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The Stone of Truth - Part 6

--by Rythall--

Hialdan had just left Mordrig in the courtyard when he spotted a green-cloaked figure creeping furtively out of a side door. He knew immediately with the instincts of a hunter towards his prey that it was Corqurst's servant girl, Lisha.

Without thinking, he stepped up noiselessly behind her. She uttered a strangled shriek at the sight of him. She looked so pitiful, so fragile, that those same hunting instincts drove him to the kill. He smiled at her.

"Where are you going this fine day, dear Lisha?"

She backed away from him, to find herself pressed up against the stone walls of his estate. He smiled again as he thought of the many times he had had her in this same position, for other purposes.

"Surely you're not going for a walk alone? Come, dear girl. Perhaps I should accompany you?"

She lowered her head, a blush coming to her cheeks. "No, my Lord..."

He made sure they were hidden from view of the courtyard and pressed up against her. "Are you refusing your master, Lisha?"

She cringed away from him. Hialdan watched her, taking a satisfaction in her discomfort. His voice became even softer. "Where are you bound? Tell me."

Her blush deepened, but she managed to stammer out an answer. "To the Krallan valley, my Lord... in search of Zargoth."

Hialdan felt a coldness come over him at the sound of the name. "Why?"

"My Lady asked me to pass a message to him..."

His hand, out of her line of sight, curled into a fist. With his other hand, however, he stroked her hair gently. "What message might that be, dear Lisha?"

"That he take the babies away and hide them from you..."

He froze. "Babies? There's more than one?... How many survived the invasion of Krall?" He turned his attention back to her. "Is that all Corqurst asked you to do?"

"Yes, my Lord."

He thought about it for a while, his hand absently caressing the girl's thigh. "I see," he said finally. "Go, then. Pass on Cor's message to Zargoth. Then come back and tell me who he is hiding, and where."

He stood back and watched her hurry away. She might prove to be more useful than he had thought. He turned and strode back into his house.

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