Authors note: I'm back, nice to know people are enjoying this one. And anyone figured out why Mary is doing what she is doing?
Mary was in Talinas watching the annual contest, the dancers were now on and they were good, the first act were two girls from Gransville performing a gypsy dance. Their elaborate costumes enhanced the display perfectly. As she watched the dancers she let her guard drop a little, then she saw him, standing on the other side of the stage to her, even though he was now retired from the military, it was unmistakably him, he seemed to be enjoying himself and Mary could feel the rage build up inside her, but she managed to keep calm, "All in good time" she thought, "Enjoy yourself while you can Karl, cause you're closer to death more than ever."
She instinctively went to cover her right shoulder to conceal the tattoo she had there, once she realised it was still covered she relaxed, she remembered getting it when she was 18, she'd wanted one for ages, but didn't know what to get, then she'd been in a small village and a woman had been growing black lilies, she'd said her son was a major in the Imperial Army, and she'd given him one for good luck. That was how she'd decided to have a black lily, now she remembered the woman, she realised that she looked a lot like Karl, could she have been his mother, oh well, everyone died someday, and that someday would be very soon for Karl Schubaltz.
Once the festival was over Mary followed Karl to a hotel where he somehow managed to get a room, though she suspected he'd paid more than it was worth. As the streets emptied she made her way back to the stage and collected her thoughts, now she knew where he was she could follow him until he was sufficiently isolated then do what she had set out to do a month ago, now her task was so close to completion, she could taste it.