The council chamber was silent. Vigilant was seated between Sacred Shield and Servis Vitali. The other four council members eyed him wearily. Rin Weis, the ever-watchful Falkreth, sat in her brown attire and cap. Trina Jiros was seated to the left of the Falkreth. The Deimrün was dressed in her blue jacket. The Coìches was seated right of Vigilant and left of Trina. The mistress of coin was dressed in a plain dress and she gave a nervous smile to the council. Cera Olim sat to the right of Rin and to the left of Servis. The mare was dressed in a black dress with a feather quill in her magic grasp. Piles of documents sat around the Beriit. She would take one document from the pile to the left, sign and edit it, and then place it on the pile to the right. No one said anything. Glances were the only thing that filled the room. The council had called Vigilant to the meeting, yet no one seemed too excited to start the conversation.

“We can not send the prince to Silfy,” Sacred said sternly and broke the silence.

“What!?," Vigilant shot up and slammed his paws into the table, "I need to go! I can not dismiss a summon from the emperor!”

Servis cleared her throat. “Remember your place, dear prince. Disrespect to your peers, especially those who are mares, will not be tolerated.”

Vigilant pressed his ears against his head and sunk back down into his seat. “I am sorry, high priestess, Felreth Shield...”

Servis nodded at him with a smile. “While I can see Felreth Shield’s point, especially after yesterday’s events, I think it is in our best interests to send the prince to Silfy. Have him meet the emperor, learn a bit about our old neighbors, and then have him come home. It would benefit the nation as well to have him off our shores. Many were angered by the attack on the populace.”

“They attacked me first… I also tried to make things right,” Vigilant mumbled.

Coìches Irmith cleared her throat. “About that, I received your missive, Vigilant, for the crown to cover the expenses for those injured by your spell. I want the council to vote on this since I can not approve or deny it myself.”

Rin Weis looked at the Coìches and frowned. “They attacked the prince, and whether or not he went too far in defending himself that fact still stands. I do not believe we should cover such expenses for citizens who can not be loyal to their own monarch.”

Trina Jiros shook her head at the general. “I think paying for their medical costs would benefit us. It might soothe their anger and make them more receptive to the council.”

“And less receptive to me?” Vigilant frowned.

The Deimrün smiled at him, though it was a condescending smile. It was the kind of smile mares had given him throughout his life when they thought he could not grasp what they were saying. “Of course not, your highness, the people will know it was you who wanted them cared for.”

“Good,” he mumbled.

Servis cleared her throat and the room fell silent. “I want us to aid these ponies. They are in great pain, both mentally and spiritually. To have their own monarch hurt them will take time to recover from, but the healers from the church will help them regain faith.”

Beriit Olim looked up from her stacks of papers and nodded. “I give my support to this resolution.”

“Despite my anger with the prince for his actions,” Sacred began and glared at Vigilant, “I will cast my vote against this resolution passing. The coin should be put into the guard or navy, especially during such a crucial time.”

Irmith nodded. “Understood, Felreth Shield, but I will approve of it.”

The Coìches stood up and held up a document. “On request by the prince, and voted four in favor and two against by the council, the sum of five thousand silver shells will be shared with the injured. The coin will be used to cover the medical expenses and pay for damages.”

Vigilant nodded. “May the gods approve.”

“May the gods approve,” the rest of the council parroted.

Beriit Olim took the document from Irmith and placed it on the pile next to her. “Regarding the emperor… I think it would be beneficial for the prince to go. He has little experience with such official visits, and it is high time he learned diplomacy. Furthermore, his studies have been on hold since the queen fell ill, and I suggest that Shamën Vitali start them again.”

The high priestess nodded. “The Beriit is correct. It is time we finished your education, Vigilant. You have fallen behind in your demonology studies, and your lessons in rhetoric and music have been kept on hold for too long.”

Vigilant opened his mouth as if to speak before he remembered his place. He bowed his head deeply and pressed his ears back. “I hardly need the music lessons, venerable high priestess. Demonology seems more important, I have gotten headaches recently when casting magic...”

“If spirits and demons can touch your mind then we must go through the basics once again. As a member of the royal family, your mind is supposed to be a fortress. Your mother could brush off a hundred demons when casting a spell, and such was the quality of her refined mind. You need that power if you wish to rule Cosea,” Servis said.

Sacred Cleared her throat. “When it comes to the trip to Silfy, my vote is still no.”

Irmith looked at Vigilant before she eyed the floor. “My vote is also no. He is nothing like Starlit Eyes, and I do not want him there in case he embarrasses the nation. He is also a stallion, it is not right for such an occasion.”

Vigilant bit his cheek at that. The words stung but he sucked in a deep breath and nodded. “I understand.”

