Edited by: Flubbykin

Erick - head of family Red Feathers was walking proudly toward the gathering hall. The King called an urgent meeting regarding the Kingdom's safety. All the Grand Houses Head's were supposed to be present, as well as Senate's emissary. On the one hand, safety meetings weren't his concerns - Red Feathers were mostly responsible for finances and dealing with merchants. Everything that was related to army and safety was the duty of the Blackwoods.

Still, if the meeting was meant to host all heads of the houses it either meant that the situation was dire, or old Blackwood fucked up badly. In the case of the first scenario - he couldn't just not-show-up, simply because allowing all these inferior houses to decide without Red Feathers could be viewed as weakness and two - those little bastards had to be put back in the line every now and then.

If Blackwood was to blame though... he couldn't let the opportunity to mock the bloody commoner just walk past him! Blackwoods! Tfu!

Youngest of family, barely two generations old! Their current head was a mere sergeant that merely shone on the battlefield, who kept ranking up during the last war (or merely havoc, because calling that little uproar a war was a huge exaggeration!) and ended in Arthur's favor! Every idiot can swing his sword! Every moron can tell his soldiers how they should move during a battle! Foolish Blackwood wouldn't last a minute surrounded by merchants! They would convince him to transfer his wealth to the merchant guild in a minute!

Speaking of the devil - Blackwood was standing in front of the wide doors leading to the gathering room. He always looked focused and proud, but this time his expression was dark and almost empty.

Ha! So, in the end, he did fuck up! It was worth traveling here then! Just for this little moment!

- "My-my, not walking in, Blackwood? I can already hear that the rest of the gathering already started meeting. Or maybe you were just politely waiting for me?"

Man slowly turned his head and looked at him.

A new emotion appeared on his face - contempt. And pity.

Erick boiled from the inside. That pathetic commoner, son of a whore and gods only knew who dares to look down on him? ON HIM!?

- "I was indeed waiting for you, Erick. Go in."

- "Don't you dare to order me around or..." Erick raised his voice but was quickly silenced by Head of the Army that lay his hand on his sword.

- "Go on in, or I will give you a little push. With the edge of my blade." his tone was cold.

Did that commoner completely lose his sanity!? Such act... if he would report to the king that Blackwood really threatened him with a weapon... HA!

- "There is no way I would let the king wait, foolish barbarian! Keep that blade by your belt, or..."

- "Or what, Erick?..." It was the king calling from behind the door "...I asked our dear friend to wait for you, now, if the two of you would do us a favor and join us..."

- "As you wish, my liege..." Red Feather quickly eased his tone before entering the room.

Rest of the lords were already there, standing- not sitting- around a huge round table. Magician - the chairman of the Senate was standing right behind the king. When he entered the room, everyone became quiet.

Good. Good! That's how they all should act when the greatest of the houses enters the field! Silence and awe! Silence and a... wait, something is wrong.

They were looking at him the same way a vulture looks at a dying antelope, already sharing between themselves carcass of still breathing animal.

- "Come on, Erick, join us. Do you wish anything? Finest whiskey of the Walker company? Or maybe red wine from Elvish land?..."

No, everything is fine. Maybe all these negotiations with Rosewood family got him stressed to the point that makes him see a conspiracy behind every corner.

- "Or a dose of moon dust? Refined and imported. I believe we have the brand you are especially fond of!"

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His stomach jumped up all the way to his throat. Did he mishear? No. No-no-no.

- "What's wrong, Erick, you look pale..." one of the other lords asked calmly.

- "Maybe the effect of withdrawal is already kicking in..." another one mocked him.

Think, Erick, think. They wouldn't bring this up if they didn't have strong evidence. Drugs are illegal in Neira, but if he would play it well...

- "So my little weakness has finally seen the daylight?..." he said calmly not slowing down while approaching the table. He pulled one of the chairs and sat in front of the king "...unfortunately, it is as you say. Red Feathers family is burdened with the greatest responsibilities among other great houses. Because of that, I do have problems with my heart. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, still, I didn't want to be a burden to my liege nor to leave my duties to my... INCOMPETENT brothers in servitude. A small dose every three days lets this old bastard Erick keep fulfilling his duty."

Eat this, bastards!

Red Feather was extremely proud of himself.

