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Benedicto had just arrived at the castle. The flags on the walls indicated Ivelda was not present at the moment, but that was okay. He was sure she had not gone on her tour yet, and he was sure she wanted to know of lycanthropes running around in the city, attacking some of the land owners.

He had gotten off his horse, but instead of bringing it to the stables, he handed it over to one of his monks. He removed his gloves slowly before he told one of the guards to send a messenger to Ivelda. He had been working hard, and this distraction was the last thing he needed, but it simply was his duty to report this directly. He had half a mind to send the animal to the dungeon, but it was not his decision to make.

Hearing fast hooves clobbering the ground, Benedicto looked up and saw Ryder coming towards them.
”Benedicto!” the young man sounded angry. Even before the man had well enough arrived, a boy jumped from the horse and stormed towards Benedicto’s carriage. On a quick instruction from the Preacher, his monks stopped the boy from reaching the carriage. As they tossed him aside, a small smile curled on Benedicto’s lips.

”What is the meaning of this intrusion, Ryder? We’re here to see our Goddess and although you like to think of yourself as nearly her equal, you are nothing close to it.”
Ryder got off his horse and stormed to Benedicto’s carriage. As he opened the door he obviously saw the beast inside. To the preacher’s surprise, it seemed to anger the young man even more.

”Give me one reason right now why I should not cleave you in two, Benedicto Carama, in the name of the Great and Honorable Ivelda herself, as you cage and injure a loyal servant of the Goddess within a carriage that you own”

Benedicto was a bit taken aback by the question he was asked. He waved his men aside, as they had put a defensive line between himself and the Queen’s right hand. Even though some of them could compete in size with Korgan, he didn’t need them.
The small retreat of the men brought further distrust to Ryder’s features. He wasn’t keen to fight anyone with a sword - it wasn’t his weapon of choice - but if need be, he would.

”My dear man, or should I say blistering idiot, I’ll give you a few reasons. First of all, you do not have the authority to hurt me in any way. Like I mentioned, you are not equal to our Goddess, and only she will decide when I die.”
Ryder bristled a bit at the insult, his neck reddening with further anger, but he allowed the man to continue without interruption. He had, after all, demanded an explanation and, despite his fury, there was a bit of sense left in his rage-ridden mind to give the man a chance to explain himself.

The preacher held up his fist and with his other hand he grabbed his thumb. Then he lifted his index finger and grabbed that, indicating point number two. ”Secondly, I did not cage anyone. Although I don’t need to even defend this against the likes of you.”

That defense gave Ryder pause. In his fury-induced state, he did see the bit of logic in the other man’s statement as he thought back to what he had seen at the Redstone estate. The large square imprint in the ground of the barn had clearly been a cage, so it was doubtful that Benedicto had been the one to imprison Edmund - he simply had not released the boy. Despite the bubbling anger that the thought of such a thing gave him, he internally put himself in Benedicto’s position. Had it been he who had encountered a newly recognized Lycanthrope that had been accused of causing chaos within the city, he reckoned with himself that it was within reason to not release such a boy. Allowing his sword to lower a bit, he kept his gaze narrowed, but his anger was beginning to subside.

Middle finger raised. ”Next, I did not injure the animal in that cage.” which was technically true. At that statement, Ryder searched the other man’s sleek features for any hint of a lie, but when he betrayed none, he slowly lowered his sword completely and straightened to his full height, his expression still holding fire yet his eyes far more clear.

Ring finger up. ”Fourth reason for your nimble mind, I highly doubt a loyal servant of our Goddess would be involved in a lycanthrope attack right within our city walls.”

”And five!” Benedicto was now almost shouting as he held his 5 outstretched fingers up in the air. ”I doubt you even can see straight when your head is so un-be-lievably high up your own arse, you are starting to believe . in. your. Own. shit.”

”I have started to expect this type of behavior of Korgan, Asher and Raiden. But it is very unsuited to your usual demeanor. I think someone with such a temper is very ill-suited for the respectable office you hold.”

As the preacher finished his tirade of defenses, Ryder could not help but roll his eyes. There was a reason he could barely stand the man. However, in this circumstance, Ryder had to admit that he was in the wrong. He had jumped far too high in the conclusions he had made, allowing his temper to get the best of him due to his own emotions and bond with the young orphans.

Benedicto waited as he tried to read Ryder’s body language. He wasn’t scared of the young man. If it had been Richard, maybe. And Thaddeus was an admirable fighter, but Ryder was ever the administrator. Next to Benedicto and Asher, Ryder was not someone to fear in that way.

After what seemed like hours, Ryder sheathed his sword and sighed, raising his hand to his forehead as he shook his head. He said nothing in response as he simply turned to face the young boy in the carriage, wanting to confirm what the preacher had said was true. Due to their close relationship, one look was all that was needed to be shared between the man that was like an uncle to the adolescent Lycan, before Ryder pushed back from the carriage and turned to face Benedicto once more. His expression was placid, his eyes far more clear as the normally seen persona that was the right hand returned to the young man. Lifting his right hand and placing it over his chest, he bowed forward at his waist.

