laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

Bells tolled as the morning worship service announced not only a new day but, the day of thanks. Streams of golden sunlight pierced the heavily clouded sky casting highlights upon various rooftops and the cathedral's bell tower. A morning not only for many to bring offerings to their respective deities, but for one small group to petition their patron for help.

Birds sang from the various treetops in the small courtyard surrounding the tall building made of dark grey stone as three knights quietly conversed within their shade. Each wore the black tabards of the Order of the Golden Scepter and whose borders were accented in gold denoting paladins. One of them, the city's Knight Commander.

"I found the home unmolested," Sir Nathaniel informed. His short cropped, brown hair hung over the strong features honed by years in the field as brown eyes narrowed. "Nothing was taken yet, the whole family and the priestess surrounded the bed. The young child was also taken to Ghevond." His voiced trailed off as the elder within their midst noted something more to the story.

"But," Sir Allen pressed, his grey hair and vandyke had also been hard won in the service of justice.

"Something didn't seem right to me and I've been praying on this matter since," Nathaniel added. "The child," he shook his head, "I'm not totally convinced it was the one born to them." A comment that furrowed the brows of both in his audience.

"What makes you think so," Sir Albert, the youngest in the confidence of this latest revelation asked.

Nathaniel shrugged as the boy's choir within the cathedral sang, their voices lifting those within earshot to the heavens, sending chills up Allen's spine. He loved the sabbath.

The knight shrugged. "I just had a feeling and my champion informed me that something more evil is afoot," brown eyes glanced back to their commander. "Perhaps you could visit them with me and give me your opinions, sir."

Allen nodded. "Alright."

As the priest taught his congregation, the trio of knights made their way into the private chamber and found the bodies of the family laid out atop simple wooden tables. The sight made Allen sick to his stomach as the four boys and little newborn girl lay peacefully as if sleeping. Crimes against older people had become the norm during his tenure, but those against children boiled his blood. Steel-blue eyes turned their attention to the little girl as Nathaniel led him and Sir Albert towards her, still wrapped in the white, woolen blanket.

"See the brow and noseline," Nathaniel pointed out, then motioned to each parent. "She doesn't resemble either of them. At least not to me anyway." Interest sparked, Allen moved to study them all closer and soon noted not only the physical characteristics, but also the faint scent that lingered about all of them which prompted him to back away, and motioned for his two knights to do the same.

"They've been poisoned," he stated in shock.

"My lord," Nathaniel asked, also bewildered. "I hadn't noted that before when I first found them," he sighed. "It makes sense though. I've never heard of any disease taking anyone this quickly, especially with a priestess in their midst. I know that church trains their healers in similar fashion to our own."

"We'll have to study them a bit closer to find out what was used. That will hopefully lead us to their killer."

Sir Albert cleared his throat, "I'll inform the priest when he's finished with his sermon then."

"We can investigate this ourselves," Nathaniel countered.

"No," Sir Allen replied as he glanced to the knight. "I want to see the home."

* * *

Using various methods and spells, the trio of witches sped to their hidden home within the forests, far to the south of their target's hometown. Knowing full well that someone from the churches of Yaeby and Arhus will be hot on their trail if their idiot assassin was too sloppy. The last thing they needed was to be on the run for the rest of their lives as trees and deep green foliage sped passed them as they flew between each, using the trees themselves as their catalyst for escape.
After a full day of burning nearly all of their remaining energy, they arrived at their home village. Houses built among the treetops and joined by narrow rope bridges kept them safe from most intrusions and had saved them for many generations thus far.

Once stepping onto the narrow, wooden patio, Lykanna smiled at the little prize in her arms as her sisters neared from either side. "What should we call this one?"

"I thought we would name her after our great grandmother," Lykarra stated, smiling as she gently caressed the child's pudgy cheek.

"You don't think this one has greater potential that that," the third sister asked as Lykrissa grinned at their youngest daughter. "What do you both think of 'Selene'?"

Lykanna thought for a long moment. The name was beautiful and held quite a history in itself. "You're asking a lot of this one then."

"I can feel the power from her," Lykarra's blue eyes closed in concentration. "Strong indeed," her smile widened. "I can't wait to begin her training."

"Be careful," their youngest sister by mere seconds warned as Lyrkissa's joy waned. "We can't have this one get burned out as fast as you've destroyed the others."

"That wasn't totally her fault," their eldest chided. "Those just failed at learning, that's all," deep blue eyes descended to the object of their latest desires. "This one will succeed where those failed, I assure you." She contemplated long and hard as her sisters bickered over past failures with the many children that had passed through here, some still remaining as servants in one form or another. Dedicating such a title to this one was going to take a great deal of time and training and if they did it the right way, she would be their crowning achievement. "Selene it is then."