Bria was off as soon as she'd dropped her pack, Angee and Allia took a side street straight across to the street of the apothecary and walked down it.
After a couple of minutes they saw the Temple, it was set slightly back in the street and did not have the run down look of the buildings around it.
Once inside they felt a welcome straight away, they could feel the Goddess and it lifted their spirits, near the altar they saw a woman in a grey robe lighting candles and walked up to her, "excuse me."
The woman jumped, "oh, sorry, I didn't hear you come in , I'm Prieth the priestess here, and you are?"
"Angee and Allia" Angee said "I understand there's a Bard here?".
Prieth turned, "come with me, Esha is in her room, she hasn't been well lately."
Angee and Allia walked with Prieth to a small room just off the temple, Prieth knocked, a weak voice inside said "enter", Prieth went in first.
"Esha, there are a couple of fellow Bards here to see you." Angee and Allia walked in and saw the oldest Bard they had seen gazing intently at them.
"Thank you Prieth, I would like to talk to my sister's now." Prieth turned and left, once the door closed Esha looked at them again, she didn't say a word, only undid her tunic and showed them the grey star there.
Allia went first, she undid her tunic and showed her blue star, Angee undid her tunic then exposing her white star, Esha's jaw dropped.
"A white Bard!, I never thought to see that."
Angee gave Esha a solemn look, "yes, we are needed for who is coming", Esha blanched then started into a fit of coughing.
Allia helped her sit up while Angee poured a drink of water for her, when her cough had settled, Angee continued, "you are unwell?", Esha waved her hand, "I had a cold last winter, and despite my best attempts I seem unable to shake it, I think I will not be long before the Goddess calls me home."
Angee sat down on the side of the bed, "there is a third Bard with us, a green Bard, will you let her see if she can heal you?".
Esha looked doubtful, "I will let her, although I do not hold out much hope, it has held a grip on me a long time."
Esha seemed to think for a moment, "a white,blue and green Bard, seems I remember reading something about that in the old archives many years ago."
Angee did not want to tire Esha but she wasn't going to give a sister a half answer, "we are a battle triad, the first in a millennium as you have no doubt surmised."
Esha seemed to approve, "you go to face him then, is he loose in the world?". Angee shook her head, "no, but he will be, and when he is we'll face him and his followers, that is partly why we're here, to check the towns our families are in, we've already dealt with dark servants in my village and are checking the rest too".
Esha sat up a bit, "well, if it's like that I'm afraid you'll have to take a look at the whole town, I would have spotted anything while I was well, but I have been sick for months, so..."
Fourteen
It was obvious to Mol that while the kitchen was well staffed the rest of the things that needed doing were not popular and on countless occasions she had been asked to help with the laundry and cleaning. This of course gave her more access to area's other than the kitchen.
Mol had a fairly good idea of the Mother Abbess's movement's, she did not have a set routine but tended to do something's at similar sort of times of day.
She had just finished scrubbing the corridor outside the Abbess's office and seen her go out, as she stood up her back protested at all the work she'd been doing and she decided to sit down on the double chair at the end of the corridor in an alcove.
She didn't hear anything but felt someone was in the corridor, in the shadows of the alcove she was hidden and peeped around the corner to see someone creeping along the wall of the corridor towards the office, the light in the corridor was not good and she couldn't see who it was, but she knew the office was locked as she'd heard the lock click as the Abbess locked it.
Whoever this was approached the door and tried the handle, the next moment all Mol's internal alarms went off as for the first time she sensed dark magic and saw the door open, she reached for a dagger and realised she wasn't wearing one, whoever this was they were an enemy of the temple, she stayed very quiet and still and a few minutes later the spy left the office, she got a profound shock as she glimpsed the grey tunic and crimson cloak that marked a Bard.
