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Tranquil Waters: The Lead Crown Ch 5-4, Convergence

Prince Malcom and the River Tribe representatives had all remained at the council building, all except for the most wounded of their party, who had stayed at Dr Brownell's home along with Cruffington. Despite the flurry of activity around town and the hectic crush of people out on the streets the group still made it back to Dr Brownell's by late morning, and began to spread out, returning to the various activities of the day.

Aodhan, who was still trying to process all of the information and events of the morning found a chair in the home's sitting room near the low-burning fireplace. He sat down, gazing into the fire as everyone meandered about around him. Friar Arlowe gave a quick farewell before heading off into the back room where Cruff was still resting. Sister Aurelie was the first of the party to officially join Aodhan when the Cat picked up a small padded foot stool and set it down beside the Wolf's chair, taking a seat and leaning against his shoulder.

They didn't bother saying anything for the two or three minutes they had together alone. Nothing really needed to be said; they were both happy that neither had been injured in the chaos that took place in the city center, and they left it at that. Their time alone came to an end however when Brother Rhys and Runs-on-Air stepped into the sitting room to join them. The two selected a pair of simple wooden chairs and moved them over so they could be within conversation distance. Runs-on-Air was the one who spoke up first, speaking tentatively in the common tongue, "Wild-Wolf did well. WE did well."

The Rat's ears spread out slightly in curiosity, "Wild-Wolf?"

Aodhan smiled, "The Tribal Folk's name for Prince Malcom."

The Buck nodded, "The Men of Symbol.... they..." he paused, obviously seeking the right word, "they GO... and did not fight."

Umberto rounded the corner of the hallway and stepped into the sitting room, glancing about. It was obvious he overheard the discussion as he provided a simple comment in response, "The Church shouldn't have a reason to attack Vallara so it only makes sense that they wouldn't fight. I can imagine it wasn't a difficult decision for the Crusaders to go home without incident once they understood there was another force at work here."

The Doberman, Brody, followed the Wolverine in, "Few men NEED a reason to fight, Sir Umberto... I think what happened here was a mix of luck and--"

The Templar scowled, interrupting him, "Cooler heads prevailed... there was no luck involved, Brody."

The energetic swordsman that had been traveling with them leaned against the archway separating the room from the hallway, running a finger across the brim of his hat, "Ah, my friend... then you still do not realize just how close this town came to streets painted with blood. Despite your belief, most members of the Church do not understand restraint."

Umberto was more than ready to counter the comment, "Templars are taught restraint, control, and compassion first and foremost."

Sandoval nodded, the large plume on his hat dancing a little with the motion, "This is true but, I would remind you, there were very few Templars there... not entirely that casual a coincidence if I were to say so myself."

Brother Rhys frowned, "Just what are you implying, sir?"

The Human looked to the Rat and inclined his head, "No offense to the Church... but I would say that it is being played as casually and purposefully as a wooden flute would be played by a young bard..."

Sir Umberto snorted at Sandoval, then looked to Rhys, "You'll have to forgive Sandoval... he doesn't have any great love for the Church and is under the impression that it has been infiltrated by a malign brotherhood of men who wish to gain control of it."

Sandoval sighed, stepping away from the hall before pulling a chair closer and setting it down so he could sit in it backward, straddling the back rest with his legs, "Ah... if only it were so simple a matter, my friend... you see, the Mechanists are interested in far more than controlling just the Church..."

The Wolverine rolled his eyes, "So, just what IS their goal, Human? You haven't been entirely clear about that."

The swordsman raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Truly? I had thought that I have been perfectly clear on their goals this entire time."

Brody reclined in his own chair, easing it onto its back two legs as he inspected his claws, "Only that they want to control everything... you can't get much more vague than that."

Sandoval pulled out the ring he'd obtained from the shooter at the fountain square gathering and rested it on his index finger. He rolled his hand, twirling the ring from thumb to pinkie then back again, "That is precisely what they want... there is no vagueness about it."

Sister Aurelie looked up, "What? What is it they want?"

The Human let the ring come to a rest between his index finger and thumb, "I just said... everything."

Aodhan couldn't fault Sandoval's circular logic, but it was certainly being presented in a much more theatrical manner than necessary. The Wolf interjected, "So you're saying this organization is trying to take control of every aspect of power?"

The swordsman nodded, opening his hand just enough for the ring to fall into his palm, "Correct... only they are not just trying... they are mostly succeeding."

Brother Rhys flicked an ear, "How is it that they can have so much power and yet nobody except you seems to have heard of them?"

Sandoval chuckled, and opened his hand; the ring was nowhere to be seen, "Because, my friend... being invisible is, in and of itself, a very powerful power indeed. How can someone fight against your plans if they do not know you exist?"

Brody lowered all four of his chair's legs back to the ground, "Nice trick... so where's the ring then?"

The Human smiled, standing up and moving over to the Doberman, "Like the Mechanists themselves, my friend... it is right in plain sight." The Dog opened his muzzle to speak, but, before he could say anything Sandoval reached forward and pulled the ring out from behind Brody's ear.

