A few days later in Wales.
Bang, drip*
The old Duke raised his eyes to meet with his son's, feigning ignorance of his action despite being spotted. His calm demeanor irritated Grace who was holding his sword with anger.
" You dare to go back around my back, Father! Your actions caused a rift between us and Kent lord."
The old didn't wait for his end, signaling the butler to clean the table as he placed his hands on his lap to contemplate even though his son was in front of him.
" My actions don't require your mouth, son. If you had a hint of wisdom, you would have agreed with my style. Alas, our Welsh people have strong tempers like you."
Grace gritted his teeth when he heard his mockery. He pushed the table to the side with a simple move, knocking everything down to the ground.
" Your words disgust me. Our people value honor and integrity unlike those bastards but you are putting us in the same shoes that we very much despise."
The old Duke snorted at his remark, raising his hand to show what had been waiting for them. His clenched hand revealed a piece of broken glass in his hand, dripping with blood.
" We are fragmented and weak. Do you think the crown would give us freedom when they regard us as a hound to be unleashed by the mere smell of flesh? Without intelligence of my network, our territory would be doomed in the end."
Wales was a large and powerful territory to the most people but only he knew the truth behind the hidden agenda of the monarch who ruled the country.
They placed this look on them and showed them that they were dangerous but foolish. They used them like a tool that could be controlled and he hated it.
" Then you sent a rat to our future allies? You do realize that Crown is aiming for their submission and you are pushing, don't you?"
Old Duke didn't answer his question with a simple word. Instead, he simply sighed at his foolishness, not knowing what to do since they lacked brains.
Although Grace was a wise man, he lacked the ambition of a wolf and the greed of a dragon. His integrity was the biggest obstacle to their independence, yet he was blind to it.
" I have no words to say. Guinevere should be there and I think she is fit for the son of the lord."
Grace didn't his change face except he drew his sword and slashed it to the floor because she was his reverse scale. No one would dare to lay a finger on her for she was his world.
" Don't make this hard for me, father. I won't hesitate to cut you down even if that means the downfall of our territory."
His cold voice was enough to chill the entire room, creating heavy tension in the air between the two.
" Now you look like your former self, son."
Grace let go of his sword, lunging toward his father in a single breath. His big hand lifted him like a doll as he raised his head to meet his eyes.
His breath quickened with each passing second, recalling the pain that he felt throughout his entire life.
" Your scheme took away the love of my life, Father. A sole light that shone upon in this winter land. A piece of fabric that melted my frozen blood.
I will never allow you to take the remaining piece of it.
Funny that you took Mother's life like hers. Have you ever loved her?"
The old Duke sprung out from his grip, slapping his face with a sharp turn. Then he lowered his head to hide his eyes from a glance that questioned him.
" Leave the room. I won't send them there anymore and leave her alone. You will get what you want."
Grace didn't open his mouth, leaving the ruined room to his old father while the latter sat on the ground.
His old hand reached toward his chest, bringing out the parchment that his wife had made for him a long time ago.
" You said I had to be strong and wise, my darling but our son hates even more? Do I have to stay like this forever?"
The lonely inquiry was left in the chilly air.