Inevitable War (Jalapeno x Shelby)

A few servants were in the corridors dousing the torch fires. The sun would be up in full soon and there would be no need to relight them until dusk. Every one of the servants immediately stopped when he walked by and bowed, most of them muttering "Good morning, my lord" or "You look well this morn." He nodded in acknowledgement to all of them and smiled warmly. He would not be smiling at all once he began the seemingly endless process that awaited him at court. And tomorrow would consist of the same ordeal. His wedding would be the following day, but there would be very few breaks after that was over. And all the while there was still the lingering thought in the back of his mind telling him that he would be going to war soon. He was not afraid to kill, but he had never been in battle himself. The council would probably insist that he remain in the capital no matter who rises up in rebellion.

The sound of his name caught Avram's attention and he turned on a heel to see Mina approaching him. She was looking resplendent as usual, though it was odd to see a lady of court wondering the corridors this early. "Mina. A bit early to be strutting about the castle is it not?" He beamed a welcome smile until her face grew serious and her tone took a much quieter and secretive turn. His expression reacted to her's in much the same way. Now she knew as well. Avram should have expected his mother to be telling every soul she knew about the arrival of Myla Auvery. The queen was not about to see the return of a family she had no taste for. But it was not her place to decide who the crown sought help from and who they helped in return. Still, if the queen continued to spread this news in such a way that turned the nobles against Myla, then his old friend could find herself in a dangerous spot. And he would only be able to blame himself. It was Avram who convinced Myla to work with them knowing just how much of a risk he was taking with her life.

Frowning slightly, Avram wondered what more their mother had told Mina. "She did tell me she was upset. And I am not at all surprised by it. This was not her decision to make and she will have no part in it." He eyed her carefully for a long moment, and paused to study her reaction. "Did she tell you that she plans to marry Trin to Cresten Walz? I would be surprised if she did. You realize that she is bringing only people she trusts as close the crown as possible, don't you? Lady Odalle was her closest friend growing up. Even Carsil knew her for some time before she offered you his hand. This time I am working with someone she doesn't trust and it frightens her. It's time for her to understand that with father out of commission I am the one running this kingdom, not her." His voice remained quiet, but the sternness was plainly evident. "Besides, Myla was once my closest friend. Even if she is not the same girl I knew back then I still trust her, and Ser Gerold seems to as well. After what she has endured because of us, losing her family, losing her home, forced to live her life incognito, letting her sit on the council doesn't even seem like enough of a compensation."



After watching his son leave in a huff, Gerold turned to look at the horizon as the sun was making its ascent. He shut his eyes and inhaled deeply, calming his mind after the ordeal. He knew better than to expect Larcin to be as good as he was when he was that young. But he also knew that Larcin needed to learn things the difficult way if he was going to be successful. Life was not an easy task, and making it easy for him would do nothing but promote his laziness. The boy could take a hit well enough, so Gerold felt no remorse in seeing the numerous bruises on his son's body. It would toughen his exterior at the very least. Larcin might even resent him for it sometimes, but in the future he would finally see why this was necessary. The old knight had a feeling that said future was not far off. War was coming, even if many were afraid to mention it. Soon they would all be taking up arms and riding out to defend the king's peace, or what little remained of it anyway. And though he was Captain of the Guard, Ser Gerold had no intention of sitting behind Sarvayl's walls and waiting for the fight to come to them. He was born a fighter and he would die a fighter.

Gerold did not turn to look at Bartle and Myla when they approached. He kept his calmness focused on the horizon, but he did extend an arm to take the wooden sword. "Nothing more at the moment, Bartle. We will both be attending a council meeting later and I would like for you to fit her for some proper armor after that." Gerold did not turn around until he heard Bartle's footsteps fade as he trudged off followed by a loud thunk as the door to the armory closed. Finally he peered at Myla with a half smile and raised an eyebrow at the odd fitting armor, but he made no comment about it. "Sorry about him. He can be a bit grumpy sometimes, particularly in the morning. But he is the best Master at Arms Sarvayl has seen in generations." He examined her posture and noticed that even under the heavy armor she was doing her best to maintain a straight and upright stature. She might have some success after all.

Without further ado, Gerold twirled the wooden sword in his hand and motioned for Myla to lift her's at the ready. It had been a long time since he held one of these. It was obviously much lighter than steel and far easier to wield. He hoped that he could have her swinging a real blade as soon as possible, but time would work itself out as always. "The first thing I want you to do is quite simple. Grip the handle with your preferred hand and hold it out in front of you like so. Not too tight. Let the grip feel natural in your hand." He demonstrated by making a forty-five degree angle between his arm and sword and shaking his wrist to illustrate how loose his own grip was. "And make sure you have your body turned to the side, in line with your sword. Heels off the ground as well. A flat footed fighter is a dead fighter. This will be your basic ready stance. From this position you can maneuver yourself into many other different positions without dropping your defenses." Once she had the stance down he nodded and turned to look back in the direction of the sunrise. "Good. Now I want you to hold this stance until the sun is fully above the horizon." With that he closed his eyes again and continued his meditation.
 
Mina nodded her head in understanding when Avram first spoke. She had no doubt in her mind that he had probably had an ear full from their mother, and she also had no doubt that what she told him would not be the end of it as long as the girl was there. She herself had been subject to her mother's complaints only just yesterday before the welcoming and feast, hearing her say that she believed that that girl was already beginning to sway and swindle Avram's mind because what other reason could their be for him to have acted the way he had towards her when he approached her about the matter, and for him to spit, as she said, those disrespectful words to her. Apparently, the Queen had told her, that that Auvery was doing nothing that wasn't expected from her, manipulation, and it was taking an effect on Avram. Those words, however, had been bypassed by Mina as she heard them. Avram wasn't simple minded and he was strong and able enough to make his own decisions. She didn't believe that he would be easily manipulated and tricked, though she couldn't deny that there had been and still was a slight worry over the matter from her. But, she hadn't dared spoken those words to her mother.

However, when her brother started to speak again, Mina found her jaw to go slack, her brows twitching with confusion. Her mother was trying to marry Trinity off already? But she was still so young! Yes, she realized, her mother had 'forgotten' to tell Mina that, and she even averted her eyes for a second so that she could take a breath and compose herself. He was right though; their mother really was only bringing in people who she trusted, and there seemed to be nothing more that they could do about it. She'd just have to talk to her mother about it. It made her wonder, or rather let her know, that she was doing it intentionally, yet she couldn't say why. Maybe she wanted the security of having those around that made her comfortable and that she actually knew because of the simple fact that she felt like she could trust them. After all, her main supporter, the king, her husband and their father, had been her support before he fell ill. She trusted him, loved him, and back then it almost seemed as if he had been enough for her, though she was still just as strong willed as she was now and made it a point to show it. But he was gone now, in a sense, and it would be a lie to deny that the Queen hadn't changed since the King's decline too.

Mina stayed silent for a while before she shook her head. "But that is the problem, Avram. You two were close. The fact alone that she is here does not bother me as it does mother, however I cannot say that I am not a little worried about her reasons for being here, yet if she is willing enough to help, then obviously she cannot be as bad as mother is making her out to be. Myla is not the one that I am worried about. It is you that I'm worried about, because of the very reason alone that you two were close." After all, she had been subject to enough of their antics in the past to have gotten the point. "You have your own mind, and you are the one that is ruling the kingdom now, and I respect that and I respect most of the decisions that you make. Maybe having her back will be a good thing, and it may solve what ever you are trying to figure out, and if that is the case then good for you and good for her. Maybe then mother will not be so quick to judge. I can only imagine, though, what will happen if it doesn't work, because you know mother, and you know that she will try everything she can to destroy that girl, maybe even before anything happens. I may be wavering off my point slightly, but nevertheless I am still worried over you and how you fair with all of this. I know you don't want to hear this from me, but it is still what I think."

Again she took another pause, her frown continuing to deepen. She had always worried about Avram, even in their younger years, and even still now. He didn't deserve to be put into the position that he was forced into yet. "You may feel as if you owe her something because of what happened to her family and herself, but you don't. What ever happened back then was between Father and Lord Jensen. You have no reason to worry about any of that, and I'm afraid that you may end up putting too much of yourself into trying to help her, or trying to do something for her because you feel as if you do owe her. As you have said, she is not the same girl, and you are not the same boy as you once were. That connection you had with her is long gone, and if I'm being honest, I think it would be best if you keep it that way, and I say that because of how close her family was to us before and what she would have been to you, to all of us, had they not been turned into lowly commoners. I want you to keep in mind that the only reason she is here is to help and nothing else. Do not let her being here cloud your judgement or make you do anything foolish because it will only be the fall of you and her and I am most certain that you do not want that to happen. You have enough eyes watching you already, and you do not need anything more to add to your stress and worry."



After Bartle had left, Myla couldn't deny that she was a little happy to have his presence gone, however the emotion was quickly wiped away when Ser Gerold turned his attention back to her. He seemed calmer than he had been before when he was speaking with his son, and though there was a look of puzzlement for a quick second on her face, she pushed the expression aside and gave a slow nod of the head as she sighed. "Yes. You must be so honored to have his presence lingering among you all." She thought of holding her tongue and holding back the sarcasm that ultimately slipped from her tone, but she thought against it in the end.

Her eyes drifted down to the wooden sword that he held, watching as he started twirling the sword in his hands, her brows raising before she looked down at hers and then turning to look up at the man as he started to speak. She tried to mimic his movements as best as he could at first, trying to get a good feel with the sword in her hands. Though she knew that this more then likely was not what an actual sword felt like, given the lightness of it, but she nevertheless figured that should take this seriously. It had taken her a few movements, but after reaching her hand out in front, tilting the sword as he had in her right hand while she lifted her heels from the ground, just as he said so. Again, it was something else that was almost uncomfortable, and she couldn't help but furrow her brows when he commanded her to stay in that position until the sun had completely risen from the horizon.

She swallowed, looked back at the sun, and sighed as Ser Gerold had his back turned to her. Instead of focusing on completely trying to keep still, though that was another thing on her mind, she thought it would be best to calm herself, forget about what she had pictured herself last night, and to just go about the day liked as it came to her.

Myla was unaware of how many minutes had passed before the sun was lifted from the horizon, but all she knew was that by the time it had passed, her arm had become sore, and her ankles shook as she tried to continue to keep her heels off the ground. "The sun has risen now," she spoke up, pursing her lips. "Is it alright to drop the stance now?"
 
For a moment Avram felt glad that he was having this conversation with Mina and not his mother. But she still seemed pretty adamant about her position, and he was not entirely sure he disagreed with her. He was kidding himself if he tried to believe that Myla's presence meant little to him. There was no denying that since her reappearance Avram could not stop wondering how things would have turned out if she and her family would have remained in power. Mina did not need to say outright but he knew what she was thinking. They would have been married without question. There would have been no alliance with the Eburharts. Now that she was here Lord Corlan and Lady Odalle certainly had something to consider. And while he had reassured the mighty lord that Myla was here solely for diplomatic reasons, it was almost certain that the prince would be watched carefully whenever he was around the northern lady. And could he blame them for that. He was not even sure he trusted himself around her. But this was not about him, it was about finding away to end the violence in the north, and so far Myla was their best option for it.

