The Forbidden by Roy Radian

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The ball itself was a crush; it was the special ball after all, which allowed by the new king and intended to honor King Avery's death, seventy days after his demise.
Lord Locwis stepped himself to the side, watching the activities while looking for the sign of his enchanting temptress, Lady Kendra. When the musicians began playing their lute and peoples gathering for a dance, someone tugged his hand and pulled him to the darker corner of the room.
"Been waiting for long, my lord?" her silky voice made him fluttering with excitement.
"Come." He took her proffered arm, covered in silk gloves latched to her dress, and followed her walking through the stairs and down to the basement. She opened the door and ushered him in.
Several pair of eyes glimpsed briefly at him as he entered the room, and went back to their conversation, whispering in a hushed tones. Their expressions were solemn and grave.
Lord Locwis felt a fit of nervous attack as one of the man walked toward him.
"I see that my wife has been busy today." he said.
From behind him, Lady Kendra laughed. "That's impolite of you, my Lord."
"Lord Locwis," She graced him with her smile. "May I introduce you to my husband, Lord Cyril. And this is Baron of Folklik, the talk of the day."
Count Orrin raised his eyebrows. "I've heard the story of your banter with the king. I gather you didn't agree with him?"
Lord Locwis kept his silent a little bit longer. He was treading a dangerous ground here. He didn't want to be accused treason for no reason.
"Don't worry, Lord Locwis, we are in the same boat." Count Orrin reassured him.
"Well, he has been rather unreasonable." he blurted out. That drew a smile from both the Count and the Countess.
"I heard you are an expert in economy, I might have needed your expertise in the time to come," Count Orrin said. "At least, hear my proposed plan here."
"I believe this affair will considerably concern you, Lord Locwis," whispered Lady Kendra as Count Orrin walked back to the center of the assembly.
"My friends," said Count Orrin to the assembled peoples. "Today, I gather you all to bring a new information regarding King Avery demise which I had solicited from a reputable source. King Avery doesn't die on the day of coup d'etat, no nobles killed him. In fact, he was in a good health. But he was killed the day after."
It took Lord Locwis a while to realize the implication of this new information. He saw the faces of the assembled peoples turned from a bewildered look to a surprise, then to a darker hue as another question popped in.
"Rowelbod has usurped the throne," Count Orrin said as to answer their thoughts. "He stripped the lands and the titles of our friends, took control of our armies which holding the peace in our home," he looked briefly at Lord Locwis. "He forbade us to host a ball, took away our pleasure to enjoy the fruits of our hard work. He forbade our way of life."
"Tonight, my friends, I cry to you for a helping hand to restore our rights back, to ensure our way of life, to unbind the forbidden. To overthrow the throne and put it back in the right hand."
Lord Locwis head was swimming. This was big, and he was in the center of it. He recalled Count Orrin words about him being an economic expert. Dare he hoped, a small baron from the south, for a position. The head of Treasury would do.
He laughed out loud, inducing a few head to turn his way. His thought doesn't seem silly anymore. He heard the lute playing a familiar music followed by the shuffling of legs in the dance floor above. For the first time in Central Lord Locwis was happy.