The Vampire & Her Witch-Chapter 686: Leaving Camp (Part Two)

When Ashlynn walked toward the edge of the camp where the Guild Masters stood, Isabell was still staring at Darragh’s lifeless body as her mind replayed everything she had seen from Ashlynn from the very beginning of the ’tribunal’ all the way to the execution of the traitor.

From the brooding look on Tiernan’s face, it was clear that he’d also been troubled by what he’d seen, though it was difficult to say which moments in the impromptu trial had struck the muscular guild master the most. Unlike Isabell, he wasn’t accustomed to violence, and even if he’d seen a public execution before, this one had been far more... personal than anything he’d ever witnessed in Blackwell County.

For Isabell, the show and spectacle that Ashlynn created as she drew the crowd into her rhythm had been completely overwhelmed by the cold efficiency with which the young lady had executed the traitor and her warning to everyone watching about the fate that awaited anyone who betrayed their close ones.

More than anything, the sight of the pained and coldly furious look in Ashlynn’s eyes when she ran Darragh through was an image she couldn’t get out of her mind and she kept replaying the moment over and over again, right up until Ashlynn startled her out of her thoughts when she addressed the pair of Guild Masters. freёnovelkiss.com

"Master Isabell, Master Tiernan," Ashlynn said politely forcing herself to maintain a certain amount of formality until they were out of sight of their ’guests.’ "I’m sorry you had to witness something so ugly on the night we finally reunited. I’m sure you both have many questions," she said, wearing a smile that felt polite but slightly forced and more than a little tired. "If you’ll come with me, Marcel should have the carriage ready for us momentarily."

"Ashlynn," Isabell said softly, deliberately refusing to match the young lady’s formal tone. "You don’t have to pretend with us. I know that must have been harder on you than it looked. If you need time to collect yourself before we go," she said, glancing at the large tent where Ashlynn had been waiting when they arrived.

"I can also be company for you if it would help," she offered, glancing apologetically at Master Tiernan. "We have time. The Lothians aren’t expecting us back for several days. You don’t need to rush on our behalf."

"No, you don’t understand," Ashlynn said, shaking her head gently. "But you will. Come with me," she said, holding out a hand to Isabell and nodding for Master Tiernan to follow them. "If you want to rest during the ride, that’s also fine," she added when she opened the door to her carriage.

Before she could enter, however, she was interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Constable Daithi, looking uncomfortable at having to interrupt her departure but clearly having decided that whatever weighed on him was important enough to come seek her out before she could depart.

"What is it, Constable?" Ashlynn asked, raising an eyebrow at the man who had been a captive just six months prior.

"My Lady," he said, dropping to one knee and bowing his head. "I’m sorry for interrupting but I wanted to ask about, about Darragh’s body," he said, swallowing heavily.

The man had come to a tragic end, but people like Daithi and Eamon had known him for several years. They’d been close companions and faced their share of danger together. Now that he’d been convicted of treason, however, no one was certain what should be done with his remains.

Tradition dictated that traitors be staked out in the sun for the crows to feast upon, allowing the Holy Lord of Light to slowly cleanse them of their sins. No one was allowed to disturb the body or the process, and the traitors were often left in public places as a lesson to commoners about the consequences of betraying their liege lords.

If Lady Ashlynn commanded them to do the same, of course, none of her men would refuse. But here, at the edge of the Vale of Mists where countless beasts roamed the forest and the sun was rarely felt directly through the constant mists, no one felt entirely comfortable leaving him to rot.

"He was a friend of Eamon’s, wasn’t he?" Ashlynn said softly. "Let him to be the one to decide how his friend is to be buried. But Daithi," she added as she placed one foot on the step of the carriage and prepared to enter.

"Tell Eamon that I wouldn’t mind if he chose to build a pyre for his old friend. I doubt that Darragh is bound for the heavenly shores, but that doesn’t mean we can’t light the way for him to find his next life. Maybe next time, he’ll find himself in better circumstances than whatever drove him to... to this," she said softly.

"Thank you, my lady," Daithi said, bowing deeply in gratitude after he stood. "I’m sure that Eamon and the others will be happy with your judgment."

"Not my judgment," Ashlynn reminded him from the inside of the carriage. "The final decision is Eamon’s. You make sure to tell him that."

"Yes, my lady," the constable said, giving a brief, Eldritch style salute before dashing back towards the camp, leaving Isabell and Tiernan standing in awe of the carriage that Ashlynn had just entered.

At first, neither Guild Master had noticed anything strange about the carriage. It looked wider than most, and taller as well, with larger wheels and greater length than most carriages they’d seen, but at the end of the day, most carriages could be described as boxes atop wheels and this one seemed no different.

It wasn’t until Ashlynn opened the door that they stared in surprise at the opulence of the carriage’s interior. The upholstery looked like a soft, velvety suede that had been dyed a deep forest green while gilded tacks secured the soft leather to the polished wooden frame beneath.

Four crystal lamps lit the interior, filling it with soft golden light that reflected off polished wood and brass fittings. Above, the ceiling of the carriage had been upholstered in dark, midnight blue velvet, set with hundreds of tiny gemstones in patterns that formed recognizable constellations of the night sky.

Several small compartments looked like they might hold a number of secrets and against the opposite wall of the carriage, a wooden panel looked like it could be unfolded along the brass tracks to provide a narrow table between the bench seats.

The interior was far more luxurious than anything the Guild Masters had ridden in, even when they traveled with Owain and the quality of craftsmanship and materials exceeded even the royal carriage of the Emerald Kingdom among the old countries.

The door of the carriage bore the same strange coat of arms as Isabell had seen flying on banners in the camp, a mighty tree with lavender growing at its base. Clearly, whoever the mysterious person was that was backing Lady Ashlynn didn’t lack for wealth, even if they made little show of lending her the power she needed to remain safe in the wilderness so close to demons.

"Ashlynn," Isabell asked as she took her seat in the carriage next to Tiernan and facing the young noblewoman. "I have one question I need to ask before we go because it’s been bothering me since we arrived," she said carefully.

"I don’t recognize the coat of arms on this carriage and this," she said, gesturing to the luxurious decor that, now that she looked closer, also included several carvings of tree leaves or even entire trees, as if the person designing the carriage had a minor obsession. "Who does this carriage belong to? Who is it that’s providing you with this support all the way out here at the edge of the frontier?"

"The first part is easy," Ashlynn said, closing the door and tapping lightly on the roof to signal Marcel that they were ready to leave. "The carriage is mine. It was a gift from High Lady Erna," she said with a slight smile. "She seemed almost offended at how simply I was traveling when we first met, so before I came home, she insisted on presenting this to me."

"As to who’s supporting me," Ashlynn said as the carriage began to roll down the ancient roadway that, just seven months ago, had taken her all the way to the Vale of Mists. "Well, that’s a bit more complicated..."

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