2-027, Ancient Leader's Weakness

Ardon’s apparent arrogance was not as it appeared.  True, he believed his position on the Head Council was well deserved, and he also believed it would be through the roles of the various councils that permanent peace was to be obtained, the military actions only a necessary stopgap to provide time for diplomacy to win out.  

Bedan, a captain of peacetime necessity, and one of the countless younger children, made the man’s deficiencies loom greater in Ardon’s mind.  The fellow was just another of the dullards and misfits this war had gathered to itself.  The great leaders of the ancient times were the heroes who must bring matters to a finish.  And wasn’t that what this evening’s gathering was all about?

It troubled Ardon to think that Mother  - we - did not bother to inform him or seek his advice concerning Bedan and the Shikkeron.  It was not her silence about the matter when they visited in private conference earlier, but her obvious secretiveness that was most disturbing.  True, she informed him in somewhat lengthy detail about Mihai’s reaction to being offered the king’s crown, and she being given another kingship later in the day.

He was also made privy to Trisha’s promotion to field marshal, something that also perturbed him as it had Mihai, but for additional reasons.  It was Mother’s incessant riddling and evasiveness that had been most bothersome.  ‘I think the girl has the right stuff.’  Ma-we had said so offhandedly about Trisha, before adding, ‘And she’s so pretty, too.  Don’t you think so?’

Ardon had sputtered about the woman’s youth and inexperience, presenting numerous reasons why she shouldn’t be given such a high military post.  Though not mentioning it, he secretly believed the position should go to a member of the Council, possibly Lord PalaHar, a highly respected military officer and a member of the Council of Twenty-four as was he, who understood the value of diplomacy in conflict.  Plus, Trisha being an Off-worlder and so new to this realm led him to suspect the children of this world might resent having to bend a knee to such a person.  The shadow of such a feeling already was being manifested by a few in the way they saw Ma-we dote over some of them. . .

Enjoy other posts: 

Prologue,

Destiny's Road 1-001, 1-002, 1-003, 1-004, 1-005, 1-006, 1-007, 1-008, 1-009,

1-010, 1-011, 1-012, 1-013, 1-014, 1-015, 1-016, 1-017, 1-018, 1-019, 1-020,

1-021, 1-022, 1-023, 1-024 & 1-025  

Of Councils Great and Small 2-026, 2-027, 2-028, 2-029, 2-030, 2-031, 

2-032, 2-033, 2-034, 2-035, 2-036, 2-037, 2-038, 2-039, 2-040, 2-041, 2-042, 
2-043, 2-044, 2-045, 2-046, 2-047, 2-048, 2-049 & 2-050 

Legend's Heroes 3-051, 3-052, 3-053, 3-054, 3-055, 3-056, 3-057, 3-058,

3-059, 3-060, 3-061, 3-062, 3-063, 3-064, 3-065, 3-066, 3-067, 3-068, 3-069,

3-070, 3-071, 3-072, 3-073, 3-074 & 3-075

Forges of Hell 4-076, 4-077, 4-078, 4-079, 4-080, 4-081, 4-082, 4-083, 4-084,
4-085, 4-086, 4-087, 4-088, 4-089, 4-090, 4-091, 4-092, 4-093, 4-094, 4-095,
4-096, 4-097, 4-098, 4-099 & 4-100

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