Victorious! That's how Lyfrid was feeling when Patch confronted Angelnarth after overhearing her accusations of the Man following her to Combe. Looking like Fancy was about to find himself on the wrong end of Patch's dagger was the source of that elevated feeling of victory. The triumphant feeling faded fast, however, as soon as the armored Man tattled on Lyfrid. Calmly, Angelnarth explained to the one-eyed man he had only followed Lyfrid after it appeared she had followed Patch out of the Hunter's Lodge.
Like a dust jacket claiming comedy being torn away to find the book under it was really a tragedy instead, Patch's seething and sneering turned from Anglenarth to Lyfrid. The woman realized the jig was up, blurted an explicative then stormed toward the door out of the lodge. Unfortunately for the Seer, the eye-patched Man made it to the door first, stopping her short. Cold as ice water, a chill ran down Lyfrid backbone. No one would likely notice, she was well practiced in the art of the 'poker face'. One thing the Lyfrid had learned, the hard way, is showing fear empowers your adversary, a mistake she would never make again.
Patch moved in closer to Lyfrid who weaved back and forth trying to maneuver herself closer to the door. Angelnarth took up a position just to Lyfrid's left side, in a kind voice, asked her to remove her hood. Narrowing her eyes at him, wondering why he would say such a thing, she completely ignored his request. Lyfrid asked, no demanded they clear the door. It wasn't going to be that way, however. Patch told Lyfrid before he would move out of the way, she would have to answer some questions. Believing she had little choice given she was outnumbered, the Seer agreed, reluctantly.
Snarling in a way that exposed his cuspids like fangs, Patch barked questions at her, which didn't phase Lyfrid. What did unnerve her, briefly, was when Patch spoke her name, Lyfrid. How he learned her name, she didn't know but at that moment in time it didn't matter. Lyfrid needed to retain a cool, innocent demeanor. He wanted to know why she followed him. She answered in part truth and told him she was intrigued by him and found something about him attractive, she wanted to get to know him. What she didn't say was she wondered why Patch was on Barraden's tail. He wanted to know how she knew Barraden and she told him part truth that she was a cook in a house where he conducted business, nothing more. What she didn't say was she knew what kind of business he conducted and had a partnership with them man, at least where it concerned Balisan.
The broad shouldered man, Patch, again demanded she remove her hood, which Lyfrid ignored and tried to either change the subject or ask her own questions. The Cook realized they had her name now, but not a face and she wanted to keep it that way. There was a slim chance there could be more than one Lyfrid and without a description of her appearance, she might still be forgotten, remain somewhat anonymous. It was becoming clear though, Patch didn't believe nor like the answers she gave to the many questions he posed. The clearest evidence of this was when he grabbed her by the throat with his large hand and squeezed it.
Lyfrid now stood before the two Men motionless. Fancy, to her surprise, looked shocked at the situation and asked Patch to stand down several times. Never taking his eyes off Lyfrid, Patch refused to let her go until he was satisfied that she might be telling truth, at least partial truth. Sending her sailing backward, the snarling Man finally let go of Lyfrid partly at the urging of Angelnarth, she thought. The fragile looking woman landed on her rear in an unceremonious heap on the floor. Clawing at the wall, her throat burning from the cinch like pressure now released, she crawled herself upward, leaning on the same wall to catch her breath. Hissing, Lyfrid demanded she be let to pass now that the questions had been answered. Patch back-peddled on the bargain, insisted she remove the hood before he would remove himself from the door. Slowly she pulled back the hood and the wide chested man moved away from the door to let her pass.
Snarling in a way that exposed his cuspids like fangs, Patch barked questions at her, which didn't phase Lyfrid. What did unnerve her, briefly, was when Patch spoke her name, Lyfrid. How he learned her name, she didn't know but at that moment in time it didn't matter. Lyfrid needed to retain a cool, innocent demeanor. He wanted to know why she followed him. She answered in part truth and told him she was intrigued by him and found something about him attractive, she wanted to get to know him. What she didn't say was she wondered why Patch was on Barraden's tail. He wanted to know how she knew Barraden and she told him part truth that she was a cook in a house where he conducted business, nothing more. What she didn't say was she knew what kind of business he conducted and had a partnership with them man, at least where it concerned Balisan.
The broad shouldered man, Patch, again demanded she remove her hood, which Lyfrid ignored and tried to either change the subject or ask her own questions. The Cook realized they had her name now, but not a face and she wanted to keep it that way. There was a slim chance there could be more than one Lyfrid and without a description of her appearance, she might still be forgotten, remain somewhat anonymous. It was becoming clear though, Patch didn't believe nor like the answers she gave to the many questions he posed. The clearest evidence of this was when he grabbed her by the throat with his large hand and squeezed it.
Lyfrid now stood before the two Men motionless. Fancy, to her surprise, looked shocked at the situation and asked Patch to stand down several times. Never taking his eyes off Lyfrid, Patch refused to let her go until he was satisfied that she might be telling truth, at least partial truth. Sending her sailing backward, the snarling Man finally let go of Lyfrid partly at the urging of Angelnarth, she thought. The fragile looking woman landed on her rear in an unceremonious heap on the floor. Clawing at the wall, her throat burning from the cinch like pressure now released, she crawled herself upward, leaning on the same wall to catch her breath. Hissing, Lyfrid demanded she be let to pass now that the questions had been answered. Patch back-peddled on the bargain, insisted she remove the hood before he would remove himself from the door. Slowly she pulled back the hood and the wide chested man moved away from the door to let her pass.
Just before she left the lodge, Patch told her not to show her face there ever again. With a growl, Lyfrid grabbed the latch to the door then turned and looked at Patch before she propelled herself through the door saying, "Pity, to think I..." Lyfrid didn't finish the thought, she disappeared into the night.
