THERE WHERE TRYING TO FORCE HIM OUT –
He only sat on the SMALL COUNCIL for the SUPPORT he had of the PEOPLE. There was not a man, woman or child who did not know his NAME or of his DEEDS. He had easily passed into LEGEND with all he has achieved in his long life and the CROWN knew it was better to keep such a folk hero on a tight leash, close to them so that the LOVE and ADMIRATION he received would rub off on them. That was the only reason he had a seat on the SMALL COUNCIL. It was the only reason any of them let him in the chamber, it was easier to keep him around than to force him out.
“There have been moments where I admit, I have been TEMPTED to use it.” His voice was not heard, they HUMOURED him at the beginning, but now they just TOLERATE him and flat out IGNORE him and it has come to the point where he merely takes his seat and utters not a single word. “Yet I FEAR I am merely someone to OCCUPY a seat and nothing more.”
He offered a small smile, as he felt the softness of her fingers, touching his as he remained still, eyes lingering down for only a moment and nothing more than that as he looked back up at her. “There are only so many PARDONS you can give a man.” He LAUGHED – making light of the FORGIVENESS the NEW KING had given him on the BATTLE FIELD – pardoning him after he had KILLED a dozen of his ALLIES.
He would NOT take another drink – not now, not when the CONVERSATION had turned AND shifted to something more SERIOUS. He listened to her PLIGHT, to her REQUEST. He turned his head, for a moment. The king cared little about him, honestly no one even knew he EXISTED– he was nothing more than a shadow of what he once was, this was the first time in years – that he has had the chance to actually do SOMETHING, instead of sitting in the SMALL COUNCIL CHAMBER being IGNORED and INSULTED.
“Your cousins’ REPUTATION on the field of battle, is POOR – even if you had not asked me, I would have REQUESTED to take CHARGE of your ESCORT.” As much as there was peace in these lands, there was still TROUBLE, there were still CLASHING HOUSES, battles being FOUGHT and MURDER and MAYHEM in the countryside and these lands – where POORLY PROTECTED. It was only right that she wished for her PROTECTION to be placed into the hands of someone who knew what they were doing.
