The Journey 33.

Autumn. Fanile.

Able airman Orvick looks up from the parchment infront of him, and watches senior bosun Cedric, who has just entered the office, hand a slip of parchment to lord Ganulf.
The lord of Highsun reads what ever it is that's written on it, and sourly smiles.
The advisor to crown prince Waniq walks over to the fireplace, and throws the slip of parchment into the fire that's offering heat, on what's the first truly cold day of the autumn so far.
Cedric who is lord Ganulf's new offsider, walks over to the table that Orvick is sitting at. And sits at the other end of the bench from him.
The young able airman, who is just sixteen years old, looks over at his fellow air sailor, who he served on the Dragon's Revenge with. The senior bosun looks his way and shrugs.
Orvick who is glad to be sitting, as it takes weight off his club foot. Refrains from sighing, as that's another challenge wanting. As another nobleman refuses to face lord Ganulf in a duel.
No one has accepted since they first came back to the capital Fanile, and the lord of Highsun killed sir Wassen in a duel.
Though that hasn't stopped the advisor to the crown prince challenging a number of other nobles who are in residence in the capital city.
It's the day after the remnants of the third fleet, and a number of other airships and dragons in the Balford faction left the city of Fanile. To head out west, to join in on the battles between the Balford and Golmard faction in that part of the kingdom.
Sitting at the table next to the one Orvick and Cedric are sitting at. Are four scribes, going through the coded messages that have come in recently from throughout the kingdom.
The able airman with the club foot, who is lord Ganulf's new aide. Has quickly learnt that the lord of Highsun, is effectively the spy master for the Balford faction.
As he has Balford spies throughout the kingdom, gathering information predominantly about their enemies.
Who at this point in time, are the Golmard faction. Who they're at war with, over the right to have a family of wild dragon egg hunters join them.
And the Salmain faction, who for the most part declared war upon the Balford faction. For the simple reason they want lord Ganulf dead. As he's a member of the family who basically runs the Salmain faction. Which he quit a few years ago. Something they have never forgiven him for.
As a junior officer comes into the office with a few more slips of parchment, he gives them to the scribes at one of the tables.
Lord Ganulf wanders over to the table his aide and offsider are sitting at.
"Nothing yet my lord" is the reply from able airman Orvick when the lord of the city of Highsun, asks him about a message he expected this morning.
Lord Ganulf grunts, then walks over to one of the map tables, to see the latest positions of their forces throughout the kingdom.
In comparison to those of their enemies, the Golmard and Salmain factions.
After one of the scribes at the next table along. deciphers the code of one of the messages that's just arrived.
He reaches over and hands it to the able airman who is a local, having been born and raised here in the city of Fanile.
Orvick quickly reads the deciphered message, then looks over to the map table where the advisor to the prince is standing.
"My lord" says the aide to lord Ganulf, as he holds up the deciphered message.
The nobleman from the northern province of Hanamede hurries over, and takes the small slip of parchment from his new aide.
Frowning as he reads the message, lord Ganulf mutters "What the hell is she up to?".
Able Orvick nods in agreement, as the message details the movement of princess Chrisabol. Who prince Waniq told his advisor yesterday to keep a close eye on.
As the crown prince is certain that his sister Chrisabol is up to something. Exactly what, he's not too sure about.
"It would be better if she was actually a nun" is what Orvick hears lord Ganulf murmur, followed in a mutter with "Instead of sticking her nose into what the factions are doing".
The lord of Highsun, a city he has not been back to in a few years, which he's still the lord of. Much to the disgust of a lot of his family. Many of whom want to see him dead.
Hands the slip of parchment back to his aide, and tells him "Remember any like that, pass them onto me immediately".
"I will my lord" says the able airman, who never thought he'd end up as the aide to one of the most important, and influential nobles in all of Terrindim.
Even a rather unliked nobleman such as lord Ganulf. Who is despised by more of the nobility in the kingdom, than those who like him.
Like is too strong of word when it comes to describing the lord of Highsun.
It's more of a grudging admiration for lord Ganulf, than actually liking the nobleman who is from province of Hanamede, in the mountainous north of the kingdom of Terrindim.
As the day continues, and after both Orvick and Cedric have a quick meal at midday.
Messages continue to come into the offices of the lord of Highsun, here in the keep that's the headquarters of Balford faction, within the Royal Palace of Terrindim.
The young able airman, who is the newly appointed aide to lord Ganulf. Gets to see and read a lot of the messages, both deciphered or otherwise that comes into the offices, here on the third floor of the keep, that isn't all that far from the walled off section of the palace complex, within which is the so called real palace.
Orvick, who was previously an aide to fleet admiral Halmack. Gets to see all manner of messages.
From the well known grain traders association, whose information is public for those who know where to look. To movements of nobles and others who are in illicit affairs, that very few know about.
The able airman had no idea that so many court officials and minor nobles were having affairs outside of their marriages.
He suspects many of the commonborn populace would be shocked at the amount of extramarital affairs taking place across the Royal Palace of Terrindim. And within the residences of the nobility throughout the city of Fanile.
Able airman Orvick who has just shown lord Ganulf a message from one of the lord of Highsun's informants.
Detailing an affair one of the noblemen who the advisor to the crown prince has challenged to a duel in the last couple of days.
When the crown prince himself returns, after spending the noon time meal with his wife and daughter in the so called real palace. Then watch his daughter Sarsha play with the twin dragons Blackflame and Whitefire.
"Bloody cold out there i tell you" states crown prince Waniq, who then adds "You'd think it was winter or something".
"And the young princess was out in it playing with the twins?" asks lord Ganulf.
The oldest offspring of king Crassil and queen Pania grunts, then dryly says "No way could i stop that, even if it was freezing and snowing" he continues with "Besides, she's not cold in the least out on a day like today, thanks to the twins" followed in a dry tone with "Her father on the other hand, he stood out there freezing his balls off".
