Indebted

62

"Most excellent regent, the situation with the traitor enclave is growing in severity." Lord Roddington expressed to lord Magnus. His voice, tone and body language trying to be both commanding and simpering before the king. Handing the king various documents, reports, and summaries explaining the situation outside the castle walls in great detail. Walking the delicate balance between asserting the direction they should go, and trying to coax the king into being the one to make the suggestion. Following all the steps just as they had been laid out for him.

Harlen felt like everything in his life no longer fit him. He was suffering from a massive case of imposter syndrome. He had been a lifelong grunt in the guard. His family might have technically had a title. It was a name only. There was nothing left of any fortune or land to support the family.

The Roddington family's last hope was to raise Harlen's sister to be a desirable mate for a lord with actual money and resources. Harlen was given to the guard house before he hit double digits in age. His wages keeping the rest of his family fed, his sister in dance and music classes and the newest fashions.

Harlen did not begrudge his sister for what most would have considered an easier life. her existence looked like a miserable life, and sweet Norelle was married to a man four times her age when she was only fifteen. A special dispensation from the king himself had allowed the underage marriage.  Harlen was a simple low rank solider until Norelle was married. Looking back that had been the easiest time he had known in his life.

Solider's life ensured Harlen was well fed, he had ample clothing, supplies, a chance to train and grow strong. Harlen was a perfect soldier. As long as he was well fed, he did exactly as he was told without questioning. Was efficient and effective. It had been slow, but he had managed to work himself up to a comfortable rank and position.

Harlen had been perfectly content being a small man in a comfortable life. Norelle had two daughters with the husband she could not stand before he lost interest in his now adult aged wife and chose to spend more of his nights in the brothel than at home. Zinnia and Holly were the lights in Harlen's life. He spent their entire lives making sure those girls knew as good a life as he and his sister could manage to make possible.

Until a secret love affair had swept him up. He had bent, and twisted himself so much in the name of love, that Harlen was no longer certain who he was any longer. At first the suggestions and prompting had been so gentle. Done with such a subtle hand that no one would have noticed. Least of all Harlen. He had long since been preconditioned to do as he was told without questioning his betters.

It had not all been bad. Lord Roddington had managed to restore some shine to the family name. Thanks to his rise, his nieces Zinnia and Holly would have better prospects. He would make sure they married or mated well. He had risen so far he was granted new apartments, in the upper echelon wing of the court. He had the ear of the king. He should be thrilled by how his life was turning out.

However, living in the home that had last been occupied by Alric and his family was suffocating Harlen with guilt. Felt as though he could sometimes hear the ghost of Alric stalking the halls any night he was alone in the apartment. Could feel Alric's eyes watching him as Harlen sat at the same built in desk in the office that Alric had sat in. Harlen looked up at the king, looking through the various papers and reports.

Feeling foolish and like everyone could see he didn't belong in Court, Harlen was sitting in a high lords chair, advising the king how to manage the castle army, guard, and policing details. "We could consider sending a larger contingent of guardsmen to lay a better siege around the traitor encampment." The silence had been too long. Lord Roddington had to say something. This was a war meeting, he was head of the army. He was supposed to guide the meeting. Without over stepping on the king's authority.

Lord Roddington had to admit that while he felt like an imposter, he did enjoy seeing his very own crest emblazoned on the swelling guard and  police service men of court. Seeing a platoon bedecked in his livery marching out would be a heady experience. Just looking around at the honour guard station at each door and window of the room was a heady experience. The only thing that would have made it sweeter would be if his father had of been still alive to finally just say he was proud of Harlen.

Still, Harlen knew. It was his men standing proud in their uniforms. Protecting the king and the most important men of the court. His mistress wanted to expand the army and have them positioned in strategic locations over the main court grounds.

Why, was still a mystery to Harlen. He had long learned to not ask too many questions. Too many questions made his mistress cross. No one enjoyed when she was cross. Harlen cautiously watched as Magnus listened to his cautious suggestion. As Harlen had been warned, Magnus would hate to be seen as taking the cautious choice right now.

Magnus had lost his grip. Everything his forefathers had worked to build and maintain on earth was crumbling around him. Magnus needed to act. "No. Call in every reserve, and half trained recruit, we are going to storm those damn traitors and burn them all from the Earth!" The other lords began to applaud, stomp their feet or knock canes and staffs on the floor in agreement.

Many of those who had fled the castle, were known to have vast fortunes. Needing to reallocate such wealth could only be to the benefit of the men currently in the room plotting against their fellow citizens, while turning a blind eye to the truth of what was happening.

Harlen wasn't strong enough to try and counsel a more reasonable course of action. It was too late. Magnus had called for a fight, and the old fools who surrounded him felt they had spent too long living sedentary lives. Bored, spoiled old men thought a battle would be an excellent diversion for monotony. With a bonus of increasing their wealth. Perhaps conscripting some of the traitors daughters to being breeding mates for the lords in need of heirs. All was fair in love and war at the Dragon Court.

Watching the madness creep into the eyes of the men around him, suddenly made Harlen see things clearly in a way he had not for years. These men were blood thirsty for a battle. Except this wasn't going to be a battle of survival, was not a fight against an enemy, or invaders. This was going to be a battle between equals. Between men and women who would have all celebrated together at the Fowler wedding just weeks ago.

Harlen had seen clearly, and fallen out of love at nearly the same moment. Overwhelmed by the guilt of the part he had willingly played to lead to this moment. Harlen didn't want to be part of this anymore. Watching the king swear to cut down the traitors, while men cheered was sickening. Harlen was going to need to find Myrrh, talk to her, make her see reason and find a better end to the troubles at court. This can't be what Myrrh wanted. Harlen tried to convince himself. Even though he had ample evidence that murder, scheming, and near disasters at court were exactly the kind of thing Myrrh wanted in court.

Harlen was a hapless man in love with a woman who out did him in every possible way. Especially in scheming abilities. Myrrh had run circles around her most prized little pawn. He had slowly turned into the most powerful one yet. Like a prized, champion show dog, Harlen had more than earned Myrrh's, well not quite affection, but she did like Harlen like most people would like a pet. Like a farmer felt about a well trained livestock protection dog.

Harlen finished the war council meeting with the king and his current favourite yes men. Harlen's face going more pale every moment as more escalations were planned. Until finally they were dismissed, with a call for every lord and household to raise their able bodied men for a battle. Harlen was supposed to organize the munitions and the main army to best use the untrained green fighters that would soon flood the ranks, along side those who had trained for years.

It was going to be a long, awful night. Harlen did not want this fight. Not when it was going to be against people he still considered friends. Norelle had remained at court and had not been sober in weeks. Holly was in the prison, where she had been since her betrothed had been murdered, Zinnia was missing, and couldn't be determined if she was still in the castle, or had joined the rebels. The only face Harlen could see when he tried to imagine mounting an assault on the people Magnus named traitor, was Zinnia's. Harlen would never be able to attack his first born niece. Goddesses above and below he had no real idea how he got here or what he should do next.