Stratya & Riona Part 2
Shite. That went over well. Stratya groaned softly, âhrmmgh.â she sighed, rubbing her neck awkwardly, ââthat's noâ whaâ I meanâ..â Her hand dropped and she shook her head, âanyway.. It was this morninâ. I found âis âead behinâ the stables. Folk âad been complaininâ about an awful stench from there, tae boot, so it wasnât too âard tâ find. Heâd been beaâen, poor fella, presumably before it âappened. I âad a dog follow âis scent, through town and into the woods. I found the rest of him there. Thatâs when I got the samples. Thereâs bits of bone and fabric intact. Youâll see that the vials have different compositions within them, as well. I did my best to gather a bit of everything there was.â She wouldnât mention the sword. That would be her little secret. Her trap to spring on someone who shouldnât know about it. It wasnât a hard secret to predict, but the certainty with which someone might allude to its specifics would be the giveaway.
âHm..â Stratya eyed Riona and took a slow breath. She didnât like asking these questions of someone who seemed to have been close with the lad, and now she'd somehow managed to lose her good repoire. Great. Smooth. Luckily, Riona still seemed motivated to help. Hopefully, that would be enough. âWhen was the last time ye saw Darryn?â
The image of Darrynâs severed head tangled with the memory of her fatherâs death. Frustration toward the Knight-Captain flared into anger and redirected itself to the killer. âThe morning following the annual ball,â she answered.
Riona turned, picking up the first sample with careful fingers. âIllustrious Dame Inquisitor Knight-Captain Durmand, I hope you will permit me to ask a few more pointed questions. Though it is not my place given my lowly station, if you could find it in your heart to indulge me, I would be forever grateful.â The words tasted like ashes, but Riona had spent years learning to stroke noble egos, and the speech rolled off her tongue with ease.
Stratya sighed again, remembering the previous night and where she'd been. She managed to get a rather humorous reaction from Wulfric, but now, âis this how The Prince felt abouâ âis crow tiâles..?â
âThis âawful stenchâ the people spoke of, did you smell it yourself, ser?â The odor seemed unlikely to have originated from a naturally decaying corpse. Last nightâs weather had been mild, lacking the oppressive heat and humidity that hastened decay.
Key word being naturally.
âThe odor from behind the stables was thaâ of rot. Due to the location on castle grounds, it had to be cleared up. The odor in the forest, however, smelled more.. boiled.â Stratya rubbed her chin thoughtfully. She didn't know, herself, how long it would take to boil a body down, but surely the timeframe was too short? It all kept on pointing to impossibility, pointing to something supernatural.
The answer only sparked more questions. Even if last night had been a hot, sticky night, a body wouldnât reek enough to draw complaints for at least a day.
Riona uncorked the vial and took a cautious sniff. Holding it out to the Knight-Captain, she asked, âPardon me, ser, but does this resemble the boiling odor you described?â
ââatâs it, alright.â Stratya nodded, coming away from the stench quickly.
Back at her workstation, Riona divvied up the samples into individual vials. âDid anyone manage to pinpoint the source of the rotting smell?â
âThe hound followed the scent from the head, through town, and into the forest. Right past the enforcement centers. Very bold..â
And very weird. Wasnât the complaint that there was a smell coming from behind the stables? How in the world was the source of that smell in the forest? Also, why the change in smell? Did the melting process cause the rotting stench and change to a âboilingâ smell over time? Was the body melted behind the stables first before being moved to the forest then? What about the head?
âYou mentioned you found Darrynâs head, most honorable and valiant Dame Inquisitor Knight-Captain Durmand. May I humbly inquire as to what condition it was in?â Riona figured it couldnât have decomposed or melted too badly if the Knight-Captain could tell that Darryn had been beaten, but she had to be sure.
