"What is the meaning of this, Tervellan!?"
The raven-haired knight breathed a heavy sigh, rubbing his temples and adjusting his spectacles as the loudmouthed man seated to the left of him slammed down his gauntleted fist upon the table, sending a small avalanche of precariously balanced papers over the edge and scattering them onto the floor. The elderly gentleman seated to his right echoed this gesture but a moment later, but though he, too, seemed annoyed by their loudmouthed colleague, their shared headache was evidently insufficient to evince any sentiments in support of the Black Wolf's proposal. Well, it wasn't as if he'd expected it to be that easy, but the real question was how the man seated across the table from him would react.
"Calm yourself, Ser Valentin. Let's not begin such an important meeting by screaming at one another -- though I, too, would very much like an explanation for this." The blonde knight's blue-green eyes narrowed, and though his voice and expression remained calm, the esteemed head of the Western House did not conceal the pointed nature of his glare back across the table.
The room was silent for a moment, save for the low, distant rumbling of the Barrier Falls outside the window, and the sound of raindrops upon the roof. Gilbert Tervellan, Black Wolf of the Sentinel Knights and head of the Eastern House, cleared his throat and adjusted his spectacles.
"But of course, your Highness." He smiled coolly at Prince Manegold, who merely stared back in return. "I'd be all too happy to clarify any areas in which my proposal was vague or unclear. Where would you have me begin?"
"You know damn well where the problem lies, you smug cur!" Another loud slam echoed through the room as Ser Rubeus Valentin, Crimson Lion and head of the Southern House, cut back into the conversation. "This so-called 'proposal' is nothing but a list of absurd demands and self-serving garbage! Two aura users in a generation, and you mean to monopolize them both? What's more, you're even suggesting we hand over the Light-user and the Absolute to you as well! It's obvious that you're just trying to make yourself look good by monopolizing all of the best candidates!"
"'All the best candidates,' he says." The old man in the corner gave a quiet chuckle. "An alleged Grayle of unknown parentage..."
Manegold's expression darkened, his teeth clenching into a grimace, but still he said nothing.
"...and a delusional girl claiming to be the reincarnation of the great Alexander. If his excellency Ser Tervellan desires to take these troublemakers off of the rest of our hands, I, at least, will offer no complaint, save that I think it a waste of precious time and resources to humor such empty whims. The one is almost certainly an Alexandrian spy, and the other is simply a child chasing a foolish dream -- a dream from which she will certainly awaken once she realizes it's not the sort of life she sees in storybooks and loses her interest."
"We've discussed this already, Caius," Manegold said at last. "It's unorthodox, yes, but we cannot afford to alienate an Absolute, no matter how... eccentric, nor can we squander the Blessing of the Light, no matter what form in which it is returned to us. Besides, your own people investigated her and found no signs of correspondence with any outsiders, did they not?"
Caius Ward, head of the Northern House, shook his head resolutely. "Not yet, perhaps. But leaving her aside, the Absolute girl's talents could be far better utilized in magical research and in providing for the needs of the people than they would ever be in playing at knight. The Great Sage ended famines, raised up cities from nothing -- one would think that someone claiming to be his reincarnation would see the value in doing the same rather than chasing some empty dream of matching up to the Founder!"
"You expect too much of her. I find it difficult to believe Alexander could return from the dead in the first place, let alone that if he could, he'd revive himself 500 years later as a woman," Valentin joined in again, evidently unwilling to shut himself up and stop making the conversation more complicated than it needed to be. Tervellan uttered a quiet groan, but this went unheard as the other three continued their bickering. "To do so would require the Blessing of the Light or the Power of Darkness, wouldn't it?"
"Perhaps with the Earthly Star -- but that hardly pertains to this discussion. In any case, the appearance of so many Aura users in such a short time can only mean one thing --" Manegold tried to right the course their wayward conversation was taking, but to no avail.
