Questionable Questing
Gusfes, Questing Knight replied to a thread you are watching at Questionable Questing.
[NSFW] - The Otome Wolf (ASOIAF/MobuSeka)

Well, here's another chapter. Hopefully, this one is no less entertaining.
[hr][/hr]
Balcus Fou Bartfort couldn't help but cursed his luck.
When he noticed the coming storm, he told his family to prepare their house for the bad weather while he went to the harbor. He knew that in this condition, nearby ships would seek a safe place and his island would be one of them. His deduction was proven correct upon arriving at the port and saw several ships docking there.
Seeing that all was under control, the head of House Bartfort was about to return to his home when the harbormaster informed him of the arrival of a ship carrying VIPs. Once he knew their identities, Balcus knew that his family was about to tread on thin ice; any mistake could spell doom on their lives.
The VIP ship docked at one of the available ports with him waiting for the passengers to disembark from the transport. When they made their appearance, Balcus bowed alongside nearby dock workers.
"Your Highness," He spoke. "I welcome you to my humble abode. You honor us so with your presence."
"The honor is mine, Lord Bartfort." Julius Rapha Holfort replied, giving them the signal to rise. "I apologize for not delivering any notice of our arrival. Our presence here is – unfortunately – due to the unexpected weather."
"I-It's alright, My Prince." The head of the house assured him. "It's not uncommon for ships to find safe harbor during times such as this."
"Once more, you have my thanks." The boy smiled. "Ah, that's right. Let me introduce you to my fiancée, Angelica Rapha Redgrave."
"Milord." The girl gave a curtsy.
"My foster brother, Jilk Fia Marmoria."
"Greetings." The green-haired boy bowed.
"My companion, Greg Fou Seberg."
"Sup!" The boy said with a grin.
"And my guard, Lady Natalie Fou Trent."
This time, the one introduced remained silent, simply giving a bow in response.
"My men could help your crew in finding accommodation, Your Highness," Balcus stated. "In the meantime, the door of my house is open to you."
"Very well, Lord Bartfort," Julius said before looking upward at the darkening sky. "Let us go now then and hope that the rain doesn't happen on the way to your house."
[hr][/hr]
For one Leon Fou Bartfort, this day had been nothing but bad news.
First of all, the bright, sunny sky suddenly became darker as black clouds approached his home; indicators of the upcoming storm. That meant putting the animals back into the barns and cages along with closing all of the house's windows. Then there was the praying to the Saint in the hope that the weather wouldn't destroy their corps.
Then - as if they weren't busy enough - a messenger arrived with, well, a message from his father, telling them to be prepared to welcome several important individuals whose ship decided to visit their island for safe harbor. Thus, they now also had to prepare the rarely-used guest rooms and dinner not just for the family but also for the guests.
After they were done with the tasks, the members of House Bartfort – minus the head who was escorting the guests to their home – were waiting in front of the building.
"This better be worth it," Leon grumbled, something that he did all day long.
"Of course, it would be worth it, you dunce!" Jenna scolded him. "If we can entertain them, imagine the gifts that they would give to us. Plus, there's the potential connection…"
"Jenna!" Their mother scolded her in turn.
"Oh, come on, Mother." She spoke back. "Scheming and making connection is the bread and butter of nobility."
"Just make sure you're not being blatant with them." Nick – the oldest of the Bartfort children – stated before sighing.
After at least three minutes, the ones that they waited for arrived; everyone in the group wearing a cloak that covered almost everything, likely in preparation for possible rain. The foremost individual lowered the hood and revealed the face of Balcus Fou Bartfort. His action was followed by the rest of the…
Leon froze upon seeing their faces. He might not recognize the woman with an eyepatch, but the same thing could not be said for the boys and girl around his age.
While it was for a different reason, the rest of his family was reacting the same way as he did, even the quiet Finley. After all, it wasn't every day that a prince visited their home which was practically in the middle of nowhere.
