Tomas Valentine had been sitting in his office for almost two hours, reading through an uninteresting sequence of administrative petitions. Most dealt with minor territorial disputes, funding requests, training authorizations, and complaints between secondary branches of the family. He was nearly finished with a particularly long petition concerning the renovation of an estate when the door opened and Emily entered carrying a sealed envelope bearing the main crest of the Valentine Family.
"Lord Tomas, a message arrived from headquarters."
Tomas set the petition aside, extended his hand, and accepted the envelope. Emily remained beside the desk while he broke the seal and pulled out several sheets. His eyes moved calmly across the document, but as he continued reading, his expression gradually took on the particular exhaustion of someone who had just discovered more work in an already packed schedule.
He sighed.
Emily immediately recognized the type of document.
