Charis, Helice and Dione were welcomed into what was akin a guided cage; assigned individual rooms, each appointed in generous luxury and certainly far above what they expected. The canopy bed, intricately carved on its posts; large enough for three tall people, the mattress full of goose down with goose down pillows. Supplemented by finely crafted wooden cupboards with handles that were not wood, no one in their small circle knew the material.

The baths surprised them the most. Firstly, the baths were on the same floor as their bedrooms, not sure which floor in the Castle they were on, although close to the Throne Room. The assumption being these rooms were for visiting nobles.

White stone dressed the Baths, a large room with tall ceiling and sunken pools of water the cost was obvious. Each pool contained a varying temperature, cold, warm and hot where the bather could slip from one to the other at their leisure. This separate bath specially reserved for the females of the court, with female servants to attend to those using it.

They utilised the baths to refresh and although a few other court Ladies attended with them, Charis, Dione and Helice kept to themselves while the other women whispered about them, glancing in their direction from time to time. They cleaned down their armour and cloaks as best they could and would wear a clean under cloth for their presentation at court tomorrow. If they were going to be accused, they would present at their best.

Charis and her sisters walked the halls to return to their rooms and before each was a servant in the Duke’s livery, which was dominated by crimson red and gold inlay. They curtsied as they approached.

“If you would be pleased we will take your clothes to be washed and dried.”

Each sister glanced at each other and as Dione’s room was first in line, they learnt the servant offered a cloth bag for them to deposit their clothes and upon asking their armour. Assured their clothes would be returned by middle of the next day, while their armour would be returned by first bell to ensure it was available for court.

Dione and Helice met in Charis’ room soon after, their only clothes being their armour under cloth and felt. Dione did protest many days ago as she did want to take her dresses and she was persuaded to leave them in Hillperch. After all Helice didn’t have any.

They rested the day away together with sleep and idle chatter, not sure if any agents were eavesdropping on them or possibly spying. A knock at Charis’ door was answered and servants carried in various foods, Charis’ immediate thought went to possible second last final meal and then dismissed it as Dione and Helice hoovered around it happily. Trencher filled with stew, side slices of roast beef, roasted chicken legs all surrounded with lettuce, carrot and turnips accompanied by apple cider in a small keg. All placed on a fine large table. The servants stood back and waited for further instruction.

“Retire please, we would request you to return in a bell’s time,” said Charis.

The servants looked at each other, uncertain and then the one assigned to Charis spoke quietly.

“Are you offended by our service or our appearance mistress? If so, you can view others. Otherwise we have been instructed to not leave your side and answer your every request,” as she finished, her face blushed a feint pink.

Dione glanced to Helice eyebrows furrowed, while Helice tilted her head and shrugged.

“We don’t require any services, except the withdrawal of this meal in a bell’s time. Do you understand?” confirmed Charis, a low pitch to her voice.

The servants again looked to each other curtsied and quickly withdrew from the room.

“Eat sisters. I suspect the Duke has made some assumptions, hopefully there will be none tomorrow.” said Charis, looking towards the closed doors to the room contemplating what this meant distracted by the wealth that even a door in the castle displayed.

---

On the first bell like a co-ordinated attack each of their doors were knocked upon to announce their fast was about to be broken. Charis thought of Otonia and how she would be running around for a robe or something about now and smiled to herself, while answering the door in her armour under cloth.

A servant carried in an egg based meal, spotted with greens and yellows, possibly chopped vegetables. She then went out of the room and carefully pushed in her armour, which hung over a frame of some sort, polished, clean and fresh. A curtsy, polite smile and she left. Charis assumed this service was the same for Dione and Helice.

When finished Charis tinkled a little bell that was there with the meal to see what would happen. Seven heartbeats possible less and her servant returned to clear away her morning meal. Alone at last Charis began preparing for court, patting down her armour under cloth and reaching for her felt when there was a knock on her door.

Answering it, her servant curtsied again before her.

“Mistress you are expected at court within the bell, I would be pleased to assist you prepare. I am acquainted with your armour and can enhance your presence with various powders, gels and hair styling.”

Charis waved her arm to invite her into her room.

True to her word, Charis was ready well before being required, including some light application of powder.

“Your skin is amazing mistress if you don’t consider me too forward in saying.” At Charis’ smile she continues, “I could plait your hair if you wish although the cut out over your neck and back of your head is unusual, something can still be done. Plaits are popular in Court at present.” As she gathers Charis’ hair, she quickly releases it and steps back.

“It is the normal reaction upon seeing them. I take no offence and suggest plaits will not suit now or into the future.”

