Tournament of Kings

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Informant

Relma found Estela visiting Frederick soon after. It was within their pavilion, laid aside at Benarus' expense. Frederick and Ronald had been given wine and servants to see to them. Relma thought this wise of Benarus. During the tournament, Relma had heard stories from Ronald of his adventures. They'd hunted much undead and saved the life of William and Felix, along with a famous druid called Jehair.

They'd also rescued many people who had been taken by slaving mercenaries from Sorn. No one was sure about the details, but William maintained it was the High Priest. Relma could simply not believe this, however, and neither had Ronald. You didn't become a High Priest of Elranor without some faith, and no one with any faith would do such a thing.

Either way, the knight was still being forced to spend a lot of time in bed by Aunt Pan. As it turned out, he was sleeping, and Estela was sitting there. Ronald was washing his hands while standing guard a little way off.

"Estela, I need to talk to you," said Relma.

Estela looked up in surprise. "What is it?"

"I..." Relma didn't want to say this. But she had to. "Well, honestly, how you won the tournament was wrong."

"What?" said Estela, staring at her.

"You didn't break any rules," said Relma. "But you flouted every courtesy and tradition. Against Garrick, it was understandable; he'd already broken them. But William didn't cheat or anything. You broke tradition simply because you didn't like him."

"I didn't have a choice," said Estela.

"You could have lost the tournament," said Relma. "It would have been an honorable match."

There was silence for a moment.

"...I need the money, Relma," said Estela with a sigh. "My family needs the money. We've had to raise several armies in the past decades, and the crown is virtually bankrupt. And now Stormstrike in eastern Escor is planning something.

"We may be in league with the Dragon Empire.

"With the money I won from the tournament, we could pay off our debts and refill the treasury. I must win this, or my family could fall from power."

"Oh, well, that's a good reason," admitted Relma. "Still, maybe you should explain yourself to William. It wouldn't be a good idea to have a vendetta between Vortegex and Gabriel."

"I don't need to justify myself to him," said Estela. "Do you know what his allies did in the Escorian Civil War? What Arraxia and the Dust Elves? And all in a war House Gabriel started."

"Maybe he needed the money as well?" said Relma. "Did you ever consider that?"

Before Estela could answer, the door opened. She looked up to where a man was entering. "Yes?"

Ham Hawkthorne entered the room. Estela stood up in anger. "Sir Ham Hawkthorne. What do you want?"

Ham looked different. He bowed his head. "I've come to apologize for my previous behavior. I was cowardly, ungrateful, and horrible. I am... ashamed of my previous actions."

"Don't worry about it. I forgive you," said Relma.

"He tried to cleave in your skull from behind," said Estela.

"Well, yes, that was pretty bad," said Relma. "But he apologized. And he seems pretty genuine." She looked back to Ham. It wasn't like she got anything out of holding a grudge here. "Why were you so upset about losing anyway?"

Ham shifted. "My father, he is a mighty lord. But he's been ridiculed for never taking the field of battle. He doesn't regard combat as anything glorious. But men say that House Hawkthorne are weak merchants who advance only by marrying well.