Savidge Acts (Collab w/ TinMan for Court Intrigues)

Shades · **Posted:** Mon Sep 28, 2015 6:56 pm

Lake Palace, Verston, two days from court.

Life inside Lake Palace was a pleasant one. Sir Jonas and Lady Megan were good parents, their children got along well, and there was plenty to do around their property. There was room for fishing, a large library, a ballroom, and hunting grounds nearby. All in all, it was a good and interesting life. The only problem that made the family's life slightly difficult was a quarrel with the closest neighbors. For some reason, the Haydens and the Savilles did not get along well. There was some bad blood between the patriarchs of the two houses, and the feeling had dripped down to the younger generations.

The young women of the Saville family, though, did not think much about the trouble between the two families. While young Peter was concerned about the enmity, the two girls lived a sheltered life, not expecting that bad blood to affect their charmed lives. Oh, how wrong they were. And they would learn of it very soon.

That morning, having started sunny and not too windy, had seen all the Saville children outside the house. Even Elizabeth, who usually spent long hours inside, had received permission to join her siblings on the outside. As the weather was pleasant, the three siblings had gathered not far from the house for a picnic, and were enjoying themselves that way when they heard the sound of horses coming near the property.

The three siblings stood up at once and waited, Peter seemingly worried, and the two girls, merely curious. Neither of them, though, was aware that their lives were about to change.

TinMan · **Posted:** Mon Sep 28, 2015 8:29 pm

Two horses and their riders came into view along the dusty road to Lake Palace. One of them appeared to be a knight of King Theodore’s court judging by a banner carried by the second person, apparently his squire. The two of them reigned in their horses as they spotted the company of siblings to their left. They spoke to one another and stared in the direction of the Savilles for a moment before deciding to dismount. The knight walked towards the three of them on foot while his squire followed behind, holding the bridles of both horses as he went.

The knight’s armor was well-polished and his equipment new and clean, as one might expect of an envoy of the King. As he drew closer the family crest of the Dunlap clan became visible on the older man’s tunic. His white hair and deeply grooved expression hinted that this was no herald paying a courtesy call – there was serious business at hand.

As they drew closer the younger man could also be made out. He appeared to be a squire of around eighteen years of age. Wide eyed and curious, his expression was in direct contrast to his more serious mentor.

“Greetings young ones,” the Dunlap map said respectfully with a polite nod. “I am Sir Philip Dunlap of the King’s court, and this is Wylyam, my squire.”

“Pleasure ta’ meet ye,” Wylyam added in a Garikin accent.

“Lord Peter, do you know why we’ve come?” the older man then asked.

Shades · **Posted:** Tue Sep 29, 2015 3:29 pm

The three siblings waited silently while the knight and his squire approached them. Neither of them had the slightest idea about what was going on. Peter's concern was more about his father than himself. The young man would never imagine that the King could send an envoy for him, barely of age as of yet. When the knight introduced himself, though, the three young ones were polite. They introduced themselves as Peter, Elizabeth, and Joanna, and then waited.

The two older siblings exchanged glances when the older man asked Peter if they knew why they had come. The girl who was obviously his sister whispered something for the youngest of the three, who ran off into the home, apparently in a hurry. Resting her hand on her brother's arm, the girl waited, her eyes making her anxiety and worry clear.

Peter finally replied, the perfect picture of innocence. "No, Sir, I do not. I believe you wish to speak to father?".

As though summoned by that word, Sir Jonas appeared behind his elder son. The man looked at the knight and the squire and then bowed lightly to the older man in an act of polite courtesy. "I am Sir Jonas Saville, my lord", he introduced himself, his voice firm and posture straight. "My daughter says you have come from court. Has the King sent for me?". After the question, the man kept his gaze fixed upon the knight, not seeming nervous or concerned. He seemed simply inquisitive, as he had gotten no previous word on this visit.

