Don't Shoot the Messenger Who: Ordhan Wyland. NPC, Piers Ledaal Where: Denerim, the Ledaal estate When: The day after confronting the slavers Summary: Ordhan fulfills a promise made to a friend. Status: In progress Rating: PG
It was just a letter.
It lay in one gauntleted hand, held with care as to not add to the wrinkles it already suffered on the journey from Amaranthine. Ordhan had taken great pains to keep the message undamaged, but after two days' travel (hardly uneventful) and the time since the company's arrival in Denerim (even more chaotic), he could not prevent a few creases or the slightly crumpled edges. As he hesitated before the door, Ordhan absently tried to smooth out the worst of it.
The distant buzz of the city was at his back, and the estate grounds stretched out on either side. Compared to the dust and crowds he had pressed his way through moments before, the patch of green was a sanctuary, though smaller and narrower than the estate grounds held by the most powerful noble families. As uncomfortable as Ordhan was here, he would be far more so at any other. The most powerful nobles, in his mind, must have the dirtiest hands from taking that power. Lord Piers Ledaal was different--not born a noble, for one, but the man's reputation preceded him in matters of reform, which was enough to earn Ordhan's respect in itself. And though the memory was distant, Ordhan had not forgotten the man's kindness to a rival's bastard child, even if both the visit and the friendships made had been short-lived.
The knight raised his arm, hand just short of the door, but stopped yet again and let it fall to his side. He knew why he was here (it was just a letter), but what was he to say? The sender was a tranquil, the recipient, the young man's father. It was more than unnerving--it was distressing, heart wrenching.
But sooner or later someone would see him, perhaps a servant wondering why there was a knight standing stupidly at the door. Ordhan paused to draw a long breath, then rapped his knuckles against the wood. It was just a letter, delivered for a friend. No reason to be so nervous.