Count Guillemot de Lyon walks into the court. With purpose he strides to the center to speak. Serious yet sad, he addresses the body.

Fellow countrymen,

It is with great regret that I come to inform all of you that House Gascony has declared war upon House Anjou. Our grievances are simple.

While the King's father, God rest his soul, saw the importance of the Iberian theater, his son does not. The Moors are at the gates of Europe! And who do you trust to stop them? The Spanish? The Portuguese? No! It should be us!

House Gascony has served loyally and has protected France for years! And what do we get? How are our sacrifices rewarded? By neglect...

I'm sorry but this can not continue. We will re-balance the power of the Houses. And then, and only then, we will get back to the business of conquering Europe, as is our place as Frenchmen.

I wish it to be known that those in House Anjou will be given full quarter. Any who wish to be left out of the current hostilities will be given asylum in my House. I wish for this war to be short and quick. No need for great amounts of bloodshed. But we do wish to let it be known that we are to be taken seriously.

Let every other House, here and in the future, take notice! If we, loyal sons of France can be treated so badly by the King, so can you! We fight to show that while we are loyal, loyalty is a two-way street. If the King can get away with treating House Gascony such, then it is only a matter of time before House Normandy, House Albion, and yes even House Anjou are treated the same way.

Thank you my fellow countrymen and may God save France.