Checkmate

Red Knight

Clan Lichor

I stared out of the window, down at the carved black granite statue in the front courtyard, singular and stark, standing out like a monolith amid the grey stone cobbles and the paler texture of the high walls that clearly demarcated Clanholding. I could see the town in the distance, down the slope outside the walls, indistinct outlines of dwellings, shadowy, colourless blurs.

Has it always been this grey or has it changed more recently?

Or had my eyes changed.

My eyes that now saw what had always been there.

I turned sharply as the door opened. A young female housestaff came in, carrying a tray laden with a jug and goblets, quickly lowering her head when she saw me.

"My Lord." She murmured quietly, heading past me, through the chamber to the door at the far end and knocking, entering only when one of the occupants called out a sharp command. 

I turned back to my waiting, resuming my perusal of the front yard, not really seeing it, I had other things on my mind. I heard the inner chamber door open again and a soft rustle, but when I glanced behind me, the outer door was already closing. She'd come and gone as swiftly and silently as a ghost. 

But then, this place was full of ghosts.

I was about to turn back to the window again, when I heard them.

The voices from the inner chamber. 

Frowning, I stepped away from the window, walking through the waiting chamber towards the door at the end and saw that the housestaff hadn't closed the door all the way. There was a gap, small, but enough for the voices of the people inside to be clearly audible. 

*

"Well?" 

"There have been some developments. Both teams have reported back." 

*

I recognised both voices immediately. The second speaker was Head of Intelligence, my boss, Lord Johan. The first was his brother. 

Our Clan Leader. 

*

"And?"

"They found an entry point into Galae."

"Have they now?" The Clan Leader's voice was rich with satisfaction.

"They got in."

"Through the Grey Wall?" A third voice asked.

*

The third voice, sharp and abrupt, was unfortunately also familiar to me. Lord Jorg, another brother, far less likeable and well known for his volatility.

I took a step back, intending to return to the window and listen no further - but some instinct stayed my feet.

*

"Were they detected?"

"Not inside Galae, no. They didn't linger, just long enough to take note of the patrols and confirm that it's a viable entry point. They exited and were in the forests outside the Wall when they were spotted."

"Careless and inefficient. Your boys are slipping, Johan." Lord Jorg said unpleasantly.

"The quick exit was wise. No-one caught the breach." My boss said, calm as always, not rising to the provocation. "And though the Vargan Guard gave chase, the team managed to elude them."