Return of the Stormcriers

CHAPTER 25 - BEFORE THE HIGH COUNCIL

The Council Chambers were an enormous circular room decorated with a large rectangular table surrounded by seven high backed padded chairs. Six of the chairs sat evenly spaced, two on each side of the table, their deep red cushions filled by the posteriors of the four men and two women who made up the council. The seventh and final chair stood at the head of the table, more throne than chair, higher backed than the others, with royal purple cushions in place of the red. Unlike the other chairs, this more impressive piece of furniture boasted fine gold plated arms, with the ends sculpted into gilded snarling dragon heads, their mouths open exposing sharp golden teeth in defiance to the world.

"We appreciate your prompt arrival," Adelinde Hielscher, an extremely dignified woman in her mid seventies gestured for Bernoulli to take his familiar place in their quorum, standing just behind and to the side of the High King's vacant chair. She stood as she spoke, her long silver hair sparkled like starlight in the soft early morning light that streamed through the tall, arched windows set into the walls of the chamber.

Bernoulli gave her a tight lipped smile as he bowed his head in apparent reverence to the longest tenured member of the council. Inwardly the newly appointed Steward seethed at the disrespect. In place of an appointed sovereign, he was the highest ranking man in Verden. With his men preparing to kill Prince Alexander and Prince Nathan on the run, there was no one in the kingdom with a legal claim to usurp the throne from him; yet the council insisted on treating him as if he were still a mere advisor. He had no doubt they would attempt to control his every action even if they accepted the royal decree that had placed him in his position of leadership; a position he had slaved away for decades to reach, a position he had now killed for.

"Leonardo Bernoulli," Adelinde continued, lowering herself back into her seat, "the Council has summoned you here this morning to discuss the tragic events that transpired within these walls two nights prior. More specifically we are very interested in the circumstances that led Prince Nathan to name you as Steward of Verden mere moments before he was killed by assassins."

"Of course my lady," the smooth, practiced voice of an ever humble advisor that Bernoulli had perfected over his many years of service echoed softly in the grand room. "What would you like to know?"

"We find it strange that you, an advisor, would be named as Steward over one of our number; we after all have much more first hand knowledge of the day to day governance of our kingdom. I intend no offense by my words of course, you were the last to see our dear Prince alive and I am merely curious as to the specifics of his final conversation." The heavily mustached Gerolf Albiker leaned back in his chair as he spoke, stroking his impressive salt and pepper facial hair as if he were deep in thought.

"What are you implying Councilor?" Bernoulli asked in his overly polite voice, fighting to keep his anger at the man's snide comments hidden deep below the surface of his polished front. "Respectfully, I served at High King Castius', Tolfelo usher his soul safely to the afterlife, side longer than you have served on this council. I have studied at the right hand of his majesty himself as he ruled benevolently and effectively over Verden."

"I am not implying that you are anything less than capable of the position," Gerolf said placatingly. "I just find it disappointing that there were no other souls around to witness Prince Nathan's first and final royal decree. We merely have your word and a stamped decree. It is most regrettable that he was killed before he could inform anyone else about his decision."

Bernoulli felt his blood boil as he recognized the second, darker, underlying current to Gerolf's words. How dare this man accuse him of murdering Nathan and forging the decree. He could not afford for any such rumors to spread; Gerolf would have to be paid off, or killed. It troubled him briefly how fast the the solution of murder had lept to the forefront of his mind, had killing one man made it that much easier for him to take such drastic measures?