The Broken Council tgc-1

by Steven R. Burke

  The Earane Minyatur was silent aside from the shuffling of feet as the members of the High Council took their seats. The room had stunning vaulted ceilings made of marble with gold and silver inlaid into it. The round table the council members sat around filled the center of the spacious hall. The table itself had been hand crafted by King Nognili's dwarves as a gift for King Ciel's five hundredth anniversary as the ruler of the elven nation. At the center of this table there was a large open area that had a gold-and-silverembossed cauldron resting in the very middle. There was a silvery black substance that was simmering and turning inside the ornate pot while giving no reflection of its surroundings.

  The cauldron was used for the purpose of casting votes and for revealing glimpses of the future for those who looked into its portents. The name of this magical device was Thraalillith. Most of the predictions made by this powerful object were not to be taken as entirely serious because it showed only half-truths. There were several occasions that the council had used the mysterious power of Thraalillith to try and foresee outcomes of their decisions. Each time they acted on what they had perceived to be the truth, they ended up worse for wear. It was now believed that the magical properties of the cauldron were too powerful to be controlled by even the most potent elven magic. Hence the reason why it was no longer used for anything aside from voting.

  When the members of the council used the cauldron to cast their votes on debated issues, they would throw a piece of paper into a magically created fire that would hover above the silvery black portents of the Thraalillith. An affirmative vote would turn the fire bright blue, while a disapproving vote turned the fire crimson red. The council secretary recorded the number of votes for each side of the debated issue. The elves relished in using their magic whenever they could, and this was another frivolous way for them to use their power. They loved being reminded of their supposed superiority over the lesser races of Tuwa by using magic.

  The side door of the High Council chamber opened with a snap to admit a stoic-looking king who was followed by his guard and his daughters Kira and Kishi. They were all adorned in the finest silk and cloth made by elven seamstresses. The king wore an impressive crown that was encrusted in a wide variety of dwarven jewels and gems. This crown was another gift from the dwarves. His daughters wore simple-looking leaf crowns made of silver and gold. Everyone stopped talking and stood up at their abrupt arrival. This show of reverence was an elven custom that had been practiced for centuries and had become a requirement since King Ciel took the throne. When royalty entered a room, everyone must stop what they were doing, stand if they were not already doing so, and face them. A slight bow was also required as they passed by. In this case, everyone bowed as the royal family made their way to their seats at the head of the round table even though they did not walk by them.

  King Ciel took up his seat and nodded to the members of the council to be seated. His throne was made by some of the greatest craftsmen from Mount Carrick by the order of the dwarven king, Jarvis Dagnolir. The chair was encased in silver and gold in a magnificent swirling fashion. The high-backed chair had the crest of the Tiranidrol house carved into it. There was a depiction of a forest resembling the Black Forest with the Blaine River running parallel to it, which appeared to be moving.

  The tension was increasing and the meeting hall became as quiet as a tomb. Before King Ciel could even begin the meeting, the double doors at the main entrance opened without warning. There was a loud resounding boom as the doors hit the solid oak walls. General Yukio Ibreshri marched in as if he had been the most anticipated guest. He was the general of the armies for Queen Daria Thejar, but he had no authority here among the elves. Daria was the monarch of the Nairi Canyons to the northeast of the Black Forest and an ally of the elves. However, this alliance was always strained because men were not allowed in the forest.

  The general's enormous stature caught the eye of many of the council members. King Ciel felt uneasiness and a twinge of dread come over him at this unexpected appearance. However, the king hid his fear deep within and put on a look of contemptuous expectancy. He was not about to give an inch in the presence of this unworthy man who had besmirched his good name by stealing one of his daughters. He would take charge of this new development and leave no doubt in the council members' minds that he was still in charge.

  General Yukio's interruption was not welcomed by the majority of the council members. They gave him malevolent looks that left no doubt as to their disgust and wariness of his presence. The general had anticipated nothing less from these shortsighted traditionalists. He was equal to the impending confrontation with the council, and he knew full well what the result of this encounter would be. He smiled at the thought of knowing something that the pompous king did not and did nothing to hide his pleasure he felt because of the disruption he caused.

  "What do you mean by this intrusion?" the king demanded. He made sure to keep his tone even to hide the fear within. What are they playing at? How will his presence help his daughter's secret plans?

  "The matter you are discussing today affects me as much as your daughter, King Ciel," General Yukio replied calmly. "You certainly did not believe that I would miss an opportunity to visit my in-laws." He smiled at the astonished looks on many of the council members' faces. He could sense that his presence had caught the king off guard and that he was not prepared for what was happening. The old fool did not believe that I would dare come!

  The room filled with murmurings at this ridiculous statement about the royal family being in-laws with such an unworthy man. They could not believe that an infidel would dare address their king in this manner let alone make such outrageous claims. No one in the royal family should permit such an impure creature into their midst and spoil the sanctity of their meeting. No one in the hall had known that the man had been allowed into the forest aside from the Tiranidrols.