Cira Olim signed a document and looked up. “I say he should go. He needs experience, and he will only get it from journeys like these.”

Rin Weis eyed Vigilant and shook her head. “No boy will represent our nation. Wait until he is a stallion, then send him north.”

Trina Jiros looked at Vigilant and nodded. “He should go. It takes him seven days to journey there and another seven to get back if he is lucky with the wind and there are no storms. Those two weeks can be used to deepen his education on sailing and how you commandeer a ship.”

Sacred looked around the table and sighed. Her gaze settled on Vigilant and her eyes pleaded with him. “Three against, three for. That means it is up to the prince to decide....”

Vigilant glared at the Felreth with a defiant heart. “I am going.”

Sacred nodded. “The prince will leave Cosea at the break of dawn and make his way to Silfy. There he will meet the emperor, make himself acquainted with the Silfy people, and then come home to finish his education.”

“May the gods approve,” Servis said with a smile.

“May the gods approve,” the room echoed.

Rin, in her military pose and stance, was the one to speak next. "He must know more about the emperor and Silfy before he leaves. I suggest he is given a tome on the subject, one that brings up the crystal throne, the sun-crown, and the worship of the emperor as a living god. Alexios' Silfeians stars and customs should suffice."

Sacred frowned. "With all due respect, Falkreth Weis, you are related to the esteemed emperor. Could you not spend some time telling him the basics?"

"And waste valuable time that could be used to see to the fortifications by the coast? My schedule is busy, I do not have the time to babysit," the general scoffed.

Irmith held up a paw and gave Sacred a cautious smile. "What I think the general is trying to say is that there are other ways the prince can learn about Silfy."

"Just remember that they like swords and the like. Give the emperor a shiny one and he'll probably be thrilled," Beriit Olim muttered from her piles of parchment.

Vigilant looked at the council members and sighed. "I'll read the book on the way there, and I'll have a ceremonial sword wrapped in silk."

"Then I say this meeting is finished," Sacred said.

The council member stood up and began to leave. Vigilant was about to do the same when Servis stopped him. The high priestess smiled at the young prince and motioned for him to sit down.

Sacred turned around and eyed the prince and high priestess. “What is it, Shamën Vitali?”

“Oh, you can wait outside, Felreth. I need to speak with the prince in private. I want to give him some advice for the journey,” Servis said.

Sacred nodded and stepped out of the chamber. Vigilant sat down and Servis magically pulled her chair close to the prince. The priestess’ white dress and beautiful golden headdress seemed to shine. The prince was lost in her large yellow eyes and her tail poked his snout. He blinked and tilted his head at her, to which she giggled. The sound made his heart swell.

“I wanted to tell you some advice before your meeting with the emperor. A gentle approach is more likely to work than brute force. I suggest being submissive before him, inflate his ego. Make him think he is above you, while in reality, you stand above him,” she said.

The prince shook his head at that. “No. He is the emperor of Silfy, he must expect force and strength. They are known for their many wars and army. Their fleet set fire to their colony like thirty years ago, right? And you want me to approach him with submission? Perhaps Falkreth Weis can be convinced to give us some advice? Surely she can be reasoned with?”

“Falkreth Weis may be related to the emperor, but she is not originally from the Silfy empire. She was born and raised in Cosea. Do not take her brutish attitude as a sign that she will have good advice. Furthermore, you should appear submissive exactly because that is what he won’t expect. He will expect you to strut around and make a big show. Be submissive. It will throw him off. If he is caught off guard then you will come out on top.”

“And if it doesn’t work?” Vigilant asked.

She smiled at him. “Then you follow the teachings. Respect is important, but so is faith. Do not let him step over our religion.”

“I thought you said I was supposed to act submissive?”

“Unless he does something outrageous. If he insults the faith I expect you to fight for it. In three months you are off age and ready to take the throne, and I expect you to honor the gods as your mother did. To go against them is to go against progress, and I will not accept such things in our nation,” Servis said.

Vigilant nodded at her words. “I will do as you say. And... do we have to have music lessons when I get back?”

Servis leaned close and kissed his forehead and smiled. “Yes we do, my king.”

The prince blushed a deep red and looked at her in surprise before he averted his gaze. The high priestess just giggled at his shy demeanor. Vigilant stood up and stumbled to the door. The blush would not leave his cheeks no matter how hard he tried to think about something else. Servis giggled again and waved at him with her tail. Vigilant smiled at her with a stupid grin before he exited the room. Sacred awaited him outside and looked at his expression. She tilted her head in confusion.

“What did she tell you?” the Felreth asked.

“Nothing!” the prince said and hurried past the Silveltian mare.

Sacred Shield sighed and followed after him. He needed to get ready, for soon he would leave Cosea.

Author's Note

Thank you for reading the newest chapter of King of Cosea!