The Exiled Gem

Broach of Merit

Silence. Complete - eerie silence.

Nobody moved an inch, as Liam stared at each face for about one second before moving to the next. Alexandra, for her part, had still not quite got over her anger, which was hard to provoke and even harder to extinguish.

'Where is this meeting going?' He asked, 'And Mr. Clark, would you mind telling us clearly, what you meant with the Head being Dovish?'

The young man stared on for a second, 'I meant - that she has just been to the Dovish King - and all her points seem to be for showing us how Doveland's innocent and wronged. How much more proof do we need?' He grunted.

Some of the other ministers were staring at the Mr. Clark with pitiful gazes, others were shaking their heads ever so slightly - trying to catch his eye.

'Whose own house is of glass, don't throw stones, Minister.' Liam advised him, 'Are - you Idgardian?'

Mr. Clark looked like he had been forced to swallow a lemon whole. He exhaled and shook his head - like his lips had been sewn together. Then he looked down at the table, as though it interested him a lot.

'And you, Minister?' He then demanded, from the Prime Minister, who seemed to be even more convinced of his views than before, 'Proof? Real documents?' Liam continued, shaking his head, 'If we stop trusting the Espionage Council, where will we be?!'

'The question, King, is not of trust and mistrust. Neither is it of the whole council. This one member - is not the WHOLE council. And as far as I see it - even before we start talking of loyalty- the lady does not know her limits. She glosses over the fact that Ministers need to be respected. That she cannot snap at, or reproach us. That we exceed her in merit.' He answered, rather elaborately - it made Alexandra want to make him stand up for a second, pull the chair from behind him and then ask him to sit down - he'd enjoy that fall.

'Merit.' Liam repeated, like the prime minister had cracked a joke, 'How fascinating it is, to hear an assembly of noble-born men - discussing merit. Now though, that the subject is broached- let's surely give it a look. Merit of one agent versus merit of fifteen ministers:' he smiled encouragingly, 'I'll go first-

'Seventeenth January, while the rest of us were getting ready to sit and hold Court - this Agent got the news of Doveland's plan to attack. Court suspended: Ministers free to leave. While the whole of Idgard was hoarding up supplies - because of the impending war, thinking of and devising ways to keep themselves safe and fill their stomachs - what did this Dovish agent do? Nothing much: she just used all her knowledge of Doveland.

'You all do know how well-guarded, the terms of alliances are kept. The fact that we even have this single piece of parchment here - it shows how much effort went into that planning - but who cares? We've got mouths - so we are going to speak whatever comes to our minds.

'Even in this war, when you were cosy next to your hearths, with your families and children, they were playing with danger - don't ask me in what situations. I don't know - you don't know. We don't even know!' He paused for a second - both Alexandra's Mind and Heart - were roaring in approval. She would have said scathing things if she could - but this, was going better. She didn't care one bit what was going on in the minds of the Ministers, but it didn't seem to be pleasant at all. Till five minutes back, Alexandra had wanted to walk out of the Palace. Now, she would stay and watch the scene unfold-

'They are humans too. They have parents to look after, families waiting behind for them. They have stomachs to fill. They feel pain too-' He then stopped abruptly- pulling out Alexandra's dagger from its sheath in her belt- it almost shook her that unsheathing Moira was so easy and do-able, that anybody could do it if she was this unsuspecting. 'Look at this dagger- would you even count it as a weapon? This Dovish Head here,' He continued, 'Who does not know her limits, fended herself against fifteen men with this. Where? Surrounded by three hundred terrorists! Merit, yes. She hasn't got merit. Not equal to you, Minister. Not even anywhere near.

'Remind me what happened in Court today? What did we do?' He scoffed, 'Oh right, we were discussing how the House of Metanoia was not a place good enough to house such high ranking officials. Tremendously meritorious!' Liam was smirking now, it gave him a rakish look that Alexandra found rather endearing.

'This off-limits lady was questioning the King of Doveland at that time. Nah, that isn't meritorious! When we all had had a good dinner and were ready to get under warm blankets in the peak winter - this agent travelled over a hundred miles, starved, injured - and saved my life! How old was she then? Twenty one.' The smirk was now gone from his face,

'And even tonight! As you will all settle down to sleep, this lady, who has earned her way till the Head of Council, and the other Agents, will be busy planning how they can get Ethoris to their knees.' He put the dagger on the table, 'she has faced death. Not only once - everyday is such. Tomorrow might be such.

'Keep aside merit. That is too big a subject. Just the word of this one Agent, against all of you, is enough. The day I get it,' Liam said - with no change of tone, yet, everyone got the threat laced underneath, 'the day I get it, sirs, all your seats will be empty.'

That, Mind acknowledged, in awe, was the BEST line anybody could end with! I like this fellow!

Alexandra agreed. In fact, the splendid look on Mr. Clark's face - was something Alexandra could have stared at, all her life - satisfaction churning in the pit of her stomach.

'Anymore questions?' Liam invited, looking remarkably at ease with the fifteen cross faces surrounding him. Pin-drop silence followed.

'There won't be any for a long time to come. Meeting dismissed.' He commanded, with a wave.

'But we have come to no conclusion-' One of them began.

'We didn't, but I did. Long ago.' Liam interrupted him, 'Dismissed.' He repeated.

Left with no choice, one by one the ministers filed out. Muttering to themselves and shaking their heads. Liam had half a humor-less smirk back on, as though he was daring them to speak up. Fortunately, none did. Alexandra had had enough of that episode. She picked up her dagger and put it back in its sheath. 'Thank you,' she nodded to him, all the same eager to leave.

'Don't mention it,' He muttered, 'And don't leave. We have a few things to get straight.'

Whatever it was, getting things straight wasn't Alexandra's favorite job. Only because professionalism demanded of it, she obliged - even with her Mind advising her to run.