XIX. At his arrival at Ceor, a month after his duties in Culgarost, Elreck expected a triumphal return, as he commanded her wife in many letters, yet he was welcomed by a gloomy gentry and only a guarded canopy at the forum for him to give a few words. Hidding his disappointment, he gave a speech to the people of Ceor about the riches he'd make for his kingdom, for he had struck a pact with the King and Neldor. Out of respect, the people responded with stillness yet no hoorey or hail was heard afterwards. Famously the prince-elector reprehended his wife before his court for not meeting hi expectations; one of many apprehensions tolerated by Aveline. Later on he would be informed by his council could severely damage the already hurt finances of Harador, Elder Corgann noted on how the lord of Harador hushed his advisors by childishly excusing his expenses by the deal he had pacted with the king. In Ceor nobody about such a deal, though in Culgarost was well known; originally drafted by the banker of nations and representatives of the Order of Neldor , Medrios promised the people of Culgarost an economical feat to boost the government coffers; a trading route across the east of the continent, strinding from Brethilthaur*(1) collecting goods and wears from all the way across the Realm of Men, to then be met ashore with the markets of Mithaur*(2) and Hardlond*(3), to then be shipped away through the isles and Hazag shores and through the Gambot seas to the havens of Gandor*(4) and the rest of Neldor's nations.

For this gold-making machine to work the Southern Kingdom had to remain loyal to the crown for to it belonged the two main passes to both Mithaur and Hardlond. Lord Guelmo had convinced the rogue lord of Ceor with the fancies of grandeur and wealth and he bought it all off, eager to announce the plan to his court. In haste of bribing back the respect of his vassal lords, prince-elector Elreack gathered all the riches of his capital to fond the most ostentatious feast his city of Ceor had ever seen, three days later Harador's coffers would be emptied.

During the Welcoming Feast, however, the fog of gloom, fate had conjured, was lifted from the city; every street was crowded, brothels and taverns glowed with lust and quaffing, and in the temples and mansions all powerful, holy and secular, drank in the name of Elreck. In the Principal Palace, the biggest party was assembled and light and colour went on undimmed, even the counselors and elders made themselves merry with vine and pleasure, yet the face of Elbracht was grim, he understood well, the repercussion of his father's actions.

On the last day of the festivity, Elbracht shouted to his father's canopy, yelling at his empty chair of the disgrace he had brought upon their name, little did he know Elreck listened it all by some corner lustful and drunk, he approached the canopy until he met his son's eyes. The prince-elector silenced his son and stole his cup of wine from his hand; "if you don't toast my triumphs, then I'll drink you wine for you", said he, after which he immediatly began to cough, then he gagged and retched. Elreck fell on his back and pointed at his son amid his agony and the palace guards seized him. Witnessing the event, lady Aveline ran to his son and not her ailing lord husband, for this she was also seized. From among the spectators, Elreck's councilmen began to raise suspicions.

XX. Two days after the feast, prince-elector Elreck choked to death by his own cough, dying with no greater legacy than that of a rogue lord. Normally Elbracht would have immediately succeeded his father, yet since he was marked as 'possibly complicit' in his father's death, any of his brothers could have been named heir, howbeit all vassal-lords and courtmen had pledged allegiance to him in the war, thence Ealdorman Corgann was named 'Bearer' of the kingdom of Harador and provisional ruler of Ceor by the council, later confirmed by King Medrios II. Corgann was an ambitious man and politically cunning too; firstly he detained Lady Avelinein her quarters, subsequently accompanied by her son and then kept under watch his three brothers; Carédock the younger, Memlafar and Tulfric, never allowing them to leave the principal residence, and holding them out of public eyes, lastly he amassed enough influence to command the remaining active armies of Harador.

On the 26th of the first month (1716), courtiers, members of the council and other distinguished gentries met in the major auditorium eager to welcome the King's justice and the jurors dispatched from Culgarost a week prior for the trials of Elbracht. Since the late lord Elreck had repeatedly blamed his son for his tragedy in his last days, but no clear evidences were found to back that claim, the trial had to be presided by the king's chancellor and a jury of nine, who were appointed by both the king and the lord of the house. Among the crowd was the old sir Kenn Brund, the castle's cofferer, sir Maryus Gurren, captain of the palace guard, and the hazagodian tutor Asadue, whose testimony has served me to document this gathering. It seemed to the Hazagodian that the crowd was a spectrum of personalities, many of them chattered and whispered to one another, as if plotting a conspiracy, to his ears, the words 'Corgann' and 'Neldor' and 'the King' were most frequently repeated.

