Seeking the Truth, Scene v1

“What letters?”

“I guess it’s for the best,” she mumbled sadly.

“What are you talking about? What’s going on? Please, tell me,” Lucas pleaded.

Isella said nothing. Lucas waited, hoping she would answer, but she just stared at the ground in front of her with those sad eyes. “Please…Isella. Please tell me. All these months—I—I just...I wanted to find you. I had no idea where you were, or what happened. So please. Tell me.”

She rolled over to her other side, facing the wall so Lucas couldn’t see her face. After a moment’s hesitation, she answered. “Every month I left a letter for you with your parents.”

He shook his head, confused. “What? They never gave me any letters. They thought you were killed.”

“That’s because they burned them.”

With those words, a sinking feeling overcame Lucas. His own parents knew better than anyone how worried he was about Isella. “W-Why? Why would they do that? Why wouldn’t they tell me?”

He pleaded her with his eyes, searching for answers, but none were returned. He rattled the cell bars in frustration. “Tell me, Isella! What the hell is going on?!”

Isella body shook with silent sobs. She had already said too much. She promised herself she would hide everything, for his sake, but she couldn’t bear it. And now, knowing more would only make things for him. “I’m sorry, Lucas…” she whispered.

He rattled the bars again, yelling, “Tell me what’s going on! Why won’t you tell me?”

“Stop it, Lucas.” Devin quickly walked up to him and grabbed his arm. “That’s enough.”

“But—”

“Come with me.” Devin led him out of the dungeon. He gave the troubled soldier a sympathetic look as he let go of him. “I’m taking you off active duty until you get yourself together. I know this is hard for you, but you need to learn how to keep focus and control yourself.”

Lucas clenched his fists. After all the years he and Isella have been together, it infuriated him how she would keep such secrets from him. And if Isella were telling the truth, even his own parents were hiding something from him. Now finally, after nearly a year, he had found her, but that wasn’t enough. He wanted to know what happened to her. Lucas rushed off toward the stables.

“Where are you going?” asked Devin.

“To find out what really happened to her.”

Upon reaching the stables, Lucas mounted up and rode South to Yuin. By nightfall, he arrived in the village. Lights filled the windows, the sounds of silverware and dinner conversations escaped a few of the homes. He dismounted and tied his horse near the front of the modest tailor shop near the center of the village. The small bell signaled his entry. A woman’s voice called from the back room, “I’ll be there in just a second!”

Lucas walked toward the back room behind the counter. As he approached the doorway, he nearly bumped into the woman, startling her. “Oh! Lucas, you scared me.”



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