<~> Chapter 204The two Tangleleafs walked over to the end of the table where Master Routil Tangleleaf was setting down his papers while Tarklin took the opportunity to e greet us.

  "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes," I said to him.

  He smiled wide and my high Charisma saw the relief in them as he held out his hand for me to shake. I took it aurhe gesture before he turo Cecilia. "It looks like your status as an adopted elf has e out. How did Lilith take it?" he said with mirth in his voice.

  Cecilia smirked at him. "She knows everything, Tarklin."

  His smile suddenly grew stiff aurned bae to study my expression. "And how did she take that Cecilia?"

  She patted him on the shoulder and ughed. "Better than expected, though I'll bet we have a lot to discuss ter."

  He let out a breath and rexed a bit but his smile still looked a bit forced to me.

  I ughed. "Don't worry. I'm not that mad, especially sidering some of the things I've learned since we st met. And sidering the meeting we're about to have, you'll have plenty of room to help me out of the bind I've found myself in."

  He gri me again, this one looking much more natural. "I suppose we'll have to find out. Master Tangleleaf wouldn't tell me anything about this meeting, only that I was required to attend. You didn't get yourself into too mubsp;trouble I hope."

  Cecilia nodded. "Oh tons, luckily not much that will get on the Queen's bad side. Take my word for it though, from everything I've found out about her, it'll be you to help Lilith out as much as you here."

  Tarklin suddenly looked at her seriously and she nodded iurn, then as if the moment had never happened a grin spread ba his face. "Sounds like we do have a lot to discuss ter then, but it seems we're about to start."

  The eight of us took a seat on one end of the long table across from the elves. The ohat sat on our side was Tarklin who was seated on the far eo Cecilia. A lot of the focus and curious stares were ohough there were more than a few who looked over at the three Pantharians in roup.

  "Let's begin, shall we," Routil Tangleleaf said. "Last night Miss Lilith Baphomet here, told me that one of her friends killed the King of Torlimal yesterday, may I ask which of the people you've brought with you was the former crime sve iion?"

  There were lots of whispers of surprise and shock but none of them looked angry or upset. Even Tarklin looked caught off guard by the news, it seems the knowledge hasn't fully spread yet despite the pantharians being freed and the far-off explosion in the castle.

  "Silva," I said gesturing to her, "was the one who killed the King. I am not upset he is dead, his death in fact freed one of my lovers and her sister, as well as their aunt and all other pantharians. I did not order her to do so though, she did it without inf me of her iions. She removed her crime sve colr herself and took the opportunity to kill him. She also killed Sir h, the head of the guard, as well as the small number of guards there in the room with us. We were told the meeting would be a secret so we're not sure if anyone else knows that we were there."

  Silva simply nodded in response and didn't add anything.

  "Do you io recolr her?" the female elf in dark red asked with a dangerous tinge in her voice.

  "No," I replied. "She's my friend, I only purchased her from her prior master to protect her and bring her with me. I have only known her for a short time however, I met her less than a month ago on our trip here. Tarklin was with me at the time," I said nodding in his dire.

  Nealli Tangleleaf cleared her throat. "For the record please refer to Mister Tarklin Silvergrove by his full name."

  I frowned. "Ah, sorry, my mistake. I meant no disrespect."

  "Who are the others in the embassy that you chose not to include in this versation?" Routil Tangleleaf asked.

  "A few of my friends believed they would not have anything to tribute to this versation and two of them are pantharians that Lorriene's friend smuggled out of the Sver's guild when their colrs were destroyed." When I paused Lorrieook the opportunity to jump in.

  She bowed low and then sat up straight. "I wish to ask for assistan smuggling them to the Northern Greens. I have worked with a Mister Tillik Sageblood in the past to transport other pantharians that I've gotten away from their former masters. Now that the colrs are go may make things easier but I expect many people will be w to recolr any pantharians they find."

  "Sageblood?" The male elf in purple asked.

  "Minor house, under Summernd," the male in dark red quietly respoo him.

  Routil nodded. "That will be fine. We'll taeone from the Summernd house to take them and make tact with the Sagebloods. Let's get ba track."

  Lorriene bowed again. "Thank you, Master Tangleleaf."

  He nodded but tinued without further aowledgment, "Tarklin Silvergrove, st night Cecilia of Silvergrove asked me to shelter Lilith Baphomet because she was important to you. Do you wish to disclose in what way she's important to you?"

  The male elf in purple who hadn't said anythiarted snickering.

  "I'm afraid that matter is held in secreder the Queen's authority," Tarklin responded seriously. The elf in purple that had been snickering stopped.

  Routil raised an eyebrow. "You swear by your house?"

  Tarklin nodded. "I do. I retly talked to the queen about Lilith Baphomet when I delivered Sera Faelyn Morrister to the Northern Greens. She agreed with me that the situation with Lilith Baphomet should be treated delicately and just before this meeting Cecilia of Silvergrove firmed some of my suspis to be true. I fidently say that Lilith Baphomet is of special io the Queen. She stopped shy of extending full protes but I think it is in our best io treat Lilith Baphomet as if she had been for the moment. She's of strategic importance."

  Suddenly the entire room turo face me. I wasirely sure of the full text but I could tell that this was a big deal. It sounded like the elves would back me up at least but I'm not sure how far their prote would go, would they refuse to hand me over if someone came looking for the kingsyer?

  "I apologize Lilith Baphomet, but I o reveal your secret," Tarklin tinued. My eyes went wide and I turo face him. "Lilith is a world traveler and has knowledge that is of great importao the queen. I am not at liberty to discuss the full scope however," he finished.

