Transcendence?

***Norfolk, Sarn-Valley***

***Ascathon***

I am finally back at home in my mansion. There is nothing more wonderful than being at home! Though we have a slight situation at the moment. The whole family is being gathered in our living room and we are having something like a family meeting.

My mother's arrival split the family into multiple camps.

There are Idala and Arduin on the left side of the table. They have doubts about Irda's intentions and I think that they would start a fight right here and now if Celestial wasn't present. Then we have Violetta, Sera and Liandra on the right. They are on Irda's side, who is sitting beside them. The fact that Liandra chose to speak up for Irda just adds fuel to the fire, but she isn't aware of it.

Liandra and Violetta are so close to each other that Liandra aided her adopted sister without thinking, which is seen by her parents as open betrayal!

Then there is me and Celestial at the head of the table. We are trying to create something like a peace treaty. Celestial is trying to achieve peace by talking to both parties.

But right now I am fed up with this entire bullshit talk. I guess the master of the house has to speak a final word.

*BAM*

I interrupt the heated discussion by hitting the big table with enough force to shake it. “This is my house! And my principality! I allow who can stay here and who is thrown out! So this entire discussion is useless! If one of you freeloaders isn't happy with another freeloader, he can leave through the door and take the Gate to wherever he wants. Preferably not coming back at all!”

Nobody answers. I guess reminding them of their status as ~guests~ did the trick. The only ones who are smiling happily, are the kids.

I guess you can't shock children by labelling them as someone who doesn't pay for his lodging.

I look around, but neither Idala, nor Arduin, nor Irda keep eye-contact with me. So I lean back and fold my hands on the table. “Now that's done. I would appreciate it if there are no fights inside the family. Try to be ~nice~. I am a little edgy at the moment, because I am not in my best shape.”

*Knock*

The door opens and our secretary Sarah peeks inside. “There is a courier with a message from the Jarl. He wants to be let inside, to speak immediately to the leader of the house of Asceron. His message allows no delays...”

I sigh. “Let him in.”

Sarah nods and opens the door. Looks like the courier followed her to this room. An oddly dressed guy enters the living room. He has a big sealed parchment in his hands. Without a hint of insecurity, he walks in front of me and hands me the parchment.

Looks like he knows me? I take the document and wait for him to leave, but he shows no hint of understanding my expectations.

After a few seconds he decides to share his intentions with me. “I have instructions to wait until I have personally seen to it that the message is read loudly and understood.”

I shrug my shoulders and break the seal on the parchment. Then I start reading.

“To all noble leaders of Norfolk who own a principality or kingdom. Yesterday evening, at the seventh Sjen of the three hundredth and ninety fourth year of the unification of Sarn, the Jarl Ibrahim the Great was murdered by the leader of the Inquisition, Norent Grant. Everyone has to report immediately to the Jarl's hall in the capital. Delays are not acceptable!”

I turn the sheet of paper around to see if there is more, but that's all. Then I look towards the courier. “That's a very bad joke!”

The courier shakes his head. “That's not a joke at all. I saw the Jarl's dead body with my own eyes. I will excuse myself now and report that you have received the message.” He turns and leaves the room.

The Jarl dead? Murdered? Like Fingulf? What else will happen today? I place the parchment on my lap and start pushing the wheels of my wheelchair. “Sarah! Den!”

Sarah immediately looks around the corner again and I start to give orders without delay. “I will be in the capital for some time. And I need Den with ten of his best men as escorts!”

I wheel out of the room, leaving the family behind. Then my chair is suddenly pushed from behind and I look to find Celestial behind me.

“I am coming with you.” She starts to roll me towards the exit of my mansion.

“There is no need. I have Den! You should stay behind and keep our parents from murdering each other.” I object.

Celestial shakes her head. “No, I won't let you go alone to the capital! End of discussion. Sera is there anyway. She will surely find something compromising under my parents' personal items.”

I sigh while I think about the problematic critter. Yeah, she is probably right.

***

There are multiple tables inside the Jarl's hall. All in all enough places for about a hundred people. There are still traces of a recent battle. People are arriving one at a time. It looks like everybody was ordered to report here like me.

It saddens me a little when I look at the Jarl's body in the centre of the room. It was enclosed in ice to preserve it for everyone to see. I recognize two of his mistresses beside him.

There are still some seats left open, but I have the feeling that it can't take long until everyone is here. From what I see, the entire upper class of Norfolk is present in this room.

Norfolk's territory is huge compared to the other countries. There are about fifteen principalities and ten small kingdoms which swore loyalty to the Jarl. The numbers of the principalities are changing frequently.

It depends on whom the Jarl trusts enough to give him a principality. The leaders of a principality are like caretakers for the Jarl's property. He can take his country back at any given time.

The issue is a little more complicated in the case of the kingdoms. They joined the Jarl on their own accord when he unified Norfolk a few hundred years ago. Their leadership is handed down by succession.

So there should be about fifty to a hundred people invited, depending on how many are following the request. Like in Celestial's and my case, we came just with the two of us. But there are others who showed up with three or more people.

There are mostly just guys with their women. Norfolk has a patriarchal society and there is no limit on partners. I look around while eyeing the beautiful wives of the other rulers until my eyes fall onto a particular pair of eyes beside me. Celestial is looking at me like an insect.

