questioningly at the two men before entering the mansion. A few moments later, Marshal Ulmreto came out of the mansion. He approached the two foreigners.
“I am Marshal Ulmreto,” he stated. What is your business with Lord Damirath?”
“We have a business proposition for him,” replied Brakas.
“Then you should be speaking to Bursar Wicado,” the marshal stated as he turned to escort the two men into the mansion. “I saw him enter a few moments ago. I will take you to him.”
“This proposition is not for the bursar,” interrupted Zygor. “We are not traveling merchants seeking a contract for goods. This matter must be heard by Lord Damirath only.”
Marshal Ulmreto stopped and turned to face the two men again. “Lord Damirath is a very busy man,” objected the marshal, “and you are unknown to us. You will deal with the bursar.”
“The security of the Pikata clan is at stake,” insisted Zygor. “We will speak with Lord Damirath or not at all.”
Zygor looked around as if in search of his horse. Marshal Ulmreto hesitated as he observed the foreigners. Finally he sighed and nodded.
“You will leave all weapons here,” declared the marshal as his men stepped forward to search for hidden weapons.
Brakas and Zygor allowed the Pikata soldiers to remove their weapons. Zygor snickered in contempt as the soldiers performed their duty. When the search was complete, Marshal Ulmreto escorted the two foreigners into the meetings room.
“Wait here,” he ordered. “I will return with Lord Damirath in a few moments.”
When the marshal had left the room, Brakas began to speak, but Zygor held up his hand for silence. A few minutes later the marshal returned with Lord Damirath and two soldiers. The soldiers took up positions on each side of the doorway.
“I understand you have information regarding the safety of the Pikata estate,” greeted Lord Damirath. “What is it?”
Brakas turned and looked at the two soldiers standing by the door. He shook his head slowly and turned to face the Pikata lord.
“I understand the need for your marshal to be present,” Brakas stated, “but common soldiers are unacceptable. It is dangerous for us to even talk about this information with you, but we are willing to take that risk. We will not speak in front of mere soldiers, though.”
Lord Damirath frowned and was about to order the two foreigners thrown from the estate, but fear of treachery from his neighbors stopped him. He scowled as he nodded to Marshal Ulmreto. The marshal ordered the two soldiers to take up their posts outside the meeting room.
“This had better be important,” grumbled Lord Damirath. “I do not care much for your methods. Now, what is so important that it requires my immediate attention?”
“Your estate lies close to the Fakaran border,” Brakas said as he approached the wall map behind Lord Damirath. “I am from Fakara, and I have information about what is going on there that will affect your estate.”
Lord Damirath turned to look at the map while Marshal Ulmreto kept his distance so that he could watch both foreigners.
“What is happening in Fakara?” asked Lord Damirath. “I heard that Grulak had been killed and the Jiadin scattered throughout the land. I have heard nothing of danger to Khadora since that time.”
“What you have heard is true,” replied Zygor as he approached the map and stood behind Lord Damirath. “What you have not heard is the resurgence of the Jiadin under new leadership. Tell him Brakas.”
Brakas started pointing to areas on the map. “Here, here, and here,” Brakas began. “Those are recruitments camps for the new Jiadin. We have just come from one of those areas. We learned that the Jiadin are selling their services to Khadoran lords.”
“Khadoran lords?” asked Marshal Ulmreto as he was drawn to the map. “Which lords and how many men?”
“Three clans have already been identified,” Brakas continued. “The Vessi, Glamaraldi, and
“I am Marshal Ulmreto,” he stated. What is your business with Lord Damirath?”
“We have a business proposition for him,” replied Brakas.
“Then you should be speaking to Bursar Wicado,” the marshal stated as he turned to escort the two men into the mansion. “I saw him enter a few moments ago. I will take you to him.”
“This proposition is not for the bursar,” interrupted Zygor. “We are not traveling merchants seeking a contract for goods. This matter must be heard by Lord Damirath only.”
Marshal Ulmreto stopped and turned to face the two men again. “Lord Damirath is a very busy man,” objected the marshal, “and you are unknown to us. You will deal with the bursar.”
“The security of the Pikata clan is at stake,” insisted Zygor. “We will speak with Lord Damirath or not at all.”
Zygor looked around as if in search of his horse. Marshal Ulmreto hesitated as he observed the foreigners. Finally he sighed and nodded.
“You will leave all weapons here,” declared the marshal as his men stepped forward to search for hidden weapons.
Brakas and Zygor allowed the Pikata soldiers to remove their weapons. Zygor snickered in contempt as the soldiers performed their duty. When the search was complete, Marshal Ulmreto escorted the two foreigners into the meetings room.
“Wait here,” he ordered. “I will return with Lord Damirath in a few moments.”
When the marshal had left the room, Brakas began to speak, but Zygor held up his hand for silence. A few minutes later the marshal returned with Lord Damirath and two soldiers. The soldiers took up positions on each side of the doorway.
“I understand you have information regarding the safety of the Pikata estate,” greeted Lord Damirath. “What is it?”
Brakas turned and looked at the two soldiers standing by the door. He shook his head slowly and turned to face the Pikata lord.
“I understand the need for your marshal to be present,” Brakas stated, “but common soldiers are unacceptable. It is dangerous for us to even talk about this information with you, but we are willing to take that risk. We will not speak in front of mere soldiers, though.”
Lord Damirath frowned and was about to order the two foreigners thrown from the estate, but fear of treachery from his neighbors stopped him. He scowled as he nodded to Marshal Ulmreto. The marshal ordered the two soldiers to take up their posts outside the meeting room.
“This had better be important,” grumbled Lord Damirath. “I do not care much for your methods. Now, what is so important that it requires my immediate attention?”
“Your estate lies close to the Fakaran border,” Brakas said as he approached the wall map behind Lord Damirath. “I am from Fakara, and I have information about what is going on there that will affect your estate.”
Lord Damirath turned to look at the map while Marshal Ulmreto kept his distance so that he could watch both foreigners.
“What is happening in Fakara?” asked Lord Damirath. “I heard that Grulak had been killed and the Jiadin scattered throughout the land. I have heard nothing of danger to Khadora since that time.”
“What you have heard is true,” replied Zygor as he approached the map and stood behind Lord Damirath. “What you have not heard is the resurgence of the Jiadin under new leadership. Tell him Brakas.”
Brakas started pointing to areas on the map. “Here, here, and here,” Brakas began. “Those are recruitments camps for the new Jiadin. We have just come from one of those areas. We learned that the Jiadin are selling their services to Khadoran lords.”
“Khadoran lords?” asked Marshal Ulmreto as he was drawn to the map. “Which lords and how many men?”
“Three clans have already been identified,” Brakas continued. “The Vessi, Glamaraldi, and
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