A/N: okay, so no one gets too confused: this chapter isn't really about Kalic, but it's important, plus I think you'll like it…hopefully.

And to clear up any 'when did this happen?' issues, this chapter takes place before/during the first chapter.

Also, seeing that it's not directly about Kalic, of course it's longer than all the other ones…of course. Hope you like it!

Chapter 4: Dangerous Messages

Countess Lartiqua sat in her "throne," which sat on top of a dais at the end of a long room. Her pale blue skirts were spread artistically around her narrow frame. The fitted bodice was made of the same blue and was decorated with the tiniest diamonds and seed pearls. In her lap, though, was a small box; it's drab appearance only made worse by the splendor surrounding it. Lartiqua traced a graceful finger along the carvings engraved on the box, the one interesting thing about it. The carvings were said to tell a story, but it was one lost long ago. Now they were just pretty decorations that looked odd and misplaced on the otherwise plain object.

A knock sounded at the door and a dark head poked in.

"Enter, if you will," the lady's voice was soft and light, like fresh snow that whispers when you step on it.

The head continued on into the room and bowed as he approached the chair. He was dressed as a servant and an important one too. His uniform was navy blue with light blue and gold stars stitched into the hem and around the collar. On the chest of the tunic was a small picture of a tree encircled by a ring of fire, the symbol of Lartiqua's family.

"My lady, everything is ready to go," his eyes rested on the box.

The woman nodded, "Yes, it is time." She opened the box one last time to assure that everything was in place. A map, a note, a charm, one of the finest knives ever made, and most importantly: a thin vial of swirling, opalescent liquid. The contents of the vial had two main purposes; one could contact another with the correct magic and scrying objects or it could be a deadly, undetectable poison.

The servant moved forward and the countess snapped the lid shut and muttered something under her breath. Then she handed it to the man.

"You must be very, very careful with it. If anyone were to find it… Just keep the others from finding out what it is, let them think that you are just going on a routine journey to the capital. And if any get too nosy…" She made a motion with her hands. "I'm trusting you with everything now, all of our lives depend on this information getting to no one except Master Nurmai. You do understand." It was not a question. The lady commanded you obeyed, that was the way it worked.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

The other four men were weary and grumpy; they had been traveling almost non-stop for nearly three days now. Veryn, the one servant that was privileged with the true reason of their journey, was not showing any signs of fatigue if he was at all affected.

"Come on, we must reach the capital in the next day or so. The lady needs to have her reports delivered to the king." Veryn urged them on but only got mutinous grumbling in response. Another one of the messengers looked up at the sky which was quickly darkening.

"We should stop soon," he commented, visibly forcing back a yawn.

Veryn glared at him. "Since when do you get to decided when we stop, Sartiv?" His words threatened but Sartiv did not back down.

"We are all tired, although you do not seem to be. Some witchcraft the lady has put on you most likely. We must stop soon or it will be to dark to find a place to camp or do you wish us to ride into the night, completely blind and vulnerable to anything?"

The others made sounds of approval and Veryn could see that he would not have control over this decision.

"Fine we will set up camp at the next spot, but we will leave as soon as I say tomorrow morning." The others said nothing but that really didn't matter.

After they had finished setting up camp and grooming the horses, Sartiv brought out some provisions and they all ate. Iman, another one of the five riders, was assigned to first watch and the other went to their sleeping rolls. Veryn always kept the box with the messages close to him. He slept with it in his saddlebag, under his head. None of the other men knew about it so far. At least that's what he thought.

In the middle of the night, someone rifling through his bag startled Veryn awake. The person had grabbed hold of what Veryn was sure was the box he had so perfectly been hiding. He fought back the urge to lash out at the person and waited to see who it was.

Sartiv, his mind growled, I should have known. He's too curious, of course he found out about it.

Slowly he drew a knife out of a sheath inside his shirt. The he leapt up, covering Sartiv's mouth to keep him from alerting the others. With the other hand he pressed the cold steel to the other man's neck. Then he walked slowly away from their little circle and into the surrounding forest.