  The king fixed his daughters with such a piercing glare that any other elf would have withered before such a furious look. Kishi and Kira stared unblinkingly at their father in a way that made it clear that they had invited the general and that is was within their power to do so. His allowed his stern look to quickly dissolved, and he put on a reluctant smile to ward off the rage building within him. Many of the council members noticed the king's subtle slip of emotional control. Many shifted in their seats uncomfortably at the scene unfolding in front of them.

  "General Yukio, this matter does concern you, so I am glad you are here so you can hear this council's verdict regarding your crimes against the elven kingdom and its royal family," King Ciel stated coldly. "Please come and sit so that we may lay this matter to rest." He gestured to the empty chair next to his daughter Kira and then returned his attention to the council members.

  Without saying another word, the general walked up to the king and gave a brief nod to him and sat down. He looked around the table at the stunned council members and read their innermost thoughts with his unknown prodigious skill in mind penetration. They all thought that the king should kill the unworthy man and banish his daughter Kira for life. He gave a hearty smile and inclined his head toward members of the council he recognized or knew personally. I am certainly glad that I did not miss the show! This is going to be well worth the wait!

  The king waved his right hand for silence, and the murmurings immediately ceased. There was a feeling of anticipation and expectancy filling the still air. The king looked at the head of the High Council, Conary Aerasrril, and nodded slightly, which meant it was time to begin the meeting. Everyone in the room followed the king's gaze to look at the chairman, who sat opposite the king near the front entrance where General Yukio had entered.

  Conary was a very tall, slender elf who had a youthful look despite his many years of service. He had served on the High Council his entire adult life. He was made the chairman of the elven council when Ciel Tiranidrol was made king. They had been the best of friends growing up, and this matter with the king's youngest daughter wa
s almost too much for him to bear. The chairman loved Kira like she was his own daughter. He knew that at the moment he had to be strong. Conary was used to taking care of the king since the passing of his wife five years ago. King Ciel was a good person, and everyone respected his decisions; therefore, as the chairman of the council, he would support this trial and uphold its findings.

  "The purpose of this emergency meeting is to address the violation of our laws by the Princess Kira Tiranidrol. General Yukio Ibreshri is in attendance to hear the judgments of this High Council against him," the chairman stated evenly. He had to hide his personal feelings in this matter so that the council would not question his leadership.

  General Yukio felt a pang of anger inside as he looked around the table. He could tell that the members had already made up their minds after that biased introduction. How could these council members be considered wise when they rush judgment? What a bunch of cold-hearted, ignorant fools! They will rue this day! He kept his facial expressions neutral to hide his adverse feelings.

  "The charges against the two accused, which they are guilty of, are as follows-" the chairman began to read the council's findings.

  "The charges that they are guilty of? What is the meaning of this?" Princess Kishi interjected sharply. She thought that there would be a trial at the very least, not an immediate verdict. She became so furious that her shimmering gray eyes began to smolder. Her chair flew back into the wall behind her and shattered into tiny pieces. The council members were taken aback by this unexpected outburst. They could tell that this was going to end badly no matter what the outcome of the impending votes.

  "I have called the council here for the purpose of determining the guilt of your sister and her illegitimate husband. They are here today to hear the judgment of this just council. They will accept whatever punishment we deem appropriate and acknowledge their folly," the king replied sharply. He did not think that Kishi would react with such anger. She should know that these two were doomed the moment they crossed the forbidden line and married. I cannot allow their treachery to go unpunished.

  "Dearest sister, do not be concerned with these proceedings and the inevitable fallout. We are here of our own free will and have a full knowledge of what this council plans to do," Princess Kira cut across her sister in a kind, yet airy tone. She had been secretly hoping that her elder sister would react with such intensity. Elven twins had a way of knowing what their other half would do before they would do something. They were powerful in magic and were equally rare amongst the immortals.

  Silence swept through the hall as the chairman waited for King Ciel to indicate whether or not he was finished. Princess Kishi turned to the chair she had destroyed, and, with a wave of her hand, it repaired itself. Once the chair was in place once more, she dropped down sharply into her chair with a look of utmost contempt for what she had just heard. She could not believe that her father was not going to have a trial. This meeting was about sentencing. This should have been a private matter. Why did he have to take it this far? She did not bother to hide her feelings anymore and thought, more than once, to use her magic to shake the council members from the ludicrous course of action they were taking.

  "Please continue, Chairman Aerasrril, with the reading of the charges," King Ciel said with a slight nod. He did not want to lose control of this meeting; this sensitive situation had to be cleared up today. Any more delay would destabilize the king's already weakened control over the bureaucracy. If he mishandled this politically charged issue, then he would lose all creditability with the High Council and with his loyal subjects.

  "General Yukio and Princess Kira did knowingly engage in an unlawful intimate relationship. They further violated our laws by marrying one another a fortnight ago. This was a direct violation of the marriage statute, which states that no elf shall marry a person from any of the lesser races. They did break these laws knowing full well the penalties and severity of what crimes they were committing," Conary read aloud. He was doing his best to hide his severe disapproval of how this personal matter was being handled.

