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Conflict
Vincent carried the 'personal' mail for the building under one arm, having felt like picking it up himself for a change. All the usual papers related to fanmail went through scanning by HERBIE, and Kristoff's patent related mail went directly to his office. Just the usual light load from actual friends and relatives.

And... a package in plain brown paper, with no markings. It had a woodsy scent to it that prickled at Vincent's memory, making him uneasy. It had to have passed through security screenings to make it this far into the building, so he wasn't concerned about it being a bomb, not one of any mundane make anyway. He turned it over, and everything else he was holding slipped from his hands as he gripped it tightly, his nostrils flaring as he headed for his magical research lab.

The package bore the Latverian royal seal.

~~

Several hours of strenuous mystical testing later, he was convinced the package would do no harm, and opened it. Inside was a deerskin pouch, filled with coins. A simple piece of parchment with a simple note of Kristoff's impending marriage.

His... Kristoff's... their father had seen fit to send a traditional engagement gift. Vincent's jaw tightened and he was tempted to incinerate the present right then and there. How dare he throw Kristoff table scraps after all this time? Worse, what if Kristoff welcomed them? What if he wanted to invite him?

He shut the pouch and note inside a secure safe in the wall, then called Andrea. He wasn't planning on asking her advice, but he needed out of the building immediately.