RuneScape: Return to Canifis (26 page)

Theodore bowed his head and sighed angrily.

“That’s not true,” he said after a moment. “You are mistaken.”

Ellamaria laughed from the darkness of her cell.

And now she taunts me.

“Ignore her, Sir Theodore,” the onlooker advised. “Like all peasants she doesn’t know what’s good for her,” the man sneered. “She’s broken the King’s sumptuary laws, wearing clothing that is far above her station, as if she were the daughter of a duke.”

“I never knew my father,” Ellamaria declared.

The man laughed.

“Typical peasant. They are like sheep, although sheep are more
useful. Sheep don’t go around wearing others’ clothing.” The speaker turned aside and glared down into Ellamaria’s cell. “Sheep don’t
hang,
Sir Theodore.”

Ellamaria gasped in the shadows.

“Hang?” she said.

Her tormentor laughed viciously as Ellamaria choked.

“Enough!” Theodore hissed. He cast a brief look at Gar’rth who slept soundly, undisturbed by their conversation. “Leave the girl alone. I don’t approve of what she did but I don’t approve of your conduct either. What is your name?”

The man didn’t reply.

“I will have it from you or from Lord Despaard himself come tomorrow. It will be easier on you if you tell me now.”

The man growled from beyond the torchlight.

“It is Simon, Sir Theodore.”

“Then leave us in peace, Simon. I will watch Gar’rth tonight, and if my word is good enough to satisfy your King then it is certainly enough to satisfy you. Now leave us.”

Simon retreated, his footsteps fading into the darkness.

“Thank you, Sir Theodore,” Ellamaria whispered.

Has she been crying?
he wondered.
Perhaps only now does she appreciate the consequences of her actions.

“But please, Sir Theodore, will I... Will I really hang?”

“Not unless you have committed another crime I am unaware of. Kara-Meir broke the King’s sumptuary law this night, and there is no charge against her.” Theodore shook his head. “No, Ellamaria, Simon was just tormenting you. People don’t hang for breaking such laws, but there will very likely be a punishment for near inciting a riot.”

He heard her gasp in the darkness.

“But it was the right thing to do, Sir Theodore. Do you not
believe that? I acted to correct an injustice. Isn’t that what you knights do?”

Her words injured Theodore.

“I do not make or pass judgement on the laws of King Roald, Ellamaria. That is not my place—”

“But you are a
knight!
A Knight of Falador. In every tavern from here to Kandarin they sing tales of the order’s love of justice. And you, Sir Theodore, are one of their most famed members.” Her voice broke suddenly and she wept. “That was why I was so angry at you, that night when I followed you from the tailor’s house. I believed in you, I thought you would help me. But then I saw how you left the house, and let those men carry on their work...”

Her words were lost in her sobs.

Is this really what I’ve become?
he thought.
Is this what I wanted, all those years ago? A knight should inspire not despair, but hope.

“But what about you then?” he asked quietly. “Who have you lost to this creature?”

“My own kin have suffered at the Wyrd’s hands. My aunt and uncle vanished one night, their children as well. I was working at the Blue Moon Inn when it happened. Like others, they were taken on the King’s command. I begged the authorities to help at first, and I was nearly imprisoned for my troubles. All that was left for me to do was to try and find them myself.”

She choked again.

“I don’t even know if they’re
alive
.”

Theodore gritted his teeth.

“Please, Sir Theodore, what will happen to me? Will Lord Despaard burn me for a witch? Will I be beheaded for treason? How will they make
me
disappear?”

“You took a tremendous risk, Ellamaria,” he said. “Truly, I don’t
know. But I will ask the King to act with mercy.”

They spoke no more that night, and Theodore lay awake for a long time, considering her words. And finally when he did sleep, it was uneasy and unsatifying, despite his physical exhaustion.

Kara fumed silently as she studied the multitude of faces assembled in the round chamber. Her mind was in turmoil.

Theodore had relayed his account of Simon in the prison, and of his certainty relating to Gar’rth’s fate.

They can’t really mean to execute Gar’rth
, she told herself.
There is no justice in that!

Her mind also wrestled with the disappearance of Pia and Jack—still there was no sign of them. Could she have done something differently—something that would have caused them to stay?

But there is nothing I can do for them now. The city guards have orders to look for them, and I am faced with more pressing matters.
She forced the loss of her sword from her mind with difficulty, aware that she would very likely never see it again.

She sat on the front bench, between Theodore and Doric—a place reserved for honoured guests of the King, or so she had been told. From there she faced the King’s vacant throne, elevated upon a dais which stood—in turn—upon a stage where the monarchy’s nobility sat. Above her, on all sides save behind the King, numerous balconies rose in three tiers, all packed with the
curious faces of every class of citizen in Varrock. The parliament was, Theodore had explained to her, a means of hearing the city’s concerns, of showing them that something was being done.

Across the aisle sat the influential traders and craftsmen of Varrock. Kara saw Albertus seated at their front. She had met him only briefly—that morning—as he had arrived with Sally to see Ebenezer. The man’s eyes were dark with worry.

Her attention returned to the stage. Among the noble peers Kara recognised Lord Despaard and a few half-remembered persons from the dance the evening before. Lord Ruthven, with his aquiline features and constantly moving eyes, was there, and behind him sat the jester, Gideon Gleeman, along with the King’s religious advisor, the man with a strange name that Kara couldn’t immediately recollect. His fanaticism inspired an instant revulsion in her.

“That’s Aeonisig Raispher,” Theodore told Castimir, somehow reading Kara’s thoughts. “He’s a Saradominist who advises the King. And that old man nearby in the black coat is Papelford, the King’s archivist. Next to him is his apprentice, Reldo.”

