Eitan set down the paper in his hand and rubbed his temples with a cinched brow. The financial situation of the territory was by no means in an excellent state. Granted, it still wasn't dire, largely thanks to the efforts of Beren and his aides making efficient use of what had been 'provided' by Gehan. The Saorise Region was unquestionably a poor area. Faced against the barbarians, the taxes from the villages and the town were largely funneled into protection. Gehan had dismissed whatever soldiers had originally been in the castle in favor of more funds, so the security of the territory rested largely on the village militias. They were certainly tough, but by no means a standard defense.
One of the first things Eitan had done was to properly distribute soldiers and thoroughly train a militia from the town, which could be dispatched similarly. This certainly improved the security of the territory by bounds, but maintaining an armed group costs money. Not exactly a small bit, at that. That, and the cost of running the castle itself, wasn't cheap either. Plenty of things to be bought and people to be paid.
Eitan turned his gaze to the window. He watched the rain pouring down, tapping the armrest with a pensive expression. The Golden Queen, Reina Heiress. Some time ago, he had sent a letter to the one suspected of being her. Could it have been the wrong person? Or did something happen? Various concerns and possibilities piled in his mind. It had already been quite some time, but beyond having ensured the letter was successfully delivered, he was unaware of her current situation.
He was broken out of his thoughts by a knock on the door. "Come in," Eitan sat up straight and rested his hand on his desk.
The door opened, and Lind stepped inside with a bow. "Your Lordship." There was a peculiar unease to his tone.
Eitan kept a calm expression, although a subtle alarm rose within him. "What is it?"
Lind shifted his weight slightly. "As you directed, I am regularly receiving reports from Miles. Recently, there has been a certain… trend I thought necessary to bring to your attention."
Eitan raised an eyebrow at Lind's hesitant, bordering on shifty demeanor. "Speak plainly." He prompted coolly.
Lind finally made eye contact, his expression a mix of awkwardness and trepidation. "There are some rumors on the rise about, uh," he hesitated again, but pushed on under Eitan's intent stare. "It is concerning the plague and Your Lordship," he finally spoke clearly. "There are a few different versions, but the main gist is that the plague actually originated from the lord. That you then cured it to further your agenda."
Eitan blinked, taken aback. His mind began racing a thousand miles a minute before he took in a deep breath, his expression steeling. "I want the details. Bring Miles to me. Now."
Lind gulped and hurriedly bowed in acknowledgment before darting out of the study. Eitan's eyes followed his departure while his mind worked rapidly. How exactly did such a thing come about? Who? Why? Questions filled his head faster than he could attempt to work out answers.
But soon, he refocused as two figures came before him. Lind remained by the doorway while Miles stepped forward and made a pristine bow. "Your Lordship." His greeting mirrored Lind's almost perfectly, just that his tone still held the higher pitch of a boy not yet a man.
Eitan took a moment to properly behold the boy before him. Any lingering impishness had faded from his features, replaced by a sort of composure that told of experiences beyond his age. His once tussled brown hair was now kept neat in a short ponytail, faintly resembling a certain dirty-blond. Ocean eyes peered up under Eitan's silent scrutiny.
"I want to know exactly what is going on regarding the recent rumors," Eitan ordered sternly.
The sharp Miles didn't need a specification to know exactly what he meant. He stood erect and began recounting solemnly. "In the town and even nearby villages, rumors are spreading that the lord is the cause of the plague. Some say it was a noble's mad experiment, others that it was a gimmick to gain honor, and there are even whispers that it was a controlled culling." He listed, voice even but with growing anger in his eyes. "But milord…" he paused and waited for Eitan.
Eitan maintained an impassive face, but his fingertips dug into the desk. "What is it?"
Miles took a deep breath before saying, "I feel that the progression of these rumors isn't normal. Usually, when something circulates in a small area, it's something small that blows up bigger and bigger." He directed his gaze to the ground thoughtfully as he went on. "It's like a sapling that branches out. Not like this, which is more like different roots leading to the same tree." He looked back up at Eitan, embers burning in his clear eyes. Pensive but ready to grow into a fire.
Eitan held the boy's gaze for a few moments before breaking out into a smile. "Miles. You have done excellently."
Miles blinked at the unexpected praise and hurriedly bowed his head. "Thank you, milord." He held a respectful composure, but childlike delight still leaked into his voice.
Eitan clasped his hands together, resting his elbows on top of the desk. He directed his gaze to the side, where the ever-present Yuriel perked up receptively. "Summon Vice Captain Owen for me."
Yuriel curtsied, her usual chipperness at bay as she sensed the solemn air. "At once." Her gaze briefly lingered on Miles before she swiftly departed.
Eitan redirected his attention to the other two in the room. "Miles, have any of the others been acting with you?"
Miles' expression lightened. "Yes, Your Lordship. Dunn and Lily go out with me and sometimes add to the reports."
Eitan vaguely put the names to a face. Dunn was a bit younger, while Lily was around Miles' age. "Alright. Then this order applies to all three of you." He began staidly, and Miles leaned forward expectantly. "I want you to track down exactly where these rumors stemmed from. Was it a passing merchant, or in a tavern? Do it while attracting as little attention as possible."
Miles' eyes sparkled while he bowed stately. "Understood! I will report to Butler Lind as soon as anything is found."
Clever child. Eitan's eyes shone fondly as he nodded at the determined boy. "Be off then."
