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<div align="center"><font face=1>Mystery of the Gorvette Diamond<br>
by Firena Nobleton<br>
<br>
<div align="left">     The light glistened off the sharp edges, creating magnificent colors that danced across the walls. It sat there, motionless, waiting for the hammer to drop. Finally the small jeweler's hammer came down, striking the precise spot it meant to. The rock broke true, and the Gorvette Diamond was created.<br>
     The man was a master at his trade. Not one of the best, simply the best. He had created some of the most famous jewels in the world. This diamond was destined to be no exception. As he brought his little hammer down, he thought "This diamond would become the most famous of all he had done." As the hammer struck, creating the Gorvette Diamond, a tiny shard broke from the rock and flew through his wrist. Who would have thought that such a small piece could have done so much damage? The hand simply hung limply from the wrist. The jeweler had no more control over it. The hand was still there, undamaged as far as the eye could tell, but completely useless. The jeweler would never ply his trade again.<br>
     The woman, her husband standing next to her, never took her eyes off the rock. She was intent on seeing the birth of her new gem. The shiny sparkling stones were her one true joy in life. She enjoyed the way the light reflected off the edges of the rock and cast strange and moving colors across the room. Her husband, who stood there impatiently quiet, had paid a large sum of money to have this diamond created for her. She supposed she would have to show her appreciation later, no matter how richly she deserved this. She watched intently as the jeweler's hammer came down on the rock, creating the most beautiful diamond. She never saw the tiny shard that took the jeweler's career. Nor did she notice the tears in his eyes as he realized that he would never use that hand again, never create another thing of beauty. Her eyes went wide with wonder and amazement as she reached for her new diamond. She held it close to her as though it needed to be protected from the world at large. Her husband did catch the glitter from the shard as it flew into the jeweler's wrist, and again as it came out. It took just the tiniest fraction of a moment for the husband to realize what had happened as he watched the jeweler's hand go completely limp at the wrist, as if everything inside had been cut. The husband was saddened, and he sympathetically placed a hand on the jeweler's shoulder. "Don't worry about the hand, my good man," he said to the jeweler, "I am sure I can find someone else to create jewels for my wife." And with that Mr. and Mrs. Gorvette walked from the jeweler's shop without ever looking back.<br>
     Mr. and Mrs. Gorvette left the Imperial City without much fanfare. Hoping to catch a glimpse of the jeweler's last work of art, some of their distant relations that lived in the Imperial City, were on hand to bid them final farewells. But the Gorvettes' intended to delay the unveiling of their jewel until they reached their home on Windfall Island. <br>
     As they left the city of Windfall, they sat in the back of the carriage quietly staring out their respective windows. Barely noticing each other were there, they had little to say as they rode along. She was considering all the different settings she could have the diamond placed in. She would have plenty of time to carefully examine each setting in great detail, as her husband worked day and night to pay for the beauty she required around her. He was thinking of days and blessed nights he would have to work as well. Night after night, after everyone else went home. Cooped up in that office with his clerk and her soft, smooth curves. How did he do it?<br>
     They could hear other traffic on the road. Sounds of horses, galloping horses, many of them. They noticed the increased speed of the carriage now; the sense of danger it conveyed. They noticed the blur of the scenery outside their windows now; the carriage driver, with an arrow in his back, falling from the seat. They noticed the sudden stop of the carriage now; the pain that shot through their bodies as they helplessly flew into the front seat of the carriage. They noticed the men that were chasing them now; dragging them out of the carriage by their hair. <br>
     She saw five or six men standing around them and the carriage. She was completely helpless, harsh words being the only weapon she was good with, or even had at the moment. "Kill them. Rob them." The debate raged back and forth. Surely her husband would think of something to save her, and the things precious to her. He began to speak, he had a plan. "Take my wife," she heard, "leave everything else and take my wife. I will pay a large ransom to get her back." That was it! That was his great plan! No wonder he had to work such long hours. Apparently, the bandits did not think much of the idea either. They relieved her husband's shoulders of its dead weight just for making the suggestion. Her greatest fears were realized as the bandits grabbed the lock box. She did not care about the money, she had plenty of that. But her new diamond, she could not allow it. As the box opened she began to lunge for the gem. She felt a sharp pain in her back as she began to rise. She did not feel her legs go instantly limp as she fell to the ground again. Her hand outstretched, "My gem!" she cried with her dying breath. She caught one final glimpse of the diamond through her watery eyes.<br>
