The next hour seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. It was as if everything was happening at the same time. Worse yet, I hardly had any say regarding the things happening. Of course I couldn't turn down the great king's invitation to attend the war council. It wasn't exactly worded as an order but there was little doubt that it was one. That alone would have been enough to have my head spinning on most days. It was more than just meeting the king though. I would also be meeting my father for the first time in my live.

Attending the war council would mean that I would come to face at least some of my brothers and sisters as well. Some of them might see me as competition regarding their chances to eventually succeed the king. There hadn't been a war of succession for most of our recorded history as far as I could tell but it was quite common for the king's sons and daughters to try and outshine each other with great deeds to improve their chances and I had racked up a few of those recently. The thought made me feel uneasy.

Those were only thoughts going through my head so far though. At the same time people, directed by Tora'pheer, started to get me ready for the trip. I couldn't show up looking, and probably smelling, like something my sister's familiar might have dragged home after a successful hunt. And to be honest, I probably looked and smelled very much like that. Denying it would have been of little use. A strenuous forced march and a hard won bloody battle were bound to leave traces beyond the obvious wounds after all.

In a flurry of activity people, I soon gave up on keeping track of their efforts, started helping me out of my armor and the clothes I wore under it as well. It was no easy task considering my injured arm. I really was bruised up pretty bad. Thankfully no one seemed to mind though. A quick sponge bath later I was in a new tunic. Putting it on was another ordeal and it was a little shorter than I would have liked but I was glad they had found something that fit at all. As a matter of fact it was a small miracle that there was a clean tunic that had not been torn up for bandages.

I received a bowl with warm stew as well. Well, it was a bit thin, probably more of a broth than a proper stew, but it was warm and that was the important thing. It settled my stomach and in addition it helped calm my racing mind. The messenger and her guards received a helping as well. They probably could have gotten something better at the camp of the king's war host but eating a little something probably beat just standing around, waiting for me to get finished.

Finally my armor was returned to me as well. I had started to feel a little vulnerable without it. It had been properly cleaned and some of the scales that had come a little loose had been fixed as well. It might not exactly have been back in prime condition, it would need the attention of an armorer with a proper workshop for that, but it was presentable once more. Putting it back on was a torturous experience though and not just because of my arm. I could feel the weight of the armor press against every single one of my bruises.

Finally I was ready to go. Initially I had intended to go alone. I didn't want to deprive my little army of even a single able bodied man or woman right now after all. Neither Tora nor my sister would have none of that though. Initially both of them wanted to come but I managed to talk them out of it. The men and women would need them more than I. Instead Quu'za and another harpy would come along. They would carry my luggage as well. It was pretty brave of them to volunteer. After all said luggage was pretty gruesome.

As we finally departed, following the royal messenger who now served as our guide, Quu'za carried the recovered head of the ghoul king, including its Arkanium crown. It was still hissing and biting at everything that came into range. Thus it had been put into one of our few iron pots with the lid tied in place atop it. Her companion on the other had carried a bag with a few teeth that had been broken out of the giant wyvern's corpse. In a way I was coming bearing gruesome gifts. At least the wyvern's teeth would be highly sought after by crafters and alchemists though. That much I knew.

Our trip to the king's camp was pretty uneventful. That didn't make it any less strenuous though. Our guide kept the pace well below what she and the other harpies would have been capable of and I was pretty grateful for that. I could even pretend that she did it for the men of the royal guard accompanying us. After all this couldn't be any easier for them in their plate armor than for me. It might have been enchanted but it probably was still pretty heavy. Thus it was around noon when the royal encampment properly came into view.

Unlike my makeshift camp it was properly fortified. It had a deep trench and earthen ramparts topped with a wooden palisade. There were even some towers. And of course there were proper tents. Many of them gathered around colorful banners with each banner representing a noble and their domain. There were sounds of mourning to be heard as well. I could see dead being bundled up so they could be returned home. There wasn't enough wood to be found here for proper pyres for everyone after all.

I only took note of all that in passing though as we headed directly for the largest tents at the center of the camp. I was all too aware of the attention I got in return though. There probably were heroes aplenty to be found here but even then most of them probably did not sport arms and armor fashioned from a wyvern's remains. Some of them might be gossiping about me or my mother as well as our banner had been notably absent from this camp.

Well, hopefully the gifts I came bearing would dispel any doubts about our domain's loyalty. If anything we had spilled more and not less of our won blood than any of them to defend our loved ones. I would suffer no disrespect they would show towards any of my people or me. Hopefully I would not have to make an spectacle of anyone though, especially not under the eyes of my father. I would do it if I had to but that didn't mean that I liked the idea. No, I didn't like it, not one bit.

Our guide in all her colorful, feathered glory got us past several check points without trouble. That fact had me frowning though. Why would there be any need for checkpoints within the camp? Was there some kind of trouble I was unaware of? Our people didn't have a history of infighting or civil unrest after all. Had the humans tried to infiltrate the camp? A vampire like the one I had faced maybe? My frown was deepening. Or were the assembled nobles just overly cautious? None of these options did really appeal to me.

Finally we approached the open space in front of the largest tent. Numerous nobles had already gathered here. I looked around the assembled gentry of our land, looking for faces, colors and heraldry in general I was familiar with. I allowed myself a small smile as I spotted the colors of Caer'agal. It was only a small detachment wearing them but the grizzled old man at its heart had to be the father of Riz'agal who had offered us hospitality on our way to the capital not too long ago. He was wounded, like many of those present, but seemed to be in good health otherwise. It might have only been a small relief but it was a relief nonetheless.

Finally, after exchanging words with an officer in the armor of the great king's guard, our guide made her way to the center of the assembled noble men and women and I followed her together with my two harpy attendants. Silence fell all around us. The harpy bowed towards the great man seated in front of the large tent, the king, my father, and spread out her feathers in a dazzling display of colors before turning to address the crowd. “Slayer of Wyverns and Bane of Ogres, their Doom, Chosen of the Maidens, their Beloved, Lady of Caer'zoth, Ruler of the Domain, King's Daughter, his Beloved. Keza'zoth.”

I bowed as well and swallowed hard, hoping that no one would notice. Within my mind I cursed myself though. Had they all just been waiting for me? I started to sweat ever so slightly.