The Court Gardens were made to encapsulate various elements from around the Empire in terms of flora. The grass specially brought from Poligrew, and flowers and ferns from states he cared not to recall. The best architectural minds had gathered to give the gardens an other worldly feel, or so Roderick considered, a place inside the Capital, but vastly different from it, with various bits and pieces of the diverse lands the King ruled over. 'A miniature world of its own', an architect once called it.

Roderick saw nothing but poor imitation. Bushes and grasses always perfectly trimmed, the flowers always replaced, a dozen gardeners at work throughout the day, to the point the garden became way too artificial for Roderick's taste. Nature isn't perfect, he had reasoned, and there lies its beauty.

And Roderick considered it folly, not all flora was meant to grow in the atmosphere that the Capital provided, thus, some flora died before time, only to be replaced by new ones that consequently cut heavy from treasury.

And all that to create something unnatural.

The Gardens were a favorite of Court Ladies and lovers. Roderick found little amusement here. Was it not for Glinrin's call, he would never have come.

Glinrin, the War head, true to his word as always, was present there on time. He rose from his chair as Roderick arrived, formally welcomed him, offering him the chair opposite. He signalled his guards to leave as he lifted a cup of morning tea from the little round table in front of him. He pointed at the cup in front of Roderick offering him the morning refreshment.

"I will get straight to the point,"said Glinrin the war head, stroking his clean cut beard. In the years Roderick had learned to read the signs, Glinrin needed a favor of him.

"You know this matter of The White Capes. I know we had our differences but now that the decision has been made, we must act together to bring forth the best outcome. I had promised the King but as you see, The White Capes seem to have gone in hiding. I haven't been able to locate them, by now there is a very wide radius and many placed they could have covered," said Glinrin, as Roderick sipped his tea.

"I swore to the King in court I would present them to him, as things are now, well you know the rest. What do you suggest Roderick? Your information network far surpasses mine. If there is any way you can help, I would be in your debt."

Roderick looked around to see Glinrin had chosen the spot well. There were at a slightly higher ground on the gardens that offered a better view of the surroundings and consequently ruled out other eaves droppers and the like.

"I have been trying to accomplish the same, we are in the same boat after all. My so called vast network has only established the fact that they left Andlenore soon after the Rhugh incident. Now there are two towns connected to Andlenore directly, Wheatstone and Artinopolis. Sources hint at Artinopolis, not that solid information though. They should have reached either place weeks ago considering it takes less than two weeks to reach either place. But none have been spotted."

Glinrin seemed at ease to know that Roderick was on the same page as he, "Exactly my friend, the problem lies in the fact that their faces are not too well known. Now unless they move around in White armour, it will be difficult to spot them. And what's more they are only twenty in number. That is why I have come to you. What do you suggest we do?"

"Wait for a time, if we can. Let them make a move would be my advice," Roderick said, finishing his tea, placing the cup on the table. He noticed Glinrin had finished his as well.

"Time is a liberty I have not. We have to get to them fast. I swore to the King. My words will be void if I fail here, Roderick."

"Then what do you wish to do? Hire dragons to do your biding?" mocked Roderick. He knew quite well he wouldn't wait for The White Capes to move. Glinrin flinched.

Roderick continued," Here you have two options, predict their hiding spot, which city potentially hides him? And another is lure them out."

Glinrin relaxed,"I have been thinking along those lines."

"So what we do is eliminate the cities that are not influenced by the White God. For they cannot provide much chance to lure them," Roderick said.

"One city actually fits both the points. Trinopolis shows a very high faith in The White God, in fact they have a temple. The White Capes would easily find a safe haven there. And what's more, if our guess is amiss, it can lure them out," concluded Glinrin.

And that's the place you should not look. The White Capes expect exactly that.

"Good thinking General. We may actually find them sooner than assumed."

Glinrin beamed at the praise.

Roderick added, "If I may suggest something here, Trinopolis deserves a more personal visit. It will serve us in various ways. First of all, your presence itself is heavy, meaning the war head of the Empire paying a visit would put pressure on whoever is hiding The White Capes and hence, help in bringing them out. Second, your presence there will mean less men required to do the job. Third, that will taunt and discourage The White Capes, they can't simply go up against the strongest man in the Empire. And last of all, you would have completed what you swore, in a grand fashion."

Glinrin nodded, "The tales of your wisdom are not mere tales."

"But remember, all this must be done discreetly as the King demanded. No one should know of your travel except your men, until you reach Trinopolis, at which point you make a blast, taking the foe by surprise."

Glinrin was looking at some purple flowers, whose name Roderick did not care to remember, lost in thought.

Roderick continued, "I reckon you discuss this plan with the King before commencing for it deviates a bit on the remaining discreet throughout part."

"That is a necessity," said Glinrin.

Glinrin paused before saying," One thing brothers me. Trinopolis lies more along the lines of Wheatstone rather than Artinopolis. Your information states that they might have gone towards Artinopolis."

Roderick said, "The information was not well founded in the first place. And in the time it is possible to make a journey to Trinopolis, in fact it is easy if you don't stop along too much."

"That would explain it. No one has spotted them anyways," said Glinrin the war head, making patterns on the cup using his alchemy.

"Glinrin, if ever you need advice on such matters, I am always there. Do not hesitate to acquire my services. Our differences in council meetings are a necessary evil, they help bring out things in greater clarity."

Not always.

Glinrin smiled as they got up and shook hands, "Indeed, I may say the same to you. If ever you need anything, my men will be at your service as will I."

The two walked down the Royal Gardens, talking about and deciding the fate of the Empire as if it was a usual routine, which it was for them.

****

That night Roderick left The Capital City with a party of fifty men. Very few knew that he left, fewer still knew the reason.