When Aria came to, she was lying on a soft pallet. For a moment, she assumed that she was back in her chamber, waking up from a troubling dream. She yawned quietly and sat up, blinking. Suddenly, however, the room came into sharp focus.
She was lying in a small chamber, surrounded by walls made of roughly hewn wood. A small window was in the far corner of the room, letting a single ray of light into the otherwise dark room. Aria was now wide awake. She threw the soft blanket that covered her aside and leapt up. The memories came flooding back – riding in the forest with Marie, the bandits... and being knocked unconscious.
At that moment, Aria saw a man standing by the doorway. She straightened, staring into the darkness. "Who are you?" she called, striking a defensive pose.
The man stepped forward. "I found you on the forest road. You were wounded, and I took the liberty of bringing you here," he replied.
Absently, Aria raised a hand to her head. Sure enough, a rough bandage was wrapped around her head. She curtsied deeply. "Thank you, Monsieur. You will be rewarded."
"Nay, Mademoiselle." The rustling of fabric came, followed by quiet footsteps. In the dim light, Aria saw the man walk to a table. He struck a match, and a lantern blazed to life. Holding the lantern out, he concealed his face in shadow. "But I am interested to know what a lady of breeding is doing in such dismal forests. It is said that the Silent Phantom haunts these areas."
Aria smiled gently and thought back to what Marie had said. "I was out riding. As for the Silent Phantom, well, Monsieur, I cannot be afraid of a myth. A ghost who raids towns can hardly harm me."
The man chuckled softly, causing Aria to arch an eyebrow quizzically. "Do I amuse you?"
"No, no. It is your valor that intrigues me. Be he man or myth, the Silent Phantom is much feared."
A tinge of color came to her cheeks. "Payment, Monsieur. I cannot go without paying you for your efforts. My father is a marquis; he can afford a generous reward."
The man now seemed interested. "Your father is a marquis? May I ask who he is?"
Aria frowned at the question, but obliged the man. "He is the Marquis de Jacques. Might I ask your name, Monsieur?"
"You may ask, but I cannot answer."
After a moment of silence, Aria stepped towards the man. "May I at least see the face of the man who saved me?"
The man hesitated a moment, but then stepped into the light. Aria gasped lightly. The man was dressed in standard evening wear, odd for a man who seemed to live in the depths of the forest. But his face was what grasped her attention. On his face was a fitted white mask, reaching from his hairline to just above his lips.
Aria swallowed her curiosity and managed a small smile. "Have you just come from a masque, Monsieur?"
The man blinked rapidly. "This is for your benefit, Miss de Jacques."
She sighed. "Your secrecy does not encourage my trust in you, Monsieur. I am everlastingly grateful for your care, and you will be rewarded. But I must leave," she told him, a hint of sternness creeping into her voice.
The man walked to the doorway, barring her exit. "I am afraid that is not possible. Your horse has run off, and I do not have another here."
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Slaying the Silence
ऐतिहासिक साहित्यIt is 1683, during the reign of King Louis the XIV of France. With the king off to extend the borders of France, his most trusted noblemen are set in charge of overseeing his country. But a dark threat is rising - a thief known as the Silent Phant...