"I appreciate your concern, Mina. And you are right. Had the Auvery's remained in power Myla would be the one sitting next to me during the wedding, not Lyanna. But this is not about me. It's about stabilizing the north, which has been in chaos since Lord Jensen was removed. She gives us the best chance to do this, and for the first time I actually have hope that we will succeed. I will only see her during council meetings anyway, where all we will be discussing is the state of the kingdom." It was almost a sad realization as he stated the last part. Of course it was better for him to avoid seeing Myla outside of anything that was not strictly business, as anything else would arouse suspicion and unnecessary rumors. But it was difficult to swallow something like that, especially given his mixed feelings of her. He could not tell Mina about them of course as they would only confirm her argument. In fact he would have to keep them to himself for quite some time, at the very least until Myla was able to leave the capital safely. If that kind of knowledge was revealed to the wrong person then Myla's life would be in jeopardy for a multitude of reasons.

That still left the problem of the queen. Their mother had revealed Myla's presence to Mina, and it was unlikely that she stopped there. Was she paranoid enough to inform Lady Odalle? Or worse, had Corlan already informed his wife? He had already been informed that the knowledge was supposed to remain a secret, but secrets always had their methods of spreading like a plague. "Mother will will do everything in her power to take down anyone associated with the Auverys. That is why we will have to protect Myla in any way we can. Maybe you are correct and I don't owe her anything. But how can I make the claim that I honor my friendships if I am willing to let her carry on with a life she never deserved?" Avram rubbed his forehead with the the tips of his thumb and forefinger, not actually aware that he was doing so. Mina was not likely to be finished discussing this yet, but he was in a hurry with very little free time. "We can discuss this another time if it bothers you so, but I am not changing my mind. And I must be at court now. I'm about to be late and you know how Orfin is when things are not completed on time." He offered her an apologetic look before swiftly turning back down the corridor.



Watching the sun come out of its nightly sleep was something Gerold never failed to enjoy no matter how many times he saw it. It was almost like a beacon of hope and prosperity rising to greet them every morning. On days when it was hidden by clouds he often felt disappointed, but it also served as a reminder that nothing he sought would come easy. It was something he constantly hammered into Larcin's thick head as well as all of those would-be fighters who trained under his watch. His training with Myla would be no different, though he had a good feeling that she was already well aware of the hardships life could throw out at any given moment. But she was definitely hardened by the experiences, which would make his own job that much easier. He would have to be careful, of course, to make sure that she did not let her strength become a weakness. Gerold had seen countless instances in which a soldiers, and even knights in some cases, let their difficult pasts drive them in their quests for glory. That was a dangerous tactic and could often lead to the temptation to fight with notions of anger and revenge in one's heart. That was a line that could not be crossed, for when it was there was no turning back.

Gerold could hear others entering the training grounds, but he knew they would not bother him and his pupil. Everyone in the castle knew better than to interrupt a lesson taught by Ser Gerold Godfrey. He turned back to face Myla when he heard her voice. He peered at her for a moment before slowly taking three strides until he was directly in front of her. He smiled and examined the wooden sword. He placed his hand under it and lifted the blade until it was set once again at the angle she had started at. It may have had to do with her lack of arm strength, but over time that would be corrected. "Don't let your arm falter whatever you do. Your sword is not only a weapon, but it is your defense, well half of it anyway. We will talk about the shield later but for now this is our main focus." He turned back to face the sun, though most of the brilliant colors that came with its rise were now gone. "Know this stance. In time it should come as second nature to you. If you cannot hold it for long it is unlikely you will last long in a battle. For now we shall move on, but continue to practice that stance on your own."

Turning back around once again, Gerold tossed his sword off to the side. "Now we will see how quick you are. I want you to try and hit me." He spread his arms wide and grinned. "Strike me anywhere. And don't think you only have to use your sword. Your arms and legs and can be just as deadly too." The armor would slow her down, and it fit her oddly, but that would hardly make a difference regardless, especially since this was her first time swinging a sword. He found it useful to illustrate to his pupils just how far they had to go before they could consider themselves true swordsmen. It motivated them to strive for more.
 
His words rang true, and even Mina had to admit that she believed him, at least a little anyway. Maybe she was the best option for solving the conflict with the north, and maybe he really would only see her during the council meetings. Except, that was the claim that worried her, because she didn't know whether or not she could actually believe that. Oh, she could only hope that he would keep what he said in mind; that she was only there because of the north and for no other reasons. He had to understand that the past could not return, and would not return especially after his wedding. He would be taken, he would have a wife, and it wouldn't be Myla Auvery. It would be Lyanna, but as the Eburhart came to her mind, she couldn't help but grimace. Did she know of Myla's presence? And if she did, had she been able to make the connection that, in a sense, she was the replacement? It was a terrible way to look at it, but even Mina knew that it was true. The girl already seemed fragile enough, and Mina could only imagine how she didn't want to do this. It wouldn't be fair to her, she realized, if she knew. Hopefully her mother hadn't spoken the word too much and to the wrong people.

A look of pity crossed her face as she watched Avram rub his forehead, almost beginning to regret having this conversation with him, however she knew that it had to happen. If anything, she just wanted to be assured more so that he wouldn't do anything with Myla and that he would stay within his boundaries and keep in mind that she was here for business and nothing else. And she wanted to keep speaking with him, and she had even thought to try and stop him as he gave her that apologetic look before he walked off, however she let him go. He had other things to worry about, and she didn't want to continue to bother him any longer. But when he did walk off, she turned to look in his direction, watching his retreating form. It really was a shame, she realized, that he had had to grow up so quickly and without much notice. She missed seeing those days when he would smile, and when he didn't have all the pressure on his shoulders.

But, as she continued to tell herself and hoped to have reminded Avram of, those times were no more. She just hoped that he understood that and came to terms with the fact because she didn't want to see what the consequences that could arise because of this. She hoped that Myla knew it as well. Maybe the Queen was right; maybe Myla really was as dangerous as she made her out to be, however, Mina thought that it wasn't because the girl would try and seek revenge. It was for an entirely different reason because of the connection that her and Avram had.

When he was gone from her sight, Mina sighed, turned around, and then proceeded back down the way she had come from, her mind spiraling with thoughts, remembering what Avram had said about their mother trying to already marry Trinity off. She wanted to speak with her about that too, but, she figured, right now may not be the best time. After all, there would be a tea party in Lyanna's honor she had to attend in the early afternoon, and there was no doubt that her mother was working on that.



When Ser Gerold finally turned to look at her, Myla couldn't help but raise her brows at the sight of his smile. Perhaps he really had calmed himself down from earlier, however she wasn't about to comment on it. Instead, she furrowed her brows when he stepped closer to her, his arm reaching out to raise her sword, and arm, back into the position that it was really supposed to be in. She wanted to reprimand herself for letting her a dip, but she knew enough to not do that to herself. This was only her first lesson, after all, and she still had a lot to learn. Nevertheless, she still found herself not looking forward to how she may feel after this entire session, however long it would last.

It was odd to know that a simple stance like this could mean so much and that it could also be means of somewhat defense. The weight of the armor continued to want to pull her down, and she almost did just that as she nodded to his words. Right, keep practicing this stance and eventually she would get it. It would take time, even she knew that, but she hoped that eventually her arm wouldn't be as sore as it already felt. But things like that came with strength, to which she did not really have. It was in that moment that she realized that so many other people, men, had gone through this and were going through this. How difficult had it been for them? What had Ser Gerold put the ones he trained through, and what would he put her through? When she heard others start to come in the area, she couldn't help but divert her eyes away from Ser Gerold for a second, becoming a bit unnerved, maybe a little self conscious as well, bu she pushed the thought aside and tried her best to block them out. They didn't matter. All that mattered was Ser Gerold and her trying to understand and be able to replicate and do the concepts that he was teaching her.

A skeptical gaze crossed her face as he threw his sword away and spread his arms with that grin. Try and hit him. Try and hit him. Or at least that was what Myla got out of the statement, but even though he mentioned that she could also use her arms and legs, seeing as they could be equally as deadly, she figured that, for the time being, it would be best to stick with the sword, wooden or not. After all, it was easy to throw a punch or kick, whether or not it was effective and actually did anything, and she had never swung a sword before. Better to do it now, she figured, especially if she messed up. Then he would be able to tell her what she did wrong, try to correct her, and then she could do it again. But she had let herself pause for a second, her lips pursing as she looked at her essential target. The one hand she had on the sword tightened, her stare intensified, before she finally reared the arm back.

She took one step forward, reached her other hand over to grab onto the bottom part of the hilt, and then swung the sword towards Ser Gerold's side, a small grunt escaping from her as she tried to put some sort of effort into it. Whether or not this was right, she couldn't say. What she did was what she did and she again reminded herself that it would probably be corrected.
 
Avram continued on still thinking about his conversation with Mina. She had let him go without anything further to say, but he figured it was mostly because she understood how busy he was. And he was still not certain that everything he told her was completely true as much as he wanted to believe it. Would he be able to keep his thoughts of Myla strictly to nothing more than someone he was working with? He thought it would help to maybe think more about Lyanna. The two of them had bonded a little during the feast and Avram actually had fun while they danced. But even then she was still someone he only knew a little about. He did not feel the same connection with her that he would with Myla. No! There is no connection with Myla. It made his head spin to think about this any longer and for a split second he almost found himeself looking forward to court so he could think about something else. "Maybe I should get Lyanna's help to pour a bucket of water on Mina's head," he muttered to himself, half smirking at the thought.

Upon entering the court, Avram had no trouble finding Orfin Wyle, red-faced and furious as expected. The steward took no time in berating the prince for his tardiness. "No disrespect my prince but if I've told you once I've told you a thousand times..." Avram already knew what the rest was going to be before it came out of his mouth. Something about how a ruler never keeps his subjects waiting when they come to him for aid or advice. He tuned out Orfin's babble as he took his place on the throne and rubbed his forehead. "Let's just get on with it, please." The steward humphed and made for his small desk by the wall and picked up his quill. He began scribbling on his parchment as the guards let the first man in. He was a fairly tall individual with a tuft of hair under his chin and messy hair that fell down to his shoulders. He bowed before Avram and spoke with his eyes still facing the floor. "My lord, it is a joy to see you in good health. My name is Wan. I am a shop owner near the Western gate. If I may be so bold, I must complain about the traveling merchants who have entered the city." Avram sat back and sighed heavily, nodding his head for him to continue. He had no doubt this would not be the first time he heard about this today.



The swipe that Myla took was a quick one, but Gerold easily maneuvered away with a step back. He shook his head and pointed at her feet. "Always use your legs to your advantage. You took only a single step, and your heels are flat on the ground. Always be ready to move or else it is unlikely that you will move again." He beckoned for her to ready herself. "And do not give up after a single effort. Continue to attack. When your opponents are on the defensive they are at your mercy. Show them you are not afraid and maintain your aggressiveness. Now go again." He could see there was a fierceness in her eyes, but she would not unleash it. She had been too well trained in the art of being a lady, even if she spent most of it as a commoner. Gerold would have to release a different side to her, one that she could not show in a court or any gathering of highborn men and women, but one she would have to accept as a part of herself if she expected to succeed.



There were servants all over the garden prepping the large table for the tea party. Meredina watched every one of them like a hawk, standing off to the side with her arms crossed and a her lips turned in a questioning twist. Half her mind was on the hullabaloo in front of her and the other half was on the Auvery girl. Of all the people she wanted to see in Sarvayl, Myla was the last she would have liked except for maybe Lord Jensen himself. She had alreasy told Mina about the girl's deception by working in the kitchens right under their noses. The queen could only wonder what she had been planning all this time. It was lucky she was caught and identified before she could see through whatever other deceptive plots she was planning. Meredina planned to inform Odalle at the same time, but she wanted to be sure it would have the most profound effect she could muster. So she had elected to wait for the time being, but the plan was slowly forming in her thoughts now and a sly grin spread across her face. She was not about to see the Auvery line return and ruin the progress she had made.