"Yes, yes, the return of Fendel -- or so you claim. And yet, even with your own scouts combing the Wildlands, you've yet to find any sign of daemonic activity -- much less any of the accursed!" Valentin scoffed.
"...Much though it pains me to do so, your Highness, I must agree with Ser Valentin on this matter." Caius sighed. "I believe that if such a grave event were to take place, we'd surely have seen some sign of it by now -- something more substantial than children playing at being heroes, and a few unexpected prodigies turning up here and there. But not even the Stars have spoken to us on this matter -- do you not believe that perhaps you may be overthinking things, Your Highness?"
Manegold's grimace returned, and he opened his mouth to answer, but enough was enough. This time, Tervellan brought down his own hand upon the table, the noise jarring the other three for a moment and drawing attention back to him.
"We hardly need to look to old legends and the prophecies of an ancient madman to find enemies for ourselves. Whether we want war or not, Alexandria could invade at any time, and when that happens, it will be my soldiers who are charged with facing them. We've held the line, we've built the forts, and we'll man the walls against whatever army those so-called sages send our way from their high tower. The healing powers of the Blessing of Light... the ability of an Absolute to respond to any and all enemy magic with an appropriate counteraction... the strength of Aura to open a path on the frontlines... It seems perfectly clear to me that all these things will be great assets not just to myself, but to Grayle as a whole." The dark haired man slowly rose up, standing as he spoke, hoping to drive the others into silence long enough to at least give his argument.
"Ser Valentin referred to my proposal as self-serving, but I assure you, it is anything but. All I want is to ensure that those who represent our nation's best chance of victory are adequately prepared to go out and claim it. The glory of their achievements, whose banner is flown highest at the tournament -- such trifles interest me not --"
"You say that," interjected Caius. "But I do not believe you'd object to taking credit for this victory of yours, either. Besides, if all the best and brightest were to gather in one house, it would hurt morale amongst the rest of the trainees, would it not? Our soldiers --" He motioned across the table to Valentin as he said this. "-- may not be the first to face battle with Alexandria, but they, too, will be expected to fight."
"Caius makes a convincing point." Manegold nodded approvingly. "The balance between the Four Houses is meant to foster competition and growth among the recruits. If one House is seen as overtly superior to the others, then the remaining three quarters of our students will be made to see themselves as inferior. Therefore, though I respect your judgment, I can't concede to your request as it stands."
"I thought you would say something like that, Your Highness." Tervellan adjusted his spectacles with a grin. "But you must understand -- though I would certainly like those four, I'm willing to relinquish all further picks from among this year's candidates. I'm given to understand that there are many promising swordsmen amongst this generation's students as well. With the cream of the crop bolstering your own ranks, we could organize the first tournament of the year as a purely martial affair, with the use of magic forbidden. I believe those two concessions combined would allow your Houses a sufficient advantage to level the playing field, would they not?"
"Perhaps, but at what cost? You'd have our finest prodigies training alongside the very worst of the riff-raff?" Caius asked pointedly.
"Didn't you yourself make a point of noting that two of those 'prodigies' are inexperienced girls? Their magic interests me, to be sure -- but as far as learning swordsmanship and undergoing physical training, they'd only be a handicap to a more experienced squad." Tervellan recited his answer coolly, having already anticipated such a question. Caius grimaced, his face wrinkling in obvious frustration at having his own complaints thrown back at him.
"What about the other two -- the Aura users? Ordinary training won't suffice for them. If we handed them over to you along with the rest of the rabble, we'd be squandering their potential," Valentin interjected smugly. It seemed those, at least, he wouldn't let go willingly. However...
"They'd have each other as opponents, which is better than the alternative. Only a hero can match another hero and push them to their limits... right, your Highness?" His counterargument was obviously pandering to the esteemed Prince's own view of Aura users. Manegold's glare told Tervellan that his intentions had been seen through, but nevertheless, the Prince nodded.
