Headaches
Dane Soar
At last, someone speaks! I was getting a little worried. Please review and enjoy the chapter!
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Sayna's Quarters
Several Hours Later
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When the faerie healer finally rose from the side of the gravely wounded Dragon Fighter, she was grim. "It seems many of your folk get into trouble on a regular basis."
"How badly is he hurt?" Ruwalk asked. Alfeegi, Kai-stern, and he occupied the couch in the ambassador's room. The wounded Dragon had been laid on another couch, across the room.
Sayna sat down next to the Fighter. "It was a deep wound, in one side and right out the other. I've healed the internal damage and managed to close both wounds, but they could very easily be reopened. When he wakes he shouldn't move for a few weeks.
"This Fighter was very lucky however, in that not only did you find him before he lost a fatal amount of blood, but whatever went through him missed his spine, though only by a few inches. I can't cure paralysis."
"That's some good news at least," said Kai-stern, with a sigh. "Now if only we knew who he was."
But Alfeegi was looking thoughtful. "I think I do."
"Who is he?" demanded Ruwalk at once.
"I spoke to him not too long ago, he's one of Tetheus' Fighters, Talic. Which when you consider he said that Tetheus was the one possessed makes this interesting."
"Who do you think did that to him?" asked Ruwalk.
"Think about it." said Kai-stern.
"You said that before, I'm starting to really dislike it."
"I know, but think. That wound looks like it came from a sword, a big one at that. And this Talic is one of Tetheus' Fighters. What Officer is known for his expertise with the sword?"
"Tetheus." realized Alfeegi. "He really is possessed then. And he must have stabbed this Fighter to keep him from warning anyone."
"Because if we hadn't see him we would still be thinking Karis was the one with the demon in her head." added Ruwalk.
"Demon?" Sayna asked curiously. "There's a demon in the Castle?"
Thankfully, the Fighter stirred at that moment, interrupting could have been an awkward explanation. Sayna stood and let the Officers take her place.
"…where's… this?" the Fighter asked, somewhat blearily.
"You're safe," Ruwalk told him. "the Officers are here."
If this was supposed to put the Fighter at ease, it failed. He sat up sharply, but then winced, clutched his wound, and had to sit back. "Captain Tetheus?" he demanded.
"Not here," said Kai-stern at once. "and he doesn't know you're here."
"A demon is in the Castle! He's been possessing Officers to get close to the Dragon—"
"We know." interrupted Ruwalk.
This stopped him short. "Err…you do?"
"Well, we know that there's a demon doing possessing. But we didn't know it had moved on from Karis."
"Maybe it would be better if you started from the beginning…umm, Talic isn't it?" asked Kai-stern. "It'll be shorter all around than just guessing back and forth."
Nodding in agreement, Talic began. "Captain Tetheus suspected that there was something wrong with this situation, he asked me for my thoughts on it."
"Why you?" Alfeegi interrupted.
"I studied a lot about assassins," Talic said, rather too quickly. "and before I was recruited I knew a few."
For some reason Ruwalk coughed at that. The other too Officers looked curiously at him and he waved them off. They hadn't been in the ballroom when that had happened.
But Talic went on as if he hadn't heard him. "When he described the events I remembered an assassin I knew by the name of Kenen. He liked to put himself into the minds of those close to his mark."
"So he controls the ones he possesses?" asked Kai-stern. "And removes the memories of himself when he leaves them?"
"Exactly. The Captain wanted to keep this situation as quiet as possible, so as not to make a panic. And as Captain Karis doesn't like speculations, we couldn't go to her with this information."
"If I might make an interjection," Sayna began and continued when Kai-stern nodded at her to go on; "Am I correct in presuming that this demon you speak of is the reason for the rents I have been sensing in the Officer's auras?"
"Yes," said Ruwalk.
"And that this demon currently resides in Captain Tetheus' mind?"
"Yes."
"As a healer, I feel that it is important to point out that technically, that isn't possible."
Alfeegi frowned. "What do you mean?"
"A demon can't possess a demon. At least, not without awful side-effects."
