Bartholomew sighed as he looked up at the scroll tube being shoved in his face. He started to raise his hand when he saw the wax seal on it and stopped. He gave the man a once over and then lowered his hand. The messenger was clearly recently ascended. He hadn't even learned how to hide his power from those around him. This meant the rest of the bar was now watching them. He thought he had done so well in hiding his tracks and hoped he could have avoided any more summons before things started. As it was, the scroll tube sealed with the scepter and throne, the official seal of the current king of the gods. It wasn't Pramsu's personal seal that showed his domain of an open book on a desk. This meant that once he touched the scroll, he would be responsible for opening it immediately, then he would be required to answer or obey what was in it. Unless, of course, he refused to obey. It would then inform all those who hadn't refused that he was now in open rebellion. If only Pramie had used his seal, he could have had more time. He wouldn't be stuck in the middle of nowhere without his courtly clothing. Barth leaned back in his chair and gave the scroll one more look before he reached around it and picked up his tankard. "I'm not taking that." The messenger sighed and shook the scroll. "This is an official summons. You must take it and return to the seat of power." Barth smiled and slowly drank his ale. Sadly the summer months had ended, and the heavier beers were now in the barrels, which meant that his ability to quickly move was lessened. He could still feel a few barrels, but he knew they were about to skunk, so would take more power to move to. As Barth set his tankard down, he asked. "How did you find me?" The messenger rolled his eyes. "They told me you were weak and not that smart. You can't even feel my domain. I am the god of messages I can deliver any message to anyone. It doesn't matter if I know where they are or not." The bard nodded. "So you know what that message is and who's from since it's in your domain?" The tall god nodded and gave a smug smile. "Yes, I do. So since I am god of messages I know everything about any message I touch!" Barth gave a slow smile. "So that message is an official summons from the great Pramsu himself?" The messenger stretched out the tube to Barth again and shook it. "Take the message!” Barth tapped his fingers on the table, and the flow of mana opened up to his eyes. He saw a tether going through a slightly open portal. It was clearly being held open with royal mana, which was a very odd use of it. It would mean that Pramie was channeling through the throne to keep the messenger here. Barth sighed. “I’m worried that this isn’t real and that you aren'tisn't "I'm" truly who you say you are. I've never heard of a god having the domain of messages before. What's your name by the way?" "I'm Burke now take the message before I have to tell the king that you refused the message." "Nope, not happening, Burkie! I don't know that this message is for me. It doesn't have my name or seal on it anywhere. I know better than to open an official message that isn't mine." Burke lost his cool right then. "My name is BURKE! I am the god of messages! The message is for you! My domain brought me to you so that I could deliver this to you. YOU ARE BARTHOLOMEW THE GOD OF BARDS AND SUMMER BEER. That means this scroll which is the official summons to return to the seat of power is for you. It says that you must go there directly by portal. If you fail to do so you will be considered in rebellion and banished per the old ways." Barth nodded and ran his hands through his hair. "So I need to go back. No one just wants to let me find a good song anymore. Did the King tell you what was in that scroll or does your power just let you know?" Burke rolled his eyes. "Telling me what's in a message before sending it would be below the great king. When he handed it to me I knew what was in it." Barth nodded and asked. "So how long have you been a god?" "Long enough to know that you're all washed up and worthless old man. I don't even know why anyone cares about you. That said you need to come back now." Barth stood up and pulled a small crystal from a pouch. "That is some amazing power you have there to be able to read all messages as soon as you touch them. I'm sure that you will get lots of work in the high heavens." Burke laughed. "Like I am ever going there! I have it great here. Now take the scroll and we need to go." Barth picked up his saddlebags and lute, then played a few cords. As the music filled the room, a portal formed. He nodded to the portal. "After you, unless you want to figure your own way back." Burke glanced through the portal and then stormed through it still with the scroll in his hand. Bartholomew dropped a few