The Monarch: Days of Dusk

Chapter 8. Interrogations.

Eric

It has been a week since I arrived here. Camp Forest as they call it. A fitting name I suppose, considering that is what it really is. But it is also so much more.

The camp contains about 20 odd wooden houses, built around a central manor where the Old Lady and her close advisors live. There is also a river to the north that flows from north to the southwest. The camp houses about 70 odd people including children. The camp subsists off a mixture of hunting, fishing and the minimal agriculture possible in the scarcely tilled yards around some houses.

For the law, a few elders and the Old Lady command the hunters who are the actual law here. Elders include Aaron, the Old Lady’s younger brother, Brad, and Ralph.

“It’s a nice arrangement we have here isn’t it?”. Rory said.

“Yeah, I guess.” I replied.

It was evening.We were walking toward Rory’s house, more appropriately, a modest hut. He had been kind enough to let me sleep there. He lived alone.

“Tell me something, who exactly commands the hunters? Like, what if there was a dispute amongst the elders, whose side would the hunters take?” I asked inquisitively.

“Well, nothing like that has ever happened as far as I’m aware but Aaron and Ralph are hunters themselves and so they obviously have an effect on them. But since the Old Lady is the only real healer around here, every person here holds tremendous respect for her. And who can go against Brad, who, with others, practically built every house in this village except the manor and is the oly blacksmith here. So I guess it’s pretty balanced.” He replied. Obviously impressed himself as I guessed he must never have put so much thought on this.

“Anyway, tell me, why did the Old Lady’s eyes bulge out when she saw you?” he looked at me with a grin.

“Like I would know?” I replied, frowning. It was strange, even to me. Thinking about it, the memory played out in my head.

As I entered the manor with Rory, Aaron directed us towards the Old Lady’s chamber. The manor was huge, built of dark wood with ornate painting adorning the gallery. Of hunters during the hunt. With leather armors, bows in hand or daggers poised with the backgrounds of the woods during different times of the day. Some with hunting dogs, with huge mastiff beasts. But in some of the paintings, there was never the prey. Which struck me as strange, but then again, the nobility always had a strange sense of art.

When we were outside of her chamber, Rory knocked and then opened the door after a moment.

There, sitting in a modestly decorated room, on an ornate chair besides the window, sat the Old Lady.

As we entered, she gazed towards us and her eyes opened wide, mouth a bit agape. It looked like she was dazed momentarily, though after a moment, she regained her composure. Her grey eyes, hair and her wrinkled skin made her age evident. She was dressed modestly but neatly.

“Greetings Eric. I hope our hospitality has been kind. I’m Jocelyn. Or as the good people here call me, their Old Lady.” She smiled.

Nobles and their manners.

“Umm, thank you my lady, everyone has been very kind to me” I smiled back.

“Please, put yourself at ease. You can go now Rory, Aaron will see him out.” She pointed to a chair opposite to her.

“As you say ma’am.” Rory said, winking a bye to me. As he left, she focused her attention entirely on me as if to read me by her grey eyes.

“So Eric? Where did you come from?”

She won’t be so easily deceived. I have to try my best.

“I came from the south.” I said, as evenly as I could as mustering a face I hoped she won’t see through.

“Oh. And you came alone?” her face didn’t betray any emotion. She is well versed in this.

Maybe stringing some truth will ease up her suspicions.

“Yes and Ruby helped me out.” I replied.

“Oh, So, how are you finding life here?” she asked.

Looks like it worked.

“It’s good. I’m adjusting well.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Do you mind if I ask you something?” I asked her, as politely and calmly as I could.

“Yes, go on.”

“I heard your family founded the camp. Is it true?”

“Not exactly.” She replied.

“What…?” she must have read the confusion on my face.

“Our family built this manor. The camp was built around it after the plague.” She explained.

“Ohh.” I replied.

“Now, if I may ask you, do you have any experience with hunting?” she asked.

Is this a truck question? If I say no, then she won’t believe my story about how I survived alone out there till I met Ruby. But if I say yes, then she could put me to the test and see me fail. This is bad, if she gets to know that I don’t have any memories prior to meeting Ruby, it will all get f****d up. No one would believe it. No one will trust me. Better to play it safe for now. Modesty is the best option.

“A little bit, I’m not that good, though occasionally I get lucky” I replied with a little smile.

“ Modesty is a virtue afterall.” She said.

Damn!

“Anyway, we’ll soon see if we can share some of your luck. Maybe we could get a deer this time. It’s has been quite some time since these old lips tasted venison.” She said, with a smile.

“I….” I started to ask what she meant but was cut off before I could speak.

“ You will accompany the hunters tomorrow. Be prepared and sleep well.” She said, smiling a little.

Damn it! She’s a witch!

“Okay, as you say ma’am. I’ll try to be as helpful as I can.” I tried to put on a polite face but I don’t think I convinced her.

“You may leave now, Aaron will see you out.” She said, waving her hand and staring outside of the window again.

I got up. My legs feeling strangely weak. I went for the door.

“You have a good day Eric.” She said while not looking at me.

“You too ma’am.” I replied and opened the door. Someone who I presumed to be Aaron stood outside leaning against the wall.

He was tall, sturdy with shoulder length crimson hair, very fair skin and piercing green eyes. He was beautiful, to say the least.

Did he listen to everything?

It didn’t looked like he had but it didn’t looked like he hadn’t either.

He came towards me.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Aaron.” He said.

“I’m Eric, nice to meet you too.” I replied.

“Ill show you out.” He said, turned and started walking out. I followed after him.

“So, stoked for tomorrow are you?” Rory asked excitedly as it broke my reminiscence.

“Can’t even wait.” I replied. Sarcasm not lost on him as he laughed aloud.