Something was wrong, she was certain, there had been couriers entering the manor. She had woken almost at dawn and saw 2 couriers arriving. One wore the Reitzmelt colors, the other one was a vanian military courier. It was not rare for military couriers to visit the manor, but not at this hour in the morning, and the courier looked like it had raced to get here.

Her bedroom had a small window from where she could see the entrance gates and the stables. She hurriedly dressed in a simple sky-blue dress, it was simple but from and excellent fabric. Her mother had at last accepted that she did not fancy the more elaborate dresses other “ladies” her age wore.

She tied her hair on a simple braid and stormed out of her room. The manor staff was surely about to begin their activities, but the early couriers had drawn many people attention. Her room was on the east side of the manor. She headed to the main stairs.

“Good morning, miss Agathe” a middle age woman, in her maid outfit greeted her as she reached the stairs, “I imagine, you are rushing towards the studio?” She was the head maid of the manor staff, Mrs. Muller.

“Good morning, Mrs. Muller, yes, did you happened to know what is going on” she quickly asked.

“I don’t know my dear, but please tell your father, I have already ordered, Mr. Muller to prepare the kitchens, and ill send someone to ask what they need in a moment, I just need to speak with Lady Claire first” they shared a courteous nod and each keep their way.

“Something really important most have happened, and father is already there”, she descended the stairs into the main entrance. She then took towards her father’s studio. She stood in front of the door and gave it two firm nocks.

“It is open, Agathe, come in” her father voice came as a response. She entered the studio; it would be more appropriate to call it a council room. A large oval table surrounded by chairs dominated the space. At the end of the room was a desk and some shelves, next to it a series of different pieces of furniture were arrange like a lounge. Her father sat at his favorite bright green armchair, he had two missives at hand. Next to him sat Sir Kiernan, his father master of arms.

“Good morning, Sir Kiernan” she quickly and politely saluted the man. He was a bit older than her father, and had been appointed as master of arms, since he took charge of the manor. He was almost like and uncle.

“Good morning miss Agathe” he was distressed, he was usually cheerful, especially with her.

She went near her father, he looked troubled. The years had finally reached him, he was 61, and even though he still looked handsome, his hair was slowly turning grey, and his firm body was just a bit round on the edges. She went to kiss him on the cheek, he lowered his missives for a moment, to return the greeting.

“Mrs. Muller told me her husband is ready for any orders at the kitchen, someone will come shortly to ask what you need” She told them both.

“Blessed Mrs. Muller, she knows food is needed in order to think” Her father replied more energetic, and motion her to sit on a cushioned chair next to him.

“I suppose you are here as to why, two couriers arrived at dawn?” her father asked her.

She tried to make the most inconspicuous face possible as she replied “Well, it is certainly out of the ordinary, specially the military courier”. Her father laughed at her response and handed her one of the missives. The one marked with the vanian seal.

“You should not let her read that, Lugh” Sir Kiernan intervened, he and my father were really close, and were used to call each other by name, but something bad had really happened if he forgot to address him as lord, in front of her. She hesitated with the letter in hand and looked at her father.

“Everyone will know what is going on, Kier, she will understand what these means, and you as well know it” Her father gave her a nod. Sir Kiernan just grunted.

She turned to the letter at hand:

“On the 14th of the Hollow Moon, before dawn, there was attack on Rurteran Villeage. Hegemony forces mainly composed of Stakvor, tried to close the village and exterminate everyone in it, the force was estimated to be a Fang unit. There were heavy casualties from the defenders, but the entire enemy force was dealt it and some were apprehended on site. The interrogations should begin by mid-day. There is a supposition of similar attacks on several other border settlements, more importantly, the enemy carried Zel Federation motives.

This information is being conferred to every noble, commander and local authority with borders towards the Zel Federation. The borders must be secured, and the troops prepared, the Zel Federation will not be held RESPONSIBLE for the attack until further investigation, it could be a set up by the hands of the Hegemony.

The military council has ordered border patrols and has called for the High Council to review the information. Several commanders will be dispatched to assist nobles or take on charge of small settlements.

The contents of this missive are delicate in nature, and should not be made public, until the High Council has made a resolution. Expect further or detail instructions, either by another missive or with a dispatched commander.

General Luka Richter, Chief of Logistics”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Agathe had to reread the missive, she felt sick and cold. She turned to look at her father and Sir Kiernan. The attack had happened yesterday, the logistic department must have received the notification of the attack and decided on to send this missive to all the Domain borders.

“You know what this means” Her father asked her gently.

“War” that was her reply, her father nodded.

“War indeed, we were discussing with Sir Kiernan and that is our conclusion as well. Once more the military council has proved its worth by acting fast and with enough level head” Her father took the missive from her hand and gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

“The attack is trouble by itself, but that the hegemony forces carried Zel colors, that is truly concerning” She added, her father smiled at her, Sir Kiernan looked at her as if she was different.

“We have always prepared for an attack by the Hegemony, but we have been on friendly terms with Zel for more than 150 years, it was only until we reconciled our differences that we were able to stop the Hegemony. The military council is being smart about not forcing any issue until more information is secured, but it is not disregarding the possibility” His father explained in a more detailed manner.

