The Power Games: Pressure

[Tobias Lysand]

Lysand had woken up screaming that morning. It had startled his man servant, who had been about to wake the advisor up with a gentle shake, but the man knew better than to ask him if he was alright. By now, he already knew the answer. So after setting out the basin of water, he had scurried out of the room quietly.

That had been a few hours ago, but the advisor still hadn't left the room. Currently, he was staring in the mirror, trying to figure out a way to hide the fact that he looked utterly exhausted. As he stared at his tired eyes in the mirror, he frowned and glanced away, turning his attention to straightening the black and gold sash around his waist.

Maybe the prince would have no need of him today. Perhaps he could just stay in his room, and everyone would be none the wiser of his weakness today. He really needed to figure out what to do about his sleeping troubles....

[Alerick Brenthor]

Brenthor was not a particularly patient man. Thus he had little desire to wait around for Lysand to think of something. They were supposed to meet tomorrow to discuss their plans. However, they were going to speak today instead. Even if Lysand were busy, he was going to have to find time.

He strode up to the advisor's door, knocking on it with a sharp, impatient rap. He knew the advisor was in there, as he wasn't in the throne room. Although on second thought, he might have been with the guard captain... Oh well. He would find out if he were here soon enough. His arms crossed and his foot tapped impatiently as he waited.

[Tobias Lysand]

Lysand closed his eyes as he heard the knocking at the door. Damn it... He allowed himself a breath as he fixed his slightly damp hair before entering the main room of his chambers and opening the door.

Brenthor. Of course.

There was no expression on his face as he asked quite frankly, "What do you want?"

[Alerick Brenthor]

"To talk, obviously. " Brenthor allowed his eyes to narrow a hair. "The situation is delicate. We cannot afford to wait around waiting for you to be ready." He entered Lysand's room, whether that meant bowling over the smaller man. "We must discuss what to do about that prince. And the guard captain. They're both dangerous." He strode through the center of the room, stopping by the desk. "But we're in luck. Gladpath is going to Tialde soon, isn't he?"

[Tobias Lysand]

Lysand stepped out of Brenthor's way. For an ambassador, he wasn't very cordial, was he? He forced himself to remain expressionless even though he very much wanted to throw the man out of his room and perhaps go back to the sleep he hated so much. "Yes, he is. Although I would hardly call Gladpath a danger, despite his attempt to have me assassinated. After all, he didn't do a very good job of that." He studied the other man for a moment. "We should focus more on the prince at this point of time than the captain."

[Alerick Brenthor]

"We need to shift our attention to quite a different target. I've been thinking, Lysand. All this time I've been thinking too small. Far too small. Here we are, quarreling over who should be the head advisor. However why should we focus on such a petty thing?" He paused a moment, ugly grin spreading across his face. "They should be bowing to /us/. Not the king, and certainly not that brat of a prince."

[Tobias Lysand]

Lysand didn't like where this was going. Not at all. "Bowing to us? Brenthor..." He was speechless for quite a few moments. "You mean to try to seat us upon the throne?" Of course by 'us' he really meant Brenthor. He really didn't believe for a minute that Brenthor would ever actually share power. "... Who is this target you think we should focus on?"

[Alerick Brenthor]

"We finish off the king for good," Brenthor answered. "Then, before the coronation of Lorin... We stage a coup. If we were to reveal Lorin's condition beforehand and gather a force of those who don't want to see this country in ruin... Well I'm sure unseating him wouldn't be a problem. Gaining allies shouldn't be a problem either. And with the guard captain and a large force of his guards up in the mountains..."

[Tobias Lysand]

Lysand's insides grew cold and the corners of his mouth twitched downward. "You would go out of your way to kill a dying man?" He felt silent anger flare in his belly, his loyalty to the crown giving him the desire to draw his blade and silence the ambassador for the very idea. "And then stage a coup? Brenthor... Are you even lucid right now? Are you sane? You want us to orchestrate an assassination and a coup within he time it takes for the guard captain to travel to Tialde and back? That's..." He studied the other man closely.

[Alerick Brenthor]

"Thats what? Brilliant?" Brenthor looked amused, offering the advisor a grin. "Killing the king would be an act of mercy, surely. There's no way that he could survive. All the magic in Thrunalhin couldn't save him now." His chin raised slightly. "With his father gone, Lorin would be more vulnerable that he would ever be. There would probably be more mental stress than he could handle. It would be easy to take care of him. If we were to expose his insanity, I'm sure no one would object to him being hid away quietly. Or perhaps an assassin's blade in the dark." He was quiet a moment. "An assassination wouldn't be too difficult, but it would be harder to cover up. No, perhaps we just need to focus on destroying his mind. He's in a state right now where he thinks everyones out to get him. If we just play on that... Then we can get him to breakdown, surely. I just need your expertise on that front. I know how well you play mind games."

[Tobias Lysand]

Lysand shifted slightly. "You would essentially kill the royal bloodline to try to steal the throne? Have you no fear of God?" He needed to maneuver Brenthor away from this idea before he actually did commit murder. He hadn't expected this from him. Not at this stage anyway. He wasn't supposed to suggest assassination until he could have found evidence of some kind to pin it on him! ... Or at the very least, have evidence created.

[Alerick Brenthor]

"A fear of God? A fear of God Lysand? You of all people... After everyone that /you've/ had killed, you would lecture me about a fer of God! Need I remind you of the former guard captain? The advisor you had framed to achieve your position? Do you think that because he is king that he is any different than they? No Lysand. The king is simply a man of flesh like you or I. And what can God really do? I don't know if you're aware Lysand, but men like you and I... We're already going to hell."

[Tobias Lysand]

"I don't recall there ever being charges of murder brought against me, Brenthor," Lysand replied coldly. "If I recall, any murder you may perceive that I committed was carried out by a court of law. It's only your own suspicions that would call me a murderer, and nothing more." He regarded him coolly for a few moments before replying. "Every decision I have made has been made for the good of the kingdom."

[Alerick Brenthor]

Brenthor laughed shortly. "For the good of he kingdom? My dear Lysand, you had those men killed for your own ambition! Oh, I have no evidence to bring against you, but God knows! Oh yes, God knows!" He lifted his chin slightly. "What are you going to do? Go to confession, Lysand? You think that a mere priest can just absolve you of your sins? That he could just decide that God forgives you? No one can know God's will, but I could hardly see him forgiving you so easily."

[Tobias Lysand]

"You know Brenthor, something tells me that if I wanted to guess God's will, then I /shouldn't/ be looking towards you. Have you no knowledge of our religion? Penance is a sacrament for a reason." He was quiet a moment before he added. "Confession or no confession, your scheme is still perhaps once of the worst I've ever heard."