"What you say is true... however, fighting the same opponent can also lead to complacency. A wide variety of experience would be better. I expect you to prioritize their instruction over all else, given that our nation's future, as you have said, may be resting in their hands... Hmm... Ah." Settling on a solution of his own, the prince gave a knowing grin before continuing -- though that alone told Tervellan all he needed to be sure that the prince's mind was already decided. "As it happens," Manegold continued. "My little brother Rossweine will also be enrolling in the knights this year. I'm sure he can be convinced to keep an eye on the Aura users and their progress and report his findings back to me. If I judge that you've failed to develop their skills adequately... then I will take their instruction upon myself, and they will be reassigned to the Western House. Are we clear?"
"But of course. Had you not so kindly volunteered, I would have asked as much of you myself. I'll attempt to cultivate their potential as much as I can, and then, should they grow bitter or disillusioned, you have only to sweep in and place the blame on me, the glory hound whose desire to claim their accolades for myself only served to stifle their growth. I'm more than happy to play the scapegoat if it means they remain loyal and devoted to Grayle."
"Then in that case, I have no further objections either." Caius nodded. The stakes for failure were high, but the payoff if he succeeded would be more than worth it -- not only for his own family and career, but for the country as whole. With three of the four on his side, Tervellan knew he'd already won. He shot a smug grin over to Valentin, but only got a hateful scowl in return. With this out of the way, the meeting continued far more peaceably, and moved on to the selection of candidates for the other Houses -- then swiftly concluded. Yet, as he left the room, Tervellan heard a quiet, but furious voice coming from the man behind him...
"Not just the Aura users and the so-called Successors, but they're even handing you the Prince, too? Aren't you just so lucky..." Valentin fumed. "Mark my words, Tervellan, you sanctimonious lapdog, you won't get the glory you're looking for. I'll see to it that your House is utterly crushed this year, and when that happens, the Lord Marshal will hear about this little trick you've pulled!"
"Do as you please," the Black Wolf replied, unmoved. "Everything I do is for the sake of Grayle. I have done nothing of which I need be ashamed."
The raven-haired knight breathed a heavy sigh, rubbing his temples and adjusting his spectacles as the loudmouthed man seated to the left of him slammed down his gauntleted fist upon the table, sending a small avalanche of precariously balanced papers over the edge and scattering them onto the floor. The elderly gentleman seated to his right echoed this gesture but a moment later, but though he, too, seemed annoyed by their loudmouthed colleague, their shared headache was evidently insufficient to evince any sentiments in support of the Black Wolf's proposal. Well, it wasn't as if he'd expected it to be that easy, but the real question was how the man seated across the table from him would react.
"Calm yourself, Ser Valentin. Let's not begin such an important meeting by screaming at one another -- though I, too, would very much like an explanation for this." The blonde knight's blue-green eyes narrowed, and though his voice and expression remained calm, the esteemed head of the Western House did not conceal the pointed nature of his glare back across the table.
The room was silent for a moment, save for the low, distant rumbling of the Barrier Falls outside the window, and the sound of raindrops upon the roof. Gilbert Tervellan, Black Wolf of the Sentinel Knights and head of the Eastern House, cleared his throat and adjusted his spectacles.
"But of course, your Highness." He smiled coolly at Prince Manegold, who merely stared back in return. "I'd be all too happy to clarify any areas in which my proposal was vague or unclear. Where would you have me begin?"
"You know damn well where the problem lies, you smug cur!" Another loud slam echoed through the room as Ser Rubeus Valentin, Crimson Lion and head of the Southern House, cut back into the conversation. "This so-called 'proposal' is nothing but a list of absurd demands and self-serving garbage! Two aura users in a generation, and you mean to monopolize them both? What's more, you're even suggesting we hand over the Light-user and the Absolute to you as well! It's obvious that you're just trying to make yourself look good by monopolizing all of the best candidates!"
"'All the best candidates,' he says." The old man in the corner gave a quiet chuckle. "An alleged Grayle of unknown parentage..."
