"The Imperial Cathedral is on fire!"
The Audience Hall was once again in an uproar but this time for a very different reason.
"Alert the fire brigade!" Daimon ordered already walking quickly to get his horse.
"They've already been dispatched, My Lord" the courier said.
"Good." The Crown Prince replied.
He turned to the delegation from Cyra. "I must trouble you to go to the quarters we have arranged for you all. We shall discuss your…tribute…later." His tone warned that he had not accepted the young girls as gifts and that he likely wouldn't.
The Prince and his entourage bowed. The Head Chamberlain personally arrived to escort them to their rooms. However, he seemed at a loss as to where to put the young girls. No one had been prepared for their arrival. And it was unclear if they were related to any members of the delegation.
"The girls will stay with me until the immediate crisis is resolved." Rowena said with firm authority. Daimon nodded his agreement.