Nod and send the monk away.

You watch as the despondent novice leaves the small council chambers.

After a few moments of silence, Grandmaester Law speaks up.

"Well, if the boy is to be believed and Lindisfarne is truly taken by Northland barbarians, we must seize it back. It's a disgrace, an embarrassment to have our lands held captive by- by foreign scurge."

The representative of House Morin, Henry Morin is next to speak.

"Do Northlanders keep ransom? Well, even if they did by show of our young novice I doubt they'd fare well in the savage lands."

Henry Morin takes a long sip from his golden chalice and shrugs his shoulder.

"It's already been a fortnight since he's escaped Lindisfarne so there's high chance the barbarians have already left. Northern folk raid but never stay... lucky for us. You might not even have to bring your men with you Sir Merek. I'm sure the famed Crusader of St. Lucius could take on a simple reconnaissance mission on his own."

You rub the bridge of your nose in deep thought. This all felt oddly suspicious. You couldn't place your hand on it but the timing of the Northern attack was just too perfect. Just as the main Crusade army marched west to defend against the woads, Northern Raiders sailed down to ransack one of the holy islands. Unless someone in a high position in the kingdom tipped them, they'd have no way of knowing. The voyage alone would have taken weeks, leaving a very narrow window of time for them to conduct such a seamless raid. And of all the sacred islands they chose Lindisfarne, the island home to all the sacred texts. What did they have to gain from- unless...