‟It's nothing like I've ever seen before,” the elven doctor told Artria in her final check-up before being discharged.

The knight replied, ‟I don't know what to tell you, but I really do feel fine.” Her arm was in the doctor's hand, being examined as one would an interesting toy.

The doctor pointed to her new scar and said, ‟See this? It's an extrusion wound. Since there's no intrusion, it must be your bones having broken and pierced through. It's as if you healed yourself in a matter of... seconds, it must be.”

While she was interested in how The Watcher healed her arm, she was not that fascinated to the point where she was willing to become a lab rat for the doctors to poke and prod.

‟Is there anything else, doctor? I would like to get back to my duties.

The man seemingly snapped out of his engrossment. ‟Oh, no, that will be all. Do come back for an examination if anything feels out of place.”

She felt the man advised her more out of morbid medical curiosity than genuine care. As such, when she left the royal physician, she felt a weight off her shoulders and promised herself not the return without some other life threatening condition, just to not be examined like a curio again.

The moment she stepped out however, she was met with one of the queen's aides.

‟Lae Pendragon?” The aide asked. ‟The queen told me to inform you that she wants your presence at the Council Chamber after your discharge?”

‟What?” The queen rarely asked Art to participate in politics, even though Art knew Gwen really wanted her to. For her to go against Art's wishes must mean nothing but trouble. ‟Did she explain why?”

‟No, lae.” The aide bowed apologetically. ‟I only know they are discussing about your attack. You should go quickly though, as it sounds heated.”

Art gave her a raised brow of curiosity before thanking the aid for her service. The knight then hurried her way through the keep towards the Council Chamber on the ground floor. She was not sure if it was just her imagination but it felt like there were far less people greeting her in the hallways, and she arrived at her destination in record pace.

‟They're expecting you, knight-commander.” The guards there greeted her quickly before opening the large double doors for her.

She steeled herself as she would for battle before entering the large rotunda chamber.

A path cut through a circle of high white marble benches, where 50 council members from across the Consolidate sat. On the far side of the entrance, cutting straight into the benches, were two thrones. One was of black stone and the other of green jade - for the monarch and The Janus respectively - the latter of which sat empty while the former embraced Gwen. In the middle was a raised circle stage for speakers who were taking their turn. On the floor at the moment, the flamboyant velvet flair of a tall elven council member whose name Art could not place swept as he spoke.

His voice boomed in the specially designed echo chamber. ‟Coun Taliesin remains missing, the lizardkin is nowhere to be found, and our knight-commander was attacked out in the open streets while position of The Janus is still uncertain. And the queen is saying this is not a source of worry?”

The room erupted in a jeer of support and agreement.

Gwen waved the accusation away from her throne, her voice sharply cutting through the discourse. ‟Do not put words in my mouth, Coun Stiltskin. The situation is indeed a cause for worry, but nothing denotes that a foreign power is at play.”

The stenographer that sat next to the queen saw Art standing at the entrance. She cleared her throat, and the guard next to her caught her signal and announced Art's entrance when a lull in the speeches presented itself.

‟Knight-Commander of the Round, Artria Pendragon, entering.”

Every pair of eyes in the room turned to her.

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Art sucked in her breath and puffed out her chest, walking across the now silent room, her armoured boots clanking across the swirls of the marble floor. She circled the stage, Coun Stiltskin starring her down from his raised floor all the while until she reached her post beside the queen.

Softly, she whispered to Gwen, ‟You asked for me, my queen?” Though in the silence, her hushed tone must have still carried for the stenographer continued writing.

Gwen answered, though her tone was slightly raised over conversational volume for the chamber to hear. ‟What's happening is that the council members are worried of an attack and are itching to strike first against our enemies.”

‟Our enemies?” Art raised in question. ‟And who might that be? I was the one attacked, and even I am not certain if I can point a finger.”

‟Well...” Coun Stiltskin dragged on.

