[h2][color=WhiteSmoke]Trefgodwig: Andronika Hasikos, Vassos, Vestele, Jacinta, Loan, Kreznik, Elandär and Osonia[/color][/h2]

Cowritten with [@Terrans], [@Badarby], [@Pangolin333] and [@Demencia]

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Unless she had a specific need to try to impress someone, there was always something a little bit scandalous about Andronika Hasikos.  On this occasion, she wasn't, and she had languidly draped herself across the armchair behind her desk, tapping a rolled up scroll of paper against her leg.  She was wearing a cream-coloured satin dress with a plunging square neckline.

The room smelt distinctly of pipe smoke.  Vassos was perched in the windowsill, his pipe clenched in his mouth.  Vestele and Jacinta were also there, just to Andronika's left, apparently gossiping about something, indistinctly whispering as they stood in the corner, heads close together.

First through the door was Loan Klodig, the liaison officer between the King of Carnelfenny and the court of the White Wyvern. As he walked in, he glanced at the people already in the room, nodding at Vassos and Andronika before taking his seat.  He was followed, with little fanfare by Kreznik.

Kreznik gave a hurried nod at the present White Court in the room before he took his seat and began to remove the contents of his satchel. Reports and dispatches to be reviewed while he awaited for Andronika to announce the agenda of this meeting.

Elandär entered next, a cautious nervousness about him. He glanced around the room, fiddling with the bowstring across his chest. He took his chair, voicelessly mumbling something to himself.

"Hello Andronika, lovely to see you today," Andronika declared with a slight smirk, shifting languidly in her chair, a twinkle of mirth in her eye.

“Hello Andronika.” Kreznik’s reply was perfunctory. Used to her corrections and prompting by now.


"Far be it from me to tell a lie." Osonia replied, wedged in the open window. She glanced down at Vassos sitting on the windowsill. "You're blocking my entrance." she commented even as she slipped in over him, landing with a silent impact.

"You know it's customary to use the door,"  Vestele remarked, wrinkling her nose in distaste at Osonia's choice of entrance.

"Speak for yourself." Osonia quipped. "I've been going in and out of windows longer than you've been alive." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Doors are predictable, risky. I don't like risks."

"Entirely possible," Vestele gave a shrug.  While it was often hard to tell amongst her people, Vestele was not all the old, "I suppose being raised in a barn is probably more common in the older generation."

Osonia's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Adorable." she observed dryly. "You know I had servants like you growing up. They were a lot more quiet though. You never realize how much you miss it until it's gone."

Andronika ignored the sparing between the two elga women, shifting again so she was sitting, properly, in her chair, "So, thank you all for coming here.  We have a developing situation that has forced our hand somewhat...  the town of Ebengrenzstadt, not far North of here, has declared for us.  Obviously, we are honour-bound to march to their defence, which means we will be crossing the border into the Empire.  Sir Loan, will you petition the King to join us?" she asked.

“I can try and petition His Majesty but I’m pretty certain that he want that marriage pact between you and his younger brother, Prince Edwin, to be made official before making major decision for your support, including marching royal forces past the imperial border,” Loan replied.

"Even without the pact," Vassos put in, "It's still in his best interest to weaken the Empire while the opportunity presents itself."

"Even with Carnelfenney with us, we are not in a position to fight both Imperial brothers," Andronika said, bringing the meeting back to topic, "so I have asked Vestele to act as an emissary to Orrian and would appreciate someone with some military expertise to escort her.  Any volunteers?"

There was silence.  It dragged on for a few moments before Andronika looked over to Vestele, "We'll get you a fitting escort for an Empress's Emissary," she assured, "Which brings me to my last point, Elandär, you want to find your friend and, as it happens I need to send an emissary to my sister.  If she and her people will pledge allegiance to us it will greatly favour our cause.  Would you be willing to escort Jacinta to act as an emissary to my sister?" Andronika asked, "Jacinta will help fulfil my promiss to you to find your friend."

“I- yes, I should be able to,” the young Elga said, ceasing to mess with his bowstring for a moment. “If it means getting my life back and helping the cause, then I will do it.”

"Good," Andronika motioned for Elandär and Jacinta to talk amongst themselves.

Jacinta moved across to him, lowering her voice, "I was planning to head South and take passage with a merchant to Inbur along with a small number of guards - no more than a dozen.  From there we head inland and try to make contact with Ariana.  I'll be relying on you, by virtue of your race, to gain us uninterrupted passage in areas controlled by the Empire.  When we move beyond their control we can unfurl the banner and move more openly."

“I will try, but I have rarely interacted with my race peaceably for almost… a decade now? I don’t know much about customs or any of that stuff…” he said, voice quiet as well. Sure, he’d spoken to other members of his race since then, but the vast majority of encounters were through hunters, slavers, and the like.

Kreznik took the news of the newest responsibility with weary acceptance. He was already mentally tallying who he could send to begin looking for the Imperial friendly elements when Andronika’s second statement caught up to him, “You’re sending an Elgan to meet with the Reds?” He sounded disturbed by the thought.  His network strained to reach that far but the rumors and messages that he received from there; even the milder tales were disconcerting.

"No, I'm sending Jacinta Tassou to negotiate with my sister," Andronika replied, "But I have also given my word to assist Elandär, which will mean him needing to travel near her territory.  But besides, he is an emissary of mine and my sister has been raised to understand the obligations of a noble host.  She is Hasikos after all.  I can't guarantee there won't be danger but I can say I imagine my sister would think twice before doing anything to someone under my banner." 

"Wonder what kind of friend he has that makes searching for him that important in a middle of a war," Loan muttered under his breath. It better be someone with money or power, something this group will need especially if the King withdraws his support, "You may trust your sister but what about her bannermen?" he asked. "Rumors have it that they're a rowdy and vicious bunch that provide no quarters or mercy to his kind. Can she stop them?"

"Elandär does not have to go if he does not wish to," Andronika raised an eyebrow, "Like I said, I can't guarantee there won't be danger.  This is a favour for a friend, not a strategic move in a greater game - Jacinta will be making the strategic move.  If he would rather do this later, that is fine."  She looked across to Elandär, checking to see what he wanted to do.

Elandär looked over to Andronika as she mentioned his name. “Yes, I would like to go. My friend needs my help, and this is my chance to. I don’t know when I’ll get my next,” he says, nodding carefully.

“Best of luck then….. But while you’re there perhaps you could take care of something for me?” Kreznik looked rather sheepish as he shuffled a few papers around. “I sent a Hound to your sister back before the siege. Quintus. Just after our discussion of priorities."  A slight burning of his ears that the assassin suppressed as he pressed on, “I haven’t heard back from him at all. None of my agents or other Hounds have found traces of him either. If you could just ask Andronika’s sister if he made it there at least…… So we can at least know where to search for him.”

Elandär’s brows furrowed as Kreznik requested a favor. His look was one of concern as he nodded cautiously. “I am sure we can ask while we are there. I may not remember it, but I will certainly try,” he said, giving friendly smile. He wasn’t sure if he’d even remember the name Quintus once he arrived at his destination, especially if his other task was so pressing in his mind.

"I'll remember," Jacinta added forcefully, raising an eyebrow at Elandär, "And I'll get your answer."

"Thank you." Kreznik bowed his head briefly to show his thanks. To Jacinta that was. He wasn't sure what to make of an Elgan with memory problems or why he still hung around the group; but the assassin couldn't exactly throw stones given his history.