"Kel, wake up."

Kel opened her eyes and looked over at Dom, who was shaking her lightly. "What do you want?" She mumbled.

Dom smiled. "You're supposed to meet with Sir Myles in an hour. I thought you might want to have some breakfast first."

Kel sat up. "Right. Thanks."

Dom stood up and walked over to the wardrobe, pulling out a fresh tunic and breeches. "This is a big deal, Kel," he said, pulling his shirt over his head, "you're probably the most important knight in the realm right now."

Kel shrugged, her mind reeling with information. She had to meet with Sir Myles in less than an hour, she had to meet with the king to figure out what they were going to do about his family. "I just want to get my job done. How important that makes me doesn't matter."

Dom grinned. "Come on, Kel! You are bound to get at least one purse for this. The king owes you, what, four already? Once he actually pays you, plus the one he owes me, we'll never have to do anything again!"

Kel shrugged again. "It's not like I wouldn't work. I'm doing all this because I love it and because it means something to me. The fact that I can earn my living with it is just a bonus." She smiled. "Besides, you earn a salary. I could retire now if I wanted. Spend some time at Masbolle, raise a family…"

Dom laughed. "That definitely sounds like you. Now get up, or you're not going to have time for breakfast."

With a sigh, Kel dragged herself out of bed. She threw on fresh clothes and she and Dom ran down to the dining hall for a quick breakfast.

Kel found herself wary of everyone. Every knight she saw was a possible ring leader, every servant and townsperson admitted a possible traitor. They had to act quickly. Every moment that they did not find these revolutionaries was a moment closer to the king's death.

"Don't worry, Kel," Dom said quietly, "you'll figure it out."

Kel smiled weakly. She took a large bite out of her roll and washed it down with a swig of cider. "I've got to go." She said. "Are you doing duty, or just your men?"

"Just my men," he said, tipping his cup up and drinking every drop. "I'm coming with you."

"Then let's go!" Kel said.

The morning passed slowly. Myles gave all of the information he had about the revolutionaries, but the problem was, that was nothing. He didn't have many spies in Corus, worrying more about the surrounding towns and countries.

"Have we got the ten men that Joseph Dakker named?" Kel asked.

Dom nodded. "They were taken into custody this morning. Should I have them brought out for questioning?"

Kel sighed. "It's still early. I think we should have time to question a few of them. I assume we should start with their leader?"

Myles nodded. "Sergeant, have the leader brought to one of the questioning rooms outside of the dungeons. We will meet you there."

Dom nodded and left.

Myles looked at Kel. "This is going to be difficult, Mindelan." He said. "The king will be very grateful to you when this is over."

Kel shrugged. "Whatever works." She said. "should we go?"

Myles smiled at her. "Very well, Keladry."

The questioning rooms were dark and cold. Dim lanterns lit the walls, and the door was guarded by two men, one on each side of the door. Another door was opposite Kel and Sir Myles. It was guarded by another man, and Kel knew there was another on the other side of it as well.

"Bring him in," Dom said, leaning towards the small grate on the far door, before taking his seat beside Kel.

A fairly elderly merchant was brought in and seated in a chair opposite the three questioners. A table sat between them. Kel arranged herself so that he could easily see that she had her sword ready.

"Will someone please tell me what in hell is going on?" The man said, trying to rise, but being pushed back down by the guard standing behind him.

Kel frowned. "It says here that your name is Adiel. You are a merchant in Corus, is this correct?"

"Yes, it is. Why do you have me here? Please, someone explain this to me!"

Sir Myles frowned. "You have been named as a group leader in a revolution, planning an assassination of King Jonathan of Conté. What do you have to say in your defence?"

Adiel frowned. "Don't be ridiculous! Why would I want to have anything to do with an assassination attempt?"

Kel shrugged. "Why don't you ask Joseph Dakker? He named you as his group leader in this group of revolutionaries. What do you call yourselves?"

Adiel frowned. "I will not be spoken to this way! I am an important merchant in the trading circles of Corus, and I deserve better treatment than this!"

Sir Myles sighed. "We would interrogate a noble in these conditions. Now, Adiel, what is it you do, exactly?"

The man frowned at them again. "I trade animals. I get them from farms outside of Corus and I sell cows, goats, chickens, and eggs and milk. I have a good, respectable business, and you have no proof of anything."

Myles looked at the papers again. "Do you know the man we are speaking of? Joseph Dakker?"

"Never heard of him."

