<span style="text-decoration: underline">The Previous Morning:</span><br/><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;">Taro walked down the hall leading to his fathers quarters, passing the various paintings his father had recently acquired.  There were multiple new ones, and Taro almost gave a small sigh as he noticed one of his favorite had been replaced.  It had been a landscape of Tora during a thunderstorm, with a bolt of lighting striking the sapphire on the main tower.  He'd have to find where that painting had been place, but first he had to deal with his father.</div><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;">The doors swung open onto a scene one would expect to find in a brothel, not the kings chambers.  Various people; male, female, and every race under the sky, where laid about the rooms various furniture all in one state of undress or another.  While most where in two's or threes the largest concentration of bodies was the massive bed that sat against the far side of the room, where a large man with an extensive silvered beard laid with ten figures strewn about the bed.  Walking with deliberately loud steps Taro crossed the room, waking most of the 'artists' his father had entertained.  Waiting at the foot of the bed while they streamed out of the room in whatever cloth they could quickly find, Taro picked up a large metal mask that laid at the foot of the bed.  With the room empty except for him and his sleeping father, Taro hit the mask with his knuckles thrice.  The resulting ring woke his father, but failed to mar the mask's design.  His father's artists might all be drunken nymphomaniacs, but they were skilled at their craft.</div><br/><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;">"Why have you woken me son.  It is far to early."  King Tarren said, his hand raised to nurse his hangover.</div><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;">"The council is meeting today sire, we need to leave if we're to arrive in time."  Taro said, standing at attention as his father rolled himself from the bed.  The large man was thankfully wearing undergarments, and walked about to stand in front of his son.  While his father had let himself ago, he was still a physically imposing man.  But Taro stayed his ground and stared him right back.  Eventually the King looked away, moving towards his dressing room.</div><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;">"Fine, what time must we leave?"  The King said, a pair of servants coming out to lead him towards the bath Taro had them prepare.</div><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;">"Two hours, if we want to make it to the tail end."  The Prince responded, moving to leave the king do his preparations.</div><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;">"Why can I not just said you?"  The King said, it seemed he had forgotten as Taro expected he would.  "What makes this meeting so important?"</div><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;">Taro paused at the door, "Because it's about Dardanos' return." He said, pushing the doors open ahead of him.</div><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;">"Dardanos is dead, he isn't returning!  This meeting is a pointless waste of everyone's time!"  Tarren called out his voice quivering in equal parts fear and anger.  The door closed before he could continue his rant, the prince quickly marching to where the artists stayed when not entertaining his father.  Entering without warning, Taro gained their attention by knocking on the mask again.</div><br/><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;">"I'll need three of you to entertain my father in his carriage, any volunteers?"  Thankfully there was, a trio of human women whom where currently sharing a blanket for decency.  A servant walked forward and gave them a set of fine clothes.  "And who made this mask?"  Taro said, raising the item in question.  One of the girls who volunteered raised her hand, which caused her cover to fall.  "Consider yourself promoted, I want you to make face masks for the soldiers when you return, starting with mine."  He then walked out as the other artist congratulated the girl.</div><br/>__________________________________<br/><span style="text-decoration: underline">The Day of the Council</span><br/><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;">King Tarran had taken four hours to prepare himself, and then had made a show of his favorite horse not being there to pull his wagon.  That horse had died 12 years prior, but he probably hadn't noticed till now.  They had stopped at the edge of Tora, Taro stating they would at least arrive at the castle to learn their decision in person.  However when they arrived at the castle, being the first to arrive, they found the council's meeting was to be today.</div><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;">"Well, it seems I had been misinformed."  Taro said when Tarran asked the meaning of this.  "I'll have to make sure the messenger who did so is harshly punished."  He had already been given a lovely painting of the Tora castle.  As the other rulers arrived, the King's mode worsened.  As the arrival of the Pyralis King was announced, Tarran beckoned to Taro.</div><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;">"I want you to stay outside for the council."  He stated, his voice thick with controlled anger.  Taro openned his mouth to object, but lightning began to crackle through Tarran's beard.  Deciding it best to not cause a scene, Taro walked to the door to greet an old friend.</div><br/><div style="text-indent:1em;">"Kai!  It is good to see you.  What has transpired for you these last couple years?"  Taro said as the prince entered the hall.  At least not all the nobles where as spineless as his father.</div>