Lord Burrows turned when his door opened, admitting the young duke. He opened his mouth to begin the speech he desperately did not want to deliver, but Erwin began talking before he got the chance. After half a moment, Burrows closed his mouth and listened, a frown deepening his face. The old Master of Coin let Erwin say his piece and, though respectfully silent, he hardly looked impressed. He waited for Erwin to finish, and then for the tray to be brought in and out. He gave a curt nod to the guard who closed the heavy door, leaving the two men alone.
Truth be told, Burrows had planned to launch into his speech much the same way Erwin had done, and being cut off like this left him slightly flustered. His frown deepened, and he mustered his resolve. ”Sit down, Erwin,” he said sternly, almost in a growl. If Lord Burrows were the type to growl. Which he was not. It was hardly how a subordinate should address his duke, but in this moment, Lord Burrows didn’t feel like a master of coin addressing the serving duke. He felt like a stand-in for Marsden Therrien, delivering a dressing down to a profligate lordling. And though Burrows had a face like thunder, it was clear that at first he didn’t know how to go on. He clasped his hands behind his back, pacing agitatedly back and forth behind his desk.
”My lord,” he finally began, though he continued pacing, ”I have to say, I have a hard time believing now that you were such a successful military commander, when you clearly possess so little discipline over your own personal affairs. Your father would be ashamed. And, if you intend to continue like this, letting your personal lasciviousness wreak public chaos in this Keep and this duchy, then you are right. You are not only an idiot, but you would be unfit for this Dukeship. And I’ll say this to you now, Erwin, if you have more interest in what you can do in your bedroom, or God knows where, than what you can do for Wulfbauer, then by Gods, you should ride out this day to Lord Kenins to relinquish your position.”
He frowned seriously at Erwin, pausing to let out a short exhale. No, it was better to just get it all said in one. ”But, for better or worse, you are the rightful Duke in Wulfbauer. Wulfbauer, that has been strong and stable and harty for centuries. We are the most steadfast duchy in this country, and letting the Dukeship be overtaken by force now would send us into decades of political instability and economic uncertainty. So, by God, Erwin, I pray that you finally see that it is time to take seriously all of the duties and responsibilities that go along with your role as duke. Not only those that suit you.”
Lord Burrows stopped his pacing then, harumphing, then finally sat down opposite of his duke. He gave the younger man a hard look. When he spoke next, he sounded more candid, less rehearsed. ”It has been bad enough, your selfish insistence not to take a wife. But now, not only do you make this criminal thief - who, by the way, in stealing from this Keep was stealing from the duchy, your people, not from you personally - your… your mistress or what-have-you. But a bastard child. A child. What in Angsar’s name were you thinking? It’s not enough to say that you have no explanation. You’re not a rutting young military commander anymore! You are not a private person who is entitled to private affairs. You have very real public responsibilities, everything you do should and must have an explanation. And before you complain that the responsibilities of being duke is more than you wanted, let me remind you that you have always been a public person. The privileges that you, and I, and the other lords of Wulfbauer were born with mean that we have a role to play for the good of the entire duchy. Maybe there are other places where the elite do as they please - Hellvion or God knows - but that is the strength of Wulfbauer. And you, Erwin Therrien, are Duke of Wulfbauer. It’s high time you act like it.”
For a moment, the old man stayed silent like that, still with a face of thunder, before finally he seemed to deflate a little, and he almost slumped back in his chair, panting slightly. In that moment, Lord Burrows felt far, far too old for this. The silence stretched on for what felt like a long moment. ”So, Duke Therrien, what are we going to do?”