“What? There is no rule against looking!”

“There is! From now on! You are doing it too obviously. At least try to hide it to a certain degree.” Celestial folds her hands under her chest, which emphasizes her bust in a fortunate manner.

I don't know if she did it on purpose or not, but the heads of several guys snap around to have a quick glance.

“There is no help for you. To look somewhere else while I am sitting beside you!” She closes her eyes and shakes her head. I roll my eyes and smile.

“You are right of course. But it's simply my nature to wish for more than I have.” There! Take that and chew on that sentence.

Celestial's expression drops and she starts to chew on a fingernail. “What did I do wrong!? Tell me! I will try to change it.”

Now my expression drops. I didn't expect that answer. I thought she would retort in kind and have a verbal duel with me. But nothing of the sort.

“Celestial, maybe you should consider to tell me what kind of leverage Sera has on you. That's simply not your character. It baffles me every time you don't shoot back at me.” I scratch my cheek and try to smile.

Celestial grins at me. “Then tell me what's inside that box. It doesn't suit you either to accept my help so easily.”

I fidget around on my chair. “What makes you think that I accept too easily?”

“When you went away with the fleet, you didn't bend to my wishes, nor accepted my help. You are too proud to do that. You accepted my help with the wheelchair too easily since Sera threatened you with the box!” She smirks at me.

“The contents of that box can never be revealed! To nobody!” I place my hands flat on the table to emphasize how important the matter is.

“Then I can't reveal my personal problems either!” Celestial looks away. Then she sighs. "We might have created a monster..."

I look down onto the table. "It had to be expected. She is the be best of both of us..."

We stay silent until the door to the hall opens and a fine woman enters.

I recognize her as one of the Jarl's mistresses. “So that one survived, huh?”

“Wasn't it obvious? There are only two bodies and the Jarl has three wives.” Celestial waves at the block of ice with the bodies inside.

“Hoh? You have done some research on the Jarl?” I smirk at her.

“Of course! I did a lot of research on this country! It's necessary for managing our principality. I even know that the guy three tables to our right is Duke Erwin. He owns the principality on our southern borders and he has a grudge against you! After all there are about twenty thousand soldiers from Mislow sacking his villages at this very moment. And the guy with five women over there is King Naheel. He owns the biggest iron mines of the north! And his income went down by four percent since you put higher taxes on his goods.” Celestial smiles at me.

I close my mouth. Ok. I admit it, she is the better ruler. Not that I care that much about ruling a principality. I just want to do my research. “Is there anyone who doesn't have a grudge against me?”

She tilts her head while thinking. “There are some. But they don't have as much reason to like you, as those two have to dislike you.”

I huff and watch the Jarl's mistress, who has reached the throne and places herself on top of it. The throne is much too big for the graceful beauty with long straw coloured hair. Her body is not very curvy, but that only adds to her sharp facial features. Probably she could melt hearts if she decided to smile.

Then she starts to speak. “I am Natasha, second wife of Jarl Ibrahim the Great. And I am currently ruling Norfolk in absentia of the Jarl!”

A murmur passes through the hall. Then someone calls out from farther behind. “A woman can't rule Norfolk! Why do we even have to listen to you! The Jarl is dead!”

I look and find a dark dressed guy to be the source of the provocation.

“That's King Sven Sveralk. He is one of the hardliners against the Jarl.” Celestial whispers to me.

“Because the Jarl had no children. Nor are there any living relatives by blood!” Natasha speaks loud and with a steady voice. “And that's why he left a testament behind. It's signed and confirmed by six of the people who are present here today!”

Natasha pulls a document with six seals out of her robe and raises it while looking around and six nobles raise their hands.

I glance at Celestial. “I suspect that those guys are loyal supporters of the Jarl?” Celestial nods without saying anything.

Then Natasha breaks the six seals and starts to read.

“If this document is read to the assembled leaders of my principalities and kingdoms, it means that I am dead. And I left no proper heirs behind. But don't despond, my devoted subjects! I have thought of everything.”

“This testament was created in anticipation of the current situation. And because I knew that you idiots would start to fight one another once I was no more. To be honest I never had any hopes that you guys manage something reasonable without me.”

“I forged Norfolk when I was young and resourceful. I beat all of you into submission until even the biggest idiot acknowledged my superiority! We had over five hundred years of war before I came and put an end to it!”

“So, to avoid history repeating, I thought long and hard about someone who is able to control a group of wild animals like you! So hear the choice of your Jarl. As I am now in full possession of all my mental and magical powers.”

“My heir is Ascathon Asceron and his house. All my rights, possessions and responsibilities belong to him from today on! He is the new Jarl! Of course taking over my position includes taking good care of my lovely wives! I will watch you from the next life.”

“If someone wishes to dispute this testament, he has to duke it out with my heir. Although I don't have much hope for you guys to survive a duel with him.”

Natasha purses her lips innocently and folds the document together.

All eyes in the hall move to me and then to my wheelchair. Why are they looking at me like I am wounded prey?

Then I feel killing intent close to me and my head snaps to Celestial.

She has a bittersweet smile on her face and taps the table with her fingers.

“So you have two wives from now on, eh?”

“I am innocent!”

.