"The Creator is good to show an old man again the strength and righteousness of my son magnified even greater in the form of my grandson. The blessings of the Creator upon you my son! You have made me a very happy old man!"
I turned back to the room and the applause that was still going on. How had a farm boy - former arena slave - robber baron come to a position of prestige such as what had been bestowed on me? The Creator's doing was the only answer to that question. He certainly wasn't a respecter of persons to have picked someone like me for such honor.
The castle lords came forward and introduced themselves to me. Their spokesman was Nannarin of Castle Esthol, the other were as follows; Rangold of Castle Ells, Stanith of Castle Rantha, Aenas of Castle Sarta, Kerr of Castle Fidnal, Sasta of Castle Varrow, and Banthus of Castle Erginal. Seven castle Lords in all representing the entire northern side of the Valley Lands.
Servants brought out trays loaded with delicacies and I was fairly mobbed with questions on tactics, religion and what not, when I would much rather preferred to have sampled the contents of the trays, which were vanishing fast. Such are the trials of leadership I thought to myself, as lord Rangold held onto my arm jabbering out a plan to defeat the entire Zoarinian Empire in a campaign lasting only three months.
A cloaked figure moved away from a window looking into the hall and started down to a lower section of the wall. This upper section of the wall wasn't typically put under guard so the spy made his way towards a guard house and the stairs down into the castle grounds that it housed. As he slid into the guard house a strong brown hand seized him from behind. The spy gasped loudly as a sharp blade was shoved between his ribs and twisted.
The spy slid to the floor dead and Rolf stepped into the morning sunlight with a grim smile on his face. His master's business would remain his and his alone. He ambled into the hall, not liking the crowd, but understanding the need for it.
I felt Rolf's gaze on me and as I looked at him I saw his brief hand gestures. Gestures that told their own story if you knew how to read them.
I nodded my head in confirmation that I understood and Rolf left the room.
I was going to have to warn my grandfather about Rolf's intolerant nature and his tendency for exterminating vermin. I turned and my eyes met Thaddeus's. He lifted his goblet of spiced wine in a silent toast. He had clearly witnessed the whole exchange and guessed what it had been about. His eyes were twinkling with glee. What exciting times we were all hurtling into it seemed. I shook my head at the irascibleness of the old man. My reprimanding look only seemed to encourage him more. He ambled over to me setting his empty cup down and snatching another from a passing servant while enroute to me.