Winterfall

I felt horrible not letting her through. I knew she hated it when I cut her off like that but I was pissed. And this was my way of showing it. I very seldom yelled at her. I never laid a hand on her, well, except for training purposes. Shutting her off through the bond was my way of showing how upset I was.

And I could tell she felt horrible. I was getting sorrow, desperate, and lonely through the bond. Even her random thoughts I allowed through.

I’ll admit I was a bit alarmed when I felt her find her way to Marcel’s door but it was not enough for me to fully allow the connection again. I knew that she didn’t like Marcel, but I knew that part of her found him attractive in some way. As the bond allowed me to see and feel that. I know, however, I don’t have to worry about seeing her act on those small bits of pheromones that she got when she first met him due to everything that has happened. So, I knew I didn’t have to worry too much on her part. My only concern would have been for Marcel himself.

With that in mind, I knew she felt terrible for how our lives are going right now. I knew she blamed herself for part of it and I didn’t blame her. As I knew what she was doing was keeping us and the kingdom safe and that honestly, impressed me more than anything. So, I sucked up my jealousy and allowed her communication to fully come through again.

Theo? Thank you…I’m sorry.

It’s alright Maria.

I could feel a sense of relief through the bond. Yeah, she needed this and it was my duty as her guard and lover to make sure she was happy. Even if I wasn’t.

Today was oddly busy anyways. I already dealt with one murder- another poison victim and now I was on my way to another.

“A child Theo! Who would hurt a child?” Quinn said through sending. I could tell this case was really getting on her. Children got to me too. Considering I didn’t have any but desired to have my own one day cases that involved children tore at my heartstrings.

“What seems to be the cause?” I responded to her as one can send a message and receive a response.

“I can’t tell. Her mother is cradling her.” She responded to me with a new message.

“I’ll be there soon.”

I sprinted through the shadows of the kingdom’s road ways. Quinn had previously told me she was in the innermost ring so I knew where to go.

My heart raced as I sprinted through the kingdom. My mind spun with the possibility that this could be another poisoning case. Within the last week there has been a spike of them. Four to date. The one thing that they all had in common, it was the same poison used in each case and it was oddly familiar to the one used on Maria.

“Theo, are you almost here? I can’t handle this alone!” Quinn shouted through sending.

“Just around the corner Quinn.”

I came to a halt when I saw Quinn standing a few feet back from a burnet human woman cradling an unmoving child.

The child was pale and limp in her mother’s arms. The mother was uncontrollable sobbing. Damn this one was bad.

I glanced up at Quinn and gave her a nod. She stepped back further, allowing me to take control. “Miss?” I asked in the most soothing voice possible. “My name is Theoden, and I am here to help.”

She glared up at me with bloodshot eyes and tears running down her cheeks. Her lip quivered and her hands shook as she held her daughter tighter. “YOU CAN NOT TOUCH HER!” she screeched at me.

Her outburst caused me to jump back a few feet. I typically handle overly charged emotions well, at least those from Maria. Coming from other women, I lacked experience in dealing with.

“Miss, please…Let me help.” I begged her once again in the most gentle tone of voice humanly possible. I had hoped that this would work. I didn’t want to force anything with the use of magic.

She maintained her glare on me. Her demeanor unchanged. “LEAVE!” She cried and buried her face in her daughter's body.

Alright, magic it is then. With a flash of arcane magic I used a spell called friends. This spell allowed the target to be friends with you for the duration. I was hoping to use this spell over command or charm. Both seemed a bit extreme for this case.

At first, I wasn’t sure if the spell was going to take hold but sighed in relief when I saw her body ease up. “Miss?”

“OH it’s you! Can you help my daughter?”

Yeah the spell definitely worked. “Of course Miss, I would be happy too.”

I still walked with caution towards her and knelt down beside her. “I need to examine your daughter.”

“Of course. Can you save Violet?” She asked me with a spark of hope in her eye.

