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[Thraxas]

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The unsealed letter lay on his desk. Thraxas mused over its contents...

*written in a fine, flawless, elvish script*

"My dearest Kayla,

I must dare to send you this letter, even though there is every chance you will never see it. I cannot live from day to day as I have been without knowing if you are safe and sound.

This courier is a most trusted friend. You may respond to him with a letter of your own, should it make it through. If I do not receive one from him within three days, I shall know somehow, I have failed.

Regardless, you alone know the place where we first met, and you know where we have met many times since. That is where I shall meet you when I deem it safe enough. For now, I know I am being tracked. Strangely, they do not yet seem to want to arrest me, though they have had opportunity. This troubles me, but only a little. My freedom, and our life together, is worth risking everything.

I await your reply with eagerness borne of undying love,

Typernion"

Thraxas endured a subtle wave of nausea without wincing. "What do you think?" the Regent asked his envoy who sat across from him.

"We cannot send it on via the courier, obviously. Still, it would be good to see that she gets the letter. Once she moves, we can follow and get them... both," Darthos replied.

"If we could get to her, and then get word to him that we have her, he would likely surrender... but then, we must not move too quickly."

Darthos nodded. "The flames of division must be heated further. This is our greatest chance to isolate and antagonize Heartwood. We must not fail this time."

"Your agents have done well, Darthos. Reward them commensurately."

"I will, sire."

Thraxas stroked his fire-red goatee. "Where is he now?"

"He has departed Skara Brae. He detected us there. He set sail before we could get a ship after him."

"You have lost him, then?"

"For the present, but gold talks, sire... and we have plenty of it."

Thraxas nodded. "What of the courier? Has he revealed anything of value?"

Darthos shook his head. "He was stubborn, tight-lipped... to the very end."

Thraxas smiled. "Carry on then. The Director wishes to keep informed also. I will need... and expect... daily reports."

"It shall be done, sire."

As his envoy departed, Thraxas took another look at the letter. I shall let this reach dearest Kayla.
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"If a criminal has what you want, you do business with him."

[Thraxas]

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Kayla read the letter again and hope welled up within her. Her fiancee' was free! Hunted, hated, and in great peril, to be sure... but free now. Still, her feelings were mixed. She could never approve of cold-blooded murder, even that of Thraxas' hired thugs, but she consoled herself somewhat in knowing that she might be driven to it under the same conditions.

The courier who delivered the letter was an elf, but one she had never seen before, and she knew most of the Heartwood elves personally. He seemed a bit affrighted, as if he wasn't sure of himself, or perhaps he feared he was being watched, or stalked. He made a slight gesture, a sign peculiar to elves, which contained one central idea: "beware." Perhaps he, not knowing the contents of the letter, wished to offer advice of his own. It was a mystery that bore need of solving.

She knew the place of which he spoke. It was one of the unique Yew trees in Luna, a solitary, flower-encircled, ancient tree within a grove guarded by fearless pixies, which stood guard over it, keeping evil at bay. They had gone there many times. It was a quiet place, a magical place, where joy and love bloomed easily... at least it had for them.

She felt compelled to go there now, but after the courier's warning, decided it would be too risky. She would wait for his next correspondence... as patiently as she could. But Molly must know of this, the letter, the whole story. Surely she had seen the wanted posters. She had a right to know that her kinswoman was not in love with a homicidal maniac, but a tortured, falsely-accused elf who, no doubt, was the central player in a mad scheme to frame Heartwood, to pit it against Yew which was already in chaos.

After a prayer to a special goddess who she secretly worshipped, she took the letter with her to find her cousin.
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"If a criminal has what you want, you do business with him."