1A Begins

“Gunnar!” Jacinta hissed, “Whatever this man, this Teague is he was brought here by words. Words have power with him. A great one. Do not take this warning lightly, you understand?”

Gunnar blinked in surprise. Jacinta could be tart with him sometimes but he’d never seen her quite so insistent. He nodded, feeling an unease settle over him that made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

1A Ends

1B Begins

Jacinta nodded with a sigh. Gunnar was a reliable man, he had served her for nearly two years now and had performed his duties with a stoic air that was required of a bodyguard. She had faith that he would take her words to heart.

1B Ends

They arrived back at the palace to the thin sound of bells echoing through the air. The King was dead and all would know now. The usually bright banners that hung in the main halls had been replaced with black and silver pennants. The six months of mourning had begun.

Jacinta had not expected anyone to stop them from entering, and because of this, none had dared. Gunnar walked by her side and Teague followed a few paces behind. His pale eyes were curious and keen, watching people and holding their gaze should they look in his direction. It caused most to look away, embarrassed.

It wasn’t long before guards, recognising their guests, began to fill the end of the hall where the doors lead into the inner palace. They stood awkwardly, shuffling their weight from one foot to the other, hands at their sides.

Jacinta said nothing as nothing she said would help. It wasn’t until her uncle appeared that the guards seemed more at ease. They stood to attention as he swept into the room, already clothed in black, all rings and jewels from his neck and fingers gone. He looked smaller than Jacinta remembered, his eyes red rimmed and exhausted.

“You were told not to leave! Jacinta!” His exasperation made his voice high and grating, his initial outrage gave way quickly however, as he saw their guest.

“I was also told that I had murdered my own father, which is just as absurd.” Jacinta replied, fighting to keep her voice even. She ignored Teague’s small noise of interest from behind her. At least someone was finding this entertaining.

Jacinta’s uncle settled himself, rubbing a hand over his eyes as if trying to dismiss the sight in front of him as a bad dream.

“Do not leave the palace again until this is resolved.”

“What? For six months?” Jacinta gestured to the dark cloth that decorated the halls, “It will be too late to find my father’s killer by then. I refuse.”

“And what do you intend to do? Hunt this killer down?”

“Yes.” Jacinta stared at her uncle as he looked to Gunnar and Teague for some kind of assistance. “This is an associate of my grandmothers’, Lord Teague of Roundstones. He came to pay his respects. He will assist me. As will Gunnar.”

“That was…very swift. But we cannot receive guests at this time Jacinta. We are in mourning.”

Despite her uncle’s exasperated words to her, he stepped forward to greet Teague who looked nothing short of intrigued.

“Well, I am a foreigner.” Teague began, gripping at the hand that was offered to him firmly, “We do strange things.”

“…I see.” Jacinta’s uncle glanced over to Gunnar who was doing his best to keep his stare vacant and serene. His tactful silence was costing him internally, he was sure some part of him was going to explode from the strain.

“Where is Beth? Has she fled as well?” Jacinta shrugged off her cloak and held it folded over one arm, looking about expectantly.

“No, your cousin hasn’t left her rooms since we…found Magnus.”

Jacinta took this information almost in stride. She paused, frowning as she could see from the looks of mild disapproval from others nearby that this was the more appropriate way to behave when close family was found dead. To Jacinta, weeping and wallowing in bed was a luxury she didn’t have, not when the uncertainty of it all whirled around in her mind. It made her restless.

Jacinta promised not to leave the palace again, and if she had to she would inform her uncle. That was the best she could offer in the circumstances and it was with another touch to his brow that he accepted this information.

Lord Teague of Roundstones was given a guest room next to her grandmother’s now empty rooms. As it was being prepared, the dust cloths removed and the windows flung open, Jacinta took her guest into her own parlour. She remained very still as staff fussed about her, doing their duty with the swift efficiency that was required of them. It was so intolerable, this bustle of normal life while her own was so unseated from its mooring that she thanked the staff for their time but they were not to return to her rooms unless they were asked for.

It caused a mild, fretful stir amongst those present. But in some odd way there was a nod of approval from them as they left, to wish to be alone after such a stressful event was of course understandable. Jacinta assured them that Gunnar would take care of her, he was after all her bodyguard and he was a perfectly capable chaperone.

“You’ll make sure that my guest doesn’t make any untoward advances, won’t you?” Jacinta asked, a dry lilt in her voice that made Gunnar frown. In his mind it was of course a risk, and he took her word to heart with a solemn nod. It made Jacinta laugh. At least until she looked over to Teague who had just watched the last of the staff leave with that quiet gaze.

This Teague, whatever he was, could be considered handsome. In a strange fashion. A striking one rather than a pretty sense. There was something just a little too dark about his hair, his skin too clear and pale, his eyes…

Jacinta had to fight the urge to duck behind Gunnar as Teague looked back to her now that the staff had gone. It was alarming to be under such intense, curious scrutiny.

“A killer?” Teague spoke with a smile in his voice even if there wasn’t one on his face. “Please tell me everything! Did you kill him?”

“No!” Jacinta shot back, becoming quickly aware that Teague didn’t seem to have the same measure of reasonable conversation that they did.

“Oh.” He almost seemed disappointed. “It would have been a wonderful state of things. To help the killer prove they didn’t do the killing. But no matter. I will play as a strange foreigner and sweep this place for information.”

“I’m not sure that’s wise.” Gunnar said. “The killer may be hiding in the outer parts of the palace, or may have left something of their escape in the grounds. They snuck inside somehow, there must be evidence of it in the walls, perhaps a broken window?”

“What a strange thing to think.” Teague remarked.

“What do you mean?”

“The killer was clearly from within, and is probably still here.”

Gunnar’s jaw tensed, brow furrowing. This was the last thing he wanted to hear.

“Impossible.” He drew himself up to his full height. “These people are trustworthy, good people. They are loyal to their king and to his family.”

Teague laughed, then covered his mouth delicately with his fingertips, looking at Jacinta with narrowed eyes like a pleased cat. It was difficult for Jacinta to agree fully with either of them. Not with what had happened.

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