Sera paced back and forth in the library of her father estate house. The Bard and Alac were seated nearby deeply engaged in a game of some sort, their heads bent low over the table. Sera paced to the window to look out over the sprawling green estate. As large as it was, it was tiny compared to what her ancestors had held when they were the Horse Lords of the Green for the Empire of Everwind. Sera's face darkened as she recalled the records she had read in her father's private archive. How when King Achiron died, the Empire had descended into chaos with sides being chosen based on who was the strongest to rule. The King's daughter had disappeared, most assumed she was spirited away to the Continent.
Had the Horse Lords chosen to stand for themselves they would have likely kept their fiefdom as their own against all others. Instead her ancestor in all his foolish wisdom had sided with the Loyalists. The Loyalists claimed a Regent King should hold the golden throne until King Achiron's daughter could be found or another heir could be produced.
They had lost, badly.
While few were willing to wipe out the line of the Horse Lords, many wanted them crippled. So, crippled they were. The Horse Lords had been stripped of their titles, much of their land and their remaining armies. Now, they were almost a joke. There would be the occasional slight from a lesser House who no longer remembered who the Beaufort's used to be. Sera hadn't even known her true heritage until she had found the archive when she was ten, playing hide and seek in her fathers study. She had bumped her head on the underside of his desk and the concealed door leading to a hidden library had swung open.
Sera smiled at the memory of climbing the spiral staircase to the hidden library late at night to read until the early greys of dawn would break the darkness. This Kailynn girl was the key to restoring her family's honor and rightful place. She had taken years to find and then she had disappeared again when her friends Richard and Tessia Tamien had died crossing the dangerous sea passage from the island of Everwind to the Continent. Richard wouldn't tell her how he came to be Kailynn's guardian, but, she presumed that Richard and Tessia were going to meet someone related to her when they had died.
Now, Kailynn was gone again, stolen from her by Richard's greedy little brother Morgan. Sera stared out the window of the ornate library that was wall to wall books and deep plush leather seating. The large fireplace was unlit as the spring day was unseasonably warm. Deep reds and greens were draped through out the room of deep walnut wood panels and the carved effigies of horses in various poses and stages of galloping.
Sera's attention turned to the carriage that had appeared in the distance. Even from here she could see the black and red streamers that denoted a member of the royal staff or ministers. Her father was almost home.
❧
Lord Byron Beaufort slammed his hand down on the library desk. "No! You told me you were going to vacation on the Continent! Not use my name to steal a child from one of my peers!"
Sera jumped at the severity in his voice. "Father, I..."
"I'm not finished Sera, I also want to know what you are doing with these two. They are wanted in half the kingdoms of Everwind!"
"That would be most of the kingdoms in Everwind," The Bard chimed in, most unhelpfully and with a smirk.
"Do NOT forget who you are addressing!" Lord Byron thundered pointing his finger into the chest of The Bard. "You may address me as Lord or Sir. The only reason you aren't in irons right now is because I want to see what my daughter here has to say for herself. So, kindly keep your comments to yourself!"
"Do not touch The Bard, Lord Byron." Alac was calmly slicing and eating an apple with one of his daggers. True to his word, he had slipped out two nights ago and returned with his weapons.
Lord Bryon to his credit didn't pale as most men did when the Deathdealer spoke to them. "I know who you are Deathdealer. I don't fear you if that is your intention."
"I believe you Lord Byron." Alac slipped his dagger back into its sheath after wiping it off on the arm of the chair. "But all the same, do not touch The Bard, please."
Sera started slightly at Alac's use of the word. She knew it was the final warning that Alac would give before blood was spilled. "Father, I found her."
Lord Byron wheeled to face her. "Found who? Why is this child so important to you?"
"Do you not know about the library in the south tower? Or are you assuming I don't?"
Lord Byron's face fell. He spoke over his shoulder to Alac and The Bard, "May we have the room?"
The Bard's eyes flicked to meet Sera's. She nodded and he bowed stiffly, "Of course Lord Beaufort." Then he and Alac both left the room.
Lord Byron waited for the door to shut. "Sera, what are you talking about? Speak carefully, even the walls have ears."
"I found the House Archives. I found them when I was ten."
Lord Byron blew out a breath. "Oh, Sera. You have no idea what you have brought upon yourself. Those books are the past, what was. We need to focus on what is, we need to focus on the future."
"It doesn't bother you to read what we were, and to see us now?" Sera challenged, "We were the peacekeepers of the entire island! Now what are we? A shell of who we are?"
"Those books were put there by my grandfather when my father had that same look I see in your eyes. When they cut his head from his body for spreading resurrectionist idea's."
Sera kept her face stony, but she had never heard that story before. Only that her grandfather had died young making her father Lord at a very young age.
"Sera, I cannot bear the thought of that happening to you. So, as your father, I command that you drop this immediately and write an apology letter to Lord and Lady Tamien."
"I cannot drop it Father. I'm doing this for us, and..." Sera paused for a moment, "And for Kailynn. I can't leave her in that place with those monsters!"
"Sera, would you forget all about this if I secured her release?"
"No, Father I wouldn't. I would be grateful to you, but I could not forget what I know about all that is rightfully ours."
"Sera you leave me no choice, I am restricting you to your chambers. Your friends will be arrested and be delivered to the King to judge."
Sera blinked back tears. "You are making a mistake, please reconsider Father."
Lord Byron snapped his fingers and a waiting contingent of well armored Royal Guards, walked into the library. They parted so Sera could see The Bard and Alac both were shackled in irons that chained both their hands and feet.
"Take them to the cells below the house and two of you escort my daughter here to her chambers and remain there until my own men come to relieve you." Lord Byron swept his hand toward to the door. "Now."
Sera looked over her shoulder at her father looking for some sign as she was led away, but his face was an iron mask of disappointment.