A Woman's Estate

“Wait now, just let us look at this,” Namor pulled deeply on his tankard. “One,” he raised one finger, the middle one, and leered at it’s appropriateness, “you found a woman in distress, comforted her - well, to put it at its worst - took advantage and laid her. It just so happens that she is a lady and you an Advisor, so what? Two,” he raised  another finger, leered again, “you put in a bit of hard work - was it hard by the way? - she gets carried away and the result is two bastards. Three,” a third finger, “his Excellency is put out because you got there first, poached on his preserve, only it wasn’t - his preserve that is - for he had never established title to it, had he? Further piqued because you not only tilled the land but it flourished and is producing a harvest. Hard luck, your Excellency! Four,” a fourth, “the woman might depart in the birthing, it happens. If she does, you’ll face the sword, no question. If she lives and the bastards don’t, it’s over - best thing really, if you think about it! If both she and the bastards survive the birthing,” he shrugged, “then it will depend whether she goes to the Prince and accuses you of violating her though I would wager a full purse of coin that she will do, and say, nothing. After all, for someone like her, what are a couple of young on an Estate the size of that one! His Excellency will certainly report it to the Prince and who can know how he will react! Myself, I don’t think it will concern him much unless, of course, she departs or makes some complaint; if either of those happens then it will be the sword for you, my friend. I haven’t any idea why she is so important to him but I suppose it is possible that you will know better than do I about that, hm? So, that leaves five,” he waggled his thumb, “the most essential of them all, can’t hold a sword without that one. His Excellency is not just your superior as an Advisor, is he? He is also the Prince’s Advisor, which I should not know - and don’t ask how I know for I won’t tell you. That being so for him, as for you, the only thing that matters is doing the Prince’s work. For that he, like you, will sacrifice anyone and anything. You have both renounced your gods, what more can a man do than to give his immortal self to that service! You would cut my throat if he required it of you, you would regret it - I’ll give you that,” and he grinned, “pray for me, too, while you did it,” he pointed his tankard across the table at the man opposite, “but you would do it! Give that Demon his due, you and he are of one mind! Yes, and he would cut your throat for him, but for a female - no matter who - and a pair of bastards? For pique? Deprive our master of a good servant for pique? Do you really believe that? I would not doubt that he took a secret delight in making you uncomfortable, I might have done the same had I been in his place. A fair summary, wouldn’t you think?”