“This Rurteran village must be a Vanian Frontier, within Margrave Reitzmelt territory” She asked. Her father smiled once more, and Sir Kiernan blinked strongly.

“Close, it is a Vanian Frontier, part of the expanse border, the village neighbors old Reitz territory” he signaled the other letter on his hand, the one with the Reitzmelt family seal, “Old Reitz, received a messenger from Rurteran village explained what had occurred. He mobilized his troops to secure the borders of his territory and send troops to aid Rurteran village. Do you know why he sent a letter as well?”

“Margrave Retizmelt is and old dog, he would surely ask for us to reinforce our borders as well, and asked for us to send troops as well, he probably thinks that surely other parts of the border were attacked, the north perhaps, us and him sending troops would be invaluable to form a wall for the enemy” Sir Kiernan interrupted, his father had only shared the military missive, he was reading the Reitzmelt’s when she had arrive.

“True but not entirely” His father nodded at Sir Kiernan but turned towards her.

“He wants you to confirm Zel’s standing?” she ventured

“He he he, of course, you truly are quick witted miss Agathe” Sir Kiernan broke in a roar “He want us to speak with Zel, if we confirm it is only the Hegemony, we could send troops as aid instead of fortifying our position” he grinned at her, she blushed a bit.

“That is right, he is asking if we could try to haste Zel participation in these matters, and I am certain, the High Council, with promptly ask me to join a delegation to Zel. I intend to send your aunt a message in a moment” He smiled at her.

“Excuse sir may I come in?” a timid voice asked from behind the door.

“Please come inside Mary” her father replied.

A small girl pushed the door, she was nervous, and her clothes were a bit big for her, “My da… Mr. Muller would like to know if you want something from the kitchen, he was sausages ready and freshly baked bread” she managed to say, looking at the wooden floor.

“You arrived just in time Mary, I would love some sausages and eggs, as well as bread and butter, and some hot wine” her father spoke “Kier what would you have?”

“Just eggs and bread for me Mary, I promised my wife, I would eat less pork” Sir Kiernan told her. Mary nodded still looking at the floor.

“For you Miss Agathe?” Mary asked her, she felt more at easy talking with her, after all she usually played with Mary from time to time.

“Just some bread and butter for me Mary” Mary nodded as well as ran out of the studio.

“We need you to part of our troops ready to march, send orders to Dumas and Ivan, to ready their men, but that’s about it. I’ll write a letter to Sergeant Iori, he needs to ready his mean at check rations, we will send him a copy of the military missive” His father was speaking fast, Sir Kiernan just nodding.

“You are not sending patrols father” She asked

“It is not Zel, the Hegemony has used set ups before, but there is no way Zel would launch an attack there, if they chose to attack us, we would have been the targets” His father replied confident.

“Why are you so certain? I mean, I don’t doubt Zel, but why us?” She was worried at this response, theirs were not a big territory, and surely their biggest asset was wine, but Sir Kiernan and his father always kept the troops well fed and prepared, and by Vanian law, every border in the domain received soldiers. Weinburg fortress was not to laugh about, and Sergeant Iorii was as military as you could get in her opinion.

“Meissen village has a really small militia, and relatively poor defenses, and its place on a rather easy to defend position. It would be the ideal place for Zel to launch an attack” Sir Kiernan told her.

“Wait, if we are aware of how unprotected Meissen is, then why have we not do something about it…” She was looking at both men who were grinning “Meissen is bait, you have something prepared for it”

“We knew we had to focus on our east border with the Hegemony, we have preparations in order to make Zel pay once they take Meissen” His father was boasting “What we need to do, is prepare to reinforce the frontier, and establish a clear communication with Zel, they were probably attack as well by allegedly vanian forces” His father continued.

She was surprised at how fast her father reacted. She was certain he was smart, her mother always told her that is why she married him. He was an Earl, with a decent territory but small, it did have famously renowned wines but nothing more. He had always been more a merchant than noble, but his way of thinking was flexible and alert. He had married the second daughter of a Duke, which is to say above he married above his station, not only that, her mother belonged Zel nobility. This was why he would be the go-to option when a envoy for Zel was needed, he would just be visiting his in laws.

“Do you really think it would be war?” She had been lost in thoughts for a moment as her father and Sir Kiernan talked about what needed to be done.

“I do not know at what scale the Hegemony plans on pushing us, we always have skirmishes with their forces, and have on occasion lost or gain pieces of territory, but I fear this might be bigger, I was 9 years old, when the Hegemony made a last push inside the Domain territory, Old Reitz forces had to safeguard here, before we could launch a counter attack. His oldest son died defending the border on that last push” His tone became more somber, but he reassured himself as he looked at her. “This last 50 years had certainly made us more at ease, but the military council has not once lost its edge. This relative peace has gifted us vanians with many things, as I have my daughters, and wife, I am certain many more had worked hard for what they owned and has given us more reasons to stand, do not worry Agathe” his words seemed to convince himself as well. “The Vanian Domain is strong, because our hearts are strong, how do you think I was able to convince your mother?”

“We make the best wine in the whole damn world Lugh” Sir Kiernan replied.

“She says you were handsome and quick witted” She replied.

“It was my vanian heart, don’t you dare say otherwise” He laughed wholeheartedly and so did she and Sir Kiernan.