Don't Drink the Tea

    The former Legion captain woke up with a start. His hands were in irons as he rode on the back of Spitfire. Will led the way on his white mustang, Winter. The elf rode next to him, while Popson and Chang followed. The hooves clattered down the somber streets of Between. He stretched his sore neck and back. He gingerly touched the large bump on his forehead, which was covered in a white bandage. 

"What happened? Why am I sore all over?" 

Popson called from behind, "You tried to kiss the Lady. Poor choice, mate."

"Yeah, I remember. Where are we? Are we going to my execution?"

"No." Seravina interjected, "Good news, you have been granted an immediate and permanent exile from Between. The senators sided with your expulsion."

"Great. Then why are we still here?" He scanned the buildings. "Near the residences of Banker."

"We have one stop to make. For you to say a final farewell to Between."

"Goodbye! Can we head back to the estate now? These quiet streets are giving me the creeps." 

"You did just kill a beloved member of the community.” Will said.

Seravina continued. “This will not be a pleasant visit. Whatever you do, do not drink the tea or eat anything offered to you. We are here. The Stonebraker’s villa. ”

Seravina expertly dismounted and ordered the men.

  “Mr. Chico, dismount and come with me. Popson, guard the backdoor. Chang, stay at the basement doors. Will, watch the front. Do not come inside unless you hear my command."

 "Yes ma'am." The soldiers went to their posts.

  Seravina unshackled Chico and placed them on her horse.

    “Why are we at Stonebraker's house?" Chico asked as he rubbed his sore wrists.

     "Just a hypothesis.”

   “A what?” Jak scratched his head.

 “An educated guess. A hunch.”

“Oh, I see.  About what?”

“Tying up some loose ends.  Follow me, Mr. Chico."

They ascended the stairs. She knocked on the door and stepped back.

            The heavy oak door opened.

"Seravina? What a pleasant surprise." Mrs. Stonebraker said as she hugged her.   

The lady of the house wore an ivory long dress with a matching shirt with pink and yellow flowers. The flowing shirt was low cut and scandalously revealed her upper chest. 

 "I was about to eat lunch and have some tea. Jeremiah should be along shortly. Please come in. Your friend is welcome too."

"Thank you, my Lady. This is Jak Chico, former Legion captain." 

"Welcome, Captain Chico. Any friend of Seravina is a friend of mine." They shook hands.

"You are the Judge’s wife?” He winked at her. “The pleasure is all mine, my Lady." He kissed her hand.

"Oh, a gentleman. Thank you. Both of you please wait in the study, while I get the tea and lunch ready. Seravina will show you the way." Mrs. Stonebraker sauntered to the kitchen, while Seravina and Chico sat down in silence on the ornate couch.  Their host called from the kitchen.

"Is the trial done already? Jeremiah said it would be quick. I should know by now being a judge's wife, forever." She laughed. "I don't keep up with any of the political stuff.

 "Yes, ma'am. We were done early. His Honor is wrapping up some minor details in the courthouse." Seravina replied. 

Chico whispered in her ear. "You mean, he is being wrapped up."

  Seravina grinned but did not laugh. She elbowed Chico hard in the stomach. He doubled over.  

Mrs. Stonebraker came down the hallway pushing a wheeled cart filled with cookies, snacks, and mini-sandwiches. She had three porcelain tea cups and saucers. The steaming porcelain teapot wafted an aromatic tea blend. 

"You two make a handsome couple." The hostess said.

"I thought so too, my Lady, but she will have nothing to do with me." Chico pouted.

"Her loss." She winked at him. "Please help yourself, there is plenty. So why this special visit?" She made a cup of tea for herself, put it on the side table, and sat down in a lounge chair. 

Seravina started, "Thankfully I must decline your wonderful selection of sustenance. I had a bite before we came. During the trial, your daughter, Mary, was discussed and debated. The Judge having one perspective and Mary's friends another. I wanted clarification on the whole story from you."

