Councilor I leaned over his desk and put his chin in his hand. He finished reading the fine print for a new contract.

“The Luthiers want a new dispensation for cellos.” he said.

Councilor 1 looked up from across the desk. “For what?”

“String length.”

“What about it?”

“They want a different tax rate on cellos compared to violins for, let me see here, materials costs.”

“Tell them to make the tiniest violin they can and play that if they’re so worried about materials cost.” Councilor 1 scoffed.

“Hmmm.” Councilor I droned. “I’ll have to remember to tell them in their right ear so that they can actually hear me.”

“Hoho.”

“Hehe.”

The two old men shared a sensible chuckle.

Councilor I sat up. He held a page in his hand and yelled across the office. “Copy!”

He waited.

“I said copy!”

A Frazzled Scrivener sprinted out from the corner of the office. He bowed before the Councilor, grabbed the page, then sprinted back out of the office.

The two old men watched him leave without turning their heads.

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“That didn't used to take so long.” Councilor I mused.

“Indeed. Wasn’t there a girl here?”

“Yes… what was her name?”

“The one with the face?”

“That’s right.”

“She had a name.”

“I’m sure she did.”

“Probably not important. But we did have better service.”

“You are correct. We used to have much better service before…” Councilor 1 trailed off.

“Before the Royal Summoner panicked and fled the castle not a day after the commencement of our greatest plan yet?’ Councilor I finished for him.

“I thought it went without saying.”

“I wanted to be precise.”

“Indeed.”

Both of the old men leaned back into the plush folds of their office chairs. The Council Chamber was quiet. Stacks of papers sat expectantly on their desks. The two Councilors steepled their fingers in unison.

“The Guard was sent to resolve that issue.” Councilor I stated.

“And they returned with?”

“Nothing.”

“Indeed.”

Silent paperwork filled the space between the two men.

“Perhaps this issue requires more, direct action.” Councilor I posited.

“What did you have in mind?” Councilor 1 pried.

Councilor I slowly opened one of his desk drawers. With three fingers only he withdrew a crystalline bell and placed it on his writing pad. The handle of the bell was stylized in the likeness of a camelid.

Councilor 1’s eyes narrowed. “You know how much Councilor A dislikes using that. He says it disorganizes the books. If that’s even possible.”

“Councilor A isn’t here. He’s gone off to oversee one of his pet projects.”

“Indeed. Then there’s no one here to object.”

“Exactly.”

Councilor 1 gestured to proceed.

Councilor I rang the bell.

*Ring- ”You rang?” The voice spoke at the moment the bell’s note faded. It was an intimidating voice. Low and flat, like liquid smoke.

The Councilors did their best not to show their surprise.

“Yes. *Cough* There you are. Right on time. As always. We rang for you. *Sweat* Because, as you know, someone, has not been paying their taxes.”