(ZOOM FOR DETAILS!) Lord Jobil was furious - a bomb in HIS castle. His meeting with the constabulary left him shaking with frustration. Days of investigation, and they still had no leads. He calmed himself through sheer willpower, but his eyes had a dangerous glint. "Guard - GUARD! Call Bellikor." Bellikor threw himself into the investigation. He was intrigued by the physical evidence - a few misshapen iron shards. He spent several hours with his reagents and peering through an enormous glass, and then returned to Jobil. "I know who made this - at least who made the container." Jobil was stunned. The man had been a castle blacksmith, but several incidents with Jobil's men had drawn his honesty into question. Jobil had summarily thrown him out of the castle concessions. Still, he had a unique formula and process for strengthening metal, and they had used his talents on occasion. As Jobil dispatched his constables, a messenger arrived from Mubela. The man, a veteran soldier, was grimy and had ridden for hours. He was fatigued, but the grim set of his jaw put Jobil on alert. After he had delivered his message, Jobil dismissed him to a well deserved meal and bed. Ashen, he leaned a hand on his desk and closed his eyes. After a few moments he called for his horse. __________________ The smith sneered at the constable. "Ahh, you got nothing on me, just get back on your horses and ride back to your pretty little castle." The constable took a step forward and the man laughed. "You need to work on your 'intimidating look' mate, it's not working." The man was still laughing as Jobil and his personal guard rode up. Jobil stepped in and surveyed the room in a sweeping glance. The expressions on his men's faces and the sneering blacksmith told him all he needed to know. "Oh, now look at this, what an honor - the big man himself to pay me a visit now." Jobil gave no visible reaction, just removed his cloak and shirt until he was bare to the waist. Donning heavy leather gloves, he stepped to the forge. He nodded his guards to either side of the blacksmith. "Smiths are accustomed to heat aren't they?" He picked up a glowing iron billet. The man looked a bit queasy. "Here now, this can't be legal, I know my rights." Jobil fixed him with eyes like charged crossbows. "Galen is missing in parts unknown, and Aranée lies near death. You sold a bomb container to the men who are responsible for all of this." He continued softly. "I sit in judgment in my lands, and you have been judged. You have information about the men who harmed my son's wife and my unborn grandchild. Your 'rights' are at my pleasure and I will either have the satisfaction of the information I seek..." He held up the faintly smoking iron. "... or I will have it another way." --- TO BE CONTINUED! View episodes in sequence for the entire story. Sorry for the absence, I've been having a few medical issues. I'm still not 100%, but well enough that I can start posting and visiting your galleries again. Leave a comment or suggestions, your words mean so much to me... Image and story © 2011 by Larry Hodge