The mighty Royal Palace on Khanid Prime was speculated to hold more wealth than some of the royal Imperial Families, and on par with even the Palace of the Empress herself.
This grand opulence was present in everyone and everything you saw, it was undeniable and omnipresent but it was also subtle, subtle in the sense that it wasn’t hugely flashy and in your face, but more of the feeling that everything there was made to such fine precision that it could never truly be replaced or recreated, simply unique and perfectly finished.
These where the most noticeable things you saw when you walked the great halls and open expanses of the Palace, Varoth Torash was well versed in this grand opulence, but he was also in tune with the finer touches and extraordinary things that even the most trained eye could fail to see. Things like the listening devices hidden inside the statues and pictures, the cameras that saw everything from behind walls and the servants and guards who never seemed to be there but picked up everything the walls and features missed. The palace was such a tightly enclosed environment that nothing happened that King Khanid II didn’t hear about in the end.
That’s probably why he loved this place so much, there was always a contest of silent wills, a war hidden completely beneath the welcoming and friendly exterior.
He was here because he had work to do for the Torash family, as their Imperial representative to the King and his court of Nobles it was his job to keep the family abreast of the machinations of the other families, to keep their name in the forefront to continue their long run of power that had them entrenched in many of the settled worlds within the Khanid Kingdom, and even bordering on the State and Empire.
Varoth smiled, as a pureblood Khanid he stood at just over six foot tall and wore a helmet that covered most of his features, but not the wicked smile that many had learnt to fear, the servants whispered as he passed and the guards nodded respectfully, all knew he was not to be interrupted.
After passing through the most heavily observed areas of the Palace, he went into the exterior gardens, and into one of the sparse places where he had finally gotten a place that was very specially monitored, or in plain terms, was ignored courtesy of a very expensive bribe.
As he rounded the corner into the secluded area, high garden walls with extravagant and elegant climbers easily dampened the sounds and shielded eyes, and courtesy of the bribe the listeners wouldn’t hear anything today.
“Your late” the deep ominous voice of his contact slithered into his ears.
“The listeners where overly active, I was detained unavoidably”
“I don’t care about your listeners, as long as we won’t be overheard”
“I assure you, we are completely safe here”
“I am going to hold you to that Torash”
Varoth swallowed as the man, his features and form completely hidden behind a dark red robe stood ominously in a corner of the small area moved only so much as to make him visible, the carefully concealed form otherwise almost undetectable.
“I do hope you have results for me”
Varoth smiled now, this was what the entire meeting had been arranged for.
“I do indeed, the Ralgen’s facility suffered a dreadful accident last week, they are unable to meet the quota required by Kaalakiota and as such we are the primary source of material in the Kingdom right now”
“I see.”
“Kaalakiota will have no choice but to seek us out if they want the materials they need, the Farlen’s are behind on schedule and won’t reach peak production for another month, we have the market squared away”
“Good”
“Yes indeed, and even better is we secured the safety of our plants as well, the Mashtori agreed to a sum to temporarily cease an contracts against them”
The man shifted slightly, an uneasy slow movement that made Varoth nervous, more so than he allready was during such a risky meeting.
”That is... Unusual of them.”
He moved a step closer, a gloved hand extended forth from the robe to point directly in his face.
“Don’t forget who you serve, the Mashtori are dangerous, simply paying them off doesn’t secure their loyalty, pray you do indeed save money with this endeavour”
Varoth nodded slightly, trying very hard not to tremble, it was unlike his contact to be so expansive about a subject like this but after a few moments longer the figure withdrew back to his corner.
“Go Varoth Torash, you have done well so far but you need to do more, you have not yet earned your reward”
Varoth bowed towards the figure, a deep respectful motion for a figure of great power.
“Thank you.”
“Do not thank me yet, return to your family and their machinations you have yet more to do.”
“As you wish.”
Varoth straightened, smoothed his dusty gold/black robe and turned and made his way out of the enclosed area, silently moving back through opulent gardens and the high vaulted ceilings, returning to the lethal game he played and smiled his trademark lethal smile.
Across the cluster a man sat back in his chair, the pitch black room illuminated only by the soft glow of the monitors smiled as well, all that could be seen was a thin smile.
Things had just gotten much more interesting.
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Topic: [Story] Silence and Secrets (Read 1551 times)