The woman in the iron seat stood up firmly. She was almost as tall as the other men, but she did not look weak, with muscles on her arms and legs. She had a large bust but she was not too fat. Behind her was a trail of long brown hair which looked like it had just been cut. This was Rebecca Stortor, a former member of House Gutstide who had married a member of House Stortor a long time ago as a girl. That Stortor died and she inherited his money. Rebecca was like a sister to Lazlo. Lazlo always saw her that way.
"Lazlo." Rebecca gave Lazlo a short smile before going into a serious tone. "We have been waiting a long time for you."
"Good to see you." Lazlo smiled at her. "Did you-"
"Yes we heard. Quite frankly, this is the dumbest thing you've ever done. But! It's also the bravest...but you will die if you do not give in a the right time."
"I know. At least i'd be a matyr."
"Who have you appointed as next in command should you die or the Proclamation fall?"
"I did have Garrox Gutstide but now i'm thinking someone else...maybe you, Rebecca."
"Me?! What do I of all people know about running things?! It's not like I held your seat for years as you went around the other islands galavanting around on adventures having fun raiding who you'd please!!!"
"I know we've had our disagreements but-"
"You made me in charge of this seat so you could leave me out from the millitary proceedings. I was going to be a Captain! I am grateful that you gave me the power of the island...but the real power was always in the navy."
The argument went on. But it was interupted when a young foreign woman with blonde hair in a blue and white dress appeared with a, in contrast, scruffily dressed man in black uniform. The man was the infamous former pirate Captain Darryl Morgan and the much younger woman was Genevieve Grimsdale. Morgan had been a pirate in his youth but swore allegiance to the navy when his band was all killed, brewing the famous Morgan's rum on his island next door to Storm Island. Genevieve, also known as Geneve, had her parents killed when she was 14 during the pirate wars. Geneve was taken into his care, becoming a Morgan, before marrying a Gutstide. Although Morgan was abusive to her, he soon realised what was wrong with his treatment of her and became much nicer. When Geneve became a Gutstide, she became abused by her new husband. Morgan realised what was wrong here and killed the husband, ending the marriage. Next, Geneve was married to a Grimsdale. She was treated much better. However, the husband was murdered one night after breaking a pact with a group of pirates. Morgan took her back in and they began a search for the other Grimsdales. There had been a massacre, and they found barely any left. Soon, they would come to realise that the only few Grimsdales left were the ones under the command of Admiral Kendra Water during the battle of Cordona.
Lazlo took his seat and Rebecca stood next to him. "Captain Morgan. What business do you have here?"
Morgan laughed. "It's not any of my business, but of my adopted daughter over here. This is Genevieve Grimsdale."
"Yes, I have seen her before. She was from an unknown family...then she became a Gutstide. We met her at a family gathering with the Gutstides. I see she is a Grimsdale now."
"That's just it. The Grimsdales are all dead except for a few who accompanied Admiral Water to Cordona. There was a massacre."
"Yes I have heard. Admiral Water is not our friend here though!"
"By no means am I an ally of hers. I've never even met here." Genevieve spoke. She was normally a shy young woman but she forced herself to speak. "Talissa and Nowland Grimsdale are both dead."
"They were killed because they supported Water." Lazlo responded. "I believe there are still Grimsdales alive. You will support us. And you will convert the other Grimsdales. The Grimsdales in Water's fleet betrayed us and we threw them overboard. We will do the same to those who do not support us."
"I assure you, you have my support."
"Good."
"There is a reason why we are here other than to show our support." Captain Morgan interrupted. "Yes, all the other houses are here...but we weren't going to come here originally." Morgan coughed. "Geneve is here to marry Thomas."
Lazlo looked at Thomas Stortor. "Since when have you been engaged? I wasn't told of this!"
"We will be married." Thomas said to Lazlo. "We've been engaged since a month ago. We first met here at a ball where I learnt about her initially."
Lazlo withdrew his blunderbuss pistol. Immediately the room was tense. "You will seek my approval as I am head of the family. Is this not a plot by the Gutstides to plant one of their former own? I knew the Gutstides were up to something." He fired a shot at Gideon Gutside and several men next to him and they fell to the floor. There were screams of shock from the men and women.
"Why did you do that?!" Thomas exclaimed. "The Gutstides will now leave us knowing that!"
"They will not need to know. The three Gutstides that were killed here will have their bodies burnt. Those who witnessed the deaths will be detained in this castle. None of you will leave. Guards!" Lazlo yelled as red armoured guards appeared next to him. The guards grabbed Rebecca, Geneve, Thomas and the others.
"What are you doing?!" Rebecca struggled.
"You were a former Gutstide yourself. You are part of the plot. Into the prison with you! And make sure Geneve and Thomas never see each other again!" Lazlo ordered as the guards took the large group of power hungry traitors to their cells.