Oleander

"You should try the game pie." Wim urged, pointing toward the empty plate of his bride.

"No, I am not hungry." Elizabeth smiled nervously, holding a delicate hand to her stomach.

"Stop doing that girl. People will notice." Her father growled under his breath at her other side. "Here take some wine, it will help you relax."

She took the offered goblet with a shaking hand and drank deeply. Glancing toward her betrothed she watched him tuck into the wedding feast with gusto. Wim was not a bad man, but she was having doubts about his ability to make a good husband. Too many shady deals and late night errands, too many bad debts and bloodied shirt sleeves. The man could not decide whether he was a thief, a scholar, a noble or a rogue. She took another gulp of wine as she surveyed the hall.

Half of Ostiarium had turned out it seemed. Her father was a popular man and Wim was free and easy with his invitations. She noted with disappointment that some faces were missing from the crowd. Off travelling in the Desert of Skulls by all accounts. Wims desire to follow them was one of the reasons for bringing the wedding forward. The other... other was stirring inside her womb and robbing her of energy and appetite.

At least the guests were enjoying themselves. She watched them drink, eat and gossip on her fathers coin and forced herself to smile when ever one of the merry makers caught her eye. Such a droll crowd... a flicker of a shadow at the rear of the hall caught her eye and for the briefest of moments she saw a strange man standing near the double doors. He was wearing desert garb of all things, his eyes locked on hers and she gasped.

"Wim do you know that man?" she asked clutching the blue quartz necklace that hung about her neck, a wedding day gift from her now husband.

"What man?" Wim asked as he followed her gaze. He began to choke a little on his food and she instead turned to her father while he gathered himself.

"Father I..." her words failed as she saw her father clutching his throat, his face red and eyes bulging.

"Father?" she screamed and then all around the hall guests began to cough and groan. Some stood and made to leave but the door had been closed.

"We're locked in!" a woman screamed and several guest began to beat on the doors, and then everyone was on their feet trying to get out of the room. The heavy stench of vomit filled the air as guests began to wretch and empty their stomachs.

Elizabeth turned as Wim grasped her arm. He looked pale and scared. A scared little boy. It was a cruel thought but she could not help it.

"P..poison." he rasped. Even with all the evidence confirming his words, she could not see how it could be possible.

"I do not understand." she whimpered as Wim staggered to his feet eyes wide in sudden terror.

"Oleander." The voice was almost a whisper and Elizabeth shrieked in fright as she saw the strange man from the back of the room was now standing over them. His eyes and skin were dark, his hair a rich brown streaked with gold. He held what appeared to be a small pink flower in his open palm.

"Oleander." he repeated the word again, offering her the flower. His smile was almost gentle.

Wim made to draw his sword and like a viper striking, the stranger drew a blade and opened his throat. Blood sprayed out across the wedding table in a violent contrast to the white cloth and Elizabeth screamed again. At her side her father slumped forward into his plate and all around the room bodies were falling into their food and filth as the poison took them. The stranger took no notice as he calmly cleaned his blade on the table cloth.

"Why?" Elizabeth could hardly form the word as the stranger loomed forward and gently cradled the back of her neck in his open hand. She flinched but did not move away as his other hand still held the dagger. His dark eyes fixed upon her own and she saw no hatred there.

"Why?" she asked again as tears ran in rivulets down her cheeks.

He brought his face close to her own, and then his lips close to her ear just has his hand tightened on the back of her neck.

"Mercy." he whispered, "We bring mercy to Toman Riese."

The name of her unborn son was the last thing she heard as cold steel pierced her temple and turned out the lights.