But that is her life to take,
not yours.”
“He
is my Captain, Regald. That makes it as much mine as anyone’s.” Jake took a
step back, removing his blade from Regald’s. “Draw your sword, Captain. We will
do this fairly.”
“Jake!”
Garreth’s voice cut in sharply as he rounded the corner. “Within these walls he
is a guest until Edward deems otherwise. Put that sword away, Sub-Captain.”
Jake
turned back towards Garreth with a firm scowl before proceeding to do as he
bid, sliding his silver sword securely back into the leather sheath that hung
at his side. “What brings you here, Captain? If you are here for Nolan, Mara
assigned him to Edward’s guard, pending a move to the Black Rose.”
“I
am not here for Nolan,” Regald told the older man. “I’ve come as an escort to
our court’s future Princess.” He motioned to the dark-haired woman standing
behind him. Dressed in a pair of black slacks and a pale blue shirt, she stepped
forward gingerly, her small heels echoing across the grey stone. “Lady Sandra,
this is Sub-Captain Jake and Lord Garreth, members of Captain Edward’s guard.”
He gestured to Sandra. “This is the fiancé of the Crown Prince.”
“Hmm,”
Jake replied. “His throat to cut and a hostage to threaten the Arums
with. Perhaps he is sorry after all.”
“Jake.”
Garreth’s tone spoke volumes.
“Just
an idea,” he grumbled back.
“Lady
Sandra,” Garreth said to the young woman. “What may I do for…” Garreth stopped
as he took in the girl more fully, staring into her deep blue eyes. It wasn’t
possible…
“Welcome
to the Ciar Court Guard, my Lady,” Jake said from behind him. “How may we be of
service?”
“I
would like to see Captain Edward,” she replied softly.
“Of
course, my Lady.” Garreth recovered his voice and offered the young woman his
arm. “I will escort you to the Captain.”
“Thank
you, my lord,” the young woman replied.
Garreth
slowly led Sandra down a series of grey stone hallways. It was cold and Sandra
wished she had brought a thicker sweater as they ventured deeper into the stone
mountainside. “Pardon me, my Lady. But I was wondering, have we ever met
before?”
“I
don’t believe so, my Lord.”
“It’s
Garreth,” he said.
“Garreth,”
she repeated. “Do you believe that we have met?”
“I
don’t think so. You just look a little like someone I used to know.”
“Oh.”
She sounded disappointed.
“Here
we are.” Garreth motioned to a stone door several paces ahead of them. “I will
go announce your arrival to the Captain.” He knocked softly moments before
disappearing through the tall door. A few moments later, the door opened again,
and Garreth motioned Sandra inside. “I will leave you in the Captain’s care.”
Garreth
walked down the long stone corridor before eventually emerging into the cool
evening air. “It’s impossible.” He turned down a familiar dirt path, disturbing
the occasional rock as he walked around the royal grounds. He attempted to
clear the image from his mind, but could not shake the feeling of foreboding that
had begun to descend upon him. “Those eyes,” he said, speaking for the wind
alone. “Those blue, blue eyes.” He continued his amble, eventually finding
himself on the north side of the grounds.
The
garden of the Ciar Court was a pale shadow of the grandeur of times past. A few
roses had been transplanted from the court’s ancestral home, but they had never
truly taken to their new environment. Yet, it was to this spot that Garreth
inexorably found himself drawn as he thought of times long past. A small spring
slid between the overgrown grass, bringing water to the sparse flowers and
trees which lined its banks.
“Those
eyes,” he said again. They were so blue, the eyes of this young girl who had
come to see his Captain. Garreth searched his memory, but could form no
recollection of having ever seen her before. “It can’t be,” he said again.
not yours.”
“He
is my Captain, Regald. That makes it as much mine as anyone’s.” Jake took a
step back, removing his blade from Regald’s. “Draw your sword, Captain. We will
do this fairly.”
“Jake!”
Garreth’s voice cut in sharply as he rounded the corner. “Within these walls he
is a guest until Edward deems otherwise. Put that sword away, Sub-Captain.”
Jake
turned back towards Garreth with a firm scowl before proceeding to do as he
bid, sliding his silver sword securely back into the leather sheath that hung
at his side. “What brings you here, Captain? If you are here for Nolan, Mara
assigned him to Edward’s guard, pending a move to the Black Rose.”
“I
am not here for Nolan,” Regald told the older man. “I’ve come as an escort to
our court’s future Princess.” He motioned to the dark-haired woman standing
behind him. Dressed in a pair of black slacks and a pale blue shirt, she stepped
forward gingerly, her small heels echoing across the grey stone. “Lady Sandra,
this is Sub-Captain Jake and Lord Garreth, members of Captain Edward’s guard.”
He gestured to Sandra. “This is the fiancé of the Crown Prince.”
“Hmm,”
Jake replied. “His throat to cut and a hostage to threaten the Arums
with. Perhaps he is sorry after all.”
“Jake.”
Garreth’s tone spoke volumes.
“Just
an idea,” he grumbled back.
“Lady
Sandra,” Garreth said to the young woman. “What may I do for…” Garreth stopped
as he took in the girl more fully, staring into her deep blue eyes. It wasn’t
possible…
“Welcome
to the Ciar Court Guard, my Lady,” Jake said from behind him. “How may we be of
service?”
“I
would like to see Captain Edward,” she replied softly.
“Of
course, my Lady.” Garreth recovered his voice and offered the young woman his
arm. “I will escort you to the Captain.”
“Thank
you, my lord,” the young woman replied.
Garreth
slowly led Sandra down a series of grey stone hallways. It was cold and Sandra
wished she had brought a thicker sweater as they ventured deeper into the stone
mountainside. “Pardon me, my Lady. But I was wondering, have we ever met
before?”
“I
don’t believe so, my Lord.”
“It’s
Garreth,” he said.
“Garreth,”
she repeated. “Do you believe that we have met?”
“I
don’t think so. You just look a little like someone I used to know.”
“Oh.”
She sounded disappointed.
“Here
we are.” Garreth motioned to a stone door several paces ahead of them. “I will
go announce your arrival to the Captain.” He knocked softly moments before
disappearing through the tall door. A few moments later, the door opened again,
and Garreth motioned Sandra inside. “I will leave you in the Captain’s care.”
Garreth
walked down the long stone corridor before eventually emerging into the cool
evening air. “It’s impossible.” He turned down a familiar dirt path, disturbing
the occasional rock as he walked around the royal grounds. He attempted to
clear the image from his mind, but could not shake the feeling of foreboding that
had begun to descend upon him. “Those eyes,” he said, speaking for the wind
alone. “Those blue, blue eyes.” He continued his amble, eventually finding
himself on the north side of the grounds.
The
garden of the Ciar Court was a pale shadow of the grandeur of times past. A few
roses had been transplanted from the court’s ancestral home, but they had never
truly taken to their new environment. Yet, it was to this spot that Garreth
inexorably found himself drawn as he thought of times long past. A small spring
slid between the overgrown grass, bringing water to the sparse flowers and
trees which lined its banks.
“Those
eyes,” he said again. They were so blue, the eyes of this young girl who had
come to see his Captain. Garreth searched his memory, but could form no
recollection of having ever seen her before. “It can’t be,” he said again.
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