Shadows Bleed

Gabriel's Account

Gabriel's Account

"I guess I was wrong," she said as she finished and Brealor breathed a sigh of relief.

"How so?"

"You found us. And now you're dragging me back to Vvarstor, the city where it all changed."

"Just doing my job," Gabriel replied. "I apologise, I know you've been through a lot."

She did not reply.

He supposed he owed her, considering she had not revealed him to Brealor as Vaskarth's contact. Instead, she chose to leave the contact nameless and, when asked, said the name was forgotten to her. Gabriel returned the favour, in what little way he could.

"You aren't going to be imprisoned, or executed," he said, eliciting a gasp from Brealor.

"What the damn Gabriel?" Brealor squealed like a child who didn't yet know how to swear properly. "You weren't supposed to rutting tell her that."

"I know," he replied, not in the least concerned by Brealor's disapproval. "Just as you know that you'll keep it between the three of us that I did if you wish to keep living the good life you do."

"Hmph," he snorted. "Very well."

"Then what will happen to me?" Aeriae asked.

Brealor glared at Gabriel and the Inquisitor shook his head.

"That's all I'll tell you Aeriae, the rest isn't mine to say. I'm sorry."

She sighed.

He glanced out of the carriage window, taking in the white fields of wheat, ripe for harvesting, on the fringes of Vvarstor's outer limits. Ahead the wall began to loom on the horizon; they were on schedule.

"If you won't answer that question," Aeriae began. Gabriel rolled his eyes.

Here we go, he thought.

"Would you at least tell me what happened to Corwin Asan after the attack on Vvarstor?"

"Ah, interesting you should ask. He survived but most of his people did not. They managed to take half of the city and hold it for a few hours until they were swiftly crushed by Imperial reinforcements. It was not the most effective of attacks, but Corwin Asan lives, although he's not been seen since. Rumour has it he's fled to Isvartia."

"Why attack Vvarstor," she wondered aloud. "Surely Asan knew the battle would be lost, it seems all too convenient to me."

Gabriel agreed with her, there was something amiss about the timing and poor coordination of the attack. After all, it had cost Corwin Asan nearly three hundred people and sent him into hiding. He may not have been an expert on guerrilla warfare, but Asan's method of attack didn't strike him as an effective strategy.

They sat in silence as the carriage passed through the gates of Vvarstor, security somewhat thicker than it had been in the past. Gabriel examined the recovered city; the last homes in the attacked regions were finally repaired as of the last couple weeks.

It had been at the conclusion of the two-year restoration of Vvarstor that Gabriel had been sent after Aeriae Llewyn. He didn't honestly expect to find her so quickly but, then again, he did have some help from a mutual acquaintance.

The carriage pulled to stop at the base of the palace steps. Morbound, as usual, patrolled the inner grounds and fortifications, keeping an ever watchful eye on the city.