A Specimen in Brass

I directed my attention to a brass drawer pull, cool and heavy beneath the desk's edge. With steady leverage, using the shaft of my scepter to ease the compartment open, I inspected the contents within. Amid scattered stationery rested an antique metal seal bearing a deeply carved crest. I stepped onto the cedar edge, planted my staff, and ran my glove across the cold wax residue lining its grooves. The lineage and craftsmanship were undeniable. An estate without proper archival discipline cannot endure; I aligned the heavy seal precisely parallel with the drawer's grain before concluding my survey for the night.