Chapter 53

"When all things about you are in motion, such as the stellar constellations, the fleeting clouds, the shifting seas, the breathful creatures and even your pulsing heart within, why is your spirit silenced by fear?"

~

The Official Chambers of the Magisterial Regent,

The Imperial Castle,

Kingdom of Tristendyre,

The first Phrinight of the Second month,

XXI Year of Regency

"There! Shoot, at once!", the Regent panicked upon sighting the fair-coloured bird with two pairs of wings, taking flight towards the promontory and beyond.

Jaycob steadied his stance, held his arm up for focus and aim and purposed in his mind: the heart of his moving target.

In a trice, the arrow was propelled from his grip and found its four-headed hook attacking the pulsing heart of Altair.

"Bull's eye!" the Regent called and before the suffering bird's body could descend, the Archer drew the rope fastened to the arrow's tail and brought the target to the sill of the window.

"Ever so acute with your shots", Jehoram praised as he inspected the victim he had brought. He was hasty to remove the note attached to the talons of the bird while Jaycob immediately relieved it of its hook.

Curiously, the blond falcon held its hind wings against the small leather sheath of the message, protectively from the Regent.

It was much like: the valiant sepoys that could seldom be quenched, be-cause their patriotism to their duty and service of long years was pledged to remain unslighted as long as their breath did persist.

There was a struggle and a great deal of bleeding before it yielded to silence. Jaycob watched as the bird held its wings out several times and he stood close, for it did not show signs of surviving the pain.

Jehoram unyoked the letter in its grip and began unravelling it. He tore the seal and its flower off and cast them aside upon the table where the bird was rested in excruciation.

Jaycob could not afford to catch a glimpse of the seal's crest, but he saw the Limirisch flower and knew straightway that this was the message from the Chief Physician.

While the Regent was engaged in skimming through the brief and unsuspicious letter, the tall Archer picked the flower in his hands and placed it upon the heart of the scarlet coated bird who was taking his final breath, soothed by the smell of the flower with a soft purr.

And then, the colour of its emerald eyes faded completely.

"It appears there is naught here that is worth a rush", said the dark-haired man as he handed the parchment to Jaycob.

The masked Archer took the letter and read its apparent contents, finding no matters amiss.

"Burn the letter", the Regent called as he proceeded to restlessly pace the hall. "Leave no trace that we have pilfered this."

"Yes, Sire", Jaycob obliged, taking the paper in hand to the hearth. As he held it against the heat to incinerate it, there appeared mysteriously written words against the deep of the page that read:

"Send me... evidences... convenience permits; I was not... request such order... twich and rivenho..."

The words were difficult to decipher in such minimal time, but the Archer could gather that it was the matter Lady Minerva had spoken of earlier: that she required the evidences of the lofty order made in her forged name.

The letter was quickly dissolved, but the message was immediate in Jaycob's mind to assist the honest woman.

"I do hope you have been treated by the Physician regarding your injuries", said the Regent from his seat behind the table.

"Of course, Sire", the Archer responded, rising to his feet and bowing in respect.

"Divulge not to any that there was such unlikely attempt against your life; I will take such matter into my custody and investigate the uncanny entry of unauthorised person therein. You needn't enter the Under-ground Dungeons", the man stated, knitting his fingers as he placed his elbows upon the face of the table.

"Understood, your Grace", said Jaycob. "And the key", said he, bringing to grasp the false construct that could not access the Secret-Cell and handed it safely to the man.

The Regent took it and inspected the key before pocketing it, finding no err in design.

"Now, there is much more important business that I had preferred to discuss with you, regarding which I have called you hither with immediate priority", the man began, and Jaycob listened keenly.

He had assumed that the occasion had been regarding the Search of his premises but it appeared as if the Arch-Eccleissor had not arrived yet with the documents and records. And further, he was unaware of what business the Regent would have in mind apart from the retrieval of the key to the Under-Ground Cell.

"I have perused the Petitions that I will have to attend to to-morrow. They were those that were due for hearing this morning prior to the Execution, but I could entertain none, for they were most against the Death Sentence to the damsel. Had I offered ear, we would not have been able to secure her as a decoy for the Princess", the man said and the Archer nodded.

"But one such Petition that has reached my table was oddly curious. It was from a certain Lady by name 'Avery', if I recall", the man continued, rubbing his jaw in pondering for accuracy, as he rummaged through the pages of petitions appealed before his desk.

Jaycob thought of the name but could call no recollection to mind. "And what did it state, your Highness?", asked he.

"It made concrete mention that Imogen could not have assisted the escape of criminal Jehu and that the man had not, in fact absconded, but was killed", said the Regent.

