Lord Phraselm, Lady Geiyra, and the still-fainted Iuliān Troe are under the curved bark of the tree for what seems like a cave, just a little further away by the entrance of the garden forest of the Sarsheden residence. They are currently hiding from the officials that are currently investigating the ghastly bodies and burnt houses.
They are at a loss for words for what they were welcomed within the Sarsheden's gates. It was such horror to them not like any other.
They circled back to the backyard and went straight further toward the garden forest where plenty of childhood memories were lived in the hearts of the family.
With a pounding heart and clammy hands,
Geiyra was horrified when she saw how flew Iuliān across the muddy road. It was like she was washed with waterfalls flowing away her rage along the current. It was an overwhelming sense of dread and Lord Phraselm saw how her eyes shifted back to their usual color — her hazel eyes. She's left with woe.
Appalled by what he saw, he acted discreetly as if nothing happened. The malefic woman he was frightened of earlier became like an anxious girl. What just happened? But there was relief in this deranged situation.
It was a good snap to turn her back, Phraselm thought but was as well unfortunate for Iuliān, all muddy and hurt.
She got closer to Iuliān and cautiously tapped his arms to see if he was awake or anything and constantly asks him what to do.
Lord Phraselm, although worried as well, still tried piecing up this mind puzzling Lady. In the back of his mind he thought, is she possessed? What could it be if it ain't that? Thoughts of assumptions keep Phraselm to less cater to his cousin.
Only seconds later he saw people from afar. It's the town's mayor along with a few uniformed officials that Lord Phraselm reckoned to be law enforcers or fire control of some sort.
Without delay, Lord Phraselm carried Iuliān on his back.
Geiyra cluttered in her thoughts and emotions as well was not all aware of the danger of her getting seen by anyone.
"Is he going to be all right?... I'm sorry... I," she said and couldn't look at the person she was talking to. It's difficult for her to put into words how apologetic she is.
"Save it for later when he wakes up, Lady Geiyra, people are coming. You can't stay." He said while his cousin is already on his back.
Realizing what it could mean if they see her still alive is starting to curdle her blood.
She looked back and saw how her terrible misfortune can bring about repayment.
"Lady Geiyra, let's go!" Lord Phraselm yelled seeing how the lady had no plans of getting up on her feet.
She shut her eyes in anguish as she shut her hostility away looking at the men who's been helping her.
She gets up and they ran way back to the house passing an array of bodies, then to the garden forest.
Both tried not to catch a glance. Phraselm couldn't help but feel pity for the families that lost a person today. To comfort the sympathetic heart of the Lord, he looked at Lady Geiyra and saw how she could be the one who was dead if they are up and running. A lady looking as fragile as she can be, although could become as wicked as a witch could be.
That's how they are all here now. As for Lady Geiyra, still disoriented, she followed Lord Phraselm wherever he might go.
She as well finally realized that she can't be left alone. Anger is such a burden for her that if kept unchecked can cause another disaster.
Lord Phraselm glances again at the Lady a few trees away from him sitting on the ground with her arms hugging her legs and biting her tongue.
Geiyra is staring blankly ahead. She's at a loss for words and her thoughts if drawn would just be crumpled parchment splattered in ink — she's in turmoil.
Yet again she knew what she just did. She even felt genuine and never crossed a thought of regret. She wanted vengeance and such strength she hold amplified it. She still wanted vengeance for her family but a punishment deserving in the eyes of the law can suffice it, she thought to herself. Not a brutal death.
She was so propelled to go to the palace and kill everyone on site and somehow she just snapped back and out of the blue and felt remorse. It's like every time she's left with regret alone.
For crying out loud, what a mess!
She grabbed her hair and kicked her foot on a root that grew above the ground.
"Argh! Crap." She exclaimed and punched the rock she just kicked. A gasp of pain she did for her stupidity in punching the rock.
Little did she know the two men saw her child-like outburst.
Iuliān is already awake and just as he lifted his upper body to a sitting position he saw Lady Geiyra punching the root.
As he sat he was holding his breath like he was holding painful feelings that were bottled up, except it was the physical pain his trying to hold.
Her punches were here and there and to Iuliān it was rather dainty. She's a scary lady, but yes adorable. Very deadly she is, not to be treated lightly.
Lord Phraselm shakes his head and leaned on the bark sitting and not believing at the sight he's looking at.
He remembered the bodies beside the residence of Geiyra's house as he saw it when they circled around just to get here.
He tried not to even glance but it was disgustingly dreadful. There were body parts left that weren't caught up by the fire. The ashes scattered that should not be visible by the grass were so many that the grass was like it was never there.
And now, this Lady that Iuliān is looking at with such comforting eyes suddenly became sorrowful. Way too much to take.
"Geez, I can't figure this out," Phraselm said with a sigh. It was simple to figure out. It's just that it is a lot to take.
To him, he really can't decipher the situation they are in. She's Radelaine's sister, and to Iuliān, she's now someone he cherished — still after all that she did, probably, he just assumed she's not entirely the lady that struck him to the ground without even making the slightest effort.
"I know, I don't know..." Iuliān answered now looking from afar hardly believing he was allowing himself to hide the witch everybody was chasing. Who also saw her kill. A witch she is, Iuliān believed it so. But Iuliān believed it was not her that did it so.
Little did he know, Lady Geiyra knew what she did and liked it when she did it.
"... well look at her now, she's calm isn't she — oh not calm, look at her still kicking that poor root." Iuliān chuckled as he directed his eyes back at the lady finding her every strike of tantrum charming.
"If we could only keep her calm all the time." He added in a dreamy voice. Wouldn't that be great? It'll all be good, Iuliān hoped so.
Then, a thought came to his mind.
"That's an idea! We can just — well I can just slip her away and keep her at peace all the time." Iuliān nodded in agreement with his own idea. Such a light take for a heavy burden taking care of the life of the young witch.
Hearing his cousin made his head ache, Lord Phraselm isn't feeling well physically and mentally already, now emotionally.
"Don't be ridiculous Iuliān, that's just you taking advantage of her. Even if we did hide her far away from here, would we be safe? There's a chance Iuliān that if we take her somewhere, it will not end with just the both of us dead, the whole town perhaps." Lord Phraselm said still leaning his head on the tree contemplating whether or not it'll be a good idea for them to become fugitives.
Lord Phraselm had really no ill will. He's just trying to make a point that it is not a thought to be taken lightly.
Well, he knew he and his cousin would still be ended up in her company because they are the person who would do so. To add to that, Radelaine is her sister.
"Do you think your father could help us?" Iuliān said in the hope they can be given advice from Sir Herelph.
"My father and Geiyra's father are great friends but I don't know to what extent," he answered his cousin while he stood and looked towards the house.
Seeing there are fewer people in the backyard, he said "We should keep moving."
Lord Phraselm fears they are going to start going through the woods to find anything else unusual. They can't let anybody see Geiyra.
Iuliān who is looking at the house in ruins agrees with his cousin "I think so too."