It cut short when his younger brother appeared in the door way. His prancing gait joined by a playful grin. He was a near replica of Thaddeus, but he was shorter, by just a couple inches. Where Thaddeus was broad, he was lanky. That didn't hide his tone. His stature was balanced with long legs. Black hair was crisply parted with a distinct curl at his bangs. Clean shaven face. His skin was far darker, but not from sun. Brown eyes had a hint of crinkle in them that matched his smile.
He was wearing a civilian styled black hussar jacket unbuttoned. Plain cream colored cotton shirt beneath. Deep brown and pressed breeches were tucked into shining, black, knee high riding boots. He was exceptionally polished from head to foot. As he always was.
“Ah, John, just the man I was looking for.” His voice was jovial as he hopped over.
Plopping down on the opposite end of the bench, he crossed his legs. Elbow on a knee, and chin in hand, his smile curled.
“Good Morning to you, Reggie.” He said.
“Why thank you, dear brother. I do agree that it truly is a fantastic morning. Don't you agree Josep?” He said as he tilted his head in Josep's direction.
Just a hint of a smile in Josep's eyes. He gave him a slightly lifted brow.
“Indeed, Reginald.” He simply replied.
Reginald's attention was back to him.
“Father just informed me of an interesting little tid bit.”
He finagled the leather strap to his chest plate. He knew his brother's game. Working it lose, he didn't immediately respond. Reginald shifted. There was anticipation in his posture.
“And that would be?” He finally asked.
“Oh, humor me and guess.”
He lifted it off and turned to hang it in his alcove.
“Councilmen are arriving.”
Reginald playfully groaned behind him.
“Come now, John. Be more creative.”
He started hanging up all the other parts.
“You're going to be disappointed.”
“By the gods!,” He heard him lightly huff, “Must I always spell everything out for you?”
“If you weren't so ambiguous, then maybe I'd have a better answer for you.”
He turned just as Reginald lifted his free arm. He flicked his hand in the air as if to whisk a fly from his face. An expression of amused irritation was on his face.
“Fine fine, one hint.” He said.
Straightening up, both hands now on his knees, his face went back to looking mischievous.
“We get to greet a certain special someone.” He snickered.
He plucked at his sweat soaked shirt as he thought.
“The High Seer?” He guessed.
Reginald belted a laugh to the ceiling.
“Just when I think you're as dull as the butter knives in the kitchen, you cut me with wit.” His tone was pleased.
With a chuckle he shook his head. He reached for his boots.
“Isn't it exciting?” Reginald asked whimsically.
He snorted.
“Solely for you.”
“Come now, John. A High Seer, in Rivenguard? It's been nearly two centuries. Don't you feel honored that it is you and I that will have the honor of receiving her?”
“She's just an elf.” He commented.
A gasp of pseudo insult.
“She's not just an elf,” He paused to hum, “Though I'm sure her age hasn't ruined her one bit. I'd bet my horse that she's lovely.”
“At nine hundred solar cycles?”
“You know full well they don't start visibly aging until midway through their ninth century.”
“Are you going to attempt to bed her as well?”
Reginald sniggered, “It has crossed my mind.”
That pulled a light chuckle from Josep. Which in turn had him chuckle. Very rarely did anything make his mentor laugh, though Reginald seemed to do a fair bit of it. Boots on, and breeches tucked into them, he straightened. Reginald had a pleased smirk on his face. He instantly popped up. Hands behind his back, he waltzed towards the doorway. With a lifted brow and curled lip, he looked over his shoulder.
An entertained sigh, and he snatched a ring of keys from his cubbyhole. He quickly caught up to him. Back down the main corridor.
“Have any Ambassadors arrived yet?” He asked.
“Only the Nissé at this point. I happened to run into them on my way to you.”
“When do you think the others will arrive?”
“Oh, it's always the same. Nissé two days early. Elves and Satyrs promptly the day before. Dwarves fashionably late. Arriving the afternoon of the Welcome Banquet, then drowning themselves in liquor.” Reginald said with almost a sigh of boredom.
“I never notice a pattern. Councilmen, no matter the race, seem to arrive when they so please.”
“Hm, I suppose.”
From plain walls to gaudy decor. The Castle's interior was far more interesting and welcoming than the barracks. Their boots where silenced by long running rugs. Stained glass windows had different colored crystal lights dancing across the floors. Servants, butlers, and handmaids were swarming. Arms full of bedding, toiletries, parchments, and all other oddities one coukd think of. Part of him pitied their frantic work. Preparing the Guest Quarters Wing was a massive task. The amount of visitors they were going to receive was mind boggling.
They turned a corner, and took a staircase. It switched directions halfway up.
“Your quarters?” He asked when they reached the top.
“No, I need to stop by my study.”
They made an abrupt direction shift.
“For?”
“Thad requested a utilization map of trade routes most commonly used for exports and imports between the border territories and Rivenguard. I need to prepare it and have Dwight deliver it to him by this afternoon.”
Reginald huffed.
“So bland. How do you enjoy such tedious tasks?”
“I much prefer it over Deliberations. A week of discussing and modifying treaties, contracts, and articles of law are far more tiresome.”
