New Discovery

The door to Edgar's hut was cracked open slightly, allowing a small amount of a breeze to drift in. Amelia had been digging through some things in an effort to keep Edgar's memory alive so to say. It wouldn't be long before someone came snooping and got a hold of something here. She wouldn't allow it, she did well to keep the stump of where her hand used to be away. It had been tightly bandaged to keep her from bleeding to death. With her remaining hand, she continued her search. Soon coming upon a painting, she stood up and went to a nearby candle. Her eyes scanned it over, absorbing everything about it. On it, were two men. One was Edgar, the other she didn't recognize but he had similar features to Edgar. She could only assume that they were siblings. "I need to find him." She said, then looked at Marcus who stood nearby. She showed him the painting. "Perhaps this man is in relation to Edgar." She said to him. Marcus stared for a moment at the painting before turning it over. Words were written on the back. "We need to go to Loquere." He said, pointing to the words before looking back at his sister. She nodded her head and picked up a bag that held a few things. "Let's go then." She said as she headed out the door. The two were quick in their travel. Marcus kept at his sister's pace.

Herbert pulled the kettle from atop the fire as it whistled. He moved it over to his mug, pouring the boiling water on top of the tea leaves. He inhaled the scent with a smile. "Nothing like a nice cup of tea," he said warmly, picking up the cup and settling himself down into his arm chair in front of the fire. He took a sip from the tea as he looked into the flames.

Amelia and Marcus asked around and soon found where Herbert lived. Amelia gently knocked on the door with her right hand. She was somewhat thankful that Hazari cut off her left hand. Marcus stood nearby as they waited, his eyes scanned the area for any sign that someone followed them. His large slightly tense though, as if waiting for a fight.

The steam from the tea wafted up his nostrils. A sigh escaped his lips as he looked to the dancing flames. It had just turned dark, everyone was heading home if they weren't all ready. He'd been out in the forests all day, collecting herbs and other vegetation for his alchemy. He'd spend all day tommorow mixing them together for medicines and that like. He smiled to himself comfortably. His head then turned to the knock at the door, his eyebrows drew together. He wasn't expecting company.
He placed the tea down onto the table beside him. Pushing himself to his feet. He moved over to the door, pulling back the bolt as he opened it a crack. "Yes?" he asked politely.

Amelia smiled warmly, for the first time in a long time. "Do you know an Edgar Druex?" She asked politely. Her hand rubbed the stump on her arm, she still hadn't gotten used to the fact that her hand wasn't there anymore. Marcus watched intently yet his eyes were warm and non-threatening. His protective instincts had sky rocketed since he found his sister. She was the only family he had left and he wanted to make sure she stayed alive.

Herbert's eyes scanned her, his eyebrows coming together. He hadn't heard his brother's name in a long time. Too long. He opened the door fully. "He is my brother.." he said as he pushed his glasses closer to his eyes. "Forgive me, who are you?" he asked as he looked between the two of them. He looked to her stump and the blood stains that we on it. If it wasn't treated soon, it would turn sceptic.

Amelia raised an eyebrow at this. "I see." She said, glancing back at Marcus who gave Herbert a curious look. "I was his student, my name is Amelia. This is my brother Marcus." She said, gesturing over to him. "I am afraid to tell that Edgar is dead." She said calmly. "He was killed by the Grand Duke of Parasitus, Rodger." Marcus said this time. "I returned the favor, in a way." He said, glancing at Amelia.

Herbert looked to her with a light smile. "Nice to see he still takes students." he said warmly. "Come in, come in." he said gesturing inside. He then turned his head to her as he spoke of his brothers death. "D..dead?" he said as shock and horror struck his features. His complexion turned white. His eyes then moved to Marcus. "Rodger.." he said as he wiped as hand over his beard. He walked back into the house, leaving the door open for them.
He sank himself back into his chair. "My brother.." he said as he stared into the flames of the fire.

Amelia smiled lightly and stepped inside, along with Marcus. They gave him time to take in Edgar's death. "Rodger caught while his back was turned." Amelia said calmly. "I was fighting someone else and I couldn't get to him right away." She said quietly, in her mind, she was angry that she couldn't have been there faster. If she had, he might still be alive. She winced slightly as she bumped her stump, she brought it up and help it against her chest.

Herbert scratched at his head lightly, his eyes moist with tears. He looked to her with a light smile as she spoke. "It's not your fault." he said shaking his head. "I hadn't seen my brother in 40 years.." he said as he wiped a hand over his eyes. "Perhaps if we hadn't lost contact.. he wouldn't have been in a situation to get himself killed." he said shaking his head. "But it doesn't do well to dwell on what could or should have happened." he said the smile returning to his lips.
"Don't you blame yourself. Edgar knew what he was doing."

Amelia nodded her head, her own eyes began to moisten a bit. She quickly wiped them away with her hand before gently rubbing her stump again. "Stop pestering it, Amelia." Marcus chided lightly. She shot him a look before looking back at her wrist. "I'm just saying." He said with a shrug before leaning back onto the wall. "Since when did you become a healer?" She retorted back lightly, but it was all in good fun.