"No no no!," Meredina scolded one of the servant girls. She had forgotten this ones name, though she assumed it was Reina or something rather. "I told you all a million times that if we want scones with this then we must use the larger plates. The small ones are to be used as saucers for the tea. Now go get the larger ones. Go on!" She exhaled with frustration and observed one of the men placing decorations of the rose bushes, wondering if they would make sense there. That was when she caught Asille scurrying to the table with a basket of flowers. She was only nine years old but was quite obedient to everyone, and the queen had taken a liking to her over the past few months. She was the youngest daughter of Ser Aswick Vromwell. Meredina wandered over to the girl, who was delicately arranging petals over the silky tablecloth. "Child please, leave that for someone else. I have a much more important task to be done, and I want only you for it." The young girl beamed and piped up with a quick, "Anything for you, my lady." And she was always eager to help. Smiling a satisfied smile, Meredina handed her a small piece of parchment. On it was scribbled a last minute invitation to the party. "I want you to take this to the room of Myla Auvery. It will be somewhere in the East Tower. Ask one of the guards. If they deny knowledge that anyone there has such a name then show them that my seal is on the note. And if she is not in her chambers simply slide it under the door." Without a word, Asille bowed and darted off for the East Tower.
 
Grimacing as she watched the sword swing through the air, coming into contact with nothing when Ser Gerold took a step back to easily dodge the swing, Myla's brows twitched before she quickly let her eyes go down to the ground. She looked down at her legs when he mentioned them, then at her feet, and then back up to the man before her, frowning as she got herself back into the position that he had taught her only moments before. Right. Keep off her heels, keep moving because in a real battle it may be the death of her if she didn't, and don't stop if the opportunity came to where she was at the advantage. Unfortunately, it was easier said than done. She re gripped the sword, giving a quick nod of her head before she seemed to hesitate, her muscles tensing, her lips still pinched into a frown.

She knew she was going to have to get over it, get over the fact that she wasn't a fighter and get over the fact that this went against most of what she had been taught when she was young. Yes, it was a little invigorating, because even though she was holding only a simple wooden sword, at least it was some sort of weapon, something to use against someone that, if she learned to use it right, could pose to be more effective than jut her hands. To know that, with what Ser Gerold was teaching her, he could help her in the future not only become a stronger person. She liked the feeling, believe it or not. After all, the majority of her life she had felt weak, especially after she was left with no one, because there was no one there to protect her anymore. There was no one left for her to depend on. But be that as it may, there was still this trepidation to this because when she thought of fighting or bloodshed the first thing that normally appeared in her mind was what happened to her brother and mother. At least, she always consoled with herself, that her father hadn't gone the same way, yet it didn't make what happened seem any better.

The malice in those bandits eyes, their greed and their will to do anything in order to get what they wanted no matter if it involved killing anyone or not. And they did. While She had stuck herself in a corner after her brother had pushed her over, him having tried to protect her at the cost of his own life. It had been hard to watch, and again Myla reminded herself of how she tried to forget the day, yet she still couldn't. It was hard to get over something like that, she knew, but she had to.

Just think about something else, she told herself, having somewhat gotten into her own mind in that moment. Think about something to fuel her will to want to do this because that may be what Ser Gerold wanted her to do, or to at least try and to her best. Her earlier frustrations helped with it a bit, but she could say that that distracted her a bit as well. Just stop thinking. Just do and let the results show. She almost nodded to herself at the thought before she positioned herself again, her eyes set back on the man before her. She went with the same motions as she had before, except, this time, instead of taking one step, she took more, charging at him in a sense. Maybe then, she reasoned with herself, if he tried to take a step back she'd be able to still go after him. She tried her best to swing harder this time, remembering him saying to keep her aggressiveness or gain some rather, as she aimed for his other side this time.
 
The training session lasted for the rest of the morning and beyond that. Gerold had already given instructions to his men about their duties for the day, so unless something went wrong there would be no interruption. Unfortunately he did not think it would be possible for him to give Myla this much individual attention every day, seeing as how there would be a wedding in two days and possibly a war to follow within the next month, assuming worst case scenario of course. He had to trust her to continue her training on her own time whenever he became busy, which would include the wedding day. The entire celebration was to last from midday to midnight. It was Gerold's responsibility to make sure that all areas were secure and safe. He would not stand for any uninvited guests in the castle on a day that was meant to lift spirits all around. There were far too many records in the history books of men and women being killed during weddings, and often times the victims were the newly weds themselves. The captain could think of more than a few people who would like to see Avram dead.

Much of the early part of the training consisted of Myla continuing her efforts to land a blow on Ser Gerold, all of them falling short. But Gerold would have been lying to himself if he denied that some of them came close. On one occasion he had to fall flat on the ground and roll out of distance, as she had finally learned the art of pursuit. And then came the instance in which the sword had come so close to his face that if he had stuck his tongue out he would have a mouth full of splinters. But in the end Myla was left panting and exhausted without having toughed him. After that Gerold spent a a couple of hours teaching her some of the more basic routines, including the Serpent's Tail and Breaking the Horn. Those two she picked up fairly quickly, but she struggled with Shaving the Head and Lighting Whip. "Know your basic forms like you know your own face. Those will always be your greatest weapons, and from your stance they are only a few maneuvers away." A true blade master seldom used the advanced techniques unless he was facing an opponent that intrigued him. Many of them would combine the basic and intermediate forms into their deadly arcs, which could be lethal when used properly.

When their training came to an end the sun had already reached its peak and was slowly beginning to make its descent. Myla looked as worn and ragged as she probably had after escaping from her homeland. "The first day is always the toughest. I don't think I need to tell you that practicing on your own is essential. You will get better. Already I've seen your determination shine through even when you struggled." He smiled and bowed his head, as if he were bowing to an anointed lady. "We will begin at the same time as we did yesterday, but it will have to be much shorter than today was. The day after is the wedding, and that will be your day off. Enjoy it, because you won't receive many of those at the pace we must continue. Now I believe we have a council meeting to attend soon . We could both do with some cleaning up before then. And you look absolutely famished. I will see you in the council chambers."



By the time the last subject had left, Avram could not wait to get off the throne. He had half expected the day to be completely over by then, but the sun was still high and there was plenty of time left in the day. Though he would not get to enjoy that much, for now he would be sitting in a council meeting for however long the gods willed. Orfin was now preparing to leave as well, though he was making a few last minute notes, so Avram left the court without him, informing him that he would be waiting in the council chambers. He was actually somewhat relieved, as he did not care to hear whatever complaints the chubby man had this time. He almost always seemed to have some, and half of them were usually irrelevant to begin with.

It had been a fairly uneventful morning for the most part. The majority of the men who came before him were local shopkeepers complaining about the traveling merchants who had recently entered the city. Avram had assured all of them that he would have General Byron correct the matter as best he could. But what the prince had trouble getting off his mind were the two letters handed to him midway through. One was a letter from one of his men, Varyn Plaec, in Tallarth. Lord Maryn was already holding war councils with his bannermen, and many had seen a vast number of soldiers camped outside of the city. Numbers Varyn had heard ranged from two thousand to thirty thousand. Whatever the actual number was, one thing was absolutely clear: war was coming, and it was coming much sooner than he had anticipated. Another messenger hawk was likely to arrive when Lord Maryn and Lord Gorlin began their marches or officially raised their banners in revolt, whichever came first.

The other letter Avram received was from Lord Donagale, the now front-runner for power in the north. Somehow word had already spread of Myla's return, and the powerful lords who were still making their claims would have none of it. According to Lord Donagale there were many who believed this girl in Sarvayl was an impostor, but he knew better. He was not about to risk letting the Auvery's reclaim their place and ruin all of his hard work. And now he was threatening to declare himself an ally with Lord Maryn. But this was not as bad for the crown as Avram initially would have believed. The north was still very much unsettled, and Lord Donagale could not afford to send many of his men south to assist Lord Maryn until he had officially won his prize. There was still time yet, but how much longer would that be? It would have to be discussed at the council meeting.
 
It was rough, though not any tougher than Myla had previously thought. Ser Gerold said that he would treat her as any other man that he trained, and she expected nothing less. However, what Myla hadn't anticipated was the aches and pains that she had started to feel after those first few attempts to try and hit him. All of them had come up short, though there had been a little bit of hopefulness to think that she might have gotten close a few times, however she still never made completely contact with the man. It frustrated her, yes, but there was nothing she could do about it, and Myla knew that. Growing frustrated and angry over the fact would do nothing but hurt and hinder her further.

The different techniques he taught her were all interesting, though there were others she picked up easier than others, but she had kept in mind to remember what he looked like showing them to her so that she could bring it back to her mind when ever she would practice them her own self. That was a bit of a troubling thought, having to do some of this on her own that was, however she knew that he would not always be available to her and she would just have to deal with it. She wouldn't be able to slack off with any of it either, otherwise she may lose any kind of momentum she had with this which would lead her right back to where she started. That would mean being unproductive, and that would lead to her not being the best that she could in order to help Avram and the crown with trying to settle things in the north. And, as usual, she reminded herself that that was why she had decided to go through all this trouble. To help them, even herself, as well as her home.

Dribbles of sweat ran down her face as she panted, herself hunched over in order to try and catch her breath. She turned to look up at Ser Gerold, furrowing her brows before she straightened her stature, gave him a nod, and then took a step back. "Yes, the council meeting. I will see you there." She gave him a quick little bow, the awkwardness of the motion getting to her easily, but she pushed it aside before turning around and heading back to the armory, only to be presented, once again, with the scowl that came from Bartle, his arms crossed over his chest. This time, though, Myla didn't have the energy nor the will to scowl back at him.

After getting herself back into the garb she once had on before, Bartle had done as Ser Gerold had told him to do after their session and got her fitted for armor of her own. The man grumbled to himself during the time, but Myla persisted to just let the man be and stood there, listening to what he told her to do before he sent her off. It may still be a few days before it would be ready for her, he had told her, begrudgingly so. She had half a mind to may a short quip to the man, but she refrained from doing so before leaving the armory and heading down the corridors that she remembered going down before.

There was an oddness to when she had made it back to her room. Her muscles screamed at her, there was a slight pain in her head, and all she really wanted to do was rest for the next while until she was to attend the council meeting. However, as soon as she had walked in, only to see her three hand maidens there, which she didn't question their presence, they handed her a parchment with the Queen's seal on it. She grabbed the parchment, read through the words and stared at it oddly. Invited to the tea party in Lyanna's honor? It had to be some terrible joke, but apparently the Queen knew of her presence in the castle and she found it well enough, for what ever reason, to invite her. Whether or not she should be worried, Myla couldn't say, however even in her younger years there had been something about the Queen that seemed off to her. What it was, Myla couldn't say, but something seemed off about this. Why would she ask Myla to attend, since Myla knew that the Queen knew that she would have been Avram's bride had the times been different in the past instead of Lyanna?

It brought an unsettling feeling to the pit of her stomach. Her eyes went over to the window and looked to the sky before looking back at the invitation. She was already a little late, she knew, but after realizing it she knew that she would still have time to make it. After all, there was still time before the council meeting, and wouldn't it be disrespectful to not attend when it was the Queen herself that invited her? If time ran over and the little party was still not over with, she could always leave with the excuse that she had a council meeting to attend since it would be true after all.

