CHAPTER 3
Lord Kiume stood in the village market, blocking the main traffic flow with his hulking size.
"Lord Kiume!" a gray wolf with a deep purple robe bounded up to meet him.
The lord turned "What is it now?" he growled Certainly a good lead?
The wolf kneeled, and then drew out of one of his pockets a golden chain.
The chain was beautifully adorned with dozens of tiny emeralds.
But much to his dismay, the beauty was soon turned grim as he noticed the chain was encrusted in dry blood.
"So either my love to a good chunk out of those two or....... or they...." He quickly banished the thought. They wouldn't dare hurt her. She is the princess heir!
The steward continued, "Also, we have a lead to the brothers."
He pulled out a rough charcoal drawing.
Kiume flicked his ears "Who is this?"
"Giza 'arie Cleyn" He set the picture down. "We've talked to some of the locals, She seems to have a close relationship to Tamu 'jan Karlaf"
The lord smirked "A close relationship you say?" His tail whipped back and forth.
The steward nodded "Are you going to?"
Kiume looked at the fluttering piece of paper once more.
"Consider it done."
Giza weaved through the market stalls, all the vendors selling a different item.
She came up to the butcher shop and stepped in.
The bell jingled and a scuffling behind the counter resounded through the shop.
"Ah! Giza dear! How is my favorite wolf?" A grizzly bear stepped out from behind the counter, knocking a jar of jelly over in the process. The jar shattered and raspberry jelly splattered all over the floor.
"Ah, ha, ha. Oops." He grumbled.
Giza laughed and began to mop up the mess with a spare rag laying around.
"I'm fine Hogg. But there was no need for that kind of welcoming" She winked at him.
The grizzly chuffed and scratched his head "Ah, Oh Yes! Today's weekly meat day." He lumbered over to the fridge and opened the door " Go ahead and pick it out what you need, then we can negotiate the price."
Giza gave him a thankful nod and stepped into the fridge to look at the meat hanging from hooks. From inside, she could hear the bell jingle and Hogg's usual greeting.
"Hello and welcome to Hogg's Meat. Anything I can help you with?"
She poked her head out the door, and then, with a gasp ducked back in.
Two wolves were standing at the counter, one was fulled dressed in Guard armor, the other was wearing the high class purple robes.
The one in the armor spoke first, but he spoke to low for Giza to hear. She watched as he slammed a piece of paper down on the counter. Hogg glanced nervously back at the fridge.
Robes studied the open door and spoke quietly to Armor.
The two shoved past Hogg with an amazing ease, and pounded toward the fridge.
Giza whimpered and backed into a corner "I'm sorry Tamu...." she whispered "I'm not coming home for dinner...."
"Well, well, Giza 'arie Cleyn. What a nice surprise." Armor was standing in the doorway. He nodded to Robes, who was holding a bunch of steel chains. "Bring her to the village stockades."
Robes hurried forward, "Yes Lord Kiume."
Giza didn't dare resist as she was dragged through the muck lined streets to the village town center.
Stall vendors looked up and stared as the once magnificent Giza was being herded like a lost lamb into the center, where she was in turn chained to the large wooden pole.
" Giza 'arie Cleyn. You are hereby pronounced guilty on charges of treason and theft. You have given criminal a home for years. Do you plead guilty?" Robes was standing next to a podium some few feet away.
"I plead..." Damn, guilty or not guilty? Guilty and I betray Tamu and Nioku.... Not Guilty and I may get life in Gillaun, or even execution...... She bit her lip."I plead Not Guilty."
Lord Kiume smiled "Excellent choice dear. I hereby sentence you Gillaun until proven not guilty."
Tamu watched from a rooftop a few blocks away. "Oh Giza. What has Nioku done?!" he whispered.
