Rowan looked up as the front door to his office swung open and two men and a snow dusted black dog filed in removing their cloaks and dumping them on an unfortunately placed chair. under the dark cloaks they wore grey woolen tunics hemmed with a band of dark blue. a small wolf emblem was positioned over the right breast. the tunics were sinched at the waist by a wide belt. a single dagger was sheathed on the right side and two more crisscrossed at the back. "yes?" one of the men, hawks asked he glanced around the room taking in the meager furnishings; a small stone fireplace in the corner, a few randomly scattered chairs and a large desk spread with papers and other random items. he frowned slightly as he noticed the half empty bottle of amber liquor "I didn't know you drank" he added "I don't" Rowan replied eyeing the bottle in question. hawks raised an eyebrow but said nothing further, instead moving to sit in one of the chairs closest to the fire his companion followed suit. hawks scanned the room once again and finally fixed his gaze on Rowan seated on the far side of the massive desk "I'm assuming there was a reason you sent for us?" "yes there was..." Rowan tailed off shuffling through the stacks of paper "here!" he said eventually retrieving a single sheet and walking around the desk to pass it to hawks he stepped back commandeering one of the vacant chairs while he waited for hawks to finish reading he frowned and checked the seal before passing it to his companion "that's odd" he said eventually "hmmm" Tengjarl hummed beside him "why would king Eric of all people care about exactly who was sent to do his bidding?" he asked looking up at Rowan his unblinking gaze meeting that of his commander "I don't like it" he said finally setting the paper down on his lap " neither do I" Rowan admitted "but unfortunately it is the king's orders" tengjarl cursed and glanced at hawks he had a decidedly blank expression on his face "couldn't we just pretend we never got the letter in the first place?" he asked Rowan brought a hand up to his face and sighed "no" "couldn't you just send someone else?" tengjarl put in reaching down to pat the dog by his leg "good girl shadow" he breathed, ruffling her ears Rowan gave a frustrated groan "no, because if it ends up being nothing I have to pick up the damm pieces and Eric doesn't take kindly to people who don't follow his orders" hawks sighed "I guess that really leaves us no choice" "yes, kill Eric or take the mission" tengjarl said barley managing to keep a straight face he glanced at hawks "and since I don't feel the over whelming urge to commit regicide I suppose we'll just have to take the mission"
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Colton sighed heavily as Gage approached. colton studdied the smaller man with intrest, gage was a short weedy man with short scruffy brown hair and he was currently wearing an obnoxiously green shirt. colton frowned disdainfully tilting the ornate golden chalice and appearing to examine the deep red liquid inside it, like blood he thought smiling to himself. he took a sip then turned his attention back to gage "and why are you here?" he asked "the assassins, my lord they have given their response" gage said nervously "and?" "they have accepted the mission my lord" colton nodded "that's good" he muttered to himself gage shifted uncomfortably under his gaze "is that all?" colton asked after a while "yes my lord" "good, you may go now" gage nodded "yes my lord" he said turning to leave. colton waited till he heard the loud click of the doors closing then slumped back in the throne, shifting so he could lay one leg over the arm. he took another mouthful of wine and looked around, it was a massive room the walls were made from huge grey stone blocks, the gaps between them had been sealed with white plaster. along the sides deep arched alcoves had been set into the stone about a foot off the ground each alcove was tall enough to stand comfortably in and each was lit by a single torch. the tall arching shape was mirrored at either end of the hall reaching all the way to the ceiling where massive wooden beams had been set into the stone to support a steeply pitched roof a large portion of the roof was made of glass allowing the natural light into an otherwise abysmally dark hall. the lighted alcoves were merely for decoration he knew those torches alone could never hope to light great hall. if it was necessary massive chandeliers would be hoisted up to hover just above the height of the iorn bound doors at the far end. he personally didn't see the need for such measures if anyone had news so important that they had to deliver it at the dead of night they could survive a little darkness. he shifted again for the royal throne he thought it was terribly uncomfortable. he smiled to himself wondering what he was going to do next, in the space of a few years he had managed to scramble his way up thro the ranks of the militia from a lowly foot soldier in Frey's army to an esteemed member of the kings guard. from where he had slowly started recruiting the other members of the gaurd to his cause they had been rather reluctant at first but his persistence had paid off and they were now some of his most trusted subjects. their loyalty had been instrumental in his ploy to take the throne. it had turned out to be far easier than he had ever imagined. he was currently the supposedly rightful king and his brother Frey prisoner until he thought of something better to do with them. he wondered if he could manage the stage a scandal of sorts have Eric charged with impersonation and executed. it would be handy but also rather risky in light of the current situation. and even if he bore vague resemblance to the king there would be some that would notice the difference. and it might seem to suspicious if the "king" were to suddenly start accusing people of impersonating him and trying to have them executed. no he thought it would be better to simply pretend nothing had happened and kill him quietly. although that left the matter of Frey, as the supreme commander of the army he was a well recognized figure and his disappearance would not go unnoticed. he was however very fond of his brother, something that could prove very useful, a few well placed threats never hurt anyone colton thought grimly. at least not the person who did the threatening.