In Which Fionna looks for evidence

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*Fionna's POV* 

I decided to start with Callaghan. After being told where she lived, I made my way to her house. 
She opened after a few knocks. "Where's your armor?" 
"I left it back at my camp." 
"Aren't you worried that someone might try to hurt you?" She pouted fakely, and I crossed my arms. 

"So, let me guess, you're here to help Abadeer. I don't know why but I suppose I can't fault you for whatever reason that you have." She replied dismissively. "Come in, I was taught never to leave a guest waiting outside." 
I followed her into a small room with wooden furniture cluttered everywhere, and the scent of baked apples wafted through the room. 

She motioned for me to sit down on a rocking chair, and I obeyed. "So... how did your father die?" 
She clucked her tongue. "That's leading the witness, pet." 
"Fine. What happened?" 
"We let the demon into our home-- Father said he'd probably starve to death otherwise-- and the two of them started drinking after I served them dinner. Before that they were sitting together talking about the king." 
"You didn't? Drink, I mean?" 

"I hardly ever drink." She smiled. "It's better to keep one's wits about you when someone you don't trust is around, and the drink in Breighton tastes like piss, no matter what it is." 
I blinked in surprise, caught off-guard by her language, and she continued. "Father loped upstairs, and the demon started making cow eyes at me." 

That wasn't as surprising. She was, after all, beautiful. "He's half-demon." I corrected.

"Of course. Well, I finally had a drink, and the... half-demon... and I... well, you don't want to go into that. Needless to say, when I woke up, he was gone, and my father was dead." 
"How did he die?" I pushed past the part where she and Marshall had probably done tier 15. 
"Hmm? Poison." 
"And who makes the food?" 

"I do. I do everything, as well as having a side business. The problem is, anyone could have slipped something into the food and drink. I have many chores and an unlocked kitchen door." 
"Then why Marshall?" 
"First of all, because he fled. Second of all, because while I was finding food in the pantry, I noticed him exiting the kitchen where I had left the food. I watched him all dinner, and only ate what he ate. I threw out the leftovers later." 

So I couldn't see what kind of poison. Dang. 
She noticed my frustration, and smiled at me. "Look, when this is done and Abadeer is dead, come talk to me. I'm not the big bad pansexual, I'm genuinely interested in you and comforting you." 
"The same way you comforted Marshall?" 
"Oh, sweet pet. I can show you things Abadeer never dreamed of." She breathed. "Besides, we were drunk. You'll actually need a shoulder to cry on when he's dead, which he will be." 

"And why yours?" I demanded. 
"Because you're curious. Because you think I'm right. Because you think it's the same, our losses. Because I'll understand, and I won't judge. Because I won't make it permanent like anyone else will." 
"I'm not going to betray him." 
She grinned. "But you're thinking about it. Come by again soon, pet. It's been fun." 
"I'm still not your pet!" I yelled as I felt my cheeks turn scarlet. 

She giggled. "Not yet." 
I raced out of there, my cheeks still blazing. Outside of her house, I saw her open her window and wink at me. 

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"So... Callaghan mentioned that she has a side business, I was wondering if you could tell me what that might be?" I asked the innkeeper. 
"Ah, Jenna? She's got a girl who comes from down the mountain to buy her potions!" 

Five minutes later, the tavern owner was rubbing his chin. "Potions, eh...? I heard a few come through here saying they're poisons and the like. Old Caerwyn was the worst. He was convinced the girl'd poison him one day." 

"Yes, the man died by poison." The mortician agreed later. "But looking at his liver --would you like to see it?-- he could have drunk himself to death. It easily could have been ruled as a suicide, had I not enjoyed organs so much. You probably have exquisite organs." 
I squinted at him and decided to keep an eye on him. 

I decided to quit about then and go check on Marshall. 

He looked a little bruised up, but fine otherwise. 
"It's a miracle." He grinned. "An angel has come to free me." 
"Not yet. Callaghan's pinning the blame on you because she saw you in her kitchen and her father turned up poisoned." 
He sighed. "That's the biggest bunch of bull I've ever heard." 

"So you have an alibi?" 
"Sure. Only problem is, he's six feet under. Caerwyn was with me that whole evening, while Jen--Callaghan went off and did her own thing." 
"Anyone else? Please, Marshall, this is important." 
He raised an eyebrow. "No, really? I hadn't noticed."
"Not funny." 

"I am exceptionally funny." He rolled his eyes, but he smiled at me all the same. "Don't worry, I'm going to get out of here and be your amazing soulmate." 
I laughed. "I wouldn't say amazing..." 
"Magnificent? Wonderful? Fantastic?" He laughed. 
I laughed as well, before grabbing his hand through the bars. "Back to what I asked. Please, Marshall. Any information you have might be the key to you not dying." 

"I know, I'm thinking... Callaghan definitely saw us... but obviously we can't trust her. The bartender, maybe? We weren't plastered by then though. Maybe a passerby? Don't go hunting down everyone in town, instead see more about Callaghan. I'm pretty sure she did it." 
I shifted my weight. "You see, she kind of... did you go to tier 15 with her?" 

I hadn't meant for it to come out that way. 
He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, and?" 
"She's really pretty, and...?" 
"And?" 
"I don't know--" 

"Fi, she's crazy. Well, no, wrong word... but she is manipulative. I'm not the kind of guy who is cool about being falsely accused of murder and thrown in jail. I'm honestly more the kind of guy who is cool with being saved from an angry mob of people who want to kill me." He grinned at me. He was kind of missing the point, but alright. 
"Marshall, I also wanted to kill you." 
"Yes, but that was a few days ago instead of today." 
I let out a chuckle. "All right, I'm going to go find more evidence and get you out of here, okay?" 

"Yes, I really like it when people go to the trouble of saving my life." He grinned. 




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