<div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Ashburne - Amberthorne</strong><br/><br/><div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/0/05/Graham_Ellery_1.jpg)<div align="center"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;"><strong>Graham Ellery</strong></span></div></div><div class="floatleft">(http://)</div>Graham crossed his arms over his chest as Asher interjected. The bodyguard had a talent for cutting through all the bullshit and just laying things out the way they were. He was the perfect sounding board, but at the same time, he was the worst at helping to actually finalize a decision. He'd made both Graham and Stanton's viewpoints sound correctly reasonable, making the choice even harder for his lord to make. But that was the whole reason Asher was always there. In the comfort of that meeting room, surrounded by guards and patrols, he had far less need of Asher's blade at all times. He was there to be the voice of reason that would calm nerves and make sure people didn't start strangling each other on top of the meeting table.<br/><br/>Of course, none of it actually solved the problem. Skeptical - and cynical - as always, Graham no longer trusted the deal they'd set out to make would pan out, and he desperately needed a fallback plan. So far though, there was nothing that came to mind, except for Stanton's suggestion, which Asher seemed to think might not be such a bad one in the first place. He'd need to come to a decision, which both other man surely knew. But Graham was already certain that appealing the king was the equivalent of signing a death warrant. The fact that his people might not be as rebellious and may not have the luxury to stand on principle, did not factor into his consideration yet; after all, he was blinded by a hatred of his country's monarch. It was so very easy to lose sight of the bigger picture, that the common farmer finds it far more important to have food on the table for his family, than to win some battle of lofty ideals.<br/><br/>As Stanton made his way out and Meg entered, he finally spoke up, forcing the elderly nobleman to halt in his tracks and return to his seat. <strong>"Lord Stanton, I want you here for this. Lord Bray, as well,"</strong> Asher could usually safely assume his presence was desired in any given meeting, but Graham still often felt the need to confirm. Finally, he turned away from the window and faced the young lady that had entered the meeting room. He greeted her with a humble bow of his head, before circling around the table to sit down at the head, from where he had risen moments earlier when the discussion had grown heated. Graham figured she had heard a fair share of it, given that she'd been waiting outside. He was curious whether or not she would choose to use any of that information against them. Asher seemed fond of her, seemed somewhat trusting, but the jaded lord was more skeptical. She had been wronged, no doubt about that, but she was still a child of blue-bloods - however low on the totem pole - and if there was something that most of the nobility were, it's opportunistic. If she was anything like that, she might want to use that knowledge to secure her position, because right now, she had everything to lose and precious little to gain. Not a good position for anyone to be in.<br/><br/>He reserved those thoughts for himself of course, instead sitting down and planting an elbow on an arm of his chair. From there, he watched her for a few silent moments, while Stanton returned to his seat with a rather surprised expression on his face.<br/><strong>"Lady Meghan, I hope you were able to get some rest?"</strong> it was a rather silly question, he knew that much. She'd probably only gotten some sleep because she was utterly exhausted. Beyond that, nightmares plaguing her mind were likely to take up the norm of her nights from thereon out. <strong>"I know this is a difficult time for you, but the longer we wait before we can get a good idea of your situation, the sooner I can get a detailed word out to the king's court. Hopefully, they will seek to resolve this issue in a fair trial, which would exonerate you of any wrongdoings you've been accused of,"</strong> ever the cautious individual, Graham made sure he never once let out implications that he believed her or not. From her point of view, he would likely appear as an impartial arbiter. While cold, that was probably the best thing she could have at that moment.<br/><strong>"If you could tell us more about your family's lord, and what exactly transpired to have him turn his ire on you so... vehemently?"</strong><br/><br/>Why was lord Stanton still there? The elderly gentleman didn't seem to know either.</div>