Council of the Heir

Chapter Five - late night talks & revelations

"Well," Steven mused as he prodded at Lithian's bruised front. "That confirms one theory, then. Th' guards are the ones carryin' out the murders."

"No one told me about it." Lithian grumbled, stiffening as Steven pressed a wet cloth to a bruise. "Ow, 'at's cold."

"Well, you're an outsider, aren't you?" Lydia pointed out, pacing before the fire. "You only just arrived."

"Aye- wait, how'd you know that?"

"Uh," Lydia's steps stuttered a bit, and she didn't look at him. "You told me."

"Did I?" Lithian frowned. "Don't recall that."

"Anyway," Lydia continued. "What I don't understand is why they went after you. Though, maybe they wanted it to cover their tracks? Killing you would make it seem like an outsider was killing people off, since obviously the guards wouldn't kill one of their own."

"Obviously." Lithian muttered. Valor just watched from where he stood by the door.

Once they had gotten Steven up, the marketkeeper was able to calm Lithian down and explain the situation to him. Lithian hadn't been exactly pleased with the explanation for why Valor had tried to kill him, but he had at least accepted it. Valor couldn't fault him for that. It did seem that his saving his life had warmed him to their cause significantly.

Lydia, on the other hand, was acting strange. She always acted strange (though, when Valor had tried to talk to Steven about it he was told that he 'didn't have enough experience to make that judgment'), but this was on another level. She was nervous and flighty, she'd been pacing and wringing her hands together since they returned. She also apparently knew his secret?? She claimed to have overheard it from Steven, but why wouldn't his host have told him if that was the case?? And to whom was he talking to about his secrets for her to overhear it?? And if she was lying... how did she find out?

Valor cast a glance at Steven, who was also watching their guest pace back and forth. Surely he'd noticed as well.

"Lydia, you're not hurt, are you?" Steven spoke up, catching her attention. She paused, and Valor could see her rubbing discreetly at her chest.

"No, I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" Valor cut in. "You're acting odd." Steven gave him a harsh look, but Lydia only shook her head and resumed pacing.

"So yer headed t' the mines." Lithian spoke up. "You're sure that's wise?"

"Do you have another choice?" Lydia cut in. "You, specifically, are a target now. You saw the faces of some of his minions, they'll want you dead. You need to get out of town." Lithian frowned.

"...but, surely it'd be just as risky 'fer me to go to th' mines?" He pointed out. "If th' big man's there?"

"Mm..." Lydia mused over this for a moment. "...they'd probably get word of your escape out there eventually, yeah."

"But you can't stay here." Steven agreed.

"Steven shouldn't go to the mines either." Lydia announced. Valor frowned. "He's lived here for many years, and the mines are the closest settlement, right? It might draw suspicion."

"Why would 'at be suspicious?" Steven countered. "Wouldn' they trust me if they did recognize me?"

"Yes, but our villain wouldn't." Lydia pointed out. "You're basically law enforcement here, but you're not under his control. That makes you a threat and therefore a target." Valor's frown deepened.

"You're very sure of yourself in this matter." He said slowly. "How do you know all this?" Lydia lifted her hands.

"It's just deductive reasoning."

"An' how did you know I was in trouble just now?" Lithian cut in. "Not that I don't 'ppreciate it, a'course, but..." Lydia hesitated for just a little too long.

"I heard you yelling, so I woke Valor up."

"You very specifically told me that someone was being attacked," Valor countered. "And then you lead me straight to him."

"You couldn't hear the yelling??" Lydia fired back.

"No, Val's right." Steven rumbled. "Yer actin' strange. Been more nervous than I've ever seen you."

"I just saw Lithian get- almost murdered!"

"Aye, and I can see why that'd bother you." Steven allowed. "But Val's right, yer actin' like you know more 'an us about what's goin' on here." His eyes were narrowed, studying her face. "You're hidin' somethin', I'm sure of that. I'm jus' hopin it's not that you're leadin' us into a trap." Lydia's face blanched.

"What? No!" She protested. "It's- okay." She gave a nervous laugh, turning around to pace the other way. "Honestly I'm real scrambled right now and I don't know how to explain this without you thinking I'm crazy. Do you really want to know?" She turned around to face them again, a look of desperation on her face. Steven's lips thinned.

"Try us."

"Alright, so..." she lifted her hands a bit, continuing to pace. "I... woke up like an hour ago. Maybe half an hour, I don't know. I was just chilling, then I heard Lithian scream, so I went out to investigate." Valor blinked. Had she gone out before she woke him up? "I found him being attacked, I saw them kill him, then they came after me and killed me too." She shrugged, pausing for a moment in the stunned silence. "Then I woke up in bed again." The men mused over this for a moment.

"Ye had a vision?" Lithian tried.

"No, not a vision." Lydia shook her head. "I woke up at the exact same time. I heard you scream and went out to investigate again. This time, I grabbed a rock and threw it at the guy attacking you, and they chased me down and killed me again. I woke up in bed, and this time I woke up Valor and had him help me." She finally stopped pacing, sinking down in front of the fire. "So I'm freaked out and weird because I died twice tonight. I know it was real because I felt it, I- and I'm- I've never died before, but I don't think I'm supposed to come back to life when I do so." She rambled. Her arms were held tightly to her chest, hugging herself as she stared into the embers. "So yeah." She gave a small shrug. "Crazy."

Val looked to Steven, who was silently folding up a cloth and setting it aside. After a moment, his host stood, the wooden floor squeaking under his weight as he made his way over to the fire and sat down next to Lydia's slumped form.

"Wouldn' be th' first time I've had a friend who cheated death." He remarked as she looked up at him. "Seems reasonable t' me. You need some real sleep." He patted her arm as she stared up at him blankly. "Back to bed."

"Oh... o-okay." She stammered out. She hesitated, then stood, making her way over to her temporary bed and sitting, then slumping over on her side. Valor watched in mild amusement at her sudden mood shift.

The three men were quiet until she fell asleep again, which didn't take long. Only once she was fast asleep, hugging the bunched-up blanket in her arms, did Valor speak up lowly.

"Her explanation didn't explain why she knows so much."

"Mmh." Steven grunted. "Could be guessin'. She said it was jes' her reasoning."

"I suppose..."

"Comin' back to life." Lithian muttered to himself. "An' bringin' me back with her, 'parently... you believe that?" He looked to Steven, who shrugged.

"I learned 'long time ago that if you want t' lie to someone, you'll make yer story believable." He nodded towards where Lydia slept. "That was outlandish. Why make up such a story? Only reason I kin think of 's if it was true." Valor considered this. That did make sense.

"I suppose you don't have to worry about protecting her anymore." He commented. Steven frowned, shaking his head.

"She claimed t' remember her deaths. I'd like t' spare her that pain if I can help it. 'Sides, plenty of things that could hurt and not kill her."

"I suppose." Valor looked at the sleeping girl again. Her presence bothered him, initially because he was concerned about her discovering his secret, and now at the revelation of this new ability - not to mention her oddly specific knowledge about their situation. But... now he wondered if it would not be better to bring her with them. With her ability to die and come back unharmed, she might be a valuable asset to their mission.