In the Chamber...

​As soon as Aralt and Meen left the chambers the silence that had held over the room quickly disappeared and chaos ensued.  Everyone started talking at once and all of it was about Aralt!

​​“How dare he…” and “Do you believe how he addressed us???” were the most polite comments that the Dowager heard.  Several other of the discussions in the room included a bit more colorful language and few gestures.

“Just like the old days,” Griselda thought as she listened to the others for the moment.  But shortly she got everyone’s attention just by not saying anything.  Soon the entire council stood silently and waited for Griselda to tell them her thoughts.  When she did not immediately say anything, her son decided to start the conversation.  “Mother,” asked the Baron.  “What do you think about the Herald?”

​All of the others saw her quickly snort as if she was about to laugh, but instead she just shook her head from side to side and looked down.  After another moment she finally looked up at everyone and spoke.  “I have told you all about what I saw from the magical scroll.  Seeing how the Herald spoke long ago when the Dragons first received their magical powers and the trouble it was causing that this is definitely the same Fae.  But maybe now even more dangerous.  At that meeting long ago, he asked the others for their help to control the Dragons.  Today he tried to tell us what we will do under his orders.  When he saw that maybe he overstepped, he then tried to persuade us through deception.  I had my doubts when I saw him at the magical meeting then, but now I have no doubts.  He is a bigger threat than the Dragons returning.”

​As the council absorbed what Griselda had just said, it took a minute before anyone spoke.  It was Queen Ffion.  “Dowager, I have not been a queen long, but I have seen people who think they have power.  Power over others, great magical power, and even power over themselves.  Aralt has great confidence in himself and should not be underestimated.  If he was able to manipulate Dragons, then he must have some power over them.”  

As Ffion stopped, it was Awena who continued the thought.  “We must keep Dree and Aralt apart until we know what that Power is.  I will return to my library to see if we have anything about this.  At the moment, I know of no prophecy that fits this situation other than a general one that when the Dragons return there will be many changes.  We are not even sure that this return of the Dragons is that prophecy.”

​It was then that Meen returned to the chamber... alone and bewildered.  “Where is the Herald?” asked the Dowager when she realized that he was not following behind the pyksee.  Without answering Griselda, Meen ran to Queen Ffion and kneeled in front of her wailing.  “My Queen, please forgive me.  I lost the Herald.  He sent me for tea and when I returned he was gone.  I tried to check his home but the doors were barred to me and I could find no trace of him other than one of the townspeople thought they saw him heading to the caves."

​The council could only look at each other.  “What’s going to happen now?” thought the Baron.  As the council discussed possible options, no one noticed that Granny Flare, who had been refreshing the snack table, had slipped out the back door when she heard what Meen had said.  “I have got to get home to my cellar.  

​"I should have made that connection to the Dragon’s lair,” she mumbled to herself as she pulled out her portal stone and disappeared.