<div align="center"><strong>Sanguine LeChance</strong></div><br/>Returning to his seat, between Princess Juli and the young woman who had taken Lenally’s place next to Henrik, Sanguine smelled heavily at the air. He had already eaten the slow roasted fowl that was soon to be presented, and could barely wait to savor those complex flavors again. There was something else in the air that puzzled him slightly.<br/><br/>Horses?<br/><br/>The smells from the kitchen were muddled with the distinctive and pungent odor of horse shit! Sanguine was certain that was the only thing that smelled that way. Eyes could smell it too, and though she was doing her best to settle down, her hair bristled at the smell. Eyes hated horses, despised their heavy clomping hooves and eyes too high to watch their steps. Being unable to ride, San never cared much for them either. In his experience, horses boded ill.<br/><br/>It was then that the source of the smell was announced to the dining hall. King Haidar? Nydewians? Sanguine’s heart threatened to thud out of his chest. This was it, the trap was sprung, he, Henrik and all the rest had been lead into an obvious trap. He ought to have known Lyssa wasn’t to be trusted, nothing that smells that sweet grows without thorns.<br/><br/>It was a tough night to be San’s chair, as he once more knocked the wooden seat over backwards leaping to his feet. King Haidar himself, the man he’d heard legendary tales of, his boyhood idol, the man who had inspired him to elevate murder to an art form was now in the same room, surely brought such a great distance to spill blood. San wondered if he even stood a chance against such a great warrior.<br/><br/>San stood firm, feet just wider than shoulder width apart and his fist clenched around the hilt of his long blade. As the Nydewians entered he tried to extrapolate from their steps how many there were, but there were too many even to count without sight. Row after row of heavy sounding footsteps all coming toward him. San grit his teeth as they marched forward, if he timed it right he could cut through the front four in one sweep, and then he’d need to charge the rear and take out any archers that might be lurking, and then…<br/><br/>The Nydewians walked right by him without so much as a dagger drawn. They’d ignored him as if they themselves were blind.<br/><br/>Not a trap?<br/><br/>What on Earth were these brutal, bloodthirsty nomads doing at this “Peace Summit” if not attempting to kill off the Aserit royal family?<br/><br/><div align="center"><strong>King Archibald Aserit</strong></div><br/>The announcement drew Archi’s abrupt attention to the doorway, watching with great fury as King Haidar entered the dining hall, flanked by a generous procession of warriors. Their arrival did not bode well for the prospect of peace. They were a complication wholly unforeseen by the Aserit King, and it infuriated him that they would be called here in secret.<br/><br/>Perhaps Queen Lyssa was not as frail as The King had anticipated.<br/><br/>There were a few women with the King, one of whom Archi recognized as P’Tulla, his protector. While her ferocity with a blade was spoken of often, her beauty it seemed had been understated. Then there was a young woman in a blue dress, paler and more petite than the rest, but no less unwelcome in Archi’s eyes. Out in front of the pack was King Haidar himself, that arrogant air of a warrior king all about him.<br/><br/>Archibald thought he could take him in a fight.<br/><br/>“Queen Lyssa! What is the meaning of this intrusion?!? I demand an explanation. Why have you brought these Horse-Loving, War-Criminals into this supposed Peace Negotiation? Nydewians are sworn enemies of the Aserit Empire, and unwelcome if the true goal of this summit is peace.” Archi Seethed.<br/><br/><div align="center"><strong>Eyes</strong></div><br/>Eyes could smell the horses on these new people and it made her nervous. Obviously, Master didn’t trust them either, as their arrival made him take a battle stance. The Wolf did the same, her hair standing up and her ears falling back against her head. Even “Pointy-Hat” seemed upset by the arrival of these horse-stinking interlopers.<br/><br/>Though Eyes didn’t understand People-Talk, “Flower-Smell” seemed to do a good job of settling down the people, but Eyes was still tense. Even when everyone sat down and she accepted that the smell of horses was something she was just going to have to live with, there was something else…<br/><br/>With her Master distracted by the arrival of new food, Eyes sniffed the air and wandered away from Master’s side in search of the source. It smelled like Young-One, but she wasn’t in the room. Further investigation led the wolf to “Blonde-Smiling”, who seemed busy conversing, smiling and flirting with “Slender-Blue Eyes”. The smell of his hormones were strong, and there was also the stale stink of burning leaves; but beyond all that, Eyes could smell the smell of Young-One’s private place. The smell was coating one of his gloved hands and this made the wolf upset.<br/><br/>Had he been the one making Young-One scream? Had he mated with her, and now was trying to mate with another female, not an hour removed from his first tryst? Did he intend to do right by Young-One and protect her puppies if she should have them?<br/><br/>Eyes gave one last sniff, close enough to touch her damp nose to Lorenso’s wrist, just to confirm her suspicions, then she wanted answers. She demanded answers to her questions, loudly and without hesitation. Though the others could only hear her barking, loudly and very close to the swordsman’s arm. Eyes was merely trying to protect Young-One, who was quite talented in the art of Itch-Scratching.