The hour was growing late, fortunately none of the d'Aubigny affiliated riders had suffered anything approaching serious injuries, but checking in was an acceptable excuse at this hour. The more critical patients had been seen to first, as was only right, but Giles approached in a fine warm coat, clearly of foreign make, with his medical kit in tow and a worn look on his face.

"Giles de Braose, to enquire on the welfare of Sir William d'Aubigny." He announces himself as he draws near.

"Well, he's up and talking, mister de Braose. But you go on in and see him," says the guard. "He likes a visitor. 'Course, his dad's in there too."

With a tugging of the cloak around his neck, Giles smiled politely to the guard and stepped into the tent. It obviously dwarfed his own with many more comfort features but the occupants were present and that was what he needed.

"My Earl, Sir William, my apologies for the lateness of the calling, but Sir Castle required more observation than any of us could have foreseen. I hope you are not too inconvenienced by my attendance?"

The Earl looks over at Giles from his customary seat near to the fire. His son sits across from him, bandaged but looking very well.

"No, Mister de Braose. By all means, come in. Pull up a chair." The Earl waves you closer. "Will, here, got a bit of a knock, but he's doing alright."

"Yes, well Earl Waleran is a force to be reckoned with on horseback, there is some talent in taking a blow so powerful and being able to walk afterwards." Giles commended the family.

"No ringing in your ears, no blurred vision, no numbness or tingling in your extremities?" He enquires, discharging his duty of care with concern.

"I was a bit tingly afterwards, and I am sore now, but it doesn't feel any different than a good drill with swords," the nobleman replies.

"Very good, very good." Giles replies as he conducts a cursory inspection for unusual swelling or areas with no tactile sensation.

"I'm sure the Earl of Hereford will be pleased to hear as well." He adds off handedly, turning to Lord d'Aubigny. "If the whole de Braose delegation should also align ourselves following my brother Sir William's display of generosity towards the de Clare's please let me know. I hear there is a debate tomorrow that I hope to leverage into some support from the Crown."

"Is that meant to be clever, de Braose?" The Earl rose up in his seat. "Your brother throws in with de Clare and you choose to be snide?"

To say that was exactly the reaction Giles was hoping for would be false, but it definitely told him what he needed to know.

"My apologies Earl d'Aubigny, it has been a long day and my tongue outpaces my brain. I hope you can look past this misspeak as a young man's individual failing." He replied apologetically, easily and genuinely cowed by the significantly larger d'Aubigny patriarch.

"I did hope to take a moment to raise the matter of the Offices that are being contested, but I fear my poor words have rightly incensed you against such conversation this evening."

d'Aubigny looks down at his son's expression of stupefaction before deflating a bit.

"Look...the whole business is a mess. We can discuss it if you see a need to, but I frankly don't understand why the King chose to empty the seats over asking for more funding directly. And selling an Earldom? I admit I'm just plain confused."

"I don't want to take up more of your time than necessary Earl Arundel, I just..." Giles lets out a sigh and runs long fingers through his hair.

"I don't know what has possessed my brother to break faith, but I wanted to rededicate myself to your service. I have used what good will my presence here has earned to speak of the suitability of those under your sway and service to fill the vacant post of Lord Chancellor and wish to see if that is what you, my Lord, consider a worthwhile endeavour."

"I am not familiar enough with the ways of common commerce to understand why he sells these honors off like meat pies on town streets, but if we do not play...?"

"My son has made the same argument. It is galling, but I see the weight behind it." He sighs. "If I had it my way, I'd see all the officers restored, but with Ridel dead and de Glanville disgraced, it really seems as though things are up in the air. The Chancellorship is an interesting position, to be sure. A person can do a great deal of damage with it if it got into the wrong hands."

"Well then we can but hope that those who make such decisions have the sense to nominate one who will act for the good of the Realm, to keep it out of such wrong hands. For this Office and the others, though I get the distinct feeling His Royal Highness suffers not incompetents and fools, woe betide whomever fails to discharge their lawful duties while he is away on the Cross."

The Earl nods his agreement. "Yes, I am sure of that. But the Crusade will not be brief, and there is much mischief than can be worked in the meantime."

"Then it is beholden to all true sons of the Realm to ensure that only noble and upright servants sit in those Offices. The decisions will be made above my head, but I may be able to help get certain people a seat at the discussion, I hope that this will help you Earl Arundel." Giles replied as he started to pack up his things.

"I'm sure it will," the Earl replied.

"If there's anything else I can assist with, please...oh one final question milord. There is much in the air around this gathering, but if one wished to enquire about marriage, other than the guardian of the other party, to whom must a young gentleman speak in his own chain of command?" Giles asked as he was almost half way toward the tent flap.

"Um..." the Earl was surprised. "Your parents, I guess?"

Giles just smiled. "Thanks again milord."

Then he ducked out into the night leaving a thoroughly confused d'Aubigny tent behind him.

/exit