-19-Days passed and the traps remained intact.'Should I start the search?' Miriel rested her jaw on one palm and twirled a pen with the other.She sat in her father's study, wearing a dark green dress. Thirteen parchments and many pieces of paper were sprawled on the table.Miriel slumped in the chair and sighed.The farmers had been informed to keep from the woods for a while and to drive their herds elsewhere. She assigned a few of the soldiers to the farms to keep vigil.No other crops or animals disappeared, yet the townsfolk - and the soldiers - reported hearing odd sounds; light rustling of grass, shrubs and leaves shaking and the creaking of wood.Even then, they found no tracks or marks of the creature.More traps were laid and more traps were unscathed.Miriel heard a knock on the doors."Can I come in, my lady?" Said a voice."You may." She replied.Anne opened and closed the doors. In her hand was a tray with a teapot and two teacups."I brought you tea, my lady." Anne said. She went to a table and set the tray down, then poured tea in the two cups.She left one teacup in front of Miriel, then made for the windows."The room is too warm. I'm opening the windows, my lady." Anne opened the windows and latched the window hooks.As she did, the wind passed her and blew the parchment and paper pieces off the table."I'm so sorry! I'll pick it up right away!" Anne scrambled and crouched to pick the notes scattered on the floor."Worry not, Anne." Miriel said, "These are all to be discarded. Take your tea before it goes cold.""Well, I still need to pick them up to throw them away." Anne replied.She bent below the table and reached for a torn piece, then bumped her head as she rose."Ow." She rubbed her head with her hand. Then left the pieces in her other hand on the table.Miriel lightly shook her head and sipped her tea.Anne brought her tea and sat across Miriel."Mm! It's so good! I wonder how the kitchen people brew it?" Anne raised her head and exhaled."Have they not taught you, Anne?" Miriel asked.Anne shook her head."They taught me how they brew the green and black ones, but they didn't add any sugar or honey there. I asked them how to brew this but they said the sweet one is a secret." Anne frowned. Then she drank her tea, exhaled, and smiled again."Keep asking and they might tell you one day." Mmiriel replied."Though if you pester them, they might never tell you." She added.Anne furrowed her brows, then drank her tea and smiled.A gentle breeze entered the room through the windows. shifting strands of Anne's hair as she sat on her chair."Oh, Mister Louis said they brought Mister Mark's sword today. He's in the hall with it. Should I bring it here or take it to Mister Mark?" Anne said. Miriel eyed the parchments laying on the floor."No." She shook her head, "We can bring it to him now."She stood - which Anne followed - and finished her tea, then left it on the table."I will head to my room first. Get the blade from Louis after you finish here." Miriel said."Okay, my lady! I'll clean this up quickly."Anne crouched to pick the parchment on the floor as Miriel left the room.-The sky was littered with clouds as the sun neared its eventual withdrawal, hung as it was moments above the horizon.Miriel watched Mark unsheathe the sword from its new brown-leather scabbard. It glistened like silver, deflecting the sunlight that fell upon it. The former brown patches now revealed a grey-white blade."Cool, isn't it?" Mark said, staring at the sword.Miriel saw Anne nodding fervently from the corner of her eyes.Mark held it with both his hands and swung it around.Miriel lightly shook her head, "Swing it elsewhere. You have people near you here.""I will, I will. You don't think it's cool?" Mark turned to Miriel. The wide grin on his face apparent."It is no different to any other blade, Mark. All it requires is to achieve its purpose." Miriel replied.Mark shrugged, "At least your maid agrees."Miriel turned to Anne, who was leering at the sword."The captain will hand you one, Anne. When he decides you are ready."Anne straightened and covered her mouth with her palms."I will train with captain Hurlstead very seriously." She nodded as her eyes glistened."Haah!"There heads turned to the soldiers training in the clearing."I'll going to take a few swings with it. You coming?" Mark asked.Miriel opened her mouth, then paused. She turned to Anne who was gawking at the blade."Anne, would you like to watch?" She said.Anne's eyes darted to Miriel, then to the sword, the soldiers and the captain who was watching them train."I'll let you take a few swings." Mark added, "Even the captain wouldn't mind this once. Right?" He stared blankly for a moment, then turned to the captain in the clearing."Erm…I guess I can at least ask Captain Hurlstead if I can." She uttered feebly, eyes glued to the sword.They walked towards the clearing."M'lady Miriel! Captain!" They heard someone shouting behind them.Miriel turned and saw a soldier galloping towards the clearing astride a horse.He reined in the horse beside her, his breaths more laboured than the horse."'Pologies ma'm. We 'ad the creature in a trap n' it ran to the forest. Some o' the soldiers gone after it. Skol's at the entrance, he'll give the report.""Understood. Inform the captain at once." Miriel nodded.The soldier swung the reins and he galloped towards the clearing.Miriel turned to Mark. He nodded.Then she turned to Anne. "Anne, can you ride a horse?" She asked.Anne shook her head, "We only took care of them at the inn.""Rush to the mansion and inform Louis. Tell him to prepare the carriage and anything we might need. You can come with the carriage.""I'll be there really soon." Anne nodded and ran to the mansion.Miriel turned to Mark."Can you still ride?" He asked."I did not slouch like you did." She replied.They turned and ran to the stables.