"Your Highness, let me introduce you to my family," Balcus spoke, gesturing to his wife in all but name and children. "The mother of my children, Luce."
"Y-Y-Your Highness," The woman immediately curtsied.
"My eldest son, Nick."
"Welcome to our humble abode, Your Highness." The almost-reaching-majority boy bowed.
"Eldest daughter, Jenna."
"Y-Your Highness," She followed her mother's example.
"And finally, Leon and Finley."
"Greetings." The son bowed while the daughter curtsied.
"You have a big family, Lord Bartfort." Julius Rapha Holfort said in amusement and…nostalgia?
"I am blessed by the Saint, My Prince." The head of House Bartfort replied. "There's actually the youngest, Colin. Unfortunately, he got injured when playing and thus could not be with us here."
"It is alright. I have no intention of imposing." The Prince stated.
BLAAR
The sound of thunder was followed by water dropping from the sky; enough signs for everyone to immediately headed inside the building.
[hr][/hr]
Despite the fact that the walls were the only things separating them from the raging storm outside, the family and the guests were still able to have a relaxing and comfortable dinner.
"Sorry if the food is not to your taste, Your Highness," Luce said as the servants delivered the dishes.
They weren't much, just simple bowls of chicken stew, plates of bread rolls, small bowls of berries, a wheel of cheese, and wine which vintage would be considered "rather unremarkable." Normally, the drink would be a small beer, but since they have guests with important status, the alcohol made from grapes was taken out.
"Do not worry about it, Lady Bartfort," Julius said as he sprinkled a piece of bread with salt. "Sooner or later, I will eat food worse than these. Rations – after all – focused more on longevity and durability than taste."
"And at least these food smell wonderful," Angelica added.
"You're still on that?" Her fiancé had the audacity to smirk.
"Let me remind you that more than half of the kitchen staff resigned in protest of that…delicacy." She dared him to say otherwise.
"Remind me," Ned instead took another option. "Who ate two sandwiches containing the fish just a week ago?"
The glare that he received was definitely worth it, causing the Prince to chuckle.
On his seat, Leon looked at the scene in confusion. He never had even a date during his life as a Japanese salaryman, so his knowledge about romance was rather lacking beyond the ones shown in the manga and anime which tended to be unrealistic, to say the least. However, it was clear that Julius and Angelica – one of the capture targets and the villainess – were close to each other. Considering that both of them were still too young to attend the Academy, was this how they were before their relationship break down to the point that the Protagonist could make the Prince fall for her?
Suddenly, he couldn't help but feel bad about capturing him during his gameplay.
"Is there something wrong, Sir Leon?" Jilk suddenly spoke, surprising him. "You have been keeping your eyes on J – His Highness for quite a while."
"Leon!" Balcus chastised his son.
"S-Sorry," He apologized immediately, trying his best to not glare at the green-haired boy. "I am just – you know – just wondering what a royalty is doing here; basically, in the middle of nowhere."
"I am here on a tour around the realm." The former Lord of Winterfell answered. "I believe that – as the future king – it is my duty to know the land and the subjects that I will rule one day."
"That's…a wise act, Your Highness." Jenna complimented him, trying to win some points.
"Well, it's more than that." Greg decided to join in. "It's also to investigate the situation in the borders."
"What…situation?" There was confusion in Nick's voice.
"The border nobles – to put it short – do not live well." It was Ned who cleared it. "It is not just wrong, but also illogical. You – all of you – are the first line of defense against any foreign threat that endangered the kingdom. The border houses should have been among the strongest in the realm…and yet they are lower than even the smallfolk."
Just like romance, Leon was not well-versed in the realm of politics, but what Julius had just said…sounded logical. He knew that one of the final events in the game was an invasion by the Principality of Fanoss. Looking at the state of his family – which was shared with many other nobles in the border regions – he doubted that House Bartfort could put up even a pittance of a fight. The faces of his parents and siblings indicated that they were thinking the same thing…well, except Colin who was focused on the last piece of bread roll.
