"I think this has gotten a lot more serious."

[DURING RADELAINE'S STAY IN A MANOR FROM TOWN LITTLE WEST]

"Did you call for Yefel already?" Sir Herelph Nemago asked his varlet (steward) while sitting in his chair fidgeting with his quill pen.

"I did," he answered as he poured his tea on Sir Herelph's table.

The sir is contemplating whether he'll write his letter on a goat skin parchment or in a vellum (vellum -> a high-quality parchment).

If the varlet were to describe what Herelph is doing, he would presume he is contemplating whether or not he will send a letter to the king about the news that a Sarsheden girl is at his manor getting care.

"Do you want me to ask Iuliān to write for you" seeing how the sir is having a hard time writing a single word, the varlet thought he'd need Iuliān this time as well.

Sir Herelph Nemago usually wants his nephew that lives in his manor to write for him whenever he feels he need not write a letter himself. He has rather good cursives than him and had a better judgment on what appropriate structure to write.

A good scribe he is, lucky for Lord Phraselm to be in his assistance.

"I'd rather you not do that," he answered his varlet implying he doesn't need to know what letter he wants to send to the king. "Just go and check if the lady is awake," he said and the varlet left the room.

It's been four hours since Lady Radelaine Sarsheden was brought into the manor of the Nemagos. He was entrusted by Lord Derktse to give aid to their daughter who could be in dire need of quick aid.

Nobody knows how Radelaine could've taken her sister's strength.

Little West is a town a little west of the old castle but a little far north of the castle where they had the banquet.

The old castle was built so that the 7th-century ruler of Takèif would have a place to stay. It's a small castle that is. Along with the built castle, a village became a town. King Council Veudr, son of the late King Council Vardyr and sister of Queen Council Vanameryth, appointed a mayor and gave the town a Lord to watch over the lands to provide whatever the castle needs. May it be crops, lumber, mines, silver, or peasants and slaves.

When the Lord betrayed the royal family, it befalls the end of its roots and blood. The land was given to the knight of the manor who served their Lord great but served the king better, Sir Herelph Nemago. But it was a small town that can be deemed as a mere village and so it was only a manor, not a mansion like the likes that the Sarsheden have.

They have bigger residence places and a bigger responsibility towards their ruler. So much privilege in the status of nobility that Lord Derktse has and at the back of his mind, he wanted to bring more into his land than what he had.

He wanted to work with nobles than lead peasants and the common people. He wanted the town to grow to be able to stand on its own without the help of a higher nobility.

So he's debating whether to walk on the path of betrayal or the path for the town's welfare. Because if he is to hand the lady over to the king, he could grant him access to trade routes and privileges, more self-governance, and his judiciary, but the list could go on.

There's a knock on the door he heard. His thoughts were disrupted when he saw his varlet bringing him news "The lady is not awakened but she has gone pale and a dark purplish bruise is very quick to show." he said confused and the sight he saw when he got into the room where Radelaine was at.

"I think this has gotten a lot more serious." the varlet who is unsure of what to do saw Sir Herelph wrinkle his forehead confused as well.

He stood and dropped his quill pen on the table seeking a glimpse of her condition but the troubled Lord Phraselm barged into his room.

"Is there anybody else other than Yefel that you summoned for?" he said as he saw his father going for the door to leave his room.

"Do you want the whole town to know we have a witch on our roof? I can't ask the temple for help," he said as proceeded his way out of the door, "It'll be a disgrace." he firmly added.

"She's not the witch they meant of. She was the one that was hurt." Phraselm worried his father might decide something he will not like. They continued to walk.

Sir Herelph somehow knew that Lady Radelaine is not like Lady Geiyra for he is the one who knows that she was not born in the womb of Lady Madelra, apart from the family.

Which was why he wanted his son, Lord Phraselm to arrange with Lady Geiyra. But he is not certain he wanted the same now.

She doesn't possess what Lady Geiyra had.

"The people don't care whose name she has but the family name that she carries. I can only imagine those nobles tittle-tattle the commotion in the banquet. It wouldn't be too long before their mansion is in shambles." Herelph hoped not for the worse of it.

Beyond everything, the nobility and courtesy, Lord Derktse has been a better brother than his real brother ever was.

They walked a little further into the second level of the manor house. They had to pass the library to be finally in the other wing where she commanded to keep Lady Radelaine.

Across the end of the walkway, Herelph saw a servant coming out with a basin and a towel. They passed the servant and he took a long glance at the basin that she was carrying.

"It's cold water, Sir Herelph, " his varlet said, satisfying his Lord's curiosity.

He is a Lord who owned the lands in the town, but he only prefers to be called sir as his title. He valued being a knight in his time.

"She has a fever?" he asked.

"No, It's for the bruise on her neck."

Before they reach the room, Lord Phraselm said to his father, "I think we should let her stay a little closer to the hall. Servants will be able to attend to her better."

He looked at his son and answered, "This room is closer to the exit that is near the weaponry and the guardhouse. This is a perfect room for her."

Sir Herelph opened the door and saw a peaceful-looking lady sleeping on the bed.

He looked at the maid beside her.

She then lifted her hand pressing the towel on her neck.

There it revealed to him what his varlet was talking about.

He's been in battle for decades and he's never seen one the way that Lady Radelaine had on her neck.

Sir Herelph is sure this time this is what a witch can do. Harm even to her sister.

"This is because she was choked by Lady Geiyra?" the sir asked with his hand on his chin and a dazed look.

"That's from the nails that dug into her neck. I don't know why it does that though." a voice at the corner of the room spoke. It was Iuliān Troe leaning at the wall on the corner.

It is not meant to turn the way it is hours before she got injured. It should turn red and then to a darker shade the next day or two.

The bruise is shaped like an insect with tentacles. Darker on its body (the wound itself) and a little lighter than the rest on its ends.

They all wondered why.

"Yefel, where is he?" Lord Phraselm asks the varlet of his father.

"He is not in town but he was fetched by a squire. He should be on his way." the varlet answered.

"Is there no other person who could help us, father?" desperate to find help, Lord Phraselm wanted to see someone who can get her remedy?

"Yefel is one of the people I trust with my life, just as much as I do to- Lord Derktse," he paused there for a second remembering how he held his pen contemplating which parchment he could use.

His eye for success almost made him betray his friend.

But can he be blamed if he's going to do that as a Lord of his land?

The town had suffered after the castle was abandoned and the royalty went back to the newly furnished palace that used to be in ruins.

A minute after, the towel on the neck of the lady was replaced by another basin with cold water. Then they saw the lady's lids tighten.

They all gasped.

"We need Yefel right now," Iuliān said.