A MAZE OF GREED

Edwin and Lester picked some clothes in the woods and wore them. They ran faster in the direction of 'the great manor'. They did not talk much as both of their minds were busy with their own thoughts.

As soon as they entered the old building, Rees and Thea bowed in respect.

Ida and Elsie were worried for Thea.

"Call Mrs Payne. You all can meet Ruth. Rees follow us." Edwin barked orders while walking towards the stairs.

"And Mrs Welby I advise you to ALWAYS obey my orders, because I will not be lenient the next time."

He disappeared when his warning ended. Lester and Rees followed Edwin wordlessly. The way both Edwin and Lester's faces were set in a serious mould, Rees knew that something was wrong.

The three women sigh a breath of relief. Ida quickly left to get Mrs Payne and, Elsie and Thea rushed to the first floor.

Entering the room, Elsie ran to Ruth. She kept apologising over and over on behalf of her sister. But Ruth was not ready to forget Eloise. But then, she also knew that it was not Elsie's fault. And hence Ruth had no resentment against Elsie.

"Ruth..."

They turned to the door to see Mrs Payne with Ida.

"Mrs Payne!"

Ruth ran to her and hugged her tightly. The scene was so emotional that it made everyone's eyes tear up. They all sat together.

After the initial exchange of words, Ruth said, "I... I want to ask for help."

"Of course Ruth! Tell us." Ida nodded eagerly.

Ruth glanced at Mrs Payne's way, then continued, "I am having a problem in reminding these past days. Can you all please help me with it?"

The look of uncertainty crossed everyone's face.

"Ruth... why do you want to revisit those bad memories? If you can not remember all of them then let it be." Thea said after placing her hand on Ruth's.

"Please! It is important!" Ruth said earnestly.

Elsie had her eyes cast down. Guilt was clear on her face. Ruth noticed her silence and felt bad for her.

"Lady Elsie, please! I have said this before and, I am saying this again. Please stop feeling guilty for the things that you have not done. I am not asking you to help me because I want to hold any anger against Lady Eloise and Lady Theodora.

I want to know because... because I think I have hurt someone who helped me. And I want to rectify my mistake."

Ruth observed their aces. And as she had expected, she saw something change on their faces.

It was always like that. Every time the blue-eyed monster was in question, their perspective changed significantly and, Ruth wondered why?

Even Mrs Payne seemed to be falling into his trap. Ruth decided to use that to her advantage.

She watched as a silent conversation passed between them. She gave them their sweet time to decide and, when they reached a silent agreement, Mrs Payne was the first one to begin narrating from the very beginning.

Ruth started recalling everything as they progressed with the narration of the events. Ida then ended it, by telling Ruth how Edwin saved her and took care of her afterwards.

Meanwhile, Ruth had also recalled the memories that only she, Eloise and Fannie knew.

-"You are like that leech Ruth Moore, that sucks blood till it bursts. You can not win with Elsie by your side because she is no one!"-

Ruth clenched her jaw as Eloise's spiteful voice ranged in her ears.

-"Hope to never see you again!"-

Ruth exhaled a shaky breath. She had never seen that evil look in a person's eyes before, which Eloise had when she said that.

Did not she think of Ruth's life even for a second? How could someone be so heartless? Ruth wondered.

"Enough of all this Ruth. You need to rest now." Thea finally said.

"But I do not want to stay here. Mrs Payne, why do not we go back to home?" Ruth beseeched.

Mrs Payne shifted uncomfortably. Ruth frowned at her reaction. She herself was not feeling well. And now that they met, she looked hesitant to get Ruth home.

"Ruth, please stay here for some more days. The physician periodically comes to check up on you. If you go back, the physician's frequent visits might raise questions.

We... we had to suppress the incident with mother. We can not let people gossip and point fingers at her. It's a question about her reputation and thus the reputation of our family. I... I hope you understand?!"

Ruth stared at Elsie. She liked Elsie very much, yes! But at that point, her hand itched to slap her across her face.

