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The Stone of Truth - Part 7

A series of twigs snapped somewhere behind her. Laetia knew she was being followed. But why had the Lord sent men after her? Didn't he trust her to fulfil her mission? She barely walked, tears dropping from place to place onto the dried leaves. She had to be strong for her Lord. No.. the Lord did not care what happened to her. Not for her Lord. For herself.

On one thing had both her masters agreed. She would find this wizard in the woods.

A branch fell and a curse followed. Whoever it was, they weren't doing a too good job.

As she walked, her left hand rubbed her right hand desperately. She would never be clean, an unburied dead had touched her flesh. All the spells in the book could not clean her of that curse; she would die mad and childless. But that was an old men's superstition, wasn't it?

She struggled on. Her mind vaguely wondered if she hadn't been disloyal to her Lady, by telling the Lord her message. She decided she had only done her duty. Her Lady should know better than to tell Laetia secrets kept away from the Lord.

Lord Hialdan had seemed unaffected by the knowledge, but Laetia could imagine him striding into the Lady's room and giving her a beating. And rightfully so. He was the Lord, he reigned above all. Even if sometimes he was cruel, it was justified.

Still, it couldn't be good for the babies. Her Lady was weak; Laetia expected her to go into labour prematurely from all the pain and the anguish. She was strong, but not as strong as to carry them to term. Such a pity. They would be beautiful children.

Ground leaves continued to rustle somewhere on her right. She tried to make out something, but the shrubbery was too dense. There were shadows, but they could be of any animal. At the thought of animals, she muttered a quick spell and quickened the pace. Even in daylight she wasn't safe in these woods.

She walked without thinking, guided by, she shuddered, the thoughts of the dead man. It was lucky in a way, because otherwise she would have lost her way long ago. Light sparkled down through the leaves, lighting the fresh forest scent. But most of the details of the greenery were lost on Laetia. She had something to do.

Her steps grew slower, she took a turn between two small bushes and she stopped in front of a small cottage.

It was silent.

The door was closed, the windows were shuttered and there was no smoke rising from the chimney. If she hadn't known better, she would have turned and left.

Instead, she walked to the door and knocked quickly two times, then three, then one, and stepped back in wait. Nothing happened.

She knocked again, with the signal the dead man had known. Nothing, again. The house was deserted.

A branch crackled behind her. A hand covered her mouth and a voice whispered in her ear. "Don't scream and I won't have to hurt you."

Laetia screamed muffled.

The hand let go of her mouth. She turned around and saw a slender young man. He had no knife and he didn't look very strong. She screamed again.

"Please don't scream, I can't bear women screaming, I get insane at that sound!"

Laetia stopped screaming and smiled, despite herself.

The man smiled back. "Thank you, I appreciate that. Really. I do." He bowed. "My name is Laser Scorpian. And who might you be..?"

"I am Laetia Locas, servant at House Hialdan."

"Pleased to meet you, Laetia. House Hialdan, eh? That would put you in the middle of events. I envy you."

"What kind of events are you talking about, sir?"

"So you don't know? I can't buy that."

"Know what, sir?"

"It seems we have a lot to talk about. But first, may I ask what is your interest with this place?"

Laetia remembered to regain her housemaid composure. "I do not think it is for me to reveal my master's plans, sir."

"I see. Sent by good ole Hialdan, were you? Is he still so irresistible to girls?"

"Why, sir, you have no.."

"Shush, dear girl, I see he charms you as well. Oh, well. Charm is something for the upper class to be born with. Same as disloyalty."

"Disloyalty? Sir!"

"Indeed. I haven't met one lord or lady that wasn't disloyal. Except Queen Cor, perhaps. And even she ran off with Hialdan at his first sign."

Laetia decided that this irreverent stranger had talked enough. Still, she was unsure what to do. The house was deserted and she was not close to fulfilling her mission. Why had Zargoth moved? Being a wizard, could he have known that she was coming to find him?

And who was this man, after all? Why had he followed her and what did he want?

She voiced the thoughts aloud.

"Let me be honest. I followed you because I saw you talking to Hialdan in the courtyard. I thought I'd see what he was up to, and here we are. It seems we have the same goals in mind."

"Why are you so interested in House Hialdan, sir?"

"Queen Cor is an old and valued acquaintance of mine. I wanted to pay her a visit."

"Why do you say the same goals?"

"Let me guess, you came here looking for Zargoth."

"How do you..?"

"It's my business to know." He looked so self-important that Laetia smiled again. "And I see our birds have flown away. But don't worry, I know how to track. We can find them."

"We? Did I say.."

"No, but if you know what's best for your mission, and for your hiney if you fail it, you will follow me like a good girl. I am a reasonably good chatter, so you won't be bored with me. In return, I will want you to tell me a few things."

"I'll go with you, sir, but I won't tell you anything."

"As you wish, dear girl. As you wish."

Laser Scorpian took his talisman in his hand and started upon a direction that only he knew.

continue to part 8 >>

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