The king sighed, and his attention immediately shifted back to Jazdia, who had moved aside when he answered the soldier's question. 

"She had a point there." Said Jazdia, gesturing at the sealed document. "May I?"

The king gestured his permission. "Go ahead." 

[i]"Thank you."[/i] Anyway, your shieldbearer has a point there. Time is our most precious commodity right now, and adding the subjugation of your duke into our schedule would make it more constraining."

"This is indeed a difficult decision," said Fredricus calmly, yet the words sounded bitter. "Putting aside the importance of removing Stritzel and her ilks away from my land, Cedar is not just a druid or talking bear anymore. I have awarded him lands near Great Misty, and that makes him a Kindeance noble." 

"That sounded like a made-up excuse." 

The king did not appreciate her bluntness.

"Your failure to acknowledge the gravity of this matter surprises me. I thought you were a person who would not abandon a friend. Very well! Think that however you like. But the political risk of abandoning a loyal subject to face torture and unusual death will be felt in the long term. Besides, my son seemed to have taken a liking  to Cedar. Wouldn't it be in your best interest to gain more favor from Kindeance's future king?"

Jazdia could only rub her forehead.

"There you go again using my conscience against me. Shame on you. How long before your next plenary meetings? 

"Four days." 

"We have eighteen days then. Perhaps we can pull that off. But the delay will be inevitable." 

"I'll leave that to your judgment," he said, pausing to look at the rest of the group. It seemed none of them had any more questions. "My uncle will be with you in this mission." 

"Thernous? I don't mind." 

"He will be a great help," Fredricus assured. Though Jazdia could clearly sense that it was just another way of saying 'he will be my eyes and ears.'