A royal summons

We returned to the city in silence, each of us lost in a haze of confusion and despair. Hayley and Liliana had done what they could for Galiene. But the curse gripping her was beyond even their combined might. All they could offer were brief moments of relief. Yet nothing that could bring her back to consciousness.
 
And if that burden wasn’t enough, there was also the tragic matter of Alistan and Liliana’s brother. Learning that he had been the previous victim of the Black Knight’s curse had struck them hard, especially Alistan. I couldn't begin to imagine what was going through their minds. Still, I was relieved they both agreed to bring his body home. Whatever had happened to him, he was still a son of Keralon. And laying him to rest in familiar soil might bring peace. If not for him, then at least for them.
 
Even so, my thoughts kept drifting back to Grandmother Rootskewer’s warning. She had told us that if we pressed on to Telubra Velora, two people close to us would meet their end. Galiene and Gideon certainly both fit that vision. though Gideon’s fate had been sealed long before our journey began. Had the prophecy already come to pass? Or was worse yet to come? The answer alluded me. And dwelling on prophecy for too long was often a quick road to certain madness.
 
Upon reaching the city, we wasted no time. We requested an audience with Lady Morenthene, hoping that her vast knowledge might provide some way to help Galiene, Cypria, or whatever name she truly went by. Yet bringing an unconscious metallic dragon before a chromatic one was certainly risky, given their infamous rivalry. But considering we had risked life and limb to aid her, we were confident she would at least be willing to try.
 
And to our relief, she did. Though she insisted on working alone. As she would be using ancient draconic rites that she did not wish to share. We agreed of course, some more reluctantly than others, and waited at a nearby café. Though none of us were in the mood for leisure.
 
By day’s end, word finally arrived. The ritual was complete, but the curse was stronger than even she could remove. Still, she had uncovered part of its nature. Some hybrid of necromantic and fiendish magics. Worse still, the curse had not been designed for a dragon. Making it unstable as it was unable to fully bind to her. With its purpose remaining unclear.
 
What she did know was that the curse was somehow tied to the history of Keralon. Meaning that if we wanted answers, home might be the best place to look. To help us in this, she offered to open a portal the next morning that would place us just a few days away from the silver city. An offer we accepted with deep gratitude.
 
After a restless night, we prepared to leave. But before stepping through the portal, Lady Morenthene stopped us. For the service we had rendered her, she offered us a reward of our own choosing. But with Galiene’s fate weighing on us, none of us could really think of what to ask. So instead, she granted us a boon to be called in at a later time. We thanked her one final time and crossed through the gate.
 
We emerged north of Keralon. A mere two days’ worth of travel away. The nearness of home stirred something in us. Renewing our vigour as we set off at once.
 
But only a few hours down the road, we encountered a procession. A dozen knights accompanied by dire wolves. To our surprise, they had been sent by the king himself to escort us back. We had been summoned to court.
 
With little choice, we accepted their escort. Yet it soon became clear this was no ordinary honour guard. The knights watched our every move, giving us the unsettling feeling that we were less guests and more prisoners. It left us wondering, what exactly had happened in Keralon during our absence?
 
As Keralon’s walls came into view, the sight of the city stirred a glimmer of comfort in us. Yet it did not last. Banners fluttered from every tower. some bearing the crests of Keralon’s noble houses. But many unfamiliar, displaying the symbols of fey nobility. Stranger still, the city gates were shut. A rare sign, usually reserved for times of looming crisis.
 
Our escorts spoke with the gate guards, announcing our arrival. We were allowed to send our belongings ahead to Wolf’s Rest. Personally, I would’ve liked to stop there myself for a proper wash, but that choice was no longer ours to make. Alistan, ever practical, requested that Galiene be transferred to the cathedral. As even if the clerics couldn’t help, at least she would be safe there should things turn grim.
 
As we approached the castle, it almost looked like a festival. Laughter and song filled the streets, children ran freely and performers entertained on every corner. And Fey, Elves, and Eladrin mingled openly. Yet beneath the revelry, an odd tension lingered. Like a city smiling through clenched teeth.
 
At the castle gates, we were led directly to the throne room. But this time, each step we took felt heavier than the last. Just before entering, Liliana, her senses honed by years of service to Lady Vivienne, whispered a final warning: We were walking into the dragon’s den.
 
The throne room was filled to capacity. Every noble family had sent a representative and the room shimmered with the presence of the fey elite. As we stepped forward, the murmurs that had filled the room fell into silence.
 
Among the crowd, I spotted Elsa, Ambassador Rachnar and Lady Vivienne, deep in tense conversation. A regal frost wolf standing beside her. But my gaze soon fell upon the king and queen seated at the throne. A giant golem standing behind the queen serving as clear evidence that they anticipated possible violence.
 
