“The Lord has invited a grand assortment of friends to his residence.
The prominent of which includes the General Langard. Their party was filled with wine and revelry. The lord is said to oft frequent the Street of Joy. And the Raven is still at odds.
Things go according to plan, but this servant shall continue to report.”
The letter and its plain script were tossed carelessly onto the table.
Voice dripping with derision, Cristin sneered, “They think so little of us they barely hide these reports.” He glared at the letter. “This is starting to hurt my pride. How much longer until we begin to evict the traitors?”
Blue eyes glanced over the letter. A small tilt of his lips prefaced Nikolai’s words. “Caution has stayed our hand. We would have raised suspicion if we removed them too early.”
Sinking into the opposite seat, the attendant sighed wearily. “I miss Feldgrau.” Glancing over at the letter, the man crossed his arms. His dark eyes were serious. “My Lord, we may monitor all of these messages, but what shall we do when one slips by us? We cannot keep harboring those we do not trust.”
The words echoed familiarly with Nikolai. “As if you’d let one slip by you,” yawned the lord. Cristin was many things, but inefficient was not one of them.
Blue eyes followed the other man sluggishly as the attendant began to pace the room. The doors to the study creaked open. A head peaked in.
Nikolai gestured the boy forward. Bian nodded. There was a vanilla envelope within his hands. The boy delivered the letter hastily and scurried out of the room, quiet as a mouse. Maybe even quieter, mused Nikolai.
Cristin barely gave the new servant a passing glance, enraptured in his curses and vows.
“These rats are everywhere! The queen is trying to control everything! They just wait until I get my hands on them! I swear to the gods I will-”
“Calm, Cristin,” said Nikolai, eyes glued on the paper in his hands. He lifted the newly delivered letter. Although short, it had an official seal of a lord on it. “Your wait is over.”
Cristin’s jaws dropped. “It worked? The… they agreed?”
The Lord of Feldgrau pushed back his chair. “Now that the plan is in motion, we can finally begin our counterattack.” Blue eyes flashed. “It seems your wish has come true. Time to get rid of the moles.”
The attendant paused at the bold statement. “But… there is still the problem of the queen, my lord. It will be hard to explain if you suddenly got rid of her people.”
There was a deep hum. Nikolai glanced over his shoulders. “Who said I would be the one getting rid of them?” The ice prince clasped his hands behind his back. “I am but a spoiled prince.” He turned to stare out the window.
Through the glass, they watched as the gates to the residence were pulled open. A familiar carriage trotted in through the doors. Without waiting for the stable boys, a lively form jumped out. Dark, plain silk billowed in the air as they landed perfectly. The longsword in the figure’s hands was lovingly strapped at her side.
“I am confused, if not you…” Cristin scratched his head. “Then who, my liege?”
Nikolai held up the spy letter that had been tossed aside. “I want a copy of this made and sent to the general’s rooms.”
The Raven General was born and breathed the path of war. On the battlefield, trusting your soldiers meant everything. He was certain that Faye would displeased to know that her supposed allies were spying on her.
Nikolai’s face was blank, but a faint hope soared in his heart.
If all went well, they would finally be free of the queen’s extra eyes. The Lord of Feldgrau stretched. It was about time that some work got done.
---
Viktor pawed loudly at the ground. His greedy eyes followed the bay of hay. As soon as his meal was tossed in, the war horse snapped its greedy teeth into it.
Fractured moonlight spilled in through the wooden boards. It was the hour of the wolf.
Satisfied, the Raven General finally turned to face Bian. The boy blended in with the shadows in his dark clothes. A person with less sharper eyes would not have even known he was there. The boy came out of the darkness as if he were one with it.
The general held up the letter. Bian had risked being seen to deliver it. “He told you to have this sent to my room?”
Silently, the boy nodded. He signed, “Said to mention nothing.” Bian paused, before adding, “Said you would know what to do.”
To have such a letter delivered, mused the Raven General. The lord wanted a favor from her. Faye rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
Seeing the lack of anger, the boy’s hands began to sign rapidly. “It is a test, general.” There was a pause. “I do not know why he requested me, I fear,” the loyal spy looked away, guilt covering his expression. “He may be onto me.”
Faye waved a dismissive hand. The circumstances regarding Bian’s arrival would always be suspicious. They were lucky to have gone unnoticed for so long. “There is nothing we can do about it.” She shook the paper. “As for this…”
The young woman sighed and leaned against the stable doors.
