The valet opened the doors with practised motion. Not too languid, but not too brusque. The storied hinges groaned if you didn't do it just right, and his lord detested the sound.
His hard soles clacked as he walked at the appropriate pace; his lord would listen to the rhythm and volume of his steps to determine the interruption's urgency. Important, but not immediately time-sensitive; hurried, yet controlled footsteps.
He reached the door to the study, stood at attention, and gave a singular knock with two knuckles, and waited.
A few minutes later, his Lord's voice reached him through the hardwood. “Come in.”
The valet stepped forward, opening the door at exactly 85 degrees. Any further and it would hit the antique bookshelf on the other side. Any less and his Lord's view of the corridor would be obstructed, unable to properly see if there were more guests.
Entering, turning on himself and closing in a swooping motion, stopping when he heard the lock re-engage, he spun and took 5 steps toward his Lord, and waited.
The young man, sitting behind the massive desk that bore the weight of untold generations of Wardenfels, looked up from the missive he had been reading, setting it down next to the small stack of similar letters.
For a few moments, the only noise in the room was the bellclock's mechanism ticking the seconds away.
“What is it, Julius?” His Lord asked.
“My Lord, one of our agents has intercepted a message coming from the town of Riverwall.”
“Riverwall? Why is that name familiar...” His Lord said, in the way that it meant he wanted an answer.
“My Lord, it is a small town at the northern edge of the kingdom. You might be remembering it from the letter which prompted Leandro Gustall to retire. That is where it originated from, and where the knight went.” The valet offered.
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
Recognition lit his Lord's eyes. “Ah, yes, that miserable town. What of the message?”
The valet nodded. “My Lord, the letter was penned by Caleb Saint-Earnest, the mayor of Riverwall. It was addressed to Augustina Valeburg, one of his known supporters. On the surface, the letter was a simple report about the town's finances and development. However, our decrypters identified one of the Valeburg ciphers and decoded the following.” He said, holding out a small folded and sealed piece of paper.
“I have not read it, my Lord, but I was told it should reach the patriarch immediately.”
The Lord nodded. “And with orders for my father not to be disturbed while he rests, you brought it to me, the acting patriarch. Well done, please, pass it over. I will make sure it reaches my father.”
“Of course, lord Isaac,” The valet nodded, stepping up to his Lord's waiting hand, and depositing the letter within. “Will there be anything else, my Lord?”
Isaac looked up from the small letter and shooed the valet away with a motion of his hand. He watched as the servant saluted, before turning and leaving the way he had come, closing the door behind him.
The young man waited a few seconds, until the valet was far enough that he would hear him turn around and have time to hide the letter before retrieving a small flexible metal prong, placing it on a heating pad, and then using it to detach the wax seal with a practiced motion.
He unfolded and began reading its contents, the furrow of his brow deepening as he went, until he went to a full grimace.
“A Fel in the Ruinlands. Not just a corrupted, but a full Fel. If this message gets to the branch families, we're going to get swarmed with blithering idiots that think they found something to blackmail the council with...”
He sighed, re-sealing the letter, setting it aside, and retrieving writing implements.
First, contact their people within the Valeburg domain, and subtly inform Augustina that the Wardenfels had heard rumours from Riverwall, of which they were very interested in properly validating, before disseminating the truth where it would do the most good.
Second, send a detachment of Azure Guards to Riverwall, to show that the main family did not take such rumours lightly.
Thirdly, and most importantly, schedule a visit to this mayor and impress upon him what the proper channels were when reporting on threats relevant to the Wardenfels.
With the letters and orders finished, he arced his back, leaning back into his padded chair. He let his eyes wander over the stack of reports and messages still waiting for his perusal. Another long day today...
He looked out the small window, seeing the winter's early sunset peeking through the glass. He wondered how the weather was in Riverwall?