The king was engaged in quiet discussion with an Eladrin. And as I drew closer, recognition hit0 Galadrin, the same Eladrin who had once made a deal with our district. His smug expression leaving no doubt that he was not here on friendly terms.
 
I stepped forward and offered an apology to the king and court for our delay. Noting that our journey to Latebra Velora had taken longer than expected. It was after all not exactly a secret. And a little humility, paired with a reminder of our worth, might help.
 
The king, however, was unimpressed. As he and an envoy from High King Ulther had been waiting for over a week. Though we had already begun to suspect Ulther’s involvement in all this, hearing his name spoken aloud still sent a chill through me. The king then revealed that we had been summoned to answer formal accusations.
 
Galadrin stepped forward and addressed the room. He accused us of attacking a noble of the High King’s court, Davozan, and unlawfully entering his domain. That explained it. By crossing into Immerglade as we had, we had insulted Ulther’s honour, fragile though it might be. And while I did not regret either our actions or their outcome, the truth was undeniable. As knights of Keralon, we had acted outside our bounds. And our choices, however justified they may be, reflected on the realm as a whole.
 
This was Ulther’s play. While we were away, his nobles had come to Keralon under the pretence of diplomacy. And With no one to challenge their claims, the city had no choice but to play host. It was a bold move. Turning Keralon’s own customs against it and leaving us to shoulder the blame.
 
As the weight of our predicament settled on me, I scrambled to find a response. And judging by my companions’ expressions, I wasn’t alone. We couldn’t deny the charges, they were true. And lying outright would only strengthen Ulther’s case. The same went for admitting guilt without explanation As we had no justification beyond our own curiosity, which wouldn’t be enough.
 
Then Hayley broke the silence. With admirable boldness she acknowledged the truth of the accusations, but explained that Davozan had attacked us when we simply tried to pass through an open gate. Galadrin dismissed it at once, claiming Davozan was simply fulfilling his duty by protecting it from intruders.
 
Just as tempers began to flare, Galadrin revealed the High King’s terms. He was willing to forgive us, if we travelled to the Feywild to deliver our apologies in person to both him and Davozan. The trap had been set. He wanted us in his domain, where we would be under his control.
 
Sensing a diplomatic out, the king accepted the terms on our behalf. Making it clear that there was no room for refusal. And while I understood the reasoning, as we were technically in the wrong, the timing could not have been worse. Especially as Galiene’s fate remained uncertain. Yet if war loomed, our chances to save her would quickly diminish even further. As bitter as it was, this path still offered some hope.
 
Galadrin added that Lady Vivienne would escort us through the Lorewood herself. And that we were expected to reach Neverhold in two weeks. With that, the king declared the matter resolved and a modest celebration followed. But it was a hollow one. As a week of forced revelry had diminished the court’s enthusiasm.
 
With the room nearly empty, we regrouped with Elsa, Rachnar and Lady Vivienne. Who informed us that while she would indeed escort us through the Lorewood, she could not help beyond that point. Worse, it seemed Ulther intended for us to fail in reaching him on time And for our own safety, we were urged to leave as soon as possible.
 
But as the hour grew late, we agreed to return to Wolf’s Rest for the night and discuss our plans the next day. With Lady Vivienne having the honour of being the first noble to be our guest for the evening.
 
That night, as I lay in my room, a selfish thought took root. I would never endanger Galiene by delaying our journey unnecessarily. But this trip into the Feywild might offer a rare chance to uncover both the truth behind the mask I’d been given and my own past. Corvu’s pursuit proved the High King wanted it. And the ties between Vincent, Reeva, and Sylvesse needed answers. Answers I hoped to find without further endangering the living.
 
Yet recent events had taught me something sobering: time is not a luxury. Even for those of us blessed with a long life. And the tragedy of Alistan and Galiene had shown how quickly it could slip away. So I chose to act.
 
Catching Dynia alone, I gave her the gift I’d picked out for her. My heart pounded until she accepted it with a smile that lit up the room. Then, with a heavy heart, I told her that I’d also be leaving again and soon.
 
But when I mentioned the Feywild, I realized something: this was where she had grown up. As such, she might wish to join us. And while I wanted her to stay safe, that decision wasn’t mine to make. As she was not just some delicate creature for me to lock away and protect. She was her own person. So I asked her, despite the danger, if she wanted to come with us.
 
We talked it through. Weighing the good versus the bad until in the end, she chose to remain. And though part of me was relieved, another part ached. Still, I was able to breathe again as we joined the others for breakfast.