“Are you busy today?” George Louis asked when David didn’t say anything more. “There is going to be a strategy meeting with my most senior naval officers in a few minutes. I would like you to join in, if you have the time.”

“I know even less about naval warfare than about land-based warfare,” David pointed out.

“I would like you to assess the men present, not the strategy discussed,” George Louis said. “One of them will be my future First Lord of the Admiralty, and one of them will be named Fleet Commander, though he’ll mostly be tasked with building said fleet. They are all aware of the open positions, of course.”

David considered making up an excuse, but then he shrugged. “Sure, I can do that.”

“Perfect,” George Louis said. “In that case, I shall introduce you as my first Royal Advisor. We’ll solidify your position in the future, no worries.”

“Right,” David said.

“Oh, don’t look so excited,” George Louis griped. “Did you really think you would get through this whole ordeal without a position in my court? After it was you who made all this possible in the first place?”

“That honour most certainly should go to Greg,” David pointed out, mostly to be contrary. “Or possibly the Morgulon. You could replace me tomorrow, if you only wanted to, but you can’t replace her.”

“Oh, open your eyes, David! There’s already a dozen werewolves in the basement who I will bet are personally loyal to you after just one month! Who would I replace you with? Bringing them newspapers? Writing letters to their family? Who would even think of such a thing?”

Anyone half decent, David thought, but he kept his mouth shut.

George Louis shook his head. “I do not have any intention to replace you,” the duke said. “And I absolutely cannot. The werewolves in the basement aside, as far as the Loegrian nobility is concerned, you were one of the hunters who first made the discovery that werewolves can fight the Rot.”

The duke raised a hand, before David even opened his mouth to object. “Yes, I know that Mr. Levi and his crew made it first, and they will be rewarded. That is not the point. Mr. Levi is a commoner, and a Wayfarer to boot. You know these things are important. The name Abraham Feleke is one the nobles of Loegrion trust, the word of one of the Feleke Four has had weight in court even before. You can refuse everything else I offer, David, but you are too smart to refuse this position.”

The truth was that David wanted to laugh, rather than refuse. Was this what Morgulon had predicted? A Royal Advisor’s position?

“Fine,” David said. “Should I start calling you “You Majesty”, then?”

“I wouldn’t mind,” George Louis said. “But let’s wait until after the coronation.”

“Which I am sure you are already planning. Is there a date set, yet?”

“No date has been set yet, no,” George Louis said. “Not before spring, though. I will have to prove myself first. Make some more friends, too.”

“Remarry?” David asked.

George Louis grimaced. “Unlikely.”

The duke checked his pocket watch. “Let’s go,” he said, pushing himself out of his chair.

David was about to ask where they were going, but George Louis just opened a door, and stepped into a room where six men were already standing around a large map table. George Louis stepped aside as soon as he had crossed the threshold, so David could watch the men’s reaction.

Three of them, all on the left side of the table, snapped to attention smartly at the sight of the duke. Two of them were older, one younger, but their faces were all weather-beaten, and each of the three wore the uniform as if they knew no other clothing. These were clearly officers who had not gotten their ranks through luck of birth, but through merit and experience.

On the other side of the table stood two Marquesses, and a third man David didn’t know.

“My lords, at ease,” George Louis said. “I introduce to you the Honourable David Feleke, Royal Advisor and werewolf hunter extraordinaire. I’m sure you have all heard of him.”

The three nobles to the right side of the table were quick to greet David, while the other three were clearly wondering what he was doing at this meeting.

“These high lords are the Most Honourable the Marquess of Deggan, Lord Warden Rover, the Most Honourable the Marquess of Breachpoint, Lord Warden Picot, and the Most Honourable the Marquess of King’s Haven, Lord Warden Malemaines.”

Malemaines was the only one of the three that David had never happened across in Court at Deva before. If he remembered correctly, Picot hardly ever even spent time at the town he was tasked with protecting.

“And these three lords are Commodores D’Aubigny and Giffard, and Captain Shelvig,” George Louis added.

David had expected there to be at least a Rear Admiral present. Then again, all the highest ranking naval officers were from Valoir itself. Loegrion hadn’t had a navy worthy of the name since they had been conquered.

