Waking from a deep slumber, Wesley’s eyes flickered open unwillingly as he felt the pang of hunger in his stomach. Reaching for his pocket watch that sat upon his bedside table, the time read shortly after 11:45 a.m. When he pushed himself into a seated position, a rush of blood to the head brought on a pounding headache. Too many bottles of ale were the source of his headache, as it was every night. Pulling away the quilted covers of his bed, Wes stood up, and stretched like a cat, arms extended high behind his head, mouth agape in a yawn, and rolled his head from side-to-side, cracking the bones in his neck from the deep sleep that had left him so stiff. As he proceeded to dress himself, pulling a pair of black, linen trousers from his drawers, Wesley’s gaze shifted out to the window, where his room held a view overlooking the circular stone drive of House Ianus. There, he watched as a small, black carriage pulled into the drive of House Ianus. A peculiar woman, small in stature, with chocolate-brown hair piled high atop her head, descend from the carriage, and began to converse with the driver. His gaze was drawn to the roof of the carriage where a deer carcass was strapped to the roof.

[i]’How strange…’[/i] He thought to himself as he watched her leave the side of the carriage and enter the manor.

	When he finished buttoning his white cotton shirt, he slipped on a velvet maroon waist-coat, and pulled on his boots. Shortly after, Wesley exited his room, and headed downstairs, in hopes of meeting up with the woman, and to see what she was up to, considering the odd circumstances of the deer. As he rounded the hallway, and reached the top of the stairs that led to the entrance to House Ianus, he spotted the same woman that he had watched from the windows, knocking mud off her boots. With a broad grin spreading across his face, Wesley descended the stairs, and cleared his throat in hopes of catching her attention.

“G’morning ma’am.” He began, the woman’s head snapped in his direction at the sound of his voice, her brows furrowed together at the sight of him. When Wesley reached the bottom of the grand staircase, he strode over to her with gallant strides, and extended his hand towards her. “The name’s Wesley Craven, at your service.”

“Good morning, Mr. Craven. I am Johanna Roheisia Valerivicus, though if you wish, you may call me Jo.” Her silvery eyes sparkled bright like that of a starry night sky. “I don’t believe we have met.” She grasped his hand in hers, and found that hers was three times smaller than his own as she gave it a firm shake. Her eyes swept over him, and took note of how tall he was.

“No, I don’t think we have. I’m somewhat new to House Ianus. Say, what were you up to with that deer?” 

“The deer? Ah yes that… Mr. Ware asked me to investigate some troubling matters that have occurred on the outskirts of the city here, in the woods where the other townsfolk live. The deer is a matter that I must investigate, and determine the cause of death. As it has not only happened to this deer, but several other animals within the woods. The villagers are terrified to visit the woods after nightfall.” Johanna explained as she removed the black, leather gloves from her dainty hands.

“Really? Would you care to explain why they are so frightened?” Wesley inquired, now intrigued at Johanna’s explanation for the purpose of bringing the deer back to the manor.

“That’s what I intend to find out. I’m having my driver bring the deer to the lower catacombs of the manor, so that I may perform an autopsy, and deduce what is the true cause of death. Whether it be gaseous bubbles, some animal, a parasite, or the work of a human. Nonetheless, I intend to discover the source of the problem, and restore peace of mind to the villagers that live in the woods.” 

“May I accompany you then? I’m rather curious to see what you find.” Here, Wesley received a dazzling smile from the lovely woman that stood before him.

“I would appreciate a second pair of eyes. It would help me make certain that I have not missed any puzzling details.”

	Just then, the driver from her carriage entered from the opposite end of the grand hall, where the two stood conversing, as he had to use the other entrance to bring the carcass around.
“Madam Valerivicus, the deer is ready at your expense in the lower catacombs when you are ready.”

“Ah, thank you, Arnost. You’ve been most helpful. I shall call for you again, when your services are needed.” With a nod of her head, Arnost, the carriage driver departed from the hall in pursuit of other tasks. “Well then Mr. Craven, would you like to accompany to the lower levels of the manor?” Johanna asked as she started off towards a spiral staircase located in the corner of the hall that led to the levels below.