Another group had formed of officers of the armies conversing of the civil war and of Elreck's dying wishes and legacy but also of Elbracht and of the lady Aveline. General Caradon was among them and seemed conflicted as to the condition of his loyalty, he spoke in a low tone to his comrades sir Filincos of Durma, an honoured officer of his battalions, and a certain sir Bereyus of Cigoria. As to the nature of their talk, it seemed to Asadue, their main question concerned the matter of the succession. This topic was also in the mouths of the other groups yet their discourse involved doubts about house Clasthaur and the position adopted by Elder Corgann upon the death of lord Elreck.

Those exchanges went on for a while until from the other end of the hall came the Ealdorman bearing news of the convoy, which was due to arrive by that day, Sir Malacon Dellow, commander of the city watch was with him, and behind him followed his brother sir Jogicus, who had been named Earl-Marshal of Harador in the eve of Elreck's death. General Caradon did not take it very well, to see the Ealdorman among such company. Swiftly, the noblemen and courtiers flanked Corgann with questions and demands.

-"my lords and sirs" said Corgann, "We all know what for, we are met here today, but I am afraid to inform you that words have come from Ronnos, the King's justice is delayed due to bad weather in the north. Winter seems to have toughened the roads and journeys."

-"What about the trials?" asked sir Kenn, "it is of the utmost importance that justice is delivered, the quicker the better."

-"I agree" said sir Maryus, "but far more vital even than that, is the question that is in everyone's mind. Elder Corgann, the council named you Bearer of the Principality following lord Elreck's death. But in whose name do you rule? Your position is to be sustained by the sovereignty of the Clasthaur. Since there is no current 'Lord of Ceor', by whose authority have you been enabled to lead us?"

-"By the authority of his grace, King Medrios" said Corgann, "Along with the news of the convoy's delay, I have also been given provisionary powers to oversee the affairs of the land until the matter of the succession is settled"

-"That is yet another one of our worries" said sir Filincos, "the succession was clear before the Lord's passing, his firstborn son is to ascend to his throne, as lord of Ceor."

-"That will not happen" said sir Malacon, "not until the King's justice has arrived and the case has been examined. We all were there that night, when lord Elreck drank from his son's wine, gagged and choked to death. For all we know his blood might be in Elbracht's hands"

-"that is absurd" said sir Filincos, "the man was the lord's son. He could not have brought about his end. Besides, it was lord Elreck himself who stole his son's wine and drank from it, if there truly was poison in that cup, it was not meant for him, but for the lord Elbracht!"

-"The matter is too complex to examine here and now" said Corgann, "'tis why, we shall await the King's justice, in that time evidence must be gathered. Since the young lord Elbracht is involved in the crime, the lordship shall provisionally be placed in late lord Elreck's second-born son. Sir Carédock is hereby named Heir-Apparent until Lord Elbracht's name is either cleaned or declared guilty."

-"I will not stand this to befall the family of our dear late lord" said general Caradon, his brow was frowned and fingers clenched into fists "shall you turn brother against brother, and divide the house of this kingdom, Elder Corgann?" the Ealdorman seemed put off by the words of the general, for he recognised no other man in that chamber knew Elreck's mind and heart better than Caradon. "If we let time pass by doubts will be seeded, and counties will be turned against each other, under lord Tomfrey's absence almost twenty year ago the lords of Casioryn and Theryn rebelled against Ceor and savaged towns and villages to the east. The longer we remain without a lord, the harder will it be to keep the peace in the Southern Kingdom. I say we inspect the matter here and now, and let the trials commence. Moreover, we have all the testimonies we need, all the evidence we can find lies in the eyes and tongues of those who were present."

Many courtiers shared among themselves looks of approval and others gazed at the Ealdorman with uncertainty and frowned brows. So the Ealdorman then spoke,

-"if we do as you suggest, general, on whose authority shall we impart judgement? The magistrates of Harador exercise their powers in the name of the lord of Ceor, and the lord of Ceor bestows these powers unto the magistrates in the name of the King. As things stand, we find ourselves without a lord of Ceor, and none of the existing candidates can take the office as of now. The only way to solve this matter is if we await the King's justice as I have said. This is not a battlefield, general. There are no enemies here, only peoples concerned for what is happen to this kingdom. We work with one another to find a common truth, not against one another to spread lies"

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-"Well then explain to us, Ealdorman" said Caradon "Who shall decide on the verdict?"

