Chapter 7

Outside the crowd was slowly dispersing. The watch keeper and his men were still in the center of the town, with the young girl in their custody. She appeared frighten but very confused. She searched around for the children she had come with, but they were nowhere in sight. Probably hiding like she had taught them to if there was an emergency such as this. They know their way home… they'll be alright.

"Well, young lady… what is your name?" The watch keeper asked as he slowly strolled around the girl, all the while thinking of how she reminded him of last night's encounter. The thought aroused him a little, and he began wishing he'd be the one to interrogate her before she was sent to trial later that day. "Why is it that these men have arrested you? Were you aware there was a warrant for your arrest?"

The girl stood, motionless in the shackles that now surrounded her wrists and ankles. She didn't speak a word, but her lips were moving ever so slightly, as though reciting a prayer to herself. Curious of what she was saying, the watch keeper slowly moved closer, trying to pick out the soft utters under her breath. He got close enough to smell her, and again, his mind was jogged to his recent memory…

Just as he inched close enough, Alexia bit down hard on his right ear. The blood tasted bittersweet and metallic as if flowed down her lips and into her mouth.

"What the hell! You stupid bitch!" The loud crack of the back of his hand hitting the right side of her face could be heard down the alleys. Many of the on lookers, that were slowly leaving, stopped to see what the commotion was about. She tore a large section of his right earlobe off with a single bite. As he moved away slowly to regain his bearings, he saw her spit out the chunk of his ear to the ground in front of him. He slowly bent down to pick up his ear, now holding his only free hand and a handkerchief to his bloody head.

"You ought to be burned at the stake, you witch!"

"And for what crime? I did nothing to deserve such treatment. Tell me what I am being charged for! I demand it!" When she spoke, his anger turned away by the sound of her gentle voice. It's hard to imagine that someone as beautiful and soft-spoken as her could be such a tyrant.

"You will demand nothing of the King! It is his orders that arrest you today, madam! You will be tried, and at your trial, you will hear your charge. You will then be given a time and place to speak your words." Thinking to himself, he knew that these trials were really just ways to justify killing one of their citizens. He knew her voice would fall on deaf ears. Ahh… but such a lovely voice it is…

"But I have done nothing wrong…"

"Save it," one of the guards said as he gently pushed her down to her knees. She slowly picked herself up to her feet, and remained silent. "If you know what's good for you… you'll keep your mouth shut and die like the rest of the blasphemers before you."

Her head poked up when he spoke the last words, and she turned to him. Her eyes seemed to bore into him, almost as though accusing him of being a blasphemer. Holding her tongue, she bowed her head low, and listened to his orders.

They walked slowly towards the main entrance of the king's castle and stopped right before entering. The archers in the towers seemed to recognize the men in uniform, as well as the watch keeper, and informed the men below to open the gates. As the gates opened, Alexia thought about how this if the first time she's ever been this close to the castle, let alone in it. If only it had been on different circumstances.

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Creeping from the shadows after the coast was clear, Jack made his way to the door the young apprentice had just moments ago went through. So that's who that Miguel fellow was… and I see now why they're trusting him to hold this… key… that they speak of.

Jack's mind remained on his objective. As he slowly maneuvered across the room, he had a strong feeling he was moving closer and closer to his prize. He noted the sleeping man lying in a cot just on the other side of the room. Making sure he was asleep before moving, Jack cautiously approached the desk placed at the far end of the room. Upon opening the drawer, he saw a vast amount of papers that were filed away neatly.

He searched for a few moments, rifling through to find the right parchment. Then, after locating it, quickly folded it up and placed it in a side pocket of his leather suit. The nice thing about having such light armor was that it often provided a silent way to approach his victims. The downside, of course, was that it wouldn't be difficult for someone to take him on in a sword battle… should a battle ever need be fought by him.

While closing the drawer to the desk, he noticed a small stack of papers lying neatly on top. One paragraph in particular caught his eye.

