Parlay from Dolor.

[Erik Mortis]

The Duke of Brookshire sits in his thrown room, holding court. His Chamberlain announces the next appellant.

"M'lord Llai, our next supplicant comes to you with a request concerning farming rights in Caverden. " Turning to the robed man, "You may now speak. "

A limping man in a black cloak steps forward. As he approaches the Duke, the man's limp disappears and his back straightens. Throwing back his hood the Earl of Dolor is revealed. Guards rush forward.

"Llai, I have come to speak, on your request. Is this how one must be greeted."

The Duke motioned the guards aside.

"Thank you. I'm sorry for the disguise, Imperial Forces made the journey outside my Fief difficult. But I come to you to Parlay. The conflict between us consumes Woodshire, its count and people cry out for help. "

The Earl stepped forward and placed a foot upon the first step of the steps leading up to the Duke, signifying his position above that of the rabble. A Noble and leader of men.

"This current unpleasantness began when your predecessor ordered troops into my fief. And this unpleasantness could end just as easily with their removal. They are placed there to keep me out of the...'Imperial county'. I assure you they serve no purpose other then to antagonize my people and my self. If I wished to enter that land, cross the river, I do not need that bridge they hold to do so. My rebellion is against the Kaiser, and should not be against this thrown. Remove the troops from Dolor, and I shall not be in rebellion against you any longer. An agreement can be reached between us. What say you?"

[Thomas Gaudin]

Thank the Gods. Once I get those sacks of skin back to work...all I'll need to do is import the gold flakes to stuff my mattress with...

[Kaiser Leto III]

Imperial Forces made the journey outside my Fief difficult.

(How did you travel to the Duke? Imperial troops haven't left the Imperial County? )

[Daniel Farewell]

Daniel was quiet. For some time. Although his face showed a smile as he looked upon Erik, Daniel was confused. And then he spoke.

"Dolor, it is great to see you here. Now, lay down your arms, for the Kaiser is my lord as well. Don't you remember the Charter that your predecessors brought forward. I haven't touched the charter, nor has the Kaiser, nor any of his immediate predecessors. Only the men and women of your family have, Dolor."

Still smiling, Daniel rose himself from the throne and began walking toward one of the great windows. "Come here, Dolor."

Erik looked puzzled but followed Daniel to the window.

"You see..." Daniel said "I don't understand why you are in rebellion with the throne. I suspect it is because you have not yet been chosen. Is that so, Dolor? Why would the golden throne be of such importance? I mean, look at our kaiser now. Why do you aspire there? What would you do that you cannot advise the rulers do?"

Daniel called for one of his guards. "Give me an axe!"

As Daniel waited for the guard to come back with an axe, he turned to Dolor once more. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I need to get out of this room. That's why I need the axe."

[Erik Mortis]

"Ummm... there's a door over there that I came threw. It works well, I can attest to that. "

Still waiting. "You do know I'm not here to talk about Imperial things, but about that which concerns Brookshire. Those troops in my lands, in Woodshire. Remove them, and we can have peace between us again. If you plan to play games with me here and now, I'll leave."

[Daniel Farewell]

"Ah, but you see... the Kaiser is Brookshire's overlord. If we go against a direct order from him, that is treason, Dolor. Treason. And should any of us commit treason, flags of sorrow will fly all over the lands of Brookshire. What happens on the Mango See affects us all. If he orders you to cease and desist, which he luckily hasn't, then you must do so, or I will have to take action. I would hate to do such a thing against you, Dolor, but my loyalties are first and foremost to the Kaiser. It's through him I rule. It is through me, you rule. It is through you, Woodshire rules. You see, there is a hierarchy placed over us by the gods themselves. Now, it pains me to see you in such anger. Why don't you end your rebellion to the kaiser and I will remove all such troops as you wish in the lands of Dolor."

Finally a guard came with an axe.

