Ruma shivered as the general's cold eyes turned towards her, Rondor was a very standoffish man. He stared through her for a while like he wasn't really seeing her and turned his gaze back to the moon without a word.
He came out of the banquet because he wanted to avoid company, social gatheings like this were but a waste of time to him. He didn't expect anyone to meet him here and he was kind of vexed at the company of the unknown woman.
The princess sighed inwardly at his aloof reaction but shrugged it off, she thought the moon was beautiful and he thought so too or he wouldn't have been standing alone here staring at it.
A light breeze blew gentle and Ruma was reminded that it was after all a chilly night but standing right next to the general was all too good to be true and she couldn't give it up. She rubbed her arms with her hands aiming to warm up herself.
The last thing she expected was for General Rondor to take off his cloak and wrap it around her shoulders, she stood fixed by his action. The two figures stood side by side under the watch of the moon.
Spontaneously, Rondor started to walk away and Ruma watched as he breezed past her.
He halted. "She is beautiful." He affirmed to her earlier question before he finally walked away.
Ruma wrapped his cloak tightly about her after he had disappeared. She knew the general was speaking of the moon and not herself, yet she felt elated on behalf of the moon.
After the banquet that night, Sessa was persuaded by his mother to spend some days at Craynon Palace. He knew it was mainly because she wanted to matchmake him with the princess yet he couldn't turn down her request. He hardly visited his mother so this was like an apology to her.
While Sessa was calling on his mother, Nimo strolled directionlessly at Moonfall Hall and came across an archery yard at the backyard. She picked up a bow and an arrow and aimed at the archery target, she narrowly missed the bullseye. She kept on practicing in other to while away time.
"You are really good, hm?"
She faced the direction of the voice and found Sessa walking arm in arm with a fairly middle-aged woman. Based on the superfulous jewelries and obviously expensive dress she wore, Nimo knew she was royalty.
"Your Highnesses." She saluted.
"Sessa why don't you introduce us?" His mother requested taking a long look at the girl. She was tall and quite striking and clearly shared the concubine's love for archery.
"Mother, this is Nimo Selburn. Nimo, meet my mother."
"Greeting, Your Highness." She uttered yet again.
"You have quite good shots, don't you?" Concubine Keiwan echoed her earlier words.
"I'm sure you shoot better than me." Nimo said in return.
"What makes you think so?" Keiwan fixed her gaze on the young woman completely interested in her response.
"For you to have an archery yard in your residence shows at least your love for archery."
The woman laughed in delight and looked at her son. "She is an intelligent one." She then turned to Nimo. "You must be the daughter of Lord Camin."
"Yes Your Highness."
"Let's drop the formalities, shall we?" Keiwan proposed. Nimo looked at Sessa, he shrugged as if silently telling her 'she likes you'.
Sessa's mother watched the subtle exchange between her son and the young woman with interest. Could her son have fallen...? She wasn't quite sure but what she knew was that she wanted Sessa to be happy. If her matchmake between Sessa and the Neo princess didn't amount to her expected result, then she at least had a back up.
Franagan came to see Sessa regarding the recent results he had from his investigation.
"Your Highness, I do not think those two groups of assassins were from one mastermind." He revealed his thoughts.
Sessa looked up. "Why? What makes you think so?"
"First of all, I observed that the two groups were dressed differently. The first group wore masks but the second group didn't bother to hide their faces. And also, I checked on the bodies of the corpses and I noticed that the second group of assasins seemed to have the very same type of tatoo on their left arms." Franagan brought out a folded piece of paper from the shirt of his garment and handed it over to Sessa. "Here is the drawing of the tatoo."
Sessa took the paper from him and unfolded it. In it was a drawing of a scorpion with a crown on its head. Weird, Sessa thought.
"So two different people attempted to harm me on that day?"
"Yes."
Sessa sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. "Try to find out something about that tattoo."
"Yes Your Highness."
Sessa was once again alone, he pondered about what Franagan had just told him. Two people...one could probably be his first brother...then who was the other person?
He sent for Nimo and after a period of length she opened his door and let herself in.
"You asked for me."
"Yes. I want to ask you something."
"Shoot."
"On that day that we were attacked, did you notice anything about those assassins?" He asked awaiting her answer.
"Hmm...I would say that the first group was somewhat weaker than the second and I also noticed that when they saw that some of their men were down, they fled."
"..." Sessa was silent for he was deep in thought.
"Why? Did you find out anything?"
He handed the paper to her. "Two different people intended to harm me that day."
"Two...? You mean those assasins didn't come from one man? And what is this weird drawing all about?"
"Yes. The second set of assasins all had this tattoo on their left arm."
"Maybe they are some sort of organisation?"
"Maybe, I've asked a friend to look into it."
•°•
The king held a wiper on one hand and his sword on the other, he wiped the sword diligently until it shone. During his days of battle, this companion had never failed him, so taking care of the sword was a return of the favour.
Leemack moved hurriedly towards the king with a slightly long and slender wooden container held like eggs by his two hands.
"Your Majesty, you have an urgent message."
King Sessa laid the sword and the wiper delicately beside each other. Leemack handed him the container.
He screwed off the lid and drew out the little slip of note in it.
The Crown Prince is carrying out a secret investigation on his assassination.
The note read.
King Sessa leaned back on his seat with a sad expression on his face.
"Your Majesty." Leemack called when he saw the look on the king's face. Sessa III handed the slip of paper to Leemack.
"If he finds out will he hate me?" He asked Leemack.
"A child can never hate his parent, besides you are doing this for his own good."
"Yes, yes."
Leemack placed the paper on the lit candle on the table.
And the flames engulfed the paper hungrily.