"Your mark's name is Alexia. You can't miss her. She's average height, with red hair just below her shoulders, and brown eyes. Her freckles stand out the most of her facial features. She is to be captured and tried for treason and blasphemy. I want this handled today, do you understand? The guards will be at your disposal."

Finally… the note was signed:

King Valorien Mithgreen, VII

"King Mithgreen has his hand in this?" His words seemed to startle even himself as he suddenly realized he had spoken aloud. He quickly paced his way out the door he had entered just before the apprentice woke; slightly confused by the voice he had just heard himself. Jack knew it would be only a few moments before the apprentice would get up and check the area. Something would not feel right, and he would check his belongings.

With that in mind, Jack raced quietly up the stairs he had come down only moments ago. Upon reaching the top, he darted into the shadows just as he heard the approaching footsteps.

"Miguel, you're chasing ghosts!" Alben's voice almost echoed down the halls as he spoke. For a man his height, his voice seemed to carry an unusual low tone and large echo. The two had been searching the Judge's floor for any sight of an intruder. Obviously with no luck, they decided to move their way upstairs again rather than return to their chambers.

"I not as stupid as you think, Alben." Miguel's tone was slightly slurred. It almost sounded as though he felt insulted by Alben's remarks. He seemed to be a giant with an easy-to-bruise ego. He walked with confidence, but Alben knew that Miguel's size could easily be cut down if you said something to truly put him down. "Besides… we're doing our jobs by protecting this church and the people in it. I don't care what no elder priest says… we've gots a job to do."

At that moment, the two men walked around a corner and started heading down the stairs. After walking only a few steps, Alben halted abruptly. He took on a moment of deep thought, then spoke sternly. "Miguel… was the door into the Judge's room locked?" His eyes, more wary now after this revelation, seemed to dart from side to side in conspiracy.

He waited as Miguel slowly scratched his head and came to a stop himself a few steps down from Alben. At that level, Alben was looking directly into the face of Miguel without having to stare upwards or downwards. It was a wonder how he had made guard status at such a short height.

"Uhh…" Miguel thoughtfully scratched behind his left temple as he raised his eyebrow. "No… it was not locked when we entered!" His voice seemed to rise with intensity and his eyes widened with glee. It seemed the man was more eager to find his mark than protect the church. "I told you, Alben! There is someone here! I just know it… but where? We've searched all over."

"Not everywhere…" Alben looked dumbfounded as he searched his mind for any possible trace of where they might not have checked. In a moment, it came to him. He snapped his fingers, fighting to find the words. "Have you the key Jonas gave you still?"

Without hesitation, Miguel reached for his neck and pulled out the small key attached to the necklace warn be apprentices. He gently unclasped the clip holding it together, and took the key off the link. He looked it over carefully to make sure it was the same key.

"Yes… I wouldn't lose it. No one will take it from me. Not even you are that foolish." His smirk grew as he enjoyed taking a shot at his short friend. It was not often that Miguel made jokes. He seemed more the serious type, but there were moments where his mental immaturity would show and he'd take pride in putting others down. Alben, of course, was unaffected by the feeble attempt to get a rise out of him.

"Yes, well…" He trailed off for a moment. "Is there any way that someone could have gotten into that chamber without the key?"

"No… no windows, no other doors… just my key." He studied his friend for a moment and spoke again, "But they said you can't pick the lock to this door. It's only able to be opened by this key."

"Well I have also heard women say men should be loyal to their wives, but who believes in that rubbish anyway? I sincerely doubt that door is only able to be opened by that key. What did he do; Place a spell on the door?" Alben rolled his eyes at the remark, and then snatched the key from Miguel faster than he could pull away. "There's only one place we haven't searched yet… and I'll be damned by God himself if I am going to give up a chance to see the treasure of this place."

Before Miguel could respond, Alben took off down the stairs running at almost lightning speed. Miguel, still impressed at the short man's speed, quickly picked up a trot to catch up.

Just as the two men left the stairway, the shadows in the stairway moved, ever so slightly, as a shadow itself stalked its new prey.