therookery | people are not rain or snow or autumn leaves; they do not look beautiful when they fall.

FORM: Written messages.
SENDER: Royal audit authority of Orlais ; Emeric Vauquelin.
RECIPIENT: Gwenaëlle Vauquelin.
WHAT: Gwenaëlle loses her inheritance, title and possibly her house.
WHEN: Shortly after much of the Inquisition team is absent for various missions & the Sunless Lands.
WHERE: Delivered to Lady Vauquelin's home, a week or two ahead of the audit staff.
NOTES: Wren Coupe figured it out for herself a while ago; someone less friendly has, too.

Mademoiselle Vauquelin,

It has recently been made known to the throne that your father has been responsible for illegally passing you off as his legitimate heir. The Empress Celene in her mercy has allowed him to retain the title of his family until his death, at which point it will revert to the throne to be redistributed at her majesty's leisure to an honorable and deserving citizen of her choice. In advance of this, her majesty wishes to conduct a full audit of the Comte de Vauquelin's estate, holdings and personal wealth ahead of the rewriting of his final will and testament to reflect the consequences of his actions to date. Your household will necessarily be fully inventoried in pursuit of this.

My office thanks you for your cooperation in this matter.

[ ... ]

( a second letter, delivered a day later— )

My darling,

I'm so sorry. Felix sought our leak, but believes that the matter may have been unraveled by an outside party; my love, I will discover who. He will discover who. I will do all for you that I can. I've not heard from the Duke. Pack your things.

You can no more wish to hear from me now than weeks before, but I promise you: I will look after you. It will be all right. Everything is going to be all right.

Your father.