Emergency Meeting @ The Four Seasons

[Lesingnon]

"No, your attack is what brought the Freehold to the precipice of disaster. His words may have been ill-advised but I don't recall Katrin declaring war upon Summer because of them. Violence should not be the first choice one resorts to when confronted with words, for obvious reasons."

"And I believe it's too soon to resign ourselves to killing Sam. You may be right, Sire, that he will fight to the death if he has to. So we need to let him know that he doesn't have to. He can be talked to, he can be reasoned with. Contrary to what some of you seem to think he doesn't just respect his Court. He respects me, he trusts me, he just doesn't hand out either freely. Nor does he mince his words. Sam's been a part of this Freehold for a long time, and he's done a lot for it. We can't discard him simply because he defended his Court from ambush."

[Forn Clakes]

HAL turns his head, and only his head, to look directly at Rick.

"When did I say we kill Sam Barkley, Legate of Mists?" His eyes appear to shrink as if he is reading some internal memory. "I propose we remove him. Those were my precise-stroke-actual words. You do have a valid point though Legate." HAL turns his head back to the rest of the table. "We of Autumn have not been implicated by the Summer Sovereign. That gives us a 74.3 percent chance of success."

[Nightfall]

Nightfall arched an eyebrow at Rick's words.

Only an idiot would consider it an ambush, including those who were, and were not, there. When an annoyed man in front of you attacked...

...well, it just didn't get much more straightforward than that.

Silly lawyers.

There didn't seem to be any need to say anything, though, as the man bumbled into yet another mistake with his own Sovereign. With some people, all you had to do was wait while they proved their own worth.

The slight glistening of snowflakes on his lashes from Alice's solitude sparkled as he pitied Terri.

[Lesingnon]

"Ah, I misunderstood you slightly then." Though in truth, he really had a bit of trouble seeing Sam peacefully accepting any sort of removal after what had occurred. He had a tendency to see plots and conspiracies even when they weren't there. Though it tended not to cause the Wizened any problems, even if it seemed to have done so now. And Rick could certainly see how the events that had taken place could look awfully suspicious, especially if one didn't have time to sit down and examine it.

"But the two of us, at least, are in agreement that we should try talking to him before resorting to violence again." He did wonder, slightly, how HAL had come up with a percentage estimate of success off the top of his head like that. But that was a thing you got used to with him.

[Alice White]

Alice sighed and looked to Rick. "I don't know what conversation you're having or what you heard, but the conversation in the room has said nothing about harming the Summer King at all or any of the Summer Courtiers. Just as King HAL has said."

"Furthermore I don't know what impression you have of the freehold your living in, but there are no votes in a monarchy. I called the court sovereigns together to keep them informed so they can handle their courtiers and we can discuss the problem not to find a consensus and vote." She looked around the room before resting her gaze on Rick.

"Now that that is settled, concerning King Barkley. I don't think you understand the true nature of the problem with the man Rick. Judging from his actions the man is clearly delusional and in no position to lead his own court let alone the freehold. The first solution to a problem is the shatter the freehold he swore to protect by trying to declare war on half of it? What sane person declares a court war over a petty personal dispute?"

"Additionally, I don't care how private a man is and if he reserves his friendship to trust only very a few people, and while it is great that your confident that Sam listens to you, you are not the ascendant sovereign of this freehold, I am, and if Sam does not include me as one of the people that he listens to and obeys then I, and thus the freehold, have a serious problem and we may not be able to risk his presence in this freehold. He has shown that he doesn't respect the freehold, our people, or our traditions enough, could we even trust him to relinquish the crown after summer if he does end up ruling?"

Alice sat there silently letting the serious nature of the situation sink in. The implications of Sam's actions were very widespread and could effect them all. She hoped that the others could see this.

[Lesingnon]

Rick was taken aback a bit by Alice's response. Had the events surrounding her coronation really left her so insecure as to her power that she felt the need to wield it like a crude hammer at the slightest provocation? Did she really think he knew nothing of Changeling politics? Was she so eager to condemn a man she barely knew for carrying the emotional scars that all escapees of Arcadia had? Had she not fucking heard him mention that he'd misunderstood HAL?

