[This is set slightly after the first day in court.]

"Damn....," Elektra murmured as she tried to catch the sledding pile of
papers that cascaded from her desk; as the papers fluttered onto the newly
laid, shining, wood floor she made herself take a long breath before
kneeling to gather them up. It didn't matter that there was a trial on -
the needs of the citizens of Montfort continued on unabated.

..... Milkins' amended estate. An inquiry from a refuge family in
Bleckner....

The dark-haired girl, with her skirts of fine green linen fanning out
about her, fingered each paper as she put them back into order. Some of
the papers Allenel, now Judge Gilford, had carried with him when he fled
the Republica's Limpia; when he laid a trusting hand into that of a fox
woman, named Kitrina. ~How thin our bones,~ Elektra thought as she felt
the bare weight of the parchment, ~With our blood of wax...~ The seals
carrying more power than many spells in the courts of the kingdom.

She could remember Laurelyn Hillrover, the storyteller's thoughts, ~The
stones are my bones.....The sea my blood...~ "Your stories shattered
here," Elektra said softly, "But like us they are also reborn." She, like
Brion, had been glad to hear that his niece had found her phantom ship,
and had found love with a good man, and good friend to them, Thomis Parch.

As a spirit Elektra had had the rare opportunity to watch the death (twice
over) of Montfort, and as a woman of flesh she now had the opportunity to
help with its rebirth. With lovingly touch she finished tidying up the
wayward papers, and set them back upon her desk.

When she was satisfied that all was ready for the next day she gathered
up her pouch and cape, and locked up the office. ~I hope Brion remembered
to remind Allenel about dinner,~ she pondered; the Judge and the
Bailiff had been taken up with Council business since late afternoon. As
for herself, she faced a lonely walk back to her rooms - a runner had come
earlier to tell her that Serun was busy at the blacksmith's, where he was
apprenticed.

She wasn't worried - she had told Serun often enough that he didn't have
to walk her home each evening, but now she missed his easy banter.
Sometimes their new lifes were frightening, stretching out into shadowy
unknowns; with the knowledge that one day their lifes would carry each of
them away from the close companionship that being Morrighu's spirit
children had forged. ~Deanna...or Paul...of Fredia would say the threads
were spinning us away.~ The threads literally had spun Elenia away to
Jord, where she healed and settled into the tale that she was a noble's
daughter. In a house filled with the laughter of bright children that they
had guarded.

Elektra shook out her cape and wrapped it around her shoulders. She knew
she was tired, and that fatigue was leading her thoughts to somewhat
melancholy musings. ~We chose life,~ she simply told herself, and with
those words drove back any nebulous fears of the future.

The halls of the City Hall were not completely empty, and a guard saw her
out to the still busy street and out into the evening dusk.

"Miss Corach?" Emmon Filgers said, coming forward, and making sure the
door guard saw him.

"Yes," Elektra said, turning with a noble grace, and watching him with
calm wariness.

"I'm Emmon Filgers," the stocky half-elf offered; deciding that it was
safe enough to give his name to the Judge's secretary, and apprentice.

She had heard Brion mention that name in passing a month back - as the
novel fact that a detective had set up a shingle in Montfort. "Can I help
you, Mr. Filgers?"

Under her keen brown eyes Emmon felt like he was being weighed and tried,
and he wondered if she found him wanting in her initial impressions. But
her expression gave nothing away. "I was looking for either Mr. Mayce, or
his secretary, William," he said, "With the trial running late, and with
my own duties, I missed them."

She shook her head, and said, "I'm sorry, I haven't seen Mr. Mayce, or his
assistant, since the trial let out." She started to turn away.

"Are you walking alone?" he suddenly asked. And flushed when she abruptly
turned her sharp gaze back on him. He never had had an easy time with
ladies - his tongue seemed to be a wayward creature that balked at any
smoothness. "I just mean...it doesn't seem wise for a lady to be out alone
at night. Montfort isn't that safe."

"I know," Elektra said, letting her smile ease her features. When Filgers
had first come to town both Brion and the Guard had kept an eye on him,
and judged him decent enough. Maybe not overly successfully, but not
scum. "One has to walk warily through Montfort - in all its guises. But I
don't live far from here." She didn't add that Brion, the forest
spirits,and the Selkie healers had not left her untaught.

"Well since my original errand is for naught, may I least walk you
home?" he offered, "I wouldn't feel right if I didn't."

"If your conscious will upset you that much, then I'll agree," Elektra
added with a quick grin.

Emmon smoothed his good tunic down, and stepped beside the tall (nearly a
half head taller than he was) secretary.

As they strolled down the street, with Filgers keeping a casual but alert
eye on the other pedistrians, Elektra said, "You realize, Mr. Filgers, I
cannot say a word about the trial. _That_ I want to make clear."

Emmon met her serious brown eyes, and marveled at her finely shaped face,
and honestly said, "_That_ I would never dream of."

[To Be Continued]