Lucius gazed at the gathering crowd by the town square with folded arms and a scowl to match. He'd placed himself a little too close to a street corner for a town chief, but he'd rather keep a distance since he had no intention of staying much longer anyway. He was all for entertainment, but it was painfully obvious that he didn't share the same kind of humour as most of the town seemed to.

"I thought your mood would be better by now," Samueli said as Lucius gave another high-society fop a strained, yet charming, smile. "What with Lord Hargreaves' newfound enthusiasm regarding your relationship."

Lucius begrudgingly found that sighing was the appropriate response.

"Well it's kind of the opposite now," he mumbled. "Now he's all but smothering me, and instead pretending Damien doesn't exist. Which I guess is better than before but something's still wrong, isn't it?"

"And he still won't talk about what the older Lord Hargreaves told him back then?"

"He told me not to worry, which means it was something he doesn't want me to know about... I'm afraid it's about Damien forcing him away."

"Is that why he's so... Affectionate, then?"

Lucius considered the last couple of days since his fight with Damien. For some reason, Anthony had ended his own meeting with the man with the expression of someone who hadn't slept for days.

Which Lucius knew very well that he had.

Afterwards, Anthony had been more social than ever before. He'd come by the town hall whenever Lucius was working to say hi, and had even tagged along when Lucius went to visit Samueli and Eliza. What had surprised Lucius most however, was that he'd never slept alone the past nights. Not that he complained about having someone stroke his hair and shoulders.

"Yeah, I... I'm a bit worried it's because he's given up and wants to spend time with me before leaving..." Lucius wrung his hands while looking down at the ground. "... But I don't want to believe it."

"To think he would struggle so much with communication, that one," Samueli said, frowning at a man passing by who greeted Lucius with a nod but only raised a confused eyebrow at him.

"How Anthony made it as a town chief is a mystery." Lucius replied before smiling back at the man, dropping the act as soon as he'd disappeared from sight. "I may have attitude problems but Anthony doesn't like talking to begin with."

"In fairness, sometimes silence might be better," Samueli added to that, receiving a hurt look from Lucius.

"I've made progress."

"Admittedly, but I wouldn't get cocky just yet."

Lucius sighed.

"I know..."

He figured Samueli was right. While he just needed to have their slightest approval, his position was still at risk as long as Damien had a say. Decent acting and Frey's little persuasion game could only get him so far.

A deep frown appeared on his face as he gazed over the town square again.

"Think it's time to leave." He glanced back at Samueli. "Execution's starting."

"I'm heading over to Milica later," Samueli said as they got ready to part ways. "Mostly to see how she's doing, but maybe I can interrogate her husband while I'm at it. See if he can't think of other details that could help us find Mabel."

"Ah," Lucius said, though caught off guard. His mind had been too occupied to think about that ever since the failed exorcism and the Damien drama, which suddenly made him feel awful. "Do you want me to come later?"

"I don't know how long I'll be staying, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind you stopping by regardless."

Lucius, who could still feel Ivan's fist landing against his cheek whenever he thought back to the potion incident, was not so sure.

"I'll see if there's time," he said before giving Samueli a wave goodbye, proceeding at a rapid pace towards the town hall. The less time he had to spend around a morbid audience, the better. Who scheduled an execution that early in the morning anyway?

"Lady Cromwell."

Lucius closed his eyes in tired frustration before turning his head.

"Lord Hargreaves."

"I was hoping I'd run into you," Damien said, rudely blocking Lucius' escape route, and the latter bit his tongue.

Don't say it. Don't say it. Don't say it.

"Well that makes one of u—" He decisively bit down on his tongue again, pretending to have to cough and tried to pass by. "That— That makes one of... All people. I'm, uh— I'm very busy. So if you'll excuse me."

"You're not staying for the execution?" Damien walked alongside him. "One would expect the town chief to be present."

"Yes, well... I like to avoid them. Not my kind of entertainment."

"It's not just entertainment, it's justice." Damien wrinkled his forehead. "They're criminals."

