"Do you want my honest opinion Phillip?" Endron asked as Phillip nodded before sitting down on a pew that was surrounded by beautiful trees and plans on either sides.
Everyone in the kingdom was aware of their king's love for flowers, especially exotic plants. He loved nature so much that he had gardens everywhere. His most favourite ones being the garden in the townhall and most especially his garden at his beloved castle.
That garden was not to be compared in all the other kingdoms.
"You know I always want your honest opinion Endron." he replied with a sigh, he was exhausted. He had just decided to step out here to get some rest and fresh air before he continued settling he matters scheduled for today.
"I think that this case is just a petty squabble among brothers." he replied.
"I agree, then why did you insist I hear the case?" Phillip groaned.
As expected the only way Endrick was able to acquire and audience in the king's court was because he had reached out to effectively the only man whom the king actually listened to in the entire kingdom.
"I will admit that I thought things would go more civilized, however, I should have known that things are never civilized when it involves that outcast of a family." he scoffed.
"Lord Endrick promised me his daughter's hand in marriage for my son Easton if he gained his title back." Endron admitted unashamedly as he sat down beside his king.
"You know that boy of mine is absolutely blind. The only thing he loves more than food is talking too much." Phillip laughed as he nodded in agreement.
"I thought that it would be a good deal to secure a wife for my son, and in the process remove a corrupt man from the a place of power he coveted."
"Lord Endrick is a good man, he has no dirty past unlike his wicked half brother, his daughter would be a suitable candidate to be my son's wife."
"I see, however, Endron my friend, have you asked Easton about this? I doubt he would like the idea of you arranging a marriage for him." Phillip said.
"He has no choice, if I left it up to him our lineage would end." Phillip laughed hearing his words.
"We are born to serve, he needs to bring forth children, he is already old, at his age I already had him."
"Oh my friend, you really are too strict, Ian would never forgive me if I arranged a marriage for him." he said.
"Yes, but not all of us have the power to force our children to do our bidding by threatening to take away their title." Endron replied.
"Fair point." Phillip admitted.
"I just wanted to give him a little push and it seemed to work, Easton told me that Ian has finally found a wife." Phillip said joyously.
"Who?"
"I have no idea, Ian does not want me to know yet, but I am sure he will tell me soon." he smiled.
"You give me more reason to pressure my boy." Endron said. "Ian will soon get married and have children, it is only proper that Easton follow behind so that their children will grow up together as they have."
"I agree my friend, I agree, that would be wonderful, but please, refrain from forcing your son to do something he does not want to do, he might end up resenting you for it." Phillip yawned.
"Phillip, not everyone is as gentle of a father as you are."
"Agreeably yes, however, Easton will not like the arrangements you have made." Phillip said.
"That is if that Lord Endrick wins this case." Endron said.
"Their family are just a bunch of insane people, every single one of them." he scoffed.
"Regardless, Viscount Dariel has been left to his wickedness for long, it is about time that he pays for all his evil doing." Phillip declared.
"My king, your fifteen minutes of rest are expired." Endron announced standing to his feet. He heard Phillip groan in exhaustion.
"How so soon?" he asked as he rose to his feet.
"You know how time works my king, it is never enough when you need it and too much when you do not." Phillip frowned clearly upset by such words.
"My work is never done." he sighed.
"Never sire." Endron smiled as he followed behind his king.
...
"So how did your first hearing go today?" Ohara asked, she was seated with Dariel in his office. She was no longer upset with him, rather she was worried.
"Terrible, as usual that blasted half brother of mine will stop as nothing to portray me as a scoundrel, meanwhile he is the true scoundrel, he and his entire family!"
"Oh, no, what did he say?" Ohara asked concerned.
"He just assumed some nonsense." Dariel said clearly upset. "And oh, he mentioned the will, can you imagine?!" He heard Ohara gasp as her eyes went wide.
"He mentioned the will?" she asked shocked.
"Yes, clearly his intention was to confuse everyone and spite me." Dariel scoffed.
"But, I thought you burnt the will?" she asked warily.
"I did, he said his insane mother told him that she saw me burn the will." Dariel replied as Ohara became uncomfortable.
"What if there is another copy of the will? What if Endrick knows that? He could prove your father's wishes in the will."
"There is no other copy of the will Ohara, I assure you, I burned the only existing one." he said unquestionably.
"Alright, if you say so Dariel, just know that if he finds that will you will have lost and you will be charged and end up spending the rest of your life in the dungeons and I cannot bear that." Dariel could see that she was almost on the verge of tears.
"My love, that would never happen, you do not have to worry." he said, he reached out to hold her hand and smiled and she nodded.
"Do you think that you have any chance of convincing our daughter not to move on with this plan?" she asked.
"I will be honest with you Ohara... her mind is made up, no." he replied as she sighed. He had told her what she did not want to hear.
"I understand." she sighed, there was no point in remaining upset. After all, it was her inability to shield her daughter from the evil going on around them that caused her to be so resolute in her decision making.
"Thank you for understanding my love." he smiled placing a soft kiss on the back of her hand.
"You are welcome, I should go and check what is being prepared for noon." she said standing up. "Oh, and I will be going to the market tomorrow, I heard that the prices of meat have gone up due to a drought in Drovan; I am sorry love, we just have to continue eating fish for a week or two more." she said as he just chuckled surprising her.
She would have expected him to snap, the lord knows how much he hated fish, and they had had it every single night for the past month now.
"It is alright love, very soon, we will not eat fish again in this home." he smiled as she could not help but looked surprised.
"By the way, you do not have to walk all the way to the market and back tomorrow, I hired a new carriage driver." he announced proudly.
"With which money?" she asked amazed.
Dariel paused before he spoke again. He knew that his reasoning would upset her. She had still not accepted their daughter's marriage to the insolent prince.
"Do you not trust me love? I said I would always provide for you, and have I not?" he asked.
"You have but, we do not have the money to pay the man, that is the reason the previous driver left." she reminded him.
"I know, but I have a feeling that things will soon change for our family, and that includes money." he smiled.
"Alright Dariel, if you say so." she said, she decided not to ask him any more questions, she had a feeling that she would not like his honest reply, and frankly, she was alright with not knowing the full truth.
"And I do say so love." he smiled as she smiled back at him before taking her leave.
As soon as Ohara closed the door behind her Dariel sighed, he sunk in deeper into his chair; his expression sullen. He pulled out a key attached to a necklace that was always hidden underneath his clothes.
He took it off over his head, he held it firmly in his hand and proceeded to unlock a drawer in his desk.
The key turned with a soft click as the drawer came sliding out effortlessly. He picked up a letter that had been hidden in the drawer.
He opened it and sighed as he read it. "I should have burned you when I had the chance." he said somberly and with that he locked the letter back in the drawer from which it came.
He returned the key to it's rightful place on his neck.