PART FORTY-SEVEN:
Strange sightings and sinister secrets:
“Now did they know this strange person, or had they seen him before?” The king asked the first magistrate. As one of his aides moved forward instantly, to shuffle the scripts in front of the royal. He had been reviewing the murder investigation report, submitted to him by the council leader.
“No your majesty,” started the head of the ruling board. “They claim that they had never seen this person before. Or any other person, remotely close to having that type appearance. Even though they were unable to make out the face, because it was shrouded in the shadow that seemed to follow him. His height and size, they recounted as something they had definitely never experienced before.”
“He was taller and larger, than any person they had ever known or seen for that matter.” The magistrate stopped speaking and watched silently. While the monarch lowered his eyes, to apparently read something on the script that his aide had just opened. After a long pause and as all looked at him with apt attention. The king began to speak; a deliberate inquiry. Even as his eyes remained lowered, to the open script.
“So what happened, after they saw this figure?” The royal asked. “Was he seen following Debeh into the main building or what?”
“On the contrary your majesty," responded the magistrate. "The stranger went into the building, moments before the queen's personal maid ran in herself.”
“In fact,” continued the senior counsel. "They were able to notice her running in, because the large figure had caught their attention first. And while they were still staring at it, her movements broke through their transfixed and stunned state. In other words, as they marveled at his size and where he might have come from. They saw Debeh dashing in also.” The magistrate stopped speaking and waited. The monarch was saying something to his aide, as he glanced through the spread-out scripts. When he had done speaking to that particular assistant. He continued looking at the written information, as he addressed the committee leader. “What else did they see after that? What else happened while they were watching?” The sovereign’s voice was serious and his tone blunt.
“They claim they saw nothing else, your majesty. Except that was precisely the last time, anyone saw the personal maid alive.”
“Then how come they did not report the strange sightings to security or someone in authority? Why did they keep something like that to themselves?” The king scolded slightly. His words rushed, in demand of an immediate answer. “If they thought and believed that the strange figure was out of place, in the palace grounds. How come, they did not report it to the appropriate channel or inform their supervisor?”
The first magistrate cleared his throat softly and silently before answering. With his hands clasped tightly behind his back, he began to speak.
“Your majesty, they did inform someone in authority above them. They informed their supervisor.” The counsel submitted promptly. Then he waited for any signaled permission from the royal, to elaborate on what he had just said. He got exactly what he was waiting for. As the king lifted his brows questioningly.
“Your majesty, they informed their supervisor Methus. They told him, that they saw an ominous looking stranger going into the main building.” Supplied the magistrate further.
“And?” The urgent demand in the monarch’s voice, was unmistakable.
“Methus told them, that he would check it out and inform the security guards right away. However, none of the guards or their superiors. Attested to having been informed or even questioned by the late housekeeper, your majesty.”
The royal sighed, shaking his head. “So we are back to the beginning, or did we just hit a dead end?” The monarch asked, obviously annoyed and highly disappointed.
“Not exactly, your majesty," the council leader attempted. Feeling somewhat accomplished. "We proceeded to seek more information on the situation, howbeit unconventionally.” The king only looked at him. A monarch’s steady attention, was permission enough to proceed with the current action.
“We found an entry, by Methus into his personal sheets. It was dated the same day, of the incident. It was imperative, that we go through everything. For the purposes of finding clues, that would lead us to what might have happened to him.” He paused to see if the king might want to say, add or ask anything. When the sovereign did not move, the council leader resumed his report.
“He did make a note to himself," the magistrate added careful. "That he Methus, saw some sort of unfamiliar being that day. After he had walked in on something happening, in the hallway of the kingdom's main building. What he saw, not only scared him. But left him deeply threatened. And he sorely regretted his actions….”
Only the strong-er can invade the strong:
The boy looked from Reinah, to his coven counterpart in shock and mounting disbelief. Did she just say what he thought he had heard? All the other hostages and prisoners, wanted out undoubtedly. At least most of them thought they did. If only they knew where they could go. Or where they would finally end up. The coven life, was the only existence that most of them knew now. And definitely the only experience, that remained in their minds. Therefore, they held on to the cage for dear life. Some of them had been moved, at some time or another. And they were never seen again. Thus the unspoken dilemma and paralyzing fear of the remaining. That gnawing knowledge that their fellows had been killed and their body parts used for sacrificial rituals.