Slipping into the small room she shared with three other women who worked in the kitchen she opened her chest and retrieved her dagger from beneath her clothes, she pulled her petticoat up and put it in the top of the boots she wore, these were something Suse had given her, "they looked like shoes" she'd explained, "but being a boot can easily conceal a weapon that's easy to get at", also Mol's dresses had been modified to rip to enable free movement and access to the dagger if necessary.
Mol knew there were too many Bard to watch them all so she took all the cleaning assignments going so as to keep watch on the comings and goings. a couple of times she had the feeling of being watched,but the feeling quickly passed, did her enemy know who she was?.
Mol had just scrubbed the main corridor to the outside, she'd seen nothing suspicious for two days and stood up to stretch when a movement of air behind her gave her little warning, an iron like arm clamped around her throat and a voice whispered in her ear, "are you watching me girl?".
Mol stood perfectly still, she knew she couldn't reach her dagger, so she had to play the dimwit, "please?", she said in a terrified voice, "please, what do you mean?", she heard a cruel laugh.
"You don't fool me girl, it would be very easy to arrange an accident for you."
The person holding her must have heard something for the arm let go, Mol, tucked and rolled and came up with the dagger in her hand.
A sound behind her made her whirl ready to strike.
Sera was just returning from sparring practice and was shocked to see Mol stood there with a dagger and stood as if she knew how to use it, almost on reflex she had her sword out of it sheath ready for anything.
Mol knew she was in trouble, pulling a dagger on a Bard, she knew it wasn't Sera now as she'd come from the opposite direction, she decided to take a chance. Slowly she lowered the dagger to the floor and held her hands palms up, "please Sera don't turn me in, we have to talk, I promise I'll explain everything."
Sera was taking no chances, from the little she'd seen Mol was a dangerous opponent, "back away from the dagger" she indicated, Mol stepped back well out of reach of the dagger and Sera walked forward slowly never taking her eyes off Mol.
She felt the dagger under her foot and crouched down without her eyes moving and picked up the dagger.
"I should take you to the Mother Abbess", Mol looked alarmed at that, "please trust me I can explain, can we go in the chapel and talk?".
Sera was surprised, an odd place to discuss something like this, but she had a feeling Angee's closest friend wouldn't have suddenly turned bad.
Mol didn't know what had prompted her to suggest the chapel, she just had an idea what she was going to do in there.
They walked down the stairs to the chapel corridor, Sera's sword still in her hand, Mol entered and Sera followed, Mol walked to the altar, "could you close the door please?, I don't want people seeing this."
Sera considered for a moment and leaned against the heavy wooden door to close it, she still had her sword and Mol's dagger so she should be alright.
Once the door was closed Mol said, "come a bit nearer, I have something to show you". Sera walked forward, she stopped twenty paces from Mol, waiting.
Mol knew what she had to do now, she undid her dress and pulled the top half of it down exposing her breasts, all of a sudden her bronze star appeared in a bright light. Sera almost dropped her sword in shock.
"How?" was all she said. Mol pulled up her dress, "I am a bronze Bard", at Sera's lack of understanding Mol continued, "I know there's never been a bronze Bard before, there is now, Suse has been trainin
g me in fighting and other activities, it's my job to do the less savoury tasks like spying or killing if it needs doing.
Suse sent me here as an exercise to see if it was possible to assassinate the Abbess. I have found more than that though" and she went on to relate the incident in the corridor outside the Abbess's office.
"I suppose whoever the traitor is they know about me, or suspect something anyway, just before you came they jumped me, you must have scared them off, that's why I was holding a dagger."
Sera didn't know what to think.
* * *
Angee walked into the temple with Bria, she had filled her in about Esha and she'd agreed to do what she could. Esha smiled as they entered.
"Esha this is Bria, the Bard I told you about", Esha merely laid waiting and Bria walked over and sat on the bed beside her, "right, we'll see what's giving you this trouble."
Bria's hands glowed a soft shade of green and pulsed as she moved them up and down Esha's body, when she'd finished she looked very serious, "I've done what I can but the damage is too great, I'm sorry".
