Nathaniel leaned casually against the wall of the throne room, arms folded. He had arrived a few minutes before and decided to join the crowd in the throne room. From his corner he could easily follow what was happening in the room, without placing himself in the picture. There was no need for him to be seen. He didn't want to cause problems in case one of the nobles would recognize him as the former Arls son.
His eyes slid over the crowd. Most of them were nobles indeed, who've asked for an audience with the Commander. A noble woman with an embroided red dress started to complain to her neighbour that it took so long. He grinned and turned his gaze to the front of the room, where the Commander was. 'Yes, she takes her sweet time to listen to their stories, but is that a bad thing? ' he wondered. He looked at her as she sat on her throne, every now and then leaning in towards the Seneschal for advise. Her armour brushed up shiny and her hair neatly pinned up. Usually she would let her hair hang loose and wouldn't care for a spot on her clothes, but now she was in her role as 'Commander-Arlesse'.
A guard pushed a scrawny man forward. Judging by the clothes he was a commoner. He couldn't see the expression on the mans face, but the hunched pose showed that he was afraid. The guard turned to face the audience and stated that the man was caught red-handed when stealing bread from the granaries. He continued with telling that stealing from the crown would be punished dead by hanging. Nathaniel rubbed his chin and frowned. The scrawny mans pleas were audible through the whole room. "Have mercy, Ser." He fell on his knees, his hands clasped in front of his chest: "My children are starving Ser. They haven't had a decent meal since we had to flee for the darkspawn. I.. I didn't want to…" His voice lowered and he appeared to be sobbing. The Commander leaned forward to the man in front of her and spoke to him. After a few moments he looked up at her and started to nod eagerly, after which she granted him a friendly smile. She turned her gaze to the Seneschal and said a few words to him. The Seneschal nodded to her, turned his gaze towards the audience and straightened his back before announcing: "So be it. This man will serve in the Commanders army as soldier. His family can stay with the families of the other soldiers. The Commander has spoken. The matter is resolved." The last words of the Seneschal were barely audible as the man started to cheer. Guards quickly put themselves between him and the Commander as the man appeared to want to run up to the Commander and give her a big hug. The man was escorted outside by the guards, but yelled on the way to the doors: "Maker bless you, good Ser! I'll be the best soldier you've ever had!"
Nathaniel couldn't help but smile. 'That little Cousland girl keeps surprising me'. His face turned in a frown quickly, however. 'Why is the same person who killed my father, the same person who shows compassion to her commoners… and the same person who let me go when she had the chance to finish me off?'