The youngest Bartford moved his hand to grab it when another took it first; it was none other than the Prince himself. Looking at the guest in shock, Ned stuck out his tongue and tousled the little boy's hair before giving him the bread anyway. Colin appeared to be confused at first before shrugging and biting down on the food, earning a chuckle from many on the table.
[hr][/hr]
After dinner was over, there was still some time until the time to sleep arrived. Thus, the guests of House Bartfort decided to spend it in the living room. Borrowing the tools from the host, the former Lord of Winterfell was currently cleaning his sword in front of the crackling hearth.
"I don't think a sword needs to be cleaned that much." Turning his attention from the blade, Ned saw Lady Trent taking a seat on a nearby chair. "If I am not wrong, you had cleaned it on the ship right before the storm hit."
"I find the act to be quite relaxing." He answered before turning his attention back to his weapon.
"Something on your mind?" She leaned closer.
"Remember the letters that we got from Count Escoffier?" The Prince stated. "I have read some of them and, well…"
"And?"
"I almost immediately made an oath to behead every single tax collector that I encounter in the border regions." He almost growled. "You have to be a certain kind of bastard – no, using that term would be an insult to those born out of wedlock – to look at the people here and think, 'I'll drain everything that they have until they could eat dirt only.'"
Many of the letters contained complaints about not just the many different types of taxes that the writers have to pay, but also the rates. Taxes on head, income, land, property, those he could understand. But then there were taxes that existed as if simply to drain every single drop of wealth: window tax (what, people were not allowed to have the Sun shining into their houses?), hat tax (…really?), card-and-boardgame tax (now this was just being petty), salt tax (this one was nothing short of heinous!), cowardice tax (it wasn't the border nobles fault that they simply didn't have money to maintain ships and arms!), and more.
And as he had mentioned, there was still the matter of the rates.
"It has something to do with how the tax laws work. Or rather, how they don't work at all." Angelica suddenly joined in. "To give an example, 50 kilos of salt in the capital cost only 10 Dia, but 15 in the Duchy of Redgrave, 36 in the Saint's Port, 68 in Fanoss Marches, and 99 in the Isles of Mann."
"And I suppose the prices have nothing to do with supply and distance?" Ned already knew the answer; he simply wanted confirmation.
"They play a part, of course, but the differences are mostly due to the salt tax being inconsistently applied; something that also happens to other taxes." His fiancée replied. "Reforming our tax laws has been the goal of many finance ministers. They…weren't exactly successful."
"It's more than just taxes."
The trio turned their attention and saw that it was Nick who spoke. The boy became less confident upon realizing that he had become the target of three sets of eyes. Nevertheless, after taking a deep breath, he regained his footing and approached them.
"Sir Nick," The Prince greeted him.
"Your Highness," The oldest son of House Bartfort lowered his head. "I apologize for that. I overheard your conversation and couldn't help but give a piece of my mind."
"It is alright." He waved it off. "If we want it to be private, then the fault lies in our hands for speaking here."
Obviously, they were not the only people in the living room. At one corner, Finley sat on a chair while reading a book; the second volume of The Chronicles of Dragons which spoke tales of the Seven Kingdoms under the reign of Maegor the Cruel. At another corner, Leon appeared to have lost his bearing, simply looking around the room, unsure of what to do. While not exactly in the living room itself, both Jenna and Greg were talking to each other next door, the former likely trying to court the latter with him – despite not being interested – deciding to entertain her.
As for the absentees, Luce escorted Colin to his room, Balcus went to his office, and Jilk decided to check on the rooms provided for them.
"So," Ned spoke. "Are you willing to continue what you said?"
"Y-Yes, Your Highness." Nicks made himself comfortable before clearing his throat. "I am sure you know of the…unwritten rule that every family from baronial rank upward needs to have at least one representative in the capital; preferably a family member."
"Aye." He nodded in response.
