Charles
Lady Anna Barrmount
Grunewald Castle, Vallen

"I..." She looked at Ivagneth. Her loyalty and determination to help the Iron Plaines comforted Anna a bit, making her feel less hopeless.

"Well, if we'll have to solve this matter by ourselves we need to... To... Uhm- we will have to make some plans first"
Lawrence
Lady Ivagneth Wrencrest
Castle Grunewald, Vallen

Ivagneth turned around and walked to an arrow slit window, staring out the narrow gap to contemplate the landscape beyond. She thought silently for a moment, taking a soft breath. "Perhaps we should go back inside? They're swine, just like Felix said, but ... I'm not sure if we can afford to turn them against us. By the gods, the king even talked about *Helping* Vivayn. I think we can make them understand that you had an eruption, which was *Their own fault*." She turned around, pointing at Anna. "We'll listen, and make sure we know about affairs. It can only help us. Give us more control over the situation." She shrugged, frowning at Anna. "For now, I don't think we have anywhere else to go. But afterwards, you can tell me exactly what happened."
Robert
King Gregor Grunewald 
The Council Room 

"Well, isn't that just typical of the Barrmounts? Always thinking with their cunts rather than their heads," King Gregor said with a heavy sigh. He used the palm of his hand to rub under his chin as he thought over the events that had just transpired. "Though she brings about a good point. *Marriage* Is often times the answer. It would benefit their poor land to have a strong southern influence. They're rejecting Vivayn's help, a foolish error, but there's no reasoning with that girl's hysterics. As marriage was her own offer, I feel it may be the only reasonable solution that she will agree to. Do any of you care to dip your fingers in the north?" Gregor asked. 

"Yes, who is brave enough to brave that bush?" Nickles piped up. "Not I," He added, as though he was ever an option in the first place.
Lawrence
Lady Adelhayd Wrencrest
The Council Room

Adelhayd rose a little from her seat, raising a finger. "If I may, I would offer some insight into this matter, Your Majesty."
Robert
King Gregor Grunewald
The Council Room

"I hope you're offering up an eligible bachelor," King Gregor said with his bark of a laugh. Nickles joined in, giggling heartily in his wheelbarrow. A small puddle of blood had formed on the floor below his stump. Spitza eyed it, hungrily.
Lawrence
Lady Adelhayd Wrencrest
The Council Room

Adelhayd simpered. "A Barrmount marrying a vassal's heir? The continent would turn into the sea first. Besides, I'd be heartbroken to spoil Hulward and Anna's friendship—but I digress." She put her hands on the table, and gave Gregor a sombre look. "Our native faith foretells the coming of a great winter, one that will freeze the world and end civilisation as we know it. If the legends are true, one who is chosen by the gods will rise to deliver the worthy from annihilation, so that they may be preserved forever in paradise.

"Nathaniel Vivayn thinks that he is that chosen one, and that the end of the world is nigh. Every house of our people, he will either bend to his will or seek to destroy, and by the time he has the throne, he'll likely betray many of his allies for being undeserving of salvation.

"Not all of our houses reject the South. My lord and I have always been friends of the South, and have many good connections in Terresol. But if our precarious welfare does not stir you, know that Nathaniel will likely install the Skagerllys as the lords of Reaper's Skull when House Vivayn becomes royal. The Skagerllys are ruthless and belligerent, and under Vivayn's apathetic rule, they are like to spill much blood on the border with Taemar. They may even skulk as far as Ibethiel and Terresol to pillage and rape."

Bennard nodded to his wife. "Aye," He said, looking at Gregor. "The Vivayn is not worthy of your respect, Your Majesty."
John
**Queen Lucrezia Scheer
Throne Room**

"I'd love to see their attempt to traverse tan Ibethiel mountain range avoiding our border guard." Lucrezia said arrogantly.

"I wouldn't." Dennon added.
Robert
Sir Heath Romanov
The Council Room

"I mean no disrespect, but southern forces are much different than northern. Nathaniel Vivayn is not capable of seizing any land outside of the Witherlands," Heath added.
Kari
Captain Jax Brightwater
Council Room

Jax rose with Aleks besides him.