gold coins on the table and then walked through. He smiled as he watched the coins bouncing onto the ground and people diving at them. He would need the added bards soon. Barth muttered. "Wish I could have changed first. Oh well." As Bartholomew strode into the throne room, he saw the same set of gods he had expected to see. Pramie's circle of sycophants and the woman that anyone with half a brain could tell was using him. It served the betrayer right, having that unfaithful goddess guiding him around like a whipped dog. He gave a slight sigh in his mind as he stopped in front of the Betrayer himself, Pramsu, the god of scholars and research. He didn't look even half as good as the last time Barth saw him. It was clear that something was going on with him as he appeared even older and more haggard. While it was true those who followed him all picked up the unhealthy appearance of someone who spent too much time reading and not enough time drinking, their god seemed to have taken it to an extreme. Bartholomew bowed low and spoke with a voice deep and rich, "oh great King Pramsu; I am humbled to be called to your mighty seat of power. You honor me with your summons. How may I be of service to you this day?" Barth didn't even start to unbend from the bow as Pramsu raged. "Bartholomew, I have tolerated your champion enough! You are either attacking my holding or have lost control of your man! Which is it?" Barth ensured that his voice was calm, trying to hide the joy that he was having. Knowing Arn was causing mischief enough to be noticed meant that great songs would be written. He started to smile before bringing his face back under control. Still looking at the ground, the god of the bards activated a couple of spells and said. "Oh great and mighty king of the gods, ruler of the under heavens, I beg of your greatness to enlighten this simple bard with the knowledge that your great domain has given you. Let me know, oh great one, what it is that my Champion has done." The king coughed in his chair for a moment, then said. "You mean to tell me you don't know how he has attacked my holdings!" "Great Researcher nothing is beyond your scholarship! I however, while a god am still but a simple bard. I must travel around and see things with my own eyes to know things. I can not search it out in a book or a scroll. I must be there or hear of it from a bard. I am not even as great as your messenger reading your sealed summons. I would have to open such a thing. Please tell me your greatness the way in which my Champion has trespassed upon your holdings! I will make amends as I can!" Pramsu stood from the chair in front of the dais and yelled. "YOUR MAN!" Then the god coughed and sat down. Taphine put her hand with her painted fingers on his shoulder and squeezed a little. Then he looked back at the bowing god of the bards. Pramsu took a deep breath and said. "I accuse you Bartholomew god of the bards of attacking your king though your champion! How do you plead?" Barth, staring right at the ground, called out. "By the laws before the laws I ask to be tested for truth in what I say!" The room went still for a moment, and then Pramsu said. "There is no need for that. I know that you are guilty! You will be banished for this! Guards take him." As the guards started to move, he stood up straight and began to fill the center of the room with mana. "I Bartholomew god of Bards and Summer beer, in good standing with the Pantheon, invoke by the Laws before the Laws the circle of Truth!" The throne room rumbled as a golden circle appeared around the smiling Bartholomew. Then a matching ring appeared behind Pramus around the throne. Slowly a glowing golden line started to grow out of the circle around the throne towards Pramus. The king of the god's eyes got big as he stood up. Taphine leaned over, whispered something in Pramus's ear, and stepped back. Pramus walked up the stairs to the throne, where he sat down. It is evident to everyone in the room that the ancient spell was draining power from the god. Then Pramus spoke in a booming voice not his own. "The Circle of Truth has been called for. By the accused Bartholomew god of Bards and Summer beer. Speak accused and the circle will judge your words!" Bartholomew smiled and replied. "Gathered gods and goddesses I have been accused of attacking our great king through my Champion. I deny this in all ways! I know not of any attacks that my Champion has made as I have been on the other side of world from him. I have given no directions to him or those around him as to what he should do. I have only put one near by to write out what he is doing for the sake of a song in the future!" Pramus grimaced, looked like he aged a bit more, and asked in his own voice. "So you deny having him attack my holdings?" Barth gave