An icy storm immediately hit the assembly.
Heike, standing in front of her companion who was lying at her feet, tried to say something. She only managed to vaguely gurgle a few abstruse syllables in a hollow voice. Her eyes rolled up to the ceiling, her breathing stopped, and she fell backwards.
- My angel! exclaimed Ludwig Steiner.
The Prince jumped up and grabbed his daughter by her armpits.
Sigmund yelped in surprise.
Bianka jumped up from her chair, and pointed to the door.
- Let no one come out! Guards, block the exits!
The guards reacted immediately, and closed the doors. Those patrolling the garden, attracted by the shouting, took up position in front of the doors that led outside.
Gabriel's eyes locked on his father's corpse. He heard himself whisper:
- This Horned Rat is such an idiot…
He fully realized what he had just said, and his own part of the responsibility. Everything went black around him, as a terrifying crack sounded in his ears. Or was it a sneer? It was too much for the little light grey Skaven. He toppled from his chair in turn, and lost consciousness.
Kristofferson threw himself on his little brother and tried to revive him with slaps, without success.
- Gab! Gab, no!
- Kit, leave it to me! ordered Prior Romulus.
- Come and help me! commanded the Prince in his turn.
The tall brown Skaven approached, gently grabbed his mother by her ankles. The two men carried the ratmother out of the dining room, accompanied by Lady Helga Schmidt, who opened the doors for them. Mother Morgana, the priestess of Rhya, also knelt beside the body of the Master Mage. She carefully examined the foam on the White Skaven's lips, leaned forward, and sniffed carefully.
- I know that smell, it's Jabberwocky blood… By Rhya's hair!
The priestess jumped on her feet, and reached for the table.
- Don't touch anything! There is poison!
A chorus of cries responded to this injunction. Griekov asked in a loud voice:
- How can you be sure, Mother?
- I know the effects of Jabberwocky blood, Master Griekov; it is a toxic, very unpleasant to swallow liquid, which can cause you stomach cramps for hours. But if you mix it with another ingredient in the right proportions, then it becomes a deadly poison!
- It's true! exclaimed Lorelei Bäsenhau. The Heartkill acts this way. It is a mixture of Jabberwocky blood with Amphisbaena blood. I know it well, I have an uncle who was murdered like that.
- It is not Heartkill, Lady Bäsenhau, replied the Mother Superior. Heartkill is absolutely odourless. There, I can smell Jabberwocky blood, which means it was mixed with something else that didn't cancel out the scent. In addition, the Heartkill takes a good ten minutes to act, but it didn't take ten minutes for the Master Mage to pass away.
- Indeed, maybe it's a new, more effective mixture? Branka Isildursdöttir suggested.
Master Barisson approached Prior Romulus.
- How is the little guy?
- Hum… Just an emotional shock, he'll get over it. He should be put to bed.
- Do you want me to do it?
Romulus looked at the Dwarf, then at Bianka.
- Bianka, take Master Barisson to your brother's room, then come back, both of you.
Without the slightest difficulty, the Master Engineer threw the little ratman on his back, and followed Bianka to the exit. The prior stood up, and looked around for Sigmund.
- Sigmund! Get quickly Captain Klingmann! Everyone needs to be interrogated by him!
The big Black Skaven rushed out of the room, delighted to be able to leave these places so weighed down by the gravity of the situation.
In a small living room of the mansion, the Prince was walking around in circles. The interrogations were still in progress, and given the number of guests, everything would not end before one o'clock in the morning. Heike was sitting in a comfortable armchair, her daughter Isolde on her knees. The youngest of the siblings seemed dazed in shock, unable to articulate a single word. Her mother had to tell her the terrible news, and the unfortunate child had simply failed to assimilate it.
Bianka twisted her fingers nervously and shifted on her couch. Prior Romulus was leaning on a window sill.
Prince Steiner looked mad with rage and grief.
