Hearing the explanations of Merchant Brinsop, Dyon smiled.
“Take Merchant Brinsop to Lady Penelope, our best, to be healed. Provide him with lodging, food, and also prepare the same evacuation measures for him as one of our citizens.” Dyon spoke quickly and didn’t explain his words. After finishing, he looked at Merchant Brinsop, “Be ready to leave early tomorrow morning. If you perform well, saving your family will be a part of our plans. Do you understand?”
The change was much too quick. They had gone from torturing Brinsop to making him one of their own? What was going on?
However, those more intelligent had an imperceptible light flash in their eyes. This was especially so for Amphorae. It seemed that from beginning to end, Dyon had all of the happenings well within his control. It was almost as though… He didn’t need to ask the questions at all…
As the thoughts spun in Amphorae’s mind, her evaluation of her husband seemed to continue sky rocketing.
When you thought about it, what would have made people the most unsatisfied with taking Merchant Brinsop in? Wouldn’t it be the lack of punishment? Yet, didn’t he lose two fingers after facing unimaginable pain?
‘Could it be that Dyon let himself be placed in a dangerous situation in hopes that Brinsop would attack?…’ Amphorae shook her head. Such planning and foresight had to be beyond the scope of humans. It was simply inconceivable. It would imply that Dyon knew that Brinsop would be useful before hand and was prepared to set up a situation where he was punished enough, and yet in good enough shape to be used for the next day.
This was even a two-pronged attack. Dyon purposefully used this opportunity to bring his integration of women into their fold. How could the Angel Clan not have male healers? Yet, he not only crown Lady Penelope as the best, he also thrust her into affairs of war before everyone. Anyone insightful enough could see his motives.
The most stunned individual was, without a doubt, Brinsop. Never did he imagine that he would have another chance at life. He had made many friends here, but in one fell sweep, he had betrayed them all. He wouldn’t have been surprised if he received the worst punishment and torture possible even after telling them everything he knew. But, this was well outside of his expectations.
This was, of course, within Dyon’s calculations as well. Although he could rule Brinsop’s future with his array, it wasn’t ideal. He needed Brinsop for diplomatic reasons, and much of that would require Brinsop admitting that he was a spy to those clans. This would automatically shatter much of his prestige in those clans. Because of this, Dyon needed him to be his very best, and him being fearful and restrained wasn’t the right way.
Again. A King needed to understand how to best use his subjects.
This was also of benefit for his questioning of the other traitors as well. They saw that there was a way out. But, they also saw that it was the only way out. If Dyon wanted, he didn’t have to treat them well at all, because he could force them to answer anyway. This left only one person with the worst of cold sweats: Minister Brodaya.
No matter what, anyone here knew that it was impossible for him to be forgiven. While Merchant Brinsop was coerced, forced and technically not of their people, Minister Brodaya was different. He was of Angel Clan blood. He felt the need to kneel when he saw Dyon’s wings. He had grown up with them all. His son had died for them! His only future was to spill his everything, then die.
Before Merchant Brinsop left to be healed and fed, Dyon made sure to ask detailed questions about his network of people in the Angel Clan. His network in those other clans could wait for the trip tomorrow, but Dyon needed this short cut toward uprooting his own clan’s issues first.
As much as Dyon wanted to use Brinsop’s influence to control them all, he knew that would be naïve. Everyone had their own interests and their own families and futures to worry about. Because of this, there was only one possibility, and that was to force arrays into them all as well. Only then would Dyon be at ease.
After learning of the network, Dyon left this task to his trusted soldiers. They were actually made of his male friends from youth. While everyone else was scheming behind his back, only they had his back because only they truly understood what was going through his mind. Their group of about 20 had become his personal guard, as was tradition. Of course, Dyon was also wary of the feelings of this body of his clouding his Perception of the situation. But, luckily he hadn’t triggered any of those between them yet when he investigated them thoroughly. For now, they were clean.
Finally, Dyon sent Brinsop off with his eyes, tasking his protection to a couple guards. Then, ignoring the ministers in the room for a moment, he turned toward Amphorae who sat by his side.
“Amphorae,” Dyon smiled, taking her hand.
A faint blush colored her features, but she still managed to keep her composure, nodding faintly. She could tell that Dyon was about to task her with something important.
“Tomorrow, I leave with Queen Luna. Do you understand?”
Amphorae’s heart beat quickened, “You mean…”
Dyon nodded. “While I’m gone, the highest authority in our clan is you.”