In a council room lit only by the sunlight from windows sat the vassals of House Mormont with the Duke’s sons and concubines, a week after the Duke was declared dead!
All seven vassals sat around a large round table with Korah and Yuna sitting beside their mother, Kira, and Kohath sitting beside his mother, Jessica.
Everyone wore a solemn expression. Since Korah, Duke Ohad’s firstborn, was bestowed the noble ranking of a count, he naturally had a great number of vassals in his faction.
Five of the seven had pledged allegiance to him, with the other two being neutral. The Dukedom vassals were House Marrowind, the count. House Edevane and House Thryne were viscounts. House Alwyn, House Brantmere, House Caerlin, and House Dunvar were barons.
Each of these houses contributed to the economy and military might of the Dukedom, with Count Marrowind being the most important as it was where their bears were reared.
It was a strategic house that Korah gladly had at his side.
“Ahem.” Count Marrowind cleared his throat, his deep voice then rumbled throughout the hall. “The news of the Duke’s death has gone far. We should behead the girl in the city square for all to see.”
“Just beheading? She should drink from the same jug, and while she chokes on her own poison, we set her on fire and let the people watch her burn to death,” Kohath said with a cocky smile. “How about that? I believe that would suit the rage in the hearts of my father’s most trusted men?”
Korah frowned. *’Most trusted?’*
Was his brother trying to use flattery to buy some vassals over?
“It would compensate for what the Duke and the Dukedom have gone through,” Count Marrowind responded with a nod while the others expressed their opinions.
“Why hasn’t anyone questioned her? One of the jugs was half full, meaning the Duke was drinking from it. Why stop all of a sudden and go for the other jug?” Yuna questioned while looking at Lady Jessica.
She knew Arya, her mother’s personal maid, was loved by her brother, who in fact had plans to make her his, but he was now in a difficult position.
If he spoke, they would deem it as him siding with a mere peasant instead of his father, and that would make him lose favor in the eyes of his vassals.
This was a meticulous trap.
“My mother has been crying since the incident. I’ve had the apothecary visit her several times, and you try to question her? All I’ve seen your mother do is try to vindicate her maid!” Kohath yelled while Lady Jessica kept silent.
“The maid did brew the wine,” one of the viscounts, Lord Edevane, said softly. His brown hair tied into a ponytail, while his beard was trimmed but bigger than the norm.
“Who gave her the Crimson Spotted Grape then? And one so poisonous that it could kill my father, an imperial-ranked knight?” Yuna asked.
All of a sudden, her expression changed as the lord looked at her mother. “The butler has reported to us about your mother’s anger toward the Duke in recent years. It was to the extent that they haven’t spoken in four months,” Lord Edevane said with entwined fingers.
Korah’s eyes widened. “Mother would never say such a thing. She hasn’t even spoken to Yuna, how could she speak to the butler?”
“There have also been rumors of Lady Kira defiling herself with other men since the Duke ignored her,” Lady Jessica said, causing cold air to sweep through the room.
“Watch your mouth,” Korah said slowly, but it came out like the growl of an angry wild beast.
“You should have told your mother to watch her legs,” Kohath retorted with a scowl.
“Be done with the girl and leave my mother out of this.” Korah rose to his feet, his gaze sweeping through the room. He was 43 this year, three years older than his younger stepbrother, Kohath.
His feats in battle were well known, the greatest being his defense against Count Tigris’ invasion.
He wasn’t a child.
He was a count.
He was the commander of his father’s army.
“Rumors like this shouldn’t be left untouched. Along with the execution of the maid, Lady Kira should walk the main street naked. She has already shown her body to other men like a whore; I see no reason—”
Shing!
Korah pulled out his longsword, the blade of the sword grinding against the scabbard’s inner layer before it came out with a piercing sound.
The second it was pulled out, the triangular tip of the sword was aimed at Count Marrowind’s neck.
“Utter that again, and you’ll lose your head.”
Count Marrowind’s eyes narrowed at the gleaming edge of the sword. He was an ally Korah shouldn’t dare mess with, but it seemed like even if it was an act of justice, Korah’s mother was a forbidden territory.
“Brother…”
Yuna tried to speak but was silenced by Korah’s gesture.
“Now, let’s not all act like my father was some saint. He lost his edge with age, we should all accept that. Had he been like his former self, Count Tigris’ army would have been crushed, but we kept suffering defeats!”
Korah’s arms trembled out of rage. “You all know my feelings for Arya, yet you sit here and discuss the death of a woman who knew entering the Mormont family would do her nothing but good! She had no reason, no reason at all to kill my father. In fact, all of us in this room have valid reasons to do so?”
His eyes, red with rage, landed on Count Marrowind. “Go ahead and kill her. Go ahead with your pitiful attempt at justice, but do not dare include my mother.”
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Kohath clapped softly, yet it echoed in the silent room. “Nice speech, brother. You just told us you are a suspect for your father’s death. It would truly make a lot of sense if the maid did it out of her love for you.”
Korah scoffed. “All you know how to do is talk and scheme… like a woman.”
Kohath’s eyes twitched.
“If Kohath sits on my father’s throne, Duke Asher would never side with him after all he did to his sister, including trying to have her killed through a prisoner the Duke sent to us out of respect.”
Jessica raised an eyebrow at Yuna’s comment. “What Duke? The one rendered useless by the fairies? He might already be dead as we speak, and a different person will take over the Dukedom. I’m sure if we offer trade routes to the Sacred Empire, the new ruler will gladly ally with us to trade their olive oil.”