The Truth Over The Wall

Chapter 33

Dominic sat behind his desk, one hand curled into a fist and pressed against his mouth. While the other drummed a steady beat against the top of the hardwood as the knight's report before him continued.

"Furthermore..."

Emery sighed and gave Dominic one long look before turning away to shake his head; this was not going to end well.

Suddenly Dominic raised his hand to stop Sir Darin, at which all sound ceased within the tent. Dominic sat up straight and surveyed the half a dozen men that had come before him very carefully, half a dozen to represent the qualms and concerns of the rest of the army. Six men in total to protest against the witch that had insinuated her way amongst their number.

Six grown men – in short – that had come, scared, complaining about one young girl, who was injured and unconscious no less.

"Your Highness," Lord Alban cleared his throat uncomfortably, "the witch lied to us."

"The Lady in question could've only lied to you, Lord Alban," Dominic said sitting up, "if you'd actually asked her whether she was a witch and then for her to have said no. Now I don't remember but I don't think you asked her any such question?"

"I did not." Lord Alban hissed with an indignant quiver of his chin. "I had thought that the word of my prince was good enough."

Dominic's eyebrows lifted momentarily as he tilted his head to study Lord Alban, "And that's changed?"

Lord Alban made a sharp intake of breath and looked about, surprised. Put this way, he sounded borderline treasonous. "I, but....uhhh, I wasn't..."

Dominic rolled his eyes and waved this away as well. "The point is: your prince's word is as good as it ever was. If Lady Amara did not disclose her status as a witch then she was within her rights to do so. And I hope you don't fault her for keeping her private matters to herself?"

"If there be a witch within our number," Lord Alban puffed out self-importantly, "we are within our rights to be made aware of the danger of it."

Dominic's nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed, as he said, "I see. And since my Lord has made it a business of his to pry into the lives of the people around him, I suppose you'll want the rest of us to declare our pedigree lest we should be a danger as well?

"That my mother is in fact cousin to none other than Duke AvonDem, the current ruler of Derker and our immediate rival after the witches?"

Even before their desertion in the war against the witches, Derker was never a favorite with Araaia. The alliance was a necessary evil that the people were willing to bear for the addition in numbers.

It was a thing that was never said out loud, that before her marriage, Queen Eleanor was Princess Eleanor of Derker, and that impressed by her character, the Araaian's had graciously put this fact out of their mind. That their Queen was in fact from no worse place then Derker...

...and that their future King was part Derkeran. It was not something they liked to think about it; and it was certainly not something they wanted their prince to acknowledge out loud.

"Anyone else want to humor Lord Alban and share their family affairs?" Dominic asked nonchalantly, as he looked around at the shocked faces and shrugged.

"I have a nephew," Sir Emery said into the awkward quiet, "who is half Nerfet."

There was a loud curse from their number, and then someone started to choke on air, while another gasped, "No!"