TinMan · **Posted:** Wed Sep 30, 2015 5:46 pm

Sir Philip made a mental note of Peter’s response – or rather lack of one. He did not appear to have the demeanor of someone guilty of murder. Either the boy was very deceptive or perhaps he was innocent after all. Philip did his best to focus on the facts and not let his emotion cloud the matter. While the boy did not appear to be a menace, looks could be deceiving. Boys of noble birth were trained to kill from as young as they could hold a sword, after all.

“Sir Jonas,” Dunlap replied with a deferential bow. “It is a pleasure. This is my squire, Wil,” he added. Wylyam nodded deeply in response to the introduction but otherwise remained silent.

“The King has not sent for you, no,” the older knight explained, “but rather he sent me to discuss an important matter with your son and you. If it pleases your lordship I wish to shake off my dust so I may present myself to you properly. Would that be acceptable to you, Sir?”

Wylyam glanced out of the corner of his eye at Elizabeth and took note of her concerned expression. She caught him glancing in her direction and he immediately looked away with a slight blush. It was at that moment that his horse whinnied loudly for no apparent reason. Wil turned to the creature and whispered calming words which seemed to sooth the beast. After that he turned around again and conspicuously avoided eye contact with her.

Shades · **Posted:** Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:29 pm

The family members who were outside seemed to all present different expressions. Sir Jonas was concerned and trying to think of everything he could have done wrong lately. And being involved in court life, the man knew that offensive was a very fluid concept. The same acts or words could be offensive or acceptable, depending on who did or said them. Sir Jonas knew that he had a good enough reputation, but he also knew that things could change overnight.

What he did not expect was to hear that it wasn't him the King had sent for. Exchanging a glance with Peter, the man hoped his son had done nothing wrong. Of course, he would never think of murder. The wildest distances his imagination could take him was that his son might have bedded the wrong woman and now someone was upset.

Boys will be boys, he thought to himself. Of course, it wasn't something he would take lightly. But he understood young men had needs.

While Sir Jonas thought and paid attention to the men, Peter seemed curious, and Elizabeth, slightly concerned about the presence of those strange men. The younger one caught her eye, though, and the girl watched him discreetly for a moment. She pulled her gaze down when they locked eyes, and then back up when the man started soothing the horse. It was something she was curious about, but her father's voice distracted the young woman when he responded to Sir Dunlap.

"By all means, Sir", the man replied, making a welcoming gesture towards the house. "It is a pleasure to have you at my house, gentlemen. Please, do come on in, get cleaned, and allow me to offer a meal. And then after that, we may discuss what has brought you here, if that is good with you, Sir Dunlap".

Falling silent, the man waited for his visitor's answer. He really hoped this visit did not bode ill fated events for his family.

TinMan · **Posted:** Fri Oct 02, 2015 8:42 pm

“Your hospitality is legendary, Sir Jonas. It would be an honor to dine with you. Come, Wil; we mustn’t dally.” Dunlap then turned to bow to Jonas and the rest of the assembled nobility. “Ladies, Master Peter,” he added with practiced decorum. The knight gave no indication through his demeanor of the seriousness of his business. Wil, on the other hand, had a hard time hiding an expression of concern. After goodbyes had been made the two visitors mounted their horses and rode to the stables at Lake Palace.

Wil saw to the horses, feeding and watering them before brushing them down for the evening. After that he hurried indoors to clean and prepare Sir Dunlap’s formal clothes for the meal. After those chores were done he spent a few minutes dusting himself off as best he could and washing up for dinner. He spent the last minutes before the call cleaning the road dirt off of Sir Philip’s armor and giving it a quick polish. By the time dinner was called Wil was exhausted. The life of a squire was one of little rest – even a squire who was one day to become an Earl. If anything Sir Philip gave him more responsibilities rather than less due to the expectations that would arise from the young man’s future title.