Stratya took a slow breath. This would not continue. However, handling this with authority would only make things worse. She did, however, know someone who could tame an irritated young lady. What would her mother do..? Mm. Too aggressive. It might work, but it might backfire. Hm. How about, âyou're noâ using more adjectives for me than yâdo if you ever address a member of the Royal Family or a count or such?â That might be bad, âif someone were looking for an excuse to do something, we shouldn't give them any opening, no matter how small. Then again, I sâppose you know the dance beâer thân I.â The knight shrugged and looked at the door, rubbing her face slowly once, âprobaâly jusâ paranoid.. it'd be a real pain if someone wanted to be petty, though. Could make you take a whole minute each time you address them. A cerâain rooster I could think of mighâ do such a thing..â
Riona paused her work to face Stratya with a carefully neutral expression. âYou wish for me to use fewer epithets than I would for royalty or other higher-ranking nobles? As you wishâŠâ Riona inhaled deeply then in one breath said, âMost gracious, valiant, esteemed, chivalrous, honorable, illustrious, gallant, revered, intrepid, august, dauntless, magnificent, stalwart, exalted, steadfast, serene, resoluteâŠâ She turned back to her work, hands moving with practiced efficiency as she mixed ingredients and observed the reactions, all while keeping up a steady stream of words and phrases. â...noble-hearted, loyal, courageous, and indomitable Dame Inquisitor Knight-Captain Durmand.â There. One fewer epithet than the longest byname ever bestowed upon any Caesonian noble on record.
Riona made a few notes before glancing back at Stratya, a hint of mischief in her eyes.
âAlâight, so I'm beinâ silly and paranoid, please stoâ.â She was getting stressed and overthinking things. She needed to calm herself, but this badgering wasn't helping. Riona had been amicable until Stratya said one wrong little thing to her, and all that had once been ease was being turned into frustration.
The impish light faded from the maidâs eyes as she studied Stratya. She then gave a single, curt nod.
A sigh of relief. âThank ye..â She rubbed the bridge of her nose. âAs for the âead, it was intact, but..â It was hard to tell her. Stratyaâs hand paused. Nobody wants to hear that the people they care about suffered. The knight chewed her next words, âhe was.. beaâen so bad I barely recognized âim.â Riona and Darryn had been close, Stratya could tell that much. It must hurt, to hear.
â... If I may clarify my question regarding the state of Darrynâs headâI was hoping you could provide some additional details. Were there signs of decay or liquefaction? Or did his head appear relatively⊠âintact,â save for the bruising and trauma?â She paused, her fingers fidgeted with the writing utensil. âMore specifically, I am interested in what caused the head to separate from the body.â Did it rot or melt off? Or was Darrynâs head taken clean off his shoulders by a weapon of some kind? Thereâs no way someone ripped it off... could it?
Riona was taking this all rather well. Perhaps she was just ready, mentally, for this kind of thing to happen? It seemed more like she was driven, than she'd particularly prepared herself. It was just her kind of personality to move forward, then? As she thought about the scene, she remembered the picture. It would have the blade on it, so maybe hiding the blade wasn't going to pan out like she thought. She took a breath, her mind settling. âThe head was,â she thought briefly about which word to use, âer, in ânormalâ condition?, apart from the missing body and the beating. Ehr.. I did.. not, find anything unusual about its state, apart from-â she cut herself off and cleared her throat. She'd already said that part. âIt was severed by a blade. The rain had washed away any blood.â Strictly speaking, she could not confirm the executioner's blade she found nearby was used for this. It seemed like the obvious conclusion, but it could be a trick is. Maybe if she'd woken up earlier.