Lord Ganulf chuckles, while Orvick, Cedric, the scribes and nearby officers all grin when they hear that from their prince.
"Anything interesting while i was gone?" asks the crown prince of Terrindim.
"A bit" says the lord of Highsun, who finds the two most interesting messages to come in so far today, and hands them to the prince.
With a frown upon his face as he reads one of the slips of parchment, prince Waniq says "Why am i not surprised he's cheating on his wife".
The prince who is essentially the leader of the Balford faction, continues with "Didn't you challenge him to a duel yesterday?".
"I did" replies the advisor to the crown prince.
"He get back to you yet?" asks prince Waniq, who is the oldest of the king and queen's children.
"He did" says the lord of the city of Highsun, who continues with "He declined".
"Why am i not surprised" dryly says prince Waniq, who then reads the second slip of parchment his advisor handed him.
The crown prince is silent for a little while, then with a thoughtful frown upon his face, he says in a slightly puzzled tone of voice "What the hell is she up to?".
"I'm not sure highness" says the nobleman from the north of the kingdom, who after a slight pause, asks "Was she always like this?".
"How the hell would i know" the prince mutters to himself, before he says "My sister and i have never been close" followed by "Hell, i know young Dalvin more than i know Chrisabol".
As he's closest to his youngest brother prince Dalvin, who at just seventeen is thirteen years younger than the crown prince.
And not that close to his sister Chrisabol, or his other brother prince Sormis. Who leads the Grayvin faction, and straight out dislikes his oldest brother.
"She's always been a little too devout if you take my drift" says prince Ganulf, who continues with "Both this meddling into the goings on of some of the factions, is something new for her".
The crown prince of Terrindim after a brief pause, adds "I'm surprised the church hierarchy is allowing her to flaunt her position at court".
"So am i" says the prince's advisor, who continues with "Considering the church of Torros is one of the three churches we pay homage to".
Prince Waniq wryly smiles, as he takes the double meaning there from his advisor.
For indeed the Balford faction pay homage to the church of Torros. They also pay a lot into the coffers of the church.
The advisor to the prince is just about to say something else, when one of the nearby officers who is contact with those on duty up on the roof of the keep says "Highness, my lord, a rider has just come in".
The officer, a spellcaster, who is in contact with another practitioner of magic up on the rooftop, then adds "He's in a hurry".
Able airman Orvick looks at the crown prince and the lord of Highsun. As the phrase that one of their dragon riders is in a hurry, means that they have an urgent message.
"From one of the battles?" quietly asks prince Waniq.
"Could be" quietly says lord Ganulf, who looks over at the spellcaster, and asks him "From where?".
"The south my lord" is the reply of the officer who is communicating with the guard squad up on the roof of the keep that's the headquarters of the Balford faction.
"The first" states the lord of Highsun, the crown prince nods in agreement, as the first fleet of the Balford faction is spread right across the southern provinces of the kingdom of Terrindim.
The prince and his advisor walk over to one of the map tables, and looks at the positions of their forces across the southern region of the kingdom.
Able airman Orvick stands, and goes to join them when lord Ganulf waves him over.
As he does, the newly appointed aide to the lord of Highsun, and everybody else in the office, pause. As a dragon rider in the Balford faction suddenly appears in the middle of the office.
Something not allowed usually, as their dragons are supposed to teleport them onto the rooftop of the keep first.
The dragon rider, who Orvick recognises as Philbis, rider of the dragon Sunfire, who is with the first fleet of the Balford faction.
Is sweating, and breathing heavily as if he's been running. The rider Philbis takes a step, then spots the prince and his advisor, and slightly grimaces.
"Highness, my lord" says the rider Philbis with a quick bow, after those in the office bow to him.
"A private word with you my lord" adds the dragon rider who is with the first fleet of the Balford faction.
"Of course" says lord Ganulf after he shares a look with the crown prince.
As the two of them walk to a corner of the office, able airman Orvick notices the rider Philbis glance in the direction of the prince, then slightly grimace again.
Then the lord of Highsun, and the dragon rider stand in a corner of the office, where Philbis quickly tells lord Ganulf something.
What exactly, no one knows. As it's just silence from that corner, as the conversation is private thanks to the dragon Sunfire.
But whatever the rider Philbis says, the reaction from the lord of Highsun is one of shock, as the colour drains from his face. Then he looks quickly in the direction of the crown prince and winces.
The advisor to the prince says something to the dragon rider, who nods, then disappears.
Lord Ganulf is still for a few moments, as if he's gathering his thoughts. Or his courage from what able Orvick can see.
Then the lord of Highsun walks back this way, and after clearing his throat, says "A word my prince" and gestures to the balcony outside.
As the crown prince and his advisor open the doors to outside, and the cold air comes in.
The aide to lord Ganulf glances at senior bosun Cedric, who nods at Orvick to go and stand near the doors, to see what's happening out on the balcony.
The able airman as the aide to the lord of Highsun, is supposed to keep close to lord Ganulf.
So he moves quickly over to the open doors, and stands there. He doesn't hear what the advisor to the prince quietly, and by the looks of it, reluctantly say.
But Orvick does see the look of absolute shock upon the face of prince Waniq.
For a moment, the able airman thinks the crown prince is going to burst into tears, but instead he briefly clenches his fists, then turns and grabs the balcony rail.
Then Waniq the crown prince of Terrindim screams in what can only be described as rage and loss.
Then Orvick sees him lean forward, and hears the crown prince start sobbing, while his advisor lord Ganulf puts a comforting hand on his shoulder.
The able airman quickly steps back away from the open doors, as it's obvious prince Waniq is mourning the loss of someone . . . . . .