<span style="color: #0080FF">Earl Wylyam Ramsay</span>was one of the first nobles in the Great Hall for breakfast, arriving early as he usually did. Initially he passed the time joking with the King’s guards. He knew many of them from his years spent at the palace, and some also from serving on campaign together. Despite the difference in their ages and stations; men who fight, kill and bleed together share a special connection that Wil enjoyed taking part in. As other nobles arrived he turned his attention to mingling pleasantly with them as well.<br/><br/>When Lorna Shaw made an appearance Wil’s face lit up. He made it a point to walk directly to her and greet her in a manner worthy of her noble birth. Some considered Lorna to be a bit of a pariah because of her now-ended affair with the King, but not Wil. As a bastard child produced from a similar relationship, Wil had a soft spot in his heart for her and what she was enduring. While she did not become with child during their relationship, she nonetheless was being forced to bear a generous helping of self-righteous indignation for falling in love. Nearly all of those most critical of her were hypocrites, however, since they were guilty of the same behavior. The only difference was that many of them had yet to be caught. Besides that connection, when she and the King were an item the three of them spent a fair amount of time together travelling and at court events. Wil genuinely appreciated her company and considered Lorna to be a good friend.<br/><br/>“Lorna, ye look brammer thes morn,” he said, complimenting her in his thick Garikin accent before taking her hand and kissing it with a polite bow. If she allowed him, following that he gently took her arm in his and escorted her towards a pleasant seat by one of the windows, their servants Mary and Alan in tow. “Ah have a present tae be delivered later fur ye – anither book Ah brooght back from across th' channel. Ah think ye will loch it.”<br/><br/>Once they reached the table Earl Wylyam sat down beside her to talk about old times. When that conversation waned he brought up another, more sensitive topic. He asked her if they could speak in private – in other words if Mary and Alan would give them a little space.<br/><br/>“M’lady,” Wil’s squire said to Mary, “Would you join me for a cup of… well… whatever it is they are serving over there. It appears to be steaming and… warm…?” he asked, not exactly sure what he was inviting her to take part in.<br/><br/>Once they had a few moments of relative privacy Wil told Lorna what was on his mind.<br/><br/>“Dae ye remember Elizabeth Saville, th' maid Ah am madly in loove wi'? She’s haur wi' 'er faither an' siblings. Dad doesn’t want 'er tae marry; he wants 'er tae bide at home an' tak' care ay him. Ah haven’t spoken tae him since Ah inherited mah title an' Ah was gonnae ask him again tonight fur 'er hand. Ah need yer advice – wha’ can Ah do tae convince him?”<br/><br/>After they had spoken for a while Wil saw the Savilles enter the great hall and he immediately stood up.<br/><br/>“Mah lady, please excuse me – Ah simply hae tae spick tae 'er. It’s bin months…” He added with a smile, giving her forearm a gentle squeeze of thanks. “We’ll gab later, awe rite?”<br/><br/>Wil made his way over to the Saville family with a warm expression and open arms. He approached Sir Jonas Saville first and gave him a firm handshake and a friendly slap on the opposite shoulder. Wil was genuinely happy to see him, even if Jonas refused his previous proposal for Elizabeth. He then did the same for Peter whom he was also pleased to see again and doing well. It had been years since their harrowing escape from the brigands near Lake Palace, and the young man seemed not be too harmed by the adventure.<br/><br/>Next he greeted Johanna, who had grown significantly since he last saw her. “Ye hae become a proper yoong lady, mah dear; eet is a pleasure,” he said, offering to take her hand and kiss it politely as he would a woman of the court – if she were so inclined.<br/><br/>Then came the moment he had been anticipating for months. He greeted the love of his young life with so much barely contained emotion that his demeanor bordered on reverence. He slowly dropped to one knee and took her left hand as if it were a gift from the Holy Father himself, and kissed her ring finger intentionally. Her finger seemed so naked – so completely in need of a ring that would tell the entire world that she was his wife. Unfortunately that seemed like a far off possibility at the moment.<br/><br/>“Lady Elizabeth,” he said, rising back to his feet. “Ye ur e'en mair bonnie than Ah remember,” he complimented her truthfully as his hand lingered on hers. He couldn’t bring himself to let go of it despite the fact that it was deeply inappropriate in front of the assembled company. Completely under her spell, Wil slipped his fingers between hers and held them until she shook herself loose. Turning back to her father he asked about their travel to the palace.<br/><br/>“Ah troost 'at ye had safe travels haur? Safer than th' lest time Ah was in yer company?” Wil asked with a smile. “Also, how lang ur ye stayin'? Ah would loove to dine wi' th' woman who saved mah life an' 'er fowk at some point.”