As Wil worked his mind kept wandering back to Elizabeth Saville and her look of concern. He wished there was some way that he could put her at ease, but there was nothing he could think to do. He didn’t understand why his mind kept returning to her.

Eventually Dunlap and Wil presented themselves to the great hall at Lake Palace when called. Wil sat next to his mentor once they were afforded seats. Not knowing why, he looked around for Elizabeth to see where she was. Eventually he did find her, and she caught him looking at her again. His eyes dropped to the floor as his face blushed.

“Eat Wil,” Sir Philip commented on his squire's lack of appetite. “Tomorrow will be another long day. Even longer than today,” the gray-haired man added under his breath.

Shades · **Posted:** Sun Oct 04, 2015 9:01 pm

The Saville family waited patiently for the two men to say their goodbyes, and when they were ready, members of the household saw that both of them knew where to go. The stables Wil reached were large and had a few well-kept horses, along with all the necessary materials to tend to them. After showing where everything was, the servant stood by the door, ready to lead the squire inside once he was done with his duties there. He would be led to a set of rooms Sir Jonas had ordered his servants to prepare, and in there, everything Sir Philip had brought along, as well as his armor.

While Wil worked hard on his chores and Sir Philip took some time to bathe and rest from the trip, the family was busy. Lady Megan saw that nothing was missing for their guests, and gave her orders for a special meal to be served. It was one of the obligations that came from being a noble, after all. No matter what you thought of your visitors - or their purposes, for that matter -, you would not be caught dead being less than perfectly hospitable. And that was what the Savilles were willing to do.

Once the two men reached the great hall, lead by a servant, the family would be waiting for them. They were all particularly well dressed, and it was obvious the meal had been prepared with the fact that they had company in mind. After everyone was served, there was a long moment of silence. Elizabeth shot her father an inquiring gaze, and then a concerned one on her brother's direction. It was when her gaze was returning to her father that the girl noticed Wil's. She lowered hers, feeling her cheeks warm up. Breaking the silence, Sir Jonas finally spoke.

"I trust that you have found your accommodations to your liking, Sir Philip", the man stated, hoping everything was perfect in that aspect as well.

TinMan · **Posted:** Mon Oct 05, 2015 5:47 pm

Dunlap was an observant man. Partially this is why he was chosen for this particularly difficult assignment. He managed to witness the stolen glances between his squire and the young lady and shot Wil a disapproving glance in response. Then Sir Jonas spoke up to break the silence, mercifully. The awkwardness was really starting to get to Sir Philip.

“Most certainly,” Sir Philip replied, glancing over in the direction of his host. “I pray that my quarters during my next visitation would be half as well appointed. Your staff is helpful, and your feast rivals any that I have ever partaken of. You have our sincere thanks,” he added with a bow. Philip was perhaps exaggerating slightly, but it was well intentioned exageration. Following that exchange low conversations began between dinner guests as the ice had been broken.

Using the background noise as cover Philip then leaned over to speak to Wil.

“Stop flirting with her. We are not on a social call,” he whispered in a firm tone that spoke volumes. Philip was being very serious.

“Et’s no me fault,” Will replied innocently, trying to avoid blame for something that he didn’t understand.

“Wil, you are a man. When it comes to young women – Everyting is your fault. Now STOP.”

With that Wil spent the rest of the dinner staring at his plate and eating very little.

Shades · **Posted:** Wed Oct 07, 2015 11:37 am

Sir Jonas could also feel that the air in the room was heavy. He kept silence for a few moments, trying to locate the origin of the tension. Just like Sir Philip, the man noticed the exchanged glances. And he didn't like that at all. Therefore, he decided to break the silence, and, hopefully, that glance exchange, before either of those became too awkward.