Manegold's expression darkened, his teeth clenching into a grimace, but still he said nothing.
"...and a delusional girl claiming to be the reincarnation of the great Alexander. If his excellency Ser Tervellan desires to take these troublemakers off of the rest of our hands, I, at least, will offer no complaint, save that I think it a waste of precious time and resources to humor such empty whims. The one is almost certainly an Alexandrian spy, and the other is simply a child chasing a foolish dream -- a dream from which she will certainly awaken once she realizes it's not the sort of life she sees in storybooks and loses her interest."
"We've discussed this already, Caius," Manegold said at last. "It's unorthodox, yes, but we cannot afford to alienate an Absolute, no matter how... eccentric, nor can we squander the Blessing of the Light, no matter what form in which it is returned to us. Besides, your own people investigated her and found no signs of correspondence with any outsiders, did they not?"
Caius Ward, head of the Northern House, shook his head resolutely. "Not yet, perhaps. But leaving her aside, the Absolute girl's talents could be far better utilized in magical research and in providing for the needs of the people than they would ever be in playing at knight. The Great Sage ended famines, raised up cities from nothing -- one would think that someone claiming to be his reincarnation would see the value in doing the same rather than chasing some empty dream of matching up to the Founder!"
"You expect too much of her. I find it difficult to believe Alexander could return from the dead in the first place, let alone that if he could, he'd revive himself 500 years later as a woman," Valentin joined in again, evidently unwilling to shut himself up and stop making the conversation more complicated than it needed to be. Tervellan uttered a quiet groan, but this went unheard as the other three continued their bickering. "To do so would require the Blessing of the Light or the Power of Darkness, wouldn't it?"
"Perhaps with the Earthly Star -- but that hardly pertains to this discussion. In any case, the appearance of so many Aura users in such a short time can only mean one thing --" Manegold tried to right the course their wayward conversation was taking, but to no avail.
"Yes, yes, the return of Fendel -- or so you claim. And yet, even with your own scouts combing the Wildlands, you've yet to find any sign of daemonic activity -- much less any of the accursed!" Valentin scoffed.
"...Much though it pains me to do so, your Highness, I must agree with Ser Valentin on this matter." Caius sighed. "I believe that if such a grave event were to take place, we'd surely have seen some sign of it by now -- something more substantial than children playing at being heroes, and a few unexpected prodigies turning up here and there. But not even the Stars have spoken to us on this matter -- do you not believe that perhaps you may be overthinking things, Your Highness?"
Manegold's grimace returned, and he opened his mouth to answer, but enough was enough. This time, Tervellan brought down his own hand upon the table, the noise jarring the other three for a moment and drawing attention back to him.
"We hardly need to look to old legends and the prophecies of an ancient madman to find enemies for ourselves. Whether we want war or not, Alexandria could invade at any time, and when that happens, it will be my soldiers who are charged with facing them. We've held the line, we've built the forts, and we'll man the walls against whatever army those so-called sages send our way from their high tower. The healing powers of the Blessing of Light... the ability of an Absolute to respond to any and all enemy magic with an appropriate counteraction... the strength of Aura to open a path on the frontlines... It seems perfectly clear to me that all these things will be great assets not just to myself, but to Grayle as a whole." The dark haired man slowly rose up, standing as he spoke, hoping to drive the others into silence long enough to at least give his argument.
"Ser Valentin referred to my proposal as self-serving, but I assure you, it is anything but. All I want is to ensure that those who represent our nation's best chance of victory are adequately prepared to go out and claim it. The glory of their achievements, whose banner is flown highest at the tournament -- such trifles interest me not --"
"You say that," interjected Caius. "But I do not believe you'd object to taking credit for this victory of yours, either. Besides, if all the best and brightest were to gather in one house, it would hurt morale amongst the rest of the trainees, would it not? Our soldiers --" He motioned across the table to Valentin as he said this. "-- may not be the first to face battle with Alexandria, but they, too, will be expected to fight."
