N.B. -- Check out chapter 6 right here
Me and Algus walked down the halls and then down a long set of stairs to the dungeon where, conveniently, the guards, the hapless peasant, the young Dolamass lord, and the supposed murder weapon were all in attendance. The young lord and his peasant cohort were in adjacent cells. Charles was very silent and pale. Good, the less he says the better. Hopefully he is more clever than Algus and can catch on to my hints.
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"Aye! What's happening m'lords?! I dint kill my lordship. Please don't hurt me! I have motherless small folk! I don't wanna die! What's happening m'lord?!" The peasant was inconsolably frantic. Hopefully his foolishness won't foil my game.
"Quiet quiet quiet! I need quiet! Guards, stand aside! I wish to conduct an investigation!" Algus squawked as he got near. The guards, ironically caught off guard, scrambled to line up out of the way against the wall, expecting the master of coin to be more interested in the prisoners. They were in for a surprise. "Alright guards! Show me your bolt cases!"
The guards obliged, though sheepishly due to their confusion. Or maybe it could have been perceived as guilt. And as could be expected there were multiple bolts missing from each case. Obviously this did not prove their guilt, but it did not assure innocence. Algus turned to me, "Well your words still hold water, let us continue to figure this out."
I seized the initiative at this moment in an attempt to guide my pupil in the right direction. "Young lord, me and master Algus here wish to get to the root of this situation. Did you attempt to hire this rat off the street to kill your own dear father, or perhaps you traded him that crossbow and bolts for some peasant baubles, or perhaps a service of some sort? Tell us true, young one, I know you have a kind heart, but this peasant's life is not worth the dishonor of any accusation of patricide." I glanced back at Algus, who seemed utterly clueless to my obviously guiding question and nodded his head in appeasement.
Returning back to the boy behind the bars bore nothing but silence for a few moments. Come on boy! Get the hint! Finally his face lit up just slightly and he began to speak. "I am sorry for my silence Algus. I was frightened that I may have been at fault for my father's death and have been wracked with grief. But I can account that I did not approach this serf to request he kill my father. And if he says so, he is surely spinning tales. I approached him to enlist his service in hunting the prize boar my father was after. You see, last night me and my father had jested in private and I ended up betting him that I could score the boar before him. He had a good laugh as I am too young to join the hunt. So I thought I'd hire this expendable wretch in the hope that maybe by luck I could have a laugh at my father's embarrassment. I sincerely hope he did not use this opportunity to murder my beloved father. But if he did, then I will accept punishment for my negligence in arming such a loathsome creature."
Good job boy! I taught you well! Now to deliver the final blow to assure your innocence. I approached the supposed murder weapon and bolt case and revealed, much to my suspicion, that the crossbow showed no sign of use and the bolt case was full. "Well it would seem Algus that the peasant and our young lord are innocent." I directed my gaze to the guards. "Which means the assassin is still abroad."