-"The court of chancery shall be presided by lord Gens Woodmot, so I've been informed" said Corgann, "and along with him nine jurors shall come with him from Culgarost. The king has chosen five of them, some of which shall be representatives of the White Tower, and the other four are to be convened by the council."

-"It does not surprise me that the Order of Neldor, wants to creep into our affairs as it has done for millennia" said the general, "But if four jurors are to be elected. I put forward my own name to be considered for a seat in the jury."

-"Certainly that must be agreed by the council" said sir Kenn, "but I don't doubt you shall find it adequate, Elder Corgann" said the cofferer turning to the latter.

-"Ay!" said sir Bereyus, "I vouch for him to be considered"

-"sadly," said Corgann, "these matters are not fit for an officer, the judiciary procedures are not similar to the tactics of war"

-"In that I must disagree, Ealdorman" said Caradon, "for no battle is so fierce as those which are fought behind closed doors by men in robes." the general seemed confident and defiant, "And surely we all here present can concur that our late lord was a man of war himself, and would without doubt have preferred for the armies to be spoken for in the trials on his death."

-"I could not agree more, general" said Corgann with a stern face, "I shall deliberate with the council and return to you with an answer by the morrow"

-"Nay" said Caradon, "all members of the council are here and already two have vouched for me. I will have my answer now" the councilmembers seemed mostly in favour thereof but the Elder Corgann was notably unwilling. He turned to the councilmen and after a few words, the Ealdorman turned back to the general.

-"We have deliberated on the matter" said he, "and we think your partiality in the matter will blind your judgment in the trials. It would be unwise for you to be the jury. Instead, we have agreed to name sir Jogicus Dellow as the military advisor to the chancellor and juror. This position is best suited for him in his capacity as Earl Marshal of Harador."

-"Elder Corgann" said Caradon, "I must protest,the man you have appointed has been in his position for less than a week, and he is undoubtedly oblivious of the responsibility of his office. He was not accounted among the officers during the civil war. I ask the council to reconsider"

-"The council has considered" said Corgann impertinently, "and has deemed you unsuitable for the task general. sir Jogicus is the man we have chosen."

Caradon saw in that man the eyes of a greedy, obedient dog doing his master's bidding and fully understood that the poisonous hand of corruption had tainted also the ranks of the army. His stream of thoughts was distracted by Elder Corgann's subsequent command;

-"as for you, general" said he "the council believes your experience shall be more useful to the kingdom in the fortress of Cigord"

-"Cigord?" asked Caradon, "The war is over, for what purpose shall it be necessary to care for that station?"

-"Our transactions with the Alcobos have ended" said Corgann "I doubt we shall need of the accesses under the Harath range any time anon. We hereby task you with sealing the pass and tending the fortress."

Caradon was an honourable man, yet he could not bend nor bite his tongue from saying,

-"Ealdorman, you will have me leave this city in the eve of the prince's trial? First you will not let me be a juror, and now you will deny me even a seat among the witnesses. This is preposterous, by sending me two hundred miles away from this city you invite in a cause to see with wary eyes your course of action. Many will see your stand as treacherous if you go forth we this reasoning"

-"I will not have doubt my honour, general" said Corgann, "besides I will see forward to it, that you be notified as soon as the King's justice arrives"

The gathering went on discussing the details of the delayed trial, but in the mind of the General, so as his diaries convey, Elder Corgann took advantage of this extra time to solidify his position and status. Indeed, too few authors reveal the full extent of his intentions but it was evident to some at the time, especially those most loyal to the late warrior-king (Elreck) that Corgann meant to negotiate with Culgarost for the enhancement of his status, of course, at the cost of the Clasthaur's welfare

The altercation was secretly heeded by at least two of Elbracht's brothers, and it was presumably Tulfric, who noted on the incident, the deceptive manners and language of Corgann, what gave the brothers reason to distrust him.

XXI. A day after the Altercation, Caradon relentlessly parted for Cigord. Many to this times question this queer episode in general Caradon's history and raise a brow or two in speculating reasons for his obedient behaviour after such a confrontation, though clear was, that he had left Ceor with his legions, which were the most loyal to Elbracht and the great house, leaving them at the mercy of Elder Corgann.