"Caius makes a convincing point." Manegold nodded approvingly. "The balance between the Four Houses is meant to foster competition and growth among the recruits. If one House is seen as overtly superior to the others, then the remaining three quarters of our students will be made to see themselves as inferior. Therefore, though I respect your judgment, I can't concede to your request as it stands."
"I thought you would say something like that, Your Highness." Tervellan adjusted his spectacles with a grin. "But you must understand -- though I would certainly like those four, I'm willing to relinquish all further picks from among this year's candidates. I'm given to understand that there are many promising swordsmen amongst this generation's students as well. With the cream of the crop bolstering your own ranks, we could organize the first tournament of the year as a purely martial affair, with the use of magic forbidden. I believe those two concessions combined would allow your Houses a sufficient advantage to level the playing field, would they not?"
"Perhaps, but at what cost? You'd have our finest prodigies training alongside the very worst of the riff-raff?" Caius asked pointedly.
"Didn't you yourself make a point of noting that two of those 'prodigies' are inexperienced girls? Their magic interests me, to be sure -- but as far as learning swordsmanship and undergoing physical training, they'd only be a handicap to a more experienced squad." Tervellan recited his answer coolly, having already anticipated such a question. Caius grimaced, his face wrinkling in obvious frustration at having his own complaints thrown back at him.
"What about the other two -- the Aura users? Ordinary training won't suffice for them. If we handed them over to you along with the rest of the rabble, we'd be squandering their potential," Valentin interjected smugly. It seemed those, at least, he wouldn't let go willingly. However...
"They'd have each other as opponents, which is better than the alternative. Only a hero can match another hero and push them to their limits... right, your Highness?" His counterargument was obviously pandering to the esteemed Prince's own view of Aura users. Manegold's glare told Tervellan that his intentions had been seen through, but nevertheless, the Prince nodded.
"What you say is true... however, fighting the same opponent can also lead to complacency. A wide variety of experience would be better. I expect you to prioritize their instruction over all else, given that our nation's future, as you have said, may be resting in their hands... Hmm... Ah." Settling on a solution of his own, the prince gave a knowing grin before continuing -- though that alone told Tervellan all he needed to be sure that the prince's mind was already decided. "As it happens," Manegold continued. "My little brother Rossweine will also be enrolling in the knights this year. I'm sure he can be convinced to keep an eye on the Aura users and their progress and report his findings back to me. If I judge that you've failed to develop their skills adequately... then I will take their instruction upon myself, and they will be reassigned to the Western House. Are we clear?"
"But of course. Had you not so kindly volunteered, I would have asked as much of you myself. I'll attempt to cultivate their potential as much as I can, and then, should they grow bitter or disillusioned, you have only to sweep in and place the blame on me, the glory hound whose desire to claim their accolades for myself only served to stifle their growth. I'm more than happy to play the scapegoat if it means they remain loyal and devoted to Grayle."
"Then in that case, I have no further objections either." Caius nodded. The stakes for failure were high, but the payoff if he succeeded would be more than worth it -- not only for his own family and career, but for the country as whole. With three of the four on his side, Tervellan knew he'd already won. He shot a smug grin over to Valentin, but only got a hateful scowl in return. With this out of the way, the meeting continued far more peaceably, and moved on to the selection of candidates for the other Houses -- then swiftly concluded. Yet, as he left the room, Tervellan heard a quiet, but furious voice coming from the man behind him...
"Not just the Aura users and the so-called Successors, but they're even handing you the Prince, too? Aren't you just so lucky..." Valentin fumed. "Mark my words, Tervellan, you sanctimonious lapdog, you won't get the glory you're looking for. I'll see to it that your House is utterly crushed this year, and when that happens, the Lord Marshal will hear about this little trick you've pulled!"
"Do as you please," the Black Wolf replied, unmoved. "Everything I do is for the sake of Grayle. I have done nothing of which I need be ashamed."
