“He WHAT?” Harin shouted, slamming his fist down onto his desk.

The cup he’d been drinking out of rattled, scrolls rolled from their places, ink spilled from his inkwell.

Anastasia laughed.

Harin felt his face grow red. “He couldn’t have left. He has been called to The Pass.”

“He raised the Dragon Banner, Harin. He will never rest until he finds who killed mom, who killed Fab.” Anastasia said, suddenly somber.

Harin let out a breath, blowing through his teeth. He knew his father was right, but he owned fealty to The Council. He’d signed the Compact.

“I want them caught too, but do you think that after a year, he could admit he might not ever find their killers? That he should come back to Landor, to us?”

“He left because he had to do what he felt right. He loved her Harin. He loved mom, and Fabien. I do not that wound will ever heal for our father. Their death cut into him in ways I cannot understand.”

Harin picked up his drink and sipped on it. Fire wine from the south. A sweet and hot drink that put fire in his belly when he needed it.

“The Council will not accept this Ani. They want men, and they want them now. Father has two legions in the south. And they asked for The Dragon.”

Anastasia picked a piece of lint from her sleeve and looked Harin in the eyes. “You know that every legion they send back is full of spies, don't you? Men they have paid off, men they have bribed.”

Harin sighed. “You know, you are not the only one who has eyes and ears in this city. I know as well as you that the Council, the Church, they are one. And their business is information. Our families spies tell me that they pay better and they are willing to kill for what they want.”

“Mine tell me the same brother dearest. So what will you do?”

Harin nodded, looking to the fire. “What I must to keep Landor alive. To keep the wolves at bay. I will go to Skellen Pass with my Praetorians. They are the only match in experience and power to The Dragon Legion.”

“Sire!”

Harin looked up at his study door.

“Brago, what is it?” Harin asked.

Brago looked between Anastasia and Harin. “The Council is here, they - they ask a presence with the court.”

“Ask?” Harin raised an eyebrow.

He knew the men and women of the Council. They did not ask for anything, not when they had him under their thumb.

“The Sunborns rule this land. They do not come when beckoned,” Anastasia said, looking the Pretorian up and down.

Brago returned the look from the princess.

Harin watched Brago, narrowing his eyes at the Praetorian.

The Praetorian caught Harin’s stare and looked away, his face red.

The Compact had stripped away the pretense. All owed fealty to them for the continued peace. Obilis, Cyrene and Newvalas to the south, countless other countries had signed onto the Compact.

They’d created a peace that would have cost and ocean of Landorian blood. His Grandfather had gotten them into the war. His father acting as the sword and shield of Landor for as long as he had memory.

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“Demanded,” Brago looked to the ground.

Harin gripped the edge of his desk until he could feel his fingers ache.

Anastasia stood, her posture regal. “We play their game until we can forge our way out of it.”

Harin met her gaze. “Aye sister. I will not play the servant boy to them any longer.”

—--

“We will offer you the gold you need for supplies, to support Landor and her King.” Father Kent said, bowing slightly to Harin.

They were arrayed in the Throne Room, a sparse few attending the Councilman and Father Kent. All here to ask Landor to support a war against the East.

Harin raised his chin. “Why would I need such charity? I rule this land, churchman.”

Father Kent stuttered. “I - I just mean to say that we support you in this cause. I am sure that The Dragon Legion and its General have sapped your coffers. We only offer to support the cause.”

Harin scratched his chin.

He needed their support, and they both knew it.

The Church was not yet powerful enough to take him on, to offend the King that allowed them in his nation. He couldn’t help but wonder at how simple it was. How neat. The Church was here, just at the time that Harin needed the money for a campaign that the Council had called for. Just in time to ensure that he and his people would answer the call to arms.

Would they support him when they found out his father had burned a church to the ground?

“Tell me, churchman, what would want for such - a gift?” Harin asked.

Father Kent smiled.

The hair on Harin’s neck stood up. He felt a shiver run down his spine.

“We only ask for your support King Harin,” Father Kent bowed.

Harin ground his teeth, looking into the small group of men that surrounded him.

“The King will think on your offer, thank you Father Kent,” Anastasia stepped forward, giving a small bow to the churchman.

Harin thanked her with a look.

“The Council has one more matter to discuss with you my lord.” Councilman Jard spoke up.

“You ask me to fight in the war against the East. Not just send one of my Legions to Skellen Pass. I need to think on what you’ve asked Councilman.” Harin dismissed the Councilman with a wave of his hand.