So she decided to attend, and let the handmaidens prepare her for that, which, surprisingly, hadn't taken long. It was a bad idea to go to this, Myla had realized a short while after she and her handmaidens traveled down the halls to the locations that had been mentioned in the invitation, but she still wanted to go. It was more out of curiosity, because, obviously, something was going on with this and she wanted to find out. What part, she wanted to know, did she play with the Queen? Hadn't Avram even said something about the Queen, something about not being too happy about something? Though that had been when he was mentioning Ingrede and her being one of Trinity's maids, but if he had already knew who she was, then why would he say it? Perhaps she just took it out of context, but regardless why would the Queen not take a liking to it? The doors leading to the garden opened for her after having to prove that she had been allowed to attend the event, and they walked through, only to see, shortly after, the table that had been laid out as well as the woman that sat at the table.
 
After what seemed like endless deliberation and setup, the Queen's Garden was finally prepared for yet another pre-wedding festivity. The rosebuds were lined with streamers of all sorts of colors, making them appear even brighter than they already were. Amaranths and daffodils in full bloom had been picked and spread over the table to beautify the elegantly designed cloth laying over the large table. Meredina had ordered it to be sewn merely days after the engagement had been announced. The cloth itself was white for the most part, but at the center was a large crest that combined the sigils of the two houses that would soon be one. The golden crown of the royal house sat just above the center and below it was a blue arrow crossed with a silver spear, the symbol of choice for the Eburharts. The queen found both together to look quite lovely and had already insisted that flags and banners be made to decorate the halls and courtyard during the wedding. No doubt those same banners would be carried by soldiers as they marched off to war soon.

One by one the guests began to trickle in. Mina and Trinity were the first to arrive. They both seemed more than excited to be there, finally having a chance to learn all they could about Lyanna. The younger girl's cheeks were almost as red as roses themselves, accentuating her youth evermore, while the elder of the two had her hair falling to her shoulders in loose curls, something Mina only did for special occasions such as this. Meredina kissed both of them on either cheek, beckoning for them to behold the table cloth. Each of them had brought a pair of handmaidens with them, all of whom were marveling at the table as much as her daughters. Soon after them came Helena Barkwer, a first cousin to the king himself. She was only about two years younger than the queen though she looked ten years older. Having devoted her life to her faith since she was but twelve years, Helena had never bothered to marry. She probably would have refused the offer to attend the party, but one did not turn away an invitation from the queen herself so idly. And Meredina had insisted she be present, as Helena would be one of the three chosen members of the faith to bless the marriage during the ceremony.

Lady Odalle entered with two handmaidens of her own, and behind her came two of Lyanna's cousins, Verisa and Alayn. Both were daughters of Lor Corlan's brother, Ser Gelfrid. Verisa was the older of the two and in the prime years for marriage. No doubt their father had insisted on bringing them along to find a suitor for her. Alayn was barely a year younger than Trinity, though the princess did not seem to hold her in in the best of regards, at least in private. Meredina could not remember what her complaints were exactly, but she recalled something along the lines of Alayn being too fond of battles and weapons, things hardly proper for a lady. But Trinity never voiced such opinions in public, and for that the queen was pleased to see that the girl was learning well. "Lyanna will be along shortly," Odalle said, only smiles lighting her face as she embraced her old friend tenderly. "You know she wants to look her absolute best to impress you. She has enormous shoes to fill." Meredina laughed delicately. "My dear, she has done more than enough to impress me already."

As per tradition, the tea was not served until the guest of honor arrived. And when she did there was no doubt that Lyanna looked every bit as though she wanted to make an impression. Her blue silk dress was a wonder to behold, laced with golden fringes that complemented her skin tone phenomenally. Her five handmaidens were trailing behind as usual. Everyone stood, even the queen, as she approached the table. Her seat was directly across from Meredina, which was not accidental by any means. Next to Lyanna was an empty seat reserved for a very special guest, one that she was sure only Mina actually knew of at the moment. Unfortunately Myla had yet to show her face. The fool girl she thought to herself. Myla was right to be afraid of showing her face around them, but it would look even more suspicious for her to not attend. To be invited to tea by the queen was not an honor so easily set aside. But what else could Meredina expect from a girl who was raised by northern standards?

After the tea was served, Mina was discussing what she knew of marriage with Lyanna, who was listening with the utmost attention. Meredina found herself listening to Odalle talk about the many happenings going on at Ahthari. The city was apparently abuzz with the knowledge that their lord's daughter was being wedded to the prince. Odalle insisted that the after their marriage they should visit the city for a few days and have some time to enjoy their lives as newlyweds. They would even organize a tournament to be held for them. Meredina smiled and wholeheartedly agreed to the idea, but it was an empty agreement. She knew Avram would be busy planning for a war as soon as this business was taken care of. He would probably laugh at the idea if it was suggested to him. All the while the queen wondered whether or not the Auvery girl would have the courage to show her face. But when she finally did, Meredina could not help but grin with satisfaction.

She entered with three handmaidens escorting her. All heads turned. Some wore frowns, confused as to who this girl was. Others raised their eyebrows, intrigued by this unexpected and unfamiliar guest. Mina stared with wide eyes and her jaw hung open with disbelief. But Meredina's face held only a smile, and she stood to welcome her guest. "Ah, I was beginning to worry you would not show. But you are here now, and that is all that matters." Now the others looked at the queen with confusion, waiting for an explanation. "My dear ladies, I apologize. I have not introduced our final guest. She comes to us all the way from the north. Myla Auvery has returned to the capital." Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction as all of the women stared with combinations of shock, disapproval, and wonder.
 
The sudden increase of her heartbeat came as a surprise to Myla, however she tried her best to not show the apprehension that raced through her being. The disapproving stares that were sent her way, the looks of shock and discomfort from a few of the woman, were enough to make Myla want to turn and run. But she didn't. That would make it seem as if she was a coward, and she refused to look that way in the face of these women. As she took the steps closer to the table, she plastered a smile across her face, folding her hands against one another in front of herself before she was led to her chair. "I do apologize dearly for me being late, your Majesty. It seems as if I had lost track of time meandering about with other... Task that I had been scheduled with."

There was a bit of a hesitant step that she took when her chair had been pulled out for her, but she had only took the quick stop when she realized who sat in the seat next to hers. Lyanna, soon to be the wife of Avram. This wasn't a coincidence that she had been placed here. No, it couldn't be. The Queen herself more than likely set up the arrangements, but why sit her here? She gave a quick curtsy after making it to the able, took the seat as it was pulled out for her, and then sat down. The impending thought that even the slightest little hiccup on her part could be a disaster to her crept into her mind, but all the while she continued to keep the words of her mother running through her mind. Keep your head up, shoulders back, look confident even if you do not feel so... "I must say, I was very surprised to see an invitation from you to attend this little party. That is not to say that I am not thankful and honored to be in the presence of such women, or to have even been invited, but I was unaware that you had been told of my presence here."

Lyanna's presence right next to her weighed heavily in Myla's mind, and there was no doubt in her mind that the same was felt from Lyanna. After giving a quick glance to the woman, the two of them having made eye contact, her eyes glanced over the other woman. While her handmaidens had done their best to make her look presentable for this event, to which they did, she knew that her garb and even her appearance were nothing like these women. All beautiful, all with beautiful dresses, all of being of high standings. She was the odd one out, not that that was anything unusual for her any more, but, now, the fact had only been magnified. Especially with Lyanna. Again Myla couldn't help but get another look at the girl, the one who, Myla had come to know as, was replacing her from the spot that she would have, or should have, had, had things not turned for the worse.

She was a pretty thing, something very nice to look at. A gem, her thought from last night coming to her mind as she was now able to get a closer look. She had the perfect appearance for a woman that was to be apart of the crown, however Myla still had a thought that she lacked the personality of one. But then Myla's eyes went to Mina. Though she had seen the woman when she had first come back to the capitol with Lord Carsil, she couldn't help but be reminded of those days when she was younger and with Avram. All those tricks they pulled on her, all of those jovial times. There seemed to be obvious concern on Mina's expression, however Myla could not say why. In a sense, it seemed as if Mina was observing her as well. It just made Myla wonder whether or not the eldest Princess held any animosity towards her because of the things that happened in the past.

And then she moved over to Trinity and the other women at the table, her eyes passing over the symbol that was etched into the cloth. What would it look like if her family's symbol was joined with the crowns? But then her eyes swept over to Lady Odalle, who looked less than happy to see her there. Her lips pinched into a straight line, her shoulders looking tense. She was trying to keep her reserve, Myla realized. Apparently she wasn't aware of Myla's presence in the capitol, however she would have been surprised had any of them known. It wasn't something she wanted to be thrown around.

The tea was then poured for her, but before she had been able to take a sip Lady Odalle's voice had spoken up. "What is an Auvery doing back in the capitol? It certainly is a strange sight, given what has happened after all." Myla turned her eyes to look at the woman, catching the narrowed eyes that were sent her way, that unhappy look. "I assumed that your lineage had fallen long ago."

Stealing herself a breath, Myla lightly blew it out. She had to speak carefully and watch her words. "Unfortunately I am the last of the Auvery line, as far as I know of anyway. But I am here for no reasons other than to help the crown, and that is all. But, I am not the one who is important here; Lyanna and your family are. After all, it is an honor to be wed to the Prince so that your families can become one, so there is no need to bring the conversation to me." Yes, it was Lyanna who the attention should be put on. Not her or her reasons for being there. "You must be very happy to know that your daughter will be doing such a thing for your family." She flashed another smile before taking a sip of her tea.
 
Not a single woman was smiling now, save for Meredina. She caught the quick glance that passed between Lyanna and Myla and that forced her grin to widen even more. The northerner was stepping around her words as cautiously as she possibly could, and that meant the queen had her on her heels. She would let her dangle there for a time and watch her desperately try to gain her balance as best she could, but Myla had been out of court for far too long to understand how to play this game. She would fall right before their eyes and Meredina intended to enjoy every moment. With her presence now know not just here but in the north as well, she would have a difficult time finding a new home. Most of the kingdom would be torn apart by war before long. If Myla did not leave before then she would be stuck here in the capital for quite some time. And with so many Eburharts around who could say they would not see her as a threat? It was almost as if the queen's birthday had come early this year. It was a struggle not to chuckle to herself.

"She is correct," the queen stated emphatically after sipping on her tea. "Her presence here is to assist my son in this issue of stabilizing the north. She can provide him with much of the information he needs for it, no doubt." Odalle's face had maintained the same cold expression she wore the moment she heard Myla's name, which was pleasing to see. Lyanna had barely looked up from the table since then, and what brightness that had illuminated her face when she first entered the garden was now gone. "But I myself cannot help but wonder a good deal about you. After all, you and the prince were once great friends. Surely that must have had some influence on your decision to return here. And why not? I am sure he was thrilled when he discovered you returned to Sarvayl." Odalle's face seemed to harden even more, if that was possible anyway. "And I am sure you must have been equally excited to see him. And why not? Avram has grown into quite the handsome young prince. Wouldn't you agree, dear?" Her eyes bored into Myla, simply daring her to find a correct answer to the question.

No one dared say a word for what probably seemed like hours in their minds, although to Meredina it only lasted a few seconds. "What's more interesting is that Myla here was willing to put her family's past behind her. Let's not forget what her father did to end his friendship with the crown. Why, I was horrified to find him in my bedchamber that evening while the king was away, but justice found it's way to him in the end." While she could not see it from Myla's expression, Meredina was certain the girl was fuming inside hearing such words about her father. The queen simple went on smiling and turned her head to Lyanna, who had yet to look up at anyone since Myla arrived. "My dear Lyanna, you seem less than interested in this conversation. Perhaps we should change it. After all, we are here to celebrate you. As I see it there is no one more fit for my son in the entire kingdom."



