The Silverbloods

CHAPTER 03: Of Pacts and Elixirs

CHAPTER 03: Of Pacts and Elixirs

It was the third day of the spring and the day of the queen regent's wedding was fast approaching.

Peoples from all over Corr had stormed to The Capital to witness the celebration. The nobles came in with their carriages, ladies and men in waiting, retainers and their extravagant gifts while the commoners set on foot and brought nothing but the filthy clothes on their back and their empty stomachs.

Knights and sells words came for the tourney to honor the queen. And the smith houses and brothels, had never been thankful for their coming.

The inns downtown had been running out of rooms to rent and the visitors from the other realms had been forced to take rooms in private houses instead. It was a very rare chance that Castle Black would open its often-locked doors to the world and everyone was curious to see the face of the woman who had lead the glorious five kingdoms by herself.

If there was anyone who was glad for the upscale arrivals of people in The Capital, it would be the owner of the Boiling Caldron.

The ever-famous tavern had been packed with men and women from the neighboring kingdoms, and one could tell that there never had been a much demand on mead and ale for years than it ever did two days before the coming wedding.

The highly regarded pot-girl in living memory and owner of the tavern, Greta Lodestone, stood beaming at anyone who came in through her doors willing to spend a silver or two for a good mug of ale.

Eyes swayed with her every turn. Her deep red hair which complemented her smooth bare shoulders had every men of all ages swoon. She looked at them in the eyes locking her bright green orbs with theirs making them spend all they had got for her. She was a charmer and she made quite a living with that and she was about to make even more when a crow came and landed on the window near the counter.

She excused herself from the gentlemen, which made the latter feel glum as they said good-bye to her lovely eyes and bosom.

She was accustomed with men falling all over her. She could make them do whatever she desires without lifting a finger so when she read the message brought in by the crow she felt her pride wounded.

There written on a piece of paper were the words:

“Come down to The Hole and bring your play things with you. This is a matter of urgency.”

She recognized those précised hand strokes. They belonged to the only person in all the five kingdoms who could make her do things she was used to being done for her. She hated him and loved him at the same time. So all for him she rode down to the ruined city on a night where she could have just stayed on the tavern with her patrons than travel on a cold evening on a perilous road to do his bidding.

She rode her swiftest steed and came at Gray Burrow almost midnight. It was commonly a three- day ride for a traveler coming from The Capital to those ragged lands, but for a woman of her kind, it took only half of a day.

The moment she got off her horse, the door of the old shop opened up and a man in dark robes let her through. She walked three paces after him with a wicker basket slinging on her left arm not wanting to be side by side with him. She hated the doorman mostly when he was looking at her with that strange large eyeball of his. She was familiar with the strange but she did not find such peculiarity very likeable.

When the door of the room at the rear of the hall opened, her spirits lightened up.

The Lord Davoc sat on his chair in his usual red robes with his hand under his chin watching his guest entered gracefully to his chamber. He motioned for Alecto to leave and as soon as the door closes he was at the woman's throat with a dagger in his hand.