The emperor approached an old man, graying hair, a few wrinkles, Hazel brown eyes, a fair height he had aged beautifully. the Count of Sharon greeted them both. Ellora suddenly felt uneasy. sometimes the crown's targets were deserving but mostly they were just victims, and the Count it seems was to become one of them. the Count could feel Elora's eyes on him. He did not understand why but her eyes seem to deliver a message. she mouthed something to him, though his failing eyesight couldn't see clearly. as the ball for the night was being dispersed, the count returned to his assigned room.
he had the chance to leave but who would bother to commute all the way back and forth all week long. the founding festival was a week long display of vanity and an open field for all dirty games. The Count as unsettled as he was didn't take it to bother the commute. as an ailing old man, his bones wouldn't allow him for him to travel so. but he trusted his instinct, he was a seasoned man.
he made an excuse and somehow sent his daughter in law and grandchildren back to their estate. he forced his son too, but thinking of his father as paranoid, he decided to stay against his father's wishes. he was worried about his old father after all. but he still sent the children and wife back as if he his heart couldn't rest easy.
The lady was kind enough to give a warning though what could possibly happen he couldn't think of anything problematic except his own paranoia. late in the night the count was awakened by a large shattering sound. the window in his room had broken into pieces.
he stood up from his bed only to scream in pain as a shard dug through his heel