Chapter 42

"Long lashes and healthy physique are the symbols considered beauty upon the face.

But, Scars grace the Psyche, for they are sovereigns of wars fought with life and self. And every soul crusades a diverse battle that can solely be seen in the depths of their portals of eyes."

~

The Untenanted Cottage of Jehu,

Town of Hazenvale,

Kingdom of Tristendyre,

The first Phrinight of the Second month,

XXI Year of Regency

Lady Minerva watched as Jaycob strode into the room where she was nursing the child. She had not been inclined to trusting him ever since the sight of Rivenhove, but it appeared like he was in an untold dilemma, his life in his hand.

In the silence of the halls that made the abandoned house, the voices of the persons in adjacent rooms were clear. Consequently, from the sound of the conversation, it appeared as if an assassin was invoked in Mister Joab against Sir Jaycob Oreius.

There were far too many sinister and terrifying occurrences that could not be comprehended and each of these disasters brought such ill chance to the victims.

But further, it appeared as if there was an underlying correlation between all events and calamities.

She hoped the havoc of Lyrishveil would have eased by then, for it had bidden far too much devastation against the inmates. The Physician still could not recover from the loss of her young apprentice.

Apart from these, there was the closure of St. Erdengaur, no arrival of Dragons as per prediction, the recently announced fortnight-long fast of the Princess, the respite of criminal Jehu's execution, his subsequent escape and finally, the sinister silence of Nathan the warning Prophet regarding all these events.

Of course regarding the last portion, from what Crescence had overheard from the Regents and brought to her ears, it had sounded largely like Nathan had been Jehu himself, but that had only correlated after she had gauged the similarity between the verse at the conclusion of Nathan's article and the words on Jehu's Pillory.

Lady Minerva rested her back and appraised her work where the child seemed to be well composed.

Her leg could not be saved and the recovery of her memories was uncertain, but her life was not in danger. Pitiably, however, it was inevitable that the child would not sustain visible scars, for the flames had slapped her several.

Closing her eyes in dismay for all that had befallen the young girl, the Physician rested her temples in her hands.

It was not an opportune moment to ask the Archer of the things that were distressing her mind regarding all that he seemed to bear, but Lady Minerva had decided that she verily would interrogate him in the matter after the heat of that present tribulation had calmed.

She leaned forward in her seat to watch Jaycob, who seemed to be slashing coals to start a fire in the furnace of the hearth.

"Would that not betray of our presence herein to the outsiders?" asked the Lady and Jaycob nodded.

"The windows are draped with curtains; I hope none do take notice", responded the Archer.

"And of the steam that escapes the chimney?", she asked, eyeing the construct of the furnace. She knew that if the smoke did not exit from above, it would spread within the room they had inhabited and would cause the patients to suffocate.

"Most of their attentions are held in the possession of the burning Village and the heavy smoke heaved there from. And further, this fire is not for us, but other reasons", said he quickly casting a few rolls of clay into the blaze of the fireplace.

He moved, in a rush, and opened the broken doors of a rundown wardrobe wherein there were a few sets of clothes that had belonged to Jehu. Jaycob drew a shirt and belt and handed it to Lady Minerva.

"Kindly change the child's clothes and pass her present attire to me. We will need to feign her body to have been a victim whose life was claimed by the fire", he said, making effort in keeping his voice low.

The Lady nodded before hurrying to accomplish what the masked lad had asked of her.

"Are these not Jehu's possessions? Would he not steal into the house someday and demand of these to be taken back to his custody?", asked she.

Jaycob shrugged his shoulders as he returned to working on the hearth he had lit, taking the fireplace poker to shift the coals and clay and harvest them out into a large bowl.

"Jehu and I go back a long while. We have had our study in like environment. He has even shown me to the old lady by the sloped banks of the Hyll-Decantan Promontory, who nurtured him along with a few other children who had no family. I know quite a deal about his life; I believe he would not mind the invasion and borrowing. It is after good cause", said Jaycob, like he did not count it to be great matter.

Lady Minerva nodded as she dressed the little girl and handed her erstwhile garments to the Archer. He assigned the fabric to the hook of the fireside poker and watched till it was singed enough to appear as that worn by one afflicted in the flames.

The Physician watched as he swiftly dressed the burnt clay into the likeness of a small and mutilated carcase.

There was a faint knock on the door and the Elder hurried to attend, assuming the guest was Aldric. She needed to ensure none noticed his entering the dusky cottage.

The man child hurtled inside and produced the juice she had requested him to bring. The Lady gave his head a pat and took the drink.

Whilst she left to the marooned kitchen, she poured the beverage into various cups and asked the child to serve it to quench the thirst of the persons taking refuge in the house.

Jaycob walked in and claimed his drink before leaning against the wall and taking a sip. Lady Minerva looked up as she reserved a bowl of juice for fainted Elise.

"What has divinely brought your presence to this part of the Kingdom?", asked the Archer and the woman kept her answer curt: "Charity."

"Would you care to elaborate, M'lady?", asked he and she supped her drink.

"I decided it would be thoughtful to bring my deceased apprentice's clothes to distribute to the people of Lyre", said she, taking her time.

"How considerate", said Jaycob, placing his empty cup on the counter. "I must thank you; the juice was thirst-banishing."

"The pleasure is mine. There are a good many questions I have left to ask you, young man", said she, turning to find the Archer paused by the threshold of the kitchen, although he seemed to be in a hurry.

"Would your questions be patient enough to wait until are journey fro?" asked he and she nodded. Lady Minerva's distrust had eased a great deal, but that did not combat her need for his answers.

"I must rush to plant the fake body under the rubble, but I would like for a diversion of the people's attention. Perhaps your alms could play to the advantage?" asked Jaycob.

The Chief Physician disliked the cunning gains utilising her altruism, but she consented, for such would profit the Xaviers in some odd means that Jaycob seemed to have discerned.

And further, she knew the lad was subtle and deceptive, but not without heart.

She followed him into the dark hall where she noticed the hearth had been extinguished as quickly as it had been ignited.

The burnt clay was dressed in the likeness of the little girl where her stray tresses they had severed from her hair with shards of the vase were also attached against the puppet.

"Would you like escort me to Lyrishveil, little feller?" asked Jaycob, ruffling the indigo shocks of Aldric's hair.

The child who had been drinking juice out of the cup allotted to him looked up, stifling fear evident in his eyes.

~