Becoming the Hand of the King had taken away a big part of his social life, where Joseph had to travel in name of his King more often than not. He saw parts of Avalance he normally would not have been able to see. Whenever he would spend months at home, it was Jeran’s turn to travel. The man would visit the other High Houses or travel for his own leisure and Joseph would stay behind in Dragonwatch to rule in his stead. Joseph knew the King well after functioning as a Guard and his friend, before finally being promoted to the Hand after the death of his mentor. For this reason, the two were often on one line. While business as the Hand was rough, he never doubted his own decisions and knew that the King would agree with them.

Arriving in Crestfall, he knew that things could get ugly quite soon. For that reason, he had taken more guards with him this time. It was not a surprise to be stopped at the door, unable to head in. Even when he announced to be here in name of the King himself, they told him that he had to wait for permission of the Lord. But that was a bit of a problem, as Joseph wanted to talk to his sister, before allowing the man himself to speak. A single warning was not enough, so after the second he finally decided to take care of the problem.

The tied up guards in front of the door would sooner or later cause someone to raise an alarm. Joseph just hoped that it would be the young Lady who would come to see what was wrong. Leaving his own guards at the door, he made his way inside, finally sitting down on the couch, leaning back as if he owned the place. And now the wait began.

While his new life as Hand of the King had taught him to appreciate every single moment of freedom, it also brought a sense of power. Sitting here, knowing that any whom he wanted to speak to was obliged to listen, it was hard not to let it get to your head. Luckily, Joseph had been hanging out with the King and his Hand for long enough to stay with both feet on the ground, knowing that this job was his years before it actually happened. And now that it finally was, he knew how to handle it. He knew the boundary between certainty and arrogance, balancing on its border.

The young woman welcomed him to Crestfall after bowing to him, causing him to pull up one corner of his mouth. As soon as she told a servant to find her brother, Joseph simply raised his hand. “No,” he corrected her. “I came here to talk to you, not your brother,” he went on. His eyes found her servants, before moving back to her. She was young, though an adult now. In the later part of her twenties, the woman seemed more capable of ruling a House than her younger brother did. It was a shame, really. When the man of a household had to be such a disappointment when it came to his political decisions.

“So, I would appreciate it if you and I could talk.” His eyes found the servants again as he smiled, though it was as cold as any smile could be. There was no sense of empathy, no foolishness. He was here on business, to speak in the name of their Royal Highness the King. Asterin had to know that she was as safe with him as she could ever be, but he needed this talk to be with her alone. Servants had no use with the words he would speak. The less who heard, the better.

There was a certain tension that filled a room as soon as he wore the sigil of the king on his cape, with that smirk around his lips. Sitting here in the name of the Royal King of Avalance, meant that whatever he spoke, was as good as law. Every request and every decision was made with the best of Avalance in mind. Or, so they would tell the people. Of course, there were a lot of things Joseph had to consider. For example, his life was completely messed up since he had taken up his new role. There was no time for himself or his family. On top of that, he had to spend so much time with the King. He had to know what the King was thinking, or would say. For he wasn’t here to speak his own mind. He was merely an echo of the King’s voice.

As soon as the strangers had left the room, Joseph sat straight, before leaning forward in his seat. Looking straight at Lady Asterin, he licked his lips for a moment, before he started pulling at his moustache. “I am sure you have an idea of what I am here for,” he told her, his thick accent audible as he spoke. “I am not here for your brother, but our King’s business here involves him,” he went on. For a moment, he fell quiet.

“First off, let me start this the way I should. I am here in name of His Royal Highness the King, Lord Jeran Aldyr of the Crownlands,” he told her calmly, speaking the words fluently as he had to say this so often it was almost part of his breakfast. “Pray tell me your part in and your view of everything that has happened recently,” he told her. It wasn’t a question.

To make a decision like the one he was going to make today, took quick wits. He would not only have to decide what was best for the Whytebeard family, but also what was best for the people in their city. Finally, he also had to consider his own position. If he made the wrong choice here, things would come back and bite him in his arse. Now, his arse was scarred from all the times he had been bitten and he did not feel like adding anything to it. His decision would be made quickly, but nonetheless well thought through. Today would be left without regrets.

“That I am,” he answered, when Lady Whytebeard concluded that he was here for the actions of her brother. “I have heard of his deeds. It is never a good thing when a decision reaches my ears by the talks of the people, rather than being informed before the decision is made,” he told her, stretching one word in the sentence. While the words didn’t sound like a threat, his voice very much did. He was aware it wasn’t her who had made the decision, but that did not mean that she was innocent. Many men had a woman to whisper wisdom into their ears. Often, this woman was family, rather than their wives.

Finally, Asterin explained that she had tried to advice her brother against his actions. “I see,” Joseph noted, plucking at his moustache as he looked at her with a thoughtful frown on his face. “So you were aware that he was walking down the wrong path, yet did not consider informing us?” Raising a brow, Joseph knew that things could have been a lot different. But often, family was scared to do so. Or blind to the truth. They tried to fix it themselves until it was too late. Now here they were, past the point of no returns.

Already having lost his patience, Asterin was treading on dangerous grounds. Joseph pulled at his moustache, a habit he had when he was thinking of something, completely lost in his own world of thought. He hummed softly, his chest trembling with the low noise. Asterin spoke of not supporting her brother’s choices, spoke of expectations. “And I expected more of you. Yet, here we are. With failed expectations.” There was no sympathy in his voice, no sign of understanding. He wasn’t here to be her friend. He was the voice of the King and he had decided what were to happen tonight.

Of course, she had been planning on fixing it. She would talk to them. But that wasn’t her task, now was it? She had found herself incapable of stopping her brother before it was too late. A woman in charge of a House was seldom a good idea, and neither would it be in this situation. To him, Asterin had proved this with the words she spoke. Her next words only made his decision all the more clear. “I wanted you to act in the good of your people, not out of a selfish desire to keep your brother close,” he told her, ever so calm.

“By not wanting to betray your brother, you allowed him to make a grave mistake. This will cost you and yours the future of your House.” There it was. This would be what would happen. “I hereby declare that House Whytebeard will no longer be seated at the House in Crestfall. You and yours will leave within a fortnight. Your banners will be removed and your House forgotten.”