The Manse of the Late Ollo Tregario

[Horas]

The Crow's gaze does not waver. His eyes fixed and merciless, he waits for Tristeza to continue.

[brigida]

Tristeza sighed quietly; "Nothing; I was merely curious whether you had heard."

[Horas]

"You are lying to me," Horas says quietly.

[brigida]

"You are all that is left to me," Tristeza said, "Timm has nothing to do with us."

[Horas]

"If that is the case," Horas continues in the same soft tone of voice, "Why did you see fit to mention him?"

[brigida]

"It was on my mind; the man haunts my nightmares; I can scarcely think of anything else lately," she said slowly.

[Horas]

"And why is that, Tristeza?" He asks.

[brigida]

She shrugged, "I killed him--dead men are meant to haunt the dreams of the living. He is my ghost."

[Horas]

"I was not aware of that," Horas says. "Why did you kill him?"

[brigida]

"He had gone mad," she sighed, "he was...enfatuated with the prospect of stealing me away to live with him...I reminded him of his first wife, I think--he missed her, and he saw in me, the chance to rekindle what he had lost when she died...he fancied my son his own, even...though he had no just cause to think it...he had a son once too...they both died in birth--the boy and his mother."

[Horas]

"What could cause Timm Vikary to believe my son was his own?" Horas says, studying her reaction.

[brigida]

Tristeza shook her head, "He was mad--he wanted a lie to be true so badly, that eventually, he came to believe it himself."

[Horas]

Horas nods slowly, looking distant. "I am sorry. I did not like the man, but I know he was always a friend to you, and never disloyal."

[brigida]

Tristeza shifted uncomfortably, her eyes resting on the floor, "Mm," she murmured.

[Horas]

Horas' brow draws into a slight frown. "What is it that troubles you so, Tristeza? I thought you were set upon this course."