In the southwest of our kingdom, local fishers say: “the fish rots from the head.” When ruling, it means you should look close to the throne for the first signs of revolt. Edwin had left his childhood well behind and grown into a strapping fellow. With his increased strength grew a desire to remove the King from a position certain serpentine voices continued to hiss was his birthright.
“the fish rots from the head.” For all their machinations, our spies informed us of the threatened uprising so that I prepared for the day with the utmost care. The first counter-measure was to arrest Edwin and bring him before his half-brother, Athelstan. I accused him of plotting against his King, which the pale-faced villain denied vehemently.
I had him marched to the Old Minster to deny it under oath o
