Chapter 22: Wrong

Brandon walked towards the dungeon kitchen to find Donald just as Edgar instructed him to do. It was almost midnight and he felt very tired from training all day and now Edgar wanted him to bring this man to his chambers this night, how cruel.

“Hello Donald” Brandon said as he walked up to Donald who was in the dungeon kitchens doing his work.

“Yes my Lord” Donald said with a slight bow.

“I’m not a Lord, many people think I am one because my friend is royalty but I’m not” Brandon said casually and they both chuckled.

“So what brings you down to the dungeons by this time of the night, you want to visit someone?” Donald said hoping to be of some help.

“Yes I came to visit someone, that person is you” he said and Donald knew why.

“Your friend sent you” he said.

“Yes he did” Brandon replied.

“I never knew he would come back, I feel like I’ve been waiting forever” Donald said.

“Come on let’s take a walk” Brandon said and they both left the kitchen.

“Where are we going?” Donald said.

“We’re going to see Ed” Brandon replied casually.

“You call his name so informally, how long have you both been friends?” Donald said.

“Since his mother died, I saw him sulking in the woods on a full moon when all teenagers our age were out hunting and having fun. So I made him feel better and we’ve been friends since then” Brandon said obviously wanting a conversation as it was a long walk to Edgar’s chambers.

“That’s the warmest thing I’ve heard in a while, my daughter didn’t even get the chance to develop her wolf play under a full moon with her friends. Death took her from me” Donald said smiling sadly.

“I’m sorry about your daughter” Brandon said looking very sincere.

“Well, being sorry cannot bring her back. If it could, she would have been here now because I felt sorry for her that she got a father like me, the worst father, the one that couldn’t care for his own daughter when she’s sick. So don’t be sorry Brandon, it’s not your fault it happened ” Donald replied with a weak smile.

“You did your best for her” Donald said and paused in his steps as they got to the Red quarters.

“Did I?” Donald said and they both walked inside.

Brandon was reminded of how Hayley died, it made him ask himself if he really did all he could to save her or he just gave up on her when he ran out of ideas. He continued walking for a while and his mind wandered far away, it was so burdening to him to realize that maybe he didn’t do enough to save the woman he loved.

“Brandon, are you okay?” Edgar said as there was worry in his eyes, they just got here and Brandon was being weird.

“I am fine, just a little bit worried” Brandon said.

“I called you several times and you didn’t respond” Edgar replied looking even more worried.

“It’s alright Ed, I just zoned out for a while” he said and Edgar let it go because someone else was with them but later he was going to get to the bottom of it.

“My Lord, My Lady” Donald said bowing slightly and Brandon noticed Elaine was in the room too.

“Hello Donald, how are you?” Elaine said with a warn smile to make him feel more comfortable and it certainly worked.

“Very well, My Lady” Donald said smiling back as he couldn’t resist the warmth in her compelling smile.

“Come on in, have a seat” she said and les him to the table that had four chairs around it.

“So Donald, you say you have some information about who might have poisoned the general, let’s hear it” Edgar said as soon as he took his seat.

“It was one of his personal cadets” Donald said.

“And how are you sure of that Donald? We cannot go around laying accusation on anyone” Edgar said resting on the back of his chair.

“Well, that day at the dinning, all the soldiers came in to have lunch together and they all seemed happy for some kind of animal they hunted that day. The general was most excited of all and he had a little bit too much wine to drink”

“He gets up to make a toast and his cadet sees it as an opportunity, he pours the poison into his food and the general sat down and ate. He knew I saw what he did so he threatened to kill me if I spoke of it to anyone in my entire life” Donald said and Alex looked at him straight in the eye as he listened carefully not to kiss any important detail.

“And how do we prove this?” Edgar said.

“He used a poison potent enough to paralyze a werewolf, so he wont dispose of it because any werewolf that goes into the woods will find it” Donald said.

“I think we search the cadet’s room, we do it as before day breaks so he has nothing to hide” Brandon said and Edgar nodded to the idea totally agreeing with him.

“Thank you very much Donald, you can go now” Edgar said politely.

“Are you sure you do not need my help with anything else?” Donald said.

“Not for now, thank you” Edgar said and Donald bowed slightly before he exited the door.

“Why would your want to kill your own general that hand picked you to be his student and maybe the one to take over when he’s old?” Edgar said looking quite confused.

“Greed or fear. That’s what make people do the evil they do” Elaine said as she stared into blank space herself.

“Well Donald have been of great help to us today, he should be rewarded accordingly Brandon” Edgar said as he stood up from the chair.

“Yes my Lord” Brandon said.

“Get my gold chest?” Edgar said.

“What is it?” Brandon replied looking confused when Edgar gave him a certain look.

“I changed the lock you little thief” Edgar said smirking and Brandon never knew that Edgar knew he was taking his gold.

“I wasn’t stealing from you, I was borrowing” Brandon claimed as he brought the box from where it was hidden under the bed.

“Something’s wrong”Elaine said and they both stopped their jokes and turned to look at her.