But when he was unable to continue, a random council member voiced, ‟It's the Aleynonlians!”

Immediately, Stiltskin jumped on. ‟That's right! Their three delegates disappeared after the attack. I bet they are working with that lizard friend of yours!”

‟Friend?” Her voice shook cold towards the coun. The man who had been starring her down for the last few minutes shrunk back instantly, unable to meet her gaze. ‟You do not seem to know a lot about me, Coun Stiltskin. It would be a stretch to consider me friends of lizardkins. But even I will not stand idly by for accusations without proof. Well? Do you have any evidence to present to the chamber before sending out soldiers to fight in a war with another country?”

The room went quiet, and the council member slunk further back until his face was but a shadow in the lamp lights.

The voice of a council member Art recognised as Coun Jadis sounded through. ‟But we cannot just sit idly by while these attacks are happening within our cities, our keeps themselves even. Something is clearly afoot!”

Stiltskin added, ‟I still propose a pre-emptive strike on Aleynonlia's border as a show of strength. Their country have amassed too much fighting power in the past few cycles. Soul Arms. Ex Machinas. We cannot let them run rampant any longer.”

‟Mind I remind you, Coun Stiltskin,” Coun Jadis interluded. ‟That the reason Aleynonlia have such power now is because we refused to fight with them in the Second War of Gods in order to defend our own borders. They were the ones who lead the counter-offensive that drove the gods away during the last invasion. An attack on them would not play well out on the world stage. I suggest a public accusation of espionage would better suffice as an opening salvo.”

Gwen finally added, ‟You're still speaking of an offensive against them by pinning the Aleynonlians with an attack by an enemy we do not know of.”

Another council member said, ‟We must show strength in these times! We cannot simply wait for an investigation!”

My fellow council member is right, Jadis added. ‟To wait is to reveal our weakness with the lost of our Janus. And Aleynonlia was the one who held The Janus captive when she died. Even if we are wrong about the accusation, they would make perfect scapegoats in the eyes of the people, and send the message that we are not to be trifled with, even in our current state.”

Art had not realized such machinations were happening behind her in the chambers of power. She looked to Gwen for leadership, only to find her queen leaned back in her throne, a finger on her temple in consideration. It seemed the act of balancing peace with display of strength was an actual issue to consider. Having spent her life on the battlefield, showing strength was never something Art had to debate, because simple demonstrations of real power would have put all doubts aside.

‟Give me time,” Art said aloud, unexpectedly. ‟Let me run an investigation into the recent attacks. If we are going to make an accusation, then let's do so with the power of knowledge behind it.”

Murmurs spread through the chamber in consideration at her proposal as members discussed with each other. Even Gwen's eyes looked out from her periphery at Art with an inscrutable question. After a few minutes of discussion, the idea built up within the the council members, and the leaders were moving along the benches, debating across the aisle.

Finally, after what seemed to be forever, a quiet fell over them and Coun Jadis came out of the benches and down onto the stage. She whispered the ruling into Coun Stiltskin's ear before returning to her seat.

The man nodded to his peers and turned to the queen, but also to Art. ‟Our state is in danger of an attack from unknown foes from within. You have three days, knight-commander.” He took a deep breath as if the dramatic flair was naturally built into him. ‟After which, we will send an official missive to the Aleynonlian embassy, with or without results. That is the official decision of The Council. Queen Gweneviere, as the knight-commader is under your branch of power, you will need to agree with this ruling. Else, us Council will overwrite the decision and send the missive without an investigation.”

Gwen let out a low groan, one that was practised often in the chamber to the point where only Art could hear. The stenographer did not move her quill an inch. It seemed Gwen was truly considering the compromise.

‟Very well. Knight-Commander Artria Pendragon, by order of the crown and The Council of the Consolidates, you will investigate the disappearance of Coun Taliesin, the lizardkin Lands Lord, the missing Aleynonlian delegates, and the attack on yourself. All available non-essential resources will be at your disposal. Council dismissed!”