All that was left now was more pointless posturing by the Tristanian nobility, a collection of racists and religious fanatics torn from the pages of the 17th century. Sakuya took a breath, catching herself, forcing herself to remain calm and composed. Glancing to her side, she saw the Mortimer looked as stoic as ever, though looking more closely she could see that his jaw was ever so slightly clenched. For the Salamander Lord, that was as good a boiling over. Beside him, the other leaders, still ignorant about what had transpired in private, watched the proceedings with a mix of interest, dutiful attentiveness, and boredom. Morgiana of all people, was sitting up straight, taking notes in surprisingly small, neat, handwriting.

At last, as the sun had begun to set over the rooftops of the capital, the final draft of the treaty was approved by Cardinal Mazarin and Queen Marianne and the signing was scheduled for tomorrow morning. There gains and losses tallied, the assembled Nobles began to disperse, spreading out onto the darkening streets of Tristania's noble quarter in search of dinner and entertainment. Any other night, Sakuya would have loved to have seen a period performed play or opera, but now, much graver things were on her mind.

The Fae delegation had waited for the crowd to thin before departing, Morgiana leading the way to cut a path through the loitering Nobles. It was well known that the delegation had been staying as guests of the Royal Family, so there was no suspicion as the Leaders and their staff made their way as a group back across the narrow streets to the Palace gates.

Almost as soon as they set food within the palace ground, they were met once more by Cardinal Mazarin, Queen Marianne, Princess Henrietta, the Duchess de la Valliere, and their attendant Manticore Knights. With hardly a word, the Leaders were separated from their retainers, Sakuya politely begging a dinner invitation from the Queen and Princess to celebrate the Treaty signing.

"Really now, what is the meaning of all of this!" Rute asked, brass buttoned coat flapping with each step. The stout Leprechaun had to hurry to keep pace with his fellow Lords.

"Mind answering the question? You and Sakuya seem to know what's going on." Morgiana suggested as she stalked along easily at Motimer's side. "Or am I going to have to pry from you, Mort?"

Mortimer's eye twitched ever so slightly. "We've been made aware of some trouble news."

Morgiana's expression became uncharacteristically serious. "Troubling . . . Can't remember the last time I head you say that. Right, how bad is it?"

"In a word." Sakuya said. "Bad. But it's not something we can discuss out in the open." There was not telling who might be eavesdropping. Especially after what the had learned from Cardinal Mazarin. Tristain might be full of sympathizers to the cause of the Albion Rebels.

Their final destination lay beyond a pair heavy oak wood doors, flanked by a pair of musketeers. The Palace guards saluted at the sight of their Queen and Princess before opening the doors. The room beyond was spacious, luxuriously so, a wide room with high ceiling. Their were no windows, instead, the room was lit day and night by chandeliers and dozens of magelights that cast a warm glow from above. The Manticore Knights peeled off as they entered, taking places around the perimeter of the room beyond.

A long table dominated the center of the room, surface glowing in the reflected light. Alicia, looking considerable better of a few hours sleep, and her Dragon Knight escort, were already waiting for them.

"Nice digs." Morgiana commented as she looked around the room. "Gotta say, Royalty definitely know how to do interior decorating." Eyes narrowing slyly she turned back to their hosts. "But I'm guessing you didn't bring us here to admire the architecture."

The Duchess glared daggers at Morgiana as the Queen stepped forward, walking towards the head of the table. "This is the Palace War Room, where the Generals of Tristain confer with the King in times of conflict. It hasn't been used in years, but it has been kept maintained and well warded against eavesdroppers in case there ever came a need for it."

"Need such as now." Cardinal Mazarin said softly. All eyes in the room, all Faerie eyes, were on the Cardinal.

"Excuse me." Thinker, the newly elected Leader of the Undines took a halting step forward. "Are you saying that there will be a war? Isn't the alliance with Germania supposed to discourage that?"

Cardinal Mazarin nodded gravely and gestured to the conference table. "Please be seated and we will explain."