The unwritten rule was started by his ancestor King Louis of House Holfort, Third of His Name. Throughout his reign, there was one peculiarity when it came to his selecting the members of his court: he only chose those who were present in the capital city or had a family there. It didn't matter if there were many more talented people available outside of the capital, willing to do a task given by their king. Many minor houses found themselves elevated far above their station. This act was continued to these days.
The message was clear: if you want power and influence, give the Crown a hostage. This resulted in most noble houses having a capital branch; family members whose task was to curry favor among the most important individuals in the kingdom, especially the royal family.
"Well, as you know, the expense of living in the capital isn't cheap." The boy continued. "After all, we're not there by the invitation of the Crown; we're there on 'our own accord.'"
"No offense, but, if it's too much of a burden to your finance," Angelica said. "Couldn't you just…not have a family in the capital?"
"Because it's a matter of survival." His tone became grimmer. "If we have nobody in the capital, nearby houses would notice; it would basically be an invitation for them to take our land bit by bit. And since we have nobody there, the Crown would just ignore us, even if we beg with our foreheads touching the floor."
Once more, Ned wanted to defend his family, saying that they would not do such a thing and that they would not ignore the plight of a loyal vassal. And once more, he was reminded that his family had been anything but that. There were times when he felt homesick, desiring to return to the North regardless of how impossible it was. Wanting to once more be among his family, the Starks of Winterfell.
This was one of those times. To expect the Holforts to be the same as the Starks was ridiculous…but more than once, he truly wished that his second family was just as honorable as the first one.
"And those are not our only problems." Nick dropped the bomb.
"There's more?" The former Lord of Winterfell almost failed to hide his shock, causing the Bartfort boy to let out a mirthless laugh.
"With the heavy taxes and having to support a family member in the capital, our fief alone is not enough to support them. That means we need an extra source of income." He explained. "One is to go on an adventure and return with a lot of loot. This, however, is very risky. The other is much safer: marriage."
"Dowry." The duke's daughter immediately guessed it. "When a marriage occurs, the bride would give dowry to the groom."
"Indeed. My mother is not my father's official wife; that honor – unfortunately – belongs to a lady by the name of Zola."
"Hahaha, lady? More like old hag!"
They turned their attention towards the second son of House Bartfort, causing him to become a bit panicked. Leon didn't exactly like to become the center of attention. He was a mob, thank you very much.
"There's no love between your lord father's wife and you," Ned said, not sounding a bit surprised. "Am I correct, Sir Leon?"
"Ha, forget about between me and the hag, there's none between her and my father either!" The former Japanese stated. "The only ones among us close to her are my sisters and that's simply because they want to learn how to rope in some rich guy to be their husbands."
"…should I be worried about Greg?" His eyes went to the door leading to the room where certain two individuals were.
"Nah, she's pretty hopeless in this kind of thing." Plus, considering what he remembered of Greg Route, Jenna was not the type of woman that could attract the heir of House Seberg.
"I hear that!" His sister immediately shouted.
"Then become better, idiot sister!"
"Does this happen every day?" Ned couldn't help but be curious.
"There are times when I wonder if I am a nobleman in a fief or a clown in a circus." That was the answer that Nick gave before sighing. "Anyway, Zola is also the family member that stays in the capital along with our half-siblings and they demand a lot: a mansion, new jewelry and dress so that she doesn't wear the same one to every single party that she attends, prostitutes…"
At that, the Prince raised an eyebrow. Prostitutes? Was the lady a…?
"Male prostitutes." Lady Trent suddenly said. "Also known as gigolos."
Ah, that made sense. If female knights were common here, then it would not be strange for…
Suddenly, he turned his attention towards the mistress-at-arms; something that Angelica did as well. In response, the one-eyed woman simply slyly smirked, revealing her knowledge to be gained from first-hand experience, causing the blue hair to roll his eyes while the blonde's face became red.
"Y-Yeah…" It was clear that Nick found the revelation rather uncomfortable as well. "A-And speaking about Zola, I believe that she's also a member of the Forest of the Ladies."
