will represent almost half of the new Council."
***
"They are not in their room," reported Tanya. "Their mounts are not in the stables either."
"It seems like every time we come to this city we lose some of the Children," frowned Jenneva. "I do not feel good about this."
"Arik and Tedi can take care of themselves," Alex responded. "If they are not in their room then there is a reason why. Still, the city is in a dangerous period right now. Did you check the Pawn Shop?"
"Yes," frowned Tanya. "Neither of them left a message."
"Well we should try to find them," stated Alex. "Tanya, you visit Fredrik. Perhaps they are trying to get him to return to our group. Jenneva, you speak with our friend from Grakus. There is a possibility that Arik was desirous of making contact, even if that is ill-conceived."
"Where are you going?" asked Jenneva.
"I will try the guild halls of the mercenaries," answered Alex. "They have many ears in this city and might be a good source of information."
***
"She is gone," reported Duke Jiardin. "There is a body in her sitting room and three packed bags at the base of the stairs. The body appears to be that of an assassin. There is also a throwing knife wedged in the wall. It would appear that the assassin failed, although I cannot tell you why."
"Perhaps it is for the better that she has fled," posed Duke Everich. "I do not trust Dalgar, and he was the one supporting her."
"Does he not also support Lord Wason?" quizzed Duke Jiardin.
"In a manner he does," agreed Duke Everich, "but not in the same way as Niki. He had me set Fredrik up with a mansion, but he has never bothered to contact our young lord since then. I think all of his plans were vested in Niki, and Fredrik was an afterthought. I have spoken with Fredrik and I think he will do what I say. There is nobody that I feel strongly about for the second position though. Most of the usual players all seek to best me in the Council."
"Your position is tenuous," posed Duke Jiardin. "The councilors that vaulted you into the head position have all expired during the Contest."
"It is only tenuous if any of the councilors band together," retorted Duke Everich. "So far we have managed to keep them sparing with each other. If they begin to join in alliances then we shall have to start eliminating them."
"Still you should seek to broaden your base," asserted Duke Jiardin.
"I agree," nodded Duke Everich. "Fredrik may be a start in that campaign, but I need something to bind him to me. Find out what matters to him. Find me something that I can use as leverage to make sure he follows my lead."
"He will not be easy to dispose of if he gets out of hand," reminded Duke Jiardin. "The Cidal Mercenaries guarding him are not likely to be bought off."
"That is why you need to find me leverage," retorted Duke Everich. "It is going to become harder to eliminate opponents with all of these mercenaries in town."
"Perhaps the Council should ban the use of mercenaries," suggested Duke Jiardin. "We have the army to protect us."
"That is not a bad idea," granted Duke Everich. "Tomorrow's meeting is not the time for it though. We must work on gaining the votes needed to assure its passage first. Besides, with the rate the mercenaries are charging, it might be good to wait a while until our opponents pockets are much lighter."
When that happens, you will have many votes for banning the mercenaries," nodded Duke Jiardin. "Everyone will want to be free of the financial burden of maintaining mercenaries, but nobody will want to give theirs up if the others get to keep theirs. You do seem to have a knack for lining up your objectives."
"That is why we will rise to greatness," grinned Duke Everich. "The time is fast approaching when I shall be crowned King of Tagaret."
"What of the three councilors that lowered their hands in the meeting?" questioned Duke Jiardin.
"Those three are fools," chuckled Duke Everich. "If they were gullible enough to fall for Niki's
***
"They are not in their room," reported Tanya. "Their mounts are not in the stables either."
"It seems like every time we come to this city we lose some of the Children," frowned Jenneva. "I do not feel good about this."
"Arik and Tedi can take care of themselves," Alex responded. "If they are not in their room then there is a reason why. Still, the city is in a dangerous period right now. Did you check the Pawn Shop?"
"Yes," frowned Tanya. "Neither of them left a message."
"Well we should try to find them," stated Alex. "Tanya, you visit Fredrik. Perhaps they are trying to get him to return to our group. Jenneva, you speak with our friend from Grakus. There is a possibility that Arik was desirous of making contact, even if that is ill-conceived."
"Where are you going?" asked Jenneva.
"I will try the guild halls of the mercenaries," answered Alex. "They have many ears in this city and might be a good source of information."
***
"She is gone," reported Duke Jiardin. "There is a body in her sitting room and three packed bags at the base of the stairs. The body appears to be that of an assassin. There is also a throwing knife wedged in the wall. It would appear that the assassin failed, although I cannot tell you why."
"Perhaps it is for the better that she has fled," posed Duke Everich. "I do not trust Dalgar, and he was the one supporting her."
"Does he not also support Lord Wason?" quizzed Duke Jiardin.
"In a manner he does," agreed Duke Everich, "but not in the same way as Niki. He had me set Fredrik up with a mansion, but he has never bothered to contact our young lord since then. I think all of his plans were vested in Niki, and Fredrik was an afterthought. I have spoken with Fredrik and I think he will do what I say. There is nobody that I feel strongly about for the second position though. Most of the usual players all seek to best me in the Council."
"Your position is tenuous," posed Duke Jiardin. "The councilors that vaulted you into the head position have all expired during the Contest."
"It is only tenuous if any of the councilors band together," retorted Duke Everich. "So far we have managed to keep them sparing with each other. If they begin to join in alliances then we shall have to start eliminating them."
"Still you should seek to broaden your base," asserted Duke Jiardin.
"I agree," nodded Duke Everich. "Fredrik may be a start in that campaign, but I need something to bind him to me. Find out what matters to him. Find me something that I can use as leverage to make sure he follows my lead."
"He will not be easy to dispose of if he gets out of hand," reminded Duke Jiardin. "The Cidal Mercenaries guarding him are not likely to be bought off."
"That is why you need to find me leverage," retorted Duke Everich. "It is going to become harder to eliminate opponents with all of these mercenaries in town."
"Perhaps the Council should ban the use of mercenaries," suggested Duke Jiardin. "We have the army to protect us."
"That is not a bad idea," granted Duke Everich. "Tomorrow's meeting is not the time for it though. We must work on gaining the votes needed to assure its passage first. Besides, with the rate the mercenaries are charging, it might be good to wait a while until our opponents pockets are much lighter."
When that happens, you will have many votes for banning the mercenaries," nodded Duke Jiardin. "Everyone will want to be free of the financial burden of maintaining mercenaries, but nobody will want to give theirs up if the others get to keep theirs. You do seem to have a knack for lining up your objectives."
"That is why we will rise to greatness," grinned Duke Everich. "The time is fast approaching when I shall be crowned King of Tagaret."
"What of the three councilors that lowered their hands in the meeting?" questioned Duke Jiardin.
"Those three are fools," chuckled Duke Everich. "If they were gullible enough to fall for Niki's
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