A few months after the trial at Villa Aurora...
Harondus Einfasen had requested a meeting with Azune outside of their normal rhythm. This was unlikely to be of concern, but Azune was nevertheless concerned, running the transcripts of their last dozen meetings over in his head, cursing himself for not memorizing the exact wording of every statement.
He thought they had gone well. Lord Einfasen seemed pleased with him, in his choice of words as well as his expression. Azune had done his best to be appealing to Einfasen sensibilities; he had continued to ramp up his use of Alter Self, a little more each visit, not so much that it would be obvious to any third party Einfasens who might suddenly join the discussion. He was fairly certain he would have noticed if any suspicious magics had passed over him. Maybe he should have done more preparation. He could have asked for a glyph to detect magics. He could have asked any number of his marshals to prepare him with spells of detection -
“Azune. Thank you for meeting with me,” Lord Einfasen said.
“It is, as always, a pleasure to do my duty,” Azune said, trying not to sound nervous.
“You have no reason to fear me,” Lord Einfasen said. “Come, walk with me.”
He had chosen one of the high streets of the city with a view over the lake. The nobles kept the view clear of brush or slums alike, so that the water and the mountains were both visible. Lord Einfasen seemed to take a genuine pleasure from the vista.
“It is of course nothing to the views at Riesengürtle,” Lord Einfasen said. “I hope you will consent to join me there soon.”
“It would of course be an honor, but my duties do not permit me to leave the city,” Azune said.
“I do not expect this to be a barrier much longer,” Lord Einfasen said. “Ah, I have once again, as my cousin says, put my foot in it. You have done great service to the Sundered Houses, Azune. I apologize that it has taken so long for me to arrange a proper reward, but of course there is the distance between myself and Lord Otto. For your service, we are legitimizing you.”
“I would not put you to such discomfort as to ask who your parents were,” Lord Einfasen said. “But it has not escaped my – or our – attention that you possess many of the family traits. The eyes, the nose, the little extra something supernatural… there is much of the Einfasen about you. I only apologize that it has taken so long for me to arrange this, but,” he excused with a deep chuckle, “you can understand why I was some time in discussion with Lord Otto. We had to be certain.”
“Surely you cannot be certain,” Azune said. “My origins are obscure, my history… more than checkered. My lord, you do me too much honor, I cannot possibly be… what you say I am.”
“Your modesty is a virtue becoming a fine citizen of Dol Makjar,” Lord Einfasen said approvingly, and his tone abruptly shifted. “It does not become an Einfasen.”
“But if you are incorrect,” Azune said desperately, “impersonating a member of the Sundered Houses is a crime, in – several countries. I do not want to be – I do not want you to be -”
“It is not an impersonation,” Lord Einfasen said. “You are, now, Einfasen. The paperwork is complete. I would not have my cousin – you will call me Cousin, it has a decorous ambiguity – burdened by this petty bureaucracy. As of today, Cousin, you no longer have this bastard surname Nayar. You are, legally as you have always been by blood, Azune Einfasen. Congratulations.”
“I – will have to think on this,” said Azune, his thoughts spiraling between into Navika’an.
“There is no thinking needed,” said Lord Einfasen. Harondus. “It is already done. You are welcome, Cousin.”
He rested a hand on Azune’s shoulder and turned him out to look over the lake, guiding his chin up to appreciate the view. “You are welcome, Cousin,” he repeated. “Soon we will deal with the other niceties, we will find you a stipend, we will dispense of this little job, and then! I will introduce you to Riesengürtle. You will love Riesengürtle, it is the best city in the world. And we will introduce you also to the Biergarten, which is a superior tradition of Helvar. Don’t worry, I will sponsor you.”
“I have, uh… always appreciated your patronage,” Azune said, mind racing lake a hamster on a wheel. Harondus slapped him on the back again.
“That’s the spirit,” he said. “It will be a good time. And I promise you: Riesengürtle will appreciate its newest Lord Einfasen.”
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