"Forest of the Ladies?" The duke's daughter spoke. "I have never heard of a group with that name."
"Hmm, what about Association to Ensure the Prosperity of War Widows?" Seeing the recognition on her face, the Bartfort boy nodded. "Yeah, the Forest of the Ladies is simply the name they are more well-known here."
"Was Zola married to a soldier before remarrying your father?" Ned asked.
"Not sure, I never look that up. But that's not the most important part." He replied. "You see, the members of the Forest of the Ladies like to marry young noblemen who would then be sent to the military where they would 'die with honor and glory,' allowing them to collect the widow's pension."
"…what you speak about is practically an act of treason, Nick Fou Bartfort." The voice of the former Lord of Winterfell became lower. "Do you have proof of this?"
"Nothing concrete, unfortunately." He admitted. "However, it shouldn't be hard for you to look up the records of those ladies and see how many times they remarried…and how many of their husbands died in combat."
"Aye. I shall look it up."
While the conversation happened, Leon simply remained where he stood. He was unable to hold himself from commenting when the Zola subject was brought up, taking a risk that made him chastise himself. As much as curious as he was with the presence of three capture targets and the Villainess, his gameplay experience meant that there was a risk that some of his spite would leak and he would accidentally offend them; such a thing would be…unwise if one wanted a long and peaceful life.
Still, at least his suspicions were confirmed that things were not like how they were in the game. The close relationship between Julius and Angelica was just one of them. He also noticed the nickname of the Prince: Jul, used by both his fiancée and foster brother. If he remembered it correctly, in the game – even during an informal situation – Jilk never called him that. In fact, he doubted that Julius even had that nickname in the game.
He couldn't help but wonder – and feel a bit afraid – of how much that remained the same as in the game and how much that have been changed for one reason or another.
[hr][/hr]
Once he woke up, the first thing on his mind was to grab the nearby glass and poured himself a drink. However, another pair of hands took it and the pitcher before pouring the water into the former. When his sight became clear, a familiar face was revealed, offering him the glass.
"Angie," Ned spoke before accepting it.
"Morning, Jul." She replied. "You sleep longer than usual. I hope it's a comfortable one."
"Indeed." He wasn't sure how, but despite last night's revelation, he could indeed sleep well. "Where are the others?"
"Greg is currently training, using a nearby tree as a target practice. Lady Trent…well, it appears that last night's talk caused her to went to a nearby town to get some 'companion.' Angelica blushed after saying it, causing the Prince to chuckle. "As for Jilk…"
"Do you listen to what I say, you idiot potato-digger?!"
Both of them froze for a moment before looking toward the direction of the yell.
"What was that?" Ned immediately asked.
"I…I don't know." His fiancée replied. "I don't recognize it as belonging to either Bartfort or their servants."
"We should check it then." He said before standing up from bed. "It would be bad if something happens to our hosts after what they have done for us."
[hr][/hr]
Leon really wanted to yell at whatever deity that existed in this world – likely the same deity responsible for his reincarnation – for causing this to happen right when they were hosting a royal entourage.
"I want that ship removed, you hear me?" Zola yelled at his father. "That thing is on my usual port and I want it gone yesterday!"
"B-But that s-ship belongs to…" Balcus tried to explain the situation, but…
SLAP
For some reason, his stepmother decided that today would be a good day to do a surprise visit to Bartfort land, making sure that her husband didn't laze around which would prevent her from getting any money to enjoy the luxury of the capital.
And it was clear that the old hag didn't bother to learn what was currently happening on this very island.
"And it's not just that!" She kept talking. "You think I wouldn't notice if you or any of your spawn with that harlot would take out a candy or two from the jars? Candies that are meant for me and my children alone?"
Well, of course, some of the sweets would be eaten. You didn't say no to a request from the royalty, especially for something that simple and meaningless.
"Excuse me, but what is happening here?"
"Damn it, you stupid prince!" Leon couldn't help but think about it. "Just leave and pretend you don't see any of this!"