Viktor looked up from his meal to nicker softly at his master. The general gently pushed the inquisitive nose away. It had been two moons since her marriage… and leaving Wenge as well as her troops. She did not fear for their loyalty, but between the constant border wars and posturing to the other generals, Faye was unused to the lack of people and activity by her side.
The young woman exhaled loudly. “Any updates on the tribes?”
“Few uprisings, but your men have dealt with them and I have sent spies to check in on the others,” knowing her aversion to boredom, the boy shrugged sheepishly. “All is well in the grasslands.”
The Raven General sniffed, trying not to feel insulted. Despite the constant messages she received from her lieutenants, it was a bit disheartening to learn how smoothly everything continued to run in her absence. Leaning back, she let her head fall against the boards.
Bian winced at the loud thunk. How the general retained no head injury was a mystery to him. The other truly had been born with the skull of a rock.
With a loud huff, the general dragged herself up. “Well, that decides it then.” She scanned through the letter carelessly, not really reading the words. “We weren’t supposed to get involved, but I do owe him twice.” For the armory and the targets, Faye listed mentally.
Before Bian could ask, the general continued, "Bian, get me a list of all the servants that still have connections to the palace. I want to know the names and connections of those with the ability to send messages there and back.”
There was a stunned pause.
Quick to recover, Bian signed, “Of course.” He tilted his head. The boy would never presume to know better, but he had to ask. “But why, general? Did the Chief not say to…”
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A loud ripping noise cut him off.
“Wenge is loyal to the Eburean Crown. This has nothing to do with that.” The Raven General messily shredded the letter until it was nothing more than a pile of trash. “We are merely doing some housekeeping for the lord.”
Bian resisted the urge to scratch his head. The general, although occasionally hot-headed, was always practical. Why would she risk this?
Seeing the other’s expression, Faye crossed her arms, tone softening. “We do not benefit from having rats and spies among our ranks, Bian.” Amber eyes sharpened. “We need allies and the lord… I do not wish for him to be a foe,” she admitted.
It was difficult enough to be surrounded by enemies. But Faye knew what it was like when you couldn’t even trust family not to stab you in the back.
If Nikolai was suspicious about Bian, Faye could only try to regain his trust through this act of kindness.
It did not hurt that such a thing would bring some excitement to the Prince’s Residence, which was rapidly becoming more boring by the day. The thought made her giddy with excitement. The general rubbed her hands together eagerly as plans and calculations ran through her mind.
Bian backed up at the manic look in the general’s eyes. The boy shook his head. There would be repercussions for going against the royal family and Fadye’s will. Unknown to most, the Raven General was far from Fadye’s loyal follower. In fact, she tended to thrive off testing the limits of his patience and goodwill.
It was hard to tell whether the general’s excitement for the task ahead stemmed from going against the Wenge Chief or her admiration for her husband. Bian had seen the way the general would freeze slightly and look in the direction of the lord whenever he passed.
Either way, by the morning, the city would be alight with gossip and horrid tales of the Raven General and her brutal culling of rats and spies.
---
Faye banged her head against the table. She groaned, “Why! Are! There! So! Many! Names!” She let out a frustrated yell, half-tempted to rip Bian’s hard-earned list into shreds.
The boy winced and stared fearfully for his hard work.
He peeked over the general’s shoulders. It was indeed a very long list. More than half of the Prince’s Residence were filled with people from the castle. Within that group, another half had correspondences and connections within the castle and its staff and lords. Some were even directly affiliated with the queen and crown prince! The truth was, most did little to hide the affiliation, using it as a way to raise their ranks with the others.
Nails digging into her skin, Faye rubbed her chin furiously. How could she root out the traitors? To verify and tail each one would be too great of a task, but the thought of even a single spy remaining left a horrid taste on her tongue.
Faye closed her eyes, resting her head against her fist. The young woman envisioned herself on a battlefield, and learning that these betrayals were from her own men. The proud general’s teeth grit at the thought. She would personally drag them out and leave no trace unturned until all the traitors were punished or dead. Betrayal on the battlefield was unacceptable. Her dark thoughts froze.
Amber eyes snapped open. That was it!
If you couldn’t pick out the rotten food from the pile, you got rid of all of it.
---
The line of servants eyed one another nervously. What exactly were they doing here? They all looked up to stare at the Raven General lounging in her chair, a table with food pulled next to her. There was a regal and blood-thristy air as she smirked menacingly down at them.
The servants looked around. To their surprise, Abby was nowhere in sight. They began sweat and fear even more. At least they knew what the head servant was like. The general on the other hand… the woman was a never-ending enigma that could cut through trees thicker than men and move with deathly silence.
“All right.” The general rose from her seat, like she was commanding a legion of warriors. The servants stiffened as she cracked her neck. “Let’s get this started.”
