Countermeasures

Enclave's emergency Treffen, in the reign of King Darius… 

"Your majesties, I knew you are all busy with the state of your countries. I have to apologize to have called everyone in haste." The redheaded High king of Thyme said after the pleasantries. 

He allowed his gaze to travel on the faces of his companions. Though he knew that they all looked calm and compose, he had an inkling that they are aware of the bleakness of the situation. 

"I knew that you also have felt the seal breaking in full force and had resonated like a chain reaction." He gravely said to the others.

The other kings had nodded in return. It seemed that they all knew and felt that the problem did not only affect one country but the rest of the countries under the Enclave as well. 

Darius clenched his fist. He could feel the tension rising. It was so thick that if he took his sword, he would be able to slice it in half. 

"Are there any reports about the other seals from your countries?" he inquired from the other rulers. "what are the counter measures that you were able to make to avoid the impending catastrophe?"

Leo was the first one to report. "The one in my country, Verbena, had shown a bit of instability but after a while it calmed down as if nothing had happened." 

"We also formed a barrier around the relic so that no one including the rest of my heirs could freely approach it." The eldest king finished. 

Then it was Carson's turn. 

  "I have our seal investigated but nothing out of normal had happened except for that resonance with the breaking of seal from Marjoram. For now, the situation had considerably calmed and stabilized." 

Furthermore, Carson added. "We also ensured that the guardians would help us if the need arises."

"The ones that you have done were also similar to what we did in Thyme." High King informed. 

The guardians rarely meddle in the affairs of the Enclave. But when grave problems involving the entire realm arise, they would not hesitate to lend a hand. 

Some of the guardians are hard to come by since they went into hiding after their original contractors had passed on. But there were others who continued to watch over the next few generations. 

"Aglaia's kin had promised to cooperate with us. They had been guarding the Hellebore's seal for centuries." Carson commented. "It seemed that Alana's pride had also done the same for Thyme." 

The redhead nodded. The rest of the kings had turned towards the youngest member in attendance. Caules also gave similar report. 

But Darius noticed that he seemed to have something in mind. "Caules, would you mind sharing your thoughts?" 

The young monarch scratched his scar. He hesitated before finally making up his mind. 

"I had been thinking about this for a while. But I was wondering why the other three had not yet come to the Treffen." 

They looked at the three vacant gilded seats. 

Darius had a grim look on his face. "One is still dealing with the civil unrest and the two siblings seemed to be preoccupied." 

"We have summoned them to the Enclave's Treffen but since they were not able to respond, I think it is about time we have to do something, your Majesty." Leo suggested. 

Darius knew that they ought to do something about the absentees. But the matter is complicated and tricky. 

Before Darius could speak, Caules had opened up. 

"Although, I am an acquaintance of His Highness Briar, I could not simply barge into Marjoram and ask him to come to the Enclave." 

The scarred king confessed. "I had always been wanting to go to Marjoram so that I could investigate, or ask about the state of the seal in that country." 

King Leo cut in. "Caules, my boy, you do know that the treaty will not allow us to interfere with another country that is not under our jurisdiction…"

Caules muttered. "but Marjoram is a special case. It is under Azalea for now." 

"We know that you meant no harm but as members of the Enclave we could not easily move and meddle with the other territories." The older king said. 

"I do not plan to meddle." The youngest one refuted. "I just want to know. Why the seal was broken? Of all the seals, it is the seal from Marjoram which is odd." 

Caules continued. "Marjoram has hidden the seal along with Kreuz and no one had found where it is since the original capital had disappeared from the land. As far as we all know, only the male heirs should be able to undo the seals."

"The princess is not a male heir.  Or are there any descendants that we do not know of?" Caules asked while looking at his seniors. 

"We could not answer that one." Darius replied. "But as far as I know, my sister and Fennel did not have any other child aside from Lily. Fennel did not have any concubines or children out of wedlock."

They were silent for a while. There could be a possibility that another heir exists but they could never be sure of. 

Caules broke the silence.  "Even if Briar is the current regent assigned due to Reed being preoccupied, he was not yet acknowledged as an official member of the Enclave. Briar could not be the one to lift the seal." 

Carson speculated. "It could be that the guardians had granted someone a blessing and acknowledged a new monarch." 

"But if that is the case, we would have known that a new king has been enthroned. The other guardians would have informed us." Darius said. 

It was a common knowledge in the Enclave that once a new king is selected outside of the heirs from the Royal Family, the guardians would make it a point to inform the other rulers. 

New kings who are not part of the royal hierarchy rarely happened. They only emerged if the ruling family is judged as not suitable for the role. 

"The guardians especially from Marjoram are willful but they would stick to the path of light." Leo mused.  "I doubt that the guardians will undo the seal by themselves."

Carson said. "They all knew that the pact which lasted for more than a thousand years stated that they should never break the seal. Besides, the pact would render them incapable of doing so." 

"Undoing the seal will dye the entire continent with blood and destruction." Darius declared. So, we needed to know exactly what is going on in Marjoram. For that we have to send someone to at least ask Briar to inform us of what is happening." 

"Do you have someone in mind?" Leo asked. 

"I would like to go as envoy." Caules presented himself. 

"You are already a member of the Enclave, you know that you would not be allowed to go." The eldest king reminded him. 

"We will have to ask some of the next generation." Leo said and turned towards the shadows hovering outside the door. "I think they are ready to receive their trials."