The Wolves of the North (5)

"Lord Arignon, Sir Emile, the reason why His Imperial Majesty is here is because he needs your support and help in Aquintaine. The situation now in the capital... is not so peaceful as it was months ago." Aldrik continues. "Just two months ago, the Crown Prince, Prince Alexander, nearly died by an assassination attempt inside the Moon Palace itself."

"..." Both Constance and Emile become speechless of what they have just heard, an assassination attempt inside the Moon Palace itself, the Palace where the Imperial Crown Prince resides, is impossible to begin with.

"I know it is shocking, Thankfully, the assassination failed, and we are able to neutralize the assassins unfortunately, we didn't gain anything from the assassins as they committed suicide immediately before being capture by us." Aldrik's eyes are blazing with anger and humiliation of the failure to capture the assassins.

Constance and Emile notice the anger in Aldrik's eyes as he explains what had happened in the capital months ago. It also made them more confused on how they are related and needed in this issue. They are both in the north during the assassination and they have no relation with anyone from the imperial family.

Aldrik immediately calms himself after noticing that the other person in the room sees his slight burst of emotion. "The reason we need your help is because from the six assassins who attacked the Crown Prince, two are from the Frankians and one is a Slavin."

"Sir Aldrik, it doesn't mean that because my family generations ago are Slavin descent while Sir Emile here is a Frankians, that we are part or related from any of this." Constance retort immediately what Aldrik is implying to say, the Arignon family has no connections with such groups and find it offensive the way Aldrik trying to say that just because their family is from the east generations ago, they are related in the issue.

He looks directly to Aldrik, but the person in question is still standing calmly and even served the emperor by filling up its already empty teacup again. Constance feels intimidated to the old man, even if he is confident in his strength and skill in fighting, it seems that the old butler is on par and maybe above him in fighting even the person is older.

"We mean no harm and offense to you Young Lord Arignon and Sir Duguelux and if you think that we offended you then please forgive us, what we're trying to say is that we need your help as it is your family that has close connections and relationship with the Slavins living inside our borders. It would be easier if you were the ones who would investigate as the Slavin and Frankians people trusts more those who are their fellowmen than us Aquintanians."

It is the emperor who answers Constance to clear up the misunderstanding that they had just from Aldrik statement. Emperor Frederick XI knows that sometimes Aldrik, his personal bodyguard and butler and secretly the head of his shadow guard organization, is tactless in his words that can cause misunderstandings.

"Your Imperial Majesty, sorry for not understanding." Both Constance and Emile bow their heads. It is the emperor that they are talking with, and any mistakes might cause their deaths.

"It is fine, in the first place it is our mistake of not making it clear." Emperor Frederick XI waves his hand to show that it is just fine, and they didn't make any mistakes. "We are also the one who needed your help."

"I'm sorry Young Lord Arignon and Sir Duguelux. It is my mistake; it is not the fault of His Imperial Majesty." Aldrik also bows his head towards Constance and Emile.

Both Constance and Emile wave their hands that it is fine, and the misunderstanding is clear already. "It is fine Sir Aldrik it is fine already. His Imperial majesty clears up the misunderstanding already...How about this? How can we help you in this problem?"

Aldrik, the one who hatched this plan, replies. "Young Lord Arignon, we know how close your family with the Slavin people residing inside the empire's borders, we want you to make a separate and covert investigation from ours, we think that the empire investigative units are already compromised by some groups that might supporting the movements in the dark."

Aldrik gets a thick stack of papers from the boxes that they had brought in the north, Constance sees how thick the paper stack as Aldrik needs to hold it with both his hands as he approaches them.

Aldrik gives the stack of paper to Constance. "This is the current information that we had regarding the case. The people possibly related to the attack, the leads, suspected noble families, and many more are inside the stack of paper Young Lord Arignon... Sir Emile, the information about the Frankians that were part of the attack is also in the documents. I hope that you can track and give us new information after you arrive in the capital. Currently, we have no new leads and information that is not in the documents as the enemies have immediately cover their tracks after the failure of the attack."

Aldrik added, "The enemies are tricky enough as they can cover their tracks and cut off any exposed groups to us. I hope that both of your close relationship with the Slavins and Frankians and the underworld inside the empire can catch those bastards." Aldrik's face contorts in anger as he speaks, for him, it is humiliating and piss him off that even if he is the head of the emperor's shadow guards and the intelligence and espionage groups in the empire, he can't still catch the enemies that are able to penetrate the walls of the imperial palace.

If he can't even prevent their infiltration and attack inside the imperial palace, he should have at least captured and get a huge lead to those people. But instead, the only thing he could do was just stop their attacks with no chance to hit back. It is humiliating for him, the strongest empire in the continent is only sitting ducks from the enemies hiding in the dark.

Constance, understanding the feelings of Aldrik, closes his eyes and thinks carefully if he will accept the task or not. This task will sure give him a lot of benefits from the empire but also the unforeseen troubles and dangers will be with it, especially that the enemies are hiding in the dark and has the capacity to keep on par or even better from the imperial capabilities in intelligence and fighting in the dark.