WeatherMaker Hearts Desire Prologue
Chapter 25: Strange Tales

‘So what do we do now?’ Farrell asked, scratching at his healing arm in the splint, furious he couldn’t get that itch.

Shawn glanced from Arlen to Farrell.

‘I know’ Arlen spoke in a strange voice. ‘Let’s ask the residents.’

He strode towards the group of huddled servants, still cowering behind the wall of mercenaries that guarded them. Grabbing one of them, a young woman, Arlen pulled her from the crowd and dragged her out into the open. The poor woman screamed and sobbed and begged for her life.

Arlen threw her to the ground away from the others, but still in sight of them. The servant kneeled before him, cowering in fear.

At first Arlen didn’t do anything. And then he lifted his hand, hitting her hard across the face.

Shawn and Farrell straightened, muscles growing tense, startled by Arlen’s treatment, and wondering what he would do next. The mercenaries remained unmoved.

The woman screamed again, Arlen grabbed her, shaking her roughly to silence her.

‘It’s ok’ Arlen said soothingly when she had stopped screaming. ‘Everything is going to be ok.’

The woman looked more terrified than ever.

Arlen knelt before her, still holding her tightly by the shoulder, and digging his nails deep into her skin. He came to her eyelevel.

‘What is your name?’

‘Sss…Sarah…’ the girl trembled.

‘Good’ Arlen nodded. ‘Now. What can you tell me about the young woman who lived here?’

‘She…’ Sarah begun. She faltered, as if unsure where to begin.

‘Go on’ Arlen said encouragingly.

‘She lived here.’

‘What was her name?’

‘Amaia.’

Arlen let out a deep breath at the sound of her name. His grip tightened further on the woman’s shoulder and she flinched, but dared not resist.

‘Did you….’ Arlen went on, ‘speak to her?’

‘No’ Sarah shook her head. ‘We were not allowed to.’

‘On whose command?’

‘The prince’.’

‘Hmmm’ Arlen murmured. ‘Where is she now?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Why was she hidden here?’

‘I don’t know.’

Arlen was about to ask another question, but changed his mind. Instead he asked a different one.

‘Why…where you not allowed to speak to her?’

‘Because it was the order the prince gave to all of us’ the servant replied in a quiet voice.

‘How long has she been here?’ Arlen asked.

‘About…’ Sarah thought. ‘Maybe about twelve years. She was only a child when she was brought here, about seven in age maybe.’

‘She was seven when she was first taken’ Farrell spoke up.

Oh gods Arlen realised. She’s been here all that time? Completely alone…with no one to talk to……all that time…

A deep sorrow filled his heart. A great depression, as he realised how lonely she must have been.

‘And you’ve been working here all that time?’ Arlen asked the servant.

‘Yes’ Sarah replied. ‘I watched her grow. But none of us were allowed to speak to her. She was well cared for, she had everything we could have given her….but….’

Arlen let her go, and Sarah fell back, massaging her aching shoulders with relief.

‘And…’ Arlen repeated. ‘You don’t know where she is?’

‘No’ Sarah shook her head. ‘She just…vanished one day.’

Arlen raised his head.

What the hell is going on?

‘Is there…anything else you can tell me? About the Amaia? Anything at all?’

‘There is…one thing’ Sarah spoke carefully.

Everyone in the room raised their heads slightly, ears perked with interest. Arlen faced the servant head on now, behind him Farrell had tensed.

‘What is it?’ Arlen asked her.

‘I….I don’t know. This won’t make sense…but…’

Sarah looked up at him.

‘I was…bringing tea to her room. It was a sunny day, and…she was never allowed outside, only stayed inside. And…when she opened the doors and came out of her room…….’

‘What…?’ Arlen spoke.

‘It sounds so strange, and to me it didn’t make any sense. But….she was soaking wet. Her dress…it was as if she had fallen into a lake of water fully clothed. But it wasn’t just that. The room behind her was……out of order. The curtains and bed sheets were strewn about the place. Water soaked the floor, everything in the room was damp…even the walls when I went back shortly after. And….it was cold in the room….so cold….’

She looked back up at Arlen, waiting for his response.

He was sneering, as if she suddenly disgusted him.

‘Have you gone mad woman?’

‘Maybe I have’ Sarah replied fearfully. ‘I don’t know if it was real. But if my mind was playing tricks on me….then the minds of the other servants who helped me clean her room also played the same trick on them.’

Arlen glanced over her head towards the other servants who remained on their knees, huddled together.

‘It’s true’ a braver one spoke up, an older middle aged lady, nameless to all the men. ‘I saw it too.’

‘And there is nothing else you can tell me?’ Arlen asked, glancing back down at Sarah.

‘Nothing’ she shook her head.

‘Just one more thing’ Arlen added before he left. ‘The prince. What was his name?’

‘Tristan’ Sarah breathed.

Arlen strode away in irritation, annoyed at what he had heard.

‘What do you think it means?’ Shawn asked him, struggling to keep up with his pace.

‘Nonsense’ Arlen spat. ‘That was no help whatsoever. She may as well kept her mouth shut.’

Shawn slowed to a stop, allowing Arlen to leave his side.

It was sometime later that Arlen returned to the room, back where the others waited for him.

‘So what do we do now?’ Farrell asked him again.

Arlen sighed.

‘I suppose….’ he mused. The mercenaries around him all glanced his way, Shawn and Farrell waited for a response also.

Arlen looked up suddenly, noticing he was the centre of attention.

‘We…’ he went on. He fell silent again.

Farrell watched him closely, wondering how his brother must be feeling.

He’s worked so hard for this day, only to replace Amaia gone….I wonder how he must be feeling.

