Lord Crane sits in a chair staring forward and hears a voice.
"My lord, you called?"
The peasant leans down and lord crane whispers into his ear. the peasant stares him over and Crane waves him off.
"do as your lord demands and I want it done by the end of the day."
Lord crane eyes the man, nods his head and walk off. he sits back thinking to himself as he hears a voice.
"crane."
He keeps his eyes forward and he hears Hannah's voice shake as she speaks.
"I, I am sorry. I shouldn't-"
Lord crane lifts his hand as he speaks firmly.
"you already did, it's too late to be sorry, but a decision will have to be made."
Lady Hannah quickly whispers as she comes up and places her hands on her husband's shoulders.
"I, I could leave, I could take him, and we go, and leave, and it won't be contested."
Hannah gets to her knees and places her hands out gripping the side of her husband's shirt as she begs him.
"please crane, please, Jaxon is all I have, I cannot bear another loss. I beg you I will serve at your feet, bare you a family worth of children. just please do not take my son from me."
Crane nods his head agreeing.
"you are right-"
Hannah smiles and crane smiles to her as he comments.
"you will bare me many kids and they can replace the loss of just jaxon."
He gets up and Hannah's smile drops as she stares at the back of crane's head and remains quiet as she stays on the floor. Crane fixes his clothing and turns to his wife staring her over and recommends.
"stay in here, rest and I will take care of your mistake."
Hannah lowers her head to the floor laying their silently as Crane walks out and locks the door behind him. He motions to a guard, and they stay still outside the door as he demands.
"my wife is not well I do not want anyone to come in and out of this room. I will be back within an hour and until then anyone who tries to enter is killed."
Crane walks down the long hallway and comes to a small room eyeing a man mixing some plants as he asks.
"so lord Crane you have finally called upon my skills. Lord Galvin recommended I may want to be in the city this week. he is quite a convincing man, and he pays his weight in gold."
Lord Galvin walks in commenting as he stares down lord Crane.
"I do, don't I, old man, and I am sure you have just the thing to help my friend?"
The man takes out a small vial and stares to lord Galvin as he comments.
"as you paid for my lord. It should do just what you wish, and ensure the throne is not contested."
Crane goes to take the vial, and Galvin stops him as he comments staring down the vial.
"let the peasants do the work, don't dirty your hands, and trust your gold gets it done."
A peasant comes in, grabs the vial and walks off away from the lords. Lord Galvin watches the peasant leave and motions to Crane who comments staring down Galvin.
"Are we really going to do this?"
Lord Galvin fixes his glove as the old man packs up leaving the two lords alone and Alvis stays quiet thinking to himself for a second as he nods to lord crane.
"Dinner will be quite good my lord."
Galvin walks away leaving crane alone and crane fixes his robes walking out after him and down a long hall. He gets to the hall and sits at the table eyeing Jax and eyes the peasants come up putting down a drink and food next to the boy. The boy eyes the drink over and takes it sipping it washing down the piece of food as lord crane looks on eyeing the small boy. A few other Cranes and Nolan's walk in and one looks to Crane asking.
"my lord where is lady Nolan?"
Crane nods his head understanding and motions to the door.
"retired to our quarters she is quite tired of today's events"
Before he can finish what he was saying young Jaxon falls off the bench trying to catch his breath. Lord Galvin walks in the room late and stops eyeing the boy struggling to breathe and the servants all scramble going to help the boy but lord Galvin motions to them.
"do not touch the boy clearly he has been poisoned."
Galvin motions to the slaves around him as he demands.
"touching could spread the poison we shall wait till it runs the course."
Crane stands eyeing the poor boy struggle and Galvin comes up next to him standing silently as they watch the boy convulse in front of them. Galvin motions to a servant who pours him two glasses of wine and Glavin hands one to Crane who stares down into the wine as Galvin clinks his glass to Crane's commenting.
"Congratulations my lord on your victory."
Galvin sips his wine and watches the boy's convulsing stop and his eyes shut as Galvin motions to the child.
"take the body away to be examined at once."
Two servants drag off the body and a Nolan girl walks up beside Lord Galvin as he hands her the rest of his wine and she stares down the dead boy as she asks.
"my, my lord what has happened?"
Galvin motions to the girl.
"my dear Maci it seems the boy has been poisoned. we, of course, will investigate, but these types of crimes are rarely solved."
Maci sips lord Galvin's wine as he pushes her hair back, and motions to the king next to him.
"do not worry yourself lord crane ensures the throne will remain strong. as a good king should and we can continue to enjoy our stay until the blizzard settles."
Galvin smiles to Maci and she asks the older man with a smile.
"Are we going to go to Galvin?"
Maci sips the wine again and Galvin stares her down as he plays with the younger girl's hair taking in her beauty as he comments.
"I am afraid not the Nair's seem to have an urgent matter regarding the throne. it seems the eldest has fallen ill. I must assess the situation and determine what shall be done regarding their throne. after the attacks on the four kings at the meeting of eight this monarchy has been in turmoil it is the Galvin's job to clean it up."
Lord crane comments staring at lord Galvin as he questions him.
"quite interesting your father is leaving this all to you?"
Alvis fixes his robes and places his hand on his sword's hilt as he comments staring down lord crane.
"clearly my brothers are useless. all nine of them. my father clearly loves his whores but I will always be his favorite son."
Lord crane mocks Galvin as he points out the obvious.
"Is that why he never lets you come home? Surely he favors you, my lord."
Alvis looks to lord crane and puts up a small smirk as he stares the taller man over. he fixes his robes again and grips his hand around his hilt as he begins talking.
"You have not changed since our schooling days have you, Crane? still a pompous little shit."
Lord crane mocks the man back.
"and still using big words to feel important Galvin.."
Galvin clamps his mouth and Crane motions to Maci.
"do be careful girl, as your king I would recommend choosing better company."
Alvis glares to Crane as he grips his hand around his sword's hilt and talks down to the older boy.
"Perhaps you should mind your words."
crane stares down Maci and motions to her ignoring Galvin.
"girl I assume he has charmed you good but I do recommend reconsidering-"
Alvis stares down Crane as he comments to the king.
"mind yourself Crane you taxed her family to the point they could barely place food on the table. her father was a noble guard and did everything for this clan and you return that with high taxes? she knows her place quite well and it sure isn't with a long reign by you."
Maci remains quiet and shifts feeling Alvis's arms wrap around her and Crane comments asking the girl.
"Did your mother go missing?"
The girl looks down and Crane nods his head as he glances to Galvin as he thinks for a few seconds. he sips his wine and Galvin remains quiet then Crane again speaks.
"that seems common among the Galvins"
Alvis motions to Crane and pulls Maci close commenting.
"can you really take the word of a man who killed a child?"
Maci remains quiet and Galvin whispers in her ear as she stares down crane and crane turns away ashamed of himself.