"Shouldn't have done that," Veryn scolded, as if he was telling off a small child for having dirt on his face. "Now what exactly do you think you're doing, going through my things like that?" He took his hand away from Sartiv's mouth slightly so that he could speak.

"I know you've got somethin' in there from the lady!" he hissed. "We've all got a right to know what it is! If you think your gonna get away with it and get special treatment from her you wrong! I refuse to let you cheat us and lie to us, give me a share of the loot!"

Veryn chuckled dryly. So Sartiv thought it was as simple as that? That he was getting special treatment and extra money? Half-wit. Still, he knew too much.

"You poor idiotic creature, too bad you couldn't just mind your own business." And with that, he sliced the knife across Sartiv's neck, killing him instantly.

Veryn proceeded to calmly cover the body with fallen branches and wiped his blade in a leafy bush. Then headed back to camp and went back to sleep.

The next morning, when Sartiv was discovered missing, the others searched around a little, but found nothing. They gave up quickly, figuring that he must have crept away in the night for some reason or another. They broke camp and headed back on the trail to Corus.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Two days later Veryn stood in a dark alleyway, counting doors. Four…five…six…seven! There it was. He headed for the seventh doorway and entered into a dark, smelly hallway. Disgusting. How could these people live like this? He thought back to a boy he had passed on his way here. The kid probably live somewhere around here anyway; he had looked like he was up to no good too. Veryn shuddered, the sooner he got out of here, the better.

Abruptly the hallway ended and there was only a small door that was hard to see because of the bad lighting. This must be it, the man thought, and knocked.

A young man answered the door, maybe in his mid-twenties. But he was odd for his hair had not color.

"What do you want?" he asked. Then he saw the emblem on Veryn's cloak. "Ah, so she did want to contact me. Come in."

He backed away from the small doorway and let the other man enter. Veryn followed him to a table in the center of the small room.

"He ladyship, Countess Lartiqua requested that I deliver this to Master Nurmai."

"That would be me obviously," Nurmai snapped. "Now, what have you got there?"

Veryn handed the box somewhat reluctantly to the strange man. Nurmai opened it and quickly read the note inside. He nodded and glanced at the other items in the box.

"Hmm…interesting." Then he looked up at Veryn. "No one else knows of this, correct?"

"Yes sir."

"Good, so it'll just be out little secret…" he reached into his loose shirt as if to scratch an itch.

Veryn nodded and ground his teeth. He did not appreciate be talked down to in this manner, but what could he do?

"Of course sir."

"No be on your way, and make sure you tell no one!"

"Yessir," Veryn agreed, bowed, then turned to go. Suddenly he felt the other man's arm wrap around his neck and a sharp point pressing against his neck. What was this?! Veryn felt rage surge up in him along with a strange feeling of helplessness.

"You were a wonderful messenger but I am terribly sorry, no one can know of this."

"You can't do this! The countess will kill you for this!" Veryn sputtered.

"Yes, yes, of course," Nurmai replied absentmindedly. Then Nurmai slit his throat.

After he finished taking care of the body, Nurmai picked up the note one more time and let it fall to the table.

Greetings,

Master Nurmai, I am sending this message to you for I need you to carry out a job for me at the palace. I would do it but I am afraid that I am too far away to be able to do it soon enough. I have included a list of instructions and other various tools that you will need. I trust that you will realize that no one can know of this endeavor; it would be hazardous to all of our well beings. As for the messenger that I send this with, he is a good, loyal man, but I do not believe that he will be able to keep his curiosity in check. He will no doubt have discovered the contents of this box, if not the true purpose of the mission, by the time he reaches you. He must be killed, as much as I regret to say that, but all men's tongues can be loosened, and if another were to find out about our mission…it would be sure death. My thanks to you.

Sincerely,

Countess Lartiqua of Huris's Mark

(PS You might want to try checking his left-breast pocket.)

Nurmai swung a little charm on a fine gold chain around his index finger. He had found it in Veryn's left-breast pocket. How convenient. The he sat down to look at the contents more closely and wait for the boy to come home.

A/N: liked it? Too much extra stuff? I dunno, I liked it… please review and tell me what you thought! I'd really appreciate it. = )