"My squire and I can attest to the brutality of the eldest Skagerlly brothers first hand." Before reclaiming his seat.
Robert
King Gregor Grunewald
The Council Room

"Is that right? Then tell us about the Skagerlly," Gregor challenged, arching a brow.
Rosa
The Pirate King Bradai Maith
The Council Room

Bradai rolled his eyes at the talk of prophecy and Northern religious zealots. "It would appear that marriage is 'er only option." He looked over to Gregor, "I don't suppose vhat Auburn is looking to marry tha second daughter uff a dead 'ouse?" A wry smile came over his face, "Just fink about all uff tha grazing land up vhere for your 'ogs, Gregor."
Robert
King Gregor Grunewald
The Council Room

"Over my dead body will I send my only son to the frozen north with that wailing little girl," King Gregor snorted.
Kari
Jax Brightwater
Council Room

"My brief account of their holdings was underwhelming. The people had no food, no security, barely any housing. Yet the two brothers keep is packed to the brim with resources that put any existing stock to shame. They make play things out of their family and subjects. I can not speak for their motives but they seem to view the rest of their fellow men as nothing more than dolls to which they can smash together. My squire..." Aleks refused to rise again, "Aleksandr Skagerlly, has been under their torturous care the entirety of his life. Just look at him and see their handiwork." Jax finished, gesturing to his pale shadow that appeared as if the wind itself could blow his ghostly frame away.
Robert
Queen Elsinore Romanov-Black
The Council Room 

"Why does the north have a king if he cannot control his own vassals?" Queen Elle sighed, "Perhaps instead of trying to snuff out every Great House the Witherlands births, you consider ridding of your ineffective leader. It seems as though half the Witherlands is starving or under the rule of tyrannical house while Marshall Carter sits idly on the throne, stuffing his daughter's gullet with an endless amount of food."

Prince Nickles Ramsalot
The Council Room 

"Lady Marnie is *Quite* Large, indeed," He said with a knowing smile.
Lawrence
Lady Adelhayd Wrencrest
The Council Room

"To clarify, I am not suggesting that Nathaniel Vivayn will attempt to conquer any land outside of the Witherlands. The Skagerllys, however, will doubtless cause trouble if they became the lords of Reaper's Skull. Nathaniel may even give them the Iron Plaines to satisfy their feud against the Barrmounts, in which case their threat will be immense. If they don't make war openly, they will send their savage parties forth without banners, and encourage a general air of lawlessness and violence."
John
**Queen Lucrezia Scheer, King Dennon Bigsby, and Kirk Pinewood
Throne Room**

The queen began to form an idea. "What if the Barrmount girl married a man in a high position of government in a Southern kingdom? Ibethiel, perhaps." Lucrezia wondered aloud.

"What are you doing?" Dennon whispered.

"Making a mercenary sale." She whispered back before speaking aloud again. "Royal Antiquities Dealer Kirk Pinewood is an eligible bachelor."

Kirk turned around with a scowl on his face. "So my position is nonsense until you get the idea to try to marry me off?" He seethed under his breath.
Robert
King Daniel Black
The Council Room

"Perhaps we should get back to the matters at hand, like Queen Scheer recommends. Anna Barrmount believes a marriage will solve her predicament and if Kirk Pinewood agrees, we will have at least solved one matter of business today," King Daniel said, pinching the bridge of his nose. As far as he was concerned, the Iron Plaines drama was a mere distraction from the very real problem of the plague.
Rosa
The Pirate King Bradai Maith
The Council Room

Bradai watched as Lucrezia offered up one of her council members to be married, the little man with the smiling lips. Kirk the Cat. 

"I can't see any reason as to why Anna Barrmount would reject some Ibbish mercenaries. And King Black is right, we should at least solve vhis issue while tha Paladins are out stomping fhrough tha swamps. A gesture uff goodwill towards tha Norff might not be a terrible idea."
Robert
King Gregor Grunewald 
The Council Room 

The hog king pounded his fist on the table, the wine sloshing around his goblet. "Hell, let's have the wedding here, *Tonight*! I am *More* Than happy to host it within my castle and the sooner we wed them, the sooner we can rally the Ibbish to help them. I am certain that Lady Barrmount will be *Quite* Pleased."