“Me?” Mrs. Stonebraker grabbed a cookie and then reclined. “I guess I could explain a few things. It is rather a long and sad story.” She nibbled it and stared at Chico.

Chico reached for a cookie and popped it into his mouth. “These are delicious. Hard baked chocolate chips. My favorite.”

“Thank you Jak. I was hoping you would like them. Take another, please.”

“Don’t mind if I do. Thank you.” He snatched another and reached for a triangular mini-sandwich. “Are these pimento cheese? And pigs in a blanket? Ants on a log? These are all my favorites. My Lady, you know how to dine.” He placed them all on a plate. He savored every bite. “I haven’t had this in ages.”

“Really? What a coincidence. I just love making whimsical lunch treats.” The hostess explained and inched closer to Jak. 

 Seravina asked, “Could you give your version of the events of Mary’s untimely demise?”

“Straight to business, just like Mary and Jeremiah. She has no time for a little fun, does she, Jak?”

“She’s got something stuck up her butt, but it isn’t fun.” He and Mrs. Stonebraker laughed at the joke and the elf. 

“Jak, do you like chocolate pudding?” She reached on the second level of the cart and pulled out a crystal cup with the smooth chocolate blend.

“Are you serious? Yes.” He put his finger into it and tasted it. “Wow.”

Mrs. Stonebraker handed him a spoon and caressed his hand. “Use a spoon, silly.” 

“Sorry. Thanks. You are the best.” Jack finished one and reached for a second.

“My Lady, what don’t you want to share about Mary?”

“Seravina.” Mrs. Stonebraker snapped. “Let me ask you a question, Ms. Counselor.”

“Please.”

“Is this whole visit to inform me that Jeremiah is dead?”

“Yes.”

“Did Jak kill him in court?” She gave a maniacal chuckle. “Was it a public spectacle?”

“Yes. Did you plot Mary’s death, the destruction of Between, and the death of your husband?”

Chico stopped devouring the pudding. “Seravina, are you mad? This sweet and kind woman could never plot such evil.” Jak’s eyes were getting heavy. “I am feeling so sleepy.”

Mrs. Stonebraker reached out and softly touched Jak’s cheek. “Jak, sweet Jak. You rest now.”  

Jak leaned back, instantly fell asleep and snored. 

  She turned to Seravina. “Do you have any children?”

“No.”

“When you do, you will realize how ridiculous your first question was. Parents love their children and would do anything to protect them, but never plot their death.”

“So you plotted to kill her friends and something went terribly wrong.”

“Yes. When Jeremiah bragged how smart you were, I knew you would be trouble. When you showed up at our door, I almost killed you then.”

“I know. I knew His Honor could not be the mastermind, but you could. Her friends?”

  “If you knew how horrible those cretins were to my Mary, then you would have done something too. You know what went wrong with my plan? Mary went wrong.  She really was the best of them. She loved her friends despite how they treated her. She had to be noble and do the right thing. She gave her life for those brats.”

“It must have been terrible for you to see your daughter’s tormentors still alive.”

“It was at first, then I met someone who changed my life.”

 “A young Jak Chico.”

“He strolled into town with this bravado and ambition and good looks. I met him in disguise at one of the bars at Freeside. I got him drunk and seduced him. I learned all about him; his goals, aspirations, likes, dislikes, everything. After a few months, I ended it, but he still would be my beautiful tool of destruction for those girls, Between, and my stupid husband.” 

  “You sent him all that money and the handwritten notes. You manipulated him to do your bidding. Chico removed the sword from where Mary died.”

“Bingo. It really was a beautiful thing. Jak has a real gift of influence over people especially the girls. I wound up the perfect clock and let it go. I loved being behind the scenes and pulling the strings. Just a push in the right direction and all of Between in an uproar. With a little note to my sweet Jak, all the pieces fell back into place. Until that infernal mob happened.” 

