IN LORD EDRIC'S COURT…
By dawn, word of the beast's escape had already spread beyond the manor walls, crawling into the ears of men who feared him more than they feared God.
An impromptu meeting that woke Lord Edric from his beauty sleep was called without his knowledge.
The lamps hung at almost every corner of the room, shining so bright that not even a shadow could hide in the room.
Six men sat around the huge oak table in the centre of the room with maps and boat pointers placed on rivers and borders on the map, with Lord Edric sitting at the head of the table in a high seat that seemed to swallow up even his round frame.
But they were not there to read maps or prepare for wars.
The war they faced was much worse.
A war that threatened to destroy the bridge of trust between Lord Edric and the council, the villagers, and the king himself.
A bridge built on lies and deceit.
And he will rather be found dangling from a rope like his cousin - the late duke - than let these people find out his secrets and stone him to death.
'We gave him his blood sacrifice, what else does he want?' one of the men seated at the table finally broke the silence.
'Have you lost control of him, Lord Edric? Because you seemed to know everything concerning him right from the moment he was born, the youngest of the men asked. Pushing weights too big for him.
Lord Edric gritted his teeth in silence. His eyes were tinted with wine and annoyance.
In his hands was a scroll he had just received from the king's messenger at dawn.
He didn't even know what was going on himself until he was informed about the urgent meeting that had been scheduled.
How could he have left the manor, and who had seen him and was so fast to send the message to the other lords and even the king before I could have known myself? He pondered within himself.
'Are we to just sit here and watch you poised like a statue?'
Edric's fat palms held on tightly to his legs underneath the table, not ready to give away his anger and frustration to the men in front of him.
'I plead with you all to give until the next cock crow to figure all these out. I am mortal like all of you, and there is no way I can handle a bea…'
'That sounds so different from what you told us thirty years ago before you took up the position as regent,' the young lord said again.
'And have I failed you since then? Just one night of unchecked rumour and you have the bulging cock to talk to me?' Edric directed his words at no one else but the young man at the opposite end of the table, who stared back at him with no hint of fear in his eyes.
'You may not have, but we have sacrificed so much, and yet a beast is out…'
'Have you seen it, Lord Tyrion? Did you see it leave the manor? Did you go close enough to it?' Edric rose from his chair and thundered.
He waited a few minutes, and only silence reigned until Fabian - his adviser - walked silently up to him like a noiseless ghost, and whispered things into his ears.
Edric closed his eyes for a moment and let the words soothe his soul, then he stared back at the young lord who was now looking away.
'I thought so, Tyrion. And never forget the reason why you are here in the council. Your father or brother has not been confirmed dead yet' Edric spat out, and relaxed back into his seat.
The room remained quiet for a while until he was ready to speak.
'I advise you all to return to your homes.' There was a bit of murmuring and side gestures at his proposal.
'By the break of dawn, be assured that I will have no sleep until I have looked into the matter,' he said, and got up to leave the room.
'Do you need any help, Lord? I can send more soldiers to your army' Tyrion asked in a low voice that almost sounded cowardly.
Edric looked back at him with a smile of victory on his face.
'Maybe you should send the soldiers to help your father and brother on the war front, my young lord,' he replied and walked away before anyone had anything else to say.
His long robe flowed behind him as Fabian followed quietly behind, holding a small scroll close to his chest.
"What in the seven gods' name is happening, Fabian?" Edric growled under his breath once they stepped out of the council chamber and into the dimly lit corridor.
"Who brought this news to court and even took it to the king before I even knew he had left the manor? Who dares move against me inside my own walls?"
Fabian's steps did not falter as he walked briskly behind the reagent.
"My lord… it was not a villager, nor a soldier. The message came with no seal, no name, no vigil. Only the king's messenger claims he found it tied to the gates of the Keep at dawn."
Edric stopped walking.
'Are you saying that faceless demons now roam not just our town, but the king's landing as well?' His eyes bubbled with fear and silent anticipation. Waiting for his most trusted adviser to confirm this madness.
'Ye..ess my Lord, ' Fabian stammered, and held on tightly to the scroll in his hand.
Edric swore under his breath and ran a hand over his head as he continued walking towards his chambers, not caring at all about a few servants who looked his way with scared eyes and hurrying feet.
"This is ridiculous. He has never left that damned manor. Never once!"
He stopped and took a step closer to Fabian, voice rising. "Why is he outside now? Why, after all these years, is he suddenly showing himself?"
Fabian hesitated.
"My lord… I believe it is connected to the failed ritual."
Edric stilled.
"Failed?" he repeated, his voice low and venomous. "What do you mean, failed, Fabian?"
Fabian's throat bobbed.
"The maiden. The girl we sent." He swallowed again and looked away as he repeated, "She is still alive."
Edric's face drained of color.
"What?"
"The housekeeper kept her," Fabian whispered. "For reasons she has not revealed to anyone — not even to me. The ritual was never completed."
For a moment, there was no sound.
Not even the torches dared to crackle.
Then Edric slammed his fist into the stone wall so hard a tremor passed through the floor, and his soft hands began to bleed.
"That cursed woman," he spat. "That cursed witch of a woman! Thirty years she has managed him, and now—now she grows soft? You mean to tell me he is running wild through the forest because the ritual was not done?"
Fabian lowered his gaze.
"Yes, my lord."
"And she let the girl stay in the manor?" Edric growled. "She allowed him to be near her? TOUCH her?"
Fabian nodded once.
"Then what happened inside those walls to drive him out in such a frenzy?" Edric demanded, stepping closer until their faces were inches apart.
"What did she do? What did HE do? And why did nobody report this before dawn?"
Fabian looked away.
"My lord… we do not know yet."
Edric stared at him a long moment — long enough that Fabian began to shift under the weight of his glare.
Then his voice dropped to a cold whisper.
"Find out."
"My lord—"
"Find out," Edric repeated through clenched teeth, "why the ritual failed… why the monster left the manor… and why, after thirty damned years of obedience, he now dares to let people see him."
His fingers twitched with barely contained fury.
"If Blackthorn's beast disobeys me now…" His eyes darkened as he stared into space while rubbing his bleeding hand.
"…then everything I worked hard for over the years will come crashing down just before I achieve my dreams"
The old skinny Fabian grimaced lowly as Edric turned away from him.
'There is more, my lord, ' Fabian added, and watched as Edric's fat body seemed to shrink in front of him.