Knightress

Chapter 13

Andreas watched the Lady, tears seemed to glass her eyes as she looked at Laura. Her expression softened as she lowered her hands and smiled sadly at her.
Laura however didn't share in her soft smiles and gentle gaze, her gaze was stone cold, and her face blank. He noticed how her face flexed and released every second, her face appeared unreadable but her fists bunched together so tightly that he could see her blood showing through her pressed palms.

"Wh-what are you doing here? Where...where have you been?" The lady asked in true concern

Laura was silent, just staring at her, he wasn't even sure if she was breathing. As he turned to the lady, that's when he noticed how similar she looked to Laura in terms of facial structure. Their frame and facial structure were almost identical, only their eyes and hair gave them away.

"Do you know each other?" He asked

Laura shot him an obvious look.

"Yes your majesty...she's my-" the lady began

"Ma'am we're here on serious and urgent business and have no time to chat. I'd appreciate it if you showed us to the Willows and stopped trying to make conversation." Laura interrupted, her voice ice cold, her eyes boring into the lady's.

"Laura..." She whispered, hurt.

What's going on?

As much as he wanted to know who that lady was or watch them resolve their issue, whatever it was, time wasn't on their side.

"Excuse me, but we're running behind schedule, take us to the Willows please." He voiced

The lady's eyes hovered on Laura a second longer, she removed her apron and rounded the bar, coming to them.

"Follow me." She said flatly

She led them to a narrow staircase behind an extended wall. They climbed up in a heavy silence and reached a hall with doors on each side which must be the inn. They climbed up another staircase that led them to a single white door. The lady knocked and almost immediately it swung open by a slightly chubby woman who looked to be in her fifties.

"Prince Andreas," she greeted and bowed "please come in."

The woman turned to the lady "thank you Jess, you can leave now."

Jess curtsied before heading back down. Andreas and Laura stepped in, the smell from the tavern was the same here, their apartment was small and cluttered with bulky furniture that didn't complement the small space.

"I'm Stephanie Willow, can I get you and the young lady? anything?" She offered

"Hi Stephanie, I'm Laura Rasper, the one incharge of this investigation. And no, we don't want anything, thank you." Laura introduced before Andreas could speak

"Yeah well it was my investigation first." He commented casually

"Yeah well King Aaron gave it to me." Laura retroted in the same manner

"Still sort of mine,"

"Is it though?"

"Anyways, Stephanie, show us to the victim."

Stephanie bowed her head and pointed to a halfway open door, "right this way."

They followed her into the room, the creaking of the old wooden floorboards beneath their feet echoing through the space. Inside, a large bed dominated the room, with a small dresser tucked away in a corner. An old man lay in the bed, his frail body covered up to his neck with a thick, brown blanket. His milky eyes seemed to stare into the distance, and his droopy skin sagged with the weight of age. A white bandage wrapped securely around his head, a stark contrast to the worn, faded fabric of the blanket.