"Well, Tetheus isn't completely a demon anymore," pointed out Kai-stern. "but what sort of side-effects are you thinking of?"
She thought for a moment. "The mind would be damaged, and as the two minds fight back and forth it's very possible that the body would be torn apart. Literarly I'm afraid."
"Are there any ways you know of to separate the demon from the Captain?" asked Talic.
"None that I know of, however with some time among the tomes in the library here I might be able to find a few ways."
"We might not have very much time," mused Kai-stern. "so the sooner you could start the better for all of us."
"Of course. I never thought that things in the capital would be so very eventful. If you have need of me, look in the library. " Sayna rose and bobbed a polite curtsy to the three Officers before she left.
"Umm, sorry to interrupt, Officers," Talic said politely. "but if you're going to do something about the Captain, I'd like to help."
Alfeegi shook his head. "You're wounded, Fighter. We can manage from here on. You should rest."
"Sir, I can't do that! Kenen is… he's dangerous. I know his ways, I can help you!" Talic struggled to rise. He managed to sit up but when he went to stand he winced and was forced to sit, clutching his stomach.
"Stay here." Kai-stern told him. "We'll keep your offer in mind, but at the moment all your good for is healing up. So go to it. In the meantime, we need to bring Karis in on this. The more heads in this the better. Come on Alfeegi," the two headed off.
"Why are you so determined?" Ruwalk asked Talic. "I know Tetheus did you a favor back then, but you don't actually owe him so much that you have to half kill yourself!"
Sweating with pain Talic said: "I own Captain Tetheus everything. You were in that ballroom when I tried to kill Lord Lykouleon, you must remember. You know what I once was. The Captain could have killed me! He should have! But he didn't, he and Lord Lykouleon saved my life. I was a malicious assassin that didn't deserve mercy. But the Captain gave me that. Now he's in trouble and it's from an assassin. That at least I can help with. Please. I've got a hell of a debt to repay to your Dragon Lord and the Captain."
"Fine," Ruwalk put a hand on the Fighter's shoulder. "You make a good point. Come on, I'll help you get to Karis' room, Kai-stern and Alfeegi are probably busy plotting already."
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Balcony Off Ballroom
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Lord Lykouleon knew something was up.
He was an intelligent man, and could quite easily put together the illness outbreaks and the rather frantic scrambling he'd seen his Officers do. And of course it wasn't just the overflow of work that they were worried about, Lykouleon knew. There was something else that was setting his people running about.
He sighed, looking out over the grounds.
"What's wrong, dear?" asked Lady Raseleane, resting her hand lightly on his arm. "It's not like you to daydream."
"Oh, it's nothing, dear. I was just wondering when my Officers are going to tell me what's going on."
"I'm sure they'll get around to it eventually," she said.
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Karis' Quarters
Two Hours Later
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It didn't take as long to bring Karis up to speed as one would think. She was rather indignant about being left in the dark about the assassin, but conceded that she would probably not have believed them at first.
"I do like my evidence," she admitted from her bed, kept there by doctor's orders. "running off with some half proven theory has been the death of too many of my Fighters." She glowered at Talic, who was in the farther chair from her, but didn't comment on his presence otherwise.
And they tried to hash out a plan between them.
Two hours into it, Sayna rejoined them, triumphant.
"I was told you were here by one of the servants," she explained. "I think I've found something that might help." Taking a piece of paper from her sleeve the elf explained. "After researching all the methods to remove a demon from its host, this was the safest one that I could find. But it does have its risks…" she paused, then handed the paper to Karis.
The Red Officer went white. "'Risks' is putting it mildly."
"What is it?" asked Alfeegi impatiently. She handed the paper to him. As he scanned it, Ruwalk and Kai-stern read over his shoulders. Even Talic leaned forward though he was too far away to see.
Reactions were mixed.
Ruwalk's mouth fell open in shock.
Kai-stern sucked in a surprised breath.
Alfeegi actually managed to find words. "That's insane!"
"What does it say?" demanded Talic, impatience getting the better of him. "What does it say?"
Four still shocked expressions turned to him.
"Err," he said. "on second thought, do I want to know?"
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End of Part 7
Only a few parts left!