It didn't take long for Morena to write a letter for each house, each one different, catered directly to that house and even pointing out personalized issues they each faced that she could help them with.

They were sealed, and Adolf sent out riders before the moon was even properly in the sky. Morena didn't expect immediate replies, but by the third day Adolf entered her chambers with a stack of parchment, each one stamped with the wax of a different house.

Each one was a reply from the various houses she reached out to.

For the time being, she set aside the report she had been working on and reached for the letters, her fingers brushing across each seal before breaking them open one by one.

Out of all the replies she had gotten to her letters, only seven mattered.

Seven. A pitiful number in the grand scheme of things but one that mattered more than anything in this one moment.

Seven replies agreeing to meet. Seven more people that she may have as an ally compared to the seven she didn't.

Not all the houses they had reached out to agreed; merely a fraction of them bothered to indulge the meeting, but enough to form the beginning of something.

The others... she flipped through the polite refusals they had each retold in various ways and various tones. They were each carefully worded, vague, and each one was written in a way that didn't insult her nor show loyalty to the Church.

They made it clear they would not take part, but just as clear, they would not betray her letters either and go about spreading the word of them.

Perhaps they feared the power of her house? After all they were the strongest military power in the area aside from the Church, and with the help of Ella's house, they had only expanded further.

Those who would previously call her a foolish child or a drunken girl no longer had the bravery to utter such words.

The refusal was disappointing; she was disappointed that they were so short-sighted that they couldn't see the Church was slowly encroaching on them, too, that they would eventually fall below the Church if they didn't act.

But that was fine, as long as they didn't spread word to the Church itself of her actions, she didn't need to worry about them.

She leaned back, letting out a slow breath as Adolf stood at her side.

"Seven. That's more than I expected."

Adolf nodded in agreement.

It wasn't the first time he saw something like this in his lifetime, houses trying to gather together to face a bigger issue. However, each time before they all faced various struggles, even getting started.

Getting even this much was impressive enough.

"It shows that your name and Ella's together hold quite a lot of power, my lady."

Her lips curved faintly.

"Or perhaps they just all hate the Church just as much? Either way, let's hope it's enough."

The first of the letters had come from House Carrow. They were proud, stubborn, and independent; they had always resisted the Church's attempts to tie them down.

Morena expected them to come, and they had agreed to just that.

The second, House Estholm, the twins. She wasn't surprised about them either. They were opportunists, and opportunists always moved where profit and survival could greatly benefit them. In the letter to them, she made sure to highlight this fact, and like rats to cheese, they took the bait without hesitation.

The third, House Luthmere, a minor family near the edges of the city that dealt with merchants. Their armies were small, but their wealth came from trade and wanderers. Supplies, coin, and merchants that could grease the wheels of war.

While House Brenle was rich enough to support her house in times of need, if they were to try and form an alliance large enough to face the Church they would need a lot more.

The fourth, House Deymar, border men. They were not rich, but their soldiers had fought off beasts and bandits for generations. They were hardened men who would die for honor and safety, but without much care for politics, only for survival.

Reaching out to them was a gamble; she mainly did it because she wanted some soldiers who had experience, even more so than her house's common footmen.

She didn't expect them to agree, she was curious why they did that.

The fifth, House Velthorne, a name she hadn't expected. Mid-sized, always neutral, they rarely chose sides. If they were truly trying to choose a side this time around, it would be very beneficial for her, as their presence alone would show that neutrality wasn't possible in the dire situation they all face.

The sixth, House Talrick, they weren't small but they also weren't big, the main factor they had going for them was their age; they were extremely old. Some say they even dated as far back as the previous Kingdom, they were tied to temples of old that fell with time.

She invited them because she wanted to enter their libraries, hoping they would hold information that could be useful for her. Aside from that, they also had the opinion of the people on their side as they often did charity work.

The last, House Orwyn, reclusive mountain lords with mines of iron and silver. Their surprise answer had made Morena pause. If they truly attended, they could add resources no one else could match and that would be something she couldn't overlook.

Seven houses, all together under one roof.

The meeting was not to be held at Ravenscroft, but at Brenle.

The reason was actually very simple. The Brenle estate was larger, more open, and far more public, something the Ravenscroft house wasn't made to be, as it rarely accepted visitors in the past.

Beyond that, she also didn't want to make it seem as if the house was pulling all these strings alone or drawing all the attention to just her family. It was best to use others when possible.

And that meeting took place the very next day, with Morena leaving early to make the time.

Here, with Ella as co-host, it looked like a union rather than a plot.

Still, Morena was not foolish enough to rely only on appearances or trust that the houses that agreed wouldn't try to betray them.

When she arrived at Brenle, she had brought with her four full squads of soldiers, their armor dark and sharp, the Ravenscroft crest gleaming against their chests.

Countless dozens of men patrolling the area, keeping those that weren't supposed to be in out, and checking all those that entered.

She also brought the captain himself with her, mainly to oversee every detail of security but also to showcase just how seriously she was taking this matter, bringing a proper Rank 1 Warrior with her.

Together with Brenle soldiers, the estate looked less like a noble's home and more like a fortress.

Morena stepped down from her carriage, her cloak sweeping the stone as Adolf followed behind her. Her arm was still bound in tight bandages, but she kept them hidden under her cloak, she also didn't suffer from pain anymore, having mostly healed by now.

It was surprising how quickly they were healing, but she believed it had to do with the denser energy in her body aiding the process.

The guests began to arrive one by one shortly after she did.

Carrow came first, tall and broad, she greeted them as they entered only to be met by a blunt response that seemed to just push aside pleasantries.

"You called, and I came. Let's not waste time."

Typical Carrow. Morena gave a slight bow in return and gestured them inside.

The Estholm twins followed soon after. Both draped in silks, their smiles friendly but plain as they spoke alongside each other, a feature Morena couldn't help but find interesting but eerie.

"Such a dangerous gathering. Let's hope all goes well."

Morena didn't change her expression, hearing the words, and instead replied plainly.

"Of course, I've made sure that all those who come, or can speak, won't."

They didn't reply to her comment and instead moved past her to enter the room.

House Luthmere sent a delegation, a plump man with rings stacked along his fingers. He bowed deeper than most, words polite, already hinting that he wanted trade privileges in return for loyalty.

House Deymar came with fewer men, their leader a scarred veteran whose armor was scuffed but polished clean. The second Morena laid eyes on the man she could tell he was a trained warrior, from his leaking energy she could assume he was already a Rank 1.

Something she couldn't help but be shocked at, such a small house having even a Rank 1 Warrior was no small feat, if word of it were to spread they could easily rise in power.

"Greetings, Lady Ravenscroft, I hear much of you. I hope this meeting benefits both of us in the end."

House Velthorne sent a stern-faced woman dressed in grey, her eyes constantly shifting from side to side, watching the soldiers that patrolled the area with a bit of distrust and distaste.

But she didn't press the matter, only a short bow as she passed Morena as a greeting.

House Talrick arrived quietly, their envoy a thin man in robes, speaking softly. His temperament was kind in nature; even Morena could tell the smile on his face was genuine, his actions showing no sense of fear or nervousness.

"Blessings upon you, Lady Ravenscroft."

With a bow of his head he said a short greeting then passed her, tapping her shoulder slightly as he did.

Finally, House Orwyn, they arrived the latest but she didn't mind the wait as long as they came. A man short in height but wide in frame was their envoy, she could see the muscles in his body, and from his rough tone she understood instantly he must have spent a lot of time in the mines.

With the last one arriving, the meeting started shortly.

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.