2372 Iclis 10, Briss

"So, this time, let's use Roserice Mansion's ballroom as the main events place," Elred tapped a finger on the crude map of Abshire, marking the four great mansions at the corners. "We could hold small reception areas in the three other mansions should the guests flood in or if Mother goes overboard with the invites again."

A snicker fluttered through the assembled crowd of event planners around the table. Elred allowed herself a smile. It's almost a relief when the Queen introduced Elred to a team of florists, jewellers, designers, and other artisans back then. All this time, Elred thought she was going to plan everything on the Feast on her own. Now, she had fallen into a routine of being the final decision after hearing each and every suggestion about anything. It was fun, even though it's a little bit of a pressure at times.

Today, they were supposed to finalize the main material list for the hall where the Feast was going to take place in so that the team could place in the orders and Abshire could have it in the following weeks. They had spent the entire morning arguing about which mansion's ballroom was the best for such an important event. Some suggested the Arness mansion with its resplendent windows and lush gardens. Others bet on Vertinso or Caltine Mansion for a number of varying reasons. So, Elred did a blind pick in her head and settled on Roserice.

Nobody argued.

"Okay," Elred leaned back on her seat and crossed her arms. "Roserice, it is, then."

"Pardon me, Your Grace," a small, timid voice spoke from the meeting hall's doorway. Elred turned to see a young servant with her head ducked. "There's some...ah, important news that requires your attention."

Elred looked at the planners around her and gave them a curt nod. "Formulate a decent materials list and we'll go over it when I get back."

She didn't wait for the acknowledgement as she burst out of the meeting hall, after the servant. "What is it?" she asked after some time. The halls of the Vertinso Mansion sped by her in a familiar haze.

"A pelgar has died, Your Grace," the girl answered without looking back. It might be considered rude but Elred didn't have time to think about that. "We think it might have been killed."

Elred raised an eyebrow. A pelgar killed? Nobody would think to kill those fluffy and playful creatures. Besides, wasn't it forbidden to harm a pelgar? They're Crintine's guardian hounds. To harm one would mean risking the goddess' wrath. It didn't seem like the best deal around.

They reached the mansion's lobby. The glass doors were thrown wide open, giving Elred a perfect view of the gardens and the rest of Abshire outside. Then, the commotion got her attention. Throngs of people cloistered around something, their mutterings and shocked gasps reaching Elred even when she was far off.

"Make way, please," Elred commanded as she and the servant girl reached the outer rim of the crowd. Thankfully, she didn't need to shoulder her way since the people, mostly servants and a few members of the Garde, stepped aside.

That gave her an unobstructed view of the scene. Her breath hitched. Her heart thundered in her chest. Who...who would do this? It was gruesome. The poor animal didn't look like it even fought. Her eyes edged towards the walls of the mansion where the pelgar had stood guard all these years. Streaks of dried blood turned it a sickly shade of black. Blood.

Walls painted red.

Elred felt sick. She wanted to punch something. Scream. Or do anything. Her brother's warning flashed in her head. Grim things are bound to happen.

Dear gods.

She turned to the uniformed Garde who came up beside her. Helinfirth didn't really have a police force or an army but they do have people who patrolled the streets, looking for something amiss and all that stuff. They're more like watchers than soldiers. They didn't even have weapons.

Still, it was better than nothing. The Garde were not to be underestimated. They knew the whole territory like the patterns in their wings. They could gather information like nobody's business. If there was anyone who could catch the criminal who did this, it's the Garde.

"I trust you know what to do?" Elred pressed her mouth into a thin line. It took everything in her to not look at the violent scene behind her. "Get me something to work with by tomorrow. I want full eyes on this."

The Garde gave her a rigid salute and ran off to find his comrades or whatever it was they did to spread word. Elred turned to the servants loitering around. "What are standing around there for?" she said. "Clean this up. And for Crintine's sake, give the poor creature a proper burial."

"Your Grace, we need a new pelgar to stand in the deceased one's place," a servant chimed.

Elred sighed, massaging the bridge of her nose. "Raise that concern to one of the royal family," she said. "My mother, perhaps."

The servant turned to go when something struck Elred. "Wait," she called. The servant stopped in his tracks. "Disregard what I said. Tell no one in my family about this incident. I'll fix this, somehow."

The servant nodded and dashed off.

"Your Grace, there you are!" Elred turned to find one of the planners she left in the mansion striding towards her. Didn't she tell them to stay put? So much for listening to a royal. "We are just about to finish the list. We just have one wee problem though."

From her periphery, Elred watched the servants load the pelgar's body into a wheelbarrow and started wheeling it away. "What is it?"

The planner tapped her chin. "Should we go with carpets or no carpets?"

Elred blew a breath. "Hold on. I'm coming back to the room."

She should focus on the things that matter. She'd think about other stuff later. Almost there. Stay strong. Just until the Feast is over.