#roderickfray

No one was in a particularly happy mood. Even Rowlin Stafford, newly made Warden of the North, looked displeased. (His name day gifts had not been up to his rather high and ridiculous standards. But then, they never were. Sysley had half a mind to scold him and send him to bed without his supper. Warden or no). 

For now, at least, Rowlin was occupied with Emylyna. But he wasn’t the only person there that Sysley worried about. Roderick Fray was there and he seemed to have his eye on Alia. So far, they had not spoken, but Sysley meant to keep it that way. 

Whatever his intentions towards her niece, Sysley was certain that they would not end well. Alia had been hurt too many times and Sysley was there to make certain she had a better life from here on out. And that life most certainly did not include Roderick Fray: one way or another, he would only break her heart. 

He had been up since before dawn: shouting detailed orders at his half asleep staff, looking over their shoulders and testing their efforts. There had been a huge celebration above stairs in which Lucian Moran officially announced the engagement of his nephew to Emylyna Vipont. Even though Tom didn’t think much of the match, the food had to be perfect. 

And it had been. 

The kitchen was quiet now: everyone had gone home or gone to bed. He had tidied it up and was now resting beside the fire. 

It was then that he heard someone at the door. Who could it be at this hour?! He thought. His heart skipped a beat, wondering if it was Isolde coming back for something. Perhaps they’d even have a chat together and he’d give her the lemon cakes he had saved back just for her. 

He had a stupid grin on his face when he answered it, but that all fell away to obvious disappointment when he saw who it was. “Oh. It’s you.” He didn’t move aside, “Look, it’s quite late and I don’t think you and Danyl should go galavanting into town at this hour! He does have to be careful, you know. Not that either of you would know anything about that. Maybe you should come back tomorrow or the day after.” 

Roderick is sUCH a source of major stress for Tom and he does NOT like him at all. idk if Roderick ever comes down to the kitchens to see Danyl??? But if so Tom is just like NO GET OUT OF HERE WE DON’T LIKE YOUR KIND HERE (and when i say “your kind” i mean assholes not bastards), but at the same time he SO STRESSES when he and Danyl leave b/c Danyl and Roderick out on the town that can’t be good?!!?!?!?