Riona bit her lip, disappointment plain on her face. âThat is unfortunate⊠I was hoping we might find traces left of whatever was used toâŠâ She grimaced. âMelt the body.â
Her brow furrowed deeper as the cogs of her mind whirred and clicked. âSo they lopped off Darrynâs head first, then liquified the rest of him. But⊠why?â The question wasnât directed at Stratya, Riona was mostly thinking out loud. âLeave the head, destroy the body... Someone wanted proof he was dead, but not the how or why of it. Like there was something about the body they didnât want anyone to discover...â
âAye, thaâs one thing botherinâ me. Why? I can only assume some.. message is beinâ sent, and thaâ âoever it is intended for will understand what thaâ message is. Twisted gobber, to âave such cursed handwritinâ.â The knight leaned up against the wall nearby, her eyes watching Riona at work with a passive interest. Stratya seemed to be relaxing a bit. Looking at Riona work the way she was prompted her to stretch her neck, resulting in a nice âpopâ, âooh,â in either direction, âooooh~, hoh hoh hoohhh.â
A messageâŠ
Riona checked the time, jotted a few notes, then turned her attention to the vials. She added measured amounts of this powder and that liquid, a pinch of herbs, drops of different tinctures into the samples. âKnight-Captain, how much of Darryn was left when you found him in the forest? Was it still recognizable as a body or was it literally just bits of bone and fabric?â
The daughter of a guardsman pushed off the wall and moved toward the table, âNae body, jusâ.. what had once been a puddle.â Stratya removed the small pauldrons she had on, carefully laying them with the interior up, on the seat of a chair. She then stretched her shoulders across her chest, getting some nice, thick pops, after which she'd carefully move her arm in a full circle. âTâwas nae well hidden, jusâ dumped deep enough in the forest you couldnae smell it from the train station.â
That narrowed down the list a lot: there were no flora or animal byproduct readily available in Caesonia that could liquefy a full-grown man within a span of a few hours.
âAnd yet, the odor was pungent enough for people to complain about the stables?â Riona shook her head. âSomething does not add up.â
She'd start to put the couple of pieces she laid on the table back on. It took longer putting it back on, naturally, but she seemed able to manage, even with the awkward position of reattaching something to her own shoulder. âGonna âave to go down for a bevvy on the pub, I think. I'll âave to reporâ, first..â
Riona could use a stiff drink herself.
With a sigh, the maid carefully placed her notes on the table before her. âI am afraid this next part might take a little while, Knight-Captain. And based on what you have shared thus far, I would not hold out much hope regarding the results.â
Quiet settled over the room. Riona watched the Knight-Captain put pieces of her armor back on until she finally said, âI want to believe that my initial assessment of you is accurate, Knight-Captain. That you are an honorable and honest person who would protect both highborn and lowborn alike. The kind of person who would ensure that justice prevails regardless of societal standings or titles.â
Riona straightened her posture. âI apologize for causing you frustration. It troubled me that you seemed to prioritize the manner in which I posed my questions over helping me, help you, figure out Darrynâs murder.â
Stratya was just finishing with fastening on the first pauldrons, listening as her hands worked. She nodded thoughtfully, ââatâs fair.â
âFurthermore,â she placed her hands on her hips, âyour remarks about the adjectives and âknowing the danceâ came across as patronizing. Why bring any of it up in such a roundabout way if you truly believed I knew better?â Her voice became increasingly impassioned. âBut if it was not obvious, then yes, I do know the dance very well. There were times when it was literally beaten into me. I am also acutely aware of the pettiness that people are capable of, having been punished on their whims for things utterly outside my control.â
Riona stopped abruptly and took a moment to compose herself, exhaling slowly. Donât start up sh*t again. Just apologize. âI recognize that my approach was counterproductive, and I would like to believe your warning was sincere,â she said. âFor that, I am sorry. I will not, however, apologize for prioritizing uncovering the truth behind Darrynâs murder over adhering to the proper etiquette of questioning you, even if you are nobility. Nor will I apologize for taking offense to the manner in which you chose to admonish me.â Now to see how right or wrong she was about the Knight-Captain.
Stratya was fussing with the second pauldrons as her movements slowed while Riona formed a carefully worded complaint. She nodded slowly and resumed, âNae, you're right. I'm sorry, too. Makinâ a right arse oâ mâself, like thaâ.â
Beaten? Yes, Stratya heard that right. Somehow, the murder had not been a reminder of the cruelty of nobility. Yes, Riona was at the mercy of such whims. Such lowly behavior. Yes, the knight supposed it was better to tell Riona what secrets she was working with. At least, then, she knew what she was getting involved in.