Miles deepened his bow before turning and leaving the room. No sooner had he stepped out the door than Lind appeared with a silver-haired mercenary in tow. Owen wore a passive expression, but his gaze upon Eitan betrayed a mix of confusion and hints of apprehension. Once inside the study, he bent at the waist. "You summoned me, Lord Eitan?"
Eitan placed his hands on the desk. "I have a task for the Silver Wolves."
The confusion on Owen's face became more apparent. "Pardon me, sir, but why have you called for me and not the captain?"
Eitan cracked a smile. "Well… the task is more delicate in nature. I figured you would be more suited for the coordination." Agni wasn't necessarily brash, but he most certainly wouldn't be described as the intellectual or delicate sort either. Owen was also rather rough around the edges, but the more Eitan got to know the men, he realized the sharp-eyed man was the backbone behind much of their operations.
A look of wry understanding overcame Owen's expression. "I see. What needs to be done?" Straight to the point. Another reason Eitan preferred mercenaries over nobles. There was little of that flowery nonsense that did nothing but dilute a conversation.
Eitan leaned back in his chair, and the solemnity that radiated from his demeanor made Owen stand straighter. "Are you aware of the rumors that have been circulating in the territory recently?"
Owen's face stiffened. "You mean those insinuating that the lord caused that plague?"
Eitan nodded. "Precisely. Soon, Lind will receive a report on where exactly these damn rumors started from. That's where your people come in." Owen's gaze sharpened as he went on. "Once the source is found, I want you to organize some men to deal with it. Quickly and quietly."
Owen's eyes flashed, and his lips peeled into a subtle but edged smile. He wholly resembled a wolf ready to hunt. "Order received. I'll have some men on the ready."
"Excellent. You are dismissed."
Owen bowed his head before striding out of the study. Eitan then looked back over at Lind. "Inform Aengus to raise the alert. Not overtly, but just in case." He didn't think another move would be made so soon, but it was always better to be safe than sorry.
Lind bowed dutifully. "I will inform him of the situation."
Eitan nodded, and Lind left, leaving behind just Eitan and the ever-faithful attendant. Eitan's gaze shifted to the side where Yuriel stood politely, but there was an undeniable tautness to her demeanor.
Eitan smiled softly and gestured, and the girl promptly stepped up to him with curious eyes. "As you stay by my side, you'll constantly be surrounded by such a fuss. Does that make you uneasy?"
Yuriel's eyes widened before she rapidly shook her head. "No, Lord Eitan!" Her small fists clenched slightly, and her gaze shone with an earnest indignation. "But I am unhappy. How can those people talk badly about you?" Her lips pursed. "You do your best even for people like me and the others. How can anyone believe you'd do such a thing?"
This was the first time he'd seen the usually cheerful girl in such a state, and a sort of warmth washed over him. Eitan reached out and gently patted her shoulder. "As time goes on, people will say even more things, unreasonable as they are. Does that mean you're just going to keep being unhappy?"
A thoughtful look settled over Yuriel's face before she shook her head again, even more pointedly this time. "No. That means I need to stay even happier."
Eitan raised a brow with interest. "Oh?"
Yuriel nodded determinedly. "If people are saying bad things about you, Lord Eitan, that's upsetting." She smiled brightly, almost dazzlingly so. "So that means I have to smile well by your side. My mom said that smiles make everyone happier." There was a hint of bitter sadness to her tone with the mention of her mother, but her smile didn't dim.
Considering the circumstances he brought her from, Eitan could surmise the woman's end. "She sounds like a lovely and wise woman." He responded with a soothing tone.
Yuriel's gaze brightened with the acknowledgment. "She was!"
Eitan smiled and withdrew his hand. "Alright. Why don't you go out for a while? Just don't go beyond the castle walls for now." He warned lightly.
Yuriel dipped into a curtsy. "Understood!" She gave Eitan one more lingering look before making her way out.
Now Eitan was entirely alone. Any warmth in his expression vanished, and he stared straight ahead with a face of ice. He raised one hand, and a blood-red glow emerged from his palm. His fingers then curled in around the aura, crushing and dissipating it as his hand balled into a fist. The image of two figures surfaced at the forefront of his mind; two men who glittered under the light of chandeliers.
Gehan Drayton. Deycon Burge. What exactly do you want? The corners of his lips pressed together in a grim smirk. There was no evidence found yet, but the timing was far too coincidental to be overlooked. Gehan was the only one who would clearly benefit from a smear in Eitan's reputation, whether it be revenge or an advantage in retaking authority. But Gehan alone didn't have the means to make such a sharp, fast strike. The Viscount Burge, however, did. Eitan hadn't directly infringed upon the man, but as Gehan was obviously in his camp, there was a chance he had gotten entangled in some sort of previous agreement. Perhaps something that involved the position of the lord of Saorise. Naturally, there was also the chance that Gehan had only boarded the ship after being knocked down by Eitan and sought a favor under some sort of exchange.
Eitan unclenched his fist and allowed his arms to fall limply to his sides. Farrel should bring news soon enough. He had directed him to make contact with an information guild to investigate exactly such relationships, along with the deeper political situation at the border. He let out a sigh and picked up the papers he hadn't finished going through on the desk. For now, there wasn't much else he could do about the external influences, so he directed his focus back to the internal situation of the territory. Everything would be dealt with. One step at a time. He would inch forward if he had to, but he would never stop.