Delaev spoke again. "Did she do it?"
There was a short pause before Marlon answered. "I'm not one-hundred percent certain. I don't think she did, but she doesn't remember much, which means someone could have drugged her and poisoned the Queen, or it was such a traumatic event she completely forgot."
He left out the part about her waking up in hysterics, talking about visiting of her mother, the Queen, and what she had told Flossina about his own self. He worked with healing potions and tonics. He didn't believe in the type of supernatural magic she had been speaking of last night. His friend wouldn't either.
"I don't believe one bit of what those castle vultures have been saying about her."Deleav furnished after a long silence.
"The people think she is guilty of this cri
She felt safe with him. There was something about him that frightened her.As if Deleav could sense the awkward silence between them he cleared his throat and spoke."I will take this to the kitchen and tend to the dragon's. Your Highness." He bowed once more to her and left the room.It was just them now."Your...friend?" She asked shyly."Aye." He nodded and walked over to where she stood. He stood only a few feet in front of her."Everyone believes me to be some mad murderess, don't they?" She asked, already knowing the answer.He could hear the defeat in her voice."No." He said simply.
After speaking with Marlon Flossina’s spirits felt deflated. She had been completely honest with him and he had shut her down immediately. He didn’t care to open his mind and hear what she was saying. She was beginning to wonder if her mother had been right. She felt helpless. To her it felt like the more she tried to find out what happened to her the more resistance she seemed to feel. He wanted her to heal and rest, but she had no time for that. She had to find out who did this to her family and why. She had to leave this place. She surveyed the room for anything she could wear over the outfit she wore. A long wooden trunk sat at the foot of the large bed. She opened it and located a cloak and boots. She needed to leave, but knew she couldn't do it on foot. Where would she get a horse? She couldn't very well steal his dragon and ride away on it.
Khepri had helped her and her plan was set in motion.Her room looked the exact same, with the exception of the black pieces of linen draped over all the furniture inside of her bedchamber signifying her death. Her royal portrait hung above the large fireplace inside of her room and was covered with a black silk cloth. She quickly removed her cloak and removed the black sheer material from her portait to see they had painted a red gilded mask over her portrait's face to signify her betrayal. She wanted to scream at the atrocity.She took a deep breath and heard her mother's voice, "Find my diary."
She was half walking, half running. He looked forward as he walked her to her stepfather's private quarters. She was terrified. All she had on her to defend herself with was her small hunting knife, and she had yet to retrieve her mother's diary. Her plan had been put into motion prematurely it seemed. She tried to make sure her face mask of silk was secure, so no one would see her true identity."He won't care how you look." The man said watching her every move.The two guards beside the two large doors opened them upon his nod.The doors were made of mahogany and leafed in gold. Carved into each door was Flossina's Royal family tree. This was the King's most inner chambers. She recalled playing in here when she was a child. She was snapped back to reality when t
"Can you read?" He asked her as he picked up a gold goblet and drank a liberal amount of wine from it.She feigned ignorance and shook her head 'no'.He leaned forward and retrieved the journal from the table. She couldn't help but to watch him put it down on theenormus bed. She tried to make sure he didn't notice the way her eyes were watching his every movement. She was so anxious and ready to end it all. She wanted revenge for her mother and herself. She watched as he sauntered back in her direction with what she assumed was a seductive look. It disgusted her. Her stepfather had no respect for her mother, and it made her even more angry and prepared to kill him. She just had to wait for the right moment. He sat down on the small settee with her. She didn't dare move
her stepfather yanked off the flimsy silk material that had covered the lower half of her face. He had done it in a playful manner and was now white as a ghost. He quickly stood up as if someone had burned him with scalding hot water and stumbled."You...you're alive!"She stood up quickly. She didn't know if he was going to call for the guards. She had to do something."Yes! I am alive! My mother is not. What did you do to her?To us?""I did nothing! Nothing ! It was you! You killed her and then tried to kill yourself.""No! Stop lying! Stop saying that!" She screamed, and reached for her knife. It wasn't there. She saw the gold hilt of the blade gleam in the candlelight as her
Deleav had had an exceptional day at the palace. After his usual day of rewriting historical scribes and drawing maps, which also served as his cover, he had found the parchment containing the information about the true leader of the Collective, Marlon's father. He had spent years searching for this document in disguise as a palace historian. He was on his way out when he noticed the Mercenary turned General of the Zuff army, Torunn. His cronies were with him along with yet another courtesan. He usually didn't let it bother him. It seemed to be more the norm now that the Queen was gone. He caught himself exchanging a glance at the courtesan who they had placed in gold neck and wrist shackles. Her face mask was removed and her slender frame seemed poised even in the face of defeat.She didn’t have the demeanor of a Courtesan. He looked at her face and rea
Deleav arrived at Moeina by way of his blue dragon, Max. He jumped off before the dragon's feet floated to the ground of the courtyard, inside the onyx castle. He ran inside the keep, found his friend and Commander on the first floor in his work chamber rummaging through his shelf of vast potions. He had never seen his friend and brother in arms so frantic. His suspicions had proven to be correct. Marlon had no idea about the Princess. "I saw her," was all he said. Marlon instantly knew who he was talKing about. Princess Flossina. She had told him she wanted to leave. He didn’t think she would-or could. Moeina wasn't an easy place to escape from. "Where?" Marlon asked. Not taKing his eyes off his task. "The palace