Bride of the Dark Lord

#39 The Truthseeker

Truthseekers were divinely Gifted in the Midlands. Regalis's grandfather made them the Governors of the Midlands when crime was rampant, and truth became very necessary in fishing out criminals.

However, when the late king died and Randall took the throne, he removed the truthseekers and put one of his own men on the seat of government, his greed being more important than maintaining peace and order for his people in the Midlands. And now, the Midlands was back to how it used to be - centre for criminals, pickpockets and kidnappers.

As the sun went down, the neigh of Cederic's horse was heard, right outside the military hall. Seated in the hall at this moment, were the Generals and a few lieutenants from various platoons.

During lunch, Bernwald and I had our meals delivered to us here in the hall. Brayton followed Bernwald when he went to pee, Nadia followed me, a precaution to ensure that neither of the murder suspects escaped.

Cederic entered the hall. A female, right behind him. She was dressed in a grey cloak that covered every inch of her skin from neck to toe.

"Greetings, Your Highnesses" she bowed to Regalis and I.

Truthseekers, more often than not, tended to know things without them being told. Some said, it was because they were very observant. Like in this case, no one told her, but she instantly knew who the Prince and the Prince's wife was.

"The truthseeker!" Cederic announced.

"We need your..." Regalis started, before he was immediately interrupted by Bernwald.

"Your Highness. This truthseeker is a female, she'll definitely try to save your wife".

Regalis stayed mute for a moment. He obviously wanted to give a scathing reply but, Regalis was  not the type of leader who wanted his followers unable to express their thoughts.

"Then, we'll close her eyes, so, she won't know who is talking and simply identify the truth" Regalis said.

Truthseekers could use either their sense of hearing or sight to know the truth. If they stared into your eyes, as you speak, they could know the truth. And if they simply listened to your words, the truth, they would still know.

"But..." Bernwald stammered "what if she has not mastered her Gift".

"She is a master truthseeker" Cederic said.

"And she's still a female!" Bernwald screamed "Generals, can you see this?" He faced the unGifted Generals "this truthseeker will definitely stand up for another female".

The Generals nodded.

"There is no truth in women" General Irving said.

Seriously? I wanted to scream.

Bernwald was just prevaricating. Why? We will never know Wallace's killer, if this truthseeker is not accepted by the other Generals.

"Cederic" Regalis said.

What is he planning?

"Come in!" Cederic announced.

And another truthseeker, dressed too in a grey cloak entered. A male! With his eyes blindfolded. He wouldn't see or know who was talking to him, all he had to do was listen for the truth.

My eyes met Regalis's and at that second, I wanted to kiss him. He planned ahead! He knew the people he worked with, so, he saved his best card for the last, in order to save me. To clear my name.

And now, Bernwald has no other excuse against this truthseeker, if he declares that I am speaking the truth. Wow!

"He is a male" Nadia said "he can't see anyone. Now, speak".

Since Bernwald was reluctant, I started "I didn't kill Captain Wallace".

After a second, "truth" the truthseeker announced.

It was Bernwald's turn.

"I..." Bernwald stuttered "I..."

What's wrong? Why is he stammering? Could what Nadia suspected as his motive  be true? I shook my head. He should speak, so that if he is innocent, other soldiers in Wallace's platoon could be brought to the truthseeker to speak, so that the killer could be found out.

"I did not kill Captain Wallace" Bernwald completed.

The truthseeker shivered as though a bucket of ice cold water had been poured on him. "Lies" he pronounced.

"What?"

Several soldiers gasped. And stood up in shock.

Bernwald started cringing backwards. Clearly seeing that there was no way to escape his punishment, he pushed the soldier beside him away as he raced for the door.

The soldiers in the hall were about to run after him, when Regalis signalled to them, "leave him".

What? We would just let him escape? Without even a sincere apology to Wallace's grieving family for murdering their loved one, simply over jealousy, of who was the better healer in the camp.

And then, at that moment, a strange thing happened.

From outside, a growl was heard first.

Shalott.

And what followed next, was a scream. The screams of a mortal male "don't eat me! Please don't eat me!"

Oh no! My heart raced.

I and several other soldiers sped to the door and gazed.

Shalott had just eaten Bernwald!

And beside her, was a sign, recently set up and written in Regalis's handwriting:

"All genders can lie. Both high and low ranked soldiers can lie. The contents of our hearts is what sets each man or woman apart".