"Here" Daniel said to Dolor, figuring towards the axe. "Take it and smash the window."

[Erik Mortis]

A look of incredulity.

"I will smash this window because it amuses me to do so. Because I am curious as to your point to this line of action. But I will not submit to the Kaiser. Dolor has been in rebellion for four generations now, who am I to break with Tradition?" The Earl smiled with self confidence and defiance.

Taking the axe presented to him the Earl swung it at the window, letting it fly from his hands through the window, to clatter harmlessly on the other side. The window shattered into innumerable shards and fragments.

"That made a satisfying crash..."

[Daniel Farewell]

Daniel smiled. "I am pleased, now, let us go out in the garden. There's something I wish to show you."

As Erik and Daniel walked in the garden they came across many old artifacts and relics of old.

"Dolor. If it is by tradition you follow the rebellion, then I am deeply saddened, for it is a tradition we will not tolerate here. However, as long as you hurt no one... or actually oppose the kaiser or his word, then I will let you be. You seem to be harming no-one. In fact, aren't you a bit feeble? How would you be as a kaiser? What would you do that you cannot advise him to? Between you and me, Dolor, the Kaiser is a weak figure, but he is crowned through the graces of the Gods. I know that you are a gods-fearing man, Dolor. Prove it."

[Erik Mortis]

"Prove it? What, you WANT me to march an army to Shirekeep? Bah. This is not what I came here for. Will you or will you not remove the troops from the bridge?"

[Daniel Farewell]

"Ah! Of course I will. If you cease rebelling."

[Erik Mortis]

"I will cease rebelling against YOU and you shall remove the troops? A fair agreement. "

[Malliki Tosha]

How can you hold positions in the Imperial government as well as in Brookshire while rebelling? Either you do or you don't.

[Erik Mortis]

The Earl waived aside the random outburst from crowd. "Hey, I'm trying to talk to your Duke here.."

[Daniel Farewell]

"Mind the glass, Erik" said Daniel as he pointed at the broken glass on the garden. "We wouldn't want you to get hurt, now, would we?"

"As to your proposal, it is interesting. While I would of course like to have all my subjects loyal to me, especially by Steward, Marquess, and Arx-Naristor, and that I find it appealing - it is after all an easy solution to my problems. But this is about the Republic. The integrity and sovereignty of the Kaiser is at stake, and I, as a noble subject of his, must support him in more ways than he asks. Now, once more... End your rebellion against the lawful powers of the State, and you will be free to live as you wish happy among the black meadows of Dolor. No troops will, in times of peace, order and good government, be stationed in Dolor."

[Erik Mortis]

"Well.. then there we have it. Wait 'black fields'? We don't have black fields.. ours are the standard green. And then there are the apple orchards. Not important." The Earl kicked aside a piece of glass. "There was peace in Brookshire, till this new Kaiser came and interfered, forcing the last Duke to take actions he Knew was not wise. And you ask me to follow this Kaiser? A Kaiser who brought conflict to our Duchy. Dolor, though in rebellion, has not marched an army against Shirekeep since the abortive conflict with the last Kaiser. The then not Kaiser, Leto III, had no problem with my rebellion. He had no trouble watching my men and women fight Imperial Troops. Now he's on the throne, and suddenly rebellion is a terrible thing. Suddenly war and conflict must be brought to Brookshire. "

The Earl picked up a piece of glass and studied it. Hold the edge of the glass is intentionally cut open his finger.

"Dolor is the glass on the ground. Troublesome, maybe annoying, but left alone it will just stay there. Pick it up however, and you will be cut. We had no quarrel with the Duke of Brookshire. It was the Duke that chose to Quarrel with us. "

Tossing the glass aside. "Dolor had made no move against the throne. We had moved no troops. Sure I roused the rabble a bit, but I moved no troops. I made no hostile move against this Kaiser, nor had I any plan. Yet here we are now, due to the orders of that Kaiser. "