Feeling grateful for Sir Philip's compliments and his disposition to engage in conversation, Sir Jonas bowed back in recognition. "Our home is yours to stay in for as long as you are", he replied sincerely. It was, after all, the most basic obligation of a nobleman to welcome others into his home. When this other nobleman was an envoy for the King, this obligation became even more pressing. And Sir Philip was apparently a model guest, so there was no problem there. The problem laid in his esquire, and in the reason for the visit. Sir Jonas had already come to the conclusion that it was something about his son. But he could not, for the life of him, figure out what exactly had happened.

Pushing these thoughts aside, Sir Jonas started making some small talk during dinner. Peter and Elizabeth talked to each other in whispered voices, now, and laughed softly. It was clear the two siblings had an excellent relationship. It was also clear that, whatever the truth was, the young man didn't seem to be nervous or afraid. Either he was innocent, or he was particularly cunning and callous, to commit a murder and live as though nothing had happened.

"Is the young man a relative, Sir Philip?", Sir Jonas' voice sounded again. He could notice the young man seemed upset, and hoped he wasn't starting to have any ideas regarding his daughter.

TinMan · **Posted:** Wed Oct 07, 2015 7:37 pm

“No, Sir Jonas,” Philip replied. “Though he is like the son I never wanted.” Philip pushed on Wil’s shoulder as he joked, bringing a smile to the younger man’s face. The two of them had a good relationship and Wil was well accustomed to Philip’s peculiar sense of humor. A few polite laughs could be heard around the room in response.

“Wil, why don’t you introduce yourself properly to the court?” Philip asked his squire.

Will extracted himself carefully from the bench he was sitting on so that he could stand and properly and address Sir Jonas. He stood perfectly straight with his hands behind his back as he spoke with in a clear, confident tone. These things did nothing to distract the audience from his thick Garakin accent, however.

“Sir Jonas, Eet is a pleasure tae join ye at coort, Thenk ye fur yer hospitality,” he began with a polite nod. Wil went out of his way to avoid eye contact with anyone other than Sir Jonas. “I am the secon’ son of Earl Allan Ramsay of Som’rset.” The Bastard, he thought to himself. “Wi' the death of mah half-brother many years ago, I am heir to the County of Som’rset.” As long as my father and his wife do not have any more male children. Wil bowed again for good measure and waited on the pleasure of Sir Jonas.

It was generally known that Earl Allan was unwell and unable to leave home. Since Wil was squired to a knight of the King’s household it was unlikely that Wil has seen much of his father of late.

Shades · **Posted:** Sat Oct 10, 2015 5:55 pm

Sir Jonas showed a smile at Sir Philip's reply. It was clear the man said that as a sign of humor, and thus his host could not let it go to waste. The other members of the household who were present at the meal did the same, laughing discreetly and politely. Elizabeth also laughed, but looked at Wil for a moment, looking for any signs that he had taken offence to those words.

When the young man stood up, the three young Savilles locked eyes on him. It was clear that they were very curious. And it was also clear none of them knew why the two men were there as of the moment. Still, they all - with the possible exception of the youngest - felt that there was something in the air. Since nothing had been said yet, though, the family had every plan to act as though nothing was happening and be hospitable.

So, when Wil started speaking, everyone paid attention. The young squire's accent didn't pass unnoticed, but nobody commented on it, not even to each other through whispers. After Wil finished his introduction, Sir Jonas nodded. That explained a lot. And yet, there was a lot that seemed unexplained, but he would not ask questions as of now, of course.

Standing up straight, the man bowed his head. "It is a pleasure to have you in my home", he stated firmly. "My home is yours to stay in as long as you so desire". He nodded his head again and waited for Wil to motion to sit down before he did the same. He would have added for Wil to send his father his respects, but it was unlikely that he would even be able to do so anyway, so these words remained unspoken.

TinMan · **Posted:** Mon Oct 12, 2015 7:30 pm

“Thenk ye, th' pleasure is mine,” Wil replied with another bow, motioning towards Jonas’s chair with both hands as he did so. Once it was clear that Sir Jonas was taking his seat Wil then stood up and glanced around the room. It was proper at that point for him to make eye contact with the other assembled noblemen and women, and so he did – nodding politely to each in the process.