- "Problems with sleeping? Indeed. I would also have trouble even closing my eyes after what you were, and are still doing, to all those slaves."

His heart skipped a beat. No, he can't go back now. Easy strategy. Truth-lie-truth. By saying correct and false statement one after another their conversation partners would have problem distinguish when the would lie.

- "Slaves? Doing what, mind enlightening me? I indeed keep buying slaves, later I would make them work off the amount of money I bought them for before setting them free with a job and a place to live. To be honest, that's hardly a reason to be troubled while sleeping..."

- "Ah, and all these torturing tools are most likely hoes you use to attend your fields?" This time Blackwood raised his voice.

How much did they know?

Erick started sweating a little.

- "Erick. High Patron of Red Feather's Grand House!..." The powerful shout of Arthur the Grey, called wise, echoed across the room "... I believe you have the wrong idea of the reason we have gathered today. Let me enlighten you - we have gathered today to carry on a trail. Your trail. You are accused of dozens of crimes: not only of a mass slaughter of slaves, not only hiring bandits and making them attack villages that were supposed to be under your protection, but also the treason, betrayal, and conspiracy with the Holy Kingdom... Erick..."

The name that Arthur said at the end was almost a whisper, full of sorrow and disappointment.

- "Erick... Please, better tell us all you know. And who knows, maybe we will not be forced to behead you and banish your family."

The light vanished from the eyes of the patriarch of the greatest of the Grand Houses. He knew when the game was over.

He opened his mouth trying to cooperate.

All he was doing was for the sake of his family and country. The Holy Kingdom would attack either way and, seeing the difference in the strength of both civilizations Red Feathers made the only logical decision from their point of view.

Oh, Erick was a sadist, that's one thing he couldn't deny. Just watching bodies of slaves twisting in pain was driving him onto the higher plane of existence...

... rest, was a cold calculation. Reduction of casualties. The faster Holy Kingdom would win, the quicker the would be war, the less damage to the city and contacts with merchants. Who knows, maybe they - Red Feathers would be made into governors of Land of Neira...

But now - he could only ask for lowest possible sentence - that would be his getting imprisoned for life and his house slightly losing its position. Then, once the Holy Kingdom would take the capital - he would be freed and treated as a hero.

Yes. Let's cooperate for now.

But, through the opened mouth of Erick, no sound followed. Instead, he choked. And again. And again. He started coughing desperately fighting for air. He fell to his knees his vision started turning black. Rest of the lords quickly jumped to him checking what happened, archmage-chairman yelled - telling the rest of the gathered to make way as he started chanting some healing magic.

Yet, mages eyes widened, as he couldn't heal the sickness - or, speaking bluntly, he didn't find it. From a physiological point of view, there was nothing wrong with a clearly dying man.

Erick Red Feather died there, with mouth and tongue black from lack of oxygen, with eyes popped out in shock.

From his mouth, a small dose of dark mana crawled out. The sophisticated spell was left detected by nobody, not even the archmage, leaving no trace of noble's cause of death.

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At the same time, Daralon smiled to himself after throwing a hood over his head. Second ago he was standing resting his back on the King's palace eating an apple. But once a tiny bug-like creature made of dark mana landed on his shoulder, he threw half-eaten apple aside and started heading out.

- "Sorry, Erick, but the wheel of fate must keep turning... Who the fuck am I kidding? I am not sorry at all! You deserve that, fucking prick. Gotta contact Luxiverus, I did my job, I deserve a cookie. Right, Beelzebub?" He addressed the existence on his shoulder.

- "DON'T ADDRESS ME SO CASUAL! FILTHY MORTAL! ONCE YOUR CONTROL OVER ME GROWS THIN, I WILL EAT YOUR EYES AND SHIT INTO YOUR EMPTY EYE-SOCKETS!"

Though it's scream echoed across the city like a bell, nobody appeared to hear it.

- "Stop it, you are giving me an erection!"

- "I WILL FEAST ON YOUR MARROW!"

- "I bet you are telling that every evil magician that bends you to his will."

- "YOUR ARROGANCE WILL BE YOUR UNDOING!"

- "Shh, bell, shh, unless you want me to find you some vessel just so we could have sexual intercourse..."

- "..."

- "Aw. Thought you would actually give me an excuse. If no - then no! Suit yourself! Hmph!"

Dark mage vanished in the darkness of the night.