  There was a buzz of excitement coming from the council members because the crimes were most egregious. They were all sitting on the edge of their seats now awaiting the opportunity to vote so they could convict these obviously guilty parties. The tension in the room was so high that it seemed like no one was going to take another breath until they voted. Many of them thought that this was truly a historic moment and a political victory for their king. The condemnation of the princess and this general of Nairi would reaffirm the supremacy of elven law and re-establish their superiority throughout all of Tuwa. They were not even taking into consideration the fallout that would occur with Queen Daria and her subjects if they executed the iconic Nairian general.

  "Members of this most noble and honorable High Council of elves, it is time," Conary Aerasrril proffered solemnly. As the High Councilman spoke these last words, a brilliant fire burst into life just above the surface of the Thraalillith.

  "If you believe that the accused should be cleared of all charges or if they should be convicted on all counts, please vote now." Every council member cast his or her vote into the cauldron of fate, and the fire burned bright blue as each piece of paper came into contact with the magical fire. There was not a single vote cast to clear either of the accused. They had been found guilty by the entire High Council. The chairman abstained from voting because of his mixed feelings. The general and the royal family were not permitted to vote because they were not members of the council.

  Princess Kishi placed her hands on the table in anticipation of what was going to happen next. She was not happy at all with what had taken place thus far. How can the entire council vote against both of them? I understand why they convicted that idiot General Yukio, but why convict my sister? Is this what it has come to? The burning in her eyes turned cold as ice as she looked around at the council members. She made it clear that she was not pleased with what they had just done. Not one council member would return her icy glare. They were all determinedly looking elsewhere; they were terrified that she might unleash her venom on them.

  "The voting has been unanimous in favor of conviction. Now we will have you cast votes to determine the appropriate punishment. If you want the punishment of lifetime banishment, your paper will burn blue. If you believe that they should be put to death, your paper will burn red. At this time, please vote for the fate of General Yukio Ibreshri." The chairman gestured toward the burning Thraalillith. The cauldron burned bright red repeatedly, condemning the general to die for his crimes. The members had rather smug looks on their faces after casting their votes against him.

  "Please vote now to determine the fate of Princess Kira Tiranidrol." The fire burned bright blue as the papers hit the flames. They had chosen banishment for their fallen princess. It was clear that they believed she deserved a break. It was obvious that the council thought she had been beguiled by the treacherous general.

  The debate was over now, and there was little that Princess Kira or General Yukio could do or say to alter the decision. This was the moment that the couple had planned for. This was what they had looked forward to for months now. While it appeared that the king had the upper hand and the council had all of the power, it would soon be clear that they were not taking one simple factor into consideration. Kira and Yukio would now have to show their hand before this perfect opportunity passed them by. Their announcement would render the decision of the council inconsequential and set things in motion that could not be stopped.

  "It appears that the vote has been unanimous for the exile of Princess Kira Tiranidrol from the Forest of Renshaw. As for General Yukio Ibreshri, all votes were in favor of the death penalty. General, you will be executed by beheading in the morning. The penalty for returning to any part of our land by the princess will result in her immediate execution," Conary explained coolly. He struggled to keep his feelings of regret in check while pronouncing the punishments. This will not
benefit the elves; only death will come of this. He thought the king would have intervened and put an end to this travesty, but apparently Ciel was at the heart of this debacle.

  There was an intense look of relief on all of the council members' faces after the punishments were announced. They thought that they were rid of this evil man and the king's gullible daughter. The council did not know that the new couple had anticipated this grim outcome. There was one person who did not expect their ruling at all, and that was Princess Kishi. She was so enraged by how things had developed that she was ready to explode.

  "You imbeciles cannot be serious! You shall pay for what you have done this day! I promise you that!" Princess Kishi exclaimed. She kicked her chair out once again, and it shattered again as it hit the wall. She moved her hands in a complicated series of movements; this was the physical manifestation of her drawing power from non-sentient entities outside the hall, which shot a long dart of ice at the Thraalillith. The cauldron rocked back and forth from the force of the ice bolt hitting it. The pot quickly froze, and an instant later it exploded into tiny shards of gold and silver, which went flying off in every direction. Everyone in the room ducked in order to avoid these minuscule projectiles. She then turned toward the side door she had come in and sent a ball of fire at it. In a split second, the door burst into flames and was gone. She stormed from the room cursing each council member as she stalked past them.

  Princess Kira and General Yukio stood to make their announcement after this violent outburst. They were not thrown off by what happened; instead they saw it as a perfect lead in to what they were about to announce. They smiled at one another in a way that unnerved the council members as they sat back in their chairs looking at the council. Many of the members thought that Kira was about to lose control like her sister. They had not expected a reaction so extreme from Kishi, so they did not know what to expect from the youngest Tiranidrol.