The rain whipped fingers of cold into the riders bones as they rode hard to the south toward the lands of the Tamien's. An old man sitting on his stoop just out of the reach of the rain, saw the two hooded figures on horseback galloping on black horses behind a female rider. She urged her horse on as her wet long hair streamed away behind her as the rain pelted her uncovered head and face.
"Fools," the old man muttered, "Only fools or madmen run their horses like that in this weather."
The riders thundered around the bend, throwing mud and water into the air behind them.
❧
Kailynn stretched and sat up in the bed she had been recovering in. Her side caught slightly as the mostly healed skin stretched with her movements. She looked around, the grey morning outside cut down on the already small amount of light that entered the general female servants quarters. Kailynn winced at the thought of her chore list for the day, all of her normal chores with the addition of Annie's.
Annie.
Kailynn tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She stroked the shirt of Annie's that she had been using as a pillowcase. It barely smelled like her anymore, now it smelled more like Kailynn. One of the other servants had come up with the idea when Kailynn wouldn't stop calling out for Annie. Once they had changed it out for the pillowcase, Kailynn had calmed almost instantly.
Now, as normal life had resumed, Kailynn was far too busy to sit and feel sorry for anyone, least of all herself. As she changed into her uniform and slipped downstairs into the kitchen for her daily allotment of gruel and small slice of bread. The large kitchen was the center of the brisk activity that the female servants were always engaged in. The large fire fed iron oven would be the only source of warmth in the winter, so naturally all activity that could be fit into the kitchen was.
"Where is that lazy girl?" Lord Morgan Tamien's voice cut through the chatter and clatter of the kitchen. All the noise died completely and everyone looked at Kailynn, some with a look of pitying and others with malicious grins. Some of them thought that the death of the well-liked Annie's was purely Kailynn's fault. They often delighted in the punishments that she received at the hands of the Tamien's. Especially the beatings with the riding crop. After the first time being struck with that hated whip, Kailynn had resolved to never cower again. The blows would land all over her body, some caused her to stumble or fall but she never showed fear again to that bastard. After a few, she even stopped crying out even when the crop had cut her cheek open to the bone. Lady Tamien had gone pale and intervened at the sight of Kailynn's gashed cheek.
"Morgan stop! She will bleed all over my new carpet! It cost one hundred crowns!" Lady Tamien had whirled to face Kailynn, "Go bleed somewhere else! Next time make sure that the china set matches and this won't happen!"
"WHERE IS SHE!?!?" Lord Tamien roared from his study. He had long ago stopped using the bell to call Kailynn, preferring instead to summon her with angry shouts and curses. "KAILYNN!"
Kailynn shrugged slightly at those who were grinning at her and flashed them an obscene gesture as she shoved the last of her bread in her mouth. Standing, she winked at the snarling laundress in the corner. The laundress spat on the floor at Kailynn's feet. She reviled Kailynn for the amount of bloodied clothing she had to wash almost daily now. Kailynn smiled and pushed through the door into the main dining area and walked to the door that connected the dining room with Lord Morgan's study. She raised her hand and knocked twice.
"It's Kailynn My Lord," She had stopped calling them Aunt and Uncle, not that it seemed to bother them. "You sent for me?"
"Enter!"
Kailynn opened the door and slipped inside dropping into that hated curtsey. "My Lord."
"Kailynn, this is Lord Byron Beaufort. He is here to apologize for his daughter's behavior. I thought he might like to look at the root of the issue. Look up girl, let the Lord see you."
Kailynn lifted her chin with a hint of defiance. She stood stock still as the tall well-built man in the expensive green and black suit studied her. She knew that her face still showed bruises and her nose was just now letting her breathe through it. Kailynn stood proudly as she recalled that she had been called My Lady once. She might not be the equal to these men, but she was stronger than both of them put together.
"Lord Tamien," Lord Beaufort had a coldness to his blue eyes that almost made Kailynn shiver. "She looks like she is trouble. You have to correct her often?" He motioned to her face as he turned to face Lord Tamien with a devilish smirk. "Perhaps I should have corrected my Sera more?"
Rage swelled in Kailynn's chest at the mention of Sera's name in such a callous manner.
