Investigating Helvar's Death (2)

Writers: AL, Jane, Kaysea, Paula
Date Posted: 23rd January 2009

Characters: Corowal, Lineal, Fog, Eliste, Xerxen
Description: Corowal holds a hearing concerning Helvar's death.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 13, day 25 of Turn 4

"Would you let the Lord Holder know the crew from the Sungazer are here to see him," Lineal said to the man outside the Lord Holder's office. He glanced back at the three crewmembers following him hoping that this interview would be the end of the whole sorry business. While it was good to see Fog happy it shouldn't be at the expense of the Sungazer's reputation or profit. And it certainly shouldn't cause any on-going problems for Xerxen.

"Yes, sir," the assistant steward replied and announced them.

Corowal took a one last look in his office to check he had enough chairs to everyone before calling them in. "Captain Lineal and the crew, welcome and please take the seats."

Eliste clutched her baby, though the carrier was keeping him from falling. She glanced up at Fog, but did as told, making her way into the office. She would have preferred to have stood, as if the ability to do would have allowed her to flee more easily. She did as told, however, taking a seat, though she scooted it a bit closer to Fog. Xerxen came up to the side of Fog and stood there, silent and solemn.

"Lord Corowal," Lineal began, "may I introduce my cousin, Fog, and his new wife, Eliste." He didn't think the Lord Holder knew the wife of the dead assistant steward, though it was obvious from her presence here who she was.

"Fog, Eliste, I do wish the situation were more pleasant," Corowal nodded at them. He turned back to Lineal. "I read the records you gave me yesterday. A very interesting story. You did a very thorough job." There had been sworn statements from passengers who had witnessed the incident, even report from the port hold's healer who had studied Helvar's body after the death.

Eliste lowered her gaze and nodded slowly. Interesting? That wasn't really the word she would have used. Frightening. Yes. Horrid. Most certainly. That would have been a better description. Interesting? That wasn't severe enough a word.

"Since we had to bury him there and weren't bringing any of the passengers back it seemed necessary to be thorough," Lineal said. "And the Lord Holder at the seaport wanted a report, too, since he was interring the body."

"I only have couple question I need to have answers," Corowal said. He watched Eliste sternly and asked: "Did you set up your husband, so he would be killed in fight?"

Eliste's eyes grew wide as saucers at the question and she clutched at her baby before stammering, "N...no!"

Corowal, who prided himself being a good judge of character, had watched reaction very keenly.

"Please sir," Fog had started at the Lord Holder's question, but a glance from his cousin had tempered his response. "we had no idea Helvar was aboard the boat."

"We would never have carried him had we known," Lineal stated firmly.

"To be honest, we were on the look out to _keep_ him from getting on the boat." Xerxen spoke up as he took a step closer to Fog and Eliste in an almost protective gesture. "Somehow he slipped past us. We wouldn't have let him on board in the first place had we known and then none of this would have happened at all. Eliste didn't do anything wrong, she had no idea he was on board either."

"All right, all right, I got the point," Corowal said mildly and lifted his hand up, palms facing the boat crew. "I have one more question," his tone returned serious. "The baby's paternity. Is he really, by blood, Fog's or Helvar's? Think careful what you answer, for it may cast a nasty light over this incident."

"I will only answer with the truth, my Lord." Eliste knew what she really wanted to answer, but doing so was not only wrong, but it could cause problems for them later on should that lie be discovered. "Follen is Helvar's by blood, Fog's by adoption."

"The river folk accept marry-in children as if they were born on the river," Lineal said, hoping to head off any suggestion that the dead man's family might have a claim to the babe. "He's got as secure a place on the riverboats as if he had been born on the Sungazer."

"That's good to hear," Corowal said. "Well, I'm now satisfied and there's no need to dwell on his further," he concluded. "Helvar's death was tragic accident, and you could almost say his own doing."

Lineal hoped he didn't look as relieved as he felt. With Elsite's dead husband being a steward at the Hold the man's death on the Sungazer and her marriage to Fog within a sevenday there was more than enough reason for the Lord Holder to be suspicious.

"It was certainly not our wish to have such a thing happen on the Sungazer," the Sungazer's captain agreed. "But it's done now and Fog and Eliste have a new life ahead of them." And Xerxen, who might have had to live with the consequences had another decision been made.

"No one wishes anything like this happen," Corowal sighed. He looked Eliste, "if only you had come to me... things might have turned out differently. But perhaps not quite as happily as they did now. I wish you and your new husband a happiness."

Would it have? Would he have believed her? Despite her audience under those circumstances, Eliste doubted it. There were many more witnesses to the event that had taken place on the riverboat. If she had gone to Lord Corowal, it would have been her word against one of his assistant stewards' and she had a hard time believing that she would have given preference over Helvar. Then she would have been sent back to his home to suffer the consequences of her accusations.

The young woman clutched her baby tightly and merely nodded. She didn't want to speak, she just wanted to leave and let all this stay behind.

"Thank you for your time and understanding, Lord Corowal," Lineal said getting to his feet and indicating that his crew should leave. "And I hope we can meet again under better circumstances."

"So do I, Captain. You are setting out before the Turnover aren't you? Too bad you can't join our celebration," Corowal replied.

"We celebrate wherever we are," Lineal said, "onboard our home. And yes, we'll be leaving in two days time. Happy Turn Over to you and your Hold."

Last updated on the January 23rd 2009

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Investigating Helvar's Death (2)