  I let out a breath. I had been sure that he was about to reveal something a lot more sensitive than that. I sat ba my seat slightly numb. This had been one of my secrets but after some of the things I've learned about the prophecies and my position ihat secret was the least of my worries.

  "Do you deny this?" Routil Tangleleaf asked.

  "No... It is true. I am a world traveler," I replied.

  There was more quiet chatteriween the elves. "She replied in elvish," was one of the things I heard among their whispers. It seems they used a simir trick to the oarklin had, gettio reply in an unon tohout realizing it. If I decide to tinue keeping the world traveler thing to my chest I'll have to be more careful about that.

  Eventually the woman in dark red spoke up, "If our queen wishes it, then I have no issue treating Lilith Baphomet and her panions as if they have full prote. This does mean however that if the city es looking for the kingsyer we would be obligated to protect them from Torlimal's army. We should make some preparations for if they decide to attack the embassy." There were several noises of agreement, it seems that Tarklin's words swayed them. I'd wonder if they were true but something tells me he wouldn't lie about that, I probably am of importao her, just not because I'm a world traveler.

  One of the elves in purple decided to speak , "There's also the matter of the king being dead and our position on it. There hasn't been a formal annouo the city about it yet and with the current state of the capital. I'm unsure if one will go out at all. This may be because they're still looking for the culprit but it may also be because there's infighting over the succession. The, ahem, former young king had no heirs. Normally the Duke of Kallord would be in line for the thro he is nearly uniformly disliked by both nobles and oners and is currently oher side of the kingdom. If he tried to take the thro very well may lead to a civil war. The Duke of Torquin would be the most logical choice after that but he is an even less favorable choice for our Queen."

  Routil nodded. "I agree, our choice would obviously be Marquis Saffadder, he has always been fair and favorable to us in our dealings with him as the Marquis of the territory that borders ours, but that would require the kingdom to pass over two dukes. Assuming the Duke of Kallord is passed up willingly then we would o find a way for other o pressure the Duke of Torquin to step aside for Marquis Saffadder. On the bright side, none of the other marquises would be able to make a cim against him. Our support alone should be enough even if he wasn't as well respected as he is."

  "What is the Duke of Torquin and Marquis Saffadder's opinion on svery?" Lorriene asked.

  Routil's eyes narrowed at Lorrie he answered her anyway. "The Duke of Torquin is very much pro-svery. It is one of the major points of dispute between us and the reason for our Queen's disgust with him. The Queen ordered him o return to the Northern Greens after he boasted about the elven sves he keeps in his home at a party he had been io. Publicly, the Marquis' position is ral but I believe he would be willing to outw all but crime svery if we pushed him on it."

  "What if I assassihe Duke of Torquin?" Silva asked.

  There en shock at Silva's words. Several of the elves stared open mouthed at her suggestion and even some of the people on our side of the table including Torien looked surprised. Routil to his credit was stone-faced. Instead, his eyes trailed across everyone on my side of the table.

  Routil cleared his throat. "As an ambassador of the Northern Greens, I of course ot doions that would put the retionship with our southern neighbors at risk. If someone did assassihe Duke of Torquin, it would put us in a better position to get the oute we want. However, in no way could we offer support or remuion for su act. We would be obligated by treaty to report anyone who attempted to offer such a service to us. Not that anyone would be so foolish as to offer such a servie, least of all in a public setting."

  Most of the elves oher side of the table looked awkward, a notable exception was the elven woman wearing dark red. She looked at Silva with amusement and a dangerous smile.

  "There is one more thing I would like t up before we finish this meeting," I said.

  Routil's attention focused bae. "Of course, please do."

  "There's also the matter of the Cult of Amphores. We were hunting them in Goldeh after the attack there and discovered they are operating here in the capital as well. Talis told me that he was able to discover that they were able to disrupt sve colrs and timed it with violence around the city, leading to the riot yesterday," I said.

  Routil looked over at Talis. "You're dressed as a member of the Great Library's guard."

  Talis bowed. "Yes, Master Tangleleaf. I'm a follower of Sorsette and the head of her Library guard. I was tasked with proteg Miss Lilith Baphomet for the moment. I believe the riots were caused by the Cult of Amphores and that aner riot is likely to be triggered sometime soon. I believe they had failed in their first attempt. With the animosity between the beastkin, the Tamin Church, and the Cult of Amphores, I expected violeo break out here soon even before the King was killed."

  The elf's brow furrowed before turning to the woman in dark red. "Feyria Wihorn, please make arras for that as well. We may be forced to abandon the embassy if worse es to worst."

  Feyria bowed iurn. "Of course. I'll make sure to alert the staff and prepare an evacuation if necessary. We'll start moving dots ter today."

  Routil turned bae. "You are wele to stay here at the embassy as long as you wish. sider yourself to be under our prote but do not abuse it. You will have to stay here at the embassy until we firm no one is looking for you."

  Talis bowed again. "I believe I be of assistan that. Allow me to talk to some of my tacts and I'll pass along the extent of what the city guard and army know about the King's assassination thus far."

  Routil nodded. "I would be hoo have the church of Sorsette's assistan this."

  Saine

  Hello! This chapter had a lot more world building and expnation of the current political climate than most chapters. Lilith and her group are finally running into people who actually matter haha. Since Silva's identity has been exposed she's a lot more forthing about her willio work as an assassin. It's probably not the best pce to offer her services but it is what it is. Silva probably came off looking a little dumb here but she's smarter thas on, she khe elves wouldn't do anything to her. Sometimes being open about the kind of person you are attracts the kind of person you're looking for. I hope you enjoyed reading!

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