“Well, let’s get to it,” George Louis added. “I have received your reports pertaining to the ships, air vessels, and coastal defences we have at our disposal. We now need to decide how they may be best deployed to stop the Valoise from landing on our coasts.”

When the duke clapped his hands, a servant entered, distributing a stack of papers. David didn’t receive one.

“Have our contacts in Rambouillet been able to verify that the Valoisian fleet will indeed be heading towards the northern parts of the heartlands?” Commodore D’Aubigny asked.

“All information we received indicates that the fleet will land north of the White Torrent’s mouth,” George Louis confirmed.

“It would make no sense for them to raise the Rot in areas where they can expect at least some support from the resident nobility,” Marquess Rover of Deggan added.

“True,” the Commodore replied. “But it’s good to be sure. The current Roi Solei has been known for making – unexpected decisions before.”

And thus the argument started. The Lord Warden of Deggan was convinced that his city was the most likely point of attack and wanted the majority of the fleet posted there, while the Lord Warden of Breachpoint was convinced of whatever George Louis had said last.

David dismissed Picot mentally. He was clearly not fit to become the First Lord of Admiralty. Marquess Malemaines was a different matter. The man said little, but asked intelligent questions, and didn’t try to argue that King’s Haven, far to the north, was likely to be hit by anything but diversionary tactics. Lord Rover talked over anyone who dared to disagree with him, except for George Louis.

Unfortunately, as Lord Warden of Deggan, Rover was the highest-ranking Marquess present. Passing him over for the position, which was absolutely not mentioned, would likely be tricky for Duke George Louis.

As far as the position of Fleet Commander went, David thought that George Louis wouldn’t go amiss with either of the three Naval Officers present. What Shelvig, the youngest of the three, might be lacking in experience, he was clearly making up for in spirit. He wasn’t afraid to argue with Marquess Rover, and even voiced his forthright opinion when he disagreed with the duke.

The discussion lasted long into the afternoon, and even David was relieved when a couple of servants started serving refreshments and food. Mostly, he was bored. Still, he made no attempt to excuse himself. It wasn’t like he had anything better to do in Eoforwic, anyway.

“Well, what did you think?” George Louis asked, as soon as the door closed behind Picot, who had taken his sweet time leaving.

“For Fleet Commander? Any of the officers will do just fine, I reckon,” David shrugged, picking up a lonely olive left behind on one of the platters the food had been served on. “For First Lord of the Admiralty, I’d personally pick Malemaines, though I realize he’s the lowest ranking of the Counts.”

“Hm,” George Louis said. “Unexpected. He didn’t contribute much.”

“Neither did Lord Rover, for all that he talked so much,” David pointed out. “You had three experienced and accomplished officers standing here, but did Rover even hear them? Malemaines may not have presented many ideas of his own, but at least he knows how to listen. I think he’d do the job well.”

David shrugged. “If it’s fresh ideas you want, you could always do the radical thing,” he added, “and appoint either D’Aubigny or Giffard First Lord of the Admiralty. Make the other one Fleet Commander, promote Shelvig to admiral, too, and give him the actual field command. Or sea command, or whatever sailors call it.”

George Louis seemed to seriously consider it. “Tricky,” he said finally. “Rover is unpopular enough in Deva that I can pass him over, and I don’t think anybody in their right mind would want to give Picot the position. But passing over the peerage entirely and putting the navy into the hands of the lower nobility... That’ll be difficult.”

“How difficult, though?” David asked. “You can always argue that Loegrion doesn’t really have a navy to begin with. So it’s not like you’re giving a huge privilege away.”

“You know, I’ll think about it,” George Louis said, nodding to himself. “D’Aubigny’s oldest brother is a Marquess, so the issue might not even be raised. Yes, why not?”

The duke laughed. “Oh, you are going to make enemies fast, you know that, David?”

He grew serious again quickly, when David didn’t reply. “Is it some other time yet?”

“No,” David said.

“But you’ll be back tomorrow?”

“Are there going to be more deliberations?”

“There’ll be deliberations every day, until the Valoise are here and the time for talking is over. But a Royal Advisor can hardly be deterred by that, can he?”

“No, I suppose not,” David sighed. “I’ll be back after I’ve spoken to the werewolves.”