Father Kent and the men attending both he and the Councilman began to leave.

Harin rubbed at his temples, waiting for the biting remarks from his sister when she found out that they did not have the money to support this campaign. That he’d been feeding two legions in the south for so long that they were bleeding him dry.

Harin knew he needed to keep taxes where they were, lest he risk a revolt of the populace.

Recovery from the war had been slow. Men and women of Landor were slowly working their way out of the hole they’d be forced into to survive. Harin could see it in their eyes when he was out in the capitol and outer lands.

They blamed him for the war. His family. The King.

Harin scoffed aloud. He was a mere boy of eleven when it had started. But the people of Landor cared not.

Councilman Jard cleared his throat.

Harin looked up. Brago stepped forward form his side into Harin’s line of sight.

“What?” Harin spit out.

The Councilman stood alone before Harin’s dais.

Anastasia stepped forward to Brago’s side. “What do you want? You’ve been dismissed.”

Harin stood, his face the mast that his grandfather had taught him. “ I have much to do Councilman, be quick or be gone.”

Harin looked down at the man, purposefully not stepping down off the thrones’ dais.

Councilman Jard wiped his hands on his long cloak, brushing his nails clean. ‘I still have questions about The Dragon and what General Sunborn is doing in the South.”

“The Third and Dragon are in the South ensuring a lasting peace between nations,” Anastasia said, her voice even.

Harin watched the Councilman. His eyes did not move from his own. “ I was speaking to the King.”

Anastasia stepped down off the dais.

Brago stepped with her, then ahead of her.

The Councilman’s eyes never left Harin’s. His eyebrow raised.

“You will address the Princess Sunborn with the respect she deserves.” Brago barked.

“Brago, enough.” Harin scolded his Praetorian.

Brago stiffened, putting one hand back to stop Anastasia from coming any closer to the Councilman.

“The Dragon Legion and the Third are in the south on my orders. There was a fermentation of rebellion and we have committed to keeping the Council’s peace. Keeping the peace that your Compact promises. Is there an issue, Councilman?”

The Councilman spread his hands out in front of himself, fingers splayed. “We thank Landor for her service. And of course for offering your Praetorians and Eagles.”

The Councilman paused looking at Brago and Anastasia with calculating eyes. “But, we want The Dragon, not the Fourth and Praetorians. We want the best.”

Brago pulled at his sword, taking a half step forward. “How dare -.”

“PRAETORIAN! YOU ARE DISMISSED!” Harin shouted.

Brago stiffened, turned on his heel and saluted Harin before departing at parade step out of the Throne Room.

There was a silence hanging in the room now. Harin could feel the tension radiating from Anastasia.

Harin walked forward putting his hand on his sisters shoulder. She was breathing heavily, her eyes darting between the Councilman and Harin.

“Give me a moment with Jard, Ana,”

Anastasia nodded to her brother, her eyes protesting before she turned and follow Brago out of the throne room.

Jard smiled at Harin, toothy and large. “Tell me, why do you let your father run this country. He stepped away, turned the crown down.”

Harin scoffed. “We are down with pretenses now are we Jard?”

Jard shrugged.

“You will get the Fourth and the Praetorian Legions. I will accompany them myself to Skellen Pass. You will keep the Fourth there in the rotation that was meant for the Dragon. That is what I will promise you. The Praetorian Legion will leave at a time of my choosing. A show of force by Landor that we support you and the Council,”

Jard picked at his teeth with a small knife he’d produced from his coat. “The Dragon and the Third need to stop what they are doing in the South. This course of vengeance needs to end Harin,”

“The Compact demands that we keep your peace. I am doing so,”

Jard laughed, the harsh thing echoing in the empty room. “You call what your father is doing, keeping the peace?”

Harin walked across the room to a small wooden table with refreshments on it. He poured a glass of water and drank deeply from it.

“My Legions are my own to command where I see fit. Do not come to me with the crimes of the Council and ask the Sunborns for their allegiance. We do not forget so easily who destroyed our family to begin with,” Harin turned.

Jard had followed, eyeing the refreshments.

Harin waved his hand. “You may now go. Do not mistake my patience for kindness.”

Jard glared at Harin, then spun on his heel, walking away from the King.

Harin walked to his study off of the throne room, slumping into one of the chairs in front of the fireplace. He would show the Council what might Landor could bring to Skellen Pass. Damn his father for putting him in this position. He knew that only a King would replace Dragh and the Dragon Legion.

He wondered if he was walking into a trap.