Henry nearly spat out his food at Earl Auden's unusually direct words.
The young duke knew he should have expected the man to be uninterested in holding back after doing so for so long.
The way the hierarchy of the north worked was that, while Henry was the duke and boasted the largest land, most subjects, and highest power under the king, Earl Auden was the true leader of the north based on his wealth and age alone. He had a name and status far longer than Henry did and all the nobles of the north would do as he said before they would do what Henry said.
He was being tested by the earl and it was time he answered with honesty.
"To be honest with you, the dragon is somewhere in the mountains around here," Henry said. "Something caught her eye this morning."
