Yveta tapped the table. "Stay calm."
"Akalanda."
"Let me see it."
Akalanda placed an arrow and a piece of parchment on the desk. The arrow had pierced the parchment, so presumably the letter had been shot over with a bow.
The words on the parchment had been written in blood.
The Old Witch sniffed it. "This is human blood. The Children of the Forest used human blood to write a declaration of war to Your Grace. What an arrogant race."
"Just a race that humans had eliminated a mere thousand years ago."
Anger flashed in Branton's eyes. He clenched his fists and glared at the provocative declaration of war.
The blood must have come from one of his people.
The Children of the Forest had killed members of his family, and now they were treating his former people so carelessly.
He closed his eyes, his heart filled with anger and helplessness.
He really wasn't a competent lord.
He was too weak, both in strength and in mind.
Yveta lowered his head and skimmed the words on the parchment. It was covered in seven different kinds of writing, one of them the language used by humans in this world.
With some of the original owner's memories, Yveta scanned the human writing.
As a literate servant, Akalanda of course had to read aloud the words in the declaration of war.
After all, some lords might devote themselves entirely to martial arts and not know how to read very well.
There were many such lords.
So stewards and those responsible for paperwork were expected to take the initiative and read documents aloud.
It was a matter of custom and etiquette.
Akalanda said, "It says—"
"I, the one hundred and forty-fifth Forest Duke, legitimate ruler acknowledged by all the Children of the Forest, leader