Henryk sat around a large table with tens of nobles. Greed, annoyance, hate. All wore their emotions on their sleeves, looking at him, happy that they finally had the chance to act against the crown.

They had been holding themselves back, afraid of Snowid, knowing they were powerless on their own, but seeing the old man at the end of the table, the one who had led and defended the Commonwealth for generations, they finally knew it was their chance. To take back what they wanted.

Henryk sat with cold eyes. Looking at the people before him, he couldn’t help but feel ashamed that he had to work with them. By the end, they stood for nothing, only caring for themselves. The slights they believed they had suffered were insignificant. But he needed them; they were his only way forward for revenge.

"Thank you all for coming." Smiling, he hid his true feelings and raised his glass. "Whilst many of us have different reasons for coming here, we are all united on a single cause. To deal with the King’s tyranny. For too long, he has used his title to justify illegal actions against us, and now not only have you all suffered serious grievances, but he has dared to turn his hound against my family and take my precious grandson."

Everyone lowered their heads, and an older man stood up. "I think I speak on behalf of everyone here, Your Grace. Your Grandson’s death is sickening, and we all offer our most sincere condolences." The other nobles around the table looked at the man, annoyed that he had sprung to gain some small favour but not wishing to be outdone; everyone followed, offering condolences.

Henryk waved them off. He knew their game. He had done similar things before. "Thank you. But I am done grieving. Now it is the time for action." Pausing, he looked at the rubbed the ring on his finger. "Snowid claims everything he has done is to prepare for the Blood Child’s eventual invasion, but is he any better? Killing us when it suits him, taking our liberties and power. Maybe we wouldn’t have been so angry if he had succeeded, but I ask, has he?"

The cry of no’s echoed in the room, and Henryk nodded happily, "Exactly. We have a chance while the Blood Child is busy with his reforms. To finally put an end to the tyrant who rules over us. A chance to instal a just man onto the throne and finally end the Sobieski dynasty built on blood. Will you all stand with me and help me achieve this? I’m not our King, so I won’t lie to you all. This won’t be easy. It will be brutal. But we have a chance. Only one. If we don’t act, history will remember us as cowards. All your names dragged through the mud as people who ran."

The room went silent, and everyone looked at one another. They happily accepted the call when offered, but hearing what they needed to do spooked them. Henryk watched with interest, taking a sip of his drink. He could see the hesitation on their faces and sighed. It was a time when he needed men. He needed people who could face death.

’How far have we fallen?’ He couldn’t help but element at the state of the Commonwealth. The state of the nobility. Only a few deserved the title now. The rest had become drunk on safety and their wealth, falling into a spiral of hedonistic desire. It didn’t surprise him that the Empire was so openly hostile. Looking at the state of the people before him, he would be, too.

It made him wonder. Could he even clean things up, or was the Commonwealth so rotten that it must be purged? He had hope when Snowid started his reforms, but he quickly became his greatest enemy, killing anyone in his way or who displeased him. Thinking of Jakub, he clenched his fist. The boy was innocent, yet Snowid couldn’t stand for his existence.

The nobles still didn’t answer, and Henryk frowned, standing up. "I will give you all some time. I just hope you won’t disappoint your ancestors." Leaving, he didn’t look back. ’Maybe I need my enemy.’ Thinking of the Empire, his eyes flashed with a cold, calculating light. He couldn’t trust them, but from what he knew, they valued results over anything else. Maybe his family would survive if he sided with them.

Walking through the halls of his manor, he saw a servant run over. "The King has sent a messenger, Your Grace." Scoffing at the news, Kenryk followed behind to a nearby room.

"What is it?" Henryk ignored the bow and looked down at the man with contempt. Being quick, he pulled out a letter and handed it over.

"The King also wishes to offer his condolences, Your Grace." The messenger quickly minimised his presence in the room as his words caused a pair of bloodthirsty eyes to turn toward him.

"Fuck off." Lacking any of the dignity he should have, Henryk growled the words out and read the letter.

’Duke Henryk Dabrowski. The crown understands your personal losses, and whilst we sympathise with you and your family, the cause of action you wish to take must stop. In my name, Snowid Sobieski, I am willing to offer a royal pardon for any actions taken so far. This is in the nature of you and your family’s years of loyalty to my family.’

’Whilst I know you believe that I ordered the death of your Grandson, I did not; I swear on my name and Sol it was the Empire. The tricks of the Empire have been going on for years, and you were the next target of their machinations.’

Henryk scoffed, reading the note, and threw it to the floor. "Tell Snowid not to send word to me anymore." Henryk couldn’t be bothered. Leaving, the messenger frowned but said nothing quickly, leaving himself. Henryk quickly went to his son’s room and threw open the door.

Taking a seat, he looked at him with hard eyes. "Snowid sent word Lech. He claims it was the Empire."

Lech deeply exhaled and shrugged. "Do you think he is lying?"

"I don’t know, son. It makes sense why he would. They are the easiest target to shift blame to. What do you think."

Lech scoffed. "Konrad sent us a letter to warn us of the Empire. Then he has someone kidnap Piasts wife and use him to get close to us. It makes sense why, as we removed all his spies from our manor. I’ve been thinking. Why would they use Piast’s wife and not his heir? Would the Empire know he adores his wife? And we know they are cold enough bastards to use the kids. It’s not like they have morals."

"So..." Henryk leaned back. Lech smiled and shook his head.

"I don’t think they did. I mean, if they really wanted to weaken our family, why kill Jakub and not me? I’m your heir. If I died, the defence of the West would have fallen into the hands of a baby if you, unfortunately, died."

"So it’s revenge for what Izaak did to the princess?" Lech nodded, and Henryk closed his eyes, sighing. "Do you think we can beat the crown?"

"Maybe. We have the strongest army outside of them, and with the support of the nobles, we may be able to balance the odds, maybe have the upper hand." Lech clicked his tongue. "But will we have their support?"

"I don’t know. They are a bunch of cowards that lot." Pausing, he lowered his head into his hand, "I don’t trust them to follow me into war even if they agree."

"Father. What is it you’re thinking?" Lech could see something going on and cautiously asked.

"The Empire."

"No. You can’t be serious. We heard the rumours. What happens when they feel we are ready to be put on the chopping board."

"Lech. I don’t think we can win, especially if the Laska’s side with the crown. I’m desperate, son. I would never think of this if I wasn’t."

Lech got up and grabbed his father’s arm. The man he had respected all his life felt so weak. He couldn’t tell if it was his age or emotions, but he had lost something he had in the past. "I will follow you, father, but please don’t doom our family."

Henryk didn’t say anything and went back to the meeting room. The nervous faces of multiple nobles were an obvious answer they had reached, and taking his seat, Henryk looked at them with a cold, judging gaze.

"Your Grace. We obviously recognise the just cause of you..." Henryk chuckled, stopping the man.

"Just say your answer. Enough of the pleasantries."

"Many of us have decided that it is not worth to attack the Crown. Whilst we may have been unjustly dealt with, isn’t peace always better than war?"

’Cowards.’ Henryk shook his head and stood up. "Anyone who is of this opinion leaves. Now." Many nobles looked at one another and stood up politely, bowing. Very few remained, and Henryk recognised them as the ones who had emotions other than their own self-interest. "Let us begin." Henryk retook his seat, and the other nodded in agreement, happy to finally start.