In his time in Cigord, general Caradon followed the Ealdorman’s orders; he put his efforts in sealing the accesses to the tunnels beneath the Harath Mountains, and employed wrights from Durma and Gadiza to do the task. However there were caverns under the mountain, which general Caradon did not wish to forsake. The Nurgeth mines of Cigord were the only depository of Nurgiron in the realm, the discovery of that metal improved gave Harador an advantage over other kingdoms, but the extraction and working of that iron was a nefarious ordeal that had already taken the lives of dozens during the early phase of the Civil War. Caradon then bought a company of slaves from Hardlond, of seven hundred in number, five hundred of which worked as hewer and two hundred of which served as blacksmiths. The work was not proficient but in time Caradon also employed master blacksmiths from the nearby guilds to train the slaves in their craft. As for the miners, a quarter of them died within the first three weeks toiling to hew the iron out of the stone.

On that day, the 27th of the first month, a strange figure infiltrated the residence at the Principal Palace, the robbed man approached the prince's brothers, claiming to be Jarron of Ieros, the page and trusted servant of Elder Corgann. He came in kissing the sandals of Carédock and revering to the other two, Memlafar wrote, on this day, of the way the page's hands crooked in anguish, begging for his elder brother's forgiveness and his too. Jarron explained he had vital information to share, he suggested a private place to speak and they locked themselves in the servants' quarters; there they spoke freely. Jarren told the brothers of the poison their father had drunk in the feast. He told them that Corgann was a traitor, that he had ordered him to fetch Akonyques; a poison which was meant to kill not Elreck, but Elbracht, for the poison was in Elbracht's wine before his father took the cup out of his fingers and drank of it. It was never intended to kill Elreck, for he was mellow and drunk and was easier to manipulate than the more ferocious, libertine and opinionated Elbracht. He made it clear that powerful people wanted to see their brother out from among the named that had gained renown in the age.

Carédock then asked him; 'Why is it then that although Corgann's plan did not come out as wished, he still obtained the command of the army and the respect of all lesser lords over my brother, who's won battles and inspired awe over and over again?"

Jarren look up to him and answered "Ay, yes sire, he knows, to your brother belongs all fame and glory, but he is a cunning man, my master, and played his cards too well, when the moment was ripe—if you don't mind me saying, milord. he made your brother, the good prince, look guilty, as we speak he still is forging all the excuses, he needs to blame the prince for when the jurors arrive. And still, there are other negotiations that have already been set in motion..."

Carédock asked yet the page wished not to speak: "O sire mine… This and more I will tell you, but I beg you, care for my safety for when all is revealed" they all agreed to this.

The servant thus spoke; "the Ealdorman has business with Culgarost; powerful men in the capital", the implications of his testimony were outraging and bordering the treasonous.

Tulfric could not help but to ask: "though I too sense deception in Corgann's manners and verses, how can we be certain that all whereof you speak is true?"

To this said Jarron ready to respond, "Ay! there is the flaw in me master's machinations, milord. For though cunning as he is, no man's wrong doings can be fully concealed. Ney, there is a track we can follow, true evidence that both taints his name and puts his neck at risk."

The servant went on to explain, on another occasion, that their confinement in the residence gave Corgann even more legitimacy still to wield power. So conveyed with the brothers an escape-plan for them; Carédock was first reluctant to leave Elbracht and his mother behind, yet Jarren convinced him, they could be of more help outside the palace, to find evidence and keep the Ealdorman out of his advantageous position.

XXII. Still with the jurors delayed, the Ealdorman ordered and prefered to offer the cities of Enduham and Emiha to the usage of the Order of Neldor, this measure was previously convened by several members of late Elreck's council. In the mind of Corgann this would serve as a way to collect revenue through taxation; taxing Neldor for holding these cities would benefit the kingdom's poor coffers, for he knew the Order would not reject the offer, since these cities were built upon ruins and sites of archaic structures and temples from ages past, left behind by the Elder Ones; the Order would be predisposed to recover this lost knowledge. However this decision was despised by military and did not sit well with the gentry. News of this, as expected, went from ear to ear, from mouth to mouth, until they reached, Fyore, Culgarost and the White Tower itself, yet it also spread eastwards from Dien to Ieros all the way down the river Lauvos*(5), to the vale of Durma and to the fortress of Cigord, and in there from soldier, to knight, to officer, until it reached the right ear of General Caradon. There was no surprise in the look on his face, noted a certain general Bereyus, as if he had sensed the new of it traveling by air.

Upon the hour, these news reached the fortress, general Caradon declared the illegitimacy of Corgann's command and demanded for Elbracht to succeed his father. He readied his men and made preparations for war at once. This happened on account of general Filincos on the 31st of the first month, in the first year of the reign of Medrios II (1716).