Empress Meriall tosses her cloak toward an empty chair. She doesn't bother to see how it lands. Everyday there is more news of her invasion of Areteria. There are losses to count, material to replace, reinforcements to muster. She needs a moment away from the court and it's constant bickering. This one wants control of the new territory, this one wants it for someone else.
Bah.
She can only steal away to more private chambers so often. She cannot trust the members of the court to behave in her absence.
The Empress tries to take one moment to relax but a pounding at the door interrupts the solitude.
"No." she commands.
"My lady, please!" she hears a familiar voice hiss.
"Let him in," she shouts to the guards.
The wizard hustles inside, breathless, ancient lungs gasping after laboring up many stairs.
"Ah, Gandalf, from the major motion picture Harry Potter and the Fellowship of Azkaban," she says blandly, waiting for him to find his voice.
"My lady," he says after a long moment, "I have located one of the ancient weapons!"
"Go on..." she says. There will be no rest for her today.
-----
Randoul winces as an attendant pulls tight his gauntlet. The Liossan foe advances ever further into the country and he has no choice but to arm himself for battle. He can hear the muster from his great keep. The bellows of the smiths belch their smoke while the horses whinny uncomfortably.
"My lord," a woman's voice cuts into Randoul's thoughts.
"Ah, yes, my mysterious elf friend," he acknowledges. "Is there more news from the Last Alliance?"
The elf raises a brow, confused. "The Last Alliance? No, I bring tidings from far elf lands, beyond the darkest forests."
Randoul could have sworn she was from a Last Alliance. No matter. He still hasn't even learned her name.
"Oh, of course, I knew that. Anyway, go on."
The elf speaks, "Spies report that there is a Liossan scout contingent breaking away from their main armies. They're advance units, traveling light and fast. I believe they're after one of the old weapons."
"How can you know this? Nobody could know their precise location."
"Arthur is going with them."
-----
"Why brings this news to me? What concern of ours is this border conflict?" The Shogun says thoughtfully, his voice low and quiet but easily cutting through the absolute silence of his court. "Areteria and Liossa do this every season. Why even spare the time to speak on it?"
"These are just questions, my Lord," the messenger says humbly once he was sure the Shogun was finished speaking. "But one such as I could never be trusted with these answers."
From behind the messenger steps forward a servant bearing a tome. He, too, keeps his eyes averted from person of the Shogun.
"The sages present this to you, Lord, with dire warnings and tidings of danger."
A guard beckons the servant forward and takes the tome. The servant scurries back into the crowded court and melts into the press of bodies.
The Shogun opens it cautiously, eyes darting through the missive.
"Send forth Samurai Yoshiie immediately. Muster the army at once."
-----
The mystic tries to his exasperation.
"Your Serenity, please, you must understand--"
"I tire of this discourse!" the Doge shouts, words damp in the cramped quarters of his ship.
The mystic continued, "whoever wields these weapons will alter the very balance of the Brikverse. All of it could be in our grasp!"
"I don't believe this nonsense. You say they're just.... hiding? Hiding in some backwater lighthouse?"
"Just one. Maybe."
The Doge sighs dramatically. "Oh, of course. Maybe."
There is silence between the two men, the creaking timbers upon the waves the only sound.
"What about... Mathias?" the Mystic said shewdly.
The Doge grinned. "Yes, I suppose this would be an excellent errand for Mathias. If it is nothing, then at least I'm rid of him for a time."
"Exactly, my Lord. I can send for him at once."
"Do that, I do not wish to spend another moment thinking about this," the Doge said, shooing the mystic out of his cabin.
-----
"And my contacts say that Athelard is leading an advance party there as we speak to claim it!" the spymaster whispered to great and mighty Ares.
Behind them, in silence, marched Akhilleus. He heard only some of their conversation, but he knew from Ares steps he was deep in thought and, perhaps, even troubled.
"Can we intercept it?" Ares said, voice echoing in power even as he whispered.
"You can do anything you like," the spymaster said, "for you are great and powerful."
Before Ares could roll his eyes Akhilleus jumped forward.
"Let me go," he said, "I can recover this... thing."
Ares grinned. "I think that's a marvelous idea."
