The office that belonged to Antoine was quiet, for a mere moment before the sound of steel tapped against the stairs, and to the door of the office in a hurry. Once the door was swung open, the Savoyards gaze met with a bannermen's, his helm tucked beneath his arm and a folded massive rested between his digits. "From the Empire, my lord," the soldier stated with uneasy composure, placing the parchment upon Antoine's desk. The paper that now rested upon his desk, had displayed a faint yellow hue as the candle lite at the corner of his desk shinned onto the massive that rested before the Savoyard.
Antoine rose a brow, the gold of his signet ring glinting faintly as he folded open the mail. His eyes moved swiftly over the words, line by line, until they lingered on his own name A small exhale escaped his lips - neither a laugh nor a sigh, something caught between disbelief and concern. "Inciting rebellion...Treason...Conspiracy to commit murder."
His words came to a halt, as he leaned back in his chair, as a hand rose to rest against his chin as if weighing the absurdity of it all. As the sound of the grandfather clock ticked in the corner, he stayed in silence before he leaned forward, his gaze meeting with the massive once more. Antoine had glanced at the bottom, noticing no signature of the emperor, just of the knight. "Why is it only the knight, who signed this document.... did he not consult with the council or his Imperial Majesty?" Those words lingered within the air, only heard by the bannermen who still stood before the wooden desk that Antoine sat at.
Soon after making his comment, the Savoyard brought his hand down to the drawer of the desk, before pulling out a blank parchment. Following that, his hand was brought to the quill, that sat within the small container of ink, tapping a few times to prepare the quill before he began to write. Antoine dragged the quill across the blank paper, writing a response to the letter which read out. "To the Esteemed Members of the Imperial Court, I Antoine Owyn de Savoie, acknowledge the summons issued by the Imperial Court and the accusations that cover my name. It is not my wish to evade the law, nor to cast doubt upon the authority of the Empire, but rather to ensure that the truth is known." - "The charges presented - inciting rebellion, treason, and conspiracy to commit murder - are serious beyond measure. Yet I affirm, with clear conscience, that my actions have never sought to undermine the peace of the realm nor bring harm upon any man's soul. My conduct has always been guided by faith, duty, and the welfare of those entrusted to my care." The scratching of the quill tip against the paper came to a halt, as he thought to himself further. He soon overcame his thoughts, continuing on with his reply to the massive.
"I trust that, when evidence is brought forth and the truth is weighed without prejudice, justice shall reveal my innocence. I submit myself to the proper proceedings of the Court, confident that righteousness will prevail over rumor and misinterpretation." - "In these matters, I ask only that fairness and clarity govern all things - for justice."
"With due Respect"
"Antoine de Savoie"
Upon him signing the response, he returned the quill back to its original place within the calamus. Antoine then retrieved his seal, before applying the wax seal onto the now folded paper. The seal contained the Ashford sun, in a crimson red color. "Send it off, please." Antoine stated, before handing off the parchment to the bannermen, who stood at the other end of the desk. Once the bannermen departed, he turned his chair around, now facing the window as he watched the man bearing his families sigil on his armor, sending a bird with his letter tied to it.