Brother Rhys was not amused, "Considering the implications of what we're discussing you seem to be rather casual about it."

Sandoval pocketed the ring and returned to his seat, "Considering how long I have been opposing them I am not the one that needs time to acclimate myself to the realization that much of what is going on is not random happenstance, Brother."

Aodhan nodded, willing to give the man the benefit of the doubt based on what they'd experienced that morning, "So how is it that these Mechanists plan to gain power over everything by manipulating the Church?"

The Human glanced his way, a wry grin on his lips, "Quite simple... they won't. But once you consider that they also have influence over the University you will start to understand that they are far more powerful than either organization alone."

Tobias, who was hanging back at the entrance to the sitting room frowned, moving over to take a seat amidst the circle of discussion, "That's a LOT of stuff you're expecting us to take on faith... wouldn't you say?"

Sandoval's smile widened, "I expect you to take nothing on faith... if today's activity does not convince you then perhaps tomorrow's might."

Aodhan's ears went up as he regarded the man, "Why? What happens tomorrow?"

The swordsman winked, "Tomorrow I anticipate the Mechanists will try another tactic to further discredit Prince Malcom."

Umberto frowned, "Why would they do that?"

The Human settled into his chair once again, placing his chin atop its back rest, "Why? Because they are seeking a third point of power within Lehsunia."

Aodhan ventured a guess, "The Royalty?"

Sandoval nodded, "Precisely."

Tobias let out a sigh, "That seems a little far fetched."

The Human glanced at the prong horn, "Does it now? Is it so hard to believe that a kingdom has been torn apart due to the infighting of its heirs, split quite cleanly along the lines of Church and University-- two institutions that have something to gain by backing the right noble, yet much more to lose if their bid for power is denied?"

Tobias weighed in, "And the University has never been interested in stepping into the political arena... it wouldn't really have that much to gain."

Brother Rhys took his turn to deny the swordsman, "Any institution could understand the benefit of having a nation's King well disposed toward it... even the church. Still, that kind of maneuver wouldn't be worth it."

Sandoval's smile never faded, "Is it impossible to think that there may be a force much greater than either, working behind the shadows and using them as tools for its own agenda? Hmm... perhaps you are right... that is far fetched indeed. Despite all of the signs indicating that neither the Church nor the University would have as much to gain as they would have to lose, I am certain that this entire thing is just one big misunderstanding... especially, by all accounts, that it is they who are prolonging this purgatory without a true ruler."

Umberto frowned, "The Church recognizes the TRUE ruler of Lehsunia. Prince Regent Thaddius is the heir to the throne by all laws-- written and divine."

The Human bowed his head, "I never declared otherwise, my friend."

The Wolverine pressed for an answer, "Then why are you suggesting the Church has an ulterior motive in supporting him?"

Sandoval raised a hand up, palm out to the Templar, "I do not believe the Church has ulterior motives... but I DO believe the Mechanists do... and they have enough control over the Church to manipulate it into doing its work for them."

Tobias cleared his throat, "Then what about the University?"

The Human stood, and turned to the antelope before bowing, "While I have many answers, I do not claim to have them all. It is good that you are thinking of questions, however, as far more people should be asking them... don't you think?"

Aodhan was hard-pressed to refute Sandoval's logic, especially in light of what they had witnessed that morning. One thing did lay heavily on the Wolf's mind however, "How did you know that the Mechanists would try something like this today?"

The swordsman smiled, "Ah... well, my friend, THAT would be where good fortune comes in, as I did not know that anything of the sort would occur here... rather, Sir Umberto has been kind enough to join me here on my quest for more knowledge, and it was nothing aside from blind luck that helped us to intervene at the most opportune time."

Sister Aurelie followed that up, "Luck? What IS it you're here for?"

The Human bowed his head slightly as he stood up from his seat, "Information... information and clues... and Vallara is the best place to find them if only I can find the right person who is sure to have them."

Brody glanced at Umberto and they both shrugged. The Doberman then looked back to the swordsman, "Then who are we here looking for?"

Sandoval ran his finger along the lip of his brimmed hat before lowering his hand back to the pommel of his sword, "Her name is Nicole Arnswold... I saved her life once, and I hope she will remember that instead of trying to kill me."

Aodhan did not much care for the sound of that. He was about to speak up, but Brother Rhys did so first, "Why would she want to kill you?"

The swordsman lowered his head with a sigh, "That is complicated, unfortunately... but the short answer is that I helped to destroy her lover's tribe and oversaw the slavery of all of its surviving tribesmen."

More than one of the assembled sat back in their chairs, gasping, "WHAT?"

Considering the collection of listeners, his guilt in such an endeavor was not a very popular thing for him to admit. The Human shrugged, "As I said... it is the short version of a very complicated story."

The Wolf narrowed his eyes, suddenly not very well indisposed toward the mysterious swordsman, "Then maybe you should consider telling the longer version."