- Why the Hell didn't I listen to him?! I should have hired other magicians earlier, and formed a College of Jade at least one year ago! Psody knew the Magic of Life, he had everything to heal himself, if only he had been able to! A Druid would have mitigated the poison, or even purged it!
- If I may say so, Ludwig… whispered the prior.
- What?
Bianka jumped. She had never seen her grandfather in such a state. She was foreseeing the worst.
- It wouldn't have made any difference. Even if we had had a completed College of Jade with Druids at our disposal, it wouldn't have been enough: you saw how quickly the poison acted, the travel time between the mansion and the College would already have been too long.
- Yes, but maybe a Druid could have done something! I…
Suddenly the tall man stopped short.
- Oh, it's useless. Why shilly-shally? What is done is done.
- What should we do now, Opa? Isolde asked.
The tall Human knelt down to be level with the little rat-girl.
- My little treasure, you will have to be very, very brave. We are going through very difficult times. Cling to your mother, your sister, and your brothers. We're going to search, then find out who did this to your father. To begin with, the Guard is making its survey of the guests. All the people who were at the dinner will have to answer their questions.
- Even you?
- Even me. Even your mother. Everybody.
The Prince looked up at Isolde's older sister.
- Bianka?
- Yes, Opa?
- You will accompany Gabriel.
- As you wish, Opa.
Ludwig Steiner looked up at the blonde Skaven girl.
- The only thing I wish, Bianka, is your loyalty, all of you. I know I have it, I want to be sure to keep it. The whole world can betray me, I won't care as long as my daughter and her five children are with me. Come on, go join your brother.
A few minutes later, Bianka and Gabriel were both seated at a table in another small cabinet. Opposite them sat Walter Klingmann, Captain of the Steinerburg Guard. Two soldiers were posted near the door.
Gabriel felt a very unpleasant sensation, a mixture of stifling heat, icy chills, all combined with terrible fear. Even though he was doing everything to hide it, he felt his heart beating so hard that it threatened to explode.
The Captain spoke to him calmly.
- Listen, sonny, you know me a little; Kit is my best friend, I know you're not a naughty boy, and I don't think you have anything to do with this terrible misfortune.
That's what you say! thought the little light grey Skaven, convinced that the Horned Rat would henceforth do everything to break him. Klingmann, unaware of this inner storm, continued:
- However, you can help me. You may have seen something that could help us figure out what happened, exactly. The more we know, the more likely we are to find the culprit. Right? Will you help me?
- Y…yes, Captain.
- Good.
Bianka put her hand on the young ratboy's shoulder.
- Walter, don't forget you're questioning a sensitive child. If you make him too uncomfortable, the conversation stops.
- Don't worry, Bianka, we'll take it easy.
Bianka and Walter had known each other long enough to keep a familiar tone between them. The spotted Skaven took his inspiration.
- Gabriel, before you sit down to eat, did you notice anything unusual? Did something not normal happen?
Gabriel gritted his teeth. Then he tried to mumble something:
- No…
- Not a servant who looked weird? Not a cook making a strange face?
- No, no…
- Right, you didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Then you came to the dining room. Do you remember what you felt?
- Why is it important, Walter? Bianka then asked.
- Children often have a perception of details that escape to us adults. They have this ability to notice things that we've long been jaded with, and those things can make all the difference. So Gabriel?
Once again, Gabriel swallowed his saliva. His mind was so confused that he could no longer determine the chronological order of the events of the evening.
- I bumped into the Dwarf.
- The Dwarf? You mean Master Aghnar Barisson? He told me the same thing.
- Is it… serious?
- Not at all. Besides, it proves you're telling me the truth. On the other hand, he precised me it happened just before starting the cheese.
- Oh… Yes, yes, it's true! "You don't want to miss Master Collodi's specialties, do you?"
Klingmann scratched his head. He remembered a particular character trait of the little ratboy.
- Bianka, repeating a sentence is a way for your brother to support a statement, isn't it?
- It is. It was probably our mother who told him that.
