#earthrunes

"A nocker delivered this? Not surprising really....."

"Not delievered, handed it to me. I went to Scarsdale to deliver the ransom"

"the ransom reequest that is"

"-You- did? Thank you." he is evidently surprised that a knight would run such an errand, and he smiles with gratitude.

"I just wanted to help" She admits "What with Zara doing all the behind the scenes liftting half the time around here, and you capturing the scumballs with Earl and Bachdion.. hell, figured I should do SOMETHING"

"Zara...." another smile "I need to set some time aside to speak with her."

"Well, just have servant deliver a message that she is hearby ordered by the baron of the hold to present herself to you in your study, where she have the honor of serving you" Leo says

Then she snerks "Okay, don't do that, and I know you'd never but oh wow, can you imagine her face?"

August has to laugh softly. "Oh dear. No, I don't think I'll do that."

"House Liam is wise" A exaggerated bow

Which he returns.

He looks again at the message and frowns slightly.

"I wonder..... hm. I must have....."

"Mmm? Something wrong?"

"No, just.... I wrote for the Baron before, as a scribe there. I know his seal well enough. But.... I'm trying to recall if he sealed, signed, or sealed -and- signed his missives."

"I'm sure I must have some copies in my papers. I'm going to go look."

"Maybe it has a watermark?"

August holds it up to the light.

It does have a watermark.. looks to be the seal of Alabastar Hollow in there, so at least the paper is from there

"Hm. Let's go see....."and he leads the way to his study.

She moves with him

"So.. despite the fact this Chancellior seems ready to be very amiable you're not trusting this?"

"Chancellor?"

He reaches his study and rummages..... "Ah, here we are....." he looks the two papers over and shakes his head.

The signatures of the Count before, and what's on this scroll, do not match. Now signaures can vary, but my word

The swoop in an O? wrong..the slash of the K? wrong way

"No, look...."he points out the discrepencies. "He didn't always sign every piece of paper, I remember, but his seal could be used in its place. But for someone else to use his -signature-? "

"AND the seal? That's.... overkill."

She eyes it "Okay, I would not have ever caught that"

She sounds impressed

A frown as he inspects the documents. "Guzrela..... I don't know the name."

"But you say this return letter was handed to you?"

"I met her, she's a well dressed nocker, many of them are, she came to be me personaly. She did have the chancellor's medallion? that thing some of them wear with the seal on it? I didn't see her sign the paper though, she left, then came back to hand it over. Like I said, most amiable nocker I ever met"

"Wait, the nocker that gave you this said she was Chancellor Guzrela?"

"Not just her, I was led to her, they have thanes too" She says "But yes, I met Chancellor Guzrela"

"A nocker?" he clarifies.

Leo starts to look irked, "YES. I thought for Dougals that wansn't uncommon, they had more nockers in their house than most houses? the only surprise was how polite she was. A nocker. Whitish hair, Red and white patterns?"

"The Chancellor while I was there -was- getting on towards retirement...."

"Do you still have his number?" She asks

"The old Chancellor? No, I never had it; why would I?" he asks blankly.

"You..oh right.. you didnn't have many friends there" She frowns "Just thought maybe he knew something about the new one"

"I suppose he might, but Ihave no idea if he was involved in the choice or not. Zara might?"

"Zara has't been in scarsdale that i know of? Not that she tells me her business" The fiona says "This is worrying you, isn't it?"

"She left after I did, and still has contacts there. Let's go see her."

"Yes, it is."

"She's not in the library, Velvet's talking to Bronte there, might be in her room" Leo says

"Then let's..... I'm sorry, Leonora, I didn't mean to assume you were at liberty to wander about with me. Am I keeping you from anything?"

"Not really. I just got back so I have no duties. You ARE allowed to order me around, Baron" A smile

"That wouldn't be considerate."he says, and together they go to Zara's chambers. He knocks. ((to Anywhere!))

(to anywhere!)