King Lenord Asput

"No, Bartholomew. Nothing else today." I said to my steward as he entered the room. I thought it would be the young lady who brings me my tea. I couldn't deal with any of the nonsense the nobles kept pestering me with.

Bartholomew stopped at the entrance to my study and bowed. "My apologies, Your Majesty. It is a trivial thing. It is just a gift and a letter from the Barony of Bicman. I will return later."

"Bicman," I said in surprise as I leaned forward across my table. "I know that name. They are the ones up north. The man who saved my father's life."

"Yes, My Lord."

"You know, I always meant to send that man a gift. If it weren't for him pushing my father out of the way, the Arrow would have hit my father in the head rather than piercing my brother through the heart. If my brother had survived, all I would have gotten was the Dukedom Kimton has right now. The old man is dead now, but I really should send something to his son."

"Actually, most of the household is dead, My Lord. There was an assassination attempt by the steward of the house. He tried to cover it up during a recent illness that took many people at the same time. The only other information on the matter is that it was done at the request of someone at Kimton."

"Who in their right mind would try and kill off the Bicmans? That land was given as a punishment by my father." I mussed, "Who is left?"

"Lord Amos Bicman and his nephew Lord Aaron Bicman the Third. Lord Amos is requesting regency over his nephew until he is old enough to take the mantle of Baron."

"That would normally fall under the duke's responsibility. Why is he asking me?"

"Maybe he is afraid of the duke's response." Bartholomew shrugged.

"The man should be more afraid of the duke's response when he finds out Lord Bicman went above his head and asked me. I swear, if that man weren't my cousin, I would have done away with him long ago."

"How old is the nephew?"

"I don't have the accounting of his nephew's birth, but I do know that he can't be over two, according to his father's marriage license."

"Regent over a baby? Why didn't he just kill the child?"

"Maybe he needed the goodwill of the people, and perhaps his brother was loved by the people. If the child is only two, then there is no rush to kill him."

"Perhaps… Actually, this gives me a great idea. We will deny his request for regency and give Lord Amos the Barony. Then, he will have no reason to kill the boy. This way, I have given a gift to both of them, and I can stop worrying about it. Yes, write a letter explaining to our new Baron that the boy is too young and that, therefore, Amos must take the barony or forfeit the land."

"Very well, My King. Would you like to look to see the gift? It is quite intriguing."

Lady Ashley Manticole

"My dear, this letter says that your brother and his family have passed away," Jerimiah said solemnly as we sat next to each other in the sitting room, reading the daily mail.

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"Really? Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Did he pick a fight with Decmoore?" I said, intrigued.

"I don't know. The letter is from your nephew, Amos, and he has enclosed a letter to you," he said while handing me another letter that also came with the package.

I quickly scanned the letter. "Well, Aaron made an enemy out of someone. His steward poisoned him and the rest of the family. Amos and Aaron the Third are the only two who survived. It appears that he wants to mend relationships."

"Hmm…well, if someone is out to get them, we best not get in the way. In fact, send him a letter to that effect."

"That is quite honest of you, My Lord."

"Well, yes, there is no point in beating around the bush with the boy. The boy is a fool. Remember how he destroyed his relationship with Elizabeth so thoroughly."

"That was a bad match on my part. I shouldn't have let my brother talk me into finding Amos a bride, especially since I had never met the boy." I said, shaking my head, "Well, maybe she can stop being angry at me now. There is no way that Amos will keep the engagement now that his father is dead."

"Especially since he is about to be a baron, and he can probably get a baron's daughter to marry him. Well, maybe not a baron's. There are some knights wealthier than him. But he will marry nobility nonetheless. Society would never accept an heir who marries a mere merchant's daughter."

"So you think the Nephew will be dead soon," I said. I had the same thought.

"If it hasn't happened already, it will soon. Have Catherine go tell her friend the good news."

"Good news! Most of my family is dead, and you call that good news."

"I meant about the engagement, and you know it. As far as the rest goes, my dear, I think you and Susan will be all that is left of your family before the year is out."

Susan of the Mit Trading House

"Well, what does yours say? Is he asking for money?" Said Johnathan in a very bored yet impatient tone.

"Actually, no, it sounds about the same as yours. All he mentioned was that the family was dead, he desires to become more acquainted with us, and hopes that the gift he sent could be appraised by us for its value," I said with a sigh. I hated that bully of a brother. He was as stupid as he was big, but for some reason, the thought of my family members dying gave me a sense of melancholy.

"Well, then, why did he even bother writing two letters?"

"The reports have always said the child was never all that bright. Amos probably didn't know who to write to, so he decided to cover his bases. In his letter to me, he did specifically ask to mend familial relations. He is probably in way over his head and is reaching out to anyone who might be able to help."

"Him surviving was probably the worst thing that could have probably happened to that barony," Jonathan muttered.

"Johnathan, That is unkind. Neither you nor I have met the child."

"You heard the report from your sister. The boy was an arrogant monster of a child who treated Elizabeth poorly. I can't believe that they decided to go through with the engagement after what he did to that poor girl."

"It is likely they were hoping to get Elizabeth pregnant and then find a way to get rid of him. They wanted a noble grandson, not a noble son-in-law."

"Hmm… you know, I never thought about that."

"What about this paper he sent us," I said, holding up the letter.

"It is not as durable as parchment. If the cost is low enough, then it might be worth something, but not if it is being produced in Bicman. The barony is just too far away from anything. I am sure it will not come to anything immediately."

"But what if it was one of our parchment suppliers that was producing it? If it is a cheap process we could make good money in the capital. Or… Maybe we wouldn't need one of them. We could send John to visit his cousin. If he can figure out the process and bring it back here, we might be able to undercut the other merchants."

"John would be perfect. We will bribe him by booking him passage via ship to Vaspar. He has been begging to go on another voyage. We just need to explain how to act around his cousin. Amos may only be a baron in the middle of nowhere, but that doesn't mean he won't do anything stupid if John annoys him. Nobles back each other more than they do the law."

"You think there will be a problem?"

"Not as long as John acts respectful and keeps his opinions about nobles to himself."