Part 10
Three carcasses where piled around the back of the house, and three more lay within the front room inside the house their throats gaping. There was only one left of their number who may know the whereabouts of Taala's locket...the woman who carried scar-arm's child, her safety bought with his own life.
Within moments Eroforth had a tattered blanket wrapped about the woman's head, a dagger to her throat, gifting her a rude awakening from her dreams. Eroforth would be the only one to speak in an effort to confuse the woman into wondering, who, why and how many of them were there. Eroforth's voice was harsh and menacing, he made it known from the outset that she was alone and would meet the same fate as the others if she gave any trouble. He checked about her neck for a locket, delivering a shake of his head to Taala...nothing.
The woman was bewildered, vulnerable and scared but she was clearly resourceful, soon enough the severity of her predicament shook her into a clearer mind. As they bound her, the woman made attempts to appear ignorant, play on their sympathies by pleading for the life of her unborn child, she threatened that vengeance would be sought if harm should come to her, she even offered her body, but in time her resolve was broken.
Taala began searching through a chest that stood in the corner of the room. By and large it was full of bounty, none of it of any worth. Pressing the woman further she revealed the chest had a false bottom. Taala prised the bottom of the chest open with her dagger, there within, lay an assortment of coins, trinkets, ornaments and oddments. She rummaged amongst them her heart racing...and there it was, her locket. Time stood still as she rose slowly to her feet dangling the locket before her eyes, watching it spin upon it's chain. She looked over at Eroforth holding it forth to show him, he showed little emotion other than a desire to get out of there.
Fingers trembling she opened the clasp on the locket...
Empty!
And now so was Taala...
