Love And Honour (Book 2)

Chapter XXXII

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He removes his mask when the little houses of the village come into view and removes his dark jacket. His intention is not to frighten the girl. He wants honest answers. Scaring her may not provide him with any. The village is small; only about ten houses in total all together in a small area. But the fields behind are filled to the brim with the vegetation sprouting up. Hunter breathes in the fresh air with relish, a smile growing on his lips. He dismounts and leads the horse forward. The sound of the horse's hooves has a few people looking out of their windows. Hunter nods his head to them and they smile and disappear back inside, satisfied that he is just a traveller.

He stops outside of the house with a painted blue door and knocks thrice quickly. The door opens and an older woman smiles politely at him but it is clear she is confused as to why he is there. She glances over her shoulder before raising an eyebrow at the handsome young man before. "How can I help you?" She asks quietly.

"I am here to see Mia. I really need to speak with her." The woman smiles sadly and reaches out and pats him on the shoulder. He tilts his head and rejects the frown that springs up in response to her action. Instead he makes himself mirror her sympathetic expression.

"You must be the young man. I hope you are here to do right by her." She squeezes his shoulder. "Come in and I will call her down." She withdraws into her home and leads Hunter through to a homely little kitchen with a table and three chairs. He takes a seat as she leaves the room and calls up the stairs, "Mia!" Footsteps sound and she speaks hushed to the young woman. Hunter clenches and unclenches his fist as he waits. The woman returns with who Hunter can only assume is Mia. She smiles at the two of them, oblivious to Mia dismayed face. "I will leave the two of you to speak." She presses a kiss to Mia's cheek and leaves.

Mia eyes assess Hunter before she speaks. "You are not one of his henchman." She declares easily before taking the seat opposite him. "Who are you and why are you here?"

He takes note of the tired shadows below her eyes and the drawn complexion. She appears to have slept very little recently. Her nails on her hand have been bitten down to painful stubs, it looks like fresh damage. Her hair is knotted a little as if she has not yet had time to sort it out. It is no longer so early anymore. She should have had time to do so, unless she was preoccupied with something else. She clears her throat then grimaces as if she has tasted something unpleasant.

"My name is Hunter." Her eyes flicker with some recognition. "I am here to ask you to tell me the true story."

Her lips twitch but she stills whatever action they were about to take. "He spoke about you. He really did not like you, almost as much as he did not like Sparrow."

Hunter lets out a mock disappointed sigh. "I should have worked harder. I cannot believe Sparrow beat me in that regard."

Mia laughs quietly before clasping her hands together on the table. "You are not here for him. Why do you want to hear the true story? It does not help you."

"It might. You told Lady Zara that you saw him putting poison regularly into his brother's food and drink. You said that he was doing the same to his father. Why did you lie?" He asks softly, his voice low in case of prying ears.

She matches his volume when she replies. "I... I did see him putting something into his father's food and drink. I did not lie about that." She unclasps her hands to play with her long brunette hair. She starts to braid it, weaving the strands in and out of one another. "I never thought I could be dishonest but I guess I proved myself wrong. I never saw him poisoning Gavriel. He would not; they have a strange brotherly bond."