A/n: sorry about the cliffhanger. I was informed that Lear's death was lame and I agreed. So thank you Jac! Also thank you to my reviewers Sovereign, Kaimelar Falmarin, Geminia ,Kratos's Angel, Supersoniclink and Gareth Paul Barsby. glomps you all.

Liryn nearly choked on his wine, spewing it all over the fine carpet. Red drops quickly blended in with the crimson fabric.

"What do you mean murdered?"

He demanded when he caught his breath.

"My father was killed by a dragon when he and his Knights were caught unawares. I have seen his body it was… scorched and obviously clawed."

"But not eaten. Dragons only kill what they intend to eat, they are an ancient race that has a deep respect for life they would not needlessly kill."

"But the dragons hated my father, he killed many of them over the years."

"Even in revenge, especially not in revenge, I am a magician, we learn our craft from the dragons, and they have memories that stretch beyond mortal imagination. The dragons consider themselves above such mortal worries as revenge, they are immortal they will never age or sicken but they can be killed but they look at death as just the next adventure. They may not have liked your father but they would not have killed him like that."

Liryn downed the remaining wine in a single gulp. As he let the cool liquid flow down his throat he tried to contemplate what the Magician had just told him, his father was murdered. This wasn't possible. Liryn had seen the place where Lear was ambushed, the scorches on the ground and the claw marks. He had seen the pile of dragon scales collected from the surrounding area by his Knights.

" But Schmendrik, how do you explain the dragon scales and the claw marks? Or the fact that my father was burnt to death. I mean a set up as elaborate that is beyond the ability of a simple murderer. Isn't it?"

The Magician stood and began to pace the stretch of carpet before the hearth. His graying hair snatched the firelight and the ancient runes about his cloak sparkled richly. Schmendrik had never shared his fellow magician's taste for jewels and fine robes. But in the light of the fire one could hardly tell.

"Those? Those were only magically enlarged fish scales. Any journeyman Magician could have made them. The claw marks however are a bit more advanced magic. But a fire spell powerful enough to kill a man is a very high level of wizardry. But your father made very few enemies among sorcerers, he had more sense than to wouse a wizard's wrath, rouse a rizard's wrath … make a magician angry!"

The magician chuckled to himself. Molly still teased him about that line.

Liryn looked up at the middle -aged magician, it was like he was discussing the death of a stranger. He was proposing that someone had murdered his father. But he was laughing and speaking so calmly. His father's best friend was laughing as he spoke of his murder.

"What about this amuses you magician?" He demanded as he stood "Do you dare laugh while you speak of my fathers death?"

Schmendrik stopped and looked respectfully at the prince.

" 'Twas not at My Lord's death that I was laughing. Merely and old memory. Lear was my best friend and I take no amusement in the fact that he is dead. Nor in speaking of his murderer."

Liryn nodded stiffly, and calmly spoke.

"The issue still remains that if my father was murdered as you say my honor requires me to find he who did this. Wizard, can you think of any of your kind powerful enough to do this that would begrudge my father anything?"

The magician stopped pacing and turned to face the prince.

"No you highness I honestly cannot think of any of my fellows who would wish your father harm. Your father was one of the few monarchs who sheltered magicians after the church began hunting them down. He was a great friend to my kind, and I cannot imagine any that would harbor any ill will towards him."

Liryn fell into his seat, and put his head into his hands.

"I must find the person who did this, but I know not where to start. Or where to turn"

Schmendrick came and kneeled at the prince's feet.

"Highness I believe I can help you there. I suggest that we begin at the place where your father was murdered. It is a place very far from here near a forest that your father loved to visit. What say you my prince?"

Liryn stood and drew his sword.

" I say, with you as my witness magician I swear here that I shall not return to this castle until my father's murderer has met justice"

Deep in a forest a young woman moaned and lifted her head from the dewy grass. She stood slowly, as though unaccustomed to her feet. Fingers of the cool morning breeze slid across her naked skin as she took a timid step. Then she took another, bolder this time. Turning her head, her violet eyes fell one last time upon the forest behind her. Then looking to the road before her she began to walk. Her knee length, white, hair flowing like a cape behind her.