Lucius balled his fists, but remained calm.

"I'm certain this so-called justice can be served without me."

"I suppose so." Damien's voice was obnoxiously nonchalant. "Much like other things you're expected to do but never... Well, do."

"Oh, so watching people die is one of my duties as well?" Lucius made no secret of his annoyance anymore. "What an excellent waste of my time."

Damien looked indifferent to his tone.

"It's the sobering reality of the law, and people expect to see you at events like these."

"Oh, Lord Hargreaves and Lady Cromwell!" A woman Lucius vaguely remembered seeing at the feast of healing walked up to them. "How nice to see the two of you out together!"

"Of course." Damien said, and Lucius watched his pleasant smile in disbelief. "We're watching the execution together."

Lucius opened his mouth to protest, but the woman had already continued.

"How lovely!" She clapped her hands together and Lucius had to force a smile.

"That certainly is one word for it."

"You're welcome," Damien whispered smugly as the woman walked away, and Lucius glared.

"You'll have to excuse my inability to express gratitude."

"I've excused a lot so far, why stop now?"

Lucius thought it was very sad that a proper lady wasn't allowed to stick her tongue out when offended.

His irate mood faded gradually though as Damien more or less shoved him forward, easily moving them through the mass of people as everyone noticed their presence, and stopped right in front of the gallows. There was nowhere to run. Everyone had seen him, and Damien had taken the liberty of holding a hand around his shoulder. A sign of affection to others, and a shackle to Lucius.

A cheer rang through the crowd as someone stepped up onto the gallows, and judging by his colourful attire and gleeful expression, Lucius concluded it was the executioner.

An executioner named Wagner, apparently, since people began chanting his name as he took a bow.

"Welcome back, everyone!" He looked out over the alarming amount of people. "I think I speak for all of us when I say it's been too long!"

People cheered once again, but Lucius couldn't bring himself to play along. Panic rushed through his body as cold sweat prickled his skin, but all he could do was hope no one was watching him too closely.

As his usual luck would have it, it was the opposite.

"And look who's honouring us with her presence!" The executioner threw his hands out in a gesture at Lucius, whose breath stopped in his throat. "Lady Cromwell! And here I thought you didn't find hangings too amusing."

Lucius' mind reeled, but he had to speak. He had to say something.

"That..." He cleared his voice to speak louder. "... That depends on the execution."

In a way, he'd meant it. The death sentence itself wasn't the problem, it was the choosing of victims that bothered him.

To his surprise though, people laughed.

His mind required a moment to think back to what the executioner had said and what he'd replied with, to finally realise he'd made a joke.

"You couldn't be more right, my Lady!" Wagner spurred the crowd with applause and a huge grin, forcing a slight, reluctant smile onto Lucius' lips. "We shall hope you won't be disappointed!"

Lucius nodded, trying to keep up his faked smile.

"Then without further ado!" Wagner turned everyone's attention to the side as the main attraction of the day was forced up onto the gallows.

Fortunately, it wasn't someone Lucius knew, but unfortunately, the sight was too familiar.

"Miss Erica Curnow," Wagner greeted the girl as two guards shoved her forward, and a stabbing pain shot through Lucius' heart.

She was hardly much older than Claudia and Mabel had been. A malnourished, trembling girl who quickly shied away from the executioner's welcoming hand. It had to be a cruel joke. While Lucius hadn't been around executions long enough to see all the victims, he found it hard to believe that so many of them were young girls.

"I think many of us recognize Erica here, or at least her father, Daveth Curnow," Wagner continued, and a mumble went through the crowd to confirm this. "Yes, the daughter of our own, dear schoolmaster."

Erica only stared down at the wooden floor of the gallows with her lips pressed tightly together and arms wrapped around herself.

"So, Miss Curnow." Wagner patted her shoulder, causing her to flinch. "Why don't you tell us why we're here?"

He received no reply as the girl persistently stared down at the floor.

More murmurs through the audience, and Lucius fought every nerve in his body to not run away while simultaneously trying to remember how to breathe.

