Chapter 280: Message From Mitfield
Dominic walked over to say goodbye to the merchant, and quietly pocketed the scroll that one of the assistants handed him.
"Safe travels, and I do hope to see you again soon. By then, we might even have more to offer than just groceries." Dominic joked.
The Merchant shook his hand with a smile. "I believe that you will. With so many qualified people here, I look forward to the day when the Guild can negotiate a longer-term supply deal with your factories."
With their business finished, the Merchant caravan packed up and began making their way out of town toward the Baronies.
They probably wouldn’t have anything to trade just yet, but the caravan did have things to sell if they needed them. And this was the last inhabited region they would see for at least a day.
Once everything was calm, Dominic went to the office and sat down to read the rolled scroll that the assistant had handed to him.
Then he paused when he saw the Mitfield Royal Seal on the wax.
This wasn’t just any letter, it was their first official Royal communication. But it came from a foreign Royal Family member, not a local.
Stansia Province did border the Kingdom, so it wasn’t as if they were strangers. But to get a message from their Royal Family with the first caravan that came from that direction was more than a little shocking.
If they had followed the main roads for most of the trip, the caravan would have been on the other side of the country from the capital.
Carefully, Dominic cracked the wax seal and opened the single page letter.
[Prince Dominic Wavemates,
It is a distinct pleasure to hear that your lineage has been recognized by our Royal Cousin in Cygnia.
Please accept my congratulations on being awarded Wistover, and know that I do look forward to seeing what you can do with it.
I trust that our wedding gift found its way into your possession, but if not, please accept my apology for the untimely delay. There have been some transport issues in recent times.
Prince George Mitfield,
Duke of Dunestow, Fifth Prince of Mitfield, Lord Commander of the Armies]
Now it made a bit more sense. Dunestow was one of the cities that the caravan would have passed through, and it was close enough to the border that Mitfield would have staged large military forces there, in case the war breached the borders.
But that was not the important part of the innocuous looking letter.
When he had gotten married, he had been given the title of Duke of Wistover, but he had not been made a Prince Consort of Cygnia.
That distinction would be lost on many, but on another Prince? Definitely not.
So, what Prince George was saying was that in some subtle way, Mitfield still recognized the Royalty of the Wavemates lineage. Enough that they would address him as such in a letter.
His actual qualifications as a Prince were questionable, though Royal Law said that when a lineage was lost, the next closest branch would be elevated. So, under the laws of succession, he was quite likely the highest-ranking Prince of the Wavemates Family by default.
Dominic briefly recalled that more than one person had questioned whether he was actually the Princess Consort’s child, given to a family member to raise. However, without proof to the contrary, he was happy to think of his family as he remembered it.
Alexis came in while he was staring at the letter, and Dominic simply turned it over to her, so she could form opinions for herself.
"So, Mitfield thinks you might be the next Dragon King, do they? But that note about transport delays.
There were no battles along the route from their Capital to ours, other than the battle at Burton, which was over well before they would have been sending wedding gifts.
So, something else is happening that is still delaying shipments and messages between Mitfield and either Stansia Province, or all of Cygnia." Alexis noted.
That had escaped Dominic in his first reading.
"Do you think that there might be Dagos forces hiding in the less inhabited regions near the joint border of Cygnia, Mitfield and Stansia Province?" Dominic asked.
Alexis nodded. "I think that is precisely what he means. There was no need to point out that he was Lord Commander if the letter didn’t refer to his military duties. Also, he addressed it directly to you, not to me.
I’ve known Prince George since I was little. He used to be the diplomatic Envoy to Cygnia, and lived in the Palace.
While it’s difficult to call anyone with power a true friend, Prince George is like an Uncle to me. Yet, he wrote his first letter to you instead, and didn’t name me personally."
Then she lit a candle and moved the letter over it, revealing a single line of hidden text.
[Congratulations Princess. Mr Bear still sits on the south shelf.]
Dominic read the line, then waited for Alexis to explain as she was lost in nostalgia.
"The south shelf is what Mitfield calls the Causter Plateau along the Wavemates side of the border. Mister Bear is a stuffed toy that I gave to his youngest daughter for her third birthday, two years ago. It’s over a metre tall, and she absolutely refused to release it for an entire week, she even brought it to dinner in the Palace.
That’s the last time we spoke in person, as he returned to Mitfield after that visit."
"So, there is a military issue on the border, but within Stansia Province. One that he can’t openly report or send the Mitfield army after.
They might be staging to use the Maltondon River to get into Cygnia. Or, it might be leftovers from the monster invasion, and the mages who were behind them." Dominic theorized.
Alexis nodded. "Or, it might just be whoever is behind Prince Kaizon and his insane antics. We’ve already seen one attack, and it’s no secret where we live. They may be preparing for vengeance against the most remote Cygnia Princess."
If that was the case, they were in for a world of hurt.
Now that Wistover had a proper group of mages, all of whom had been trained in combat magic so they could make magical weapons, it would be extremely difficult to invade the Duchy.
"You should make new artillery for the defenders. I will announce the change of plans from a militia force to a full-time town guard force. We’ve already got all the men we need." Alexis decided.
"I will go talk to the tailors." Dominic agreed.
A proper town guard needed a bit more ornamentation than the militia did. At the very least, an emblem of service, so everyone would know who they were.
If you were going to rain artillery on your enemies, you needed to do it in style.