Galadriel paced back and forth as she watched the sun rise
higher in the sky. Where was he? It shouldn't have taken him this long. Her
mind raced with all the things that could have gone wrong.
Finally, she heard hoof beats. She dove for cover behind a tree,
in case in wasn't him.
The hoof beats got much quieter as they left the gravel road
for the muddy earth, made soft by the recent spring rains. Then she heard his
voice call out, softly, "Gala!"
She closed her eyes in a brief thanks as she released the
breath she had been holding in.
"What took you so long?" she hissed as she emerged
from behind her tree. "I've been waiting here since midnight!"
"I know, " he said as he dismounted. 'Forgive me.
There was a change in the guards. Edward was not at his usual post and so I had
to sneak out without being noticed. It wasn't easy, but I do not think my exit
was marked."
He took a black felt bag from his belt and held it out to
her. Galadriel snatched it from him then turned her back to him as she checked
the bag's contents. Two perfectly spherical orbs looked back at her. They were
a dark pink, or perhaps a light red, depending on how the light caught them.
They seemed to almost glow from the darkness of the bag's bottom. Perfect.
She tucked the bag into her bodice. "And every thing
else is in place?" she asked, scarlet skirts swirling as she turned abruptly back
around to face him.
"It is."
"Excellent. Go and tell The Madame that we are
ready."
He made a curt bow, remounted his horse, and took the road
back south, the way he had come.
Galadriel waited until he was out of sight. The plan was for
her to wait a few moments then follow him down the road towards the city.
But she had other plans.
Instead, she headed deeper into the woods. She would use the
trees as cover to circle around to the back of the city where no on was
expecting her to go. Except for one man. One man who would be very happy to get
his orbs back.
Galadriel huffed and puffed her way through the gate. She
had run all through the forest to get to The Gentleman as fast as she could.
The delay of the orbs would surely reflect on her and, if there was one thing
in the world she did not want, it was for The Gentleman to think ill of her.
She passed through the city's back gate with a nod to the
guards. She slowed her pace and gave herself a chance to catch her breath as
she made her way through the streets to the door she was looking for.
She lifted her hand to knock but the door swung open before
she had a chance to make any sound.
"You have the orbs?" said a soft voice from the
shadows beyond the door.
"I do."
The door swung wider to give Galadriel room to enter. She
stepped in and, the moment she crossed the threshold, the door was closed
behind her.
"Let's see them, then."
She pulled the back out of her bodice and held it before
her.
He took it from her gently, almost reverently, and slowly
opened the top to check its contents. He exhaled slowly, as if he hardly dared
to breathe, as he looked into the bag.
"Do you think they'll meet with The Gentleman's approval?"
asked Galadriel.
"Oh, yes," The Gentleman breathed, as he rolled
the orbs about in his palm. "Yes, I am sure he will be quite pleased with
these. Thank you, Gala."
Galadriel was too busy smiling in self-satisfaction to see
the knife flash. It was only a moment. Then she was lying on the floor, her
life gushing out of the gash in her throat.
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