Chapter 127: Pleasantries Between Nobles

Days passed and Mother finally felt good enough to walk out once more. The tensions had died down slightly but it was not what she wanted. "Aseel." Mother called out and Aseel walked in. Mother smiled and tapped her legs. Aseel walked over and fell to his knees resting his head on her lap. She played with his hair.

"Mother needs you to do something for me. Can you do it?" Aseel nodded gently and with it, Mother stroked his hair. "I need you to change into nice clothes and go to the Mayoral building. Once there hand this note to a worker." Mother grabbed the note and passed it to the man, who took it with great care. "Make sure you do this well. Mother can’t have mistakes."

Aseel nodded with even more desperation but was soothed by Mother who shushed him. "Good." Aseel clung to her leg lightly and she gave a small laugh. "Five minutes and then be good and do this for me." With a dejected nod, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the comfort he would get for a short time.

Nother looked at him with great love.’What a loyal son.’She silently thought to herself, loving him for it.

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"May I help you?" Aseel walked forward his face on display. he was handsome with perfect features but his eyes darted back and forth and he noticeably breathed heavily. "Sir." The clerk didn’t doubt he was someone of wealth seeing his appearance but his actions were strange. Aseel reached into his pocket and pulled out the note Mother had given to him. Handing it over, he turned and quickly left.

The clerk was confused and opened it. The word traitors followed by a list of names was strange but she knew it was something she had to report to the mayor. Getting up she ran through the halls of the Mayoral building she arrived in front of her office. Knocking she waited before bing called in.

"Sir. Someone left this here. I’m not too sure what it means but I think you should see it." The clerk said meekly as the mayor looked with annoyance. Reaching his hand out he snatched from her hand and read. His eyes went wide.

"Who gave this to you?" The sudden change in his expression was strange.

"A man. He didn’t say anything, but he seemed nervous when doing so. he was quite handsome and looked like he had some wealth."

Hearing her words it reinforced his belief that it was something. The names of the nobles within the city were something he knew and seeing the list he recognized what it was instantly. Aseel’s nervous appearance made sense if he was going against ratting out this many people. He tapped the table with his finger wondering what to do. Marcus was coming, but if this many people were traitors they would catch wind of that and may try to flee.

Writing many notes he handed them to the Clerk. "Get these to my secretary." He handed one more to her. "This one she must read." The clerk nodded and quickly left. The Mayor looked down at his hands. He couldn’t do anything drastic yet and had to wait. But it didn’t mean he couldn’t do something to help.

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Aseel ran back into the temple, running over towards the back. many looked at him confused but said nothing. Mother watched her son as he rummaged through his things, pulling his mask out. He quickly put it on and only then did he calm down.

Mother walked over and patted his head. "I’m sorry for making you do that. I know you must have been nervous without it." She grabbed his cheeks and forced him to look up at her, "But Mother knows what she is doing and would never do anything to harm you. So trust me." Aseel nodded at her words, but she could see small tears in his eyes. Pulling him in she gently soothed him.

"Don’t worry, trust Mother. She loves you after all." Aseel tightened his grip around her and she stroked his head with care.

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Horace walked into the large ballroom. He never usually felt nervous but today he couldn’t help it. He was very deep in enemy territory and if he was to be exposed this was the place. Whilst he carried a hidden weapon, this time he he also had poison in his coat. His mission, his family’s glory, and the empire all rested on him. If he was captured he had to die. Horace knew and accepted this. His father would understand. He had family who could take his place if he died.

Seeing his target he choked down his nevers and pushed it aside. It would do him no good. he was confident in his abilities and just had to trust them. "Your Grace." Horace put his hand over his chest giving a respectful bow towards Oskar who was mingling with other nobles. Oskar turned to him and flashed a smile.

"Jedrick. Please Oskar is fine." Getting the confirmation, Horace raised his head. Oskarr’s words didn’t go unnoticed by those who he was talking to, interested in this unknown noble. "Gentleman, this is my friend Jedrick Mikos." Horace gave a polite bow to the others seeing they were of higher rank than him. They brushed it off, knowing that it was rude to force him him Oskar allowed him to be casual.

"Thank you for inviting me. I have never been to a unionization event." Horace marveled at the ballroom. He could see considerable wealth had gone into it.

