Count Tiberios, with a fixed and determined gaze, stands at the prow of the boat cutting through the waters of the majestic Xingu River. As they approach the capital, the busiest port in the realm, a bustling hive of activity, where only the rivers converge, begins to take shape on the horizon. This is a port without access to the sea, but its importance is undeniable, serving as the pulsating heart of riverine trade.

The port is a spectacle of efficiency and organized chaos. Ships of all sizes dock and depart, while workers and merchants move at a frenetic pace. The docks are filled with exotic goods, and the cries of auctioneers mingle with the sounds of ropes and timber. The air is imbued with the smell of fresh fish, wet wood, and spices brought from distant lands.

As Tiberios's boat docks, he disembarks with a posture that exudes authority. Accompanied by his escort of ten knights and two servants, he does not allow himself to be distracted by the bustle of the port. His steps are quick and decisive, leading him directly to the inner circle of the city. There, the castle and noble mansions rise like stone sentinels, guardians of history and power.

Tiberios is here for a purpose: to meet with the other nobles to discuss the new tax policy imposed by the Duke of the South. Although his lands are not in the south, he and many other nobles from the north and west feel the weight of this policy. There is a sense of urgency in their steps, a need to unite forces and find a solution to the challenge that looms over their domains and the kingdom as a whole.

With broad and firm steps, Count Tiberios crosses the gate that separates the outer city from the inner circle of the city. The guards, recognizing his stature and coat of arms, make way without hesitation. However, the serenity of the moment is broken when a servant, panting and with an anxious look, is stopped by the count's escort.

"I have a message from Baron Lester for you, Count Tiberios," says the servant, catching his breath as he is released by the knights. With a discreet bow, he continues, "My master, Baron Lester, sent me to await your arrival. He wishes to speak with you privately before the nobles' meeting."

The servant extends a sealed scroll, which Tiberios accepts with an impassive look. After a quick read, he hands the document to one of his servants and responds with authority, "Very well, since my father-in-law desires a private audience, lead me to him."

The servant, now with permission granted, leads the way. Tiberios follows, with the retinue of knights and servants in his wake, moving through the paved streets toward the noble mansions. The air is thick with the tension of politics and alliances forming and dissolving in the shadows of power. The meeting with Baron Lester is just the prelude to a dance of strategies and influences that will decide the kingdom's future direction.

Count Tiberios, guided by unexpected paths, finds himself before the mansion of the Duke of the West. The structure, with its minimalist elegance, stands out from the other buildings with its almost austere simplicity. The clean lines and lack of excessive ornamentation speak of a power that does not need ostentation to assert itself.

Upon entering the mansion, Tiberios is greeted by a silence that resonates with the same intensity as the unspoken words. He is led through corridors that seem to absorb the sound of his footsteps until he reaches a room where Baron Lester awaits him. With a gesture, Tiberios dismisses his retinue, who withdraws to wait outside the room.

Baron Lester, a man whose advanced age is betrayed by his white hair and beard, sits with the dignity his position demands. His somewhat robust body is clad in fine fabrics of a deep green, the colors of his noble house. There is a solemnity in his posture, and despite the signs of time, his eyes still retain the shine of a born strategist.

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Tiberios observes the baron with respect, recognizing in him both the wisdom of the years and the weight of the responsibilities he carries.

Count Tiberios entered the room with an upright posture and a courteous smile, expecting to exchange the usual pleasantries before delving into more serious matters. However, instead of the kind words that noble etiquette would demand, he found silence. The baron remained motionless, his expression unshaken since the moment the count crossed the threshold of the door. An uncomfortable silence stretched between them, heavy as the velvet of the curtains adorning the windows.

Finally, the baron broke the silence with a hoarse voice, laden with barely contained emotion: "Did you know? Did you know he was going to do this and did not warn me? He sent knights to threaten me in my house in case I refused to obey and pay the new taxes!" The baron's words, initially controlled, grew in volume, revealing the fury bubbling beneath the surface.

Despite the accusations and the tension now filling the room, Count Tiberios remained serene. He understood Baron Lester's anger, his father-in-law. After all, the actions that triggered such a reaction were not trivial; they threatened the stability and honor of his house.

Tiberios's story, Count of the House Apurina, is marked by challenges and political cunning. Over a decade ago, with his father's death in the war on the southern frontier, he found himself in the center of a whirlwind. The house was in disarray, and doubts about his leadership ability whispered through the corridors, fueled by the loyalty of some knights and servants to his younger brothers.

With the weight of the newly assumed title of count, Tiberios knew that hesitation could be his ruin. He acted quickly and decisively, weaving alliances and strategies to consolidate his power. One of the shrewdest moves was the alliance with Baron Lester, whose lands housed a vital port for maritime trade and whose wealth was known throughout the realm.

Fate, in its irony, had left Tiberios a widower, his wife deceased in childbirth with their second child. Seeing an opportunity in the tragedy, he proposed a political marriage to Baron Lester's daughter. This union brought with it a dowry of financial resources that strengthened Tiberios's position as master of the House Apurina.

In return, Tiberios opened trade routes for Baron Lester, facilitating traffic along the Xingu River and offering safe routes through lands infested with bandits. Over time, this partnership proved extremely lucrative, and the two lords expanded their agreements to share various resources, further strengthening the ties between the Houses Apurina and Guato.

The network of informants that Tiberios built over the past decade is one of these resources. After his father's tragic death in an ambush, the result of erroneous information, Tiberios vowed never to be caught off guard again. He invested heavily in a web of spies that extended even beyond the kingdom's borders, ensuring that no state secret or movement escaped his knowledge.

At this critical moment, it was natural for Baron Lester to suspect that Tiberios was aware of the Duke of the South's plans and, for some obscure reason, chose not to share such information. In normal times, the baron might have ignored such an omission; after all, the years had diminished his interest in the kingdom's power games. But the current circumstances were anything but normal.

The new trade taxes imposed by the Duke of the South threatened to devastate the economy of Baron Lester's territory, which relied heavily on trade for its prosperity. Almost a third of his income was at risk, and the prospect of such loss was enough to awaken even the most disinterested of nobles.

"Did you know? Did you know he was going to do this and did not warn me?" The accusation from Baron Lester echoed through the walls of the hall.

The atmosphere of the noble hall, once fraught with tension, is now permeated by a reflective silence. Count Tiberios, with a posture that inspires respect and a voice that carries the authority of his position, assures, "I can guarantee on behalf of my house that I did not receive from any of my informants the news about the movements of the Duke of the South, he certainly kept his intentions very well guarded." His words, firm and sincere, seem to dissipate part of the haze of uncertainty hanging in the air.

Baron Lester, a veteran of intricate political games, has always had the ability to discern the hidden truth in others' words. Recognizing the sincerity in the Count's speech, his hardened demeanor softens, and with a sigh carrying the weight of his experiences, he murmurs in self-questioning, "Since even you were not aware, then perhaps the Duke of the South made this move on a whim, it will be easy to make him backtrack." The hope of a simple solution shines in his eyes for a brief moment.

However, this spark of hope is quickly overshadowed by Count Tiberios's next words.