Chapter 97: Isn’t that Regu, something.

She shook her head. "Thus, if we are being perfectly honest, these rumors might be as fabricated as my guesses, or they might contain at least a part of truth, and either way, nobody would be able to tell the difference."

Felix filed that away without comment. "When did the rumors actually reach you two? And from who, specifically?"

"It’s been almost a week now," Barbara answered. "It first reached us through servants whispering around the kitchens in the manner they are known for. The story first began with nobles whispering, even though we did not personally hear from any of them. It just spread hand to hand until it reached us."

"Did it have any names when it was first passed down? Any nobles who spoke about it?"

"Not names. Just that ’they’re saying’ and ’someone heard.’ Once it gets to the kitchen, it’s lost whoever first said it. That’s how it usually is in that household. It’s true and false information that reaches you the very same way."

"I see. Well, that’s all I need." Felix moved away from the table. "You’d best go home now, it’s quite late. And try not to mention our conversation to Diana if you can manage it. Also, I’m not going to walk you home, if you were thinking that."

"I was not." Barbara rose up and smoothed her skirt down. "How much do you know about who is behind this?"

"Nowhere yet. Not really started, that’s why I needed you here today. I’ll notify you once I get anything, even the slightest piece."

She looked at him for some more seconds, obviously not convinced, but apparently realizing it wasn’t worth arguing over. "No matter what you are going to do, don’t make it worse for Diana. She is suffering enough from this already. If you make it worse for her trying to find answers you are looking for, I will not forgive it."

"I understand. Believe me, I understand." He waved her off towards the door, gently pushing her there.

Once she stepped into the hall, he quickly shut the door behind her.

Morning came and Felix spent the day walking the Noble’s District with the rising sun above him and interrupting whomever he found and was willing to converse with him.

"Excuse me, heard anything about this guy, Hakimi Morrow?"

A woman lugging a load of linens did not stop walking, "No time for chitchat."

Then Felix tried his luck on an old man shining brass ornaments on a gate.

"You mean that knight who married Dietrich girl? He apparently has a complete other family somewhere else. Some lady in the tannery district, he fathered her two kids. This man had been living a completely separate life."

"You sure?"

"That’s what I’ve heard, take it or leave it."

Felix kept moving and managed to catch two young guys smoking outside of a tailor’s shop.

"Hakimi? Well everyone talks about him." One of them chuckled. "They say he made some merchant’s daughter pregnant and paid the entire family to shut up. Seems like it didn’t work as well as intended."

"A bit different story from what I heard before."

"Yeah there’re five different ones right now," the second one shrugged. "Pick the one you fancy most."

Then there were more details that Felix sought out; a serving girl who claimed that Hakimi had gotten a noblewoman’s maid pregnant and left her when the pregnancy showed itself, a stable boy swearing he saw Hakimi leave through a side gate during the early hours of the night multiple times before, and a fruit seller saying that it wasn’t just one child, it was two from two different women, hidden out of the city’s walls somewhere.

Nothing matched up.

I didn’t think it could get worse than this. The stories aren’t even cohesive now. It’s evolved into a dozen rumors, and people are embellishing each of them.

He tried two more people, two men hanging around a fountain who were already engaged in conversation.

"And you know that it isn’t just him, right?" One of them whispered "The Dietrich girl is just as bad. She acts so innocent and naïve, but I’ve heard that she’s been fooling around with him for years. She hasn’t been able to resist since she was practically a child, if people say the truth."

"It’s disgusting if it’s true."

"Who says it isn’t? That explains why her father has been so protective of her recently. He isn’t protecting her from rumors, he is saving the reputation of his family from what has really happened."

"The poor girl probably ruined her chances at being married anywhere if it’s true. No one wants used merchandise."

Felix felt a burning sensation start from within, his jaw tightening as he opened his mouth to stop the men from spreading their lies, but then forced himself to stop, to clench his fists at his sides instead.

Stay calm. They are just making this up. These are just lies...

He spun on his heels and strode away, the sound of his feet on the cobblestones harsher than they should have been, the voices of the men already forgotten as they went off to talk about some other rumor.

He was approaching the perimeter of the North Ward when he noticed a casually dressed man whose face seemed to be tugging on something he recognized. "Isn’t that Regu, something. The one who claimed to be Hakimi’s friend and had the same master?"

He trailed him some distance behind, wondering where the man might be going. Perhaps he has something worthwhile to say.

Regnault approached the entrance to the winehouse, cast his gaze upwards at the sign, and went inside. It was rather calm there like Felix anticipated at this time of the day, only few people were sitting here and there in the winehouse. Regnault located a vacant table and seated himself on the chair.

"Glass of merlot and a hot steak for me," he said, turning towards the counter without lowering his head.

"Make that two," Felix replied, taking a seat opposite him.