From her pocket, Faye pulled out a scroll. Unfurling it, amber eyse began to scan through the list. So many names. Glancing up, she shrugged. The scroll was mostly ceremonial, all the servants under any suspicion had been summoned. Faye tossed the scroll behind her. The paper clattered noisily as it hit the ground. The entire pavilion flinched at the action.
Stepping down from her platform, the Raven General started for the row of servants. Her walk was slow and measured, like she had all the time in the world. The speed only made the hackles rise on some as they wished to quickly get this mysterious affair over.
The people paled as she approached. The hairs on the back of their necks rose.
Faye stopped in front of the very first servant. It was a woman whose hair was beginning to gray but had a heart-shaped face and a kind smile. She tried to smile now. The trick always worked with her previous masters, softening their hearts.
The woman had once served the queen but dutifully came to the Prince’s Residence when assigned. To everyone’s knowledge, she was nothing but gentle and dutiful. If there was anyone that would get out of this unscathed, it was her.
“My, my lady?” the woman stammered, lowering her head perfectly. “What is it this one can do for you?”
The Raven General shot her an unimpressed look. “Pack your bags. From today on, you are released from this residence.” She smirked, “Return to your mistress at the palace for all I care.”
Brian had gotten her a sample of the older servants penmanship. The traitorous message had been written in the same script.
With that, the general continued down the line, approaching the next.
Behind her, the heart-faced woman sank to her knees as all around her gaped. What in the world? Released from the residence!
“But why? My lady! Please, you owe me an explanation!” The kind voice shrieked with desperation. Withered hands grasped at the air. “I have been nothing but good! Lady!”
Unfortunately for her, the general waved a careless hand in the air. Guards stormed forward and dragged the servant away, and her pleas were lost to the wind.
“A bit too chatty, that one,” commented the general. The people around her could only stare incredulously at her. That was why she had been fired? Unheeding of their thoughts, the general eagerly turned to her next victim. “Too weak. We need able bodied people.”
Everyone gaped as she patted the muscular young man’s shoulders. The man was twice the general’s height and his arms were thick with pure muscle.
Faye sighed, “You are dismissed as well.”
The servant started to speak but then eyed the approaching guards. Their argument faded. With a sigh, he wisely walked away without protest.
All jaws dropped.
But Faye strode forward, and happily continued.
“Too old.”
“No, too young.”
“Hmm, no dark hair.”
“Freckles.:
“Only dark hair.”
“Feet are too large.”
“Shoulders too sharp.”
And so on, and so on.
In no time at all, the area was cleared, leaving only the general. A long line of people trailed out of the Prince’s Residence. There were a range of looks on their faces, some were mournful, others were frustrated, but a good majority just seemed extremely confused. But none could say anything, forced to trudge along with luggage and belongings. The last servant gave a long shake of their head, before walking out. The guards dutifully shut the massive doors behind them. The resounding thud was like a final death toll, ringing throughout the entire residence.
Cupping her hands to her mouth, Faye bellowed behind them. “And don’t bother coming back!”
With that, the young woman sighed happily. She brushed her hands off. That was a day’s good work done. Glancing up, she squinted at the morning sun. It was time for her ride.
Fearful to be the next ones facing her wrath, the stable boys were already prepared. They brought out a saddled Viktor for the general. Puffing up, the warhorse preened under the scarred hands’ attention. The woman swung up onto the horse and trotted away without a care in the world.
Up in the study, Cristin approached Nikolai, completely stunned. The lord had worked through the night. Heavy dark circles were prominent. But that also meant that he had seen the entire procession with the general and the servants.
The young man stared out the window with a blank expression but there was an amused glint in his eyes.
The attendant rubbed his face. “When we wanted her to get rid of the spies, who knew she would get rid of all of them! Nikolai, half of the servants’ quarters are empty. She made them all move out in less than an hour!”
Nikolai shrugged. It was an efficient tactic. He had been curious to see how the general would sort out the traitors from the rest. This was better than he could have ever expected.
“Why do you look like you approve of this?” squawked Cristin. “My lord! What will the city say? They will think your wife crazy!” The attendant paused. The city already thought the barbarian general was crazy. “Crazier! They will think her crazier!” he corrected.
“I am not worried about the city. However,” The lord took a great pause as a thought occurred to him. “Abby is going to kill us, isn’t she?”
Right on cue, the doors to the study burst open as a fuming head maid stormed in. “Where are all of my people?”
The lord and attendant sheepishly stared at one another. “Abby, you might want to sit down for this.”