The very moment after the prince was escorted from the Assembly Hall, the legates erupted with their long-poised commentary of effrontery and indignation.

“It is rather curious, is it not?” Legate Lomba began, settling the uncontrolled murmurs with strident words - such was the only way to break above the noise. She was a small woman, but while draped in the finely embroidered toga of a legate, her appearance was inconsequential. “The Viper Prince, whose presence has only ever graced foreign diplomatic halls in the form of gossip and hearsay, is chosen as Simo’s ambassador.”

“Curious? Hardly.” Legate Espinda snorted, his expression twisting with repellence.

He was a pompous prick. Celestino never took a liking to him. Every councilor in the Forum - no matter how pretentious or vainglorious they acted - were soldiers of the highest standing. Abilio Scauro was once the Prima Tribune of the Atrava Cavalry, a decade or so ago, when he could still grip a rein without trembling. Glauco Calgaris was the current commander of the 5th Legion. Delfina Lomba, a woman who risked the reputation of her well-respected bloodline to train as a soldier, fought viciously through the ranks to gain her exalted station as signifier of the 1st Legion. Espinda’s immunis position, on the other hand, was bought with silver and familial influence.

Calgaris, Lomba, Scauro - they had proven their loyalty with sweat and blood and immeasurable risk. Even if Celestino despised their dispositions, it was something he could not overlook, just as he could not overlook cowardice.

“What is there to ponder?” Espinda went on, turning to the king. “This is an overt, impertinent presage of King Ingo’s affectation in the matter of sincere dialogue regarding peace of any kind. The missive that was sent heavily alluded to the fact that First Prince Alfred would be presented to the Horned Forum, a man of significantly greater character.” When no counter-assertion was raised, he continued. “Not to mention, this… prince… brings with him a council of reprobates, Your Majesty. An ealdorman, a seneschal, and two hirdmen, who are nothing more than glorified sentries, are they not?”

“They are not.” Cele was more than delighted to be the first to cut him off at the knees. He turned to his king. “While they may hold no aristocratic title, the hirdmen are judged by the length of their loyalty to their masters. If King Ingo has sent two hirdmen with his youngest brother, it is safe to assume that they hail from families which have been trusted by the Achterecht Clan for generations. If they do not know the mind of King Ingo, they would at least be fluent in the ways of the bloodline. It is not as if its disposition greatly varies from generation to generation.”

“I concur,” remarked Lomba. “Where Legate Espinda sees opprobrium, I see only the behavior of an artful man. King Ingo is aware that his youngest brother’s reputation has spread far and wide. He also knows that sending a council of less than five with the Second Prince would be an action noted by the Horned Forum.”

“Thus,” Cele concluded, “attempting to elicit our intrigue. Not curry incivility.” He turned his gaze to Legate Espinda as he posed, “Why risk the welfare of his youngest brother just for the purpose of  scorning us? We have no reason to believe that the Achterecht’s would act out of such pettiness. They haven’t in the past.”

The king exhaled.

“We do not know enough,” he decided, “to pass judgment on these actions, let alone judicious judgment. As Legate Lomba has keenly observed, they are artful - they always have been. And if King Ingo is anything like his father, he is sedulous, as well.”

He sighed and reclined back into his throne. “I recall the reputation of the late King Gotthard - how he would try the very fibers of his witan’s patience with his propensity to calculate circumstances down to the second. Nothing was left to chance - certainly not when it came to foreign relations. If there is even a whisper of a chance that his son inherited this meticulous nature, then we must proceed with the assumption that every move made by the second prince and his retinue, while in Girigo Palace, has an ulterior motive. At this point in time, there is no room for missteps.” He then cast a hardened gaze over his forum. “So, do not make any.” 

⚔

AN:

A quick thank you to all who have subscribed thus far! 

I know the build-up of a story can seem to drag on and on, but there is unfortunately no shortcut for that critical aspect of storytelling. Thank you for your patience - it'll only speed up from here!! Buckle up :)

See you in the next episode!

~Higgins