Torn

7

7
Halle

    I use the old iron knocker on Lady Sandoval's huge mahogany wooden door.  I can feel it vibrate in my hand as it slams against the wood.
    Almost instantly the heavy door swings open, hitting me in the nose.  I can hear it crunch as the door slams into it.  Blood starts pouring from my nose and down my face. 
    "Just put your sleeve over it.  I don't want blood on the floor.  Besides, it's probably just broken."  Lady Sandoval says, ushering me into her room.
    Before I walk in, I press my sleeve against my nose, even though it hurts.  Just as I start to walk in Lady Sandoval instructs me to close the door before I sit down.  I do.
    After I shut the door, I very cautiously sit in the old, wooden chair.  I sit up straight, on the edge of the seat, my body not touching the backrest.
    "I've called you here to discuss a very important matter,"  Lady Sandoval says, lacing her hands together and resting them in front of her on the desk.  "At 4:27 this morning a letter was delivered to a guardpost while the guards were switching shifts.  The letter was addressed to you, my dear.  Miss Kaiser!  I mean Miss Kaiser."  Lady Sandoval's face turns red, but, in no time at all, it's back to normal, pale, stern, and showing no emotion. 
"The letter had a note placed on top of it.  I would like you to read the note before I give you the letter."  She pushes the note across the desk and over to me.

It's written on old, yellow, crinkled paper.  The handwriting is sloppy, much like Lady Sandoval's.  The note reads:

'   I really sincerely don't want to hurt anyone.  I apologize for the casualties we have caused, but they will all serve a purpose in making this Empire a place for all people to live.  Now for the letter I have left; it must be taken to Halle Kaiser immediately upon receiving it. Nadia, I'm talking to you.  If you do not give this straight to Halle I will make sure that some of your guards go 'missing.'  And Halle, once you open the letter you must not share it with anyone.  Not even your closest acquaintances.  '

"Umm... Excuse me for asking Lady Sandoval but...  Who exactly is Nadia?"  I ask as I slide the note back to her. 
Her eyes flicker down for half a millisecond before she looks up and says, "An old friend of mine...  Your mother..."  Her voice trails off, completely unlike herself.
    I nod and look down at the spotless floor, sleeve still pressed against my nose.  "Do you have the letter?"  I ask, my voice barely more than a whisper.
    "Yes."  She reaches across the table and hands me the letter.  It has the same type of old paper.  The envelope is falling apart.  The odd thing is that the letter has an expensive wax seal.  The black wax sticks out against the dirty paper.  The seal has two swords that make an 'X'.  The hilts are at the top and the ends of the blades point downwards.  Across the bottom of the stamp are the words 'ndị mmadụ dịrị n'otu'. 
    I carefully peel the wax off and slip it into the side pocket of my fur coat. Slowly I  lift the flap of the envelope.  I make sure that the fragile paper doesn't tear as I pull out the letter itself.  The letter is different from the envelope and note.  The paper is a clean white and it isn't wrinkled.  The only imperfections in it are from folding it so it fit into the envelope.  The messy handwriting on the letter is the same as on the note.  I can just make out what the note says.

'  Dear Halle,

    My dear it's been so long since I've last seen you.  But there is no time to talk about that.  I request your presence in the main square of the town tonight at 11:00 P.M. sharp.  This meeting will not take more than a half hour.  I ask you to wait at the fountain, after exactly three minutes a man will come and ask for the seal from the letter I have written you.  You must hand it to him without saying a word.  He will walk off into a small private shop across the square.  After that you will walk around the square, pretend to look at things, make yourself seem innocent.  When 7 minutes are up I want you to go to the same shop that man entered.  He will take you to the back of the store where you will discuss what is needed. 
You need to follow these instructions exactly or you will be caught by the empire's guards.  It is imperative that you not wear your academy uniform.    Under any circumstances do not tell anyone, not even Hudson where you are going.  
                               
Mgbe niile
A.K. '