"Hmm?" Zola turned her head and saw the approaching figure of Julius with his fiancée following behind. "You're a guest of this house?"
"Indeed, Milady." He put his hand on his chest, intending on introducing himself. "I am…"
"Bah, I have no intention of hearing some meaningless title of a farmer in all but name." She stopped him before poking the boy with her fan. "Leave boy for this has nothing to do with you."
Fortunately, Julius didn't appear offended; mostly confused, likely because of not expecting such…manners coming from a noble. Unfortunately, Angelica did get offended and appeared to be a few seconds away from burning Zola to ashes.
"Aah, Zola!" Balcus tried to warn her. "That boy is…"
SLAP
"Have I given you permission to talk?" The old hag – of course – slapped him for his "insolence."
"But…!"
"I said…"
Before she could hit his father once more, a hand stopped her from doing so.
"Milady, I don't know what problem you have with your lord husband," It was Julius who did it. "But surely…"
[hr][/hr]
Ned was an honorable man. That was what people around him told him. As humble as he was, he was proud that he had become the man that Jon Arryn, Father, Brandon, and others would be proud of.
Despite that, it wasn't entirely good. Jon often told him that while being honorable was fine, his foster father also told him that he must be careful with his estimation of others with him using the Mountain clans as examples; expecting them to be honorable would be a very foolish act.
It was something that he struggled with…which also led to his death. He really should have trusted his instinct and not trusted Littlefinger regardless of what Catelyn said. He didn't blame his wife though; after not meeting him for years and considering how good he was at manipulating people, it was unsurprising that Cat would think that her childhood friend was still the same boy that used to live with her in the Riverrun.
He swore to learn from his mistakes and not repeat that mistake.
Yet – as he fell towards the floor – he couldn't help but wonder if that oath was now nothing but an empty bravado because he was once more caught off guard by how low some people could go. Then again, there was no way he could expect a guest's right to be broken.
"Oh, right." Ned realized his mistake. "While part of the family, Zola is not my host, so technically…"
His thought stopped once he hit the floor.
[hr][/hr]
"AAAAAAAA…!" Balcus would have shouted louder and longer if not for the fact that he fainted at the sight of the Prince being assaulted in his home.
"Yep. We're doomed." Leon sighed. "I hope that the Crown would be kind enough to just chop our heads."
Zola's Servant – an elf who also didn't recognize Julius – had decided that the boy touching his mistress deserved a punch in the cheek strong enough to send him to the floor. This kind of act was something that many noblemen of lower ranking had suffered with them unable to retaliate due to attacking an Exclusive Servant was considered equal to attacking his mistress.
Of course, the keyword was "lower-ranking."
FWOOSH
"GYAAAH!"
"What do you think you're doing, you insolent elf?!"
To his surprise – or rather the lack of it – Angelica retaliated by throwing a fireball right to the face of the one responsible for assaulting her fiancé. With the Exclusive Servant – who was also Zola's bodyguard – trying desperately to extinguish the flame, Leon realized that this could be the only chance for House Bartfort to gain some forgiveness points.
Thus, he dashed toward his wicked stepmother and pushed her into the ground, making sure that she could not move. A part of him was excited that – after all the suffering that his family endured – he could now enact some vengeance.
"Release me at once, you stupid boy!" The woman shouted, struggling underneath him.
"If I were you," The former Japanese couldn't hide the amusement in his voice. "I would be more worried about the fate that awaits me for assaulting the Crown Prince of the Kingdom."
"W-What…?" It was clear that Zola had no idea how deep in trouble she was.
"Jul, are you alright?" Once she was sure that nobody was a threat, the blonde knelt at his side.
"I am…fine…I…" Julius tried to stand up, blood coming from his mouth.
"Did…did you bite your tongue?" She worriedly asked.
"N-No…tooth…" He opened his mouth and pointed a finger into it. "One is...has to be…pulled out…"
After hearing it, the Villainess turned her attention towards Zola, her own teeth barred. It finally dawned on the old hag that, yep, she was screwed.