- Right. And so, Gabriel, you again confirm the words of Master Barisson, the specialties of Master Collodi are indeed cheeses. But now, that happened just before the tragedy. Before the cheeses, there was the starter and the main course. You may have seen something during this time. Can you think? This is very important, Gabriel.
- Think… important…
Gabriel closed his eyes. He saw himself again on the threshold of the dining room door. His father's voice sternly orders him to sit down. The servant places the plate in front of him...
- Yum, yum… Potted pate of lamb leg!
The Captain scribbled down some notes.
- It was the main course, with the pie. Can't you remember the starter?
- He arrived late, clarified Bianka.
- I see. And so, did you notice anything at that time?
The small light grey Skaven concentrated. He felt deep down inside that there was something momentous. Someone had confused him. But who?
- Two Humans looked at me strangely.
- Oh yes ? Who?
- I don't know their names.
- Well, do you remember where they were sitting?
- On Opa Ludwig's left …
Klingmann picked up a piece of paper, the floor plan. He showed it to the little engineer.
- The Prince was sitting there. Your place was here, on his right. Can you show me where those two Humans were?
- Uh…
- Can you describe them to me?
Yes, he could. He saw the ominous faces staring at him intently.
- A tall man with a golden beard, who was speaking with another who had a small moustache.
Klingmann looked more closely at the plan. He asked:
- Bianka, do you have any idea who it could be?
- Yes, I have, Wally. If I can believe the floor plan and my brother's testimony, it's probably Vladimir Bäsenhau and Nikita Griekov.
- That's what I'm expecting, too. But, Gabriel, are you sure they were looking at you curiously?
- They… they scared me.
- Alright, I'll take note.
Bianka didn't say a word, but she sensed a faint whiff of concern emanating from the Captain. Klingmann was the adopted son of the Bäsenhau, he could not remain completely neutral at the evocation of his father. The spotted Skaven wanted to move on.
- Do you remember anything else?
Again, Gabriel felt his brain drumming against his skull as he concentrated. There was one last detail. He had to talk to Captain Klingmann about it.
These eyes… these eyes are emitting their own light!
A light with a green, malevolent glow that had never left him, including in the park.
No, that glow in the park had another colour.
And another face!
- Oh, wait! I saw something weird!
- What, Gabriel? Go on, tell me everything.
- Purple eyes.
- Purple eyes? repeated the Captain.
- Someone with purple eyes is looking at me.
- Can you be more specific? Bianka asked.
- I… I needed to go out in the garden, I was too warm. So I left the dining room.
- Keep talking, encouraged Klingmann.
- I avoid a guest, then a servant, then another guest, and I am outside. I must not stray too far, Mother advised me against it.
- So you didn't venture into the park?
- Not at night. It's dangerous, the Feral Skaven could hide! I have to obey my parents.
- That's fine, Gabriel, you're doing the right thing. The "purple eyes" you were talking about, where are they?
- They're… they're on the terrace.
- The terrace? The large terrace just outside the dining room?
- Y… yes. I would like to freshen up.
- Did you see someone else on the terrace, or were you alone with the purple eyes?
- No, not alone. The guards were there. I see them pass behind. Once they pass, this big gentleman makes weird gestures. As if he wanted to talk to someone else with signs.
- Do you think there was someone else watching?
- I don't know, but I had the impression that someone else was.
- Purple eyes, it's not trivial. Can you tell me who it was?
- Sure! It was the Bright Master Mage!
At these words, Bianka felt her heart leap in her chest. She tried not to let it show, but had to bite her lip to hold back an exclamation.
- Brisingr Steadyhand, the Mage of the College of Fire?
- Yes, yes! That was him!
- Are you sure, Gabriel?
- Absolutely sure!
Poor Gabriel felt sweat flooding his forehead, and his cheeks felt so hot that tears welled up in his eyes. The ratgirl noticed it.
- Walter, do you have any other questions?
- No, Bianka, it will be fine.
