28: DECISION

In this pivotal chapter, High Prince of House honour, and in each he awkwardly assigns leadership tasks to his son. After all the other highprinces refuse to ally with him, and following an extended conversation with his niece via spanreed in which he learns of her research into ancient mysteries, is deciding to abdicate his position in favour of his son, determined to step down before his condition—which he believes may be madness—damages his family further.

The chapter opens as the siege-bridge prototype fails during testing, prompting discussion of design improvements. While inspecting troops with his son, High Prince and his officers, attempting to understand what information he divulged during a past interview. The soldiers' defensive loyalty becomes clear—they reveal nothing incriminating, but their manner suggests they assume guilt. As his meetings with the other highprinces have all ended in refusal of alliance, though more subtly than before. Back at the staging ground, experiencing what he considers an internal crisis regarding his fitness to lead, works on digging a latrine by hand in his full plate armor, laboring intensely as a form of meditation on his deteriorating mental state. When his niece's correspondence arrives via spanreed, he welcomes the distraction. Through his clerk, he learns that she has relocated to and is researching obscure historical secrets. She questions him about his first encounter with the free-roaming seven years ago and shows him an ancient drawing depicting what was labeled a 'Voice bringer' but resembles a chasmfiend, suggesting connections to forgotten history. Their exchange also reveals that she is too deeply engaged in research to return to the warcamps immediately. After the conversation ends and the room clears, standing alone with, he makes his final decision: he will abdicate his high prince title to his son within the week, believing this is necessary to prevent his suspected mental condition from destroying House and harming his family further.