John was pious, caring, generous, and had many other virtuous qualities. Lady Talbot was not any of those things; she was greedy, manipulative, and prone to jealousy.
Lady Talbot poured the wine into the chalice with all the practiced elegance of her noble upbringing. Her visitor took the goblet eagerly. Freidan Gold, the wine of choice today, had become harder to come across as tensions flared between the two kingdoms. Lady Talbot took her own goblet into her hand and clinked the wine together with her counterpart.
Her counterpart swirled the wine in the goblet and smelt it; she knew he was trying to play the part of a rich noble. He wished to impress her. "Fool," she thought in disgust, he would have to be much richer to meet her requirements. Even fools had parts to play, Lady Talbot knew how to use those fools better than most.
Lady Talbot shifted in her seat, just enough so that her skin showed through the parting down the leg of her dress. Seduction was a power equal to few in the world, a power she took advantage of now.
Elizabeth Talbot took a small sip from her chalice, eyes never leaving the man across the table from her. "I am grateful that you agreed to join me for this small lunch, Sir." Men always love to be called by their titles, especially those who are insecure.
"I must admit, I was rather shocked to have received your Missive this morning." A great Brown bear was sewn into the knight's right breast. Elizabeth scoffed at the pitiful stitching. This man before her couldn't afford something as simple as some backwater serf to stitch his own family crest on.
"Tales were told to me of your deeds upon countless battlefields. I'm always looking for dependable knights." She lied; this 'John of Lynford' was almost a complete unknown to her. Tales of this knight that had been spread around Blychester were that John was a thug out only to enrich himself. "Perfect," Elizabeth smiled.
John's unruly, unkempt beard was soaked with wine, dripping onto his shirt and leaving purple stains. Lady Talbot swore she could see fleas jumping across his shaggy mane of brown curly hair. He poured himself a second cup of wine, having already forgotten table manners. Elizabeth was only a quarter of the way done with her own cup.
Lynford smirked at the mention of his deeds; he didn't know Talbot was lying. "Was it my actions against the barons of the Emerald Islands you heard? Or was it how I saved the Prince of Aldervald? Maybe my legendary duel against Thaniel the Sparrow?" John was eager to talk about his fame; Elizabeth felt more wary of her company as time went on.
"All and more gallant, sir, your reputation precedes you far and wide." Elizabeth faltered him as much as she could stomach. "That brings me to an issue I need solved, one only you could do." She lied again; many could do this; he was just the only one on hand.
John Lynford leaned forward with interest. The pitcher of wine was devoid of its contents; the expensive wine was now half drunk by the knight or half worn by him.
Once more, Elizabeth adjusted herself, just enough so that her womanly assets seemed all the more accessible. "Hugh, my sweet innocent child, was viciously attacked." She paused to let the words linger. Deliberately, her words were sorrowful, words of a mother saddened and grieving.
John mumbled in agreement, struggling to keep up with her eyes and not lower.
"Criminal, this act on the life of my son was nothing short of criminal." Rage filled her voice; these words were no lies or misleads, as were her others. "My dear husband refuses to punish this common criminal. NO, instead he REWARDS him with a position as a page beneath him."
"My lady, how can I be of Service to you?"
A smile grew on her lips, devious and cruel, "I have him." She knew when a man was ready to do anything she asked.
"Justice," She continued, "I need justice to be done. Wont you do that for me?" Her finger traced the roughness of the Knight's hand. Red crept up his cheeks from the unexpected advance.
He nodded after finding his tongue suddenly tied in his mouth.
"They call him Edwin of the house Sonder. He is a young man, you can find him very easily, look for the child who is too big for his age." Elizabeth wished she were joking about his size, but the page was an abnormality that made her pity whoever had to squeeze the big rat out.
John anxiously tapped his empty goblet; Elizabeth could tell he was wishing there was more to dull his senses.
"Justice? How exactly would you like this 'Justice' to be dispersed?"
"Quietly is preferred; I leave the how and what up to you." Her plans were coming together nicely.
She watched as what she was asking fully settled upon John's face. Lynford wasn't convinced yet; she was always prepared for what to do next.
With a thud, a thick, bulging purse of coins landed in front of John, who eyed it like a ravenous dog. He bit into one of the coins to ensure it was real gold and not a counterfeit. The caution angered Elizabeth slightly, 'Unlike this beggar, I have enough money to not have to make counterfeits." Debasing currencies appalled her; if you weren't rich, then don't pretend to be, her mother had those words.
Satisfied, he took the purse and placed it into his coat, "To be clear, you do wish this 'Edwin' dead, yes?"
"I'll leave that up to you to decide. Either dead or so horribly mangled, he will never be able to be anything besides a burden to some caretaker." She clarified, "Make it look like an accident too, if you are caught, even I won't be able to save you from the hangman's noose."
He smiled and removed himself from the chair, "It would be my pleasure, Lady Talbot,"
Elizabeth smiled cruelly as he exited her chambers, "Poor fool, he doesn't expect me to kill him when this is over." They never did.