‘I suppose there is only one thing left for us to do’ Arlen finished.

‘What’s that?’ Shawn asked.

‘We return, back to Dilston’ Arlen said, ‘and seek Danior. He may be able to help us again.’

‘You think he has answers?’ Shawn asked him.

‘He knows many things’ Arlen replied solemnly. ’Many things he should not know, many things that no one else knows. He is the only man that has the answers, beside the one who holds her captive….besides this Tristan. This prince.’

Arlen balled his fists, eyes narrowing.

Farrell thought then what must be going through his mind. What was he planning? What could he do now to replace Amaia, once she had gone missing for a second time?

‘Do you still desire our services?’ one of the mercenaries grumbled.

‘Yes’ Arlen answered firmly. ‘I do.’

‘When do we leave?’ Farrell asked his brother.

‘Now.’

‘So you were not successful then?’ Danior spoke five days later, the moment he saw Arlen enter the room, with Shawn and Farrell walking behind him. ‘You reached me in good time’ he went on. ‘I was just about to depart to some far off place. Its luck you caught me now, I will be away for quite some time.’

‘Where is Amaia?’ Arlen demanded.

‘She wasn’t at that place you thought she’d be?’ Danior asked. However he spoke as if he already knew this.

‘Where is she?’ Arlen repeated.

‘I understand that she died’ Danior replied.

Behind Arlen, Shawn reached a hand forward, grasping Arlen by the shoulder and squeezing hard to reassure him.

‘Don’t lose control’ Shawn whispered to him. ‘Not here.’

‘She is not dead’ Arlen told Danior sternly.

‘How do you know?’ Danior teased. ‘Her grave was within the garden of the grounds. Did you not see it?’

‘How do you know about that?’ Farrell asked.

‘Most of the mercenaries you hired work for me already. I’m sorry, but most of them have already left.’

‘Left?’ Farrell repeated mistrustfully. ‘But…we’ve only just arrived.’

‘And they are hungry for adventure’ Danior gleamed with mischief. ‘I have sent them on another mission. Sorry.’

He didn’t sound in the least bit sorry.

‘But don’t worry’ he added, ‘you still have six left.’

‘Only six?’ Arlen asked flatly.

‘Better than none’ Danior replied, putting on an overcoat and moving towards the door. ‘You must excuse me now, I have to leave.’

‘But you haven’t told us where Amaia is. And anyway how do you know about the grave?’

Danior glanced back to them.

‘Many of the servants you found there now work for me, including the one called Sarah which you interrogated. As for Amaia, she’s a difficult matter. How is one to replace a woman,’ he glanced at Farrell, ’who went missing twelve years ago? You don’t know where she was last seen, or even what she looks like, as she was taken at such a young age. The only thing you know about her now at this point…is her name.’

‘I know the prince Tristan has held her hostage’ Arlen spoke up. ‘I know where she has been held captive for the last several years.’

‘Have you ever seen her?’ Danior asked speaking now to Arlen. ‘Even once? And clearly I mean’ he interrupted as Arlen opened his mouth to speak. ‘Have you seen her up close?’

‘No’ Arlen replied reluctantly through gritted teeth.

‘No’ Danior repeated. ‘She was never allowed outside, that’s why. However she did sit by the windows. For hours at a time she would gaze outwards, dreaming of freedom. Would you even recognise her if you saw her now?’

‘I would know it was her’ Arlen spoke firmly.

‘But how could you?’ Danior asked showing his hands. ‘She would have changed so much over the years.’

‘I would know’ Arlen repeated. ‘She would look like her mother.’

‘Would she?’ Danior gleamed knowingly.

Arlen fell silent.

‘I don’t know where she is’ Danior went on, ‘but I know that your daughter…’ he looked at neither Arlen nor Farrell ask he spoke this, ‘I know she is unique.’ He lifted his hand to his head, brushing his slick hair back. ‘There is a young woman I have heard of that has the same abilities as Amaia is supposed to have. There is a good chance that she is the one you seek. Her kind are so rare after all. She is in the village of Augsburg. She should be easy enough to replace, you passed the village on the way to replace the prince’s manor.’

’How will we know her?’Arlen asked Danior.

‘You will know her when you see her. I am sure of this.’

‘How do you know of all of these things?’ Arlen asked him.

‘There is much I know that others do not’ Danior replied vaguely. ‘But in the case of this woman in Augsburg….a blind child could replace her.’

‘How will we replace you if we need your help again?’

‘You won’t’ Danior said. ‘I’m leaving in a few days, and I’m going for good. By the time you reach your destination, you won’t have time to make the return journey before I depart.’

‘Why are you leaving?’

‘War is coming.’

‘What?’ Arlen scoffed.

‘Your quest’ Danior went on. ‘It will lead you to war.’

‘I replace that hard to believe’ Arlen said flatly.

‘And yet it is so’ Danior bowed.

‘I feel you know more about this than you’re telling’ Arlen said narrowing his eyes distrustfully.

Danior smiled. ‘If there is anything else you want to know, then ask me now.’

The room fell silent.

‘Then I shall make my way’ Danior said.

He walked away briskly without a backwards glance, Arlen watched him closely as he went.

‘For a man who’s supposed to know everything, I would have thought…’ but he never finished his sentence.

’What did he mean by saying that Amaia is unique and rare, and what did he mean by abilities?’ Shawn asked them.

‘Fucked if I know’ Farrell shrugged beside him, scratching at his splint.

They returned to the ground floor where their horses waited for them, and indeed as they had been told, over half of the mercenaries that had accompanied them had vanished. Now there were only six.

‘What are our orders?’ one of the nameless mercenaries spoke.

‘We travel to Augsburg’ Arlen told them.