Sakuya watched her fellow leaders as Mazarin began to lay out the situation, Alicia chiming in from time to time to clarify. At first there was shock, than anger, and finally silence as the full impact began to sink in. Thanks to the primers and reports constantly being generated by Argo and her army of volunteers, they had all been well briefed on international affairs. They all understood as well as Sakuya what losing the alliance with Germania would mean for Tristain.

Thinker leaned back in his chair, looking much older than he had mere moment ago. Without thinking, his left hand reached out to take the right hand of his Lieutenant, Yulier, squeezing tightly. Zolf had retrieved the crucifix he wore from beneath his robes and was even now bowed in thought. The Puca and Gnome representatives were both speechless.

At last, it was Morgiana who broke the silence. "Distressing news . . . I gotta say Mort, you've got a talent for understatement." The Salamander Lord's eye twitched once again. Eyes narrowing, the Spriggan glanced slyly to Sakuya. "So, any reason you waited till now to tell us all of this?"

"It was Cardinal Mazarin's suggestion." Sakuya said quickly. They couldn't afford to figthing among themselves, now least of all. "Tristain is in a very precarious situation at the moment. Externally because of Albion and internally because of us. We couldn't risk showing our hand in the middle of the House chamber."

"That is correct." Mazarin said. "For the good of the Kingdom, it would benefit us all for the treaty to be signed tomorrow as planned."

"Okay, that makes sense." Thinker said before his eyes began to widen in realization. "But if the treaty is brought into effect now and Tristain ends up going to war with Albion . . ." He exchanged glances with his Lieutenant.

"Then we will be required to provide our aid to the realm." Sakuya said tightly. That could be anything from paying to hire mercenaries to providing volunteers to fight. That much had been nonnegotiable, if the Fae wanted the rights and protections afforded to the landed and petty nobility, then they would have to take on the same responsibilities.

"The Imps won't approve of this." Zolf said quietly. "Domeeska is finally settling down after the Transition."

"They are the terms you have chosen to accept." The Duchess responded with a hint of steel entering her voice. "You cannot renounce them now."

"The Duchess de la Valliere is correct." Mazarin said, placing his hands before himself on the table. "And like it or not, if Albion decides to invade, the Heretic Cromwell will brand you as abominations. Your choices will be to fight, die, or be scattered to the winds." Zolf recoiled at the Cardinal's brutal reply. However, Mazarin was not an unkind man, now that he had made his point, the Regent's expression softened. "The Crown has offered you its aid over this past month. Now," Mazarin closed his eyes, "We must ask for your help in return."

"I only have one question. What now?" Morgiana spoke up. Leaning over the table, she fixed Mazarin with a level stare. "You say you want our help. Okay, that makes sense, we're the new kids on the block, and it's a safe bet we don't have any ties to Reconquista unless someone here is feeling particularly suicidal. But what exactly are you after right now?"

"For the moment, the services of your agent in Albion." Mazarin stated flatly. "Sometime within the next day, we are likely to receive word from Rebel sympathizers. Most likely some form of ultimatum for our surrender with the letter used as leverage. We do not intend to announce anything to the nobility until this letter is received."

Motimer nodded sagely. "We want to keep the full capabilities of the moonlight mirror hidden for as long as possible. At the moment, Kirito-kun is a set of eyes and ears within Albion."

"My thoughts exactly." Mazarin said.

Sakuya steeped her hands before her. "I have no issue with this. However, that is up to Kirito-kun, I can't order him to endanger himself."

"Your Kirito is quite the mercenary, is he not?" The Duchess de la Valliere observed disapprovingly.

Morgian snorted. "That's the Spriggan way lady. We live and die by the Yurudo!" She shook her head. "Or at least, that's how it used to be. Now though, Kirito-kun's a good kid, and it sound's like he's got good instincts if he's an SAO survivor. He's the man on the ground, so I say we trust him."

"Besides, isn't Kirito-kun's main mission to help evacuate the rest of the SAO survivors in Albion?" Alicia asked. "I don't think he'll be willing to abandon that mission."