”My apologies, Sir Carama. I allowed my emotions to cloud my judgement and jumped to conclusions far too quickly.” Straightening once more, he locked eyes with the man, his face still holding no betrayal of his emotional state at this point, but his gaze piercingly intense.
”However, I do feel inclined to correct you on a point that you made. While I was in the wrong and should not have drawn my sword on you without allowing proper explanation, you should not have treated a child in such a manner. Did you even bother to ask the boy for his side of whatever happened?” Ryder paused to allow the man to answer, his expression firm now.

Benedicto couldn’t believe his ears. Bothering to ask the lycan for his opinion? They were not trustworthy enough to be called second-class citizens, if there was one free on the streets it would be a great concern.
Before he came to himself enough to actually answer, the other man started himself.

”No, I do not believe that you did.” His voice was low, holding a bit of the anger from before, but he managed to control himself as he approached the man, his stride long and quick. At this point, he truly had no choice but to tell the man of who the young Lycans truly were to the Queen and Ryder - not simply creatures to be toyed with, but messengers and a means to an end. For Ryder, however, the children were far more to him - he cared about them in a way that he could not care about anyone else, and when he looked into the cherubic faces of the orphans who depended on his help and he, in return, depended upon them, he could not help but feel a bit of a pull at his otherwise cold heart.

”If you wish to know, I find it doubtful that the Queen will be upset if I were to inform you - given the circumstances,” he paused, eying the other man up and down as though studying him.
”However, this is something that is highly classified information - something that is kept between only the Queen and myself, so as to avoid any hindrance upon the operation.” With that said, Ryder flicked his gaze towards the men that flanked the preacher.
”This means that I must speak to you alone,” he spoke lowly, quietly, and with another thought, added,
”Preferably in my office, so that we can have this young man in your carriage treated before the Queen arrives and sees what shape he is in. I can promise you that should she spot him like this inside of your carriage, she will not be in much of a pleased state towards you,” he forewarned.

Benedicto was more than suspicious. The young man had little reason to act like this in front of Benedicto and his monks. With aggression the one moment and careful deliberation the other, he was erratic.
”Fine Ryder, we will speak in your office. But until either the Great Ivelda or myself command it...” Benedicto looked at his monks as he pointed at his carriage. ”that beast is not leaving its cage.”

Ryder jerked his head slightly in the direction of one of the young stable boys who rushed quickly over. Ryder withdrew a pouch from his satchel at Penelope’s back that jingled a bit and dropped a few coins into the young lad’s hand along with a large red feather. ”Please take this feather to Sir Bolton with strict instructions to rendezvous in my quarters as quickly as possible, and to bring the Bird Kit.”

With that said, he turned on his heel and strode to Edith’s side as the boy quickly ran into the castle to seek out the royal physician. The small girl had once more pushed herself to her feet and stood there shaking, uncertain of what was happening around her and knowing only that her brother was nearby and injured to an unknown state. When he reached her, he gently grasped her wrist and raised her hand to the back of his shirt, where it gripped tightly and she pushed close to his side, clearly trusting completely in the man before her.

He then strode to the door of the carriage, looking over at Benedicto expectantly. At his clear hesitation, Ryder felt a small smirk cross his lips but he quickly rid himself of it, clearing his throat and focusing on Benedicto.

”I can sense your hesitation, and I understand it given the nature of the boy. I, however, can promise you that there will be no issues with the youngling. Trust me, on the Goddess Ivelda’s word itself,” he swore, never the one to use such an oath unless it were to ring true.

Benedicto made strides toward the castle doors. When he turned he saw Ryder at his carriage. The preacher cleared his throat and his menacing tone indicated he was not in the mood for being tested.
”As I said, the boy does not move for now. No matter what reason the beast might have, it still attacked a member of the Redstone family. A family that provides the castle with food and tax money that you can then spend. His attack cannot be tolerated.” He crossed his arms impatiently, tapping his shoe at the castle entrance.

”It won’t get hurt in there anymore than it already is. And according to my books, it won’t need much help to heal by itself. When we get to your office we can send Asher down if you still feel he needs help. But if it were up to me, I’d rather inform Tyann. It is a beast after all. Or we inform Raiden so the creature can be adequately disposed off.”

”And I will have you know, if our Goddess is unhappy with me undertaking the duties that should apply to all of us. I will carry her punishment in pride. Now let’s go to your office, I had plans for the evening, and you are delaying me.”

At Benedicto’s words, Ryder was unable to contain himself and rolled his eyes in annoyance, somehow garnering a snort from Edmund in response. Stretching his arms out above himself, he simply shrugged and nodded towards a few knights that looked on wearily from the sides, signaling for them to help with transporting the cage containing Edmund inside. ”You know, Benedicto - if you are afraid of the young lad, you can simply say so. No need to be ashamed,” he jibed, a small chuckle escaping his lips. His long legs carried him to the doors, Edith clinging to his shirttails, and observed as the knights hefted the heavy cage between themselves, straining a bit under the weight.