âIâ feels like I've been dancinâ âround this.. great, big.. thing in the middle oâ town. It's so âuge, every time I looâ at it, I cannae help but wonder âow I could even do anythinâ to it? So I stay away, dealing with the litâler things on the wayside. Litâle rocks I can pick up and throw. But, now.. it feels like I've run smack into the damn boulder in the middle of iâ all. It's goâ me right spooked, lookinâ up at this massive thing that feels like it could crush me just by turninâ over. So.. sorry, for beinâ an arse.â
She took a deep breath, looking at her hand as she flexed it, âSâppose I better go report to the Queen, and get some other evidence processed.â The knight looked at Riona, thought carefully about their conversation, and smiled, âshall I comeân get ye, when I go for the pub?â
Riona felt the tension drain from her, glad that Stratya took the complaint in stride and even offered an apology of her own. She decided she did like this knight.
But the mention of the Queen sent a fresh jolt of tension through Rionaâs body. She chewed her lip, uncertain whether to mention what she saw. If there was even the slimmest chance it could be connected to Darrynâs murder, shouldnât she bring it up? âKnight-Captain, when you have audience with Her Majesty⊠could you inquire as to how the Royal Advisor is faring?â
âOh? Ah, sure. Erm.. Any particâlar reason?â
Judging by her reaction, the Knight-Captain didnât know about the incident then. âSer, can you trust me, as you have trusted me with this analysis?â Riona asked.
Stratya stepped slowly toward the door. A blind question wasnât her favorite thing to ask the Queen, but, âwell, aâright..â She stopped and turned, just before opening the door, âbut you never answered my question.â
âI withheld an answer, Knight-Captain, because I thought it best that you enter the situation with a clear and unbiased mind.â Rionaâs gaze drifted to the vials, pale bits of stableboy suspended in different colored liquid. âTruth is, I cannot say if this bears any connection to Darrynâs death. If it does not, I see no reason to add to your burdens.â She wrapped her arms around herself as her eyes returned to Stratya. âHowever⊠I fear the boulder you speak of might be the tip of a mountain.â
Stratya bobbed her head, âEh, aye.. it does kinda seem thaâ way, don'it. The other question, though.â
Riona blinked, genuinely confused. âThe⊠other question, ser?â
âThe pub?â Stratya's gauntlet gave a soft âclackâ as she motioned with a thumb over her shoulder. âIt'll âaf ta be on the eveninâ, I think.â
Riona blinked again. A drink sounded tempting. And she could raise a glass to Darrynâs memory too. âI will join you.â she answered. âI should be done with my duties and the analysis by then. Which establishment did you have in mind? I would like to dress appropriately.â
âFigure we can pop on down to Olâ Toughy, yeah? Noâ as stuffy.â Stratyaâs other hand rested loosely on the door as her gesturing hand wiggled vaguely.
âJust two colleagues on a night out.â Riona proposed as their cover story, then bowed. âUntil then.â
The door clicked shut. Riona just stood there, counting silently. One. Two. Three⊠Only when she thought Stratya walked out of earshot did she let the tears come, quiet sobs muffled against her sleeve.
Riona asks questions about Darrynâs murder and agrees to meet Stratya later to give the results of the analysis.
RĂoghnach "Riona"
Time: Nighttime, Sola 24thLocation: The Tough Tavern
Interaction(s)/Mention(s): @CitrusArms
Itâs been a while since sheâd been in a tavern. Sheâd forgotten how lively it can be. And dirty. She felt her fingers twitch, itching to grab a rag and start scrubbing every surface in sight. Pushing aside the urge, Riona settled into her seat and placed her report on the table, careful to avoid the suspicious stains.
When the drinks came, Riona slid one across to the empty seat, raising her own in a wordless toast to Darrynâs memory before taking a long swig.
As she lowered her mug, Rionaâs gaze drifted to Stratya. The Knight-Captain was clearly in her element, belting out a tavern song with gusto. Riona allowed herself a small smile. Let Stratya work it out of her system. There would be time for serious discussion later. For now, Riona was content to nurse her ale, tap her foot to the rhythm, and soak in the lively atmosphere.