Sector 21

Chapter Eleven

Octavia and Xavier had trained their way through lunch and then Octavia and the stable hands had worked straight through supper as well; due to most of the fae and some hunters had chosen to scout the forest around them for any game they could bring back to feed everyone at Weeping Wood Fortress so the stable hands had their work cut out for them when the hunting party came back. Renn and Octavia were charged with filling water buckets for the horses and moving them into the back barn once Hasufel had been refreshed and rubbed down. There were so many fae and elves rushing around the stables that she was surprised none of the horses had bolted off at the sight of it. The stable hands spent the rest of the evening in the stables, clearing stalls and cleaning tack. Eventually when it was all done they headed for the kitchens.

"I wonder what cook will have for us today" Sam cheerfully said to Renn as they entered the kitchens through the back door.

The stable hands filed in and sat around a large table in the middle of the kitchens. There were only four real chairs but barrels and wooden boxes had been put around the table to act as temporary seating for the exhausted workers. Maliki, Renn and Sam sat at the far end of the table with Octavia, they were furthest away from the door but closest to the crackling fire. Conversation resumes around the table about that days work and other business, none of it interested Octavia so she tuned it out.

He heat from the fire embraced her aching back did nothing to soothe the pain but gave her a small amount of comfort. Chatter began to die down after a while and Maliki stood up to speak.

"Thank you to everyone for all of the help today," He said gratefully "tomorrow should be back to normal so no excuses for any badly done jobs." He glared at two of the stable hands to the left of him, "Also, we have a new member so please help her if she needs as its only polite. So from tomorrow Sam and Emrys will take the cart to the Northern village got get supplies, Octavia and Renn will be on courtyard duty, myself and Ash will take over the water duty, Rowen and Dorian will be on stall duty" He said earning a groan from the two men "and then everyone else will be at their normal stations unless told otherwise"

The occupants of the table muttered their replies just as the Kitchen staff began to bring the left over food in. They had various meats like chicken, duck, deer and lamb as well as vegetables and potatoes. As everyone ate their fill the Kitchen staff began tidying up around them, drinks were poured around the table by Maliki and songs unknown to Octavia were sung. Still unable to eat much, Octavia excused herself and she headed back to her quarters.

The fortress was silent as she walked through the cold stone corridors, the warmth seemed to be sucked out of her as she got further and further away from the Kitchens. Wishing she had brought her cloak with her she climbed the stone staircase quickly. She reached her room and quickly unlatched the door, to her surprise she found Aribella sat inside.

"Can I help you?" Octavia asked shakily as she entered her room.

"I need you to come with me." Aribella said, no emotion in her voice what so ever.

"Why?" She asked picking the dirt from under her nails.

"I need you to identify a body" Still with no emotion in her voice.

Aribella got up from her bed, brushed past Octavia and they headed to the basement of the fortress. All of the grey stone corridors looked the same, there was no way to distinguish between the different mundane corridors and passageways. One foot in front of the other was how Octavia walked, hoping it was not her Fathers body that lay in the basement below them.

With each flight of stairs they descended the growing pit in Octavia's began to eat at her. Eventually she lost count of the stairs they continually descended to the basement, she prayed the way back up would be shorter and with less worry. They made more and more turns when they got to the basement, Octavia prayed each one would be the last. Eventually they came to a large wooden door studded with iron bolts, as they approached, the doors flew open of their own accord to show a covered body on a table and two fae stood either side of it.

"I've got her" Aribella said flippantly.

"Thank you Aribella" The taller of the two fae said.

Aribella scowled at him, "Don't call me Aribella"She spat, her voice oozing with venom.

"Sorry," The shorter one began and then paused "Bella"

She smiled slyly and pushed Octavia closer to the body. To say it smelt was an understatement, she almost gagged when she came too close to the body. Although she could only see the outline of the body, she new she had to prepare for the worst. As they all stood in silence Octavia took note to never call Aribella her full name, in risk of getting her precious head ripped off. The white sheet covering the body had splotches of blood on it- at the stomach and chest.

Octavia let out a shaky breath, trying to not let her dread show in her neutral schooled features. Bella stepped out of the room and the doors shut behind her- again off their own accord. The two fae pulled back the sheet- with her eyes barely open she walked to the head of the body. After counting to three very slowly she opened her eyes.

Her face did not give away what she knew at that moment.