CHAPTER 39: THE SILVERMOON COUNCIL

As they arrived at the courtyard before the Sunwell Court, two councillors stepped forward and joined the four elves in their ornate robes. It was clear to the observers that these four were additional members of the Silvermoon Council.

With no time to carefully examine the high-ranking members of Quel'Thalas, Charleman, Skran, Awan, and Sylvanas followed Lireesa's command and inspected the formation of their respective Ranger squads. They knew that, under the scrutiny of the Sun King, any mistakes would be critical. Even the usually casual Farstriders had sharpened their focus and formed perfect formations.

Lireesa, who had been absent for several days, smiled and greeted Charleman and the others, after which she placed her team of magi in formation. Though small in number, these magi represented the esteemed mages of the High Elf kingdom.

The absence of Liadrin over the past days had not gone unnoticed, and she now greeted Charleman and the others with a smile, followed by her team of priests, who took their place beside the magi.

Observing the soldiers fine-tuning their formations, the surrounding citizens in attendance recognized the imminent arrival of their king. Their conversations, once loud and animated, now transitioned into hushed whispers.

As expected, following signals from Lireesa, Liadrin, and Liadrin, Dar'kan nodded and, along with the members of the Silvermoon Council, adjusted their attire.

With a melodious and dignified tone, Dar'kan called out, "Ladies and gentlemen, with profound respect, please welcome our Sun King, Anasterian Sunstrider!"

All elves present lowered their heads in unison and waited with respect for the king's arrival.

Amid a solemn creaking, the massive doors of the Sunwell Court on the raised platform slowly opened. Under the gaze of the High Elves, an elderly elf in a crimson robe with gold trim, holding hands with an equally silver-haired, regal lady, emerged from the great doors.

To emphasize the nobility of the royal family, the Sunwell Court was constructed quite high. It was connected to the courtyard via a sloping bridge, covered in a scarlet carpet that extended all the way to the end of the bridge below.

As the King strolled across the bridge hand in hand with the Queen, the royal guards, clad in scarlet armor, wielding two-headed swords and large shields, flanked them on both sides of the bridge, maintaining a vigilant watch over their safety.

These elite High Elf warriors, meticulously selected, wore armor and shields immune to magic. Their dual-bladed swords easily penetrated the magical shields of wizards.

However, such equipment came at a steep cost. Even the wealthy Sunstrider family could only maintain a little over 120 of these Wardens, as more would be beyond the king's means.

Upon reaching the elevated platform, Anasterian used an amplification spell to project his elderly voice throughout the assembly.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you may raise your heads!"

Charleman finally had the opportunity to raise his head and closely observe the reigning Sun King. Anasterian Sunstrider, at this point, was quite elderly, and according to Charleman's tutor's estimation, the king likely had no more than 50 years left. The Queen, near his age, probably didn't fare much better.

However, the old king displayed a vigorous appearance, clearly excited about the recent victory. He stated, "Some of you may be aware that we have recently achieved a great victory against the Trolls. Not only did we drive the savage Amani Trolls back to Zul'Aman, but we also captured a high-ranking Troll leader."

At this point, Anasterian gestured to Lireesa, who nodded and signaled for the Farstriders to bring Harlaz's prisoner wagon forward.

"It is he! Harlaz, the Chief Disciple of the Amani Trolls' Lynx Spirit. This victory would not have been possible without the bravery of our warriors and the blessing of the Sun! Praise the Sunwell!"

"Praise the Sunwell!" The crowd exclaimed enthusiastically upon hearing the name of the Sunwell. The fervor of this atmosphere made Charleman furrow his brow.

The deeper the devotion to the Sunwell, the greater the despair when they inevitably lost it. For Charleman, who was dedicated to changing the fate of the Sunwell's addicts, this wasn't good news.

Anasterian then began a lengthy, clichéd speech like other leaders, expressing gratitude to their ancestors and the Sunwell for the arcane power it bestowed upon them. Charleman found these platitudes uninteresting and began observing the Silvermoon Council members and the King's close advisors.

The six council members subtly divided into three factions, with Dar'kan leading the radical faction, and the other two members representing the Sunfury and Flamestrike families.

The Sunfury representative, in contrast to the red-robed high elves, donned a somewhat exotic purple robe. He was not like the other elites. Charleman could sense an aura of gloom around him.

The Flamestrike family representative wore a light-red robe, maintaining a constant smile as he listened to the King's speech. However, it was undoubtedly an insincere smile, bordering on false.

In the distance, two councillors from the Sunhawk and Firebrand families stood together. They wore similar, yet distinct red robes. The Sunhawk representative was a thin, elderly gentleman who appeared frail and constantly coughed, suggesting poor health.

On the other hand, the Firebrand representative was a portly young man, a rarity among High Elves, and he kept wiping the sweat from his forehead. In the perpetual spring of Quel'Thalas, his profuse perspiration hinted at a weak constitution.

Charleman evaluated the situation and classified Osias Windrunner, who stood aside with his eyes closed, as "the old fox."

"Old fox!" Charleman muttered.

Osias, although apparently neutral and uninvolved in the rivalries of the two main factions, was the most influential figure in the entire Silvermoon Council. As a seasoned veteran of the Troll Wars, he possessed a natural authority that his younger council colleagues lacked.

Though he had been contemplating retirement in recent years and refrained from expressing his views, both factions of the council recognized the importance of gaining his favor. It appeared that Osias Windrunner had something up his sleeve.

"Observing the battle from the sidelines or plotting something else? Sean seems to have some thoughts," Charleman speculated silently.