"No? Not much of a talker, I take it?" Wagner raised an inquisitive eyebrow while his smile grew wider. "I suppose it's a family trait then, seeing how your father's not much of a talker either."

Erica turned her head away as the executioner leaned in closer to continue.

"Since he's dead, after all."

A gasp swept through the crowd, and the situation finally dawned on Lucius.

"That's right, dear people," Wagner addressed the audience with a melodramatic voice. "What we have here today is a rare, horrid case of patricide!"

With an attempt at nonchalance, Lucius glanced over at Damien who looked about as pleased as expected as he calmly scanned the crowd for someone. Someone who, unbeknownst to Damien, Lucius knew very well was standing right next to him.

What could possess a man to stoop so low? He had to have planned it somehow. There was no way he'd confront Lucius about it just a couple of days prior and then have something like that happen.

But what could Lucius do? If the girl had actually killed her father, the people of South Kerilia wouldn't excuse her. People had been hanged for less.

"It is my greatest displeasure to be the bringer of such tragic news," Wagner said, continuing his ridiculous act. "For such a good, honest man to be—"

"That's not true!" Erica broke her silence, fists balled and eyes squeezed together. "He was not good! You— You have no idea what kind of person he was!"

"Why, he was a schoolmaster, wasn't he?" Wagner turned to the crowd, receiving several nods of assurance. "Many parents in this town should be able to attest that he ran his school impeccably."

"I wouldn't," Erica growled, face turning into a glare. "I wouldn't let any child of mine near him!"

"Well, good thing you'll never have any then, am I right?" Wagner addressed the rest of the people more than he addressed her, and Lucius felt sick to his stomach. "What a pity. One would think that of all children, Mr. Curnow would have raised his daughter better."

Erica gritted her teeth, and with a move quicker than the guards could react, she held her arm forward to roll up her sleeve, revealing a large bruise around her forearm.

"Believe me, no one is more disappointed in his ways of raising me than I am!"

Another wave of whispers, and Lucius' knees trembled.

Intentional or not, Damien couldn't have known all of it. About Claudia or Mabel. About the abuse he'd sustained from all his family members. Perhaps he could have guessed, but it was too spot on.

Even Wagner looked taken aback for a brief time as the guards grabbed hold of her again, before recovering his scornful mood.

"While it would be an alarming reveal had that been the case, I very well believe these sturdy gentlemen could have caused a bruise like that." He gestured to the men keeping a firm grip around her arms. "And even if it was true, isn't it very much implied by your deeds that you're quite the disobedient girl? Seeing how he was your father and your only living relative, he would have known the best way to handle you, I'd assume."

It took all of Lucius' inner strength not to scream. To jump up there and bash the man's head in with the heel of his shoe, or tie the noose around his neck instead.

The crowd seemed a little more split now. Some low voices discussed the credibility of poor Erica's claims while others mocked her for her weak attempts at defending herself. She had still committed a murder after all.

"He beat me," Erica mumbled, barely audibly. "All the time. I— I was scared."

"Scared enough to poison your own father's food?" Wagner raised an eyebrow, and the murmurs got louder. "Rather tasteless, don't you think? Or I assume he would have noticed."

To Lucius' disgust, the hesitant voices around him shifted into laughs."

"What was I supposed to do then?" Erica's voice broke as she stared back down on the floor. "Wait for him to kill me?"

"Whoah now, that's quite the jump between some tough love and murder, isn't there?" Wagner shrugged, sneer ever so present on his face. "Perhaps he was just trying to handle your apparent outbreaks of paranoia."

"What—" Erica began, but Wagner talked over her.

"And now, since you've confessed to your crime, I think it's high time we get to the main event, don't you think?" He gestured towards the noose, and Erica looked like her legs would give up at any moment.

"No— No, you can't..." Her mouth trembled, and Lucius' heartbeat boomed in his ears. No matter what he did, he'd lose. If he let the execution go through, Damien's threat would have succeeded, and if Lucius spoke up, he risked getting Lucia's reputation in trouble. Which would also be a win for Damien.

