head of the arrangement.Oncethey were seated, attendants entered the chamber. Some broughtplatters and bowls of savory tarts, chunks of grilled wildfowl ontiny skewers, spiced and salted haronuts and assorted sweetmeats.Others bore pitchers of mulled wine and flagons of cool mead. In all,a light but filling afternoon repast fit for noble guests.Tothe Elders surprise, Rohyr asked that the attendants leave rightafter they served the food and drinks. He broached the townspetition as soon as the last of them departed.Speakplainly and waste not our time or yours, he admonished when theElders lingered on the niceties of formal introductions, thereference to himself in the plural form automatically lending anofficial air to the proceedings. Else you may find brigands atyour threshold before you manage to convince us of the merits ofgranting you our protection.Itfell to Dael to expound on the towns predicament. Tal Ereqsfolk were proud oftheirindependence, having thrived on their own for more than fifteengenerations. But of late that independence had been threatened byneighboring Cattanias aggression.Cattaniashared a tenuous border with Velarus and its rulers had onceattempted to redraw the map of the North Continent in their favor.That botched invasion had cost the principality dearly. Repelled bythe Ylandrin army and invaded in retaliation, the Cattanians hadwatched with impotent rage as fortresses and frontier communitiesfell to the Essendris and the border was pushed back several leaguesonto their own soil.Thoughthe chances of regaining those lands were negligible, the Cattanianprinces continued to harass the towns and villages along the marches.Lately, they had taken to unleashing the dregs of their society onthe region and were responsible for a great portion of the banditrythat afflicted the area.Thetally of outlaw bands had sharply risen, as had the escalation intheir savagery. News of pitiless raids culminating in wholesaledestruction and rapine gave Tal Ereqs residents cause to doubttheir ability to defend themselves. Sooner or later, the brigandswould turn their sights on the thriving communities farther west ofthe border. The townsfolk feared that their home would vanish fromthe face of Aisen before the lords of the nearest fiefs saw fit tomobilize their constabularies.Weown ourselves in dire need of Your Majestys protection andguidance, Dael earnestly said. We ask that you extend your aidto this town and its citizens.Andwhat do you offer in return, Idana-tyar?Gilmael Calanthe inquired, courteously appending the honorific toDaels surname though he was of much higher station than the Elder.Wewill cooperate in the establishment of an outpost within ourterritory as was once requested of us, Dael replied.Bymy sire, Rohyr wryly remarked. You denied his request.TheElders looked uncomfortable. Our predecessors didnt think itnecessary at the time, scholarly Mykal diffidently explained,Youmean they didnt appreciate the idea of a constant militarypresence so close by, Rohyr rejoined. It is wise of you toreconsider your stand. He gestured to Dael to continue.TheElder gamely enumerated more concessions, most having to do withplacing Tal Ereqs natural resources at the Crowns disposal. Hefaltered under Imcaels incredulous regard, however.Thatis all you can offer? the latter scoffed.Thoughinwardly chafing at the Heruns incivility, Dael maintained hiscomposure. We will tender liege homage, Essendri-dyhar,he said, mindful to employ the high honorific used to address someoneof noble blood