Hello again everybody! Second chapter, obviously, and hopefully you'll pick up more clues as to who dunnit. I had a lot of spelling, grammar, etc. errors last chapter that I just realize after I submit it. rolls eyes I've got to learn what the freshman teacher tells you to"Write, rewrite, and write again!" Please review this one!
Thanks to TimeMage0955 for reviewing! It was much appreciated! ;-)
Chapter 2
Edmund and Peter walked into Sir Orest's comfortable and spacious apartments. They had given the best in the castle to him and it looked as if he appreciated it for he sprawled onto a red plush armchair while drinking a glass of sherry. He didn't look as sad as his sister about his mother's death. On the contrary, it looked as if he were enjoying himself. He slurped out of his glass and with a start of surprise he jumped up as he saw the two kings. He looked athletic, strong, and fearless with thick dirtyblonde hair and bright blue eyes. On the whole he was rather handsome, but Edmund noticed that there was a sort of cruelty about him. Perhaps it was the look in his darting eyes or the way his hand moved in greeting.
"My d-dear sirs," he stammered, "You gave me a surprise. I'm all to pieces lately, I suppose since dear mother---"
"We understand, sir," said Peter nobly, "We will do what we can to help find the murderer of Lady Nestra."
"You will?" asked Orest, "That was what I wanted to ask you about."
"We will," said Edmund, "But first, can you tell us about your mother?"
"Next month would have been her 65th birthday. She was getting old and she would peck and bother me to no end, but I still loved her," Orest said his eyes glazing.
"Was she married to anyone?" asked Peter.
"Yes, she was married two times. First to my father Agamem and she had me with him. My father died quite suddenly when I was ten years old. The doctors weren't sure why though. After that she was married to Megaera's father who also died."
"So Megaera is your step-sister," Edmund said more as a statement than a question.
"Yes. She became my step sister when she was only five years old and I was around eleven. Is she all right, though? The death hasn't affected her too badly has it?" Orest looked exactly like the protective brother and Peter could understand his emotion well.
"She's fine," he said, "In fact she's taking a walk in the garden. My sisters Lucy and Susan are comforting her."
"That's good. She was always devoted to mother, I don't know why because sometimes when your father gets a new wife you start to feel jealous, but she never felt that way at all."
"Any reason?" asked Peter.
"You know, Ihonestly don't know. I've never thought to ask." Orest avoided Peter's gaze. Edmund felt sure that Orest was lying.
"Well, gentlemen," Orest said hastily, "Thank you for your time. If you'll excuse me however, I need to rest and think about---my mother." He began look sad for the first time.
Peter and Edmund trooped out again after saying goodbye and Orest assuring them that he would be present at dinner.
"Well, what do you think, Ed?" Peter asked looking at his brother as they walked down the sunlit halls of Cair Paravel to the gardens where Lucy and Susan were, "Do you want to solve this mystery? I don't want to wake a sleeping giant, but we need to protect Narnia. If there is a murderer he has to be found before he does anymore damage."
"Of course I want to solve it, but it puzzles me a bit. We ought to interview Lady Megaera to find out more about Lady Nestra. I think that the motive for the murder can be found in the personality and actions of the victim. So if we find more about Lady Nestra, we've got it and our murderer."
"It's terrible business, though, isn't it? Having your own mother murdered. Imagine what we'd do and what we would have to go through," Peter said, thinking.
"It's bad enough with Dad in the war. He might be getting shelled at this moment," said Edmund sadly, "I wonder if we'll ever go back, you know, to the other place, England, I mean."
"I don't know," said Peter as they stepped onto the garden path, "Aslan has his plan though, and we can be comforted in that... Now where are those girls?"
-----------------------------------------------
Lucy looked at Lady Megaera carefully. Lucy had already begun to make friends with her, even to the point of nicknaming her "Meg", but she wasn't sure if her efforts of cheering Meg up were enough. Meg still had that cast down look and that's what made Lucy worried.
Meg was very pretty with bright auburn hair and gray eyes. She stooped beside the garden hedge and looked for her mother's favorite flower.
"No, it's not here either," she said brushing a strand of hair from her face.
"What flower is it?" asked Susan who was standing nearby.
"Hemlock."
"Isn't that a poisonous flower?" Lucy asked curiously.
"Yes, I suppose it is. Mother liked it a lot. She said that it saved her from a difficult time once. No, I don't think she poisoned anybody," said Meg after Lucy's startled look, "She wasn't like that at all. It's just one of those things. Maybe its beauty saved her; it is a beautiful plant."
"I agree," said Susan, "But within that beauty lies the poison."
They halted their search as they saw Edmund and Peter approaching.