Esha looked as if she'd expected nothing else, "I thought this illness had gone on too long". Bria took a breath, "it isn't an illness that has done this you've been poisoned."
Esha looked fit to kill someone, "if I knew who did this!".
Angee felt almost as angry, Bria interrupted her train of thought. "It must have been a slow acting poison administered over a long time, so it would seem like an illness and therefore natural."
Angee considered all possible options. "Do you have any enemies?", Esha couldn't think of anything and after another coughing fit signalled so, she was getting tired and Angee decided to leave further questions till later.
Walking back to the Inn Angee and Bria talked, "how long has she got?" Angee enquired. "not much longer" Bria said with a clinical tone, "I'm surprised she lasted this long."
Once back at the Inn they talked with Allia who'd been walking around town in plain clothes to gauge the mood of the place.
"Forgive me Bria", Allia said, "but the mood in this town is ugly, there seems like something festering under the surface."
Bria seemed astonished, "what do you mean?", Allia shrugged her shoulders slightly.
"There's nothing definite, a lot of grumbling, more than I'd expected to see, people unhappy with their lives, but also a hatred of different groups, middle hate the working class, working class hate the merchants, I saw a lot of people in taverns and eateries, complaining, saying something should be done about this person or that person, nobody seemed to have anything good to say."
Allia looked graver then, "something that really bothered me was most of the people I heard said something bad about us" meaning Bards in general.
Angee could see there was quite a mess to clear up in this town, "right, this time we'll all go out, we'll take our swords but be in plain clothes as well."
As they left the Inn they recounted what had really happened to Esha, Allia looked as angry as Angee had been when Bria told her.
They headed for the market square, Bria took them by some back alleys as it was quicker, unfortunately it was a mistake, they turned up a narrow alley and were cut off by five men in shabby clothing carrying various weapons, "what have we here then?,some girls looking for a good time?" they let out a wicked laugh.
Allia put a hand on Angee's shoulder, "let me handle this", she stepped forward, the man who had spoke before noticed, "Ooh a volunteer, want to try a real man?", Allia laughed, "sure!, if you Eunuchs will tell me where to find one."
The man's face became a mask of fury at this and he charged towards Allia, the alley was only wide enough for one person to fight in, so it was one on one.
Allia's sword came out of her sheath like lightning, the man had an old rusty sword and was no match for Allia's prowess, she despatched him with a thrust to the neck after only exchanging a couple of blows.
The second man was slightly tougher as he held a staff and it took Allia a little longer to kill him, a voice from behind them shouted,
"what's going on here then?".
The other three toughs ran for it, safe as the three Bards blocked pursuit of them.
A squad of men in the uniform of the guard came up the Alley, at the sight of Allia holding a bloody sword they drew their own, "I don't know what's going on here" the man in front said, a sergeant from his rank flashes,"but you'd better come with us to the magistrate, drop your weapons."
Angee stepped forward, "we cannot do that Sergeant, you cannot touch our weapons", the Sergeant seemed to take offence at that, Angee didn't move as she knew they could kill her before she could draw her sword, the Sergeant grabbed the hilt of Angee's sword and was propelled backwards with a thunderous flash into the other Guardsmen, Angee knew he was dead before he hit the ground.
The other's stood up checking their Sergeant, "sorcery!" a corporal gasped, Angee nodded, she did not want to kill these men who were doing there job, "yes corporal, now, we'll go with you to the magistrate but we cannot surrender our weapons."
The corporal considered a moment and whispered to one of his men who promptly vanished around the corner, "we'll wait for an officer" the corporal said, Angee groaned inside, just what she'd hoped to avoid, a scene.
Stood there waiting was a bit boring for Angee and her friends and very tense for the guardsmen, who kept giving them nervous looks.
After about ten minutes or so the guardsman returned with an officer and platoon of men, the corporal reported what happened and the officer turned to Angee.