Don't start ruining things again.

Lucius flinched as the Scourge's voice interrupted the thundering beats in his ears. It wasn't supposed to be able to reach him. He was wearing Catherine's necklace. She'd assured him it would keep the blightish creatures away.

But wasn't it right? Lucius could pretend to not have seen the execution. Or just shrug it off regardless. He had every chance to lie and make Damien think his scaring-tactics had failed.

"Wait!" he then yelled before thinking, halting both the crowd and the executioner with immediate silence as a result.

He gritted his teeth. Despite how his mind reasoned, he wouldn't have it. He would not witness something like that again.

"What are you doing?" Damien whispered, possibly trying to sound concerned, but the content look in his eyes gave him away. He didn't mind Lucia making a fool of herself in the slightest.

Lucius sucked in a breath as Wagner looked at him with a confused wrinkle between his eyebrows, but as the entertainer he was, he wouldn't stay silent for long, and Lucius knew he had to speak first.

"There hasn't been a trial, if I understand it correctly," he argued, and to his remorse the rest of the audience didn't seem very pleased, but he couldn't afford to falter. " Just tying a noose around the poor girl without hearing her story seems quite uncivilised, don't you think?"

"This is the trial, Lady Cromwell." Wagner laughed it off, shoving the girl closer to the rope. "And she's already confessed."

Lucius had to scoff, but did so in a dignified way.

"Why, Mr. Wagner, I thought of all people you'd be aware that this is an execution." He tilted his head with a pleasant, yet stern smile. "And yes, perhaps she's admitted to what happened, but have we really ruled out the possibility that she's telling the truth regarding the rest? What if it was abuse? What if it really was her one way to escape with her life?"

"Oh, my dear Lady Cromwell. Such a well meaning soul." Wagner's overly dramatic voice was back, and he walked over the gallows to stand closer to where Lucius was standing. "Even with a horrid murder like that, you still think she doesn't deserve this?"

"Well she's already got it pretty rough." Lucius gestured at Erica. "Poor girl's an orphan after all."

A soft breath of relief escaped him as the previously sceptical people around him let out another myriad of laughter. It was still a disturbing topic to joke about, but if that's what they wanted, Lucius would not let them down.

"That's very true, Lady Cromwell," Wagner said, having decided that the best option was to play along. "Though one would think she'd avoid poisoning her one parent if that was a concern of hers."

"Perhaps she didn't mean to." Lucius crossed his arms with a smile. "Since he's turned out to be quite a lacklustre father, he might as well have neglected teaching her how to cook too."

"Had it been due to the food tasting so horribly, you'd think he would have brought it up before it was too late," Wagner suggested, and Lucius nodded in agreement.

"Would have been terribly rude to spit it out just like that though. Poison or not."

"Oh, on the topic of manners, did he at least say grace before dinner?" Wagner asked, now turning towards Erica, who mostly looked bewildered by the dialogue but nodded slowly, and Wagner placed a hand against his chest. "Ah, good. What a relief that he got to say his prayers right before dying then!"

The crowd shared the same response as Erica at the time, probably not used to the execution making fun of the dead person rather than the killer. Yet, Wagner's influence on the town seemed enough to still earn both him and Lucius a few laughs here and there.

"I know it's uncommon, and that you are the professional here, Mr. Wagner," Lucius finally cut to the chase. "But it's quite the concern to me that this girl would be sentenced to death just like that, what with it sounding very much like self defence."

"So you're suggesting she should just get to walk away?" Damien suddenly cut into the conversation. "Having done such a thing to her own flesh and blood?"

"Sometimes it's not as simple as that, my dear Lord Hargreaves," Lucius said dryly, yet with as pleasant of a smile as he could manage. "Blood may be important, but it's not a good enough excuse for a father to treat his child like that."

"I have to agree with Lady Cromwell," a voice said next to Lucius before Damien could protest, and Lucius frowned, unable to place the owner of it.

At least not before turning around.

