Aldric was standing beside his throne when Bravar came in.
He had been looking at the things on the walls, maps mostly, the territory of Valdenmoor and the regions around it, the borders marked in faded ink that had been updated several times over the years as things changed.
He did this sometimes when he was thinking. Standing helped. Sitting made him feel like he was waiting for something, and he was past waiting.
Bravar bowed at the door and came forward.
"Nothing?" Aldric said, before Bravar could speak. He had read it in the man's posture before he opened his mouth.
"Nothing, m'lord," Bravar confirmed. "The night passed without incident. Every knight not on day duty was awake throughout. No deaths and no signs of anything entering the barracks."
Aldric looked at the map nearest to him and asked:
"So the attacker didn't come last night."
"Apparently not."
"Does that surprise you?"