He looked over to Wisdom Serafina. "You do weddings and all that shit? We could have a proper ceremony by dusk."
Lawrence
The Wrencrests
The Council Room

Bennard looked around, almost in a daze. He leaned towards his wife and said, calling out in as subdued a voice as he could make while still reaching her down the table, "This is absurd. Anna can't marry herself off like this." 

"I think they're going off the assumption that Sibyl's ..." Adelhayd's words fell short, and she ended up frowning apprehensively at the table. Things were slipping out of hand again.

As she stroked Jade's neck, Feineth looked across the table to study Kirk. In Oldtongue, she quietly remarked, "Mm ... Anna's nice ... She should marry a knight. A strong, handsome knight, like Father was. Not him."

"Quiet, Feineth," Adelhayd snapped in the same tongue.
Kari
Demetri Troiarus
Council

"Aye!" Demetri liked the idea of having another opportunity to see a proper Hog Dangle.
Robert
King Gregor Grunewald 
The Council Room 

"Would you prefer she return home, with nothing? We are offering her a lifeline. She's free to go home and ask the spike upon which Sibyl's head is likely mounted for permission, but I wonder if Queen Lucrezia's offer will stand at that point..."
Michael
Wisdom Serafina 
Castle Grunewald, Vallen

"Yes, Your Majesty. I would be happy to perform the marriage rites under Auryn." She spoke confidently, with a gentle smile. "That is if both parties agree, of course."
Rosa
First Admiral Gitten Maith
The Council Room

Gitten slowly turned to Rhetto, nudging him with an elbow. "Can ye play any weddin' song on that thing?" 

She slammed her flagon down on the table, all of the talk about politics, war and plague had made her thirsty, and with the discussion of a wedding brewing, she wasn't going to let the fervor die down. "Tha Isles 'as brought enuff provisions ta enjoy a nice feast. I can spare a few a' me best fighters to go with tha Paladins if it means that we're going ta throw a festival for tha lovely Kirk Pinewood and 'is 'andsome bride!"
Lawrence
Lady Adelhayd Wrencrest
The Council Room

"Auryn? *Auryn?*" Adelhayd covered her mouth in shock. "By the gods ... No, no, no ..." Though deeply distressed by this affront to the Frozen Gods, she held her tongue. 

Bennard watched the conversation progress with wide eyes.
Edith
**Admiral Retto Elbaroda**
**The Council Room**

He swished his wine around in his glass. From executions, to plague talk, now to planning a wedding without the potential bride present. Gitten had asked him if he knew any wedding songs. In response, he gave a shrug. "O' course I do, Gitten, bu' I wouldn' say tha' th' weddin' woul' call fo' th' ones I know. They're supposed t' be 'appy occasions, in my 'umble opinion"
Rosa
First Admiral Gitten Maith
The Council Room

Gitten leaned into Rhetto and smiled, whispering near into his neck. Her breath stunk of rum from the night before. "We are going to watch as these fuckin' Mainlanders marry off a girl to grown man shorter than 'er, and I 'ave a enuff rum in my room ta put us both in caskets sailing down tha river." A chuckle rose in her throat, "I'm thinkin' that we can some'ow manage to make this an 'appy occasion, don't you? It'll be grim enough without music, aye?"

She pulled away from him and flashed him a smirk, patting the side of her overcoat with her rings, wordlessly showing him where her flask was.
Edith
**Admiral Retto Elbaroda**
**The Council Room**

He sighed and rolled his eyes. Gitten was a personality and more. "Whateve' ye say, Gitten." He replied, then took a swig of his wine. 

"I jus' feel ba' fo' th' girl. Mainlander o' no'" He said to just himself. 

"Wha' eve'. I'll play a' this *'appy* Occasion. If no' bu' t' a' leas' sto' i' from bein' a silen' affair" 

*'If no' bu' t' ge' ye' off me back'* He thought to himself.
Michael
Wisdom Serafina
Castle Grunewald, Vallen

Serafina heard the outburst from the Northern lady and chuckled quietly. "You'll have to forgive my interruption, Lady Wrencrest." The Wisdoms voice spoke up at the unintentional protest of marriage under Auryn. "Considering Lady Anna and the Witherlands predicament with Lord Vivayn, one may say the Frozen Gods have no care for your people. If things truly are as horrible as you claim. Rest assured, my lady, the young woman will be well cared for under Auryn's hand."