571 A Play For Power - Part 2

"And, could you tell us quite what happened?" Jolamire pressed, a devilish smile on his lips that he was struggling to hide. Hod was leaning forward in his stone throne with his eyes narrowed, looking, searching.

"What happened…?" Redborne repeated, her eyes misting over as she did so. "Oh, what a dreadful occasion it was… My beautiful retainer Felicity. A gorgeous, hardworking girl. As bright as a button and everso loyal. She's so refined that some even mistake her for nobility… Of course, such a gem is no stranger to unfortunate attentions… As we all are," she flicked her red hair back with her hand, seeming to imply that she herself was part of that beautiful and much-pursued group.

The Ministers remained quiet, and waited for her to continue.

"Well… uhm… there's no easy way to say this, but Oliver Patrick was one such unwanted bit of attention," she said, almost whispering it, as though it was court gossip.