For those uneducated people who might not be all that firmilar with the Geography of Telondia let it be known that Maccleston, which is a minor town within the Kingdom of Teldaria is located about nine hundred miles from the Western edges of the endless steppes. Also twenty one hundred miles South East of Liban the former imperial capital that sits bang in the middle, or at least close enough, of Telond, Telondia’s main Continent.
As to where my sister is, as stated previously she lives in the Barony of North Shields were she currently serves as companion/chaperone to Anna FitzWilliam the third daughter of its Baron, Timothy FitzWilliam. The Barony is located about a thousand miles North of Maccleston and travelling from here to there would usually take about a month.
However I wasn’t planning to go their directly, I would spend sometime with Richard at a cabin in the woods a few days travel east of Maccleston before we went our separate ways and also pay a visit to my fathers grave. I would have also visit my mothers grave as well but it isn’t safe for me their and it’s to far away besides. Even then it will likely take me two months their and another back and that’s if nothing goes wrong.
I departed the camp with Richard in tow the next morning and we made good progress, arriving at a small two bedroom cabin just before noon three days later. We spent the next four days doing not much of anything other than fishing in a small nearby lake, going for hikes in the woods looking for interesting local wildlife and talking about anything under the sun until dusk and it was time to call it a night.
Soon it was time for me to leave and continue my journey whilst Richard remained behind for another few days before heading off to a nearby village were he would be staying the winter.
My father was buried in a small cemetery just on the outskirts of a small town called Chalfon were he had spent the last year of his life working in the stables attached to the towns main inn. It was a big come down from the life he had led previously but it allowed him to work with horses and in the end that is all he wanted from life.
Twenty one days after leaving the cabin I arrived in town and took a room at the inn he had worked at before buying a bunch of flowers and then heading out to pay my respects to him. His grave upon which I laid the flowers whilst not that fancy at least had a small headstone and was well taken care of. Before leaving the cemetery I paid a visit to its elderly caretaker to pay him to look after the grave for another year.
“Has anyone else visited the grave at all this year do you know?”
“Not to my knowledge sonny but my eyes aren’t as good as they once were and the rest of me isn’t that far behind.”
“I can’t be sure whether or not I will return next year, now shall I pay you double now or send you the money next year?”
“Either works for me but to tell you the truth I am getting on in years so can’t guarantee that I’ll still be here next year and I’ve no apprentice so can’t tell who they’ll replace me with when I’m gone or how good they might be at it.”
“In that case I’ll have to find a lawyer or something in town I suppose to arrange for something more long term.”
“If that’s what you want, you wouldn’t be the only one but if you’ve any sense stay clear of Alvin Bosta, he’s not to be trusted.”
After saying my goodbyes to the caretaker I headed back to the inn and questioned it proprietor, who was the son of the man who had ran it when my father worked their, as to the best lawyer in town.
“Well Niel the man we use on the thankfully rare occasion we need one is Casper Kipling. He’s a bit deaf in one ear and he’ll probably be retiring any time now but they say his sons just as good and the only real alternative is Alvin Bosta and from what I can tell no one and I mean no one has got a good word to say about him.”
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“Were can I find him?”
“His offices are just off the Main Street between the Cobblers and the Tailor.”
I didn’t immediately head out to find the lawyers office as I hadn’t had anything to eat since breakfast and was as hungry as they come. Thus it wasn’t until after having a nice lunch of fish stew and a glass of cider that I headed out.
The offices weren’t that hard to find and after informing the receptionist of the services I was looking to avail of I was quickly taken up stair to meet the senior Mr Kipling.
“Well that shouldn’t prove all that difficult, do you want to lodge your money now or will you send it to me later, either ways fine with me?”
“In that case how much is your fee?”
“A third again of the yearly cemetery fees will do nicely, if that’s ok with you I can have my son draw up the necessary paperwork in a matter of minutes and as soon as you sign them you can be on your way, is that agreeable to you?”
“In that case here’s three years payment up front, I should be back in town I imagine before that runs out.”
“That I’ll be fine, now what was your fathers name again?”
“William Ryder.”
“Were have I heard that name before.”
“He worked in the stables at the Chalfon Inn for about a year before his death.”
“No it can’t be that I’ve never ridden a horse in my life and I do my drinking elsewhere. Maybe my son mentioned it in relation to something or other, I’ll ask him when he’s drawing up the paperwork. Now excuse me while I have a chat with him.”
It wasn’t till about fifteen minutes later that he returned with two piece of parchment with the details of the services he was to provide me and the amounts involved.
“Have a read at that just to make sure we haven’t added anything you didn’t agree to either of them and if everything is to your satisfaction then sign both copies at the bottom just below my signature and then everything will be nice and legal.”
After reading the documents which while full of legal terms I wasn’t all that familiar with seemed sound enough and their was as far as I could tell no difference between the two so I signed them both
“Alright here’s your copy and that’s it all taken care of, by the way I had a word with my son and it seems that Alvin Bosta once mentioned in passing that he has or at least had a letter meant for your father. Now don’t be worried about all the rumours floating about concerning him he’s in no way as bad as they make him out to be. It’s his fathers fault if you ask me, now he was as bad as they come and his well deserved reputation hasn’t done the son any favours. If it wasn’t for all the work he gets from out of towners I imagine he would have left for greener pastures years ago.”
“If you say so, anyway I suppose I’ll have to pay him a visit, where can I find him?”
“Well you’ll have to be quick he doesn’t stay open as late as us but if you don’t find him in his office just before the draper’s then try the Tavern next door.”
Luckily I arrived at the offices of Alvin Bosta before he had left for the day but for some reason he was the only one their.
“Yes, how may I help you?”
“Hello the names Niel Ryder, I believe you are in possession of a letter meant for my late father William Ryder.”
“Let me think, the name seems familiar, now that you mentioned it I believe I was, it must have been about three, four years ago that I received the missive in question, now where oh were could it be. I know I must have taken it home, no I wouldn’t have done that, let me just have a look for it, don’t mind me.”
I waited and wait but eventually he managed to find it, behind a book shelf of all things.
“Now before I pass it to you, I just have one question I’m required to ask.”
“Ask away I suppose.”
“What was the name of his first wife’s brother?”
Now I remembered her full name before and after the marriage but the brother I don’t think I remember hearing she had one never mind what their name might have been. Perhaps it was a trick question, yes that must be it.
“She didn’t have any brothers or sisters for that matter.”
“Correct, apparently, now would you rather read it in private or do you want me to stick around?”
“No I think I’ll take it with me if that’s ok.”
“Well as far as I know it doesn’t require a reply not that I have a return address any way, so go ahead, good day to you.”
I took my leave just as soon as he had handed it over and went straight to my room at the inn. I latched the door of the room behind me and opened the letter, not that it was much of one to tell you the truth.
Dear friend,
I regret to say that matters here have not improved and are not likely to either. For your own good and that of your children please stay as far away from here as possible
Yours Sincerely
Anonymous
That wasn’t helpful at all, didn’t tell me anything new but in in a way i suppose confirmed my fathers worst fears. Well I’ll stay the night and be on my way tomorrow and theirs no way I’ll mention it to Holly. No point in worrying her any further after all and it’s been years without anyone catching up to us. I don’t suppose things are likely to change especially since were not even in the same kingdom as the Count anymore or even the neighbouring one for that matter.