The Thorn in My Shed-Chapter 30: As Your General Commands
The meeting with the old maid had really opened a door in their investigation.
Marix and Briggs sat in his office to go over what to do next.
Sat in front of Briggs was a thick manila folder full of documents and signed testimonies that went over all of the intel they’d gathered so far.
He flipped the folder open and slid his pen down the side of the paper on top – which detailed the maid’s statements.
There was the list of names she gave: Kara, Clara and Laura.
Briggs lazily dragged the pen around the names in a circle.
"Her mother’s name must end with a Ra sound, possibly beginning with a K or a Cluh sound. I think ’Ra’ is the best option to start our search since all three she gave have that in common. Should we have someone sent to Norain to check the registries?"
He scratched the back of his head with the capped pen and wiggled his mouth from side to side.
Marix rested his head in his hand as he stared at the stack of papers. His gaze was so intense it could’ve lit them on fire right then and there.
"Then again we can’t narrow down the dates very much....."
Briggs then let out a loud huff, "And even then we have no idea if Norain even keeps records like that. Not to mention the resources it would take to send someone, gather those records, bring them back and then go over them...the time it would take to narrow that last down to one makes me....."
A shiver ran up Briggs spine as he thought of the countless hours it would take.
He then rubbed his face with his palms.
"This is a mess, Marix, it’s a huge, giant mess. I know I’m still young but this may just be the thing that makes me retire!" He tapped the stack of documents with his pen, three times.
When Marix didn’t respond, Briggs looked up and raised his eyebrows.
"Marix?"
Still nothing. Marix’s eyes were fixed on the papers.
"General?" He asked again, tilting his head as he waved his hand in front of him.
Marix was too busy, trapped in his thoughts.
Memories of Eilownia flashed in his mind. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚
How when he’d pricked her fingers, she’d hardly reacted. How when he’d tied her limbs she had only whined at him.
"Yes, it’s uncomfortable. Of course it’s uncomfortable! Isn’t that what you made it for?" That pout and look of irritation that had come over her face....it wasn’t self pity or fear that most prisoners had, but a challenge. As if to say, ’What are you bothering me for? You know what you’re doing, why ask me!’
Or how she had made that awful, disgusting, moldy rat thing and just looked at him so innocently, "That’s Strawbunny~ I made it. Isn’t it cute?"
How she’d also gotten mad at him, "Just because it’s molded doesn’t mean its trash!"
The expressions on her face for each moment were so clear in her mind, seared there permanently.
Then, came the look on her face as he held the branding iron up. His heart stalled. She’d begged him. Begged him not to return her and he’d let her down. He didn’t fight hard enough for her, hard enough for the girl that had given herself to him.
His mind trailed to the night they spent with each other the night they met. The noises she’d made, the way her eyes had rolled ba-
Marix shook his head, tossing the thoughts out of his head.
He’d made the wrong call. She wasn’t a well trained spy, she was a tortured girl who craved affection and was met with nothing but cruelty.....cruelty that he also took part in.
He had to get her back!
Marix quickly stood up, his chair slid back and hit the wall behind him causing the window to rattle.
With how the maid had described Lord Evans, he couldn’t allow Eilownia to spend another second in that house.
At that moment, Briggs’ pen hit him in the chest and clattered onto the desk followed by a roll onto the floor.
Marix looked down at the pen and then back up at Briggs who had his lips sucked in as he held back a laugh.
"You were-....you weren’t responding to me. I was...pfft-!" Briggs let out a tiny laugh. He placed his fist against his mouth and turned away to reign himself in, "Trying to get your attention."
Marix reached down and grabbed the pen, flinging it at Briggs. It hit him square in the forehead and he shut his eyes on impact.
Marix pointed at Briggs with his index finger, "That’s where you would’ve hit your General if I hadn’t had stood up. You’re lucky I stood."
A small, defeated smile spread across Briggs’ face as he slowly nodded and rubbed his forehead.
"You’re right. My mistake, General~" His tone was half joking.
"Now, get up." Marix adjusted his shirt and started leaving the room.
Briggs jumped up and began following him out, staring at him confused. "What? Where are we go-"
Marix cut him off, "Go to the stables as fast as you can. Get the carriage ready and the horses saddled. We’re storming the Evans Estate."
Briggs’ eyes widened in surprise. He stopped dead in his tracks for a moment as his brain processed what Marix had just said.
Then, he quickly caught up with him and grabbed his arm to try and stop him.
"Hold on! Stop, stop, stop, stop!" He had to practically use his entire body weight to pull back on him.
"What. I gave you an order." Marix’s eyes slid down to Briggs’ hold on his arm. He yanked his arm away, breaking the hold.
"I understand that but you have to be reminded of the implications! This is a terrible idea, General! We can’t just ambush Lord Evans! No. I correct myself. It’s not a terrible idea, it’s a dangerous one!"
Briggs stared at Marix, searching his face for any sign of logic, "You’re not so impulsive! What has gotten into you!"
"I MADE A MISTAKE!" He exclaimed, glaring at Briggs.
Briggs took a step back, staring at him with wide eyes.
Marix took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead, "I made a mistake and I need to correct it."
"I know you’re upset about the spy but we can’t just do whatever we want. There are many things to consider and your job as the General is to stay clear headed. There are political ties at stake! We are in the middle of a war!"
Marix stood up straight and looked down at him.
"I don’t care. I gave you an order. Follow through."
With that, he turned on his heels and headed over to put on his armor and gather his men.
Briggs bit his lip and let out a tense sigh as he took off towards the stables.
A group of about 20 men stood before Marix, their armor on, ready for his instructions.
"Today, we will ride over to the Evans Estate and infiltrate the property! No one is to be harmed unless absolutely necessary. Use force if they do not comply. We are there for one goal and one goal only: to retrieve the spy that was formerly in my custody!"
The men stood together in an organized formation and saluted him, shouting in unison, "Yes sir!"
General Marix was already mounted on his black steed while Briggs and the rest of the men mounted after his speech.
Briggs had already sent the carriage off beforehand, as it would need to go slower on the worn, unkept roads.
After everyone was mounted and sitting properly in their saddles, Marix turned his horse and kicked him hard, "HYAH!"
With nothing but a cloud of dust left behind, they were off. Viraaz citizens cleared the streets and stared in surprise at the troops, whispering in surprise at the sight.
Briggs took a sharp inhale as he noticed the reactions of the public, knowing what awaited them when they returned might not be so great.
Marix, on the other hand, was only staring ahead. His heart was pounding in his ears louder than the pounding of horse hooves below and behind him. He was unsure of how Lord Evans will react when he gets there or what state Eilownia would be in.
He gulped hard.
It didn’t take nearly as long as it took when he had traveled with Eilownia by carriage for them to arrive.
Marix swung down from his horse and ground tied it before approaching the Evans Estate front doors. He banged on them with his fist, causing them to rattle.
His foot tapped as he waited. When no one answered, he banged on it again.
After another minute, he lifted his fist again, but this time a young maid opened the door.
"Greetings," she curtsied, "May I ask who is visiting?"
Despite her words, she was already slowly closing the door.
"No." Marix nodded his head towards his men and they shoved the door open, sending her stumbling backwards.