- Perfect. In that case, I think we're done.
- Sure.
Walter smiled reassuringly.
- You can leave, Gabriel. You have been very well. Thanks to you, we should be able to move the investigation forward.
The little light grey Skaven swallowed his saliva. He jumped up from his chair, and rushed out of the room, squealing. Left alone, the two adults sighed in unison.
- Sorry I had to put him through this, Bianka, but it was necessary
- You did your job, Wally, and I thank you for not have rushed him.
- Hey, I care about him, too. You can join him, I already have your testimony.
- Beforehand, allow me to suggest you to keep a close eye on Master Mage Steadyhand.
- Hum… Do you think he has something to do with this assassination?
- I don't have any certainty yet, but I've had my eye on this fellow for some time, and I don't like what I see. If he wasn't the one who... put the poison, I wouldn't be surprised to learn he was part of the plot.
- Alright, I'll keep that in mind. Well, your brother was last on my list. I'm going to cross-check the testimonies, and I'll report to your grandfather. In the meantime, I'll ask Steadyhand the question anyway.
Bianka stood up, but Klingmann gestured again.
- Bianka, I owe your father the life I'm currently living. If I can do anything for you kind, order.
The High Archivist tried somehow to smile despite her face wrinkled with sadness. Without a word, she left the room.
An hour later, well into the night, Captain Klingmann was reporting to the Prince in his office. Prior Romulus sat by the window.
- The first precautions are taken, your Majesty. Until further notice, none of the guests will be permitted to leave the Libra Quarter, and all the members of the crew of your domain will be required to remain within the perimeter, unless showing a signed permission by you or Commander Renata.
- Perfect, Captain. What can you tell me?
- The testimonies do not contradict each other for the moment. Everyone I spoke to has laid their cards on the table, and we should be able to piece together the course of the evening. On the other hand, for reasons of objectivity, I asked Commander Renata to proceed with the interrogation of my father.
- Yes, you did well, Captain Klingmann. Did he have something in particular to say?
- Not especially, your Highness. He confirms in particular he attended the entrance of your grandson Gabriel, but had no bad intentions towards him.
- I hear well.
- On the other hand, he himself detected a small detail: at the time of the second service, my father noticed your son snapped his neck, as if he had been stung by something.
- Hum… Romulus?
The Prior cleared his throat.
- I took the time to examine him before coming here, no trace of a sting or a poisoned dart.
- Prior, do you think my father had a hallucination?
- I don't, Captain Klingmann, but Prospero may very well have had a nervous itch. It can happen to everyone. Mother Morgana is right, it was the mixture of two separate ingredients that must have taken his life. In the meantime, Ludwig, if you allow it, I think we should transport him to the Temple of Morr.
- It will have to be done, indeed. But let's finish with the Captain first.
Ludwig Steiner inhaled before asking the crucial question:
- Do you have a suspect in sight, Captain Klingmann?
- Not yet, but I will expand the survey on the guests, what they did before coming, and what they do now. However, there is one last small detail that caught my attention.
- I'm listening to you.
- Your grandson Gabriel caught the Master Mage Steadyhand making "weird gestures", as if he was communicating with someone else.
- Was he?
- I questioned Master Steadyhand a second time about this, without specifying the name of the witness, I reassure you. The Magister simply told me he was addressing a prayer to Hoeth, his god.
- Hum-hum… And you believe him?
- No. But I don't know enough about High Elf culture to prove him right or wrong. Sometimes I improvised a little prayer to Sigmar or Verena in the face of adversity.
- Right, well, in a garden, during a relaxing supper, invoking a god of Magic seems to me rather curious, even for an Elf. On the other hand, try to watch him a little more closely than the others, Captain. Even if you didn't tell him, he must now suspect he was seen by Gabriel. And I wouldn't want an Elf Mage to threaten my grandson, or anyone else who carries the name of Steiner. Steadyhand must be aware of this, Captain. Am I clear?
