The clang of the silver goblet ferociously hitting the floor of the Ravenscourt great hall was enough to make Jarendrud shudder.

"She told me this would happen, she fucking told me!" shouted Ethelston as his metallic plate followed shortly after the goblet.

Ethelston stood up and paced around the room, holding his hands upon his head in frustration.

"Who told you, my lord?" Jarendrud asked, slightly fearful of Ethelston's current state of fury.

"Erdudvyl!" Ethelston responded abruptly, "she warned me that I place to much trust in people."

"My lord, Arminell seemed like a solid choice at the time of his appointment, the other soldiers looked upon it favourably," Jarendrud responded, hoping to give Ethelston some reassurance.

Ethelston sat at the table once more, his face full of thunder. "Yet he has been working for the very people that have killed some of his own. Perhaps I should allow the guards to choose the type of execution he will receive."

Jarendrud frowned, his years of stress painted themselves on his forehead "My lord, there are a few things that you will need to consider before you go down this route if you are willing to listen to my words?"

Placing his hands on the table in front of him, Ethelston took deep breaths. It had been some time he had been this angry, and generally, a night at a brothel would help him relieve some of that stress. Though every time that thought entered his head, guilt inexplicably followed.

With that option not available to him, he recalled some techniques that he had learnt on his travels, especially from the Xu Lian province. Using some of those breathing techniques he acquired, he could feel the turmoil bursting around his mind start to ease.

"Speak." he eventually responded abruptly.

"My lord, please consider this an opportunity, not a problem, " Jarendrud explained. "Arminell will likely have most, if not all, of the names of the city guard that moonlight for the Black Knife Syndicate. With those names, we could finally have the opportunity to go on the offensive by uncovering more name, locations, people and banners."

Ethelston did not want to make it visible how much his words spoke true. Despite all of Jarendrud's explanations on espionage, it was something else that chewed away at Ethelston's mind against the idea of executing his Captain of the guard.

He had given his word not to execute anyone who came forward.

His mind was like a tempest, on one side, the sense of fury battered its way throughout, on the other hand, his sense of honour. Both were gradually eating their way through him; however, he could not go against his word.

Reaching forward, he grabbed ahold of the bottle of wine in front of him. With no goblet readily available, he drank straight from it to allow the sweet taste of grapes and sugar to ease the back of his throat. As the alcohol relaxed his mind, it also allowed him to think with less emotion.

He watched Jarendrud as he spoke, questioning whether the man, known as his spymaster, was as loyal as he made himself out to be. Keeping Arminell alive, was that all part of the Black Knife Syndicates plan, or was it an excellent opportunity that Jarendrud had developed to take them down?

These were silly thoughts, Jarendrud had always been loyal, even to his father. But then his father had eventually barely kept his life at his final days in Ravenscourt.

He drank once more, questioning himself whether he knew who to trust. As a mercenary, life was simple; you were out for yourself and out for the money. Betrayal was all part of the day job. A few slit throats or cut ears later and problems were generally resolved. It was impossible to run Ravenscourt with that type of mindset.

"My lord, I can understand if you are questioning my loyalty, " Jarendrud said as he studied his lord's facial expressions, "If you wish for me to step aside for you to find a replacement, I am at your command."

Ethelston shook his head; the thoughts in his mind were chaotic. He needed to set it at ease and think straight once more. "No, I need your council. What did you have in mind?"

"The names we gather, we let some drop, including Arminell's. The Black Knife Syndicate are likely to want to exterminate these people as an example. We have these people watched, we apprehend the potential assassins and shake them for more names. We shake the apple tree and see what drops."

Ethelston smiled; the simplicity of the suggestion made him wonder why he hadn't thought of it earlier.

He drank some of the wine again, this time allowing himself to savour the taste, if enough of the apple tree were to be shaken, perhaps the two other names of the remaining leaders belonging to the Syndicate would fall to the floor. While he had suspicions already of one, the other remained elusive.

"I will need to call the banners soon, or my hold on Ravenscourt will appear weak, " Ethelston responded, "If they arrive in Ravenscourt during civil unrest, it will be even more detrimental."

"I understand, my Lord. I would suggest calling the banners soon and begin preparations. I believe we will have crippled their hold in Ravenscourt before then." Jarendrud explained.

The thoughts of betrayal bombarded Ethelston's head once more, should he risk trusting Jarendrud so fully? With both Loldirr and Erdudvyl in Lionmane, he had to choose. Risk putting his trust entirely into his spymaster or stand-alone against threats in and outside of the Castle.

As he took a swig of the drink once more, he realised that to stand alone as a mercenary was expected, but to stand alone as a leader was suicidal.