“I don't envy you. Being an Ambassador is anything but dull.”
“It suites you well then.” He joked.
Reginald happily chuckled.
“Yes. I rather enjoy Deliberations, as you well know. Our Clan provides me with endless entertainment, and…”
He felt him nudge his rib cage with an elbow. His eyebrows were wiggling when he looked over.
“…an endless assortment of females.”
He chuckled and rolled his eyes. Reginald dreamily looked ahead of them.
He sighed as if in longing, “All such beautiful specimens.”
“There's not one you haven't fawned over.” He teased.
Reginald snorted.
“And there's not one that's made you fawn,” He clicked his tongue, “Twenty-seven solar cycles and still no bride. Such a shame. Thad was wed at Twenty-five.”
That instantly dropped his mood. He sighed in mild irritation. One last set of stairs and they approached a dead end. Four doors lined a circular wall. He rummaged around in his back pocket as they approached the door closest to his left. He pulled out the set of keys.
“When will bore of reminding me?”
He didn't know why he bothered asking. He'd asked it a million times. It was the same response a million times back. He thumbed through keys until the found the one he wanted.
“Never.” Reginald happily replied.
Key inserted, lock clicked, and door opened. His study wasn't large. The shape if it was an irregular square. Plane windows lined the far wall. The longest breadth of the space. The other side tapered in slightly towards the door. A robust desk was sunk into a large worn carpet in the middle of everything. The details of it long diminished over solar cycles of use. Adjacent, against one wall was a small leather love seat, and next to that, a high backed lounged chair with matching upholstery. Shelves riddled the opposite wall. They were piled haphazardly with parchment, books, scrolls, and scribing supplies.
He strode to the desk. With a hand he pushed aside piles of papers until he found what he was looking for. Reginald was quickly leaning over to peer at the parchment. Just as he prepared to fold it, Reginald's hand flicked his away.
“If it's important enough for Thad to request, it's most certainly important enough for me.” He mused.
When he paused to give him a look, Reginald gave him a face of innocence. He breathed a half laugh through his nose. With a breath he pressed his finger to the parchment. He'd painstakingly drawn a map of the known kingdoms and Clan territories. The largest depiction was simply named ‘Continent’. A large expanse that looked roughly like a completely bloomed rose. Down the center was a mountain range. Thick border lines followed it. To the West of the range, land was divided into four quadrants. The borders followed natural plains, rivers, marshes and more mountains. Only the crescent shaped, Elven Island stood alone out in the expanse of sea at the northern most petal. All were under a collective heading of ‘Eldria Clan.’ Human territory was closest to the thick border line. Rivenguard was at it's center. Land locked, it's only connection was a harbor that fed into a river that lead to two great Lakes that took up nearly a quarter of Nissé territory. Dashes and hash marks highlighted land hugging the mountain range. The East part of the continent was left blank. Past the dark black line, ‘Duro Clan’ was scrawled.
He quickly ran his fingers over obvious marked routes. Explained the numbers and figures. Reginald kept humming in acknowledgement. At times his fingers joined his in the map. His questions were pointed. They seemed more curious than role related. Distant gonging of the belltower encouraged them to wrap up their conversation. It was two hours to noon.
Just as he crispy folded the paper into equal thirds, four strong knocks caught their attention. The unique knock immediately told him who was on the other side.
“Come in, Dwight.” He said.
A gentleman clad in a twill vest and trousers entered. His wide and built frame was not disguised by his lose fitting button up shirt. The retired Berserker Officer still held his build from military days. Even with a graying mustache and bald head, he still gave off the air of a formidable opponent. He was a solid head above Reginald when he stepped up to them. His jowled face seemed disinterested when he addressed him. Deep wrinkles added to his look of boredom.
“We've received word that the Royal Elven Caravan is estimated to arrive shortly after midday.” His scratchy voice grunted.
He nodded.
“I suggest you prepare.” He curtly added.
“Thank you, I plan to do so immediately,” He replied as he held out the folded parchment, “If you could please deliver this to Thad, I'd be grateful.”
“Of course, your Highness, it would be a pleasure.”
He took it with a twitch of his mustache, spun on his heel and exited with purpose. Reginald sighing a hum caught his attention. He was looking at the closing door, his face perplexed.
“That ruddy old man is conundrum.” He seemed to mumble his thought out loud.
He chuckled and stepped around his desk. Heading towards the door, he heard Reginald's boots following him.
“He's a simple man, Reggie. Structure and order.”
“I know that. Fairly obvious really,” He paused as he gestured him out the door, “What I don't know is how to get the man to crack.”
He turned to lock the deadbolt as he followed him out.
“You managed to crack Josep, I'm sure he can't be that much more difficult.”
Back down their original path. Reginald had his hands behind his back. Prance back in his step.
“Josep is a different man entirely. In the five solar cycles that Dwight has served as our butler, I'm almost convinced he's not a man, but a stone gargoyle. He remains unmoved, even by harmless pranks. What decent human being doesn't see humor in finding a miscellaneous fruit under his pillow upon waking in the morning, hm?”
He nearly bellowed a laugh. Reginald happily snickered beside him.