"My name is Lucatiel. I beg of you, remember my name. For I may not myself..." Godfrey pondered the last words the knight of Mirrah had said to him. It was rather ironic. The very item that would have saved her, she had given to him as thanks for hearing her story, not knowing of its power. As Godfrey thought on this by the bonfire, Shanalotte sat on the rocks next to him. She stared at him in examination, seemingly pealing apart his mind. "What troubles you?" She asked. Godfrey looked up at her, her green cloak spread out on the rocks around her. "A knight of Mirrah, by the name of Lucatiel. She gave me her sword, and seemed to be going hollow. The last thing she said to me was to remember her name." "And now you don't know what to do. For the queen is dead and you reign over the land, yet you cannot remove your mind from this woman. Why do you not simply order your knights to find her?" "I do not believe she wishes to be found, whatever state she may be in." Shanalotte thought on the matter for several minutes. " "It sounds to me as if you felt something for her. Perhaps pity, perhaps more." Bearer of the Curse, I have seen this many times before. If you do not find her you will never know peace, whether she is human or hollow." Godfrey sighed, and rose from the bonfire. "Perhaps, you are correct. As always seems to be the case." He moved toward Melentia, to buy supplies for the journey.
The branches whipped across Lucatiel's mask as she ran through the woods, pursued by hordes of assailants that she could not see. A small branching path presented itself, she took it, and found herself alone in a clearing, the invisible men fleeing, as if they feared something behind her. "You will be safe from them while you remain here," a voice with traces of a Forossan accent said next to her. Lucatiel's head snapped around, her hand flying to the longsword at her side in place of the greatsword she had given to the stranger. "You won't need that," the voice said. "Even if I had the intent or the will there is nothing I could do to you." "Show yourself and I may believe you," Lucatiel said. "Girl, I am already within plain view and indeed cannot move much but my face." "Look upon the pile of stones by your side and you will see what remains of me." Lucatiel slowly looked down, and saw what appeared to be a severed head, resting within a helm resembling a lion's head. "I am Vengarl, of Forossa and as I said, there is nothing I could do to you if I wished." "Is this some joke?" Lucatiel asked. "I am afraid not," Vengarl said. "If you are merely a head, what do they fear?" Lucatiel demanded as she pointed toward the woods. "I know not why, but they fear this place. Perhaps 'tis the force preventing an end to my misery that they truly fear. Whatever dark power that may be." Lucatiel lowered her hand, and sat on the ground before Vengarl. "In any case," came the warrior's voice, "who are you?" I have been around long enough to know a knight of Mirrah when I see one, but I could use a good story." Lucatiel sighed, and resigned herself to telling yet another of her life. "I had an older brother..."
Godfrey shoved the last of the lifegems and throwing knives into his pack, beginning to walk away from Melentia when the old lady spoke up. "What does our great king need all that for?" she asked. "Why do my endeavors suddenly matter to you Melentia?" Godfrey retorted. "Oh they don't, it just strikes me that a king would go do something himself. So, Methinks this might be personal." "Personal or IMPORTANT, and important means SOULS." Godfrey shook his head. "I'm afraid it's the former old friend." "Of course it is," Melentia said quietly. "So who is she Godfrey?" Melentia asked. "I'm disturbed you'd know it's about a woman," Godfrey said suspiciously. Melentia cackled in genuine amusement for the first time Godfrey could remember. "What?" he demanded. "Oh you adventuring types all think yeselves so special, but any time one of you runs off seemingly for no reason, it's over wealth or women. And what does a king need with more souls?" "Well played Melentia, well played..." As he walked to the bonfire to travel to Aldia's Keep where he last saw Lucatiel, he heard Melentia calling behind him, "Make sure you invite me to the wedding love!"