Mechanisms of Empire
Thirtieth Day of the Third Month 294 AC
Emerald flames flowed through the cavern, echoes of another time. Rippling water bound to nature's will, stone like clay under the pech's fingers molded as bulabar engineers helped craft a tunnel that would allow soldiers to reach the gate while the water could still flow freely through its new-made drain. It would be the work of days for the tunnel to be complete, without the Titan Tools it might have been weeks, but they knew well the rippling mortal world was there behind the walls of stone, the path beneath the Rock to end the heirs of Lann the Clever as he had ended the Casterlies, by stealth and trickery.
Marwyn smiled at a job well done as he passed by the faded carvings, musing who could have carved birds in this skyless realm. Ah well, there were grander mysteries to study here.
***
The Herald returned to the world of flesh with a creek of steel and a hiss of steam as the hot steel of its scales touched the warm humid air of the Deep. Its posture shifted slightly at the familiar surroundings. If such as it could be said to have emotions, then it might have been counted relieved to return home. It did not come back alone.
Three of its brethren had been shattered upon the anvil of Ymeri's armies, their remains stacked in its arms. Another four left not even shattered steel behind, broken beyond recovery by enthralled giants of the Queen of the Inferno. The Herald did not regret their fate, but it was content in knowing some could be recovered.
Lost 7 Heralds (3 Broken; 4 Destroyed)
This day it bore word not of its lord, but to him:
"Holy Eshisha, speaking in the name and by the will of the Lord of Light, called in Essos R'hllor the Red, Eternal Flame-that-is-to-Be, asks the use of the Imperial Skyship Dauntless to carry a weapon of Shadow into the Heart of Ymeri's domain. This carries peril beyond battle alone. Should the request be refused, I carry the apologies of Lady Melisandre of Asshai, for she must bear this weapon herself and it shall likely destroy her."
"Why is it apologizing?" the king asked, a touch softer than expected. Surprise? Worry? The Herald was faintly frustrated at not being able to read its lord's mood.
"Firstly of being unable to accompany you in your war against the Great Enemy," the herald replied, pausing between the two points of the answer. "Also for being unable to carry this news back herself, for her arts are needed to counter the glamours of the fey on the borderlands of their domain, which many of our allies of the Flame are not yet adept in piercing."
To the Herald's surprise, the king smiled then. "Make a note the lady is attempting to manipulate me into saying yes to the use of the Dauntless by reminding me of the threat to her purpose. Second note, it is working."
Although the Herald was not the most adept in understanding humor, it sensed that the words were at least adjacent to the concept. It did not ask for clarification. After all, it did need something to muse over when on guard or otherwise at rest without immediate tactical or strategic concerns.
What is the King's reply?
[] Agree to have the Dauntless deliver the Shadow Shard into the heart of Ymeri's palace
[] Refuse to have the Dauntless deliver the Shadow Shard into the heart of Ymeri's palace
OOC: I struggled with this quite a bit since there was a lot of rolling in the background, but nothing quite worth showing in screen. In the end I decided on doing another Herald PoV to show cased their mechanistic mindset. Not yet edited.