“Where is Lord William?” Doric growled, keeping his voice low. “I don’t see him there.”

“Lord William isn’t deemed important enough to sit upon the stage today,” William said wryly as he took his seat behind them. “I am not a part of this.” The young man sat behind Kara, smiling slightly too much, his fingers caressing a leaping silver fox upon its chain.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” he said. Kara noted how his eyes turned upwards, to look to the ladies gallery where the wives and daughters of the nobility sat to watch the proceedings. She saw Lady Anne sitting at the front of the balcony, and as she looked, the young woman’s eyes rested coldly upon her before moving to Theodore. Very pointedly, Kara paid Anne no heed, and instead
found herself staring at Lady Caroline, who sat a short distance from her friend.

Enjoy the show, Anne. Let’s hope King Roald doesn’t rush things too much. I wouldn’t want your uncertainty to be so quickly ended.

Suddenly Lady Caroline waved, and Kara heard Theodore chuckle.

“I think that wave was meant for you, William.”

“I can but hope, Theodore,” the noble replied. “The dance last night was an outstanding success, I think.”

At least someone feels that way
, Kara thought bleakly. Castimir muttered something uncharitable. He had been in a foul mood all morning, ever since he had been forced to leave Ebenezer’s bedside to attend the parliament. Arisha had remained by the alchemist’s side, in the company of Father Lawrence and a shocked Sally.

Ignoring the wizard’s mumblings, Theodore spoke.

“Where
were
you last night, William?” he asked. “You missed a great deal.”

“So I have heard tell. Gossip around the palace says that you interrupted the Wyrd from kidnapping a child, and nearly captured her. Word has it that Gar’rth was injured.” He lowered his eyes and the smile faded. “I have, of course, heard about Ebenezer, as well. I am very sorry to hear of his injuries.” Then he glanced around. “Where is Gar’rth, anyhow, and Arisha?”

Don’t you know Lord William? Don’t you know that he awaits the King’s decision as to whether he lives or dies?

“Arisha is with them,” Kara said quickly. “She wished to remain behind to tend their wounds.”

A horn blew as a door near the stage was opened. The parliament stood as King Roald entered. He was followed by the wizard Aubury and escorted by Captain Rovin, whose sword hand was wrapped in a white bandage. She saw him frown in their direction.

“Next time I should heat his helm,” Castimir muttered angrily, eliciting a surprised glance from William. “Then he would have a real reason to scowl so.”

“His ears have stopped bleeding at least,” Doric observed.

The King sat, and Aeonisig Raispher and Papelford shared a glance, then exchanged a nod before the religious advisor finally pointed to his apprentice.

Next to the ancient archivist, a nervous Reldo stood.

“Lords, Ladies, citizens of Varrock,” he began, his voice timid, “I have been asked by representatives of the monarchy to relay the following information to you in order to reveal what is being done about the terror that holds our city in its grip. This is what His Majesty promised you yesterday, and it is his intention to deliver on that promise.” The young man’s eyes fell to the paper in his hand as he began to read.

“For at least the last six months, near a hundred people have been reported as missing or have been found slain. The great majority of these attacks have been out to the east, among the rural communities not far from the River Salve. Many have been found mutilated and partially devoured.” That brought a gasp from the galleries. “Others have not been found at all. In many cases writing has been left at the scene, although in some instances, wherein the body was found by illiterate village folk, the existence of these messages cannot be confirmed.”

Reldo coughed before continuing. Kara took the opportunity to study the faces of the citizens standing in the balconies above her.

They are still willing to listen, to give their King a chance
, she observed.
Let us hope there is no more deception. If there is even the hint of such then the crowd will riot, and this time there are no walls to protect us.

“More recently, the attacks have commenced in Varrock itself.
It was at this point it was decided that something needed to be done to prevent a panic. Therefore, Lord Despaard acted with the best interests of the realm at heart. The dead were removed and interred, and the witnesses detained to ensure their silence.” There was an angry grumbling at that. “The mark of the plague was placed upon the door to each house to explain why the family had been removed from the city.

“We confess to you now, upon instructions from His Majesty, that there has been no plague in Varrock this year. The people have no cause to fear it at this time.”

Kara watched as many heads nodded in understanding. The grumbling subsided, and a faint ripple of agreement sounded from above.

They have accepted it then. But where do we go from here?

Reldo continued.

“We do not know why this Wyrd is terrorizing the people. There seems to be no pattern to her actions that we can discern, although attempts are still being made to do so. As of this day, six children are missing, along with several adults. There may very well be others whose disappearance has not been reported to us. However, despite all this, there is hope.” He paused to add emphasis to the words. “Last night, for the very first time, the authorities came close to capturing this creature as she sought to take another child.”

A gasp of interest echoed around the chamber, and someone shouted a blessing on the King.

Reldo waited for the commotion to quiet before he carried on.

“Last night there were deaths, and injuries, but the child was saved. And the Wyrd itself was injured. Perhaps significantly.”

Smiles and expressions of relief appeared on the listeners’ faces. Some clapped and whooped.

They need a victory, these people. They have lived in fear and ignorance
under the shadow of an inhuman terror, not knowing its true nature, and to hear she’s been hurt can’t fail to lift their spirits.

“However, the creature is still at large, and she is still dangerous. We must not forget that. Only this morning another body was found, of a young girl known to the city guard as Catspurse, her heart...” He stopped and composed himself. “Her heart and organs missing, her body savaged as if by a wild beast.”

Silence fell as Reldo returned once more to the paper he had been given to read.

“We have no doubt as to the Wyrd’s origins—she is indeed from Morytania.” Reldo paused and looked quizzically at Papelford. The old man frowned and waved with his hand. The apprentice hesitated briefly before continuing.