"Given your rtionship with Oliver Patrick, I would ask that you exert some pressure on him to send a request along to one of his retainers. I would ask him to counsel my son towards the retaking of inheritance, towards restating him as an heir," Lord Idris said.


    Asabel acknowledged the request with a gentle nod. No doubt the Lord Idris had expected that such things would be undertaken after the trial, but Asabel turned to Oliver there and then, and ryed the question to him.


    "Oliver, would that be fine?"


    It was the oddest situation. No one had dared speak to the criminal up until then. It was simply too taboo to do so. He hadn''t been called to the stand as a witness, for his testimony could not be trusted for hisck of character. For the most part, the opposition had acted like he wasn''t in the room at all.


    Oliver wasn''t even sure if he was allowed to respond, but by now everyone was caught up in Asabel''s rhythm. He looked to Tavar, offering the slightest gesture of respect that he could, as his hands were still chained to the wall behind him. The General looked relieved that someone remembered the authority that he was meant to have in this room, and he gave a stern nod back.


    "I will tell him, Lord Idris," Oliver assured him. "I am in agreement that a man of Verdant''s calibre ought to be put to use in a more effective position."


    "Then, I thank you both," Lord Idris dered. "I pledge myself to Asabel Pendragon, and her new House. By extension, House Idris offers its friendship to House Patrick, in a gesture of goodwill, by the dictates of our new sovereign."@@novelbin@@


    He firmly made his way to the walkway in between the benches before he said that, so that he could face Asabel head-on. He firmly bowed towards her, as he pledged the fealty, publically, in front of all that were in attendance. Though he bowed, one could not escape that feeling that it was Lord Idris that still sat thoroughly in charge.


    "I wee you, Lord Idris, my Pir of Information," Asabel said, her relief tainting her voice. She offered them all a wide smile – a true smile, with that little canine tooth affectionately peeking out from under her lip. Oliver could not help but smile at himself. Caged as he was, he knew his weakness. It was Asabel Pendragon that had imed these Minister''s Halls.


    Jmire and Lazarus hadn''t been sat in their thrones for a time. As all the goodwill was passed around, it was those two that looked the most upset by what had happened. There was a bitter twisting to Lazarus'' face as he towered over Jmire behind his throne, hissing an urgent speech. Jmire looked irritated, but at the same time nervous.


    Oliver found it amusing that anyone would be nervous around the supposedly mild-mannered Minister Lazarus, but he supposed that appearance as a bumbling old man was not the only side to him.


    Of course, few amongst the nobles could be d for the sess of their fellow man. Lord Idris was not an unpopr man, he''d been careful with his politics, he hadn''t made any outright enemies and had done enough dealings with other Lords to keep the noble trust in him high. Still, none celebrated with him. His advancement was simply far too much for them to feel anything but jealous.


    Only an ally, or a true friend could have celebrated with him.


    There was his deration of friendship towards the Patricks as well. A dangerous move on his part, but a cunning one. He''d seen the smile it had elicited from Princess Asabel – and that was the only woman he needed to keep smiling now. That, and his wife.


    Stern silence from many, envious gazes from more than a few, and outright looks of disapproval. One in particr came from Lord Gargon, who seemed about to stare a hole in the man.


    Throughout it all, Lord ckthorn was fidgeting nervously. He stood up, then realized that with his massive frame, he had no chance of squeezing towards the hallway, so he sat back down again. Now, he was stood up once more, after hearing Idris conclude his speech. Now, he wasn''t asking them politely to move out of the way, he was marching in his full te as though this was a battlefield.


    Those who did not stand to move for him had their legs bruised as they were bashed by his steel.


    "Lord Idris," ckthorn said in a quiet voice that was about the closest he could get to a whisper. He stopped Lord Idris before the man returned to his seat.


    "Lord ckthorn…" Idris said cautiously, stealing a nce at Princess Asabel. They were still in the middle of proceedings, after all. He couldn''t exactly stop to have a quiet conversation. Asabel motioned with her hand for him to continue when he nced to her – she''d been about to call upon Lord ckthorn anyway.


    "If you wish for council before you give your reply, by all means," Asabel said kindly. "I apologise to everyone else in attendance for having you wait. I understand this was rather… bold of me, but I simply could not leave it until ater opportunity. I will announce the names of the other Pirs of my House when I am able to.


    I hope that we are able to keep a cooperative rtionship going forward."


    She seemed to be genuinely hoping for that. Enough for the nobles to loosen up ever so slightly. There were more opportunities to be had, after all. Though thergests had likely been chosen in advance, they could still be something significant in the new sr system that Asabel Pendragon had created.


    All the while, ckthorn muttered urgently, feeling the gazes on his back more pressingly than he ever had before. "This is a good offer, isn''t it, Farley?"


    "It is," Idris replied stiffly.


    "Everyone wants to be a pir to royalty, don''t they?"