Carol
Levi Cortez 
Swinford 

Levi nodded. "I am surprised." He said, looking back once more at the buildings before he led his horse into the stables. He put his forehead to the horse's and murmured a thanks before turning around and tightening the cloak he wore around himself. The mud sunk under each step as they walked. Each step or movement made a noise. When Levi left the stables John had taken off his jacket.

"I don't know how you can stand this wind. It's brutal." He said, pulling the pitch black hood back over his head, shielding himself from the biting wind. He felt the man grab his shoulder and Levi turned, following him inside. 

When Levi stepped inside, his immediate thought was to grab his dagger. Everything felt off for no apparent reason, but Levi's every instinct was telling him to run far away. The same feeling that ran through him now was the same feeling he had the day Aleqar died. Levi shook the idea out of his mind when John called for the boy to start a fire. "It does indeed." Levi said, with all seriousness. He stood over by the hearth, only taking a seat when he was offered one. He was not used to sitting around anyone of higher status.

"I apologize, it's only a habit." He said jokingly.
Frankie
Lord Albert Rhoderick
Swinford

Albert was on edge as he approached the seat of Swinford, his stomach doing flip-flops and his hands clammy. He hadn't had any time to speak with John yet, really, so this would be his chance to expose the Whylders and swear his loyalty again. Hopefully that would be enough to appease John, and perhaps, if he was lucky, he could weedle his way into John's good graces and perhaps earn himself a position in John's entourage.

He arrived not long after Levi and John and was granted access with little hassle. The door swung open and he stepped inside, blinking a bit as his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room. As soon as he saw John, he bowed deeply to him, then stood straight, his spine rigid and his jaw clenched. Unlike the other two, he was only vaguely aware of the damp and cloying air in the room. It felt more like home than most places did, and reminded him of his keep.
Bobby
John De Burgh
Swinford

 Once the room was made brighter and warmer by the fire, John had excused himself from the hearth and made his way towards the long desk placed at the far back of the room. There, a group of men joined him as they unfolded several rolls of parchment. Among them was Lord John's chief military strategist on the southern front, Marshall Sanson. Sanson had earned himself the epithet "The powerful" When, in the War of the Seven Hills, his men reported seeing him crushing the skulls of his enemies between his two palms. The man made John seem truly unimpressive in terms of stature, being near as tall as the ceiling and heavy as an Ox. "My Lord," He said, nodding to John as he laid out multiple maps before him that were marked laboriously.

__
__
Before too long, many of the most esteemed men who had pledged oaths of fealty to John had surrounded his oaken seat at the table, whispering and murmuring of their next campaign. "Iron Gate has generously supplied our war effort through the Everspire supply line. However, our allies in the North and West are demanding retribution for their services. I fear we may soon need to find more immediate methods to secure the provisions of your army." His fingers, wide as sausages, slid up and down the parchment highlighting the logistical outpost of Everspire keep that John had secured not long prior. From that outpost, lines stretched far west and north to secure provisions necessary for the armament of John's troops. He could not afford for these lines to fall into jeopardy. "So long as the road Lords keep their treaties and continue to pledge their allegiance, our provisions are safe along the northern pass." John pointed to the image of a fortress built at Swinford and summoned forth the Lord of the Treasury, who John had actually brought alongside him on his campaign from the Regency council. "The entrances facing south, west, and east are to be used only for logistical purposes. I want nobody entering or exiting this city unless it is from the Northern gate."

__
__
More chatter ensued before attention suddenly transferred to Lord Rhoderick, who had just entered while the group was closing its business. John rose to his feet, approaching Albert to embrace him. As he did so, he kept one arm around Lord Rhoderick and exclaimed to the crowd. "I'm sure you all know who this lad is. A boy I've known since he was born, and a dear friend to our cause." John grinned at Albert, and motioned for him to take a seat with him and Levi at the hearth.