The Stone Sorceress

Chapter 4-5

Chapter 4

The king's daughter had only been a child during the war; she was now almost eighteen. Aurora could still recall the scenes in the plaza, of the queen mother looking out the palatial windows, and saying, "There are two men who will not give up on us."

The girl was now blossoming into a young woman. Aurora had golden hair, blue eyes. She had a beautiful throat, and soft white skin. Her adventurous spirit could not be diminished, and every night she looked out from her window to the unknown horizon.

One day she was sat playing with her fork; a number of esteemed guests were at the palace, men with titles, some news had them all on edge. Aurora listened, a man had been killed, several, apparently; they were of the noblesse.

She looked at the Earl of Xanthos, her cousin, because of the drink his face was always red, "It has been confirmed this morning, Talos is dead!" He exclaimed.

Bewilderment swept across the dinner party.

"I cannot believe it, I simply cannot." That was Donestre speaking, the Duke of Lares Vials; Aurora didn't like the way he often looked at her. "Why I saw him but a few weeks ago, are you quite certain of it?"

Baron Mora said, "There are some peculiar goings on of late." He was a pompous old fool, fat and ugly.

"Assassinations," interjected Viscount Murex. The viscount on the other hand was in his 30's, and rather delicious for a young woman. His many intrigues had everyone at court talking. He caught Aurora's eye and smiled; she blushed, hastily diverting her gaze.

"People murdered in their homes," the red faced Earl shook his head, "What are the police doing about it?"

"Remember Nero."

The royal family shuddered.

The handsome viscount said, "It was a massacre."

During the silence, Aurora looked at the faces around her; the red Earl, the sick Duke, the ugly Baron and handsome Viscount, she didn't care for any of them really, all they were bothered about was their many estates, their precious titles, and salacious mistresses. She didn't know much about the world, but the girl knew all about high society.

"Who or rather what is responsible?" Asked Viscount Murex.

Donestre was distracted; his eye had wandered to one of the servant girls. At length he returned his attention to the matter at hand, and replied, "Lemuria says a Grendel is." Then a young man interjected, "It is the Gods who are culpable! They smite us for game."

Aurora giggled.

"You and your damned Gods Lucius." He was only 13, "If you have nought better to say I beg of you to hold your tongue," Donestre snapped.

"It is the government, it is always they," the fat Baron Mora said nonchalantly. "What we are seeing is the handiwork of their secret agents."

"But why?" The dashing Viscount leaned forward, "One does not kill a man without a reason?"

The conversation continued, as it had begun, that is to say nowhere, Aurora grew disdainful: some noble men had disappeared, were kidnapped and killed, why was it such an ordeal?

At last she glanced at her father, who had been awfully reticent. Normally he had so much to say, too much almost, but now he looked pale.

"Lemuria has plagued my reign," the king spoke with a hoarse throat, the fires of war still burning brightly in his mind, "And now this," he threw down some pieces of parchment; it was a newspaper that reported the murders. Pensively he looked away, caressing the ring on his finger, his hair had grown white, his skin much aged, the man's azure eyes focused intently upon Aurora. He was a bad father, but a good king.