"As I previously mentioned, the statement concerning harm to Barkley stemmed from a misunderstanding of King Liebowitz's phrasing." He had to resist the urge to speak slowly and clearly, as if to a child. It was his penchant when someone ignored something he'd said not seconds ago. But the situation within the Freehold was tense enough as it was. So he remained polite.

"And I am fully aware of how this Freehold operates. In case you've forgotten I've been serving it loyally for longer than you've been a member. I was not dictating to you a course of action. I was making known viewpoints, which is the very purpose of a discussion such as the one you say you are seeking." He thought to add that it had been HAL who'd called him here, not her. But again, that was not something that would help the current situation. "And though it is Spring I certainly hope that you would not disregard the views of Autumn. The Seasonal Courts do rule cooperatively, after all."

"As for Sam, it's obvious that you don't know him at all. He handles petty personal grievances himself. For him to do this, he views it as something more. Have you even stopped to look at things from his point of view? He arrived at the Trod to find one Winter already waiting, and had another arrive shortly thereafter after you talked on the phone with him. You didn't do anything to stop a fight you said could be seen coming until after Summer Blood was spilled. And then you shot him. I'm not claiming that it is; but if you just step back to look at the events, separated from your justifications and reasoning, does it seem that far-fetched to think that it may have been a plot? Do you not think that this is more likely to be a tragic misunderstanding than the deranged actions of a maniac? Do you not think that he might be acting on a perceived attack on his Court? Or do you simply seek a scapegoat?" he turned to look at Nightfall, "So you can rest more easily over your decision to attack a fellow member of the Freehold," his gaze shifted back to Alice, "or so that a complicated decision becomes more simple."

"I am not condoning Barkley's actions or decisions, nor do I consider them wise. But it is not as though he's suddenly decided to tear the Freehold apart. Nor does the blame for this rest entirely with him."

"And don't think poorly of me for speaking in his defense," his eyes locked with Alice's, cloudy gaze resolute, "because somebody has to."

[Nightfall]

"Queen White told everyone to stand down, or that she would shoot them. Barkley disobeyed... so she shot him," Nightfall said.

That wasn't a 'tragic misunderstanding'... unless you were insane, or an idiot. For someone claiming they needed to 'step back', Rick was certainly tunnel-visioned.

If his rest was't 'easy' over the situation, it certainly didn't show.

If anything, the only expression on his face was curiosity: Why the Autumn continued to beat a dead horse after his own Sovereign had spoken, and why he kept trying to change the substance of the matter from treason to an inter-Court skirmish. Or perhaps he was insecure about Nightfall and Terri's friendship?

For someone who wasn't there, he seemed awfully opinionated, to the point of having disagreed with two Sovereigns publicly. Whether a misunderstanding or not, he would never contradict the Onyx Throne in front of others.

[Forn Clakes]

"Enough bickering!" HAL states, an unnatural breeze creeps into the room through the door as light flickers between his fingers but he holds it within, trying to find balance. He really did not want to send anyone unnecessarily into the future.

His gaze turns to Alice. "Queen White, what would you have the freehold do in these circumstances?"

[Fu]

Fu walks into the Four Seasons. His stone head looking around as he does.

"If I were pissed off where would I be..." at a bar or gym ... "Ok maybe not the best way to find them." Fu mutters to himself. His mantle licks at the air around him making it just warm enough to be noticed. It was no longer under his complete control, recent events had pushed his bond with Summer to the limits. Muttering to himself some more he walks to the reception desk.

"Did a group of people reserve a meeting room? Some friends said to meet here but didn't tell me where."

[Forn Clakes]

Mr. Bates looks up at Fu.

"Yes sir, right this way." The manager leads the Summer to the meeting room and knocks before opening the door.

"Mr. Fu of the Summer Court," he announces.