Once they got out onto the road they picked up the pace with Sabin running ahead of them. Elizabeta and Sarah rode in the middle with the two guards, one in front and the other in the back, and with two servants riding along the sides.

As they got closer to the village the two servants moved from their spots and rode ahead of them and into the village.  Once they reached the village they slowed the horses down to a walk and they went to the Mayor’s house. The two servants who rode ahead of them meet them at the door and held onto the reigns allowing the ladies to dismount from the horses.  After they had done that and gotten their legs under them they walked up to the door and one of the guards opened the door. “The Lady Vaungervale.” He boomed into the house.

Elizabeta and Sarah took off their capes and stood in the sitting room and waited for someone to come into the room. No one showed up and she looked at the two burly guards and nodded and they went off up the stairs with Sabin leading the way and they searched room to for where the Mayor was. “M’Lady, we found him.” The guard yelled down the stairs. Elizabeta and Sarah made their way up the stairs and into the Mayors room. “Do it.” She said and the guards grabbed the mattress and flipped it over, waking up the Mayor.

He snorted and fought with the sheets and blankets. “What the… HUH…What is going on here?” The Mayor snorted as he pulled the sheet from his head and looked at the two guards and Elizabeta. “What in the devil are you doing here?” He said standing up.  “You made Reign sick.” Elizabeta said with a growl. “HUH what?” the Mayor said rubbing his eyes.  “You injected the girl with something before coming to the castle.” Elizabeta said. The Mayor snapped to attention, “You can’t prove that I did that.” He said. “As a matter of fact I can.” Elizabeta said walking over to face the mayor. “I found the injection site at the base of her hair line.” She said.  Elizabeta held up her hand and the two guards came over and took the Mayor by the underarms and lifted him out of the tangle of sheets and set him in a chair.  Elizabeta walked over to the Mayor, one of the servants came up behind her and handed her a small black box.  “A gift for you.” Elizabeta said handing it to the Mayor. Who in turn opened the box and then closed it again and held his hand over his mouth.   “Sabin, come here my pet.” Elizabeta said kneeling down. Sabin got up from the door and trotted over to where Elizabeta sat on the floor.  She took his head in her hands and turned it so he could see the Mayor. “You see that man sitting there.” She whispered loudly. “That is the bad man that made you and Reign sick.” She whispered out loud.  Sabin’s ears lay back on his head and deep growls could be heard coming from the wolf. “I want you to keep an eye on him, and make sure he doesn’t move from that chair.” She said releasing his head and standing up. Sabin slinked over to the mayor teeth bared and growling. Elizabeta walked up to the mayor. “Now you be a good boy and stay right where you are, and I will be back.” She said patting the Mayor on the head. 

Elizabeta, Sarah and the two guards walked out of the room, down into the sitting room, and taking their capes from the two servants and walked out into the streets of the sleeping village.  The six of them walked to the village square and gathered in a circle. “I want you four to go house to house and I want you to take every young child from their beds and bring them too me.” Elizabeta said. The two guards and the two servants bowed and ran off down the streets and began going into each house one by one.  

Every other minute one of the four attendants came back with crying children.  After about 15 minutes the four attendants came back with the last of the young children.  

They gathered them all into one big herd and they all walked to the Mayor’s house. “Stay here, I have to go and check on the Mayor.” Elizabeta giggled and walked into the house and up the stairs. “Sabin!” Elizabeta called out. Sabin barked. Elizabeta walked into the room and stopped and looked at the Mayor. “Was he a good boy Sabin?” Elizabeta asked kneeling down next to him. Sabin woofed and wagged his tail. “That’s good.” She said.” “Go and see Sarah.” Elizabeta said pointing to the door. Sabin barked again and ran out the door.  “Now Mayor, come over to the window with me.” She said. The Mayor got up from the chair and walked over to the window and opened up the shutters and looked out.

He gasped and looked at Elizabeta. “How dare you.” The Mayor said turning around. “How dare I what Mayor?” Elizabeta said. “You tried to poison Reign.” She said walking over to the Mayor.  “You double crossed us, so I came here and took every single young child from their bed and brought them here to your house, so it was the last thing they saw before leaving for the castle.” She said turn around and headed for the door. “Wait….Wait…Wait.” the Mayor said following behind her. “What can I do to make up for my folly?” The Mayor said with a defeated looked on his face.  “I am going to go down there and I am going to pick two children, which are going to come home with me.” She said walking out of the room. The Mayor turned and looked out the window again.

To Chapter 9