Chains and cuffs were not new for the knight. It was just that he hadn’t been in one for a long time. Maybe decades. And the result was apparent for him in the form of discomfort.

The rusting cuff rubbed against his wrists and ankle which peeled skin along with movements. Moreover, he had a long way to walk in order to reach in the throne chamber.

Ser Angus dripped blood-trails as he walked with the guards grasping his shoulders. Fierlo, exempted of chains for being too thin, fastened by the ropes, was being dragged on the blood drops.

Ser Angus was relieved Fierlo had been gagged silent. At least, he could not accuse him more. With the enemy muted, Ser Angus found a space to speak, "Padraig is conspiring against me."

"Ser Angus." A guard said, "Don’t make us give you Fierlo's treatment."

"You will gag the hand of Wernh'An?"

"I am afraid, I can."

"You are all with Padraig."

"We don’t take sides."

"But you make prejudices."

"It is hard not to after seeing what happened."

The carved door flung open. Angus's eyes went on the chairs near the throne as soon as the door panels separated.

Empty seats welcomed his gaze.

Padraig was in the middle of the room looking exactly like how an old person would appear when woken up at midnight. And somewhat scared. The doctor hid behind him after realizing Ser Angus' eye fall upon him.

Upon look at the surrounding, Angus noticed High Priest entering the huge chamber. The door closed after he stepped in. High Priest walked past Ser Angus, not even bothering to have an eye contact with him.

High Priest snapped thrice as he walked.

Guards understood the command and yanked Fierlo to the side of the room where he passed Fierlo's rope to a bulky guard. Seeing Fierlo stop struggling after getting in the room alarmed Ser Angus.

"High Priest." Ser Angus said, "He – "

"You will be allowed to speak, Ser Angus." High Priest's voice reverberated in the hall.

"Don’t tell me this is a trial."

"Unfortunately."

High Priest gestured at the shaken doctor to come infront of him. The doctor came forward with his head held down, trying not find himself being stared by Ser Angus again. He stood head down even infront of the High Priest.

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He only got his voice when he lifted his head, "I was going to give sleep medications to Counselor Padraig when I heard them talk."

"What did you hear?" asked the priest.

"Heard ahh Fierlo saying he would kill Padraig tonight. They found I had heard them so they tried to kill me."

"Is it true?" High Priest asked, "Fierlo?"

The guard loosened knot of the cloth on Fierlo's mouth.

"Yes, we planned to kill Padraig." Fierlo wheezed.

"No," Ser Angus roared, "He was already in my room when I woke up. He had a knife to kill me."

"QUIET KNIGHT. " High Priest lost his temper, "Fierlo, how did Ser Angus free you? And where did he keep you for the while?"

"He didn’t do it all by himself." Fierlo squited at Angus, "Two castle guards and the gatekeeper were involved in it. They hid me in the oubliette"

High Priest looked at the guards, "Can you identify them?"

A guard raised his hand.

"Yes." High Priest lifted his eyebrows.

"Ser Angus had passed death sentences to three castle guards. One of them was the gatekeeper."

High Priest's pupils grew to his eyelids.

"Removing witnesses." Words trembled from High Priest's tongue.

"I have been framed." Ser Angus thundered, "Padraig has planned all of this. He, first, freed Fierlo and convinced this doctor to make a false statement. Padraig has laid a conspiracy against me."

"Baseless allegations, knight." Padraig scoffed.

"You have nothing but envy for me."

"Why will I envy you?"

"Because I have the utmost trust of Lord Wernh'An. You want to be the one who lives through Great Invasion. You want to replace me!"

"Knight." Padraig walked near him.

"If I wanted you dead then why would I have warned you of the avalanche? I could have just let you walk to the mountain and succumb to it."

Ser Angus' fingertips went cold. He could hear mild humming of the guards. Ser Angus glanced at the High Priest but no words came out of his mouth.

"What is to be done with this traitor from Shiver Fault?" an anonymous guard said.

"Warm him." The priest said.