[hr][/hr]
"…and that's how we end up in this situation."
After hearing the explanation from the duke's daughter, Lady Trent simply pinched the bridge of her nose. Meanwhile, both Jilk and Greg looked rather guilty at not being at Julius' side when it happened.
"Well, that's just great." The mistress-at-arms commented. "At least we've thrown that idiot old woman to the brig of Wolfsbane. Unfortunately, there's still a problem to be solved."
"What problem?" The heir of House Seberg stated. "I mean, sure, technically, the Bartforts are responsible since it's their lady that caused Jul's injury. But I am sure all of us agree that their hands are practically tied about this matter."
"It's an issue of optic." The heir of House Marmoria explained. "Obviously, attacking a member of royalty is a very big deal. As unfair as it is, we couldn't just let them 'get away' with it else it would weaken the image of the Crown."
"And we don't expect you to."
The four of them turned their attention and saw Nick Fou Bartfort approaching them, his face indicating that he was on the verge of asking someone to just end his life.
"Any…understanding that you will show to us will be considered an opening by the nearby houses." He explained. "Punishing us for assaulting the Crown Prince would be their casus belli for taking our land."
"Fucking politics." Greg made his opinion clear, one that was shared by others. "So, we must punish the Bartforts else some assholes will do the 'punishing' under our name. Fucking pricks, the whole of them."
"And preventing that, we shall."
Hearing his voice, they immediately looked at the source and saw the approaching figure of Eddard Stark, a bandage on his bruised cheek.
"Jul," Angelica approached him with a worried look. "You should have rest."
"Worry not, Angie. I have asked the…doctor for a bit of milk of poppies." He assured her. "In any case, I think I have a solution for the problem; to punish our hosts in such a way that wouldn't harm them too much and enough to make their rivals stayed their hands."
"What is it?" Jilk asked.
"Hostage," Ned answered. "We take Sir Nick – the heir of House Bartfort – with us, claiming that the Bartforts hand him over to show their loyalty and repentance."
"Um, just correcting, but I am not the heir." The Bartfort boy stated. "That would be my half-brother, Rutart."
"Your half-brother? The son born between the union of Zola and Lord Balcus?" Upon receiving a nod, the Prince chuckled. "Do you really think the son of someone who assaulted the Crown Prince could remain an heir?"
A good point.
"That…that could work." The Redgrave girl thought deeply about it. "Having to give us a hostage would make others see House Bartfort as having been punished enough, especially if the hostage is the heir himself. Any who dare to use this incident to further themselves at the expense of the Bartforts must also face the wrath of the Crown for making them look bad."
"Would…would that be enough?" Nick asked with a hint of hope in his voice.
"It's our best option." The former Lord of Winterfell admitted. "By the way, you said that Rutart is your half-brother, correct? Do you have any other half-siblings?"
"J-Just one more: Merce. Both of them should be at the mansion in the capital." He appeared confused. "What about it?"
"Just want to know how many people that have to be…secured." The blue-haired boy explained. "Who knows what they might do upon hearing of their mother's arrest?"
"Hopefully, nothing stupid." His fiancée commented. "And let's also hope that this is the last 'surprise' that we would find during our tour."
[hr][/hr]
"AAAH! Just leave me alone, you oversized, stupid wolf!"
"Grr…"
"I need this food, alright?! I haven't eaten anything since last night!"
"Woof!"
"Oh, fine!"
With tears of despair in her eyes, Marie Fou Lafan threw away the sack containing her latest catch. Once she was far enough and no longer hearing the footsteps, only then she braved herself to turn around, allowing her to see the giant wolf chasing her was more interested in the sack, just as she had expected.
It would be the perfect opportunity to take a shot. Unfortunately, she had run out of ammo.
"Ugh!" Holding back a curse so as to not offend the seemingly more-intelligent-than-normal wolf and restarting the chase, the blonde walked away. "Hopefully, there are still some roots to be eaten…"
[hr][/hr]
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