To simplify the situation, I have two choices regarding the death of our prisoner in the case he belongs to House Salender or the royal family.

I can cut him down by charges of murder and lying to a noble, or I can torture him to confirm suspicions and keep him as a 'guest'.

If I get him tortured him for the truth, then not only I, but everyone there will know the truth. If he ends up dead after he has been confirmed an ally it would create direct resentment between us and House Salender or the royal family.

As our prisoner has killed a family of two adults and two kids, the merchants traveling with us might make a move during the night, and I am certain Magdalin wants him dead as well. She saw all of it happen, and to my knowledge this is the first time she has seen death this way.

Keeping him alive would not be worth the trouble or anger.

Furthermore, as a noble I am not obligated to confirm whether the statement of a civilian is true or not. In the situation everyone would have said something to save their life, so excusing it as that is quite reasonable. Thus, killing him now becomes the better political move.

His owner wouldn't be able to say anything either, since the spy was there without my knowledge or permission. Accusing me of murdering a spy would be the same as admitting it, thus indirectly calling Magdalin and perhaps even me either an enemy or competition.

---*---

There are many things I could tell you of the execution, but with all honesty it became a bigger matter than I like to admit. You'd think Asher would follow the events that unfolded, but as though a demon was stuck on my back he fixated on me through all of it. You see, despite my advice not to, Magdalin decided she wanted to observe the execution of the prisoner. For closure, she said. For the little merchant girl, she said. 'For fear and vengeance', is all I heard.

From what I know, those merchants and 'John' would have been the first deaths Magdalin had experienced. She is likely frustrated with her own weakness as she was helpless, but staying would be a greater risk than what comfort it may be worth. However, she only wanted to watch so I gave in.

If she must kill one day, let it be to defend herself or someone she cares about. Not for vengeance. The momentary feeling of euphoria and control comes with heartbreaking guilt should you not be truly and fully convinced of your actions. It would be merely another ghost to haunt you.

If she was to ever consider vengeance, let me be there to take that burden from her hands. After all, what is another drop of blood in an ocean of it.

---*---

I'd planned to end the man's life before he woke. I saw no reason to have him suffer further other than malicious desire of vengeance. A sin. Furthermore the man would never end his life with the honor of a samurai, a knight or a noble. Giving him such a privilege would only shame him more for the little reason of seeing him suffer and have his words spread doubt if my suspicions were true.

Truly... It would have been for the best if he had never woken up again.

He woke as though the song of the spear called him to the world of the living for one last chance to prove his courage. Though, with widened eyes he rolled from the path of the falling spear-blade and squirmed backwards while begging us for mercy like the coward he'd proven to be.

"No! Wait! I'm an ally!"

His eyes had locked on me for a second. His eyes glistened as he snapped for his breath. Yet, I had not been the one to swing the sword. In the instant Felix hesitated to look to me for my decision the man prayed on the only one here with enough influence to stop me.

Magdalin.

"I helped you escape from your brother! If I didn't he would've found you! That other man was a Headal spy trying to kidnap you!"

He rushed and sputtered out his words while his face grew paler by the second. Magdalin who had been swept up in fear of him and the desire to watch him die for his actions, had her eyes fill with doubts, confusion and regret at the words he spluttered. A single seed of doubt was planted in her mind that was already in an uproar.

"Felix, get on with it," I ordered him with less irritation than I expected. Perhaps because I had been prepared for this when Magdalin said she wanted to stay. Of course, Felix did a visible double check at my words, but so did everyone else.

If I killed him just like this I would seem the villain despite his murder of the innocent merchants. This was especially clear with Darius. The one who wanted the job this man claimed to have done. He would identify with this cowardly spy, so perhaps this would be a good time for a final lesson for Darius. Surprisingly Felix turns his attention back to the prisoner, ready to finish the job.

"Words that cannot be proved will not bring you safety. By the witness of the honorable Miss Ruche you've murdered three adults and two young and innocent children and attempting to cover your crime by forcing the earth magician to hide it. Furthermore you have trespassed on private property as young entered the mausoleum of nobility. Your punishment has been decided."

That's right. That mausoleum could not have been raised by anyone but nobility. It's but one of multiple infractions, but as a peasant he has little defense against these things.

"I work for House Salender! If you ask them they'll tell you!" the prisoner blurts out and quickly looks back to Magdalin.

"I was asked to protect you because people would aim for you because of the suspicions towards house Celeste since you're close with Lady Lily!" he pleads with Magdalin. Magdalin simply stares while clenching her folded hands. Now where he's awake and helpless he likely looks much more weak and fragile than he did in her mind.

"For a peasant to throw such accusations at House Salender is unseemly. Who would believe a murderer works for a noble house?" I replied to his pleads and then look back to Felix. Felix is quite perceptive so he may have noticed what is going on. Having been a part of the black market he knows how the law works after all.

As for the prisoner, this appears to come as a horrifying reality. Yet, he doesn't look shocked. He begins to squirm away again, begging and pleading for his life while glancing back at me.

Felix looks me in the eyes, but he doesn't say anything more. He steps closer to the prisoner again and this time finishes off the job. A final wail of fear precedes the silence and putrid smell of death that spreads in the meadow as the prisoner grasps his throat desperately, squirming and twisting. A final stab to the chest makes him stiffen, and with that it's over. Felix takes out a handkerchief and wipes the blood off of his spear without a word as the blood from the prisoner spills into the greedy autumn ground.

Meanwhile Magdalin turns away while covering her mouth as her stomach turns. Pallid and sickened she curls over and vomits into the grass.

