Lady Ussi sat back across the lunch table from Uhssu, "Sso what iss the mood of my people then?"

Uhssu shrugs, playing with a fork, "Dissheartened, but not disscontent. The Branded are the loudest, of coursse, flush with power from our distant Overlordss. You know thiss as well ass I, sso why do you assk?"

Lady Ussi flicked her tongue, tasting the air, "becausse it may be time to rid oursselvess of them. The Overlordss demanded the Trebor sstrike, and it has cosst us too dearly. Their war would cosst us even more dearly, and they would gain from our bleeding, not uss."

Uhssu flinched back, "My Lady, mother, be careful how you sspeak. The Branded..."

"Were sstrongest in our sshadowbladess, and we have only five left, none of them Branded. Of the remaining Branded, I know who their top agent iss, and sso doess Utsszi."

Ohssu's claws dug into the table as he drops all pretense, "Do you not obey our Overlords then?"

Lady Ussi looked her son in the eyes, "my obedience to them extendss exactly ass far ass the reach of the Branded. With no sshadowbladess, Ariss Cretu himself in ressidence as the Lord of Trebor, Queen Sshallahai alive on the throne with good reasson to be disspleassed with uss, and the Overlordss so far away? We are on our own, and I will not ssee my people bled dry for no benefit to them."

Uhssu's claws flexed deeper into the table, "then you know what my responsse must be to that sstatement."

Lady Ussi didn't look away, "I know, Branded One. Out of love for you, I give you one chance to walk away. Utsszi is waiting on the other sside of the door. Go with him, and he will ssee you ssafely away."

Uhssu pulled his claws free of the tabletop. "To my regret, I cannot do that. You sshould have simply had me sslain in my ssleep is you wisshed to sspare me pain."

Lady Ussi sighed, "Branded One, in this war, there will be no bysstanderss once the fighting beginss. There will be only the ssurvivorss and the dead."

Uhssu looked down at his claws, "I know thiss. I am willing to die for my cause. Are you?"

Lady Ussi reached out one hand and cupped Uhssu's chin, raising his face to look into his eyes, "Branded One, in order to break the chainss, one must ssacrifice everything. That iss ssomething your Overlordss will never undersstand. Farewell, he who wass my sson."

The thwump of Utsszi's crossbow was almost silent.

Uhssu's eyes had time to shed a single tear of understanding before the life left them.

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Aris Cretu stared at the two envelopes on his official desk. One bore the seal of Queen Shallahai, an official message from the Queen to one of her Lords. The other bore a seal he had never seen before: a serpent eating its tail. Curiosity warred with Duty and lost. The royal messenger was waiting for a response, and the evening tide would wait on no man or elf. Aris opened the letter:

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

There was only one proper answer to this, so Aris set to writing out his acceptance. when it was complete, he sealed it and placed it in the message bag. "Noxxy, can you deliver this to the messenger for me? He needs to depart with the tide, but I'm going to be tied up in paperwork for a while."

"Mrowl." Sure, what does he look like?

Aris sent a mental image of the messenger across their link.

Nox Oncana picked up the message bag in his teeth and bounded out the open window. You owe me a treat for this, you know.

Obviously! I'll see about catching a fresh fish for you tomorrow.

With that task done, and a new chore for tomorrow, Aris opened the second letter. As he unfolded it, a small golden scale slipped free onto the table. He picked it up and held it to the light, studying the milk-white highlights. It held no answers, so he turned to the mysterious letter.

Aris Cretu,

I have not met you, but we share a common interest, and now a common foe. I expect, and applaud, your caution, so I propose to meet you at a neutral meeting place of your choosing seven days hence. Have your reply left where this letter was found, and my agents will deliver it to me.

Lady Ussi.

Airs Leaned back and exhaled softly. Again, there was only one proper response to this overture of peace. The question was where to host both the Conference and this clandestine meeting. And again, there could only be one answer as both Queen Shallahai and Lady Ussi had requested neutral ground and privacy: The Convent. It was currently being rebuilt, but it was still neutral ground. It was far enough away from Ikin to be secluded, and the workers could be given time off in order to keep them out from underfoot. He only hoped that the meeting would end peacefully.

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Status Report:

Treasury: 10000 (after a year of living frugally)

Income: +5 gold per day (semi-retired Agent of Althiem)

Equipment: In good condition.

Estates:

* Ikin: Village, Fishing Docks

* Trebor Convent: Under Construction

* Four Empty Holdings (may be improved later)

The Ring: obsidian band with one carbuncle gem and two empty settings

Total Deaths:1