Herbert looked to her stump before between the two of them as the spoke. He rose himself up as he walked over to her. He looked to her stump before tutting under his breath. "If we don't clean that up it will turn sceptic." he said firmly, yet the smile still on his face. He moved over to a cupboard, taking out a bowl along with a sponge. He then moved over to the kettle, pouring the now merely warm water into the bowl.
He placed the bowl onto his table, soaking the sponge into it. "Come on." he said as he looked across to her.

Amelia gave Marcus a scowl before she looked back at Herbert. Marcus stuck his tongue out in return but when she turned her back. He watched intently as Amelia walked over to the table. She slowly and gently unwrapped her stump, the bleeding had finally stopped and clotted itself. She then sat down, all the while making sure she didn't bump it on anything. It still hurt, quite a lot. At least it wasn't bleeding anymore though. "Too bad hands can't be reattached." She said.

Herbert watched as she unwrapped her hand. Before he began to clean it. He rinsed the dried blood blood away, wiping it gently with the sponge. "Indeed. But the stump can be sealed." he said once he had finished cleaning it. He then moved over to the fire, plucking a small log that was still partially on fire at the end. He moved back to her with a light smile. "Brace yourself. This is really going to hurt." he said as he placed the flame to the tip of her stump, pressing down on it, sealing the skin completely.

Amelia winced slightly as he cleaned it. She watched him in curiousity as he did his work. He was much more gentle than Edgar, and more calm. She scowled slightly as he went to the fire, she knew exactly what he was going to do. "Alright." She said before he pressed the log to her skin. Her teeth gritted inside her mouth as the fire touched her skin. Marcus watched, and every so often glanced out the door.

Herbert removed the log, throwing it back onto the fire. He then wiped the new sealed stump with the sponge. He looked to her with that same warm smile. "All done." he said as he pushed himself to his feet. "Thank you for coming to tell me, about Edgar." he said as he cleared away the bowl and sponge. "Is there anything else I can do for you?" he asked as he looked across to Marcus with raised eyebrows.
"Come in lad, don't just stand there, have a seat." he laughed lightly.

Amelia relaxed her jaw as he removed the log, now it was sore. "Thank you." She said with a light smile. Marcus looked back at Herbert, he stood for a moment before walking over to sit by Amelia. "I thought it would be best to tell you that he died. After all, you are his brother." She said a knowing smile. It had not been long since Marcus had found her. "Unless you know a way to kill Hazari, then I think we are set." She said before standing up.

Herbert nodded to her. "My pleasure." he said as he watched Marcus sit beside her. "Indeed.. at least I can make funeral arrangements for a proper burial.. in the family plot." he said nodding with a frown. His eyes then snapped to her with raised eyebrows. "You're planning to kill the king of Parasitus?" he said in a hushed tone. "Speaking of killing royalty of any kingdom is a crime! You must know that.." he said as he shook his head drastically.

Amelia narrowed her eyes and scowled. "Then turn me in, see if I care." She said, her tone low and defensive. Marcus shifted in his chair slightly. Amelia then got up and opened the door a little before turning back. "It was nice to meet you." She said before heading out of the door. Marcus looked at her before back at Herbert. "It wasn't just her hand that he took from her." He said before getting up from his chair. Amelia stopped outside and waited.

Herbert sunk himself down into his chair. "I'm not going to turn you in, it's non of my business." he said gesturing a hand. He nodded slightly, his hand stroking his beard as she spoke. He turned to look at Marcus. "What is it you expect me to do?" he asked with his eyebrows drew together. "I'm an alchemist, a healer." he said shaking his head once more.

Marcus shook his head lightly. "I don't expect you to do anything, but I'm not so sure about my sister." He said gesturing to the door. "It seems her time with Edgar has changed, she doesn't like failure." He mused lightly then shrugged. "Hell, I have only known her for a few months." He said, cracking his neck to the side before straightening it out. Amelia twirled some grass between her fingers as she waited.

Herbert interlocked his fingers and held them in front of his face. "Edgar never did except failure.." he said shaking his head lightly. "That was one of the reason we fell apart." he said with a frown. "What does she expect me to do? I'm not my brother." he said as he lowered his hands, parting them and resting them on the arms.

Marcus nodded lightly. "I don't think will admit it but she wants you to help." He said simply. He may not have known his sister long but he had learned a few things about her. "I think she it's more that she doesn't want to let her dead lover down." Amelia sighed lively, she could hear the conversation and Marcus was right. It grew hard for her to fail now.

Herbert looked across to Marcus with raised eyebrows. "How do you propose I do that?" he questioned as he rose to his feet. He moved over to the fire. He leaned a hand to the mantle piece, looking into the flames. "I don't know what she expects of me. As I said, I'm not my brother." he said as he turned back to look at him.

Marcus thought for a moment before answering. "I assume you also know martial arts? If so, maybe there are some thugs that your brother couldn't teach her that you could." He said, his eyebrow slightly raised. "Marcus, you should know better than to ask something like that." Amelia said from the doorway, a slight scowl about her face. She gently rubbed her stub as she looked between the two.