While glancing around the room his eyes found Elisabeth again and he froze. His smile faded and his eyes widened slightly as if caught by surprise. Her bright blue eyes and golden hair made her stand out visibly from the assembled company and one moment turned into two. Will blushed as he forced himself to turn away. As he sat down again low conversations among the assembled guests started up again.

Philip gave him a disapproving look before turning away to pull some meat off of the chicken in front of him with his bare hands.

Wylyam began eating at that point, too, smiling to himself. It felt wonderful to have been given the honors typically afforded to a man of his father’s station. Despite the challenges that stood between him and the inheritance of his father’s title, in that moment at least it was fun for him to play heir apparent. Also – for whatever reason – still he couldn’t stop thinking about Elisabeth. He began to formulate a plan for later that evening. Perhaps when his master was in conference with Sir Jonas Wil could 'accidentally' cross paths with her innocently enough and strike up a conversation.

Shades · **Posted:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 12:14 pm

After that moment, during which the conversations had stopped so everyone could hear the exchange, the softly muttered conversations were resumed. Elizabeth resumed talking to her brother in whispers, and the two siblings giggled softly every now and then. They were now paying attention to each other and their meal again. Yet, as Wil's gaze stopped by her, Elizabeth looked up from her plate, almost as if on cue. Peter looked up also, shooting Wil an inquiring, but not hostile, look. Feeling her cheeks warm a little, Elizabeth also turned away, focusing on her brother.

The girl ate with delicate gestures, but it was clear she had a healthy appetite. Elizabeth, maybe due to living away from court, had been raised to be happy and healthy, not necessarily to attract a good husband. If her father would have it his way, if he were to be honest, his daughter would have no husband at all. He had raised her to stay home and single. It might be selfish of him, and certainly was, but Sir Jonas thought to himself that he was simply protecting his girl from the ills of the world. Little did he know how close those same ills were to his eldest daughter.

While Wylyam thought about her, Elizabeth had some curiosity about the squire. He was a very different kind of man than she was used to meeting. It seemed like he had lived through things that she could only imagine. And probably, he would have interesting tales to tell. And she would like knowing of those tales. And, for a more innocent reason, she also wanted to meet with Wylyam later, and talk to him for a few minutes, just enough to convince him to talk about his adventures.

TinMan · **Posted:** Sun Oct 18, 2015 8:25 pm

The rest of the meal passed uneventfully with the typical, polite conversation that filled such events. After Sir Jonas had retired for the evening Sir Philip and Wylyam remained in their seats talking for a time. Eventually a servant approached and requested Philip follow him, to which Philip did as requested. Wil knew he was off to meet with Sir Jonas without him, as was expected.

Now that he was officially alone that meant that Wil was ‘off’ for the evening. Any reasonable young man in his position would have gone to bed for some much needed rest. That was not Wil’s plan, however.

By that time most had left the hall and the tables were being cleared. A few guests hovered around the hearth while others talked in hushed tones in one the room’s many shadows. Wil left them all behind, navigating his way towards the spiral stair that led to the Saville’s family quarters. There he decided to study the intricate tapestries as he waited for a certain young woman to pass by. He traced his finger across the delicately appointed works which elegantly told the story of the Saville clan. As he studied it he also listened carefully for Elisabeth’s voice.

If he did hear it and she appeared to be heading this way, then Wil would casually say hello.

Shades · **Posted:** Tue Oct 20, 2015 8:28 am

After introductions had been made and the tensions had been broken, the meal had gone on without any real problem. People talked to each other, made remarks on every day matters, and everything seemed to be in order. There was still a lingering tension in Sir Jonas, but he would deal with that problem later. As of now, the man tried to relax and enjoy the meal with his family and select few friends.

