Elwanda

Chapter 29 - Straight Goods II

"This is not a matter to trifle with, my Lord. It is a case as delicate as history itself. We cannot depend on simple claims, because they are without factual support."

Lord Erzgen looked from the Steward to Elwanda, squinting in skepticism. "Are you sure of this?"

She leaned forward. "I can swear it."

With the way he slumped into his chair, Elwanda saw that the scribe was deeply troubled. Also, since after she revealed Alodie and the Steward's family relationship, the latter had been looking at her in the most calculative manner.

In secret, she enjoyed the attention.

"Is there no way to gather the facts, Erzgen?" He asked, walking around the chair to stand on her other side, his lovely scent draping across her like a shawl.

Scratching his gray beard, Erzgen sat up again. His head creaked in contemplation. "I'm afraid not. The only tangible proof of this would've been the late Advisor's own testimony."

"He already knew!" Elwanda tapped on the table for emphasis, making Erzgen jump with a start. "The Advisor had foreknowledge of this, and it was he who asked me to uncover the whole truth."

She glanced up at the Steward, who was stroking his beard, obviously immersed in deep thought.

Just then, he seemed to catch what she'd said. His attention fully rested on her again. "Alodie already knew? How?"

"I don't know." She lied. "But when he last spoke to me, he told me there was a truth that needed to be uncovered. I didn't understand him at the time."

"Even at that, my lady," Erzgen piped in with a little stutter. "The Advisor could've been wrong."

"I doubt he was." The Steward said in a mutter. His leaned against the table with his fists in balls, head low. "Alodie never wanted to assume the crown regardless of how qualified and fit he was for it. That can only be because he knew that he was not fully of royal blood nor nobility."

He heaved a sigh and stood straight.

"How such a grave matter had skipped over our all heads for nearly thirty decades is indeed the most baffling to me."

His eyes veered and found Elwanda's.

She froze. They were soft, but only for a moment.

Then, his scholarly persona rose to the surface and his countenance turned grave. "This must be looked into with the utmost urgency, Erzgen. Do you understand? Gather the rest of your consociates. Scour the royal records, retrace whomever was the closest to Alodie's maternal family members, and get back to me immediately."

Erzgen bowed. "As you wish, my lord."

With a nod, the Steward turned to Elwanda. His head craned to a tilt. "I'm sure your business here is also done."

She agreed with a little hum and spun to see herself out.

Halfway down the hall, she overheard footsteps from behind and the soft echo of her name. Pausing, she turned about, unsurprised to find the Steward. He was approaching in relaxed strides, and his analytic stare was visible even from the distance. At the sight of him, she immediately knew she was in for further probing.

He came to tower in front of her, blocking the stream of faint natural light that filtered in from the end of the hall.

"You know I can sense it when you fib."

She scoffed and turned away, angered more by the fact that he was irresistible at that moment and also very unattainable.

"You knew just how he found out the truth, don't you?" His voice was in a low yet conversational whisper.