Illium carefully stepped away and activated a mechanism that folded his spear in on itself. The short man slid the compacted weapon up his shirt, where it settled with a muted clink.
"Fascinating weapon you got there, Illy."
Illium's eye twitched. His tense expression twisted into disdain.
Reina sighed and said to the man:
"Just ignore him, Illium."
The man with the long, tied-back hair sneered and addressed Veritas.
"Behave."
The spearman sat down, keeping his eyes fixed on the enigmatic guest.
Ixion savored the moment. His gaze roaming over every face in the room.
'What a lively group.'
They returned his scrutiny in kind, though unlike his curious gaze, theirs was tight with unease.
Ixion went over to the corner and sat on the dilapidated cabinet, shoving aside a few papers. Then, he motioned for the group to 'go on' with his hands, which only served to grow their angst.
After a few more moments of Veritas retaining silence, Reina's plea to resume the meeting was finally heeded in earnest.
The first to resume the discussion was…
'Yehran. That was her name, wasn't it?'
A middle-aged woman with defined crow's feet. Her skin was slightly weathered by age, but the residue of beauty still painted her form. She had long red hair streaked with grey. Hazel eyes that reflected the dim, dancing candle's flame.
This woman was also once the leader of the Oathsworn, who'd succeeded the cause from her predecessor, Dale Thorne, who mysteriously disappeared one day.
She was the perfect leader for this righteous group…
One who had a family to protect and a future to seek.
Yet she gave that title to Rena; instead, she opted to serve as vice-leader.
Ixion's eyes narrowed.
'But what's she holding so tightly under that coat?'
Yehran spoke slowly and calmly, as if Veritas's appearance hadn't surprised her at all. Or more like she was assured of his will.
"As I was getting to before the disturbance arrived. I called you all here today to discuss the recent rumor. King Ixion is to make for vacation in roughly a year and a half's time."
Yehran's eyebrows knitted, and she clenched her hand.
"It's our only window of opportunity. His vacancy will allow us to finally move."
A young, unassuming man with short brown hair and glasses leaned forward.
'Porter, he's a rowdy one.'
Someone who'd Ixion had taken notice of on multiple excursions due to his loud mouth.
Porter replied:
"We can't wait so long. Haven't you heard the Chrys Commonwealth's line is falling? We need to act now, or it will be too late!"
Reina, the only one sitting with her back to Veritas, replied to Porter with a measured tone:
"Sadly, Yehran is right. At least until we have someone with considerable political power on our side alongside someone who can keep King Ixion in check."
After Reina said that, Ixion coughed, making the nine look at him with probing gazes.
Eventually, they returned to the discussion at hand.
The next to speak up was a young woman who looked about Reina's age.
'Trina.'
Trina, a woman a little shorter than Illium with black hair in a bob-cut, replied:
"I'm in agreement; however, we've remained idle for too long. Porter is right on that front. Wait too long, and it will be too late."
Yehran shifted slightly in her chair.
"That's what we're here to discuss."
Yehran pulled a document from under her coat and set it on the table. The other eight huddled around and peered down at it.
'So that's what it was? Impressive Marolowe… how did you send that without me noticing?!'
A document signed and written by a Duke. A document that reached out to the Oathsworn directly, asking to unify their causes.
Porter muttered under his breath.
"This is…"
Reina's eyes shot up, and her gaze met Yehran's.
"Is this true?!"
"Yes, our very own Kire has confirmed this information himself. We are not the only ones planning to rebel."
Ixion began swinging his legs back and forth, kicking the edges of the wooden drawers.
'Was that much not obvious?!'
Though Ixion knew what was meant. A substantial rebellion was building among noble factions. It wasn't just the peasants.
'Ah, to think Marlowe's already made contact in the slums.'
There were a few ways these rebellious forces could interact…
Porter grumbled as he looked over the document written by a Duke.
"Are we seriously going to trust a noble? They're no better than the King above them."
A quiet woman with blue hair, whom Ixion didn't know, spoke up.
"Porter…"
That was all she'd said, but it was her eyes that told the full story. The quiet woman's gaze was settled on Reina.
Porter began bowing in apology, but Reina stopped him.
"I might have been a noble once, but I share the same sentiment. Most are schemers with no backbone, too frightened to push any agenda against the King. But who can blame them? Who can blame them when my family served as the perfect example of what happens to those who speak out?"
Reina's jaw tightened.
"They're the first silenced."