"It's never too late!" Laughed Lord Tamien.
"Haven't you heard Morgan? My little tramp of a daughter has ran off with the rogue Bard of the West College."
"You don't say! Well, all the more correction is warranted when you catch up to her."
Lord Beaufort laughed heartily, "Indeed!"
"She is worth a thousand of you!" Kailynn spat the sentence like a dagger at Lord Beaufort. "You should hope the Deathdealer doesn't find you first!"
Both men stared at her wide-eyed with surprise. Lord Tamien purpled with anger and began to rise with his riding crop in his hand. Lord Beaufort cleared his throat and held up his hand to Lord Tamien. "Morgan, as the insulted guest, may I administer the correction myself? I would think in the main barnyard as a warning to the others would be advisable?'
Lord Tamien handed him the riding crop with a sadistic smile, "As long as blood is drawn to cover her insult to your honor, Byron."
❧
The servants had been gathered into the main barnyard to witness Kailynn's "correction." She stood as still as a statue, while hatred for these two Lords coiled inside her chest like a snake ready to strike.
"Don't bloody the uniform, I have to wash it!" the laundress called laughing from the crowd.
Lord Tamien turned to the little crowd, "QUIET!"
Lord Beaufort stepped up to Kailynn, "Kneel."
"I've knelt enough My Lord, and most certainly there is not any man I would kneel too."
He stepped in close enough to Kailynn that she could smell his cologne. Roses and sandalwood. "Is that what you really think? That you will not kneel to any man? Would you kneel to the King?" He tapped the dagger at his belt, "Treason is death. Kneel or die girl."
Something cracked in Kailynn. A shearing, ripping feeling shot though her body. Her hand reached out and took the dagger from his belt and pointed it at his throat. Lord Beaufort swallowed. Hard.
"And just what do you intend to do with that little girl?" He asked slowly. He met her eyes and didn't back up. He slowly raised his hands. The crowd was silent in shock. Even the Tamien's were rooted to the earth where they stood. "Kill me? They will kill you in seconds after you try."
Kailynn's hands weren't shaking. She could feel something flowing through her, warm and calming. It was as if time was slowing while she adjusted her grip on the hilt of the blade pointed at Lord Beaufort's throat.
He looked her directly in the eyes, "Of course if you have a Lord as a hostage, you might be able to make it to a horse or the carriage of aforementioned hostage Lord." His voice was low so only she could hear him.
"You are my hostage!" Kailynn blurted out, "You will call for your carriage!"
"What if I just step back away from you right now? I'll be out of your reach." His voice was still low, "Then you will have lost your hostage."
"Get on your knees!"
"Better." He knelt in the mud, staining his impeccable suit, "tell everyone to lie down."
Kailynn, raised her voice to the crowd, "Everyone lie down!"
"Or?" Lord Beaufort prompted.
"Or this Lord is dead!"
"You will not live to see the end of this day you worthless bitch!" Lord Tamien snarled as he got down into the mud. "I swear it."
"Lord Tamien, I will have your head someday!" Kailynn called back with a calm that surprised even her, "that I swear."
Lord Beaufort chuckled quietly as he kneeled with his hands in the air. The carriage came rattling up with Lord Beaufort's driver. Kailynn started to turn to get in.
"Don't forget your hostage." Came that low tone yet again.
"In!" Kailynn commanded.
Lord Beaufort sheepishly complied and Kailynn climbed in slamming the door behind her. She kept the blade pointed at her hostage.
"Let's go Thomas," Lord Beaufort said softly. Thomas whipped up the horses and the carriage tore off into the morning rain.
Lord Beaufort, reached over and effortlessly disarmed Kailynn with a speed that told her Lord Beaufort was exactly where he wanted to be.
"Well done, My Lady." He smiled at her kindly. "Sera is waiting for you over the next hill."
Before Kailynn could move or say anything, Lord Beaufort plunged the dagger into his leg and threw himself out of the carriage. Thomas just urged the horses on. Kailynn sat with her mouth open. Slowly, she closed her mouth and settled back into the seat.
My Lady. She mused as she stared out the window. I think it's time I hear the rest of the story from The Bard.