#odyssey

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Aiden marches his way to Calanthe's chambers, and opens the door, striding in without knocking or announcement.

Within - as he could hear from the hallway on approach, the Chancellor is giving her thanes a thorough dressing-down. This is interrupted by the Baron's entrance. Not that it seems to be bothering the Thanes - they are stone-faced and silent. At least, to those who don't speak Troll.

"Get out of my sight." Calanthe cuts short her tirade, and Linnea and Danica both move without comment to stand on either side of the outside of her door, guarding.

Turning to face the Baron, Calanthe, even in her own dragon anger, has some self preservation instinct - she sinks into a low bow. "My Lord."

Without preamble, Aiden looks down upon her, silver-grey eyes flashing. "You will tell me everything. If I must wrench it from you by force, I will be most displeased."

Such is how the Chancellor realized that she will find no sympathy for her recent trials here.

Calanthe explains to her Lord, in her own terse way. Of the cantrips she worked on his behalf, to numb the pain and allow him to function.

He frowns at this - it is hard to contemplate such grief that might lay him low, when he does not even remember the woman of which she speaks.

"Nadeen tells me that you hid from me the truth. That it was by my own hand that the woman was brought to an end."

At this, Calanthe bristles. "The woman was your wife, and my sister. And you are my lord, and brother. Silverwolf needed Lord Aiden, the Ailil Baron. Not a lovelorn widower intent on following into the shadow."

"I would judge this myself, but that I cannot remember anything. This is no 'numbing'!"

Calanthe shrugs expressively. "For that I take no blame. Nadeen took it upon herself to intrude into my private sanctum and meddle in magics she has no understanding of. She broke my working, damaged the delicate threads of the cantrips, and this nervosa that threatens? It is her doing. I kept your memories safe and preserved. By her hand, were they stolen."

"Be that as it may, what action she took was on my behalf."

Calanthe interrupts, impassioned. "Have not I always strived to serve you? My soul poured into wizardry to serve YOU! To Preserve you!" And perhaps, she actually believes it.

Aiden listens coolly, dispassionately. "Then perhaps your work is no longer required."

The Chancellor looks stricken. The Baron looks unmoved.

"Gather your spells, your tools, whatever you must to undo your working. I will not let it..." He doesn't finish this thought aloud.

"One way or another, this ends today. Restored, or destroyed. Your creation will be stopped. By my own strength, by Nadeen's will, by your magic."

He says to the thanes as he exits, "Attend the Chancellor, and have the Reeve report in as well, and bring... it, with her. We will meet before the Bale, that by it's light all will be made clear."

Two salutes in unison.