"I’m surprised. I thought all nobles celebrated the creation of the Commonwealth." One said to Horace with slight disdain. He smiled in the face of it. He looked down at the sigil of crossed swords on the man’s ring. ’The Marszalek’s.’

"We do. But the capital is able to spare the funds for extravagance those defending the border can’t. Do not worry your weapons are appreciated, Marquess." Horace said with a polite smile. Horace peeked at Oskar whose reaction was stunned but he quickly hid it.

If he was to pretend to be one of Snowid’s agents he had to make it subtle. The Marquess smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. It was a common sore point that their family produced weapons but never fought in wars and was something people used against them." Well, I thank you for your bravery. I’m sure the Empire trembles when facing the Mikos family."

"The same way they tremble fighting the Marszaleks." He let his words linger and got a cough from one of the other nobles who choked back his laugh, getting a hard glare from the Marquees.

"I’m sure the valor of both households is the stuff of legends."Oskar cut in before the Marquees got too annoyed, putting them both in their place. Hearing his words the Marquees took a breath and placed a polite smile on his face once more.

"Nothing compared to your house Oskar." Drinking his drink he gave another glare hidden behind a smile towards Horace, "If you would excuse me. I have people I must meet."

The third noble who laughed looked at Horace. "You should watch your words." He shook his head and Horace shrugged. His meaning was clear and Horace already had an idea of the type of man he was.

"It’s fine. He can send a messager if he is so annoyed. I’ll be sure to send a reply." His words oozed confidence that Oskar wondered how he could back. With his family’s power, it would make no sense but if he was one of Konrad’s agents it would.

’Is he showing his hand now.’Oskar wondered to himself. He couldn’t understand why he would but it was strange. Completely different from how he acted before. "Well if he does I hope you show how sorry you are." He laughed once more before excusing himself leaving Oskar and Horace alone.

"Tell me Jedrick" Oskar turned towards him, "Have you had any luck finding getting the job you want."

Horace looked down touching the rim of his glass. "Whilst I would love to say that I have." He shook his head. "People within the capital value your name and I lack that. It makes me wonder if our King’s policies will truly have an effect."

He said dejected but Oskar could see he was deliberately trying to get his opinion on it. "Change can’t be a rapid development. The Laska family understands this. My father says if we move too quickly it will have the opposite effect. We don’t have the same circumstances of the Empire after all." Oskar made sure not to say much. He needed to show his family’s loyalty but also justify their slow movements.

It was an annoying thing. He was loyal to the Commonwealth and so was his family, but having to prove it without revealing he knew who Horace was made a headache. He was sure Horace knew by now but as long as he said nothing then the man could never act upon it.

"A shame truly." Horace made an effort to look around to see they were alone before moving in closer, "I heard a rumor, however. Someone wishes to see those... circumstances come to be."

Horace dangled the dangled the carrot in front of Oskar seeing if he would latch. In the best case he may assume that the Dabrowski family was in talks with Snowid and the worst would be he would dismiss it as a Konrad’s plot.

"And where did you hear that?" Oskar played along. He and his father knew of those rumors at the start of Snowids existed but it was dismissed as fear-mongering. Even now, whilst noble families did disappear occasionally, they were so minor that it didn’t worry anyone, only seen as clearing up the clutter. It was nothing on the scale of the Empire.

"My father." Horace moved himself away and spoke normally. "He was at a party last year held by the Dabrowski’s. He told me he overheard a couple of nobles over in the west talking about it."

"When was this?" Horace smiled seeing that he was interested. Oskar although not believing it, knew that if it was true and he completely dismissed it then it could have consequences.

"The coming of age birthday for his second daughter. The Duke always makes a big thing out of them, inviting all the nobles to his children’s coming-of-age birthdays. You should know this." Oskar nodded and put his hand on his chin. It was a famous affair within the West, always being used as a time to show his wealth and power.

"Your father heard quite an interesting rumor. But that’s all it is."

"Of course. A stupid one at that. I think someone got nervous hearing about the Empire’s victory and said something they shouldn’t." Horace dismissed the rumor he said and took a sip of his drink. Looking at the glass he smiled, "We better not drink too much. What do they say? Drunk words, sober thoughts. Could start another dangerous rumor."

Oskar gave a half smile and took a drink as he observed the ballroom with Horace.