“It would be my pleasure, ma’am.” Wesley flashed her a brilliant smile, consisting of neat, white teeth. She found it interesting, as she was unaware of where he came from, and wherever he did, he must have really taken care of his teeth. Or at least strayed away from beverages, such as tea and coffee, and foods that would have stained his teeth, or even tobacco.

	Together, the two descended into the caverns below House Ianus, where they found the curious works of electricity lighting their way. Johanna took the lead, and peered inside each workroom they passed, searching for where Arnost had dropped off the carcass. Finally, Johanna located the room where Arnost put the stag, conveniently in a room with an autopsy like table. In truth, it was just a large wooden table.
“Would you care to enlighten me as to why you’re investigating this carcass?” Wes asked in a bewildered tone, he noted the broken legs, and how the deer lay spread-eagle on the table-top with a strange, square cut hole where the heart would be found. He had his fair share of hunting in the forested mountains of Santa Fe, in his younger years, as well as across the plains. He had never witnessed anything to the liking before him. 

“When I spoke to the guide that Mr. Ware provided me, the poor bloke seemed absolutely terrified. I could tell he didn’t want to visit the corpse whatsoever, and was reluctant to do so at the prospect of coin, graciously provided by Mr. Ware, as well. However, I was under the impression that this was the doing of a rabid bear. This is the first corpse I was shown, as I have not seen the others.” Johanna explained once more, as she ventured near another table pushed along the far wall, where a various array of assorted medical tools was lined up in an orderly fashion. It was apparent, that either Arnost, or another house servant, had readied the room for her. Johanna reached into a hidden pocket in her dress, and retrieved a small journal. There she cracked it open, as she fetched a rather curious form of an ink pen, one that held the reserves of the liquid ink inside the capsule. However once depleted, the pen would need filling once more. Her pen made quiet scratching noises against the grain of the paper as she recorded what she noticed.

[i]Subject has legs broken, body spread-eagle upon discovery. Chest cavity wound shows no sign of animal teeth, or claws, for the edges of the cut, where the heart has been extracted, to be straight. As if a medical tool were used, such a scalpel. However, the possibility, of a knife, or a razor, is not out of question.[/i]

“I’ve never seen any handiwork like this be the source of a rabid bear. And that’s a fact.” Wes stated.

“Mr. Craven, may I ask you something?”

“Absoluetly.”

“Where is it you hail from?”

“Me? I’m from America.”

“I believed so, though your accent is unfamiliar to me, I take it you’re not from the Eastern Coast, then?”

“No. I was born, and raised in Santa Fe, in the New Mexico territories.”

“Truly?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“How intriguing.” As she spoke, Johanna quietly worked, as she picked up a scalpel, and sliced open the chest of the stag. “Hmm…”

“What do you see?” He asked, peering closer at the corpse spread upon the table, and into the chest cavity.

“It is just as my guide told me. Only the heart has been removed. All of the other organs that I can see, are still present.” With that, Johanna proceeded to roll up her dress sleeves, and dove her hands into the hole of the chest, where she carried on with removing all of the internal organs. “Fetch me that cauldron there, on the far table, Mr. Craven.” She instructed as she removed one lung. Wesley did as she asked, and reached for a black cauldron on the floor. He hoisted it onto the table, where Johanna then placed the lung inside, followed by another lung, and other internal organs, including the liver, spleen, kidneys, bladder, and intestines. More [i]scritching[/i] noise filled the air, as she wrote with one hand, recording more notes in her leather-bound journal.

[i]Subject has all vital organs present, save for the heart as suspected. [/i]

“What do you intend to do now?” Wes inquired, watching her write. He was rather intrigued by her curious mannerisms, for he had never come across the likes of a woman like Johanna before. Especially one that wasn’t disturbed, or disgusted by rooting around inside a dead animal.

“Well, I intend to return the forest, find my guide, and round up the other corpses, for further examination. If I therein find, that indeed, all of the hearts of these animals are removed, then I believe I will set a trap, in an attempt to lure whomever, or whatever this thing maybe.” Johanna replied, her silver eyes met his sky-blue ones, and offered him a half smile.