True Justice

"This was the spot." Elle said. She pointed to her right. "We saw them disappear through those trees. That's the last I know of Gracie..."

She stood and wiped her hands off. "If I knew more, I would tell you, but I don't..."

True Justice

Jinna nodded. "Thank you for telling me what you have, it has helped me immensely." She looked where Elle had pointed and began walking that way. "I know it has been far too long for any clues to be left for me, but perhaps I will find somebody else who saw them...does anybody leave past those trees, do you know?" Jinna began walking, a sureness in her step and a spark of determination and excitement in her heart.

True Justice

Shay swallowed the last of her sandwich. "Well, I have to return to the mercantile at some point to pack a few things. I'm not sure where Riley would be today since his shop is closed. If I can find him, I'll let him know I'm leaving. If not, I'll leave him a note." She let out a weak laugh. "You'll find, Mr. Rowland, that I have little keeping me here in Griande, if anything."

---

"I hope for your sake, that you can help them." Riley smiled, then nodded. "Ah, yes. Gossip is another thing that comes with the job of being a shop owner. I wish it didn't."

Riley seemed pensive. "I'm friends with Lady Aeryn's family, and I'm surprised to find out that she was captured. I also hope she's alright, whether she was a traitor or not."

He gave Mariel a sidelong glance. "So tell me, what is it that makes your job at the Ereths' so unbearable?

True Justice

"After lunch you can take care of that." Terence said.

Cecily flipped a few dark curls behind her shoulder. "Are you actually considering leaving today, with hardly a notice to anyone?"

Terence nodded. "As Adrian's friend, yes, I am. I can't let him try to find Aeryn alone..."

Cecily frowned. "So that's what this is all about...I know only what the town gossips about, and you can never tell what's truth and what's not. I'll tell Father and Mother, then...but you will have to explain everything when you return. I hope you find out whatever is happening with Aeryn. I know if the rumors were true...it would hurt Adrian exceedingly."

Terence gave a thoughtful nod. "I doubt they are, but we still need to find out..."

~~~

"I'm pretty sure it's all forest back there...but we can look." Elle followed Jinna.

True Justice

Jinna went through the trees for a ways, encountering more and more of them, and making her begin to believe that the forest did indeed go on far to long for her to follow it. However, just when she was about to turn around and think of some other place to look for clues of Gracie, the trees parted to either side of her path and she was blinking in the mid-day sunlight shining on the top of a small, thatched cabin in the center of a small barn-yard. A few other small, worn buildings clustered about the cabin and a short, white picket-fence (in bad need of repair) encircled the enclosure. A goat chewed at some grass and two chickens scurried across the lawn, chasing each other. Jinna soaked it all in then turned back to Elle.

"Do you have any idea who lives here? Because I sure don't."

True Justice

Shay nodded. "All right, I'll go after lunch." She sighed. "I hope that for Adrian's sake, the rumors aren't true, but judging from the vast amount of traitors we've had lately, I can't say it looks promising." She raised her eyebrows at Terence. "I can only hope you two are right."

True Justice

Elle stared at the house. She shook her head slowly, her eyes unwavering. "No..." she mumbled softly, taking a step forward.

~~~

Terence too a piece of meat. "Everything will work out, I'm sure."

He ran a hand through his hair as he glanced toward the shipyard's entrance. "Adrian should be back soon..."

True Justice

Jinna walked up to the front door and raised her hand as though to knock; she stood there, frozen, for a moment. She was not a very shy or cautious woman; in fact, many times before John had told her she had been to forward or trusting. Today, however, she wasn't just knocking at someone's door; she was hoping that the someone would tell her something about Gracie. Hoping so that her heart pounded- and yet, her heart pounded as well with a terrible fear. Jinna took a deep breath and rapped several times on the door, hard.

True Justice

"Me too," Mariel muttered grimly. "Such horrid things can be said about people, it's horrible. I think we'd all do better without it. As my father says, 'Grapevines should produce delicious grapes, not sour ones.'"

She tried not to look horrified. "Oh, dear, does the Lady Aeryn's family know about all of this? I do hope the lady's ok, but I worry for the family's sake as well." She clutched her hands together with worry.

Trying to not give away much, she admitted "Well, all of them have their issues. Mr. Ereth is very harsh and bossy, and Mrs. Ereth can get very judgemental and think too much about her vanity. I guess the eldest Golda is ok besides her love of gossip and trying to get attention from young men. But Rylan is so annoying! He treats me like I don't know anything, and is very much like his father and mother. The only one he shows care about is his sister, and even that's pretty rare!" She rubbed her hand down her face.

True Justice

"Adrian returns, and we leave." Shay grimaced. "My fate is sealed, I suppose." She sighed, and shook her head. I can't believe I'm doing this.

----

Riley laughed heartily. "I quite agree with your father. He is as wise as ever. I don't even care for grapes." He chuckled.

"As for Lady Aeryn's family, I'm sure they've learned about it by now. It's the talk of the town." He frowned. "I'm not sure anyone could possibly have not heard about it."

Riley's frowned deepened as Mariel told him about the Ereths. "Oh. I'm sorry to hear that." He rubbed the stubble along his jaw. "I'm sure that must be hard to bear. Whenever you need it, I'll keep a spot open for you at the mercantile. My offer still stands, and will stand as long as you need it to. Do you think things will get better?"

True Justice

Elle watched Jinna, her green eyes wide. She said nothing while she waited to see who would open the door.

~~~

Terence frowned and said. "If you don't want to go, you don't have to."

"I thought it would be easier for you to travel now while Adrian and I are there. You said you wanted to seek out a job, now is your chance. Unless you want to stay and work for Riley until I come back."

True Justice

Jinna waited nervously for several minutes. Just as she was turning to leave, having given up the hope of anyone ever answering, the door flung open and on the stoop stood an old, old woman with ragged gray hair and huge, piercing blue eyes. Her forearms were the size of a man's and she stood, though slightly hunched, with perfect strength. She was not a weak woman, nor did she need a cane to help her walk. She glared at Jinna, spitting out her words harshly "What do you want?"

Jinna started to answer but the woman cut her off, catching sight of Elle over her shoulder. "Girl! Yes, you! Get over her! NOW!!" the woman thundered. Jinna looked at Elle helplessly, then back at the woman, then back at Elle.

True Justice

Elle frowned, her hands forming fists at her sides. She didn't walk forward, but she didn't run back either.

She didn't know who the woman was and she had no inclination to obey her.

True Justice

Jinna, seeing Elle standing there, at last gained the courage to face the woman. "Look," she said, struggling to keep her voice level and her fear unknown "I do not know who you are, but I only came to ask you about-"

The woman pushed Jinna to the side, not very hard, but enough to make her heart start pounding in fear. This woman was so old, yet so strong... The woman practically jumped down the porch steps and flung herself in Elle's face. "You'll be sorry you didn't obey me, Jay." She reached out and clamped Elle's arm in an iron grip.

True Justice

Elle clenched her jaw. "Let me go!" Practically snarling, she grabbed the woman's wrist with her other hand and tried to pull away, her long nails digging into the woman's skin.