Mina could not believe the scene that was unfolding in front of her. Avram had been correct after all. Their mother was using her cunning and less than friendly words to turn every soul against Myla. Was she really paranoid enough to believe that this girl was a threat? Surely the only real crimes against her consisted of all those pranks she assisted in as a child, and most of those were Avram's ideas to begin with. Mina had heard rumors about what occurred between Lord Jensen and the queen, but every person told it differently. Only two things remained true in all of them: The king was away for diplomatic reasons, and her mother had shared a bed with Jensen Auvery. The smaller details were never the same. Some claimed that Lord Auvery forced himself upon the queen without hesitation. Other said that Meredina blackmailed him into the act. Whatever the true story was, it had caused an almost unbreakable rift in the capital. And now Myla was paying the price for it. Mina desperately wished to see this conversation switch to something more pleasant. Had her mother been planning this all along?

A quick glance at Lady Odalle told Mina that the wife of Lord Corlan was immensely displeased to see Myla. Her face was set hard in one of the coldest glares Mina had seen, and it was set only at the northern girl. It was difficult to tell what Myla was thinking, as her expression revealed nothing. That was somewhat encouraging. Even if she had let the queen's words pierce her it was best not to show the damage. But even one look at Lyanna was unbearable. The fiance to her little brother seemed on the verge of tears. Could mother have meant to see this part through as well? Surely the queen had no reason to want her future daughter-in-law upset a mere two days before her wedding. Perhaps she was testing her, but for what? And if this was a test then Mina was certain the girl was failing. Suddenly she wanted to see this party end right now. It was not so she could see both girls out of their misery, but so she could speak to her mother in private. Their were a few choice words that came to her mind in those few moments.
 
There was a bit of time, when the Queen seemed to solidify Myla's words about her only being there to solve the problems in the north, that Myla felt as if she could relax in the slightest bit. However when the Queen continued to speak on, the words turned for the worse. Had Avram been enthralled to see that she had been back? Not what she had showed her, Myla thought to herself. All he had said to her was that her presence there must have been a sign from the Gods, a good one for that matter, but nothing else. He let nothing else on, and she let nothing else on, however she refused to expand on the matter. The Queen could have her reservations about the reasoning's for her being here, as well as all the other women being there, but, in that moment, when Myla turned to look at the Queen, catching that glint of a satisfied smile gracing her lips at her last question, wondering if a reason for her returning had been because of Avram, she couldn't help but think that she was being pulled into some type of trap. But... Now that she thought about it, had knowing that Avram was going to be there been something else that made her come back to the capitol?

She had continued to tell herself when coming back to the capitol and even taking the job as a kitchen maid that she was only for her well being; so that she would no longer have to live her life in hiding in the north. Yes, she knew that she would still be in hiding while in the capitol, but at least she would no longer have to fear for her own life. And being in the castle only brought more reassurance for that prospect. No one would recognize her, she had always said. She had grown from that young girl and no one would remember her. Apparently she had been wrong, but while she did not want to admit it, there had always been a hinting of a thought of Avram in the back of her mind. But it was only because she thought of their younger years, when they were happy and well. Did she wish to have those days back? Yes. But now she had convinced herself that that would never be again so she didn't fancy the thought.

No, the Queen was wrong with that assumption. She didn't come here because of Avram. She came here for herself. But with that reasoning, she realized, one could argue that she could have gone else where.

Myla could feel her face beginning to heat in almost embarrassment as she turned to look away. Do not let anything slip. She had to stay calm, no matter how hard it was to take the eyes that continued to stare at her. It was as if she could physically feel them, as if she could feel those women's judgement on her. However, when her father was brought into the conversation, her face heated up for an entirely different reason. Only then did she turn to look back at the Queen, just the slightest twinge of her brows twitching at the implications that the woman spoke of. Her father in her bed chambers when the King had been away? How dare she say such a thing! Her father was not that kind of man. He loved her mother, he loved his family, and he was a respectable man, one who would never do something such as that. She wanted to shout to the woman, to tell her that he would never do such a thing on his own will, but she refused to do that. Shouting to the Queen would surely land her in a heap of trouble. But maybe that was what the Queen was hoping for. She rested her hands against her lap then, turning to look down at her hands as they curled into fist. No, that couldn't have been the reason why their power was taken from them. And if it was, it couldn't have been her father's fault. Not willingly.



So this was the one who would have been wed to Avram had her family not been run out? This was Myla Auvery. Lyanna couldn't look at the girl, knowing the implications of who this girl was and who she used to be. Was she the reason Avram had been so distracted last night at the feast at certain moments? Myla had to have been the one he had been watching as she had come to the dance floor, the one who his eyes followed as she left the grand hall to head else where. Did that mean he still held some sort of affection still for her? Lyanna could not say why, but the thought troubled her greatly. She was... Intimidated by this girl, but it was not for her looks. No, Lyanna was sure that her looks surpassed hers, but it was just her mere presence being here. It unsettled her mother, as well as everyone else at the table, which in turn made the feeling even worse for her.

As the conversation was brought back to her, Lyanna quickly picked her head up after rapidly blinking at her eyes. No, she could not show how upset she was about this, yet she still could not help but do so a little. She caught the quick glimpse of her mother's hardened features to look to her, almost as if to say straighten yourself out. And she did just that, or tried to rather. She lifted her head a little higher and moved her shoulders slightly before clearing her throat. What could she say though? Myla's presence was still heavy, especially with sitting right next to her, but Lyanna tried to pushed the thought out of her mind. The Queen saw that there was no one else as fit in the kingdom to be with her son... But that made her wonder what would happen if Avram had a choice. Would he still marry her, or go with Myla? To be fair, she believed that he would stay with her, if only for the reason that joining with her would mean an alliance from her family, and joining with Myla would, essentially, mean nothing. Their marriage was only for diplomatic reasons, and nothing else.

"Oh well," she started, there still a slight shake in her voice as she trickled through her mind with what she could turn the conversation to. "Have I mentioned how lovely this cloth is, as well as the symbol that adorns it?" Hopefully, she figured, that this would change the topic from the Myla girl and back onto her and the wedding. That crest on the cloth, she knew, was her family's symbol and the crown's joined together. How it was supposed to be. How it was going to be, regardless of Myla's presence.



Just hearing those words continued to boil in Myla. That symbol, the accusation being brought upon her father, and ultimately on her family. She couldn't deal with this. It had truly been a mistake to attend this little party. She wasn't welcome here. She wasn't supposed to be here, and after hearing those last words come from Lyanna's mouth, Myla pushed her chair back and stood. The eyes were back on her once again, and she swore that she saw Lyanna flinch in her chair at the sudden sound and motion. "Excuse me your Majesty, Ladies, but I have a council meeting to attend and I surely do not want to be late for that. Again, I do appreciate the invitation that was brought to me." It was an excuse, but she needed to get out of there, least she say something she would later regret.

She looked over at all the women before she turned her full attention back to the Queen, her eyes slightly narrowed, yet she forced another smile upon her lips. "I do hope that we will be able to put and leave things in the past, or perhaps I will be able to right my father's wrongs and show you that the Auvery's were and never will be terrible people. I can assure you that in regards to me, you have nothing to worry about." Just settle herself with relatively kind words, though they were the opposite of what she wanted to say. Her mind still reeled with what the Queen had said about her father, and again she still wanted to shout, but what she said she hoped to make it seem as if she had settled herself with the fact and would want to move on. That was what a respectable woman would do, right?

Giving a short curtsy, Myla turned and left the garden, quickening her steps when she knew that she was out of sight of those woman. Her father being in the Queen's bedchambers when the King was gone. The implications were there, but had her father actually shared a bed with that woman, forced her, or had he been tricked? Or were there entirely different reasons to it all, if it had even been true. Her father, she liked to believe, was not one to be easily tricked, so, if at all, how had he been swindled to be in her bedchambers. What reason, if it were true, would he have for being there anyway? He had a wife, he had children. It couldn't be true. He couldn't have done it willingly. He couldn't have been his fault... But could that have been why he lost so much respect so quickly?

A frown finally came to her lips as she walked down one of the corridors, her handmaidens following right behind her. She was upset, unsettled and angry with the Queen. If her plan had to have been to get under her skin... She had done just that. And she felt like a fool for feeling that way. And it hadn't only been because of what was said of her father, but also because everything at that little party reminded her that her spot was being replaced and that she was not the one marrying Avram. It almost seemed to have mocked, reminding and taunting her that her life had turned into nothing. And that probably no matter what, no matter what happened with the north and if it would get settled or not, she may still be nothing.
 
The party could not have gone more perfectly as far as Meredina was concerned. Myla was put in the most uncomfortable position possible, and Lyanna proved to be the weak willed girl that the queen expected her to be. There would be no danger of either one of these two replacing her as the most powerful woman in the realm. And Lyanna's remarks about table cloth design seemed to stir a little more frustration in the other girl. What delighted her even more was the fact that Odalle seemed all but ready to slip a knife into Myla's chest this very moment. She would hold herself, of course. But if the northern fool showed any indication of threatening Lyanna's relationship with Avram then Odalle's self control could very easily slip. And if not her's than her lord husband's wrath was sure to end in Myla's death. The Auvery girl would have to tread even more carefully now. And Meredina could not begin to describe how eagerly she awaited the moment when there was finally a slip in her confidence, causing her to make a lethal mistake. It might take another year to occur or as early as this evening. However long it took, she would wait patiently.

As expected, Myla came up with an excuse to see herself out. The queen took a bite from her scone, brimming with a confident victory. It was a battle she never expected to lose. She might have even won it in her sleep. As far as she was concerned, it was Myla's fault for believing she could waltz in to Meredina's home and claim to be what her father once was. Like father like daughter. "Of course, my dear. Do not let us keep you then. Avram would not want to see you late, I am sure." Her smile persisted as it did before, though she slowly let it fade at Myla's final words before leaving the garden. Did the fool think to show her strength using simple words? She had much to learn about the ways of politics in Sarvayl. But she would not have the chance to learn any of that assuming Meredina's expectations were all met. "I have half a mind to kill her myself," she muttered under her breath. But soiling her own hands with the blood of another, especially a northerner, was not Meredina's way.

The queen was so busy staring in the direction Myla had left that it took a moment to register that the conversations around the table had started up again, albeit much quieter and more tentatively than before. Lyanna was saying and listening to nothing once again. Meredina almost pitied her for a moment, but she knew better than anyone that marrying into the royal family came with far more perks than one knew what to do with. Her train of thought was snapped when Odalle finally spoke to her in a hushed tone. "Why do you let that girl stay here? I could not think of anyone worse to be sitting under your roof, except perhaps Maryn Lodar or Gorlin Taolor." Meredina shrugged and set her tea down, realizing that it had cooled significantly since it had been poured. Apparently she had let one miscalculation get away from her. "As I said, she is here solely to assist Avram in helping the north. I had no say in it. And I suppose he wishes to have her living in the castle to keep a close eye on her. Why, if it had been up to me she would have been out of the city before sunset. I would bar the gates behind her myself if I could." She found herself realizing the truth in her own statement.



Avram tapped his knuckles on the table impatiently and peered at the door, expecting Myla to enter at any moment. The other members of the council sat around the table silently and went about their own thoughts, whatever they were. They had waited a good while but it was clear that everyone was growing impatient. There were other things to get done after this meeting and no one had the time to wait around for so long. Finally, Orfin broke the silence with a heavy sigh. "Perhaps we should just begin, my lord. Either she forgot that she was supposed to be here or she had other matters to attend to. If she misses it entirely than someone can inform her later." There were nods of agreements going around and everyone murmured words similar to his. Avram could not disagree with the sentiment, so he sat up properly in his chair. "Very well then. Let's begin." He removed the two letters that were concealed in his pocket and tossed them onto the table. "Yaryk and Orfin already know of what they say. I'll make it short and sweet. Lord Maryn and Lord Gorlin have an army of perhaps thirty thousand men at the ready. But they have not made a move yet. When they will is beyond me but I expect it will be soon. The other news is that word of Myla's return has reached Lord Donagale in the north, and he is less than pleased that we are giving her harbor in the capital. He threatens to ally his forces with Lord Maryn if we do not hand her over."