“I am the one to blame for that.” Seravina explained. “To spite him, I sent the notes to all his lovers to meet him at the same time at his first flat in Sembly.”

“Interesting.” Mrs. Stonebraker said. She pulled out a large snub-nosed revolver and pointed it at Seravina. “I guess you will be the last of his lovers. If you had only taken a sip of tea, then I wouldn’t have to use this barbaric thing. Do you know what this is, dear?” She rattled the weapon.

“I believe it is called a gun. We intercepted your weapons shipment from Wingo this morning.”

“Well, you missed this one. I am quite a good shot. You know, Seravina, I almost liked you, but I despise female competition.”

  Seravina said, “Do you realize you will not be able to control him like this for long? He is charming and deceitful. He only likes smart and young women. You are neither one of those.”

“The claws finally come out, Counselor. I knew you were a vicious lover.” 

“I have never been Jak’s lover.”

“Well, too bad for you, it is a pleasure. But this won’t be for you, Seravina. It will be a shame about that beautifully hand-stitched dress.” Mrs. Stonebraker commented and sighed. 

Without further hesitation, she fired the weapon twice at Seravina’s chest. The first blast pinned the elf to the couch. The second one blasted her over the back of the couch and cratered her into the wall. The Stonebraker family portrait crashed to the ground and shattered. Seravina slumped to the floor with a dead thud. 

“That is that.”  

She walked over to the counselor’s body and fired again this time at her head. She blew smoke from the end of the gun. She grinned at the lovely corpse and then put the weapon on the food cart.

She pulled some smelling salts from her pocket. She opened it under Jak’s nose. He jumped awake with pudding on his cheek.

“What happened? Where am I? Where’s the pudding?”

Mrs. Stonebraker helped Jak to his feet. “Sweet Jak, it is time to get you to bed for a little fun.”

“I like fun.” Jak said in delirium. “Will there be pudding?” 

“Yes, lots of pudding for my Jak.”

She propped him up and took two steps toward the stairs. Mrs. Stonebraker did not notice the reddish ethereal glow emitting from behind the couch. 

A primal scream reverberated from the floor. 

Seravina leapt from behind and tackled Mrs. Stonebraker.  Jak spun once and then fell face first back on the couch. 

A struggle ensued. 

“You’re dead! I just shot you! Once in the head!” The hostess cried out. 

Seravina's muscular legs and superior strength dominated the squirming mastermind to the floor. 

“Sorry, you missed this one. I am not the one dying today.”

  With her right hand, Seravina reached up to the cart and poured a cup of tea. She lowered the cup toward the captive’s mouth.  She pried opened Mrs. Stonebraker’s mouth with her left hand.  She poured the hot beverage down her throat.  The Judge’s wife gagged, foamed at the mouth, and struggled for only a moment more.  Her body lay limp but her surprised bugged-out eyes stared at death. 

Seravina covered the corpse’s face with an ivory doily from the cart.  She slowly stood up and winced.  She held her ribs with her left hand over a smoking gunpowder stain on her dress.  She wiped the blood from her glowing head wound as the bullet popped out.  It instantly healed.

 She located the gun and put it in her purse.  She awakened Jak and helped him back to his feet. They struggled together to the door. Seravina opened it.

Jak turned around and noticed the body on the floor. “What happened to her?”

The elf queen answered, “She drank the tea.”

“I don’t want tea. I want more pudding.”

Seravina creaked open the heavy front door. They stumbled forward through the entrance.  She barely shut it. Will ran up the stairs and helped them both to the horses. Will hoisted Jak into his saddle. He immediately leaned forward and hugged Spitfire.

The counselor doubled over and Will assisted her onto the horse.  She winced and then called out to Popson and Chang. They rejoined the group. Together they cantered to the Doorf Estate.  The diabolical and vacant home faded from view as the hooves clattered and echoed down the subdued avenue.