When the meal was over, people started drifting off, some to their quarters, some to the warmer parts of the room. Elizabeth and her brother still stayed where they were for a while, speaking in hushed voices. After a few moments, Peter stood up and kissed his sister's hand in a chivalrous manner, before retreating for the night. Elizabeth lingered for just a little longer, before standing up and calling her sister to her.

The two young ladies walked up the stairs together, Elizabeth speaking to Joanna in a gentle intonation. "You must sleep, dearest", she stated kindly, her voice resonating and echoing softly. "It is too late for you to be out of bed. Now be a good girl and...". Elizabeth's voice trailed off when she saw that they were not alone. Feeling her cheeks warm a little, the young woman nodded to the man. "Sir Wylyam", she murmured, her voice vibrating with an emotion she couldn't define. "Are you lost? I can find someone to direct you to your quarters, if that is the case". Joanna, standing next to her sister, watched the interaction in a curious silence.

TinMan · **Posted:** Thu Oct 22, 2015 8:31 pm

“Lady Elizabeth; Lady Joanna – it is a pleasure tae see ye again,” Wil said with two respectful bows and a friendly smile. “Ah am waitin' fur mah master tae return frae his meetin',” he added. “An' Ah was admirin' th' tap-estry. It truly is brammer, ah…” he stopped, correcting himself. “Ah mean it is love-ely,” he added as he stumbled over the word with an apologetic smile. “Yerr folk have quite some stories tae tell.” He turned back to the tapestry and traced his finger over a ship sailing downriver.

“Lady Joanna, is thes how yerr family came tae Lake Palace?” he asked the younger sister. “By boat?” His heavily accented ‘r’s rolled off his tongue more prominently than before, mainly because he was speaking more quickly than he had during dinner.

He smiled warmly at the younger Saville sister, hoping that his strange accent would lead the girl to smile or perhaps giggle at him. He didn’t mind – in fact he loved to make people laugh. “Dae ye like mah accent? Is it a wee silly?” he asked, bending over with his hands over his knees and a squinting smile.

Shades · **Posted:** Fri Oct 23, 2015 7:33 pm

The two young ladies looked at Wil and stopped speaking for a moment. They exchanged glances while he spoke, Elizabeth shooting a warning glance to her sister. It was probably a word translated in that glance: Behave. After this quick exchange, the two girls turned their attention to Wil. They waited as he spoke, and paid attention to his words. It was necessary for two reasons. First, Wil was a guest in the house, regardless of his position, and therefore, he deserved attention. Second, it was that understanding what Wil was saying would require a lot of attention, as his speech was unlike anything they were used to.

Joanna smiled at Wil, politely, and nodded. “Yes, Sir”, the girl replied. “My family has come from France a few generations ago, and we are now living here in this lovely palace”. Elizabeth smiled to her sister, nodding. “Indeed, Sir, we have come to this place by sea four generations ago”, the young woman explained softly. The meeting Wil had referred to, though, worried Elizabeth. She tried not to look too concerned, though. Concerned people looked like guilty people, and Liz didn’t want to look guilty in case this should cause trouble for her father. Of course, Elizabeth would never imagine that the target of the visit was her brother, so all her concerns rested on Sir Jonas.

Getting distracted from her thoughts by her sister, Elizabeth shook her head. Joanna, encouraged by Wil’s comment, had blurted out what she thought. “I like it, but I can barely understand what you say!”, the girl exclaimed, laughing. Elizabeth blushed and started apologizing profusely. “I am so sorry, Sir!”, she exclaimed, controlling herself not to pinch her sister. “Go to your room, Joanna”, she ordered, almost sternly.

The young lady would only speak when herself and Wil were alone in the corridor. “I apologize deeply for my sister’s words, Sir. It was not her intention to offend”.

TinMan · **Posted:** Sun Oct 25, 2015 8:39 pm

“Nane taken whatsoever,” Wil replied with a friendly smile. He knew that he was going against the rules by speaking to the young women in a familiar tone since that familiarity had not yet been earned. Still the young man couldn’t help himself. He genuinely enjoyed trying to make others laugh and was glad he succeeded with at least one of them.

