Penitent

Chapter 253 Book 4 Ch 34: Breakdown of Relations

Michael awoke to the smell of smoke. He bolted upright, placing his hand on his armor and sending his will through it making it wrap itself around him as he grabbed Ruin and The Wall. He could hear yelling and he moved out of his segment of the tent to see one wall of canvas completely covered in flames. The others were already getting the diplomats outside and the knights were moving readily out as well. Michael followed them, already sending out a wave of healing energy to deal with any burns. Luckily there were only mild ones to heal.

He pushed his way out of the tent and stopped. They were surrounded.

Knights in full armor were arrayed in two rows around them and their burning tent. Behind them were bowmen ready to fire, and behind them were mages with prepared spells, the air around them swirling with raw magicka.

Michael kept his hand on Ruin's hilt and his shield ready. The knights all arrayed themselves around the diplomats with Lance at their head. Marcus had his pistols aimed and ready, Ollie's staff was already raised and barriers raised around them, and Pyotr stood next to lance on the balls of his feet, ready to launch himself forward.

Michael saw that King Loen was standing slightly elevated behind the thickest cluster of his knights. His friendly expression was entirely gone and he held his warhammer as if he was ready to use it at any moment.

"What is the meaning of this?" asked Lance, beating Michael to the punch.

The Swandian King laughed without humor.

"The meaning of this? You conspire with our enemies under the guise of neutrality and ask what the meaning of this is?" He spat. "Disgusting."

Lance shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about! We ate a meal with them. Same as we did with you!"

"One of your people met with their monarch alone for an extended period of time. After that you cast a spell to block sound escaping from your own tent. I myself noticed many subtle nods and glances between you and their people. I would be a fool to trust you."

"This is just the way mediations are!" yelled Lance. "Sometimes you need to make smaller agreements between parties in order to make things work. Short independent meetings and secrets are nothing unusual. By the end of this we would've had dozens of them with you and your people as well!"

It was a lie in this case, but a truth in all others. A monarch more experienced in conflict and negotiations likely wouldn't have reacted as King Loen had.

Michael moved over to Ollie.

"I really don't want to have to hurt anyone unnecessarily. I know you've never moved this many people that far before, but do you think…?"

A bead of sweat dropped from the tip of Ollie's nose.

"Already working on it. I just need a bit more time."

Michael nodded.

"No. The degree to which you've acted in secret with my enemies goes far beyond normal negotiation," said King Loen.

"You will throw down your arms and be taken prisoner or you will be killed."

"You threaten a neutral force of Hume. There will be dire consequences to this," replied Lance.

"And what will Hume do? Ignore their rift problem to march all twelve of its soldiers through a hostile land hungry for an excuse to swallow them up to punish me?" He shook his head. "I am unconcerned with this possibility."

With a glance at Ollie to make sure he was still working, Michael stepped forward to stand next to Lance.

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"Before you act any more rashly than you already have, please consider what all myself and my friends who once worked in Gemini have done for Swandia. The rifts we sealed, the people I healed asking nothing in return. I know you have heard the whispers of the gods, or at least heard that your people are beginning to turn toward them again. WIth all that in mind, do you truly believe we are taking an action against you? I swear to all the gods that the conversation I had with King Castor had nothing to do with Swandia or this mediation. There's no reason for threats. No one wants things to escalate into violence."

King Loen stood silently for a few moments, and a few of his men briefly stopped looking at them and glanced in his direction as if making sure he still wanted them ready for battle.

"I don't want things to escalate either," he said after a moment. "That's why I'll ask again. Surrender your weapons so that I can take you into custody."

"Ollie?" asked Michael not at all subtly as he looked back.

"No worries," he said as released his magicka causing a large portal to appear below all of them.

Michael immediately lost all sense of balance as the floor beneath him vanished and he dropped six feet to the ground. He had simultaneous feelings of vertigo, nausea, and disorientation as he landed heavily on the ground, falling backward in his armor. He'd never been through one of Ollie's portals before. The effect was unpleasant.

Only a second after he landed, he recovered and brought himself to his feet. He looked around, healing a few sprained ankles and bruises as he did so. They were in the no-man's-land between the Swandian and Burndan camps. Slightly closer to the Burndans.

He could hear the uproar from the Swandian camp as they realized they'd all vanished. Michael began helping everyone up one by one, making sure they were steady on their feet and getting them moving toward the Burndan side.

Michael found Ollie bent over with his hands on his knees breathing heavily.

"Took a lot out of you?"

He nodded. "In battle, my deeds kick in and give me a big magicka boost. It's tougher when I'm not actively fighting."

Blake appeared and grabbed Ollie's arm, letting him brace against her so he could start moving.

"I don't know how long it will take them to realize where we are, but we need to move quickly," said Michael.

They all moved toward the Burndan camp with Michael in the lead. They didn't hide their approach, and when they were fifty feet away a camp guard yelled out at them.

"Hail Mediators of Old Hume. Why do you approach?"

"The Swandians have violated the rules of hospitality. They accused us of treachery and attempted to detain us. We ask for asylum within your camp," said Lance.

"I will inform the king immediately. You may approach more closely, but be aware that you are being watched."

As everyone else caught up, Michael and the other combatants returned to their formation with the diplomats in the center. They were handling things very well, all things considered. They seemed calm even with everything that had happened. He said as much to Undred.

"Ah, well, when you've negotiated with Stent, Svict, and Broan you're used to the occasional hostilities." She shrugged. "You need to be ready to play things by ear."

A few moments later a guard approached the camp perimeter.

"You may all enter. Our magnanimous king Castor has granted you asylum and protection. We are to guard you with our lives."

As he spoke a small wooden bridge was lowered to allow them to cross the trench of stakes into the camp. They proceeded carefully. There were signs that the Swandian's had realized where they were, but so far they hadn't made any attempts to reach them. Perhaps it was the threat of Burndan and a need to gather significant forces to make the attempt so close to their camp.

As they crossed into the camp, Gabriel arrived to meet them. He was wearing a simple tunic, his bearing and his crown the only indication of his status, but his men parted and saluted him as he approached.

He looked as if he was going to head to Michael immediately, but diverted to Lance when he recalled what the roles were.

"What happened?"

"King Loen accused us of conspiring against him with you. He cited subtle gestures between your people and ours as well as the solitary meeting you had with Count Mann."

Gabriel's expression darkened. He gestured one of his men closer, and whispered several quick things to him before sending him away. Then he looked at the rest of his men.

"Raise the alarm, prepare for possible attack and ready one of our own." He didn't yell as he spoke, but his men smashed their fists on their chests and began to act as if he'd screamed the order at them.

He gestured for Michael and the others to come in close.

"We'll have to leave and head north now," he said. "My mother will expect me to push my advantage here immediately. I'd rather not lose men when I can pull them back from Swandia. That said, I can't guarantee the protection of your people. I can provide passes through Lobek, Svict, and Goetias to get back to Old Hume however. As well as whatever supplies are needed."

Lance frowned and looked at the others. "I'll stay with the others and make sure they get back. I'd already volunteered to stay behind and I've done part of the trek before."

Michael nodded and turned to Gabriel.

"Let's go save my grandkids," he whispered to him.