Sir Joseoph led the way to the keep and through its doors. The interior of the keep was hardly active, there were barely signs of the occupants. Brendon felt odd being accompanied by guards the entire way. He reminded himself it was only formality, even if it was less than a polite form of it. Sir Joseoph ended the pursuit outside of a wooden door and'knocking'announced lord Borem's presence. An affirmative call came from within and the door was opened, allowing Borem and Brendon inside while the two marked men and sir Joseoph remained in the hall.
The room was a study, shelves containing books and several desks; a hearth active on the far end of the room, away from anything that might find its way into the flames by mistake. A man, who Brendon assumed was lord Ivri, stood with his back to the door, peering out of an open window down into the yard. Shouts and calls came through the window, the clanging of sword against shield. 'Come in,' he said with a low voice, full with age. He turned to face as Brendon let Borem move ahead and greet the lord. 'Young lord Thanoam; you return after so many years. How long has it been?' The lord's face was a few years past Sir Joseoph. Grey sat in a more than healthy amount in his beard and hair. Sagging beneath his eyes only amplified the perceived age.
Borem smiled and went to embrace the man; it was returned with only a pat on the back. 'Too long, but in years, ten. You look quite unchanged.'
'I became greyed at a young age, so there is little physical difference now than a decade past. But you? You have grown quite tall and quite strong, I can see that easily enough. I have heard little of your sword arm and you have had no war to command, but such things need time to spread their tale.'
'I hope my sword arm is well off. I have with me Brendon of the Brotherhood of the Blade.' Borem turned back and motioned for Brendon to take his side. 'Of course you know of him and what it takes to earn his service.'
A smile stretched across the old man's face. 'Yes, I do. I do not know whether I should think less of the mercenary I have heard so much about or more of my past ward. If anything they say about you is true Brendon, then I would think the latter.'
Brendon bowed, 'lord Borem fought more than well.'
'I am glad to hear it.' Lord Ivri was silent for a moment, letting the smile linger on his face for while he took in the full stature of the two men who towered above him. 'And your father, Borem, how is his health?'
'He clings on, not sick yet not truly healthy. A visit might do him some amount of good.'
'I will have to make the trip north, though I am no man for the swamps in any weather other than spring.'
'Then spring will do fine. I will most likely be occupied with my own endeavors, however, my sister will be happy to accept and entertain you and any others that may accompany you. Speaking of which, how are my cousins?'
Lord Ivri sighed and moved closer to the hearth. 'The girl went south to Nilarion in hopes of joining that forsaken academy; I swear she gets it from her mother. Condon meanders around the castle, nothing much for him to do other than hunting and pestering the few wards we keep. Raquel is quite taken by one of the Durerie daughters and has been courting her for some time. I do not remember seeing his face since the beginning of summer.'
'Hmm,' Borem crossed his arms and scratched at his chin. 'I always thought Alyssa to be less of her mother than anything, but it is the most noble thing a woman can do besides bedding a lord's heir; can you really be angry with her for choosing one over the other?'
'No, I cannot, but I would rather have had her linger than leave the Throne. It is lonely without her.' The old lord looked into the flames as if they told some story that only he could see. 'Enough pleasantries. What words have you brought to convince me to lend you my forces.'
'Very well,' Borem began, taking a chair from the desk closest to him. 'I want Joseoph, and the rest of your knights. It is your duty. That is all.'
'My duty is to your father. I need not do anything unless he wishes and he has made no mention of your silly venture to the south. I do not suppose you have brought a missive from him? Of course not. Now, if there is anything else''
'Arthur Thaxasil is dead.'
Lord Ivri spun from the hearth with an energy he had not possessed a moment before. 'What? How?' Brendon felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.
'He planned to betray my father and slay my family, giving the lands and titles to Brendon here if he did the deed. Obviously Brendon did not take the offer, but did execute my father's justice quite swiftly, as I would have ordered him to do had I been present.'
The old lord flashed an eye of anger at Brendon before swiftly turning back to his nephew. 'And what is this, some sort of intimidation?'
'No, only more words. I mourn Arthur's death, but I am happier knowing his true intentions rather than having his forces at my back in some sort of falsehood. But, surely, his brother, who I assume will take the family's seat while Arthur's son ages, will pull the Thaxsil armies back and deny me much needed support. If this happens, then others might take up the same actions and soon I will possess a host unworthy of anything more than consuming my reserves. The next result is obvious; conquering of some sort, whether it is one of my father's men or another High Lord who sees me as too weak to protect my own lands. I need you, uncle, to support me and pressure Arthur's brother to stay with me. If he sees the reluctant lord Ivri fall in with the campaign, there will be no doubts.'
'I would back you in an instant if it were not a foolish fight in the south. Why Borem? Why not fight here and win the Throne for your father so he may die with a smile on his face? That is what he wants, not a war that is destined to end with your host's defeat against whatever wall you are going to break them against.'
'Oh, but this foolish war in the south will end in just the way my father wishes. The Throne will be mine; and more. The Thanoam banner will fly over the walls of North Wind, over the lands of Verli and the Nalroth's rich empire. I want the Ivri banner there with my own.'
Lord Ivri gazed into Borem's eyes, searching for something; for truth perhaps. It was the first Brendon heard of the full extent of the plans Borem had in mind and, if anything, they sounded greater than anything he had ever undertook. Perhaps the campaign would be successful, perhaps not; in either event, the coming seasons would be far more interesting than anything in his past.
'I suppose,' the old lord said with a drawn out sigh. 'I will support you Borem, but only for the memory of your aunt; she would have advised me to lend you my forces. Do me a favor though, take Condon by your side and treat him as a brother. Joseoph will command, I will not be joining you in person.'
Borem stood from his seat and placed a hand on his uncle's shoulder. 'Thank you, I will do you well by taking your son by my side. If you could begin preparations''
'Yes, yes, immediately.' Lord Ivri cupped his hand about his mouth and shouted, 'Joseoph!' The knight entered from the hall and bowed. 'I have agreed to support lord Thanoam, you will command, take what preparations you feel right, and summon Condon to my study.'
'Yes milord,' the knight answered.
'Now,' lord Ivri said, moving past Borem and to a desk with a quill and ink, 'tell me how it feels Brendon, to have killed father and son of the family Thaxasil?'
