"ENOUGH!" Liliandra was clearly annoyed at War Scribe's banter, "You have out stayed your welcome here, Chronicler. Guards escort her out of the palace!"

Liliandra glanced back to the elementalist but did not look her directly in the eye, "Please calm yourself, Alyson. I understand a lot for I have had a similar experience long before I married Prince Yew, however, Lord Irzen is right, you need to let it go."

She then addressed the swordsman firmly, "There are two sides of the story and I have heard both of them. You've made your point quite clear, and just so we're all on the same page, you need to drop it on whatever grudge you're harboring for the orc at the moment. We will discuss a strategy after we've all had something to eat."

"I will do as you request, your Highness," Irzen responded with a formal nod before he continued eating.

The elementalist took her food and drink and walked to the far end of the table away from Irzen. Being near him wasn't a good idea at the moment.

"Wait! Wait! I was just getting warmed up!" The Chronicler complained as the Guards lifted War Scribe out of her seat and half-dragged, half-carried the Drowling out of the dining hall.

The kurori walked back to her seat and grabbed her food, "I'm gonna sit by Alyson, Serna. You can come with me if you want or stay here."

"I'll come with you," Serna offered as she followed Caliaphy, "There are times like these when we just need a friend."

Prince Willow sadly shook his head as he took his seat across from Princess Lilliandra.

The Ranger promptly began to eat and did so without saying a word.

Liliandra sighed waiting for Willow to start eating as it was custom among the wood elves and started with her own meal. "It was a simple question concerning you, Willow by merely asking how you met them. Sadly it did not go the way it was intended."

"Things with my friends seldom go as intended, Lili," The Prince admitted reluctantly, "They seldom do."

The Bronze Man moved down a seat from Irzen giving him space from the heated conversation only moments before. He sat there quietly eating his fish until it was gone.

Irzen also sat in silence eating his meal. The food was good and helped him to calm down quite a bit. By the time he was finished eating, the Swordsman was in a more civil frame of mind.

Lazheros glanced down the table to where Alyson had moved to and smiled softly sipping his tea. He watched as Caliaphy and Serna kept her company rather than the others. He also knew, she preferred the company of children rather than adults. He would stay to aid Prince Willow and his people battle Gruumasht. The matter of Alyson having to deal with another piece of the Crimson Dragon armor was another matter entirely.

Finally finishing his meal, Irzen turned towards Princess Liliandra, "You said that you wish to talk of war this morning, your Highness. What would you like to discuss?"

"Please give me a few more minutes, Lord Irzen," Liliandra nodded to the swordsman, "I would like all of us to finish our morning meal first."

At the far end of the table the elementalist had finished her meal and slowly sipped her drink. She glanced to either side of her and saw both Serna and Caliaphy sitting there giving her support. Breathing deeply, she calmed herself back to normal burying the Black Witch deep down. She opened her eyes and the light returned once more. "Thanks you two. Thanks for being there."

"Alyson, you got really scary but as long as you remember being silly, you're okay by me." The kurori smiled giving her a hug.

****
Meanwhile, War Scribe was still being dragged towards the palace gates as she protested, "Unhand me! I have Bardic Immunity!"

Her pleas fell on deaf ears as the guards promptly pushed the chronicler out through the gates to the palace. A magical barrier came down preventing her from entering, "By order of Princess Liliandra you are no longer welcome. You may traverse through the city but the palace is off limits to you."

War Scribe laughed as she dusted herself off, "Have no fear, good sirs, the Princess will be begging me to return soon enough. She needs every available asset she can find to win this war and I just so happen to be one of them. You'll see!"

One of the guards posted at the palace gates looked directly at her, "Maybe the princess does and does not but that's not our call. So be off with you!"