“Donna’ be too hard on Joanna, - Ah tried tae make ‘er laugh,” he explained. He was concentrating now on speaking properly, where before he had been intentionally playing up his accent for effect. “Eet’s a bad habit ay mine,” he continued before stopping himself. There was more but Wil didn’t know where to begin. “Forgive me, mah master would be unhappy if we were caught spikin’ loch this. And yet…” he looked at her with a conflicted expression. “I feel it is mah duty tae try an’ put yer mind at ease. I couldn’t help but notice how our presence caused ye an’ your folk distress, an Ah feel terrible about ‘at. I may be able tae lessen yer worries, though, if ye would hear me out. May we spick privately?” he asked.

Wylyam knew full well that seeking a private audience with an unmarried woman would be frowned upon by one and all. And yet his sense of responsibility won out over prudence in the battle raging inside of the young man. He looked at her expectantly, hoping for the best.

Shades · **Posted:** Mon Oct 26, 2015 10:59 am

Elizabeth was still mortified at her sister's behavior. Not having a mother, the young lady had taken on a maternal role for Joanna, and felt like it was a personal failure on her part when the girl misbehaved. Lucky for her and her sister, their guest had not been offended by the girl's words, though.

She nodded when Wil asked her not to be too hard on her sister. "She still needs to learn how to behave properly", Elizabeth replied, shaking her head. "It is not a bad habit, but she might upset someone in the future". After this explanation, Elizabeth fell silent for a moment. She was sure that her father would not be too happy seeing her speaking to a man she was not bethrothed to alone, either. But they were out in the open, and not hiding anything less than proper, right?

When Wylyam asked her to speak in private, it was clear that Elizabeth was uncomfortable. She had never been alone with any man other than her father or brother in her life - it had never been allowed and it would probably never be, since she was not really meant to marry, if her father had her way. Reasoning that ruining prospects of marriage was not a concern she should have, Elizabeth nibbled on her lower lip and nodded.

"Very well. But only for a moment", she agreed, with a soft sigh. Looking around her, Elizabeth chose a room where linen was kept for practical reasons. "If you please", she murmured, indicating the door and taking a few steps towards it. She would only complete the way there if Wil followed, naturally.

TinMan · **Posted:** Mon Oct 26, 2015 8:43 pm

Will nodded and moved in the direction indicated, stopping only to remove a candle from a wall sconce as he went.

Once inside the small linen chamber Wil had a chance to see Elisabeth up close in the candlelight. He froze, momentarily speechless as he smelled her perfume while gazing into the light blue eyes and golden hair of the beauty before him. His heart stuttered as he temporarily lost the ability to form words. What was happening to him?

It wasn’t until she prodded that he seemed to snap out of his trance.

“Ah am so sorry,” he apologized sincerely as his eyes stared down at his feet. “Forgive me, ah forget myself. M’Lady ah will not detain ye for long.” He drew a long breath and sighed before raising his eyes to meet hers again. “A burger named Henry Flockhart was found dead in his home a fortnight ago. In the man’s possession was a half-written letter addressed tae yer brother – threatenin’ blackmail. It read is if it wasnae th’ first. My lady, yer brother stands accused ay mudder. Ah mean mur-der,” he corrected himself. He knew that would be a serious blow to the young woman so Wil didn’t wait long to offer his support.

“We are here tae investigate, an’ yer brother will need to return to Court with us. Ah shouldn’t be telling ye this – but ah feel ah must. Fear not m’lady, for neither the King nor Sir Philip believe him or yer father guilty.”

He searched her eyes for the inevitable response, hoping that the risk he just took in telling her would not lead to an even greater problem.

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Savidge Acts (Collab w/ TinMan for Court Intrigues)

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