House Dusmith's Heir, Jon Dusmith

Jon Dusmith stood inside his lord's tent, the man's peaceful, innocent, green eyes once more filled with hate with anger, second only to the moment he was informed that his father King Henry was murdered by King Gregor of Alto in a cowardly display. He invited his father into his hall, served him bread and salt, promised him talks of peace only to serve him a sword in the back. No quicker did the word of his father's reach Jon did it take the new King to call his bannermen together. Beyond that, Jon sent his mother to Falcone, convincing the Kingdom that were once their allies to join them on the field for vengeance. Now, just hours after they had slain King Gregor and wounded his second born Griff in the field Jon received a raven...a call for peace from King Talon.

The new King of Reness had only turned of age a mere year ago, he had been groomed to rule but not to command, his place in the field was entirely new to him, yet he had surpassed all expectations. Jon fought on the field, his anger and hate fueled his abilities, knowing that one foul-up would spell doom for his family and country. Now he stood hours after the largest battle in their countries history, blood and dirt painting his face and soaking into his deep blonde hair, being asked to end his quest for justice.

"Peace...fucking peace..." Jon nearly snarled as he crumpled the paper in his hand.

"Aye, your grace, a blessing if you ask me," Commander Asher nodded, "We proved our point, Alto won't be making the mistake of thinking we're so easily beaten next time," A murmur of agreement arose from the lords around him,

"A blessing? After what they did! They murdered your king, my father, and now they come to me begging for peace while they're weak!" Jon exclaimed while looking around to the other lords, "My lords! What message does it send to our enemies if we let this injustice go unanswered!"

"Justice has been served you grace, King Gregor is dead," A lord replied,

"No, Talon Blackmont still lives, his brothers still live," Jon denied, "We all know Blackmont's are rabid dogs! They're off to lick their wounds, but as soon as they are able they'll strike,"

Silence lingered throughout the tent, each lord soaking in their Kings words, on some level they knew them to be true but on another, they could only see the blood hunger in Jon's eyes. The silent air was finally broken by the leader of Falcone's forces, Jodster "Your grace, I understand your hardship, but...our orders were to support your forces as long as Alto was a threat." The man cleared his throat and shook his head, "And we've done just that, Alto is beaten, they've run off with their tail tucked between their legs and we should take the victory we have."

"What are you saying?" Jon glared back,

"I'm saying, we will not be sending Falcone men to die so you can slaughter a dead man's family, we've lost enough and it's time for us to return home," Jodster replied,

"They were planning to slaughter mine!" Jon snapped back, continually enraged by the lack of support around him,

"Aye, they were, and now they're not," Asher interjected, "Your grace, we don't have the food, the troops or the horses to attack Alto on our own, we'd barely have enough even if Falcone was with us,"

"What are you talking about we just smashed through their troops, killed their king!" Jon exclaimed,

Asher let out a deep exhale, "Your grace, forgive me but you don't understand how wars are fought, we walk into Alto now, and it isn't just the soldiers we worry about, every man, woman, and child becomes a threat once we enter their land. They'll defend their king, their country down to the last man!"

"Perhaps," A lord spoke up, "Then again, perhaps they won't. The Blackmont's were never ones to be kind to their people. their people have suffered under their rule, only the weak and sick would remain at this point. If we march on them now, and we break through...we end them, we get justice, and we let all of Ethosis know, Reness stands tall and true to her foes."

A few loud "Aye" filled the tent,

"Or you doom us to !" Another lord quickly shot back, "We march in and we get slaughtered, then what? Without an army what stops Alto from razing our country to the ground, or any other fucking country for that matter!"

"Who the Moonwell's? Ravenbeard's? They wouldn't dare!" Yet another lord shouted,

"And how would you know!" A response blurted back,

Within seconds the whole tent erupted into a two-sided debate, and Jon in the center, the only one able to end it. Minutes passed before Jon spoke, "Enough," He muttered out, though only Asher could hear,

"Quiet! Your King speaks!" Asher boomed out while slamming the table with his fist, "Continue your Grace,"

"I've decided," Jon muttered...