Darius stares at the prisoner as pallid as Magdalin, but with a stare stiff and glossy. The man before him shows well the end of the path he wanted to walk. I walk up to Darius first for one last word for him. I spoke my words to him quietly and only for him to hear.

"A spy or a shadowguard, you will have no name and no protection. You'll be expendable. Whoever you serve can throw you away this easily."

Darius doesn't say anything back this time. He isn't stupid so he understands no matter how uncomfortable this truth makes him.

I headed to Magdalin to calm her horror, but as I put my hand on her shoulder she peers up at me with a nervous gaze you'd give a stranger.

"Any man, noble, guardian or peasant which kills a child shall die. Be it by law or by duel. You should rest early when we set up camp, you'll need it."

I brush off the gaze as this being the first time she has seen me act this way. After all, hearing and seeing about things are different. I cannot blame her for feeling quite distant after what happened. After all, she wasn't raised for this.

Thankfully this distance wouldn't last long, and though she was awkward for a while she started looking at me normally after a few hours.

—-*—-

That night Magdalin stepped up to my tent. She asked me if I felt nothing for the man I'd ordered dead. She asked me how to deal with the nightmares. She begged me to stay to keep away the nightmares.

I gave in.

Don't get me wrong. I would never give into a request like this if Magdalin hadn't promised this would be the only time and the started going into details of her nightmares. I stopped her before she got to the part of her helping me with my nightmares, but I've little doubt she might have pushed it that far if I had not given in before that.

I didn't get a lot of sleep that night, partly due to considering the consequences of the spying and Magdalin's words of the minor nobles. I spent long hours considering whether I should go directly to the palace instead of going home. The other reason I slept little was due to my arm going numb after Magdalin's head had been on it for a while.

I did consider moving her, but when I tried she'd grab my shirt tightly and frown with this small whine. Since this would also make her wake up enough to dream she would start having nightmares too.

In the end I gave in once more and quietly sang one of the songs I've become fond of here. Despite the sad ending, it made Magdalin sleep like a lamb on a cloud, and for an hour or so, so did I.

—-*—-

When by morning I finally escaped I couldn't move my arm at all nor feel anything as I pinched the skin.

When a healing spell didn't work either I left the tent. When I conferred to Asher about my problem all I got out of him was a suppressed smile.

Shortly after my arm began to buzz painfully before returning to normal. As if that was merely the beginning of my problems I received a letter from Lionel from a messenger catching up with us around noon.

First thing that happens when I unfold the envelope is that I find a dried... a dried... purple flower with hundreds of small purple trumpet like flowers where the end of the trumpet is cut into a star with six tips.

Along with that there's a dried clover too. I see this one a lot in our own garden and it was in my own world as well so I remember this one. Though, I cannot remember their meaning. This fashion thing never truly caught my attention, and Ristaze has more flowers than I will ever be able to remember.

Of course, the letter itself was...troubling...

'Lord Augustus,

I make the following report to ensure your knowledge of this and inform you of possible impending danger.

The Headal army has not attacked since you left Ice-Claw keep. They remain near the border but make no sign for assault. They do remove any environmental defense we set up near them, but otherwise remain patiently observing us. They may be planning an assassination in case the negotiations fail.

We informed the three northern Marquesses of the situation, and have received word back from the nearest one that they have received the Headal declaration as well.

The morale at Ice-Claw Keep and Castle Tepet is low, but we will manage for a while. Father has been quite furious with the situation, but Headal refuses to negotiate with him. I fear they may be attempting to goad him into attacking.

As a final thing I believe I forgot to mention. Due to the high likeness that we will lose the Tepet lands Curtis was sent to Castle Celeste once I arrived here. I doubted Zocria would attempt to attack Castle Celeste once more with the Child of Scorog there. I apologize for not mentioning this earlier.

Lionel Tepet.'

—-*—-

Felix's Point Of View

The Lady has always been strict when not drunk. With Peony she was quite forgiving as well and gave him multiple chances. The same goes for Darius. She could have concluded he was a spy and left it at that, but she never did.

Because of this I didn't expect she would brush off this guy's story so quickly. With how she looked at Darius and talked to him after, it probably only took that long because of him.

I'm happy with the order though. Someone that kills mothers and children like that deserves punishment. Just like the lieutenant that once hired me to find the woman he made pregnant outside his marriage... the child had been born by then and both of them trembled in fear when I showed him to them and he ordered me to kill them.

Challenging that Lieutenant on the matter of honor ended up being what gave me the chance to become a knight. If nothing else, this is the thing I promised myself never to compromise on. To me this is my honor.

I'd like to believe the Lady chose me for this reason, knowing that this is a matter that means something to me. Though, it would be arrogant to believe that nobility knows these things, especially the Lady Lily, since we are technically her brother's unit.

I talked with Asher briefly before he entered the cursed area about the situation. Apparently the mother and the knee tall son had died in each other's embrace. The father a good distance further away... facing away from everything. Finally, they confirmed that the daughter, a bit older than her brother, had likely been alive for a long time though her guts had been spilling out on the grass. They'd centered the graves around her because of that.

Furthermore, it seems Miss Magdalin had been trying to keep her guts and blood inside for quite a long time. They took a while in convincing her to take off her gloves.

Still, to think the Lady Lily would be as soft as to sing for Miss Magdalin. For how she feels nothing over cutting people in half apparently there is a softer side in there, somewhere.

Still... that song choice. Even if she sings it beautifully and it fits a full moon night as this, choose something else than a tragedy...

[AN: As some of you may have read from the notifications or on my profile, I am currently approaching my master thesis deadline, which is in two weeks. I fully intend on finishing the story, but till then I likely won't be able to update.]