General Byron scoffed at the second letter and shook his head. "Lord Donagale has not even won the north yet. He could probably spare a thousand to march south if that was his intention, and even then he would not be much of a threat." Avram nodded and echoed the general's sentiments. "I had the same thought. It is an empty threat. But we still want to avoid making as few enemies as we can. The question is how can we keep him happy without throwing Myla to the wolves?" There was no easy answer to the question. Donagale was already wed, as was his only son. And even if they were not Avram doubted they would be willing to create a blood bond with someone who could offer little to nothing in return. No one seemed to have any ideas on the matter, which made Avram feel at least a little better about not being able to come up with an answer himself.

"I suggest that if no one can find a solution to that issue then we should focus on the primary threat. The Lodars and Taolors have massed an army together and certainly intend to use it." Yaryk's voice sounded a bit more authoritative than it normally did, a tendency he showed whenever he felt there was a legitimate danger present. There was no argument against his statement. Both generals immediately sat up in their seats and eyed the prince keenly. "The main thing we can do for the time being is wait unfortunately. There his been no declaration of war or rebellion, and if we were to declare war it would bring sympathy to our enemy's cause." He scratched his chin thoughtfully, noticing that the stubble was beginning to grow to the point of becoming too scratchy for his liking. "But let's not sit idly while we wait. Alert the crown's banners as well as the allies of the Eburharts." Corlan nodded as if the statement had been directed to him personally. "We can at least make sure we are prepared for when they do attack us, whenever that may be." Ser Gerold looked as if he was going to say something in response, but as he opened his mouth to speak the door opened and Myla Auvery entered the council chamber.
 
She had flinched when the chair besides her was abruptly moved backwards, the noise of the legs scraping against the ground sending a shiver to run through Lyanna's body, but ultimately Lyanna turned to look and watch Myla walk away. How long she had watched in that spot, she could not say, however when Mina had spoken back up to her, Lyanna turned her attention to her soon to be sister in law, giving her a slight smile as she tried to bring herself back into the festivities of what this tea party used to have been. Unfortunately, she was unable to do so. To be honest, it seemed as if no one was able to go back to their jovial ways since there were more hushed and whispered tones, more than likely about the Auvery. Even Mina herself seemed a bit stiffer in her seat, maybe even a little more upset, though Lyanna could not pinpoint exactly why. If was almost as if she was trying to keep herself together, forcing herself to make it seem as if what ever just happened hadn't effect her in any way. Her mother still seemed more than upset about that girl having been there, and the Queen even seemed a bit off with the way she seemed...

But she didn't question it, wouldn't dare question it either. It would just be best, she knew, to let those thoughts slip from her as best as possible despite the fact that it was a hard task to do. The Auvery girl had left an impression on her, and not a very good one, nor had she seemed to make a very good impression on the others. It was good that she had decided to leave the table; there was no telling what else would have been said had she stayed.

There was only a little while longer for the little tea party to last until it was decided to come to an end. The sun had begun to dip back into the horizon, casting an almost shadowed glow to the garden though there was still more than enough light to have been seen by them. The tea had either been drunk or chilled by that point, the scones and other food items having been eaten, or mostly anyway, and the mood had calmed. While there was still this sort of tension in the air, at least it was still not like how it had been previously. Her mother seemed to not have calmed herself entirely down from Myla's presence, obviously more than worried with the thought that she was now staying in the same place as that girl and Lyanna was beginning to find herself with the same thought. Though, instead of outright malice on her part, there was more so of this unnerving feeling. The ladies had begun to leave, Lyanna greeting them each with departing words as they would pass her before heading over to the Lady Odalle and then over to the Queen to thank her and tell her, again, how wonderful this get together had been though it was a wonder if those words actually rang true. Soon, the only women to be left there were herself, Mina, Lady Odalle and Queen Meredina, the four of them still sitting until Lyanna stood from her seat.

"Well this certainly was a wonderful party, excluding the little..." She bit the inside of her cheek at the mention of it, but gave the slight shake of her head to pass the thought. "Unexpected event. But, other than that, I had a grand time." Not really, but again the words of her mother came to mind to always be gracious, especially in the presence of the Queen, and even Avram. "I am a bit winded though, so I think I shall be taking my leave for now."



Myla had sent the handmaidens away after a while, saying that she just needed some time for herself so that she could think, and so that when it was time to head to the council chambers they wouldn't be following her. The peopled she passed along the halls gave her quick glances, to which she would look to them and then look away, again that sense of paranoia coming right back to her. That feeling like she was back in the north, as if she had to watch everything she did. Except, she knew that she was going to have to do the same here. It certainly was odd to have not had these feelings at all the day before, even when Avram revealed who she was and brought her to a council meeting to put her on the council for the time being, yet after just one little sitting with the Queen and other higher up women all of that came crashing down. She hated it, loathed the feeling.

But it did remind her of Ser Ector and his request from last night. He could be there to protect her, but that would only be if she would be able to give him and his daughter a place to stay. It was only in that moment that she realized that he had mentioned nothing of his wife that she remembered him having mentioned once, however that wasn't what was important. She needed to speak to Avram, however speaking of a matter such as that, to ask him if Ser Ector could stay, did not seem like it was a council matter. Telling that he had been a captain in the Viricof Leigon also seemed to not be such a good idea, but, then, maybe it would be. It could lead them to something greater, and perhaps they would like to know that someone who had had such a rank could be of use. But that would only be if they were pertaining to the matters of the north, given that the north was not their only problems. She would say her piece if she was asked, she had decided, or when she thought it would be right, but other than that? It would best for her to just listen.

She had lost track of time as she pondered among her own thoughts, and only had she realized that the time for the meeting had come and began when she looked towards a window to see the state of the sun. She grimaced to herself before turning and heading in the direction she knew the chamber would be in, the muscles in her legs willing her to not walk as briskly as she was, however she wouldn't listen. Having come back to the present, mostly, she was reminded of how sore she was and how tired she felt. Oh well. She could deal with it. As she made it to the door she hesitated a bit, the guards giving her wary looks before she took a breath and opened the door, the heads of the men sitting at the table turning to look at her. Almost like those women, though maybe not as vehemently and surprised.

"Apologies for being late," she spoke as she went to take her seat by Ser Gerold again, quickly sitting in her seat. They seemed to have been in a deep conversation and her eyes landed on the letters that were laid on the table. "Have I missed anything important?"
 
When Lyanna stood up to excuse herself it was close to dusk, and the queen was about ready to end the party as well. After Myla left the conversation slowly became a little more lighthearted over time, though there was still an obvious tension settled in the air. It did not bother Meredina as much as everyone else of course. She simply continued beaming at every woman who looked her way and spoke as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. And no one seemed to want to speak of the incident anyway. If anything they probably wished they could have forgotten it entirely. The knowledge of Myla's return was only whispered by a few mouths before. After today it would be spoken about freely even among the servants. And based on the conversation it was unlikely the rumors would contain any positive notions of the northerner. She probably wanted to clear her family's name of its dishonor. Unfortunately for her these actions would only make it that much worse. Fool. You would have stayed in hiding if you knew what was good for you.

Odalle stood when her daughter spoke and smiled calmly. It had taken some time for her to finally smile again, but even now it seemed forced and rueful. "I will go with you. I feel there will be a chill tonight and I would rather not stay out here for it." Meredina stood up and smiled at them both. "I think we will all be returning inside now. We must have plenty of rest tomorrow, since the following day is the one we have all eagerly awaited for months." The queen placed her hands on Lyanna's shoulders and beamed. "Forget not what I told you. There is no woman more deserving of my son than you, my dear." She lifted the girl's chin with two delicate fingers. "And never let your gaze lower for anyone." Even with her head held slightly higher she still looked meek. You're lucky you are so pretty. Otherwise no one would take you for royalty with such a lack of confidence. At least she managed to not look so shaken as the party went on. Meredina then gave a parting greeting to Odalle before watching the two of them leave the garden. Only Mina and herself were left, and the queen smiled at her daughter, though it was not the same one she used with everyone else. "So what do you think of her?" The question was not in reference to Lyanna, but she would let Mina figure that out herself.



Myla's entrance received mixed reactions from the council. Ser Gerold looked relieved that she finally elected to show up. Both generals appeared somewhat annoyed by her tardiness. Coral Eburhart frowned ever so slightly but there was nothing else to read in his expression. Orfin clicked his tongue in annoyance and went back to reading the first of the two letters for what might have been the third time. Yaryk simply smiled and beckoned for her to take a seat. Avram appeared to be the only one that had kept a straight face, but that was mainly because he was studying her face. She seemed stressed for whatever reason. It could have been that she already discovered that someone let slip word of her presence in Sarvayl. Maybe she had been seeking out who it was that could have done it. At least that would give her an excuse for being this late. The sudden thought jolted the prince's mind with another onslaught of questions. Who was the imbecile that let their tongue slip? And why did they do it? Word had slowly spread around the castle, but not to so many ears that they knew of. But that still left far more suspects than Avram wished for. It could have even been someone sitting in this room. He glanced sideways at Orfin, who still had his eyes glued to the paper. But he dismissed whatever thought was creeping into his head. This was no time for accusations.

When Myla was seated Avram slid the letter from Lord Donagale across the table towards her. He gave her a moment to scan over the parchment quickly then spoke as if he were addressing all of them. "It seems our plan to make this a temporary secret has failed. It won't be long before the entir realm is aware of you return." The prince ran his fingers through his hair and scratched the back of his scalp as if the sensation would bring an idea to his head. "Make no mistake that nobody is handing you over to any lord in the north. And in any case we have a greater threat to worry about with the Taolors and Lodars. They have amassed an army but have shown no signs of using it... yet. We have to make sure our own defenses are prepared." Avram turned to Yaryk then. "Most of our allies will be arriving tomorrow or the day after for the wedding. See to it that a letter is sent to every one of them before they arrive. Whatever escorts they bring for protection will be accommodated." The scribe raised his eyebrows almost in protest and began babbling about why that was not a good idea. "My lord, each of them has already claimed to be bringing at least fifty men each just as an escort. With this news they may bring a thousand each or more...."

Avram scratched his head again and put his hand up to silence the man. "Enough. If they insist on bringing large escorts then we should not stop them. I will not risk the safety of our bannermen just because the city is growing more crowded. If we must then we will have them set up camps outside the city. And I don't want to hear anything about how setting an army out there may frighten the citizens and cause an uproar. They should be frightened! If we are going to war then they should know about it." Yaryk opened his mouth as if to protest again, but he thought better of it this time and closed it without further comment, murmuring a quick, "As you wish, my lord." Satisfied, Avram turned his attention back to Myla. "Now that's taken care of it leave us to beg the question what to do about Lord Donogale." He spoke much more calmly now, hoping he had not frightened her with his outburst. "Also, I can't help but wonder why you are late today. Did you already know about this letter, or the meaning of its contents at least?"
 
Mina watched the other three women with an almost skeptical gaze, putting on a smile as Odalle and Lyanna had turned to her before they left the garden, only leaving her and her mother left. The words that rang from her mother from earlier sprang back to her mind, causing her smile to dip slightly as she pursed her lips in thought. What did she think of the girl? Surely she wasn't asking about Lyanna, seeing as her mother had asked her of that once before, actually on the first day that the Eburharts had arrived to the capitol and to their castle. And she doubted if she would ask such a trivial thing after what had happened. She was sure that everyone, or at least her and her mother, both had the same opinion about Lyanna and that was that she was much too meek to be put in a position such as this. To be honest, it would be a surprise to Mina if the girl didn't try to run off at some point if things got a little too rough for her.

