The Vote - Part 3

A noise at the door, and one of the Minister's retainers came in, urgently. He did a little half-jog, seeming about to run down the walkway, but he managed to talk himself back down to a swift walk. He reached the stairs, and took them two at a time, approaching Minister Tavar, and whispering in his ear.

Tavar listened, and nodded, once, then twice. He cleared his throat when the messenger was done, aware that all the eyes in the room were on him, for now there had been nothing going on for almost fifteen minutes – they were all eager for this to be done with. Eager to hear the results.

"The Lords return," Tavar declared. They reentered at his announcement, Idris and Blackthorn confidently leading them. Blackthorn seemed to be considerably more comfortable now that he could confidently walk alongside Idris, in the knowledge that the two of them were closer than allies – they were comrades in arms, servants of the same Princess.