[color=A0A0A0][h2]Fleuri Jodeau[/h2][/color]

A cursed black shard...could it have done all of this?

The thought of a single shard that could drive so many good soldiers to murderous madness was a disturbing one.  Whether they went mad just by being unprotected in its proximity or if someone somehow used the shard to madden them?  Whatever the case might be, Alette's attitude suggested that she was not worried about suffering the soldiers' fates, nor did the other party she mentioned.

Speaking of the other party...

Fleuri immediately recognized what the corpse's tattoo meant.  He was not as familiar with mercenary companies as men like Gerard and Fionn, but he knew of the Golden Boars, perhaps the most infamous mercenary company on the continent.  According to Alette, they were also here to collect the shard.  But if they were here, that would suggest that there were multiple parties who knew about this shard while the Iron Roses had been in the dark.  Despite their connections to the crown, the military, and the church, the existence of this disaster-bringing shard had somehow evaded their attention at the very same time that at least two opposing parties were hiring mercenaries to retrieve it and wage battle with each other in the kingdom's borders.

Some of the other knights were already seemingly eager for the opportunity to fight the Golden Boars.  No surprise that former mercenaries like Gerard and Fionn seemed the most enthusiastic.  They probably crossed paths with the Boars before, and probably were quite familiar with the wrongs that those immoral swords-for-hire were responsible for.

If the Golden Boars have made a move against the Kingdom of Thaln, it might just be the justification that the crown needed to put them out of business for good, Fleuri thought.  He certainly wouldn't be against it- putting an end to this wicked mercenary company once and for all would be a worthwhile mission.

But what about who hired them, or who hired Alette?  No mercenary with any self-respect would reveal their employer willy-nilly, especially for such a sensitive, secretive mission.  However, it might be possible, Fleuri speculated, to arrange for Alette to be summoned before a court and compelled to name her benefactor, if she persisted in Thaln.  However, that matter could wait.  Investigating the scene as soon as possible took precedence, and Fionn had asked Fleuri to accompany his investigations.  Perhaps the former soldier-of-fortune thought that his and Fleuri's contrasting upbringings might allow them to notice different things.  Or maybe Fionn was just being sociable- he and Fleuri hadn't really interacted much.

[color=A0A0A0]"Good idea, Sir Fionn,"[/color] he responded, putting away his sword.  [color=A0A0A0]"If the captain had a journal or a log, or a correspondence, we might find some useful information there."[/color]

[color=A0A0A0]"But first, a question for the mercenary captain,"[/color] he said, turning to Alette.  [color=A0A0A0]"These disguised Golden Boars, they were alive and lucid when you and your company arrived here, right?"[/color]

[@The Otter][@VitaVitaAR]