My heart sank. At the state her daughter's body looked, I didn’t think there was much more for me to do. I couldn’t revive her, that was one of the Council’s rules. Which is why children’s cases always bothered me, I couldn’t save them.

I took her daughter's pulse first. Yes, she was not breathing. I utilized the same two spells I used on Oliver to determine the cause of death. And my fears were confirmed, poison.

“Can I examine your daughter for the source of contamination?” I asked my new friend.

“Yes, of course. What happened to her?” Her mother said with a more friendly attitude.

“Just give me one minute.” I told her as I examined the back of her daughter's neck finding the exact same pin-hole as the others had. Someone is murdering people with poison.

I released the little girl’s body and let her rest in her mothers arms once more. I leaned back on my knees and scratched my head. As I had a serious issue I had to figure out, someone or something was poisoning civilians with the same poison that Marcel had used on Maria.

Part of me wondered if Marcel himself was doing this or if he had someone else committing crimes. He was a devil after all, and devils liked to collect souls.

I had a suspicion that this could be his doing and I didn’t like the idea of him harvesting a child’s soul. Let alone him harming any more of my people. For myself personally, I could not bear to witness another child dying on my watch. As I have seen too many of them die, I have seen too many people die in general. So, I knew I had to try something, even if that meant I could potentially get in trouble with the council.

Maria, I know you are watching. And you know I hate the death of children.

Theo, you know you can’t bring her back. No Revivification rule implemented by the Council before my parents death prevents that.

I know, but I can not let another go this week. This would make five deaths.

I understand that Theo but the Council can go after both of us.

I knew that was something I could sense she feared. As I could sense that she worried that she would be questioned due to our guard to charge relationship. On top of that, her status would lead them to the potential thinking that she gave me the order and I didn’t act on my own. Besides all of that, I knew that even though no one knew what really happened, there was the off chance that they could ask her to come forth and discuss the situation at hand. Given she would know my character and would aid their judgment if one would need to be made against me.

I’ll take the heat. I promise. I just can not let a child die. Not like this. Please?

I didn’t have to ask her but considering she would more than likely have to deal with the Council first hand I wanted her permission first.

I felt her cave. Yes, revive her.

Thank you my dear. I truly appreciate this.

Just be ready for the backlash of the Council. They can be brutal.

Thank you again my dear. I’ll help you deal with them I promise.

You better.

I let our connection fade as I reached into my bag of holding, pulling out one of the few three hundred gold worth diamond gems that I had left. Even after the Council demanded the spell be illegal, I still had it prepared just on the off chance I’d be able to cast it. They only managed to get the spell to be deemed illegal in ways, however, they could not take away a precious gem like a diamond.

When this spell was still allowed, I managed to gain a good collection of these gems. To which I still have stored away. All but one I tend to carry in my bag of holding. Rather it be used for this spell, in another spell like, or to purchase something fine.

“This will wake her up.” I told the woman calmly, “I promise.”

She nodded and allowed me to take her daughter out of her arms, “please, she is all I got left.”

“I promise.” I said and began the process of Revivify. The spell utilized the diamond and in a flash of arcane magic, the little girl known as Violet took a deep breath for the first time.

“Hello there.” I said with a smile as Violet’s scarlet eyes opened and was staring at mine.

“W--” She began to speak but I shushed her.

“Take it easy dear.” I told her and handed her back to her mother carefully. “As promised.” I smiled at her.

“Thank you for saving my daughter, you are a hero!” Her mother cried as she hugged her daughter tightly.

“Your daughter needs plenty of rest and she will be good as new.” I told her and got up and looked over at Quinn who stared at me stunned, “I think we are done here Quinn, let’s go.”

Quinn nodded and we began our walk back to my office. Leaving the two to get back to their lives.

“Captain, what did you do?” Quinn whispered to me as we walked through the streets.

“Something I probably shouldn’t have. But I couldn’t let her die.”