Chapter 37: A Murder Most Foul

The moon wasn't out at all tonight. Outside in the darkness the sounds of nature could be heard. Crickets were chirring, and the cold wind was making the sound of a soft rustling through the leafless trees. Inside the orphanage all had settled down for now. Dishes and books were put away, awaiting the arrival of the new students in the morning; not all students, of course, would be thrilled to see either of those - necessities, as the adults so euphemistically called them.

It was very quiet inside the orphanage as everyone had been in bed for a candlemark or two already.

Outside the orphanage one of the night Guards passed silently by on horseback. He looked around and went all the way around the orphanage too. Nothing to be seen so far, no footprints of would be thieves to be seen. He resumed riding on circuit, and within another candlemark or so another Guard riding circuit would come by.

Inside the orphanage Aunt Tildy was only half asleep; she was semi-consciously thinking about Fenix and Jewellyn, hoping they were all right. She hadn't heard from them for a while, but she figured one of the Guards would deliver a post soon from them. There was so much troubling news coming from Haven these days...she thought as sheturned to her other side away from the window. She held on to the Valdemaran Circle of Love necklace as she always did when she went to bed. Finally...she fell asleep.

Outside the orphanage everything suddenly became deathly quiet, even the rustling from the trees had stopped; and the cold breeze had died down to nothing. Nothing seemed to move, nothing seemed to stir...except for one thing...

It had to be now, now or never. He sensed the time was right; he always felt he had a sixth sense about these things. It hadn't failed him yet. He knew how to get in the orphanage well enough, he would go through the grain barn then to the cellar door where there was a by-way into the orphanage. It would then just be a matter of proceeding like a cat, without making any noise. He didn't consider himself to be as graceful as a cat, but he was confident, practiced, and cautious while doing these things.

He quickly looked around from behind the shrubbery then hunched down as best he could. He made a quick dashing move towards the grain barn, then hid behind a row of hand plows and other farm implements. He looked around again, the whites of his eyes darting rapidly back and forth as he surveyed the surrounding territory like a hawk, and he listened as well for any noise.

Success is all about practiced observation. You have to know the strengths and weaknesses of any locale and the people in it, then you can move in on the target...you could do it almost incognito as it were, people were always so busy with other things to notice anything awry...because they failed to observe! he thought to himself, chuckling a little.

He only had to lift the latch quietly then quickly get to the barn, then that passageway to the left before he reached the cellar. Easy as stealing the best Valdemaran Pie! He chuckled to himself again...to him, this was all too funny, really.

Time to go...now! He made another dash towards the barn, then quickly and quietly lifted the latch across the door and went in like water in a stream. He had to get all this done very quickly before the guards returned and noticed the unlatched barn door, that is if the Guard would even notice it. He figured it was better to assume that they most likely would notice it, so he employed speed and stealth to get in, get it done, and then quickly drop from out of site.

If one of the Heralds come out here though, that would be the end of everything...they find out everything too. This thought spurred him on. He quickly regained concentration on the task at hand and was now proceeding through the by-way passage.

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Aunt Tildy restlessly turned to her other side, facing away from the entry doors and windows. She let out a deep sigh...and thought briefly, My, it sure is quiet out there tonight...Even without any moonlight her necklace and medallion glinted from what little light there was.

He opened the door quietly and then quickly made a dash towards the sleeping figure in the bed. He stepped up, raised the dagger in the air then made two swipes across the neck with it. This move was made such so that both carotid arteries would be severed nearly instantaneously. There would be little chance of any struggle or screams that way.

She grunted at the reception of his well executed dagger attack and her eyes flew open, and it seemed to take her far too long to realize that hot blood-her blood, was spilling from her body all too quickly. Her mouth opened in shock, but no cries erupted. Her strength faded with each breath she tried to take, to no avail. Then, Aunt Tildy quietly faded from existence…her eyes permanently locked on something no mortal could see.

He noticed the job he had done and quickly appraised it. Well done...

Aunt Tildy was surrounded and soaked by a rapidly spreading wash of her own blood. But this didn't stop him from taking the necklace from around her neck. He held it up and laughed a little. And grinning with pride and from the exaltation of a murder well done, he said to himself quietly, "Phase two of the demoralization process has begun!" It was time to move on.

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Koromiel: I know...I know...we can't seem to stop using lines from Shakespeare for titles and such. But as promised, I posted this chapter! Hope y'all enjoyed it as much as we had writing it. And yes...I acutally did more than the usual editing and re-arranging of sentences... o.O! But of course, Phoenix does most the work. Anyway, we're about to finish Part One here...and then things will get really interesting in Part Two. So! Until next time! Also, big hugs to the people who read this chapter after chapter...we know it's long and we're glad you're still hanging around and actually make the time to read this!