“Do you know who the Empress sent on scouting missions as of late?” The dark elf asked as he filled out the paperwork on the table in front of him. The report from his last mission was due, and he wasn’t one to dilly-dally. Shafir always made sure he submitted his reports before the end of the week that his mission was over. No sound came from Eliqinor and when he looked up, the other man was deeply focused on his work. “Eliqinor?”

No reply came and Shafir sighed. This was a norm for them, and it made him wish a goblin would sneak up behind Eliqinor and drool on his expensive clothes. That would teach him to keep his guard down, but again, he assumed it was a good thing. If he believed Shafir wouldn’t stab him in the back when he was knee-deep in paperwork, then Eliqinor could work in peace. 

“Captain?” Shafir called out to Eliqinor once more before the older man lifted his head from where he was working. He rubbed his temples after putting down the stamp that he often used to approve documents. Who knew marking papers with ink would be such hard work? Well, he never thought it was hard work, just stamp it and move on. Though Eliqinor often took time to read every little thing when Shafir had a habit of skimming to get the gist of the document. The man was throughout with his work, which was understandable that he became the Captain at such a young age.

“What is it?” Eliqinor huffed out and Shafir felt his body tense. If he started anything, it would be easy enough to defend himself by saying the other looked like he was falling asleep and they couldn’t have that. That would be irresponsible, per Eliqinor’s words. 

“The Empress told me she sent some scouts out to check on something. Do you know who they are?” Eliqinor stood up from his seat and walked toward the large bookshelf, where he pulled out a book full of papers. They often held all the missives sent from the Empress, along with the reports from those sent on the missions. As long as one scout was from their division, they would have the information. He flipped it open and looked over the pages at Shafir. 

“Valneiros, House of Rites and Katar, House of Choices. Is this about what you told me about?” 

Shafir had informed Eliqinor of the mission the Empress assigned to them. It would be awhile before they could actually go out on the mission, as they had to be as well-informed as possible before they went off and looked around. Someone as well-versed as Eliqinor with orc customs was with Shafir, so that was also a plus. “Valneiros is often busy, but he helps at the infirmary from time to time and Katar is an on-and-off instructor for the squires' archery training.” Shafir had heard their names come from Eliqinor’s mouth many times, but it always made him irritated to think about it. Though Eliqinor spoke of Katar in the same breath as Valneiros, Shafir knew little about him, just that he was lively. 

He had never seen them come to the office himself, but it appeared Eliqinor knew them well. Valneiros was understandable because he had seen him being sent on missions with others when they were young. While he was slightly older than Eliqinor and Shafir, he was below them in rank. Katar was an archer and not someone they would often have contact with since he was under the Cavalry Captain’s charge. 

“And? Are they on any assignments right now?” There was a creak of the couch when Shafir stood up. Was it getting old already? He shook his head and began gathering the paperwork he had finished. 

“Katar is not busy, but if we want to talk to Valneiros, he’ll be on a mission for the next couple of days. So that leaves a kink in your plan to solve the orc problem as soon as possible. Unless you don't need to talk to him.” Shafir sighed and plopped his paperwork down in the finished pile on Eliqinor’s desk. “So, would you like help with this?” 

“Help me with what?” Shafir looked up from the desk, his eyes narrowing at the insinuation that he couldn’t handle talking to the archer. Yes, he could be extremely brash and straightforward, but how hard would it be to talk to Katar? Perhaps Eliqinor told him about Shafir and thus their meeting would go poorly. How dare his captain be talking shit behind his back when Shafir was always trying to prevent others from doing the same? 

“Talking to Katar, he can-” 

“I think I can talk to a simple archer! Or do you not trust me to do a proper job?” Shafir felt his blood boil and Eliqinor put the book on the shelf. He didn’t turn back around to look at the other, which only pissed off Shafir more. To think his captain would act like a fucking child, all because he wasn’t able to keep him under his watchful eye. 

“Then go.” Shafir’s mouth opened and closed a few times like a fish gulping air on land. That was not the reaction he was expecting. Their conversations would often devolve into a fistfight or a match of angry words. When had Eliqinor become so aloof about how his vice-captain acted? Just a few days ago, they were at each other’s throats in a screaming match over Shafir’s actions. “If you believe that, I think someone cannot trust then you prove me wrong.”