Even after the unjust treatment by Theodora, they were concerned about her reputation?! And to keep it intact, these people were ready to cage here in this place?

What kind of rubbish was that? Ruth wanted to scream at their faces. The pain, the fear that she had gone through, was nothing in front of Lady Theodora O'Dell's reputation?

"I want to sleep." Ruth said abruptly.

The ladies exchanged looks with each other.

"Ruth-"

"I want to sleep, Mrs Payne!" She was angry. How could Mrs Payne keep silent about their decision?

The way Ruth suddenly acted cold, made the ladies leave the room wordlessly. They knew that Ruth did not like what Elsie said but, that was the logical explanation that they could offer to her at that time.

How else they would have convinced her to stay in the old building? By saying that it was not safe for their leader's mate to live in the servants quarters?

This time, after the door closed, Ruth fell back into the bed but without tears. Instead of hurt, all she felt was anger. Anger towards her Lady Theodora, her own mother.

Before she passed into sleep, the last thought on her mind was- 'Thank you God, that I remember Bertha Moore as my mother and not that woman who is blinded by the glint of money and power!'

*

*

*

Meanwhile, in one of the rooms on the second floor, Edwin, Lester and, Rees sat on the couches with furrowed brows. Lester told Rees about the scent of the rogues they collected in the northern buffer zone.

"Master, is it possible that those were your spies? They might wanted to contact you but could not reach you?" Rees pointed one of the possibilities.

Edwin shook his head.

"No, Rees. I recognise the scent of my every loyal. They were not my spies."

Sensing Edwin's wolf's agitation, Lester quickly offered a glass of wolfsbane potion to Edwin. He also did not argue and finished half of it in one go.

"I think Edwin is right. If they were his people, then they would have tried reaching him one way or another by now. Why they kept silence for these couple of days?" Lester backed Edwin's point.

"Or they might be just normal rogues who reached the buffer zone while wandering? When they sensed that it was Vincardine's border ahead, they might hvae changed their route." Rees presented another of his theory.

"Yes... I mean that makes sense." Lester agreed.

But it did not make complete sense to Edwin. Something at the back of his mind nagged him that it was not that simple. He felt like his head was going to explode any minute.

He sighed loudly while pinching between his brows.

"Rees, take some men with you and patrol all the borders of Vincardine. If they are near then they may try to approach our borders. See if you find anything else." Edwin commanded.

"Shall we ask the neighbouring packs about this?" Lester suggested.

"I think we should wait. We do not want to create panic in our world." Edwin said.

"Master, may I say something?" Rees asked with a little hesitation.

Edwin narrowed his eyes at him but nodded in approval nonetheless.

"When I was on my honeymoon.... I got a chance to mix with people from other towns. Hiding my identity helped me to mix up with them."

Lester raised his brows. "Are you planning to use that trick for getting permission for your second honeymoon Rees?"

Rees always wondered how Lester managed to say something funny and sometimes ridiculous things even in serious situations?

"No, My Lord! I am content with what I got. What I am trying to say is that since last couple of months, not only our people but also the other breeds are getting aware of the prophecy in the black book."

"What? But how is that possible? Only few families who were close allies of Lord George O'Dell Sr knows about it." Lester was confused.

"Yes, My Lord. But what I gather from people's conversation, is someone deliberately spreading the news in the supernatural world. People are talking about the possible war.

Some breeds like Centaurs, dragons and griffins, who had to suffer great loss in the great war, are planning their allies and are preparing for the possible war." Rees informed.

Edwin clenched his fists so tight till his knuckles turned white.

"Rees... this is ridiculous!" Lester shook his head disapprovingly.

"It is not full fledged preparation. It is happening slowly and silently. But it is there. The fear of another war has started blooming in people's mind."

Edwin already had more than enough served on his plate. And now, he did not need this more.

He gulped down the remaining wolfsbane potion and walked out of the room without saying anything.

"Were you really on your honeymoon or a secret mission of espionaging?" Lester mock-glared at Rees.

Rees smiled sheepishly, shrugging his shoulders. "A soldier is always on duty My Lord!"