"One of the banner nobles is a leader of the Black Knife Syndicate." Ethelston eventually reported.

Jarendrud smiled and nodded, "I know, my Lord. There are three houses in which I have my suspicions, but I wish to refrain from laying blame until I have concrete evidence."

A frown crept onto Ethelston's face. "And you decide not to tell me?"

Jarendrud lowered his head in respect, "Please understand, my Lord, that everything I do is in your best interest. If these houses were even to smell a whiff of suspicion, the culprit would go to the ground while the other Lords would question their loyalty towards you. I am your spymaster, which means, that why you work in the open, I work in the shadows, while you attack with your sword, I am the shield that defends you. As long as I live, I will protect you."

"Like my father?" Ethelston responded a little harsher than he anticipated.

Jarendrud smiled. "If it weren't for me, my Lord, he would have joined your mother. My forces were only able to protect one of you. Considering the babe that your father had in his arms, I went against his wishes and ensured his protection for the good of the realm. Despite my love for you and your mother, I would not hesitate to make the same decision again."

Ethelston smiled at Jarendrud's brutal honesty. As he took another gulp of wine, he was thankful to hear words of truth for once.

"What do you need?" Ethelston asked.

Jarendrud started to pace up and down the hall, contemplating the question. "Honestly, my Lord, my forces would not be able to protect your men and their families over the next few moons once word gets out. I would need additional forces, approximately fifty strong, to fill the gaps."

Taking another swig of his wine, Ethelston slammed the flask on the table once realising it was empty. "Hagrefjord is a day ride from here, I'll set out and find some mercenaries there."

"If the syndicate were to know?"

"They won't, " commented Ethelston, "besides, I know which mercenaries can be trusted with this task."

"My Lord, may I protest?"

"You may not," Ethelston cut off Jarendrud abruptly, "my decision is final. You will run Ravenscourt in my absence, in the meantime, bring in my Captain of the Guard for his judgement."

As Jarendrud escorted Arminell into the hall, Arminell looked directly at his liege. Ethelston wondered if his captain of the guard was angry, but as he edged forward, he could see the familiar look that he had seen upon thousands of men before him; regret.

Standing in front of Ethelston, the two men stood and bowed their heads in respect. Arminell's face was pale, and even now his eyes refused to make contact with the Duke of Ravenscourt, instead, looking at the floor dejected.

"Do you have anything to say?" Ethelston coerced.

Arminell initially shook his head before speaking, "No, milord, it's no consolation milord, but I was unable to step back from their influence."

"You're right; it is no consolation." Ethelston stood from his chair and walked over to Arminell. Standing beside him, he sighed. "Look at me. I feel it's important to look in the eyes of the man I will pass judgement."

Arminell turned, his eyes the last to swing around to focus on the furious Ethelston. They were dark and full of sorrow, and while most men would be sorrowful because they were caught, there was something more to his darkness.

"Every bone in my body screams for me to execute you. I placed you in a position of power, my right-hand man, " explained Ethelston.

"I'm sorry milord, I..."

"YOU WILL NOT SPEAK!" Ethelston shouted, slamming his fist on the table in fury.

The smash reverberated around the room, causing Arminell to jump.

"However, the man who stands behind you reminded me that I gave my word not to kill those who came forward. As a result, your life is now in his hands."

Jarendrud smiled towards seeing the mind games that Ethelston was portraying. "You will tell us the names of every member of the city guard who moonlights for the Black Knife Syndicate. You will say to us every other associate you know, every location you meet, every form of communication. You will tell me every detail, however insignificant."

Arminell turned back towards Ethelston, "If I tell you these details, milord, they will execute my family."

Ethelston grabbed hold of his tunic and pulled Arminell towards him. Despite Arminell's attempt to wriggle free, he underestimated the strength his liege possessed. "If you don't tell us these details, I will execute your family myself. You will watch as I paint the city red with their blood. Do not mistake my leniency for mercy. Jarendrud, show him to the exit."

"My lord." Jarendrud replied as he bowed and placed his arm on Arminell's back, coaxing him towards the exit.

As the sound of boots clapped along the stone floor, Arminell eventually stopped and turned towards Ethelston who had sat back down at the long table. "I'm sorry, milord, for everything, " he apologised, "they embedded themselves in the city long before you arrived; but you've been good to me, and the other men. I'll do what I can to help."

Ethelston could see the genuine regret that Arminell was holding, but he wasn't about to let any emotions cloud his judgment. "Yes, you will, Captain. They may have been here longer, but I will get my house in order, and I will see the Black Knife Syndicate brought to their knees, and once I finished, the world will know that the house of Darke has returned to glory."