By early that evening, the party had gathered back around a table in the private dining room discussing the day’s events. Regina and Mira managed to explore a fair bit of the city and learned quite a bit in the process. The gods had placed them in Onakadi, which was the capital city for the elven kingdom of Avallon. The east side of the city ended in a massive lake the likes of which they’d never seen on Earth. The city was walled and guarded on the remaining sides. They also let them know that their inn seemed to be in an average part of town and really built to blend in with their surroundings. Even the name, “The Forgotten Mask Inn” fit with the Cherry Blossom Theater that shared the street.

Ramiro and Eric shared what they’d learned about their thieving crew and what the crew told them about the city. Onakadi was about a mile and a half from the western wall to the eastern lake and just over two miles from north to south. The city was ruled over by an elected council of five elders and the kingdom was ruled by King Hung Daot and his queen, Hung Jin as well as an elected parliament with representatives from across the kingdom. The royal palace is here as well.

“The royal palace?” asked Mira, “I wanna go see it!”

“Yeah, if you want to see it I’ll take you to see it,” Romiro replied as if that was the last thing he wanted to do.

“Alexis, what did you do today?” Regina asked. “We hear there was a fight? What was that about.”

“They were all trying to figure out what they were going to do with their lives, and a fight broke out. I settled them down and got them talking about what skills they have and what things they were interested in and helped them brainstorm various options. I learned that most are not literate nor do they know how to budget. So even if we helped them get jobs they wouldn’t know how to save for food and rent. I went over the basics of all of it with them. Then I went out and tried to find a library to get some books to try and teach them to read. I found a few bookstores, but this city has no public libraries, unfortunately.”

“Do they need to read?” Eric asked. When everyone just stared at him in response he continued, “I’m not trying to be mean, but I don’t think reading is all that important here. If a blacksmith can make a sword, why does he need to read? Most of the trade skills likely won’t find reading all that important.”

“He has a point,” Mira said.

“He does,” admitted Alexis. “And most people don’t find reading important, I learned. But since my patron is the Goddess of Literacy, I feel it’s important I try to help encourage them where I can.”

“Makes sense. Do whatever you feel is needed to help these folks get back on their feet,” Regina said. “We’ve got your back.”

Over the next hour, the party continued to discuss various courses of action for moving forward. Regina and Eric planned to spend the next day inspecting the other properties they now owned within the city. Mira and Alexis say they were going to start teaching basic life skills to the recently freed.

Before Ramiro can share his plans, there was a knock at the door, and Mia poked her head in, her eyes wide with fear. “Uhh, there are guards here. Royal guards. They are umm… asking for whoever is in charge.”

A look of solemnity is passed amongst the party. They would face this together. As one, they rose and walked back into the common room. Waiting for them was the best-dressed elf they’ve seen so far. Thankfully he didn’t appear to be armed. He didn’t need to be, behind him stood two guards in elaborate uniforms. Regina took the lead and approached the well dressed man, “We were told you were looking for us?”

The man makes a slight bow of his head, “Indeed.” He said quietly before continuing in a voice loud enough for all to hear. “I bring a summons from King Hung Daot, Heart of the People, First Apostle of Beauty Herself, and Watcher of the Vail. Those who were sent by the gods are to appear before the throne with the utmost haste that decorum will allow.”

When the man finished speaking the room fell silent as everyone looked to one another. Finally, Ramiro spoke up, “Well, Mira said she wanted to see the royal palace.”

In a more normal, but still dignified tone of voice, the man continued, “My name is Ailmon Kelwynn. I would appreciate it if you would accompany me to the palace. I have a carriage outside waiting.”

“And you have more guards outside waiting in case we say no. Right?” Ramiro asked.

“Yes. A full platoon.”

Alexis raised her hand and when Ailmon looked in her direction she asked, “How many are in a platoon?”

“Forty guards, four guard sergeants, and one guard captain.” Ailmon answered before looking to the group as a whole and motioning for the door, “Shall we?”

“Let’s get this over with,” Regina said as she headed for the door, with the rest following.

Mira stopped at the door and turned back to those in the room, “We’ll be back as soon as we can. Stay here and stay safe.”

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As the group followed Ailmon to the carriage, Eric noticed that the guards weren’t just waiting outside. They were positioned around the building to block exits and there are spotters on the roofs of nearby buildings. Once in the carriage, everyone sat quietly, if somewhat awkwardly.

After a bit, Regina reached into her pocket and touched the two sending stones. While looking out the window of the carriage she mentally activated both stones and told Liam and Arden the situation and promised to contact them the next morning with an update. Regina then settled back and tried to relax a bit knowing that if nothing else, the calvary knows where she’s at. Even if they are months away.

About fifteen minutes after leaving the inn, the carriage entered the palace grounds and the party got their first look at the royal palace.

