The Hour of The Wolves

Chapter II (Alissarh)

It was so early in the morning that only the bakers and some porters were on the street going to work as Alissarh hurried down the street. Her father needed her help with a new murder case, and even thought she hated to see, the gruesome mutilated dead bodies , she knew that she is the only one who can give a helping hand to her father. As traumatizing it was , Alissarh could summon and communicate with passed away spirits since she was born. Some say it was because she was a child of ill omen brought to the world from her already dead mother’s womb, or maybe it has something to do with her father’s tribal heritage, but no one knew It for sure. The little Alissarh had to grow up with not only the discrimination for her brown skin, but also because she told the teacher that she was talking to a ghost. She only had peace when she was with her father or Liam. She was thinking about such thing while she turned to the Market street and could see the guards near to the entrance of the alley where she headed. The two guards greeted her with a deep bow, but didn’t say anything, both of them looked sick, and shock.

“Good morning, dear Sirs! – Lissa said with an encouraging smile. – Is my father in the alley? “Ah, nay maam , his lordship was called to another bloody scene to the valley near the crossroad, he looked really pissed ‘bout that. He was swearing like a sailor he did aye!” -started the younger one but the other smacked him on the head.

“ Sir for the lad, ladyship he is a bit rough around but a good soldier. The Lord was need in the hunter’s valley because someone killed four noble kid while they were out hunting. I don’t say they didn’t deserve it thought, but the captain needs to close hat case as fast as possible cause their parents can cous us a lot of trouble. Also, we should find the killer as soon as possible cause its scary to imagine how strong he is if he could kill four of them when they had those bloody masks. “ Said the other one scratching his stubble. – “Anyhow, the scene is untouched as usual , so pleas proceed and let us know if we can start to clean up.”

“Okay Johnson I’ll try to be quick, thanks for the report.” Said Alissarh with a warm smile and entered the alley. She needed to force back down hear breakfast as she took in the murder scene. There was not much left from the victim , just a big pool of blood splashed over the walls. She knelt down next to the pool, and as a tear fell from her cheek down to it. “ Wake my dear, wake up! We need to pay back to that bastard who did this to you. I promise you  I will seek justice no matter what the price is, so please help me and heed my call. “

A cold eerie blue lighted up the alleyway and made the guards jumps as a shape rose from the pool. The beauty of the women risen from the death was unparalleled, she had an aura and dignity around her what can only be obtained by walk past the last line between the living and the dead. Although her lips were moving , no sound came from them, but Alissarh could understand everything., as she could hear the voices from the other side of the curtain.

“Oh, dear! Where am I ? Such unpleasant place you brought me young miss. It’s not appropriate for a baroness to held meeting in an alleyway now is it darling? – Then she looked down on her arms and let a loud gasp.-“Oh, my ! What did just happen to me?! How unseemly, to die such way! “

She would have continued rambling, if Lissa didn’t stop her politely but firmly.

“ Ahem! Excuse me your ladyship to disturb your slumber on the other side. I am Alissarh Gwendolyn from the Belionth house. I am to...” – She started, but the baroness interrupted.

“Humph there are no such thing as house Belionth dear. You are just a bunch of wildlings from the barbarian pagan land of Aastricar. I am Lady Begonia Vindicator Baroness of Darkwood and Western marshes. My family goes back to the founders of Grimwalden. I won’t stand to some careerist telling me that they are a house. “

Oh, again some snob i***t, but I’ll still need her to sole this case.-thought Alissarh. She took a strong commanding tone and strictly stated.

“Look your Baroness, I hate this situation as much as you, help me to find the killer so we can go on our separate way. I really don’t have the time nor the patience for your willfulness and stupidity. Now tell me what happened here, how you died, and if you saw anything, before I need to apply force. “ Just to give more weight to her word so induced a small spark of pain in the spirit’s hand.

“ Ouch! Okay, okay just don’t do this again. I was out for a night stroll , and there was some commotion in the street before me I turned into this alleyway so I can avoid being seen, because , well because I didn’t wanted to be seen.”

“Why is that thought? I can make you feel greater pain if you don’t stop to wasting my time.”

“Such rudeness! If you want to know so much I was going home from my lover , and didn’t my husband were on the market squire , if he would have seen me, it would have caused so much trouble. Anyhow, I turned in here , and saw I tall man talking to little hunched guy in such scary tone, it made cold run through my veins. I tried to turn back, but strange darkness enveloped me, and the tall man started to walk to me. He wore a hat and an elegant suit, I never seen such good fabric in this city. He said something in a weird language, then I don’t remember anything just the darkness and the pain.“

“Have you seen his face, our do you remember his voice so we can find him, or something which helps me distinguish him?”

“No sadly I do not saw his face, he wore a mask with a gold vine pattern. His voice thought I remember, I could tell from thousand other.”

“That if he didn’t change it in some way, but we will think about this later. I need to let the guards clean up this place and they are becoming uneasy because of your presence. The wisest would be sending you back, but I might need your help to find the killer. You will need to stay in the sapphire of my necklace until we solve this case, so we can communicate, and you can see everything, but don’t terrify the citizens.”

“ Let it be young miss. I hope we finish this nuisance quickly.” The ghost disappeared into the jewel and Alissarh left the alleyway to go home and have some breakfast.

“The scene is yours good Sirs! Have a nice day and treat yourself a good cup after this ugly job. “ She told the guards and gave them a gold each.

“Thank you miss,  you are too good to us! Have a safe walk home, and a good day you! “

The street started to get packed with people going to the market or to work and the rising sun painted the sky beautiful red as Lissa walked home, but she didn’t even saw any of that , because she was lost in her thought.

“Who could be the mysterious killer? What could the meeting mean? Was the death of the baroness planed or it is just a coincidence? “ To many questions and no answers. She should talk to her father as soon as she can, she had an ominous feeling about this murder case. She fastened her steps, she had no time to waste.