She was asking for Myla, and what she thought her. "Surely my opinion on the girl is not as venomous as yours is about her." There were only a couple of time when Mina could remember speaking to her mother with such a strict, almost harsh, tone but none of those times had been as dire as this one seemed to be. Those other matters had usually been trivial on her part, herself just wanting to be of strong mind so that she could challenge her mother because she knew how strong willed the woman could be and she herself wanted to be that way. "Mother, how could you do such a thing? Why invite that girl to this party when you knew what would happen, especially with Lyanna here? We both already know how weak the girl is, so why bring in something that may make her even more timid and nervous about this whole ordeal? It's not fair to her. And while I know living the life of a royal is anything but fair in many cases, that is besides the point." She sighed, taking a breath to calm herself just a bit before she softened her gaze towards her mother a little.

"I don't know what the Auvery's ever did to you to make you so spiteful towards that girl, especially when she has done nothing to you. No, do not think that I am on her side by saying those things, but what has she done to you to make you feel so threatened by her presence here? As far as I know, she seems to not be as much of a threat as you seem to think, and apparently Avram does not think so either, though his judgement may be just a little bit clouded. Ultimately, though, she has nothing. She has no family and I doubt if she has much even to her own self and she has no allies. What could she possibly do to us? Because I believe that even if she did hold animosity towards us she would not be helping Avram, and I do not think she would have waited this long to do something to get her revenge. But even if she does want her revenge, you surely are not doing such a good job of trying to keep yourself safe by making those comments towards her about Lord Jensen. You may be fueling the fire to all of this." But what if that was her plan. To fuel this fire so that she could extinguish it herself with her own means. Avram, Mina could say, was the one who sparked the flame since he was the one who discovered her, and now the Queen was only going to do all that she could to get rid of her.

Avram, Mina realized, should have just left that girl be and never should have approached her even after knowing who she was. "What are you planning on doing in regards to her? Either way, I feel as if Avram will be even more upset with you, since he seems so adamant about keeping her here."



Myla wondered how hard it would be for her to focus on the things that would be spoken about in the meeting. Already she had become slightly distracted from the looks that the men had quickly passed off and thrown away after she had sat down. But those thoughts were thrown out as a letter was passed over to her, her bows furrowing as her eyes scanned the contents of the parchment. Lord Donogale... How had he come to know of her presence here in the capitol? Who would have told information like that, and why? Myla couldn't help but bite her lip, worried now as she leaned her back against the chair a little more, her eyes staying on the paper. Her presence, apparently, was causing a bit of an uproar everywhere. Apparently her name was still a threat to people around, however it just made her wonder why. She was not her father and she never would be. She had not his strength nor his knowledge. Apparently, though, her just being Lord Jensen's daughter was enough.

Her thoughts were scattered for a second as Avram's voice rang back out, the obvious frustration in his voice as he spoke with further plans to protect them from the war that was coming upon them quickly. How long would it take though? Probably after the wedding, after things calmed down to where there wouldn't be so much activity going on or as many people in the capitol. Yet with each passing day it just gave the crown a little more time to plan and prepare, which she figured was a good thing, but that also gave the other more time to plan and prepare. How would they strike, and when? That was what Myla wondered. Unfortunately she was unable to bring up her own voice to the conversation, seeing as she had no idea what could be done, and Avram seemed adamant about his position so she wouldn't go against him or any of them for that matter. But when the conversation was brought back to her, her eyes turned to look at Avram after a moment of being kept in her own thoughts again. "No. I was unaware that anyone outside of the castle knew that I was here, much less someone from the north, especially a Lord. I was late because the Queen sent me an invitation to her tea party for Lyanna. You could say that I just lost track of time while being there, however with how it went I am more than positive that more people in the castle, and maybe even the capitol itself, will know of me being here." Whether or not it would be brought with a negative or positive connotation she could not say, however she had a thought that it would be more so towards the negative. In that case, she figured she would be in more trouble that she had even intended to be in.

"As for what to do with Lord Donogale... I don't know." She slipped her eyes back to the parchment that still laid on the table in front of her. "Waiting, I feel, is the only thing we can do with him. Maybe his threat was only empty, and I'm sure that soon enough he will, once again, become distracted with trying to win over the north and battle with the other Lords for power. If the other Lords find out of my presence, I still am unsure if they will try and do anything, because, again, I am only hopeful that they will continue to try and deal with their own power struggle." But even she knew that if a threat seemed large enough that they would try and eliminate it at all cost before it got too strong. But would she be that threat?
 
Rarely, if ever, did Meredina hear her eldest child speak against her. And every prior occasion saw the conversation end with Mina being told that what the queen did was for the good of the family and that one day she would understand. But those had all occurred before Mina was married, and Meredina had a feeling that explanation would not sit as well this time around. But she was not about to be scolded by her own daughter. Her smile was gone and in its place was a calm, cool emotion and a voice that was soft but stern. "Everything I do is for the people that I love. You have a son of your own now. Surely you expect to have nothing but the best for him. And you would kill for him. You would die if it meant he could live. You understand what I mean, do you not? I may not like some of things I have to do to keep us safe and well off but I do them anyway because I love you, I love Avram, and I love Trinity." There was a surprising amount of truth in her statement, she realized. If there was anyone Meredina would give her life for it would be her children.

But how could she possibly explain her grievance towards Myla? The queen had no personal issues with the girl other than the fact that she was an Auvery. Before her marriage into the royal family, Meredina had been a part of house Vancen, one of the wealthiest families in the realm at the time. Her father, Lord Hadrian, was one of the leaders in the expedition to fight off an army of raiders, known as the Sea Butchers, who had fled from their homeland for unknown reasons and taken to pillaging the ports on the eastern coast of the continent. By his side was Jensen Auvery, who at the time was a brash young captain in the Viricof Legion, the legendary knight brigade created by his grandfather. The task should have been an easy one, as the raiders were outnumbered almost ten to one. Hadrian led the vanguard into the city of Barques, but what awaited him was a trap. The raiders knew of their army's approach and had made the city appear completely deserted until Hadrian's army dropped its guard. And when they did the result was a slaughtering of the vanguard and the death of Hadrian Vancen. Jensen Auvery could see the slaughter from his vantage point on the hills but held back his forces, fearing another trap would come. He then retreated and left Hadrian and his army to be destroyed for naught, a crime Meredina could see no repentance for. Auvery would return weeks later with a larger army to end the invasion, but to the girl who would soon be queen the damage had already been done.

The story of the tragedy claimed that Hadrian fought valiantly and sacrificed his life to protect the kingdom from invaders. But Meredina knew the truth of it. She could not find a way to forgive Jensen Auvery for his betrayal. He left her father to die in vain and did not lift a finger to help him. There was no repentance for that. The queen did not expect Mina to understand her pain in that. She could not bring herself to trust anyone associated with the Auverys, and after marrying into the royal family there had been little in the way to stop her from seeing them ousted. The plan had taken a few years to come through of course, but in the end she was victorious. Meredina lifted her chin and peered down her nose at Mina with a frown. "Those who would hurt us must not be allowed to have any control over us. I know Avram has conflicted feelings about this Auvery girl. I saw the way he was gazing at her mindlessly yesterday and I will not let her interfere. If she were to get into his head then he may lose control of himself. As for Lyanna, yes she is a naive girl with no backbone. But she is a pretty face and looks the part. We would have no need to worry about her using Avram to her advantage."



Based on the knowledge she shared, Myla seemed to have the same opinion of the northern lords, or at the very least hoped they would be too preoccupied with their internal struggles to do anything against her. But his worries suddenly shifted to what she had said just before that. She had been invited to a tea party? By the queen? There she was again, attempting to go about important matters behind his back. Surely the entire city would know that Myla was here now. And if not now it would not take much time. Of course the letter still sitting in front of her was a sign that everyone would have known about it sooner or later. Avram had just hoped it would be later. What concerned him about this was what his mother was attempting now. She had no love for the Auverys, that much was clear. So why did she insist on inviting Myla to a tea party, one that was meant to celebrate Lyanna? The queen was a cunning individual, and it was often difficult to discern what her actions were implying, even for someone who knew her as Avram did.

"Tell me," Avram began once Myla had finished speaking, "Did my mother say anything during this party that seemed out of place? What did she say to you exactly?" Before she could answer General Raulet put his voice into the mix. "With all do respect to you, my lord, this seems like a conversation for another time, one you should have with the queen and not us. War looms on the horizon and we should make sure everyone is on the same page when action must be taken." Avram glared at the general for interrupting them but he could not deny the truth in his statement. He could talk to Myla about this after the meeting was over, and if any important information came out of it he would share it with the council. "Very well then. Lord Corlan, I do not believe you should have any trouble calling your banners forth. We will do the same, and on the morning after the wedding I wish to hold a war council with all of them." Yaryk peered at him with raised eyebrows and Avram knew what the man was thinking. Would the council chamber fit all of them? Extra tables and chairs would be needed, but to have close to fifty lords sitting in this room would be cramped and uncomfortable.

Raulet did not seem to question the idea though, nor did Byron. Corlan simply nodded in agreement and murmured, "It will be done." Steward Wyle did not seem to be paying much attention. War was not his area of expertise and he never pretended it was. The prince nodded with satisfaction. "Good then. As a matter of security, Ser Gerold, it seems that many of the shopkeepers here are complaining about the traveling merchants who have arrived for the wedding. See to it that none of them cause any trouble." The knight nodded firmly. Yaryk took that as his cue to discuss the coming days. "Speaking of the wedding, there are still some final plans to be made." Avram groaned with frustration but listened intently as the scribe went on about whatever these plans were. The hall would be crowded and they would have to move most of the handmaidens, squires, and lesser nobles out into the courtyard. Apparently the food itself had not been completely decided on yet but Avram waived that off dismissively and suggested the cooks would handle it. The meeting finally ended after the food business, much to Avram's relief. The council members stood up to leave, but Avram stopped Myla from going. "A word if you don't mind," he half whispered to her.
 
With the words her mother spoke, Mina knew that she was right. Now that she had a child of her own she would do anything she could to protect him because now she had her own family and she refused to see them fall especially if she could help it. She would put her life on the line for him, and she would kill for him. But there was still a question as to why the Queen distrusted the Auvery's so much, and she truly did wonder what had happened between her and Lord Jensen. Yes, Mina knew even she had a little distrust for Myla because of her name, however it was more so not because of what she had done, but because of the effects that throwing that family aside had done to her father. There was hatred there, because she knew that she would never have her father back and that the kingdom had lost a great man, despite the fact that he was alive. Though, in a sense, Mina liked to think that he wasn't alive. His mere presence was still there and he was breathing, but he was no longer living.

She had always wondered why it had such a profound effect on the man, and before he had gotten to the state that he was now in, when she still lived in the castle, she asked him. Why are you so ill over this? But of course she had never been given a direct answer, or really even an answer for that matter. But that was the extent to her disliking the Auvery family; because they, in a sense, destroyed her father, and she wasn't sure she would ever be able to forgive it. But to want to destroy that girl, who had been so young at the time? She didn't have that feeling. But maybe that was because, now that she thought of it, she almost still saw the little girl who would run around with Avram. But she wasn't innocent anymore, and if she had been able to survive in the north while the rest of her family hadn't, there had to be something up with that girl. Or maybe she was much stronger that Mina wanted to give her credit for, but that was because she didn't want to believe that she would do something so dreadful to Avram. Again she reminded herself that Avram was strong, but again the same worried thought of him slipping up because of her came to mind. There was no doubt in her mind, especially after hearing what her mother said about watching him at the feast yesterday and the gazes he sent towards Myla, that Avram would slip up around her if given the opportunity. And that was something that Mina didn't want to see.

