Nicholas
The great hall of Gantrick's royal castle was typically a place where feasts would be held. A massive and long table stretched the majority of the room, with dozens of chairs lining each side. The largest sat at the very end, decorated in black, gold and red. Of course, this was the king's seat. Large stained glass windows decorated the western side of the hall, each pane depicting bears and wolves alike- likely a reference to not only Gantrick's long line of bear beastwalker royalty, but also the kingdom's close relationship with Lazaroth. The most beautiful and striking feature in the entire room however was the mural on the ceiling, which spanned the whole room. From the entrance of the hall to the end, it told a story.

The story in question was that of the Archaius family. Going back what seemed like generations, a handful of grizzly or black bears could be seen farther back in the Archaius family line. The farther down one looked however, the more common polar bears truly became in the family. Above the end of the table just about where the king would sit depicted Alaric, Cateline, Godwin and even Alyus Archaius standing together. The current king in the mural above was but a toddler when it was painted, and the space just after was left empty- likely for the next family to be painted there.

It seems Alyus had yet to fill that empty space.
Maurice
Today, the great hall had been transformed. Where a feast would normally be laid out with various food and drink had been replaced with books, scrolls, papers and maps. Where nobility or even visiting royalty would normally sit had been replaced with researchers, scholars, scientists, and historians from the various kingdoms who were willing to send them to the icy kingdom of Gantrick. The only constant was the chair at the end of the massive dining table, which was for a king and only a king.

And a king now sat within it.

Alyus was dressed a bit more casually than usual when in situations of visiting royalty. His crown was missing from his head, his long golden hair up in something of a bun, a black doublet wrapped around his chest and abdomen with a long, cream white shirt beneath it. The sleeves were rolled up just below Alyus's elbows. If Elora were here she would have commented on how Alyus looked like a commoner- and Feyre would have laughed. Scowling as he looked over a book on Gantrick's history, Alyus couldn't help but be distracted. Feyre had been well hidden, not a single trace of her left in Carnifex save for the faint lingering scent that seemed to taunt and torture the king.

_ _
The researchers around him prattled and chirped away amongst themselves, all lost in their work. It felt like they were everywhere- like unwanted rats in a barn. They filled Alyus's beloved library as well, and he was sure to warn them all to not rip or harm a single page from one of his many books. Obviously the threat likely would never be acted on- but it was enough to remind them just who Alyus was. Regardless of whether or not the rumors of Alyus were true both in and out of his kingdom, many feared him. For now, Alyus would use that fact to his benefit. Especially if it meant his books would remain unharmed.

Alyus was not the only royal in his castle however. King Astalios Dilitrios of Alynthi and Princess Alithia Zahavi were also present. A researcher had claimed to have found something that demanded their attention. He'd be along very shortly, as he needed to gather a few more bits of information from the castle's expansive library. While Alyus's attention was mainly on the book in his hands, the king found himself occasionally darting his gaze upwards to scan over the foreigners in his home- especially the Iron Stag. Alyus was not too familiar with Findara's princess, but Astalios and Alyus had a handful of opportunities to interact.

The way Astalios always seemed to look at Alyus caused the king's hair to stand on end. Not out of fear, nor anxiosness. It was an unease. One that could be compared to that of knowing bad news is about to be delivered. Alyus did not fear Astalios. But it was clear the two saw little eye to eye. Nevertheless, the bear king did not wish to be his father. He'd grin and bare that uneasiness for the sake of progress.

*Even if he could be hiding the very thing they were looking for an entire kingdom away.*
William
*For his part, Astalios had expected a frigid welcome. There was no reason to show any love between nations, not when they were so diametrically opposed on a myriad of issues. A seat assignment that was unfavorable was expected if not all but certain - and the slights that he might not have known existed some years before would doubtless rear their heads. His arrival had been formal enough, the proper niceties had been given and received. He had worn his armor of gilt-etched steel and his crown, the wreath of spearlike golden antlers seated tightly upon the black waves of hair. That was no indication of friendliness, but at least a signal that courtesy was to be obeyed.

What he had not been expecting was to find the great hall of Gantrick Castle so transformed. The frigid capital Carnifex was not particularly known as a great center of learning in the same way as Gabaleron, Varilon, or Ardunon. Some level of unfamiliarity was to be expected, but the sight that greeted his eyes as he entered the great hall brought him first confusion, then ease. The banquet table, once ready to seat rows of nobility that would squabble all night and till the morning, had been transformed into a seating area for the central nodes of discussion. 

Alyus himself had sat apart from the table, perhaps himself unfamiliar with the works of scholarship that had to be performed upon it, scowling into the pages of his book as if it would yield results when he glared into it. Yet Astalios found many familiar faces and names among the researchers engaged in discussion, and after the brief formalities necessary when greeting his counterpart from Gantrick, he had found himself immersed in the crowd of researchers. Some he knew from Association meetings - though he was not acquainted with all three hundred he had mustered from his duchies, there were perhaps fifty men and women he had performed experiments and reviewed literature with, all of whom he held in high regard.*

_ _
*Where normally his expression was as steely as his garb, Astalios listened carefully to the discussions taking place, participating where he could as a part of them. Though he was not gaining the full picture, the process of mapping the glaciers through historical accounts was an interesting process, and he found himself engaged in conversation with a halfling Findaran cartographer, an Association member by his publications. He was surprised to hear that more than a few had read his publications on metallurgy.

Through it all came a half-smile. Gone were the stoic and thorny expressions normally levied at political conferences - amongst the dialogue of research being done, he had found himself quite at home. With a quick glance at the door, however, he realized he had begun to lose valuable time in the throng of discussion. He was a researcher, yes, but a king first, and a king must place the interests of the nation before his own. A few polite excuses and a promise to attend a demonstration later found Astalios taking a small, quiet breath before gathering his thoughts.

They would be hearing a presentation today of significant findings. He needed to hear them as king. Though the iron facade came over his face once more, a good deal of the tension that normally came from some degree of vexation was much lessened, and he approached the head of the table with a short, polite nod, hoping to cut to the chase as quickly as they possibly could.* 

"Your Majesty. Are the presentations prepared?" *He asked.* "I was quite looking forward to any lead on the subject." *Though the data might have been preliminary, he knew, they needed such stups to follow avenues of thought towards something solid. Whatever the researchers had found seemed to be pointing them forward so far - and he was most eager to hear it. With pressure mounting inside his head and out in the world, there was precious little time.*