✓ | POOR JUDGMENT (A.FORRESTER)

Whitehills. Chapter Eight.

A/N: Merry Christmas Everybody XD

"My deepest apologies, m'lord. I tried to stop him but he-" The familiar voice of Royland resonated through the hall, the large oak does fumbling apart to reveal the band of men marching inside without invitation.
"So, the rumours are true!" The fat, ignorant git, that the Forresters knew far too well, exclaimed, letting himself into the room, and shoving past Royland aggressively. "You have no right to just-" Elyssa's voice emerged from nowhere, suddenly revealing herself at the sentinals side. "And if it isn't Elaena Glenmore. You're not still marrying into this wretched family?" The pig snorted with sarcasm, approaching the huddle of three that remained beside the fire, glaring in his direction. Rodrik's free hand, the one not clutching his cane, linked around Cynthia's wrist, holding her back from what she so desperately wanted to do. "Our houses will be joined, in fact. And we will stand proudly beside them." Elaena replied smoothly, standing beside Rodrik and his little sister, head held high. "Can I change your mind?" Ludd replied with a sly smile, etching onto his chubby features.  "You can do much better than this cripple." He laughed, his smug and arrogant voice irritating Cynthia to the breaking point. If it weren't for Rodrik's strong grip, she would've tried her best to beat the smugness off of that fat tyrant's face. "And my son Gryff needs a bride." He continued, not learning when to shut his trap. The mere mention of another Whitehill made Cynthia's stomach turn, bad memories of encounters with Gryff that ended sour resurfacing.

"Get out. Now." Rodrik's stern voice erupted, finally, having the same response and attitude towards the intruder as Cynthia. "How rude of you! Your mother's the one who invited me here." Suddenly all eyes were on Elyssa, an astonished expression appearing on her aging features. "That's not true." She snapped back quickly, turning her gaze between the varmint and her son. "I sent a raven to Lord Whitehill. About letting Ryon attend the funeral." The mention of a funeral caught Cynthia off guard. In this moment of bliss in which she was reunited with her brother had left her forgetting about the others. Her little brother had been taken, the other one slaughtered, and Lord Gregor was yet to have a proper send off. "But I never expected him to barge in like this!" Elyssa spoke on, glaring daggers at the pig whom had found his way into Ironrath. "Oh, she practically begged me to come." The temptation was so much, he was practically daring Cynthia or Rodrik to make a move against him. "Of course I'd want the same in her position." He continued, waltzing around as though he owned the place. "The youngest son, home to mourn his dead father and brother..." "Ryon belongs at the funeral. With his family." Rodrik replied calmly, gripping his cane and Cynthia's wrist as though they were the only things able to restrain his anger. "Not until I'm certain you know your place." Ludd growled, eyes narrowing as he sneered at Rodrik. "Lord Ramsay ordered your family to obey my soldiers until my son Gryff arrives from Harrenhal. But now I hear you're ordering them around. It makes me start to question your obedience." The title given to that bastard made Cynthia want to scoff, such a monster should not be labelled a Lord. And the nerve Ludd had to waltz into Ironrath, head held as high as the sky, demanding Rodrik prove himself was beyond belief. Cynthia could hardly believe it.

"Ludd enough of this." Elyssa's voice rose up, stern as always, though Cynthia was doubting the mood that woman let on. If she were a Forrester, like Rodrik and Cynthia, then she would undoubtedly be grinding her teeth like the pair of them. "Fine. Let's talk this through." Rodrik replied again, somehow keeping a level head in such a heated situation, one that had Cynthia clawing at her own palms, desperately wanting to cave the tyrant's skull in with Rodrik's cane. "How about I talk, and you fucking listen..." Ludd snarled, leaning towards Rodrik. "So here's the idea." He smiled. "We're going to make a fresh start, you and I. Your brother Ethan was so self-righteous it made me sick." The mere mention of her little brother made Cynthia gag, as though salt had been poured on an open wound. It stung like a bitch, and the assholl stood nearby was only adding to the pain, so much so Cynthia was prepared to kill him there and then, just for mentioning him. "But you're a different man entirely, aren't you? So if you want Ryon at that funeral...Show Lady Elaena that you respect your betters. Kneel. And kiss my shiny ring." The words all but spewed from the pigs mouth like poison, dripping with venom as he glared at Rodrik, almost expectantly. "Just do it, Rodrik." Cynthia shot a glare to Elyssa, for encouraging such an act of weakness and submission. Rodrik should show strength, especially to a cock-headed brute like Ludd Whitehill. "You don't want to end up like your brother, do you?" Ludd taunted, forcing Cynthia's knuckles to clamp shut, turning white with rage. "Please...it means nothing, and we'll get to see Ryon again." Elyssa continued on, eyes boring into her son as though she wished for him to embarrass himself.

Rodrik's familiar grey eyes turned quickly to Cynthia, seeing the madness in her eyes, and knowing full well what the outcome would be if he submitted like the coward Ludd wanted him to be. "I'm not kissing your ring. Do what you must." Rodrik's voice erupted bravely, back straightening as he glared at the false Lord stood in front of him. "Fine. I'll just tell Ryon you didn't want to see him." Ludd shrugged, the tiniest hint of a smirk slipping onto his smug face. "No, please..." Elyssa pleaded, but it had nothing to do with her. The Lord of House Forrester had made his decision, one that the majority of the room would agree with. "And because of your defiance...I'm taking what should have been mine in the first place. The other half of the Ironwood forest." Ludd announced, eyes narrowing as he turned back to the small huddle beside the fire. "Ramsay Snow said-" Rodrik began immediately, though the arrogant pig soon cut him off. "I know what Ramsay said. I'm saying something else. As of today, I harvest Ironwood from wherever the fuck I please. And you can't do a bloody thing to stop me." He challenged, sauntering around with so much pride it made Cynthia sick. "Careful Whitehill. House Glenmore backs us." Rodrik replied instantly, tilting slightly closer to Elaena. "And we're backed by the Boltons. So you'll be getting flayed together. You, and your pathetic ward." His eyes snapped to Cynthia, gaze seemingly intimidating though not enough to break Cynthia like he so dearly wanted to. "Go on, Ludd, I dare you." She snarled, glaring up at him with as much hate as she muster. "Well I have what I came for. I'll leave you to your business." He smirked, sparing one last glance in their direction before exiting quickly. "Oh, by the way. My soldiers have a name for you....Rodrik the ruined. Isn't that clever?" Ludd scoffed, before the doors could close and block him from view.

"You'd put your pride ahead of your family?" Elyssa snapped quickly, one Elaena had left. "What's poor Ryon going to think?" "He did the right thing, that we've abandoned him." Cynthia stated, standing beside her brother, finally releasing her clenched fists. "I couldn't kiss his ring in front of Elaena." Rodrik replied quietly. "She would've understood." Elyssa snapped again, eyes narrowed at her son. Without anything else being said, Lady Elyssa stormed off, not wishing to look at him any longer. "I stand by you Rodrik. You couldn't show weakness. Not to that pig." Cynthia spoke up, gripping onto Rodrik's hand for comfort. He clenched his cold fingers around hers, clearly still pissed off with the entire situation. "My lord, are you well?" Royland asked, approaching from the sidelines. "I am going to kill that man."