a slight bow. "I don't even know what holdings you are asking about!" The power of the Circle drew the truth from the Betrayer. "He has taken out the merchant guild transport hub!" Barth looked over at Unia, the god of trade, as he said. "So the Merchant guild's trade hub is yours? I would have thought it was Unia. Oh well, I still didn't know that he attacked it or that it was yours." The whole throne room lit up in gold as Pramus spoke again in not his voice. "The Circle of Truth finds that Bartholomew, god of bards and summer beer, to speak the truth. He may not be banished for Ninety days from this point." The circle around both started to fade as Barth smiled. "Great king on the throne. I spoke to you that the summons you sent me was read by one other than myself. I ask for royal justice to be served and that Burke god of the messengers to be banished." Pramus waved his hand. "It matters not I sent him!" The god of the bards smiled slightly. "As you say you sent him. As the king on the throne with the royal seal. If you don't plan on punishing him then I request that he never be used to send a message from your royal self again." Pramus stood and staggered a little. "I said it doesn't matter!" The throne lit up in gold, and reached out to Pramus and pulled him back down. They struggled for a moment, trying to get up, then spoke. "Burke god of messenger did you read the royal summons?" Barth forced his smile back. It was hard to keep it in when he knew what would happen. Yet, he also knew that this would likely be the last hand he could play like this. It was too bad for the young god, but the power to track gods down was just too powerful to have in play. The young god stepped forward and bowed. "Great king Pramus long may you live. All messages you send with me I read as to seek the person you are looking for I must read them." Barth gave a large grin and said. "See, he admits to reading the royal messages. I demand justice per the laws of the royals." Burke laughed. "What does it matter if I read them? If the king doesn't care it doesn't matter!" Taphine glared at Burke, then smiled at Pramus and asked. "Do not the laws give the king the right to forgive? Wouldn't this be the time?" Pramus went to speak when the throne glowed again. "The king who sits upon the throne is not above the law. Forgiveness for spying against the royal seal is banishment." With that, the golden light went out on the throne. Pramus stood and glared at Barth. As he started down the steps, it was clear that the throne room took large amounts of power from the god. He was clearly weakened, perhaps enough that there could be a revolt if that had been the plan. Pramus looked over at Burke and said. "It's time for you to leave. By the old laws you have been banished and now you must go." Burke looked over at Taphine with a pleading expression and said. "Do something! You told me that I wouldn't ever have to leave." The goddess gave a tight smile and shook her head. "Like the old laws say you must leave." Burke laughed and looked around the room at the other gods. "I don't want to leave! What if I just run? What then?" War shook his head. "Run if you want but every door will be a portal to make you leave. The only way that you can stay is if you stay in this room. The old laws are the world and they say you must go." Burke turned and glared at Bartholomew. "You did this! It was fine until you said something! No one cared at all what I did!" Barth smiled and shrugged. "It would have happened at some point reading the royal messages would have been noticed. You broke the rules and so you have to make do." Burke yelled, drew his sword, and charged across the room toward Barth. "What rules!" Before Barth could answer, the walls glowed gold, and a beam of light flashed out, freezing Burke mid-step. The room echoed with a voice no one could understand. It said something three times and then stopped. No one spoke as all the gods looked around. Then the room said what sounded like two words, and Burke vanished. Barth gave a slight smile around the room. "Well I can tell when and audience doesn't like my act." He swung his lute off his back, played a few bars, and a portal ripped open. The bard gave a smile and a bow and stepped through it to shouts of protest. As soon as he appeared, he reached out through his domain to the kegs of summer beer. Then he pulled himself to the nearest and from there to the next. In the span of just a few minutes, he managed to pull himself down half the continent. He looked around and smiled as he walked out of the last jump. "She wasn't kidding. They do always have some brewing. Now to get out of this city before I am found." Bartholomew pulled his cowl over his head and faded from view, leaving a few gold coins on the barrel head. * * *