Rise or Burn

Chapter Twenty-Two

Tessa Hart's father, Argyle Hart was a seventy year old man with deep tanned wrinkled skin, drooping honey coloured eyes, a full head of grey hair and a moustache that covered most of his upper lip. His brow appeared to be fixed in a permanent scowl which made it hard to discern whether he was truly unhappy to see the crown prince standing at the door of the Valkerie manor or it was just his face. Wenly decided on the latter when Argyle invited him in, Orrick Hast in tow.

The manor had seen better days. For the last few years it'd been empty, except for a few servants to guard and maintain the property. The family, Wenly's grandparents, uncle, aunt and cousins, had all been killed by M.A.G.E when the group had first emerged. Portraits that had once adorned the halls had been pulled down and stored in the artic. The furniture was covered in white sheets and most of the rooms had been bolted shut. Wenly could remember what it looked like before, when his family would visit. Every room glistened with life. Laughter echoed from the nursey as his cousins and siblings played merrily together. It was never this quiet. Never this cold. Never this haunted.

Argyle led them to a small sitting room that had been left open. There was a fire in the hearth, it drew them in. Both Wenly and Orrick took seats close to the fire. The trip to North Hathia had left them chilled to the bone.

"I'll call for some tea," Argyle said and left.

"You think he'll talk to us?" Orrick asked as he leaned closer to Wenly.

"I don't know," Wenly said but he meant, "He will." Wenly had decided it then, that no matter what it took, he would make Argyle Hart talk. This man's daughter had already taken so much from his family.

Argyle returned a moment later with a maid who set up the table and poured each of them a cup of tea. Then she left. Argyle took the seat to prince Wenly's right. "I hope you don't mind me asking," Argyle said. "But why are you here?"

Wenly took a sip of his tea before he responded. "It's about your daughter, Tessa," he said. "Have you been in contact with her as of late?"

The older man shook his head. "No, your majesty. We haven't spoken since she left more than two decades ago. I'm afraid we don't have a very good relationship."

Wenly frowned but he expected as much. "Oh, I see," he said. "Do you mind if we ask you a few questions about her?"

At this Argyle shot up to his feet, tea spilling on the spiral patterned rug. "Yes, I do," he exclaimed. His expression hardened as his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What is this about? Has something happened to my daughter?"

"She's suspected of been involved with M.A.G.E," Orrick brazenly said as he reached for a cookie from the tray on the table.

"M.A.G.E?" Argyle said in a distraught tone as he settled back in his seat. "Are you sure?"

"I'm afraid so," Wenly said with a little more sensitivity.

Argyle sighed as he clutched his chest. "I wish I could say it's hard to believe but Tessa has always been a bit of a rebel. I used to call her Kuneni, my wild child. She never listened to a word I said. Not when I was telling her not to climb trees. Not when I was telling her not to pick fights she couldn't win. And not when I asked her not to leave. She just never listened."

"Why did she leave?"

"I don't know if I should say," he said lowering his gaze to his undrunk cup of tea.

"Mr Hart," Wenly said leaning forward. He set his cup back on the tray. "Your daughter is working with some very dangerous people. We need whatever you can tell us in order to find her."