"Jo—" he began to whisper as he stared at Joshua, though barely recognizable after the few years since they last saw each other during their Offshore Stalker days, and much finer clothing than he'd ever worn as a fellow Offshore Stalker.

"Judge Crossfire," Damien said, choosing to smile like Lucius now, but voice suggesting a vastly different feeling. "I was under the impression you would not be attending today."

"Would you look at that, my dearies," Wagner announced with an intrigued grin. "Who would have thought we'd be joined by not just Lady Cromwell and Lord Hargreaves, but the honourable Judge Crossfire!"

"My father may have been fine with leaving judgement and acts of so-called justice to others on occasion, but reflecting on it, I don't think I feel the same way," Joshua said, and to Lucius' surprise and deep jealousy, his expression wasn't cheerful at all. "I would appreciate it if it didn't happen again, Lord Hargreaves."

"You'll have to excuse me then," Damien said, a wrinkle of annoyance appearing on his forehead despite his smile. "But don't you find it a poor example if you let the criminal go? It's not a preferable look this early in your position."

"I assure you, I will have someone investigate the incident," Joshua dismissed him. "Like Lady Cromwell says, we don't sentence people to death for self defence."

"Well, though it pains me to say it, Lady Cromwell may be a little too inexperienced to know what's best." Damien raised an eyebrow at Joshua. "Perhaps it's best to trust those who have been around longer, Judge Crossfire. For the time being."

Joshua's face suggested he understood the insult very well, and Lucius hid a grimace as he listened to the people around them. The conversation had turned serious, and that was not what people were there for.

They wanted to be entertained.

"If it's experience with executions you need, Lord Hargreaves, I'm sure Mr. Wagner here could show me the ropes," he said while trying out a playful grin, receiving the now pleasant laughs of approval. He supposed he could get used to executions, as long as it didn't involve innocent people dying.

Damien gave him a look as if to say 'if only' to the suggestion, but chose to keep his mouth shut.

"What a marvellous idea!" Wagner said with an alarmingly unsettling laugh. "But for that to happen, you must actually let me hang someone, Lady Cromwell."

"I think she's right though." A woman further in the back raised her voice. "Let the girl be until we know what happened."

"Shouldn't take too long to find out," a man next to her agreed. "So just schedule her for the next execution if she's lying."

"I think we should trust Lady Cromwell's judgement," another said. "She's town chief for a reason, after all."

"And such a delight," someone in the back chuckled. "We should have her and Wagner do the executions together more often."

"Yes! Bring her next time as well!"

Lucius' mind had drowned out the voices at that point while intense feelings of triumph surged through his body.

It was finally happening. They listened to him. They trusted his judgement, even in a situation they usually wouldn't.

"Well, the people have spoken!" Wagner shrugged, looking partly confused and partly amused. "And who am I to go against them and Lady Cromwell, and Judge Crossfire?"

"Just making sure things are done properly," Lucius assured the executioner, stifling another, victorious scream. "Afraid that means occasionally taking over some decision-making."

Wagner exaggerated an eye roll.

"Sounds like Lady Cromwell will be reducing the amount of workers in this town. And here I thought that was my job!"

"Don't worry, Mr. Wagner." Lucius smiled. "Your position is secure."

"Well then, you heard the lady!" Wagner turned to the guards holding Erica, who looked awfully uncertain what to do when an execution suddenly didn't happen. "Let the girl go!"

It proved hard for Lucius not to gloat as he noticed Damien's poorly masked look of disbelief, so he turned away instead to emphasise how little the man's threat had bothered him.

Even if he was just pretending.

"I must thank you, Lady Cromwell," Joshua said as Lucius almost bumped into him while turning. "I'm afraid parts of the upper class have gotten a little too comfortable with performing executions at will, but I'm planning on changing that."

"That's a relief," Lucius wholeheartedly agreed. "I'll need all the help I can get with whipping this town into shape."

"I'll say," Damien muttered from behind him, and Lucius grimaced without turning his head, to Joshua's apparent amusement.