“Well, it’s certainly big,” Ramiro said

“Yeah… I was expecting something… more,” added Eric

“It’s very elegant, I think,” Mira said.

Mira and Alexis started to ask questioned about the palace and grounds. Ailmon, to his credit, answered as politely as he could. Regina jumped in with a question of her own, hoping to catch the man off guard. “Why does the king wish to see us?”

Ailmon smiled as if he knew what she was trying to accomplish and just said, “That’s for his royal highness to share,” and then he went right back to answering everyone else’s questions.

It wasn’t long until the party was escorted from the carriage through the palace and into what could only be the throne room. Sitting at the front of the room was, presumably the king and queen. To the side and behind the king stood a man wearing what appeared to be wizard's robe of deep green. On the queen’s side stood a woman in a similar robe of pure black with pinpoints of light, as if they were stars in the night sky. Both individuals had their cowls pulled forward so their faces could not be seen.

Ailmon escorted the group into the room, stopped about twenty feet from the throne, and bowed. The party looked at one another, not knowing if they should bow or not. Alexis, Mira, and Eric all tried to mimic Ailmon’s bow.

“Rise and report,” the king said, in a strong, firm voice

“I’ve brought those whom you called for, your majesty.” Ailmon said as he motioned to the party.

“Thank you, Ailmon, you may leave us now.” Once Ailmon left the room the king continued, “Word has reached my ears that you all have committed murder in my realm, in my capital city.”

The party looked at one another, and Regina finally spoke, “Is it murder to kill in the defense of oneself and family? If so, then yes.”

“Self-defense was your only reason?” the queen asked in a light but curious tone.

Regina opened her mouth to state that it was but the words won’t come. She tried again, still, no sound comes from her. She realized she was unable to take a breath either. She looked around and notices a satisfied smirk on the face of the king.

“This room is warded against lies. You’ll not be able to breathe, much less speak, until you decide to be truthful.” The king said.

Thinking quickly Alexis said, “We were bound and captured by those who would enslave or kill us. We killed them to prevent that from happening.”

“Very well done, my dear. A truthful statement that doesn’t answer the question asked.” said the queen. “Nice use of misdirection.”

Frustrated, Regina was finally able to take a breath once she decided to say a true statement and growled, “They broke their oaths. As a paladin of Calore, I was obligated to pass judgment.”

“It is as we were told.” The queen said to her husband.

The king nodded his head, “People break oaths daily. Will you go around killing all of my subjects?”

“I do not know. Those who we killed were criminals who were capturing people and selling them to others to be sacrificed. What they did was an abomination.”

“I see. So you mean to do the same to the rest of their organization?”

“Yes,” Ramiro said, glancing to Regina, who was nodding, “Someone has to since you’re not doing anything about it evidently.”

The king, unused to anyone speaking to him in such a way stopped and glared at Ramiro. “You would speak this way to me in my own throne room?”

“You’re angry, but you’re not denying it,” replied Ramiro in an even tone.

“Almost makes us wonder if you were involved too," Regina said before adding a belated, "Your majesty."

Angered, the king jumped to his feet, “How dare you! I have never approved of nor taken part in any sort of sacrificing or enslaving!” Breathing heavily, the king on his dais loomed ominously over the party, which he quickly noticed didn’t appear to faze most of them.

Regina gave the king a moment to catch his breath. As he sat, she asked, “Your majesty, could you do me a favor and tell me your wizard’s robe is pink.”

“What? First, you accuse me of being a cultist, and now you make ridiculous requests! Will you ask me to juggle balls for you next? I am not here to entertain you!” The king fired back. The queen’s eyes lit up as she realized what just happened. She stood, and stated, “King Daot nor myself have ever participated in, profited, or encouraged the crimes of trafficking, slavery, or sacrifice in our kingdom. And Royal Mage Tiarsus Heijeon is wearing a…” The queen's voice cut off as she visibly struggled to breathe. She fell back onto her throne and finally took a few deep breaths before looking back at the group. “Is that proof enough that the same ward holds us as you?”

“Yes, your majesty,” Alexis said meekly

The king continued to glare at the party, but there was also some cool calculation in his eyes. “Very well done. Anger me to find out what you needed to know. I suppose I can’t hold it against you since I treated this as an interrogation from the start,” the king said. “Is it safe to assume that had I been involved, you would have tried to kill me as well?” Seeing Regina and Ramiro both nod, he chuckled, “Then I think we’ve done enough sizing one another up. The gods have spoken true and it’s time to figure out how the crown can best help you all do what you’ve come to do.” Looking to his left past his queen he added, “Would the Royal Seer like to take it from here?”

Without a word, the woman in the black wizard's robe walked down the steps and toward the party. Stopping five feet away, she flipped her hood back and looked straight at Regina with a smile, “Hi, mom!”