"You will not surrender your weapons?" Angee shook her head, "we cannot, for if any touch them but us it means their death as the sergeant found out before he let me explain."
The officer considered for a moment, "very well, we'll take you to the magistrate with your weapons, do you give your word not to draw them or make any attempt to flee?" Angee gave her word.
The officer's face carried one final warning, "if you do attempt to flee you'll be cut down, do you understand?", Angee was getting a bit exasperated, "yes we do, now shall we go?".
The officer was a bit taken aback by Angee's tone, and the platoon formed around them as they left the alley, Angee had already decided to play being a Bard to the full, she was fed up of all this attitude, they were only defending themselves.
The march through the streets did nothing for her mood, and from the looks she got from Bria and Allia they were fed up too.
Once at the courthouse they were marched straight into a court where three men sat behind a raised bench sat in blue robes.
The officer stepped forward, "magistrate, these three women are accused of two counts of murder, and murdering a guard sergeant by sorcery."
Angee couldn't believe it, she was really angry, but before she could speak the magistrate spoke, "are there witnesses?", the officer nodded.
"Yes sir, the four guardsmen with the Sergeant."
The magistrate continued as soon as he'd finished, "very well, I find you guilty of murder and the sentence is death, sentence to be carried out..", Angee interrupted him her anger at this farce almost out of control, she took a breath , "you", she pointed at the magistrate then looked at the guardsmen, "have made a big mistake."
The magistrate's face went red with fury, "how dare you speak to me like that!", Angee stepped forward,"how dare I?, you accuse three women and pass judgement without asking what happened of us or who we are."
Angee smiled then, and not a kind smile, "I know little of the law, but I do know you have violated our rights to a fair trial, something the king's father introduced I believe?".
"Who do you think you are?" the magistrate demanded, talking like that in my courtroom!, guards seize them!".
Angee held up a hand forestalling the guardsmen, "I really wouldn't do that, you may not live to regret it."
She turned back to the magistrate, her hand still up, but this time glowing with white power, "it wouldn't do for the town guard to be cut down b
y three of the Goddess's Bards!" she said in an angry tone.
The doors to the courtroom burst open and Esha strode in sword in hand showing no signs of the illness that had laid her low, she walked to the front of the courtroom, "what is the meaning of this!, three of my sisters on trial !".
Angee nodded to her, "and found guilty and sentenced to death" she said in a dire voice.
Esha was apoplectic, she walked over to the magistrates bench and grabbed the magistrate hauling him over the bench before he could move out of reach, looking at Angee, "this fool did that?", Angee nodded, "he didn't ask who we were or what happened, just passed sentence."
Esha looked at the magistrate and back to Angee, "shall I kill him for the insult?", Angee almost laughed at that, she could see a dark stain down the front of the magistrates robes, "ah, no, I think the town should handle it's own justice, you!", she pointed to the officer. "Take this man into custody and report what happened."
The officer was white faced, "yes ma'am, straight away ma'am!", and saying that hauled the magistrate off.
Esha, Angee and her friends walked out of the courthouse, as soon as they were on their own Angee turned to Esha, "how did you know?".
Esha smiled, "someone who works at the Inn you're staying at saw what happened and brought a message to me at the Temple."
Suddenly Esha stumbled and almost fell, but Angee and Allia caught her before she did.
Esha gasped obviously in pain, "by the Goddess I enjoyed that!, but I guess it took more out of me than I thought."
Angee and Allia supported Esha back to the Temple, by the time they got there they were virtually carrying her.
Once inside they carried her proper back to her room and Bria attended to getting her into her night clothes.
Allia and Angee waited outside while Bria saw to her, Bria opened the door and bade them enter, she spoke to them in a very low voice, "she hasn't got long left, coming to our rescue hastened the process."
Angee heard a very tired voice from the bed, "sister's, come over here."
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