The Northerner looked around in the spacious Servants Quarter before settling down on the chest infront of the bed.
"Before i start talking, what has he told people about the sword?"
Mavi gives an annoyed look. "Not being one of those people, I have little for you. Especially little for one who expects much and tells nothing"
The Northerner looks just as annoyed. "The last thing i need is waltzing in there and being shanked by a bunch of people who he has made friends with by telling his pretty little stories. But fine. Whatever he told you southerners, the sword is not his. It's stolen. And as it is with such artifacts people died for it. More specifically a runesmith. And up in the north we take a dim view on those who kill a bladesmith for his work. A debt of blood has been accrued and i am here to collect."
"A stolen sword... was he the one who stole it?"
"Honestly? I don't care. He's the one i am to call out and that's what i intend to do. You have trial by combat in the south, yes?"
The Northerner leans forward.
"The fact of the matter is, even if he didn't steal it...one does not simply get one of these blades by finding them on the floor. These things have much ritual involved and among them is that the previous owner has to be slain by the next owner or that the previous owner needs to be related to the next. The fact that he is not related to the runesmith in question should basically clear up how he got that blade. Whether from the smith or from whomever has slain the smith, is all the same."
"I have absolutely no knowledge in magic swords or their lineage, so I'm quite willing to lean on you here. However, wouldn't his slaying of a smith-slayer be vengeance exacted regardless?"
"If he had returned the blade, yes. But the fact is i was hired by the colleagues of said dead smith to find him specifically. Which tells me, that he was the one to kill the smith, or was at least involved." he leans back and takes a swig out of his flask.
Mavi gives a groan. "Alright. Even if I believed you, this plan of yours involves being allowed into the inner chambers, where commoners are not, so that you can specifically find, denounce, duel and potentially execute a candidate for king. Have I missed anything?"
"That's pretty much it, and thats the reason i did not simply barge in the-wait candidate for king?"
"Oh yes. The sword is holy. An angel gave it to him."
"Great what else? Did he get himself blessed by a High Priest or something?"
"Not yet. But you see my conundrum. If this man takes his holy sword, with his divine mandate, and kills you with it? It will be very difficult to prevent him from becoming king."
"True that. I assume he is not your favored candidate?"
"A strange man with a foreign sword which talks to him?" Mavi gives him a deadpan stare.
"Talks to hi-What?" he shakes his head for a moment "Nevermind, but well depending on the other candidates he might make at least a good puppet. From what we hear in the north your moot has been going on with no one good coming up so far."
"The business of the throne is neither yours nor mine. My job is to fill tables and empty chairs. That is all."
He gives a sigh.
"I can get you in to the main hall, but you'll be waiting on the Grandmaster's announcement, and you will Absolutely be leaving your weapon outside."
"Hmpf. Don't make me for a fool, you are the man at which the strings of power run together in this place. You are among the Kingmakers in this moot. The deference of the Guards alone tells it." he smirks. "My Weapon? Fine. Deal. But first, tell me how many has he convinced of this story so far?"
"One of the kingmakers?" Mavi scoffs. "Why, shall I show you my titles and lands? Would you like to press my favour, marry my daughter? Or would you rather see the scars from when I was whipped for dropping a flagon? Rank does not make title. Before you concern yourself with how many men he has swayed, first you should reflect on how well you've managed to convince one man of your story." Mavi stands as though to leave.
"Is that so? You stand unconvinced? But does it truly matter? I mean if i say the truth? Or if i have convinced you of my story?" he stands up as well. "The fact is that you have been searching for a king for a while, that the dolt down there with the stolen Runeblade, to which he talks and which has been given to him by an angel, is one of the major claimants tells me that you have grown desperate. If you had any other major claimants you would consider supporting, you would have mentioned them by now and you would have thrown my man down there out long ago. Instead he is still there talking to the high society. Despite being a commoner with no real name. That tells me that you at least consider him as a claimant. Now seeing as things go, there obviously needs to be a second claimant there otherwise you would have thrown me out by now, so i could not in any way weaken the claim of my Thief. That tells me that the second claimant is an even worse choice for you than the first. So let me make the following offer. You help me get that duel.
Convince whomever is necessary to convince to make it a reality and then it doesn't matter if i win or lose. If i lose you see me slain and the Thiefs claim is reinforced, strengthened and cemented. Thus your potential candidate becomes a real front runner, a good option to support and as far as i see it a nice puppet. If i win, i have fulfilled my duty, get the sword and stand in for the fool. I will be the righteous Northerner who has slain a Thief and reclaimed his ancient heirloom and if i know one thing people love a good story. And what better story is there of the King who got his crown by claiming revenge, taking back what is rightfully his and then leading the country to greatness? Plus, i make a puppet which doesn't talk to his sword." He looks at the man in front of him. This moment would decide whether he had reached too far, whether he had miscalculated the man in front of him. This would decide whether the next steps would be twice as mad and dangerous or only as mad and dangerous as he hoped.
Mavi spends a long while drumming his fingers on the table.
"That's... quite an ambitious plan. But it may just yet solve one big problem in this tangled mess."
He stands and moves towards the door.
"Grandmaster Pyroaxis will be investigating his claim as we speak. I need to see the result."
"Very well. To whom else would i need to speak to gain, support for my plan?"
"You may have spoken to just the right person. Follow me."
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Topic: You are King! - Crown of the North [IC]: Year 353LL - Spring (Read 12444 times)