"Then why is it that he named you personally as the leader of his merry band of rebels?" Kel asked.

Adiel shrugged. "I couldn't say."

Kel sighed. "Where do you live, Adiel?" She asked.

"Down by the border of the city, near the trading posts."

"Are you a drinker, Adiel?"

He smirked. "Any married man is."

Kel glanced at Dom, then continued. "What is your pub of choice?"

Adiel raised his eyebrows. "I don't quite see what this has to do with your investigation, lady."

Kel smiled politely. "Just let me finish. Please, what is your pub of choice?"

Adiel rolled his eyes. "I don't know, Badger's, down by the trading posts. Why?"

Kel shuffled her papers again. "Why is it that you were seen last Wednesday, in the Stoats Head, a pub quite a bit further from your home? You were seen leaving it around one in the morning."

Adiel opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Myles winked at Kel and continued for her. "With one Joseph Dakker."

"But there was no one around!" Adiel clapped his hand over his mouth. "I mean-"

Myles sighed. "Now, your sentence for treason towards the king and realm would normally be death. But, if you can give us names of any of your superiors, we could possibly lighten your sentence to a few years."

Kel closed her eyes, her Yamani mask blocking out all emotion. She didn't believe in making deals with criminals, but she bit her tongue and went along with it. She knew it was necessary.

Adiel looked at them fiercely. "If I give you names, can you guarantee my freedom?"

Sir Myles shook his head. "We cannot guarantee anything. But it will be taken into consideration. Give nothing, and you will be sentenced to death without trial, having confessed to your crimes."

Kel stumbled into the bright light of the summer day much later than she had hoped. She caught herself a breath of fresh air quickly, and then jogged up to the kings chambers to meet with him.

"Good afternoon, Sir." One of the men said.

Kel smiled. "Afternoon, Fulcher. Anything new happening? Anyone been by?"

Fulcher shook his head. "No one but the three of us, Sir."

Kel nodded and knocked on the door. "Very well," she said.

"Who is it?" Queen Thayet's soft voice came through the door.

"Sir Keladry of Mindelan." Kel said clearly.

"Come in."

"Good afternoon, Kel," Thayet said calmly, "are you busy?"

Kel smiled. "Well, I am supposed to meet with the king, but if there is something you need…"

Thayet shook her head. "No, no. You go do whatever you have to do. My ladies are due here in a week to help Sergeant Domitan's squad, I was just wondering if maybe you would come and do some glaive practice with me some time."

Kel nodded. "Of course, your majesty. I can come by this evening, if you would like."

Thayet smiled. "That would be very nice, thank you. Jonathan is in his study."

Kel bowed to her and turned out of the room.

"Ah, Kel, I was wondering when you'd get here." Jon said, looking up.

Kel bowed to him as well, then sat down opposite him.

"We have names. Three nobles, no knights, and no members of the Senate. The rest are civilians. These names are coming quickly, surprisingly so. I doubt if we'll get many more. We have exactly twenty right now. I don't know if it's even possible to get them all. Judging by the little information we know right now, there could be upwards of five levels – that means somewhere around a hundred thousand men."

The king nodded slowly. "I cannot stay hidden here."

"Why not?"

"If they know that they have been found out, they may try to act more quickly, meaning we won't have nearly as much time to figure out our plans. I will attend supper tonight, as I do every night, though my wife and daughters shall stay in safety."

Kel nodded slowly. "I will review the seating arrangements for the next few nights and make sure there are trustworthy men seated very close to you, as well as men who know and are prepared to defend you on the spot – that way we won't have to set many more guards."

Jon nodded, drawing the sign against evil on his chest. "Goddess bless my family." He said. "You are dismissed."

Yay! Another chapter! Yay!

Annmarie Aspasia: Sorry, sorry! Come on, though, two in one day! Hmm… that is a good point. Maybe I should have said 'earn your purse.' That probably would have made more sense, because that is what she would get for it. Of course, who's to say they don't get medals?

Caremel: Wow, two people who went into that much detail! As I said before, it would probably have made more sense for me to say 'earn your purse.' So sue me.

AJ 4EVA: WOW! SIX punctuation marks! You rock! Jokes, I'm glad you liked it.

Wake-Robin: I am so glad.

"When I was a kid my favourite relative was Uncle Caveman. After school we'd all go play in his cave, and every once in a while he would eat one of us. It wasn't until later that I found out that Uncle Caveman was a bear."

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