- Crystal, your Majesty.
- Good. You did a good job, Captain. Go get some sleep. You will begin your official investigation tomorrow morning, I will send you a recommended document to that effect.
Walter allowed himself to let his heart speak.
- I want as much as you to find and arrest this criminal, your Majesty. I will do everything in my power for that.
- I'm convinced. In the meantime, we will have to make this tragedy official. You can leave, but before returning to the barracks, I still need you.
- What should I do, your Majesty?
- Go quickly to the temple of Verena, and tell them to sound the tocsin. We declare the enforcement of Martial Law.
- At your command, your Majesty.
Walter bowed, and left the room with a determined step.
When he arrived at the gate that surrounded the great temple of Verena, Walter thought about the High Archivist. He wasn't as close to her as he was to her brother Kristofferson, whom he had grown up with, but he still enjoyed her company, much like that of a little cousin. Besides, he was one of the few people who enjoyed her trust. So he couldn't help but sympathize. Not only had the Master Mage been his benefactor, like all the Harvested of Vereinbarung, but he had also had the chance to know him personally. He would miss a lot the wise and benevolent White Skaven.
As he walked toward the entrance of the temple, he thought back to those days spent playing with Kristofferson, Sigmund, and Bianka when they were children. The three boys already saw themselves accomplishing great feats as in the legends, fighting dragons and saving princesses. He smiled faintly when he heard the thin voice of the little girl the High Archivist was then. Bianka had been very clear: no way for her to perpetually play the role of the dumb princess who was waiting for her saviour. Also, during their games, she had been, in turn, a benevolent fairy thanks to which the valiant knights achieved their prowess, a cunning and daring adventurer who overcame the most formidable adversaries with her intelligence, or even an all-powerful queen who made to tremble the rival nations to whom the doughty fighters obeyed with devotion.
What moments of happiness spent in the corridors of the Steiner property, the park, the greenhouse, while the parents of the two families discussed business!
And then, over time, the children had grown up. The world had gradually revealed its true face. And while they allowed themselves to daydream from times to times, during quiet moments, they had been confronted with raw reality more than once.
The world can be enchanting, but is much more often frightening, cruel or desolate. The good guys don't always win. The bad guys are not always punished. And heroes don't know assuredly a heroic end.
Prospero Steiner's life had not found a conclusion worthy of him.
This motivated Captain Klingmann more. The sadness that clouded his heart became fiery like volcanic rock.
Bad guys don't always get punished...but I'll punish this one like he deserves! May Verena and Sigmar be my witnesses, I will find the murderer of my friends' father and I will execute him myself! Oh, yes!
He looked down, and remarked he was nervously holding the hilt of his war hammer. He swallowed his saliva, and knocked on the door of the temple.
After a long minute, someone came to open the door. It was Brother Samuel Heifetz, the former servant of the princely family, who was on duty at the temple that night. The pot-bellied Human recognized the spotted Skaven.
- Walter? What's happening?
- Brother Samuel, by order of the Prince, I must ask you to sound the tocsin.
- At this hour? Why then?
- Master Mage Prospero has been murdered! This is Martial Law!
Brother Samuel's round face grew paler than Mannslieb.
- By Verena's scale! How horrid!
A few minutes later, all the bells of all the temples resounded in an awful din that ricocheted off the walls of the whole city. Soon, the citizens of Steinerburg were out in the streets, dazed, undecided, then panicked. Soldiers rode, announcing the establishment of Martial Law. They promised the more sceptical the posting of official notices on the information boards the next morning. The guards assigned to the gates of the city lowered the portcullises, pushed back those who wanted to enter, and kept inside those who wished leave.
A solitary figure was perched on the roof of one of the largest houses of the Libra Quarter, crouched facing the moon Morrslieb. The whole city lay at his feet, and the streets teemed with frantic activity like an anthill smashed down by a violent kick. As the ear revelled in the unsightly melody, a smirk stretched out into the darkness.