The man who might be behind it all.
Somewhere outside the forest....
Outside the forest jay is stuck hundreds of kilometres away there are plain lands
Lush with grass enough to feed thousands of cattles everyday.
There lays a city with walls surroundings it and towers on the four sides surrounding it.
It was a typical city of middle ages inside the city was bustling too with
People going in out of various buildings
Walking and haggling with merchants for prices and horsemen and carriage drivers driving through on the main road.
It was scenery typical from a middle ages type city.
Suddenly a bell rang loud and clear
four times.
The residents of city understood it they
Got out of the main road.
The newcomers from nearby villages looked confused and stood by some people also dragged them out of the road hurriedly.
When they asked why they were dragged out the answer came .
"It's the yearly meeting" said the city dwellers to the outsiders .
"Every once in a year when there is no war and no famine or anyother disaster
This type of meetings takes places between the count and the other lords"
Said the city dwellers to the outsiders.
"This meeting is like blessing for us too because if this meeting is taking place then no problems will fall upon us that means no bloody wars and living in peace " said the city dwellers to the outsiders who nodded with an enlightened expression.
Sooner many city guards with spears in hand and leather armour came out and started to shoo away people who were still on the road and then they formed a line from the gates till the castle in the centre.
And then several knights in armour on horses camed out of the centre castle
And then stood at the fortess gate.
Sooner wooden gates of the castle were opened with loud screech.
And on the distance many carriages which were driven by horses came with their own soldiers and knights each carriage carrying different flags.
Sooner the carriages and their guards entered the city.
The knights standing by accompanied
them towards the castle which was straight down the main road.
The knights of this castle walked infront of the carriages while the guards accompanying the carriages still walked with carriages.
The city guards standing on the side on the side putted their free hand on the chest and lowered their head .
In return the guards accompanying the carriages also putted their hands while looking towards them.
This was a form of basic salute between the armies specially feudal armies.
The city guards lowering their heads while putting hands on the chest meant
They welcomed their lord and they respect him and the guards putting their hands on chest and looking at them straight meant they and their lord acknowledged their sincereness and
They are in their care.
As the carriages passed by on the road a knight accompanying each carriage took a flag pole and kept it high gave that flag to the knight from the castle
Who in returned gave his flag to them.
This was a flag exchange ceremony.
As the knights walking with flags which
were of various colours and had various symbols on them .
All the carriages were made up of expensive woods of various colours and had designs imprinted on them with gold and silver linings.
On the last carriage accompanying we can see a flag of blue colour with a long sword on it.
After sometime in the evening...
In the centre castle.
In the main office of the castle where bookshelfs on the side with various books in it . And a knight Armors on the both side.
In the centre there is a large table with many files placed on it.
There sits a man in the chair who is in his late fifties with already white hair but he still had vitality on his face.
And besides him stands a young man
Seemingly his bulter and assistant.
Old man seemingly inspecting documents asks the bulter a question.
"How many days those nobles are going to stay here ?"
" Five days,my lord"
"How is the revenue collection in their territories "
"Other than the territories with smaller area all had normal revenue this year ,
My lord"
"Good, we have to send the revenue collection to the capital in coming one month, prepare atleast a five hundred soldiers we need to give this utmost importance to it"
"As your orders my lord"
"Are there any problems"
"No my lord, there were not any problems during the meetings too other than the stan family's issue "
" Good you are getting better and better sooner you will be placed in the main bulter postion after your father retires in the six months".
"Your praise will be forever remembered by me, your lord"
"Good now call him the current holder of stan family "
"Yes my lord "the bulter bowed and left
The room.
The person sitting here was the Williams von whiteblade the current count of the Whiteburg county and also current ruler of the city of Whitefall .
The city visible behind the largewindow of his castle he was the current ruler of this place both adminstration and military were both in his hands here.
Many smaller nobles followed like dogs , although his position was as a count but still his territory was very large compared to others with similar positions.
He was the man who had spend his four decades in power with his wits.
Due to this he was not some weak softhearted old man who only talks big .
He was very capable both in swords and quill.
.....
"Lord, the current temporary head of stan is here ,the baron of eastburg is here .May I enter ?" Asked the man
Behind the door .
"You may enter ,sir "
The door opened from outside by the bulter and a man enters.
The man enters he is in his early thirties
and had peculiar red eyes uncommon on this side of the continent .
He had white skin with his moustache combed perfectly and a white wig on his head which was getting popular
In noble circles this day and he had
All bluish colour clothes perfect for
Meetings like this .
Quite a fashionable man count thought about the man.
and then continued to ask him questions.
"So sir baron this is my first time meeting can you introduce yourself please" asked the count.
"Yes my lord, I am Adolf von stan the current head of the stan family and also the baron of rayburg, I am very grateful and I should thank the heavens for this wonderful meeting." Spoke the man in former tone while putting a hand on his chest.
Hmm , I should test this guy. Thought count.
"Yes, this pleasure shall be mine I am
Willam von whiteblade the count of Whiteburg and mayor of Whitefall city"
And shakes his hand with the man.
"You know, previous year due to drought and flooding we were not able to hold this meeting, instead of you old man Ray stan used to come where is he" asked the count.
The man's eyes flickered and mouth twitched just for a second before he spoke "my lord previous viscount lord died due to infection from the plague and due to current heir of stan was too young during that time I took his place as the temporary head of viscountancy."spoke the man with smile on his face .
That one second twitched was gone.
Nobody would be able to see it .
But the count whiteblade was not any nobody. He was the man remaining in power for more than a four decades.
He had attended countless meetings
with people.
Whether merchants, generals , other counts and barons or foreign visitors he
Had seen many meetings with them.
And even adventures.
He was a expert in knowing a person from their subtle expressions due to his years upon years of diplomatic talks.
So just now he was testing the waters.
He already knewed from long time ago from his channels that Ray was died.
But he wanted to know the opinion of that man whether he was man attached to power or not?
And he got his answer that was yes.
So he decided to ask the question which was important to him and to the man.
"Adolf, I heard that Stan.jr had gone missing do you know what happened?"
This time the man's eyes flickered with visible intensity and his eyebrows were also raised and his mouth made a foul expression it was just for a second before returning to usual fake smile and
Replied with sad tone in his voice
" My lord it has been half month since our little John went missing it was during crossing of impasson mountain ridges after we had taken him to capital for treatment but during return a monster attacked caused his carriage to fall in the valley from that day he is missing."
"That's very bad , if by the god's will he gets rescued before the end of the year he can inherit the viscountancy again"
Spoke the count eyeing the man closely.
The man's expression was of disdain for a second then he smiled and spoke
"Yes , if God wills... He will surely survive right?"
"Thank you for introducing the humble me to your greatness my lord"
"The pleasure is mine baron stan "
Saying that the man bowed before leaving the office.
"Adolf stan , the step brother of Jonathan stan you are like a snake ,
No truly you are the snake here."
Count spoke while drinking the glass filled with wine viewing at the city from the window.
"You truly are the person behind all that don't you?" Spoke the count while sipping his wine glancing at the evening sun through the window.
•End of chapter •