Now this was an oddly confusing case, for Jaycob was aware that he had released Jehu and that the single soul left to believe that the man was dead was the Regent, for Jaycob was commissioned to do so, bringing the man evidences of murder.

The people were bid to believe that Jehu had escaped, but strangely, they were cheated to believe the truth. It was curious how this woman, in her Petition, had come to steadfastly believe the false.

"Did you accidentally litter any evidences?", asked the Regent. "There appears to be the claim in her Petition that you are the person to have murdered Jehu and left on a journey to cover your sins."

Jehoram found the unsealed envelope bearing Lady Avery's Petition and handed it to Jaycob.

The olive-haired Archer's brows furrowed as he contemplated, reading the words of the parchment.

"Hon'ble Regent Jehoram,

Herein narrated is the petition I wish to present to your perusal, pertaining to a situation that is pending the service of Justice:

Facts of the Case:

Regarding the Execution of Imogen on grounds that she has brought the escape of criminal Jehu, I intercede that the damsel is innocent, without common reference. I am aware that the true turn of affairs is that the criminal was murdered on the night prior to his death sentence by the Royal Archer, Sir Jaycob Oreius. The man has subsequently portrayed that Jehu has escaped, but such is false.

Grounds of the Appeal:

1. He was sighted by me and a few of my companions that bear testimony of his having passed Hazenvale that very night after Imogen had left to the Castle. His clothes bore a strong and captivating scent which is assumed to be the smell of Rivenhove that the Chief Physician has mentioned. This is testimony of his presence in the area of crime.

2. Whilst he passed our company last night, there were a few strands of long, blood-stained hair that I can vouch belonged to Criminal Jehu. I hold such evidences with me against Sir Jaycob Oreius.

Signed: Lady Avery Morys"

Jaycob read the Petition and remembered the previous night when he had passed the women of the City of Shillingston who had grouped in the streets and were nattering about Nathan.

He had not noticed that the articles had slipped his grip. He looked up and his eyes met the Regent's.

"I was amused that a kern had paid such close attention, but I assume she holds a great deal of fear against your name", said he.

Jaycob nodded, "Yes, Sire. The inadvertence was mine."

The Regent nodded and received the letter back into his grasp, saying, "There is no reason to fret, however. I shall undertake the case and pronounce you innocent, for you fulfilled such murder at my beck."

The Archer nodded, "I am grateful, Your Honour."

~

Jehoram needed Jaycob to abstain from the Secret Under-Ground precincts.

He knew that the man was far too cunning in scavenging for details as a baker would knead the every portion of his dough.

It was difficult enough that the Archer was granted entry to brush shoulders as closely with the 'Incarnation Warlocks' Undertaking in all these past years of service to old Knight Oreius Zephaniah.

The most convenient course of action was to send him abroad on a journey to the farther Kingdoms, for the period of a week at the very least, until the Coronation Ceremony was completed and the damsel Imogen was neatly disposed of.

The Regent floundered in his lack of decision regarding how he could deal with the situation, for Jaycob was necessary in defence.

However, his secrets were far more imperial in his concerns.

Further, his dark project needed the Princess, but since they bore news that there was Queen Sable Duvessa still alive, the man considered it reasonable to find her instead and subject her to the science of his schemes as a replacement.

"About the journey", the Regent began, contemplatively. "If you could begin tracing the presence of Queen Sable Duvessa, I would prefer the summons of her instead."

Jaycob nodded, "Consider the service granted, Your Highness."

"You may leave on your journey this very night", said the man, specifically conscious of the limited time granted to the Archer to stay within the Castle's frontiers.

"Sire, further", the masked man began, and Jehoram nodded for him to proceed.

"The King of Hyll-Decanta had written of a proposal to war against the day of the Coronation. I have duly declined, but I would prefer our defence is strengthened."

The Regent felt tension flood his body like a rising tide.

The various treaties he had placed to lure the favours of Adon-Vericus were wilting. He was greatly torn between the cases of all matters choking his system.

He thought of how Jaycob had been clever to receive the news and bring word before him, but further, if Devland was on the right regarding Jaycob's disloyalty to his fealty in Tristendyre, there was a frightful chance that he could betray the nation at the face of war.

"You needn't hesitate regarding your departure. I will handle the Defence of the State", the Regent said, dismissing the olive-haired Archer.

"Yes, Your Grace", said the man before bowing to leave.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. The Regent expected it to be the envoy bringing the drafts of news from Reid's Newscast Company, for it was already a greatly delayed hour.

Jaycob opened the door to receive the company before he could leave and Jehoram looked over to find, instead, Devland Zephaniah, the Arch-Eccleissor standing at the threshold various documents in tow.

~