"I cannot lie and say that I am not at all worried about the girl, because I am. There must be some strength within her if she was able to live and survive in the north, and she must be able to use some trickery since she had been able to slip her way into the castle without anyone knowing who she is." Mina paused at the thought. Yes, that was another thing to worry about. If she had been able to sneak in like that, who was to say that she hadn't been planning anything against them? Now, maybe, she was beginning to understand a little of her mother's worry. Her brows furrowed, her lips slipping into a deeper frown before she tilted her head up a little. "I do think that it is very disrespectful for her to be here because of father and what has happened to him between her family. But how do you suppose father would go about with any of this, had he been sane? How do you think he would take any of this; our family joining with the Eburharts, this war that will inevitably come to us, you trying to marry off Trinity despite the fact that she is still young?... An Auvery being back in the capitol?" Did her father know of her return already? Had someone informed him of the fact? "Is he even aware that she is back?"



Myla went to open her mouth to speak in response to what Avram had said, but was stopped when General Raulet spoke up, dismissing that topic quickly so that they could attend to more important matters. Right, no speaking of such trivial matters when in a council meeting, especially with a war on the horizon. So she stayed silent throughout the rest of the talk, her eyes periodically looking back at the letter that was still on the table, speaking of the lord from the north. If he already knew of her presence, how long would it be until the other lords knew, as well as every one else in the kingdom? While in the north she liked to keep herself scarce, so that no one would know of who she was because, shortly after her father had passed and she was left alone, she realized all the more that speaking her name was a detrimental thing. Hardly did anyone pay attention to her, and the ones who did would throw insults after they figured out who she was, even some throwing things or hitting at her. But as she grew older and as the years grew on, while people hadn't forgotten about the incident, at least they hadn't been paying as much attention to her any longer, or even seemed to link her up to her family after a while.

And to think, she was still going to help those people. The ones who brought her down, as well as the ones who took her family away from her, and from their noble position. She could almost scoff at the thought of it. Previously, she had wanted to keep herself hidden from the world, and now everyone was going to know that she was still alive, and even attempting to help the crown. The Gods must be laughing at her soul now.

When the meeting had ended she went to stand, having nearly forgotten that she needed to speak with Avram, however he seemed to have the thought in mind, and after turning her attention back to him she merely nodded her head. After the door had been shut, leaving only those two in the room together, Myla rested one of her hands against the back of the chair she had been sitting in, her fingers curling around it as she shook her head. "I'm almost beginning to believe that you finding out who I was, and even telling the few people that you did, was a mistake. The Queen is surely going to make sure that everyone else knows about me, that much I can almost guarantee given the words that were spoken at the tea party and how the other women reacted to me. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprise if those women were speaking of it now to others, and I'm more than positive that Lady Odalle is still fuming about the matter, so I cannot say whether the words that are spoken of me are good or bad."
 
At least Mina was not disagreeing outright. There were plenty of reasons not to trust Myla, and only a few had been mentioned so far. Meredina could not risk letting this girl get inside Avram's head. She already lost her father because of an Auvery. She did not intend to lose her son to another one. And what other reason could she have had for returning to Sarvayl other than to exact her revenge on the royal family? After all it was because of them that her father lost his power and eventually his life. For a moment the queen almost sympathized with her. But that moment faded whenever she thought about Jensen Auvery betraying her own father. Northerners in general were brutes and rather uncivilized from what she had heard, which made it less surprising that Jensen would do something so despicable. Even Myla, though she had a woman's figure, carried more muscle than what one could consider ladylike, especially for a woman of the royal court. But she would not be a part of the royal court for very long, assuming everything went according to plan. If the girl valued her dignity she would flee from the capital tonight.

Truthfully, Meredina could not say how her husband would feel about all that was going on now. He had never shown a great amount of respect for the Eburharts, though he never claimed to dislike them either. In fact she herself did not care much for them either until Odalle married Corlan. But the queen would have had no trouble convincing her husband to come around to them eventually. If she could convince Feldon Barkwer II to turn against the Auverys then surely she could have done that as well. His loss of mind actually made it that much easier for her to accomplish all of this, though she often wished it was not so. The two of them were often unafraid to show their love for each other before the sickness came along, and it was something Meredina wished she could experience again. But she knew better than to hope for the impossible. "Your father would do what is best for the kingdom and for his family. I am only doing what I can to make sure he does not leave this world wishing he could have done more to see his goals accomplished. Would he do it exactly this way? I don't know. He was always a better ruler than I was, until the last few years anyway."

Her final question was a legitimate one. Had anyone told Feldon that Myla returned? Avram mentioned going to see him recently, but he did not say whether he told his father the news. Of course he would not have told her, for at the time Meredina was unaware that Myla was there at all. "I do not know. And if he did I fear he would not do much more than he does already." She was already tired of this conversation and felt the cool breeze of evening beginning to tickle at her skin. "Trust what I do, and trust Avram. Safety is our main concern at this time. Now come inside. It's getting cold and I would hate for us to catch something." She was sure Mina would not hesitate to bring up this conversation again. For now though the fire seemed to be quenched. She took her daughter by the arm and lead her back through the garden's gates. "Did you see where Trinity went off to? I do hope she and Alayn are getting along today. Why, the last time she visited I had the most difficult time getting Trinity to come out of her chambers."



Their conversation would have to be quick. Now that word of Myla Auvery was spreading there would be keen eyes watching her, and watching her with him. If anyone found out about their private conversation here rumors would start to spread. And for good reason. Even seeing her now, her dress was fairly ordinary and her face was almost twisted in a scowl. And yet Avram would not help but notice a beauty to her that was not in most women. It was something not entirely visible, but it was there. She is not for you. He kept telling himself that, but the idea that he would have married her, not Lyanna, sat in the back of his mind and would not see itself out. "I am sorry," he said bluntly after hearing her description of the party. "I should never have forced you into this. You tried to tell me it would be best for you to remain unnoticed, but I was too blind to see it." He rubbed his head roughly and looked away, too ashamed to meet her eyes. "I was so ready to see the old days return. I wanted that so much that I was willing to risk your life." He actually managed a laugh, though it was at himself more than anything. "And yet I had the nerve to claim that we are friends."

Avram picked up both letters and tucked them away in his coat, though he was tempted to rip them both to shreds. "This bastard wants your head. Pretty soon half the city will believe you are a monster with three heads. And I am still no closer to accomplishing what I said I would." He shook his head and managed to look at her again. Once more he could only see the woman that he was supposed to be with. Were she not in the room right now he would probably hit his head against the wall and tell such thoughts were finally bludgeoned out of his memory. "No one would blame you if you were to leave now, least of all me. I cannot ask you to keep helping us if it puts you in this much danger, not while I continue to make mistake after bloody mistake. I hoped I would be a much better king than my father turned into. I hoped to be the one that kept the realm strong. I hoped to be remembered as a king that every man, woman, and child revered." A stupid grin appeared on his face. "I'm not off to the best of starts, am I?" He realized that had he not looked away again he would have been tempted to do something regrettable, and then those rumors would not be completely dishonest.
 
But would he already be leaving this world with goals left unaccomplished? Mina could only think so, given how her father's life seemed to end much before it was his time. While things were going on in the present and while he was still stuck in his own mind, Mina had no doubt that, even maybe, there was still a sliver of doubt running through her father. But, apparently, it wasn't enough to get him to come back. It wasn't enough to change him. It often made her wonder why he was still alive. What was he handing onto that continued to keep him the way he was? He was going mad, so sick that he wouldn't even eat. So why was he still keeping himself alive, because, ultimately, she believed that it was only him keeping himself alive.

The conversation was obviously over with, as proven by the fact that her mother changed the subject completely as she grabbed onto her arm to lead her back through the gates of the garden so that they could head back inside. A chill ran down Mina's spine as she clutched onto her mother's arm a little tighter, maybe wanting some type of security? She didn't know, but either way she didn't let go of the woman's arm even as they had made their way back into the castle. "Well, if that is the case then I wouldn't be surprised if she went back into her chambers, or if she even went to see if she could go find Elwin and continue to give him the attention she seems to think that he really needs." She smiled lightly at the thought before turning her gaze back to her mother. "I'm sure they'll get along fine after a while. But you do know Trinity and how it's always taken much longer for her to take a liking to anyone. Just give her time and eventually she'll come around, but, again, I'm sure you know that already. Speaking of which, Avram told me that you're planning on marrying her off to Cresten Walz already. Do you not think she is still too young for something such as marriage?"



Listening to the words that Avram spoke made what felt like a lump form in Myla's throat. She turned her head to look away for a second to compose herself, swallowing as she scratched at her cheek before she looked back up to the Prince. She didn't disagree with his words though, especially the suggestion of her leaving. Yet, what would that prove and what would that solve? Nothing. There was already a target on her back, both from the north and every where else as soon as the word would get out. She could no longer return to the north, again for fear of her life, and there would be no place for her to stay at in the capitol because either someone would be too afraid to give her residence, or they just wouldn't trust her. The only way, she figured, she would ever be safe again was if she fled the kingdom all together, to travel beyond the seas to else where. In the years past she had thought of doing that, so that she could start a new life for herself, maybe even make something better that what she was now, but she never left. Why? She couldn't really give a definite reason. She was afraid to go, she didn't want to leave the land of her birthplace, and she didn't want to leave the kingdom with which her family lay. She didn't want to feel even more alone than she already was.

But even as those thoughts brought on a sense of sorrow to Myla, she could not deny the spark of anger that came with it as well. Had Avram not said anything, she would not be in this position and neither would he. She would still have been unnoticed, and there would have been no more threats against her. Lord Donogale would not want her head, to which she had no doubt the other Lords of the north would want the same thing once they found out about her. She wanted to yell at Avram for the fact, but, after turning to look back at him to see how defeated he almost was with everything, she didn't. He was already reprimanding himself about all of this, and, in a sense, this wasn't completely his fault. He hadn't expected this to happen, and neither had she. "You are only doing the best that you can. It's a terrible thing for you to compare yourself to your father, especially given the fact that, before his sickness, he had been ruling the kingdom much longer than you have." Her grip on the chair tightened again before it lightened as she blew out a breath. He was too hard on himself, and she hated to see him like that. It was a terrible thought, because she knew that she shouldn't be reminding herself of the past the two had, but she couldn't help it.

Again she shook her head and dropped her hand from the chair, her hand hitting against her with a light thud. "Avram, whether I stay or leave I will always have a target on my back and nothing will change that now. People will know of me and they will have their opinions regardless of what they hear because of my father. I still have no idea what he had done, though your mother did bring it up at the party." But that was besides the point. "I have no where else to go. I cannot return back to the north, because I'm more than positive that as soon as I step foot back into that land, especially by myself, I'll be targeted and killed. And I know that there will be no places here for me to stay, so, regardless of what I do, I may already be dead. But... If you think it would be best for me to leave, then I'll go. I do not wish to see any more threats on you nor do I wish to see you gain more enemies because of me. And I truly don't even know how much help I really can be to you anymore because of everything that may go around about me. I doubt if anyone will want to form any sort of alliance with me to try and settle the north." She bit the inside of her cheek at the thought. It was probably true. Ser Ector wouldn't be enough, and even she knew that.
 
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