I guess even time passing and a position of authority couldn't get rid of that cheekiness.

"I'm sorry," Joshua then said, proceeding with a bow. "We haven't been introduced. I'm Jo—"

"Judge Joshua Crossfire," Lucius said with a nod. "Yes, I've heard good things about you."

Joshua looked taken aback at first, but laughed softly as he straightened his back again.

"That's a rarity. People tend to compare me to my father, and usually not in a flattering way."

"I know the feeling." Lucius glared over his shoulder briefly. "New is always worse, it seems."

"So it's nice to know that at least some people believe in me." Joshua looked genuinely relieved, and Lucius considered leaving things at that, but he couldn't help himself.

"To be honest, most of it was said by my cousin."

Joshua blinked, and it looked like his mind required some tea time while trying to process the words.

"... Lucius?"

"Yes, I don't... Have that many cousins," Lucius said, suddenly concerned that Joshua had recognised him. "That you know at least, probably."

"Yes, I— Right. I just... I mean..." Joshua shook his head, trying to smile through his confusion. "... How could he have known anything about my competence as a judge?"

It was Lucius' turn to blink.

"Because he's... Known you in the past, and has paid attention in the present?"

Joshua's frown deepened.

"But he's... Dead."

"... Oh." Lucius couldn't shake the awkwardness of their dialogue. "Uh... No. No, he's not."

"He—" Joshua gawked. "Wha— He's not?"

Lucius shook his head.

"Well then why—" Joshua looked around, as if expecting Lucius to suddenly appear next to him. "Why haven't I seen him? Or heard anything? Everyone said he was dead."

"He's been keeping his head down," was all Lucius could think of saying. "Trying not to draw attention to himself."

"But why?" Joshua's frown returned. "Why would he need to—"

"Because he's a criminal," Damien cut into the conversation, to the disgruntlement of the other two. "A deranged man surrounded by nothing but disaster."

"Lord Hargreaves." Lucius' faked grin made no secret that Damien's presence was highly undesirable. "You're still here."

"I didn't realise you knew Lucius, Lord Hargreaves," Joshua said, but tilted his head in thought. "Then again, I suppose I don't know much about him anymore."

"I've been unfortunate enough to run into him," Damien replied with a cold, dry voice. "More often than I would have preferred to."

"They don't get along," Lucius emphasised, and Joshua nodded sympathetically.

"Well, not everyone is easy to get along with." He glanced over at Damien. "Though from experience, I would not want to be on Lucius' bad side, Lord Hargreaves."

Lucius couldn't allow himself to cheer and clap, but even a town chief had to be allowed to look smug sometimes without judgement.

Damien raised his eyebrows.

"Oh? And why would that be?"

A sudden dread filled Lucius as he looked at Joshua. The last thing he needed was more reasons for Damien to threaten him. Flattering as it may be, bringing up details of successful crimes and dog-related murders would give Damien an undeniable win.

"He's resourceful," Joshua said. "It's just reasonable that it would be better to have him on your side.

Lucius and Damien remained silent, both of them certain Joshua was about to elaborate.

But he was not.

"Either way, I should make sure Miss Curnow is escorted away from here safely," he instead continued, pointing over his shoulder where the guards were still holding on to Erica and waiting for orders. "Thank you again, Lady Cromwell."

"Shall we, then?" Damien asked, holding out his arm, and Lucius wanted to wrinkle his nose.

"'Shall we' what?"

"We came here together," Damien reminded him, and Lucius opened his mouth to protest but wasn't given the time. "As far as everyone knows. How would it look if we didn't leave together as well?"

Lucius gave Damien's arm a sceptical look before reluctantly taking it.

"So demanding, and I haven't even said yes to anything."

"I'm aware." Damien didn't look too pleased with their situation either. "But at this point, it's what's best for both of us."

"And you're what, going to drop me off at the town hall?"

"I'd escort you home, but I hear you don't even have servants yet." Damien scrunched up his nose. "And I do think we need to talk."

"Oh." Lucius let out an inwards, exasperated sigh. "Splendid."