Then of course there was the case of the encapsulated ‘human transports’. Vessels caught in between life and death. Suspended as it were, in a state of realmic trespass. An adventure that now had them displayed, as moving and pulsating designs. A breathing cluster of the un-dead, whose temporal yet illegal activity had rendered them bound. As they unconsciously lent themselves, to an eerie but visually attractive mural.
“Are you saying that you want to go to the coven?” The boy asked the young princess, for verification purposes.
“Yes of course. I think we should go to the coven.” Reiterated Reinah, confidently and matter-of-factly. “If there are more like you, still trapped back there. Don’t you think, we should give them a chance to be free too?”
“Give them a chance to be free?” The boy thought that was incredulous. “But we are not free.” He started to explain desperately. “We were sent here to dispose of some remains, from a recent sacrifice. Which is the norm in the coven. And the captives take turns to make this trip. It was really her turn,” he indicated by pointing at the coven girl. “But she kept crying a lot, so I decided to help her.”
“It was her first time too, so they let me show her the way.” He stopped for a moment, looked at his feet solemnly before adding. “I also like coming out of the coven, to run errands. It helps me think, that I can remember more every day.” He finished, his eyes misty. “That is exactly what I am talking about.” The princess countered excitedly. “Don’t you want the freedom, to be able to do that more often? So that maybe later, you can recollect all that you have forgotten.” He just stared at Reinah, as he tried to imagine the grandiose concept of being totally free.
The princess then turned to the girl, who had been gaping at her the whole time. It was clear, that she too was struggling to make sense of the discussion she had just been privy to.
“How about you?” Reinah asked the girl. “Wouldn’t you like to be free again?”
“I really think your mother would love to see you again.” This interjection, came from the crippled boy. “I mean I don’t know,” he added quickly. Seemingly regretting his impulsive statement. “That is if you are you and your mother is your mother.” He finished weakly. At the last sentence, all three children turned to look at him. Then the girl began to wail. “I want to go home….” The other three now turned towards her. As the crippled boy made a personal decision, to hold on to his input.
“Okay then,” started the princess. As they all turned their attention back to her. “We need a plan and we need it fast.”
“A plan for what?” Asked the crippled boy, almost in a panic.
“A plan to get us to the coven and out. And possibly with as many people as possible.” Explained Reinah simply. The lame boy looked up at his friend, as if she had gone completely mad. “But why would we want to do a thing like that?" He asked gravely. "Why should we bother them and disrupt the way they live?” He continued urgently, as if pleading for her to get some sense. “But why and what for?” He cried on. “Why else do you think?” Asked the princess in return.
Consistent and corrosive character:
“So when do we get to meet this mystery man?” Juja’s younger sister queried her. Speaking between mouthfuls, as she popped green seedy fruits into her mouth. “You know we have never met him,” she continued. “And I have been here for two days.”
“We?” Asked juja with a playful chuckle. “Aunty knows exactly who he is and so does her husband. Besides two days is not a long time to wait. What’s the sudden rush. It’s not like you have to hurry back to some emergency, do you now?”
Her sister had come to visit them. She had claimed to have gotten into a huge fight, with the dead prince’s half-brother. The person with whom she was now living. In a hut not far from the castle, from which they had both been evicted.
Juja heaved a heavy sigh. Her sister’s current story, was characteristically all over the place. And she did not want to be bothered with the alarming details anymore. Nor did she care to track its progress also. She was at a good place now and heading for a potentially better one. She loved her work at the organization. Especially, the royal privileges that she experienced and enjoyed every now and then. Whenever her majesty came around with the little princess Phina.
And the best reason of all, was her fiancé. They had met, while she was running an errand for the organization. Her aunt was happy, her parents were ecstatic and so was Juja.
“I really do have to rush back to the town.” Started her sister, breaking into the elder’s happy reverie. “Even though I had a fight, with that fool. I don’t trust that some other girl will not move in, before I get back. You see I had taken some other girl’s place, while she was away. So I have to be on my toes constantly.” She shrugged casually, at her sister’s wide-eyed stare. “That is just the way it is done.” She added nonchalantly, looking curiously at her finger nails.
“Wow,” was all Juja could manage. Shaking her head, while inquiring further. “So how long is this visit for then? I mean till when do you intend to stay?”
“I can’t be here any longer than three more days. So let’s make that acquaintance soon.”
.