<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="color: #FFBF80"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;">Edward d’Alambart</span><br/><span style="font-size: 120%; line-height: 116%;">The Reeve of the King</span></span></span></div><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><a class="postlink" href="http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/o793/Galvin_Fugazi/0f2924cf-6f75-4d40-9624-644687d02b67_zps91f85a12.jpg">[ img ]</a></div><br/><br/><div style="text-align: justify;">Edward had no idea what he should make of Sir Leon's display in the arena. Something was off and he couldn't get a hold on it. Leon surely was bold enough to show his animousity open in the arena, for everybody to see. But as Leon had said himself, mercy and consideration wasn't his strong feature. It could have been more expected that he would leave a permanent mark on Lady Adelaide's pretty face, if she really crossed him. This public humiliation seemed weird and he decided to keep an eye on it. When the Queen mentioned that she had not been very fond of his flirting he nodded. <br/><br/><span style="color: #FF8000">“You can count on that. They will all try to win your heart, my Queen. Although I can't really blame them for it, with your youth and your looks, I will try my best to keep them of your back. And Leon is surely one I wouldn't like to see on the throne, like a lot of others I have to say unfortunately.”</span><br/><br/>Edward looked up when the old priest from the town church of Ipale walked up to the guards behind the royal box. It was rare that the old man left his church and it was well known that he had no high opinion on the bloody games of knights. Something must be wrong and Edward excused himself from the two ladies, exiting the box and leading a clearly agitated priest aside to an empty place between two tents, where they could speak without listeners.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF8000">“Father, you seem troubled, did someone rob the church or what makes you come up to this god-forsaken place, as you always called it?"</span><br/><br/>The old priest looked around and it was obvious how much he disliked all the drunken men and the whores and those blasphemic nobles. But he had something more urgent on his mind and he needed certainty.<br/><br/><span style="color: #80FF00">"Sir Edward, I have to ask a question. Do the names Sir Yakari Aeide and Lady Amena Cadell sound familiar to you? Have you been involved in any talks about those two houses uniting by marriage?"</span><br/><br/>Edward looked at the old priest with wary eyes. Sure he could imagine that Amena in her youthful enthusiasm about finally being loved by someone may have considered a marriage. But she had not talked to him about it and if she had done, he would have tried to talk her out of it. It would put her in enormous danger, would make his job to keep her safe impossible and Sir Yakari first had to find some stable engagement before he could be even considered to be able to provide a home for Amena.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF8000">"I know the two persons, they met today and it looks like they are in love with each other, but a marriage between those two would be way too early. The young lord has no engagement yet and is too poor to provide a home for the young lady and Lady Amena has to solve some problems with her family too first. No, they have not spoken with me about a marriage and I would have not consented in one. But if you ask like that, you must have some reason for it. Did the two call the banns?"</span><br/><br/>The old priest had looked up to the sky in despair, crossing himself. He seemed to be under shock.<br/><br/><span style="color: #80FF00">"Oh my, what have I done, Sir Edward? It is worse than that, they coaxed me into wedding them today. I wouldn't have done it, but they told a story about her family trying to put Lady Amena in danger of her life and that Sir Yakari had only a legit claim into protecting her from her father if he would be her husband. And they told too that you approved of the marriage to keep her safe....and he offered a big donation for the church. I wouldn't have done it otherwise. Oh no, what have I done?"</span><br/><br/>Edward was shell-shocked. Not that they had used his name for it, not that they had bent the truth a little, not that Sir Yakari had promised a donation he may have not afforded, if he wouldn't have got the compensation for Sir Hagener's cheating today. But that Amena had not trusted him enough to tell him. Sure he would have never approved of that marriage, but that Amena had done without telling him - it was making him wonder if he really knew the young girl.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF8000">"Your donation should be safe. The young man is surely coming around with the money. Don't worry about that. About the rest, well, I will take care of that. Return to your church, father. It will all be in the best order."</span><br/><br/>Edward watched the old priest waggle away and he was standing there, deeply disappointed of Lady Amena. She had been one big disappointment after he had put all his trust into her in the morning. And he wondered if he had made his first big mistake in life. That was the moment when a familiar red-head walked hurriedly across the free space. Edward made a step out of the shadow and blocked her way. His face was full of anger and disappointment. He grabbed her right hand where she still wore the ring, after she had put it there before she stormed in on Danielle. Wordlessly he pulled the hand up and held it in front of her face to see. It was bad enough that she had done it, that she displayed for all her enemies to see...that was simply silly.</div>