Liridia

Chapter 17: Rules

Hywel
_____________

"Just made a damned fool of myself, haven't I?" I say, flopping onto the bed, feeling sorry for myself.

She shuffles closer, our shoulders touching. I can almost hear her saying 'perhaps a fool, but not a damned one' in her smooth, calculating voice. Her short hair is splayed out on the bed, showing an intricate tattoo curving in line with her ear, it looks a tribal scrawl, and barely stands out on her dark skin, but it's there.

I steel myself to ask her how she got it when the new guard walks in, all blushing cheeks and widened eyes.

"Lady Lion- oh! um... Am I interrupting something?" He says, already backing out the door. Liona's eyes widen, shuffles away from me like she were caught red handed and is about to get fifty lashings for it. She stands and once more the stormy eyed, blank faced, nonchalant façade darkens her face.

"You were interrupting nothing. You came with what orders?" She asks, looking as if to rip off the poor guy's head in the most violent way possible.

But she was a person who stopped evil, not a person who was what she aimed to control. Many a word came to mind at the sight of fire in her dark eyes.

But I can't possibly think that, she is here to find the murderer of my mother. This killer was experienced, he made it look like she killed herself, putting the knife in her hands. This killer was ready to take a life. This killer...

This killer murdered my mother. Innocent, strong, stubborn.

Liona would've liked her.

I close my eyes, sorting my thoughts into neat little rows so I can mull over them later when I'm alone. Liona glances at me and lowers her dark eyes to the floor.

"Best be off, Hywel. See you in a turn's time." She doesn't look back up.

I get up slowly and nod once, walking swiftly out the door past this intruding guard, a wave of lethargy and sadness passing through my veins. It claws its way to my heart and burrows deep inside, leaving a dull ache in its wake. It's like her absence makes everything real. Like I'm a whole different person with her.

I get to the hallway and they talk quietly amongst themselves, Liona's voice a fast jab, like a whip cracking to fill silence, the guard led her out of the hallway and down the stairs quietly.

I see the glint of her tattoo and smile to myself when someone bumps into me, nearly knocking me off my feet.

"Do watch where you are going!" I say, dusting off my pants.

"My apologies dear friend, are you well?" Red's voice purrs. I cock my brow and smile, locking him into a hug.

"I haven't seen you in days, my friend. What brings you back once more?" I ask, walking with him to my quarters. He presses his fingers to his head and sighs. He looks so tired, so spent.

"Your mother, Hy. We're still investigating, but we haven't found anything as of yet. She's become the talk of the town, and not in a good way. There is lots of chatter amongst the people. People are questioning the strength of the Republic. There is mutiny on everyone's tongues, but none brave enough to speak of the idea.' He says sullenly, as if talking to himself. I put my arm around his shoulders and led him quickly past Liona and the intruder.

Red turns his head at the sight of her with a raised brow. He looks back at me and purses his lips as if to say 'I know what you're thinking, and yes, it is so juvenile, but why wouldn't you want to pick her as the bet?' I nod and smile as I push him into my quarters. The faint smell of my mother still lingers on the bed linen and pillows, as if she had slept there when she had terrible dreams. She wouldn't, but she did come in here often. To talk and pick outfits for the masquerades and meetings.