"May I ask about the situation ahead?" Cristal whispers as she walks next to the grand duke, the crow-beaked masked man seemingly not reacting to her words. Unable to listen or simply acts as if he cannot. The paladin continues to look at the one guiding them, looking for any abnormal twitch or sign.
The grand duke sighs loudly before responding to Cristal, whispering back to her in the same tone. "Before us is Brandubh, a mage and the current spymaster of the council here in Norka. He's joined by maester Gyraedin, head of justice Hedara An'Yis, the representative of the nobility Kykarth Kasten, the head administrator Talade Jivalidin and three others of whom I am currently unaware of." Dalbert Estian responds, also keeping his gaze forward. The walk across the old but well-maintained castle carries the sense of endless eyes watching them. Servants are continuously running around, cleaning things such as fallen feathers and other bird remains.
The guided party of hired adventurers arrives at a large room, located near the western side of the palace. A ball could be held here if one were to look simply at the size alone. Unfortunately, the rest doesn't match the potential jovial atmosphere. The cold season wind marked its presence in this large chamber, the rafters and hanging chandeliers filled with nests of different sizes. In the middle sits a large triangular out of a pale yellow stone-made table filled with small cracks extending out of each other. Forming a broken, sporadic spiderweb with each extending towards one of the stone made chairs. The chairs made out of stone are visibly uncomfortable, the stone is not smooth and no cushions or any other accessories were provided. There are 9 chairs in total, all seemingly identical. Five pairs of eyes are aimed at the entrance, the gazes hardened carrying the same atmosphere as the colder season's wind.
The party looks at the seated individuals, making eye contact as they walk behind Dalbert Estian. Everyone's eyes scan each other, looking for anything that might stand out. Brandubh leads the grand duke to the table, a council member older than the rest reaches under his chair.
The sound of clicking follows as a few of the small cracks glow lightly, all different colors. The table shifts and splits open, allowing the grand duke to enter. The party attempted to follow but found themselves held back by Brandubh and the grand duke both raising a hand in the air.
The triangular table closes with an empty middle closes again, the cracks dimming.
"My sincerest congratulations, Brandubh. Your intel has been as crucial as always." One of the council member says, a human woman at an estimate in her early forties. The color of her clothing blue accompanied by large golden shoulder pads that seem to connect a golden necklace to each other. There is a simple gold coin attached to the clothing under her neck. That surprisingly enough also takes a lot of the focus compared to the extravagant low hanging necklace. Her dark brown hair complements her serious attitude as she speaks.
"It is always my pleasure to please the head administrator." The crow masked man responds as he seats himself.
"How you can two speak so idly? When in our center stands the creator of our troubles." An older man seated at the table says, also wearing accessories of his own. Seemingly the eldest of them all, his vigor not decreased with each.
"Mister Kasten, we are to discuss the matter. Not to throw senseless accusations." Another man responds wearing long brown robes whilst carrying a faint sense of remaining herbs. Parchment and quill is in front of him, as he stopped writing to respond to his colleague.
"Every second we waste here is another second that an unnecessary conflict might break out. Will you write it down as that in the history books Maester? The council was too busy with idle chat whilst lives are thrown away?"
"Baseless accusations will not hasten the discussion." The maester responds.
"I must agree with representative Kasten, we should immediately proceed with the investigation." A man fully armored responds, his guard like demeanor and relatively young age compared to the most notable of his features.
"Indeed and perhaps we could continue afterward with your own investigation? The amount of Frieden thrown away for your objectives could even match the slaver's greed."
*Bang* The young guardsmen smashes the pale yellow table fiercely, luckily creating not other cracks for the decorum. Some birds scatter from the nests above in a panic, trying to leave from the sudden loud sound.
"At least I am prepared to do something! Not like you sitting on your laurels! Critiquing every man or woman that even tries to convince that Frieden should be spent for the city and not the other way around!"
"I have no problem if any "capable man or woman" came to me for that issue."
"Do you question, the captain of the city guard's competence?" The representative of the nobility, Kykarth Kasten asks, the cup slightly shaking in his hand. Water spilling into the cracks of the pale yellow stone table.
"More so of those who forcefully appointed him to the role… Even if there were more suitable candidates." The head administrator responds meeting the eyes of the representative.
A light tapping sound becomes more prevalent in the stillness of words that followed. The arguing council members look to the one who had not yet spoken. The council member who differs the most of the rest, not solely in her stillness.
All eyes turn to Hedara An'Yis, a woman with sharp and pointed unnatural long ears and copper skin. Two identical small tattoos on either side of her face. Beneath the end of the eyebrows a small white tattoo resembling a dot. Whilst on her cheeks is a small brown, gold like tattoo resembling no more than an intricate line with at the end accessories resembling ear bells attached to them. The "ear bells" instead of carrying jewelry has locks of her own hair hanged on them. A small scar is on her left cheek next to the brown golden like tattoo, almost unnoticeable because of the light red mixed with yellow eyes that one would believe could even shine in the darkest of nights.
"Do we agree that I may take the lead on this matter?" The eloquent voice a mixture of hardiness and natural grace asks, the near fighting council members having fallen quiet. "Dalbert Estian, you stand between us to declare the intent of your travel. For some you stand accused of scheming to deteriorate the fragile peace between us and the kingdom of Sytrich whilst for others you stand accused of bringing assassins and political instability to the realm. Vow that you will speak nothing but the truth and plead your case... So we may know if a friend or foe has entered our hall." The voice of the beautiful copper skinned elf ends as another cold winter wind makes it way inside.