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Chapter 35 Lord Bathory
The estate of Lord Bathory was plain as the nose on anyone's face. Nothing stood out, his guards wore plain surcoats without the Lord's coat of arms on them. The practice field in the front yard turned out to be the only area the lord kept neat, otherwise, the weeds and offensive fauna ruled the area.
"Does not believe in keeping a tidy estate?" Aurelia lopped off a willow bush with her blade. Mashek shook his head and chuckled, "Wait until you see the inside, you'll think differently about the man. I thought the same when I first approached this modest household." He gestured to the area around him, "You'll notice the lack of guards on patrol." "Why does he not have men stationed near his home?" Zinjo stopped to examine a bizarre-looking flower, "What kind of plant is this one?" Mashek kicked his hand out of the way, in a panic, "Don't touch it, the blooms sRelated chapters
The Lion of Shadowfen Chapter 36 A new path
Aurelia glared at the termite-ridden chair Mashek brought into the room for her. He turned red at the sight of it. Lord Bathory clapped a wrinkled hand over his eyes, "Mashek, throw it in the fireplace, and get another one," He gave Zinjo and Aurelia a weak laugh, "Haha, as you can see I don't put much stock in shiny baubles or furniture. I'll have no use for things when I am dead." Mashek rolled his eyes and left the room. "Lord Bathory stood with his guest, "I'll sit when we all do," He stood behind the desk, "Seeing as we are all after the same creature. Perhaps we should start by recreating the witch trap bottle," He placed the original on the desk. The crystal container created a prismatic effect on the desk, and letters were etched into the side, Aurelia could smell the evil intentions on the artifact. She balked and took a step back from it, "I can still smell the wretched darkness,"
The Lion of Shadowfen Chapter 37 Sea Meet
Mshindi and Redford were more than happy to join Lord Bathory's cause. The companions parted on amicable terms Redford included. They said their farewells and went their separate ways. Zinjo and Aurelia did not talk much on the way back to Shadowfen, both were in deep contemplation. An enormous task lay ahead and neither was sure if they were truly up to it. Most would expect the woman to break the silence first, but Zinjo appeared more concerned about their impending adventure than Aurelia. They made camp for the night, and Zinjo grilled some meat on a hot rock. The strips sizzled and spit-up grease. Zinjo tended them with a long stick. "Are you afraid, dark princess?" The question provoked thought on Aurelia's end. At first, she wanted to answer yes, but her mind drifted back to the heart's call. Amouria didn't make mistakes when it came to pairing people off. Her adventures
The Lion of Shadowfen Chapter 38 Tess and Gael
Zinjo listened to Aurelia's plan and shook his head, "Madness, your plan is madness. You suggest we go into business with these dubious people and help them exploit primitive cultures?" "Watch your mouth. I am suggesting we talk them into taking a tour to see what's out there. If we happen to find items of value for them to trade, they have to make the deal and not us. We will make sure they stay on the up and up," Aurelia turned her back to him. It didn't take long for regret and shame to rule Zinjo's voice, "I didn't think..." "I know this side of the world is filled with greed and unnatural things, but some of us are trying to change that. How can we be together if you hold my people's actions against me," Aurelia crossed her arms and walked forward?? "You are right, dark princess, I spoke without thought..." "It's becoming a hab
The Lion of Shadowfen Chapter 39 Guildy Pleasures
Royalty, the word oozes high society and scrutiny. To Aurelia, the word is about commitment and sacrifice for the good of the people. Here in the Merchants Guild of Sea meet, she has an opportunity to use her power to instigate social change. Aurelia strode into the center of the lounge, the men couldn't take their eyes off of her. She demurely opened the bright-colored parasol, "Gentleman, for those of you who don't know me, I am Princess Aurelia and your next queen." The whole room froze in time. Every pair of eyes looked toward Aurelia with confusion or interest. She strolled back and forth with the parasol above her, "I'd like to know why Tess Bernard is stuck in the basement, with marketable products, unable to sell her goods?" A long-bearded trader cleared his throat, "The guild denied her the license to sell, your majesty." "Can I ask why?" She added a hint of expectation at the end
The Lion of Shadowfen Chapter 40 negotiating travel
As expected Tess offered to help them on their journey. In exchange, she asked Zinjo and Aurelia to help protect their cargo. Aurelia and Zinjo hesitated because it meant going to the far east before they made their way home. With multiple kivuli on the loose, the couple hesitated to agree. Time was of the essence. "Is there something you two aren't telling me?" Tess asked, "Your passage is assured, I already told the investors two werelions would be on board to protect the shipment." "You had no right," Zinjo growled he crossed his arms, "You wouldn't believe us, even if we told you." Aurelia shoved Zinjo aside, "Enough, Zinjo. Tess was eager to show her gratitude, and we did not explain the purpose of our journey. To blame Tess for our current predicament would be wrong." "Still didn't have any right," Zinjo grumbled, and he busied himself with the other crates
The Lion of Shadowfen Chapter 41 this old tub
The boat creaked and groaned on the choppy waves. As it turned out Aurelia and boats were not a good mix. She spent much of her time feeling queasy. She lay there on a hammock focused on a singular nail to keep the bile in her throat down. After a week on the boat, the princess longed to feel the firmness of the earth beneath her feet. The winds remained strong and the weather favored them for the last week. Gael proved to be a capable leader and would frequently check on Aurelia much to Zinjo's displeasure. Aurelia admitted the muscular sailor held some interest for her, but always paled in comparison to Zinjo. Their first stop was the port of a small kingdom called Larylia, Gael entered Aurelia's cabin and nodded to Zinjo, "We'll be here in Larylia for a few days. They have the most beautiful botanical gardens and their forest boasts some bizarre rock formations, you can hire a guide for a dec
The Lion of Shadowfen Chapter 42 Dressed for Success
The people in the small clothing shop worked miracles for Aurelia. After all, it wasn't every day royalty came to visit. The other attendants kept Zinjo in the main area. In the space of fifteen minutes, Aurelia went from travel-worn adventurer to regal Princess while maintaining her gothic image. The shop owner admired her handiwork. A long flowing black satin dress with a red and black bodice. The dress straps sat on shoulders comfortably, and the princess touched her bare arms. She disliked sleeves and often cut them off her dresses only to have the servants sew them back on. Another attendant teased her hair and styled it, Aurelia couldn't help but giggle to herself, Zinjo wouldn't know what hit him. The owner motioned for an employee to come forward with a wooden box, she smiled as she opened it, "I hope you can forgive my employees, they are young and have all the wrong ideas about romance." Aure
The Lion of Shadowfen Chapter 43 Gentle Orders
In a small port town in Larylia, coastal kingdom trouble is brewing. Aurelia has no idea what kind of trouble, but it warranted twelve men and two werelions. Zinjo professionally held his partisan. Aurelia clutched the parasol blade with determination, despite the small shard of doubt in the back of her mind. With one victory under her belt, she felt like a child next to the men who practiced day and night to keep their skills sharp. "What sort of enemy are we facing?" Zinjo managed to ask after a prolonged silence. The guard captain, Tiberius Steele, turned to Zinjo and pointed to the woods, "Our enemies are creatures of our own making I'm afraid. Once upon a time, Larylia was the pinnacle of magical research. We were prosperous, and had the respect of peers." "What happened?" Aurelia asked. Her ears detected low hisses and the rustle of leaves amid the snap of twigs. She
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