10 years after graduation
Vasile had come to sit in the throne meeting room, where his father would meet with people to talk about issues in the kingdom. Normally there might be some kind of audience, whether they be other people in court or the public, but today the room was completely empty of anyone but Vasile, King Vortigern, and Queen Veronika. The King had been briefed before this, but Vasile hadn't been. All he was told was that an important guest needed an audience with the King.
They were dressed well in order to see someone of status as well, which was a clue to Vasile. He was incredibly shocked when the double doors opened at the other end of the room and in walked Rhys. His long red hair looked to be about the same, and was pulled back into a masculine braided look. His pointed ears and markings were in full display, and he looked even better than he had at school. He had filled out more with muscle and he had a red five o'clock shadow which was thicker than it had been in school.
Vasile watched his approach with mixed emotions, but kept his face schooled to neutrality. Rhys' eyes were set on the King, mainly, but he did make the chance to glance over at where Vasile was seated. It felt for a moment like the breath had gotten knocked out of him, so he put his focus back on the King. When he got up to the front of the room, he knelt down and bowed before them all, waiting for the King to give him leave to get up.
The king bid him to rise and give the report he was here to give. Rhys stood again and pulled a bunch of paperwork out from a satchel he had around his body. "Your Majesty, I'm sure some of what I have here isn't a surprise to you. In my travels and work throughout Avanær, I've been seeing an alarming rate of attacks on half breeds, as well as talk of turning over the governing rule to leaders who would put harsher restrictions on their people. As of right now, this right here is all of the information I have gathered about that specific group in your own section of Avanær. Their plan is to take out the entire Royal family."
"That's troubling indeed," King Vortigern intoned as Queen Veronika held her hand out for Rhys to give her the paperwork he had gathered. "Do you have any information about how they intend to do this?"
Rhys handed the Queen the paperwork and then turned back to the King. "From what we can tell, they plan to infiltrate the palace. They want to place their people in key roles that will give them leverage, starting with things like ladies maids, servants, cooks. There are nobles in the group working against you though, as well, and the higher the position, the more leverage they have to harm you. I believe the maids and cooks would most likely gather intel, but being in charge of food is a terrifying place for them to be.
"You also aren't the only one being targeted. The High Elves are as well, the Wood Elves, the Drow, the human King, the main Council of the Werewolf clans as well, even the demon King. I believe the intent is to eventually split Avanær up so the races don't mingle much, and all of my people would be rounded up and killed before that is done," Rhys explained.
The Queen paused in her perusal of the paperwork, looking up at Rhys in alarm. She looked to her husband, wondering what he would say. Vasile was wondering the same thing. Vortigern stroked his clean-shaven chin. "What would you suggest we do with this information, Ambassador Draven?" he asked shrewdly.
"To start with, you should likely up your security, and put in a hiring freeze or at the very least heavily vet the people you begin to hire in," Rhys told him. "We should also be looking into who is leading it here. That's been the hardest part to figure out. We can easily follow their factions to where they are causing the most trouble, but getting any answers out of them as to who is in charge has been almost impossible. It might be necessary to put in spies to root them out, and I'm willing to volunteer to do so. My glamour abilities give me an advantage.
"We should also put a few dhampyrs in here to taste test for things that are lethal to vampyres but safe for us," Rhys added. "We can taste it and it's unpleasant but not deadly to dhampyrs. That will keep you safe from any food tampering."
The King nodded, his hand still thoughtfully on his chin. "We will see to the increased security. We haven't needed to replace anyone within close confidence in several years, but we will certainly pay attention to any sudden vacancies. You have our leave to conduct espionage on behalf of the Crown as well as to hire anyone you deem necessary to bring onboard for both the espionage part of your duties and the tasters. You will be checking in regularly with Viktoria, our youngest daughter. She has our highest regard in this matter. Will that be acceptable?" he said.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Rhys said and gave another deep bow. He told the King and Queen to keep the reports he brought, as he had copies back at home.
"Very well. Who would be taking up your duties as Ambassador?" the King asked curiously.
"A man that works under me, by the name of Michael Astor," Rhys told the King. "He's been working with me for about seven months now but he's definitely ready for the job. He comes from a middle class vampyric family and knows our side well, graduated top of his class, and has been melding with other races fairly well too. He has my full confidence."
"Then he has ours as well," the King responded, nodding to indicate that Rhys was free to leave.
Rhys gave another deep bow before he turned, taking one last glance at Vasile, and then walked out of the room. One of the guards followed him to talk about who would be good to bring in for food testing while they walked. The guard also took him to meet with Viktoria so he could reintroduce himself to her and explain what was going on.
The Queen turned to Vasile after Rhys' departure. "Well done, Vasile. We know how difficult it must have been to see him again. You remained professional and courteous. It seems your training in courtly manners is coming along well," she said by way of congratulations.
Vasile nodded in response, quietly seething on the inside. How could Rhys have so casually strode in here without even acknowledging the many letters that Vasile had sent? He knew how it would look to his parents to involve himself in Rhys' assignment without their leave so he decided to bide his time. The opportunity would come to ask about the letters. In the meantime, he busied himself with his training.
Rhys wondered if the King and Queen had purposely sent him to another child to keep him away from Vasile, or if Vasile was just that busy with getting ready to be crowned in the next forty years. He wasn't about to ask them that though.
"I look forward to working with you, Your Highness," Rhys said to Princess Viktoria once she was all caught up, bowing in front of her.
Unlike her eldest brother, Princess Viktoria stood on protocol with those she considered "commoners" at all times. She graciously accepted his bow and dismissed him to continue his business, admonishing him to report to her at least once a week as if the King hadn't already given him that guidance.
