantha held back a sigh and closed her eyes. “Very well. As de facto leader, I relinquish my powers and stand aside for the council’s chosen leader, Lord Stryg of the Great House of Veres.”
“Thank you, Lady Ashe.” Stryg gave a nod. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do next and looked at Gale for help. She gave him a subtle glance towards the Lunar Elects. “Thank you, Elects, and First Mother, for joining us today.”
“Are you all done with your politics?” asked Aurelia.
“Uh? Y-Yeah,” Stryg replied. It felt weird speaking to his mother in such a formal setting, or rather, it felt all too familiar. It was as if he were a child again, standing in front of the village’s Mothers after being caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to.
“In that case, I am here to inform your council that the Sylvan armies will be leaving your city by the end of the week,” Aurelia said.
“Thank you for your aid in battle. Our city would have fallen if it were not for you. I can only hope you leave an emissary behind. My House would be honored to maintain a strong relationship with your people,” Vayu said.
“An emissary shall be left,” Aurelia replied.
Calantha narrowed her scarlet eyes. “May I ask where your army will go?”
Aurelia turned to Lykos, who spoke in turn. “Our armies will be heading to Murkton.”
His words made the rest of the council, but Stryg and Krall, sit up in their chairs.
“Murkton? Why would you go to Murkton?” Calantha asked.
“War,” Lykos said.
“Why? We have not heard anything regarding a war,” Vayu said.
Calantha didn’t bother to ask the same question as Vayu. She already knew the answer. Many had forgotten the atrocities that were wrought upon Lunis. Calantha was not such a person. The look in the goblins’ eyes said it all.
“We are telling you now, aren’t we?” Lumi cocked an eyebrow.
“But for what reason are you starting a war?” Vayu pressed.
“We are not starting a war; we are simply ending the one that has been ongoing for the last three centuries,” Lykos explained.
“We are allies with Murkton. Surely, you can see how that poses a problem,” Vayu said.
“We did not come here for your opinion, drow. We came to warn you all to stay out of our way,” Aurelia said.
Vayu’s expression darkened, but he did not reply.
“Is that your stance as a Sylvan or a Veres, too, Lady Aurelia?” Calantha asked. The way Stryg did not respond to the Warrior Elect’s announcement told her that House Veres already knew about the war. The Veres were playing a very dangerous game. The last thing Hollow Shade needed right now was to be implicated in another war by proxy.
“I came as a representative of the Mother Elect and my words represent the will of the Sylvan Tribes.” Aurelia took off her scarlet laurel and eyed Tristan, Vayu, and finally settled on Calantha. “But as a Veres, as an Ebon Lord, and as a mother, trust me when I say that if you harm my son, I will end your bloodline, alliances be damned. There will be no explanations or justifications, there will only be death. Do not test me on this, or you will sorely regret to find that your gods will not save you.”
“I like her,” Freya whispered to Stryg.