@andromcdax (muse: aeditha)
It had been some time since Arthur had needed to send any of his knights out to some petty kingdom in order to negotiate alliances - in many cases, those that sat as brothers of the Round Table served as much in a diplomatic capacity as in a martial one - but in the end, it appeared that not all of the dukes and small kings had offered up their allegiances in the twenty-odd years that Arthur had been High King.
As the news went, the change of hands in this particular dukedom had been quiet enough that nobody noticed for a solid decade. However, now that there was a new duke, the alliance needed to be resworn. Mordred was the man for it, for he was as diplomatic as they came in these matters. Somewhat to his surprise, when he arrived, his audience was not with the duke, but with the duchess.
“Madam, I thank you for receiving me. Your hospitality is most gracious.” The words flowed easily from his tongue, as practiced as they were. “I am Sir Mordred, and as you’ve no doubt read in the letter that was sent ahead of me, I come on behalf of His Royal Highness, King Arthur.”
