*cough*

Braydon coughed to hide any unwanted reaction whilst Nela was more than happy to look anywhere else in the room. It was not like neither of them understood that most people would think that they were actively courting each other. But to hear it said directly to their face? By one of her father’s closest friends? Braydon was alright because it had been directed at Nela but he could imagine that she just died inside.

“Haha. So I was right then.” Aled was having fun with this, they all knew it. It seemed like, now that he was firmly secured in his position, he was much more unreserved.

“I have not had much of a chance to think about such things whilst there was a war going on, Your Highness.” Nela was not going to admit anything, having replaced her embarrassment with her usual impeccable smile.

“But you are staying with the good earl are you not? Even after the matter of Earl Blake and his son have been handled no less. Or are you planning on going back home now? Many might think that you have had a falling out with Braydon.” Aled said with a serious expression.

“I have never kept her without her consent.” Braydon knew that it was a bit cowardly but he was not about to have the King shift the questions to him. He was more than happy to stand aside in this matter. Not to mention from his words, Aled was most definitely in favour of them becoming an item.

“I would not want others thinking poorly of Braydon unnecessarily. In that case, it may be wise to delay returning to Calton for a while longer.” Nela shot a look at Braydon before responding as if she had no choice in the matter. For her own reputation, she was not going to make it look like she was eager about anything. Nor was she so heartless to lower Braydon’s reputation needlessly.

“Good choice of words.” Aled complimented. Nela just tilted her head slightly and blinked innocently.

“On the matter of meeting family or not, Your Highness. Has the list of those that will retain their titles been completed yet?” Braydon diverted the topic before the King wed them there and then.

“Concerned for the wellbeing of your brother?” Aled asked. It was known by those that had bothered to look into it that Braydon and his brothers were not on the best of terms. But they had never had many conflicts out in the open, and none of them were serious. If there was one thing that Isaac Fiton was good at, it was not airing his family’s dirty laundry.

“Concerned is one way to look at it.” Braydon was not quite sure that he would phrase it the same way but there was nothing technically incorrect about what the King had said.

“It would not be good for me to tell you before everyone else. Even if I have regained much of the power my father lost, the walls still have ears.” Aled smiled, but Braydon knew that was bullshit. If the walls had any ears at all, they were most definitely in the king’s pocket. Whilst it may look like the King had only been meeting various lords over the past days, it was almost certain that the King had already replaced anyone that he could not absolutely trust before the victory ceremony had even started.

“If my brother needs to be punished I would not like to be seen to be pressuring you to give him pardon. I am told that he worked hand in glove with Ryder after all. Just desserts and all that.” Braydon said one thing but meant another entirely. There was no way that he would advocate for leniency when it came to George. He would be all too happy to see the smug prick be brought down a peg.

“I shall take that into consideration. Your commitment to justice has been noted.” Aled replied as if there had been no other meaning but Braydon was happy enough with such a response. All that he could do was hope that his elder brother was disgraced. ‘Best write your will fast or Heimron will be mine as well.’ He did not doubt that his brothers had made a backup plan but he could dream.

“On an unrelated matter, I am surprised that Cinar is not here as well. I doubt that someone as popular as him has a need for more friends?” Braydon was sure that anybody worth noting had already met with the new Duke. It was not like Cinar was a newly instated noble, he had been around for years.

“I hear that there are various merchants that have gone to see him. Just as many as tried to visit you yesterday. And there were a number of Leighians that arrived today.” Aled only smiled and shook his head. Of course those merchants had smelt a danger to their profits.

Cinar was no longer the neutered marquess of the border that they could largely ignore. If they wanted to trade in bulk in Fiveria, then they had better be on good relations with him. Earl Blake may not have been a great man but his territory was pretty good. Specifically, the main river that ran through the west of Fiveria, the Piety, bordered parts of Cinar’s new lands. He could take advantage of that to levy heavy tolls. It was not like any of the other lords could take issue with him.

“Too busy up north to start another war so they send the merchants instead?” Braydon scoffed, the Leighian colonies in the Darhish Isles had been a perennial issue for them. It was only during times of relative peace that they could think of being aggressive on the mainland. Such as twenty years ago. When they ate Cinar’s lunch. Braydon doubted that he had forgotten about that.

“It would seem as such. Apparently their competitors in the Rotfeldian colonies have been quite active this past year or so.” The King might not have cared about news like that but Braydon and Nela looked at each other. At least they could confirm that the visitor from the day before might truly represent someone from across the ocean.