     "The fools", he thought. He never intended to kill them. Rumors of the gem had traveled faster than they did. That was what he was after. He was bandit, he took valuable items from rich fools, that was what he did. He did not kill, except in self defense. The fools had no one to blame but themselves. He grabbed the diamond out of the lock box. His crew could split the coins, he had what he wanted and cared nothing for the rest. They had to leave, they had already taken too long. The wreckage was a mess, and the area was frequently patrolled. He jumped on his horse and started for the hills. <br>
     He heard the shouts as he coaxed his horse to a run. The Legion! "What bad luck is this?" he thought, "right at the moment of my greatest theft." He sensed his comrades falling, one by one, behind him. The patrol was gaining ground, his horse already tired from chasing the carriage. He was familiar with the area; he was confident he could lose them in the hills. "Just a little farther. He would be safe, if he could make it just a little father." he thought. And then he thought no more.<br>
     The Sargent could hardly believe his luck. He had been searching for this band of bandits for quite some time. He had heard the rumor that a valuable gem might be passing through the area with no real escort, so he kept his patrols near the common roads and byways. He never dreamed he would catch them so easily and so unaware.<br>
     As was his custom, the Sargent allowed his men to take a portion of the coin in the lock box while he searched the leader for the gem. He carefully wrapped the diamond in a protective cloth. The remains of the lock box would go to the legion coffers to help pay its expenses, the diamond to auction. He kept the gem in his possession as they headed back to town. His men were good, loyal, and honest, but the gem appeared too valuable and could temp even the most honorable of men.<br>
     Windfall, being a peaceful town at this time, had no permanent Legion presence. His patrol was sent here to help reduce the banditry while the town guards were being trained and properly equipped. In fact much of the town was under construction. He sent his men back to the temporary barracks, to prepare the lock box for shipment to the Legion Headquarters in the Imperial City, while he arraigned for the gem to be auctioned. He rode slowly as he studied the incomplete buildings on either side of the street. He was always amazed that these structures remained upright while the supports were being added. "One of these days, one of these buildings is just going to fall over and crush everyone going by." he thought as he entered the clerk's office.<br>
     He made his instructions clear as he placed the diamond in a sealed box. The box was not to be opened until the auction. At the auction the box was to be opened for viewing only. To prevent theft, no one was to touch or go near the diamond until the auction was over. The winner could collect the diamond after it had been paid for and the Legion no longer had any interest in it. Then the money was to be sent to the Imperial City and the winner could leave with the diamond. Notices of the auction were to be sent to all the nearby areas. The Sargent left believing he had finished a job well done. As he walked back to the barracks, he heard a loud crack and the whistle of objects moving through the air. He looked up just in time to see the stones from the collapsing wall bearing down on him.<br>
     The clerk followed the instructions to the letter. Notices were sent out about the auction. No one, not even himself, saw the diamond until the night of the auction. The clerk carefully opened the box so the diamond could be viewed. He did touch the diamond, or hold it up for viewing. The bidders were lined up single file and allowed to look in the box. Guards were posted to ensure no one reached into the box or tried to touch the diamond. Then the auction was held.<br>
     Lucillia and Marvellius Tellente won the auction. Three days later their bodies were found on the road outside Windfall, along with those of their escorts. Bandits, Goblins, or maybe worse, had attacked the party and killed all. Based on the signs and marks in the area, the battle must have been fierce. The signs of the battle obliterated all other marks. The bodies were completely stripped of anything useful by the time the patrol arrived. The patrol that found the bodies were unable to determine anything about what they were doing before the battle. All they were able to conclude was that the party was on its way into town. And that learned only from the gem dealer the Tellentes' were to meet. When questioned, the gem dealer said they had never showed up for their appointment. The Gorvette Diamond was not found on the bodies.<br>
     The history of one of the most valuable diamonds is less than two weeks long. Everyone who possessed it was either violently killed or horribly maimed. Was the Gorvette Diamond cursed? Like its whereabouts, the world may never know. Since its disappearance on the road outside Windfall, when the Tellentes' were violently slaughtered, there has not been so much as a rumor of its existence. The location of the Gorvette Diamond remains as much a mystery as the bizarre coincidences of its possessors' fates.<br>
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Last-modified: 2009-02-03 (火) 11:21:45