“I, am, am, sorry mistress. I shouldn’t have reacted that way,” she stuttered.

“You can make it up to me by using your powder to cover the skin colouration on my neck from the sun.”

“There is none there mistress your skin is,” Charis couldn’t see her blush, “perfect.”

Charis swivelled in the chair she perched on, pausing upon seeing the servant’s bright red face before recovering.

“I wear no armour there.” Charis was questioning and thinking, ignoring the servant for a few heartbeats. The servant lowered her eyes no knowing what this meant. Surely, the mistress should know her skin. How would she treat a servant who is too familiar?

“I am sorry mistress, I didn’t mean any offence. Your skin is perfect mistress, it is a pity your armour covers most of it, most Ladies in court would go to grand lengths to display it as far as fashion today permits.” It was only towards the end of her words the servant felt the Lady seated in front of her heard any of them.

Charis stood in a snap, fetched her daggers, positioned them, and turned on her heel back to face the startled servant.

“Do I look presentable?” At the slow nod of the servant, Charis took that as a yes. Then there was a heavy knock on her door.

“Is it time mistress, the Duke demands your presence.” She curtsied.

---

Charis met Dione and Helice in the hallway outside their rooms, each checking each other’s arms and armour. It was not necessary as each room contained a long polished copper mirror positioned to capture the dawn light, although Charis was too distracted to use the one in her room. They could have asked their servants as well, only Charis did.

They paused before the ornate red and gold Throne Room doors. The doors being a little more obvious today as the sisters were prepared for the audience and used some of their waiting time to notice. As they entered after their loud announcement, they noticed a full court waited for them in the Throne Room. Many stood on either side of the carpet, subdued chitchat and whispering being exchanged. Charis, Dione and Helice with heads held level walked the red carpet towards the Duke and Duchess.

The dais was divided into three levels, uppermost were the Thrones for the Duke and the Duchess. The Thrones were draped in volumes of cloth and furs, as were the noble couple. Seated beside the Duke was the Duchess, they were both elaborately dressed in the best finery available, their crowns being the most modest part of their royal costume as both looked more like plain golden loops, thought Charis. The Judge Knight was not to be seen, which surprised her, although she wasn’t sure why, she just expected him to be here as well.

The next tier held various important looking people, most of them in the livery of the Duke.

Standing on the lower level of the dais, although close to the Throne was the Lord of the Northern Watch. His advisors and councillors stood near him on the floor proper. The sight of the Lord so close to the Duke caused her to doubt.

Dressed in full armour without their helms, it all seemed inadequate now, given the display of finery before them and around them. They only equipped their daggers and these were in plain sight hanging from the front of their belts in a v direction to highlight their femininity. Their cloaks were flung back over their shoulders with hoods back to clearly reveal their faces. They would be known and recognised. They stopped in a line before the Duke and Duchess and bowed.

From a far corner of the court, a voice began proceedings.

“You have been accused by the Lord of the Northern Watch to be an agent of the ancient evil. Given he is of noble birth and you are common you are guilty until proven innocent. You must convince this court of your noble superiors that you are innocent. You must refute all the charges that you are accused. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” replied Charis. She summoned up all of her courage and answered strongly, to ensure there was no doubt in her conviction she was innocent. It occurred to her at the worst possible moment all who sat in judgement of her were at least twice her age.

The Lord of the Northern Watch then turned to face the Duke and Duchess, bowed and then turned toward Charis, a devouring smile dancing across his face. His anticipation plain, his keenness obvious he did not need to warm to his task.

“You are young yet you have skills beyond your age. I am told there are many you have slain by arrow to the eye, how are we to believe this is a natural skill and not aided by the ancient enemy?”

Charis paused to glance at those around her, not really seeing, using the delay to gather herself before she spoke.

“I was hunting in the forest at the age of ten. I hunted to survive, so to miss would mean an empty stomach for the night, when you are starving you learn to be accurate. To be fair I have struck just as many elsewhere as I have in the eye,” she answered in a voice plain and strong.

There was a polite soft clapping response from the court to this answer. Charis willed with all her might that this was the required response.

“You seem to have wealth in coin yet no means to procure such wealth. You are a land owner in Hillperch for instance, you have the arms and armour you display openly in this court and you had the means to survive without commissions for the weeks prior to being summoned to this court.”

“We do things for people. Some pay in favours, some pay in coin and some will never pay. A grateful Mistress of Leatherworking made the armour we wear at no cost. We wore her craft in the Town’s Quest for Three and it was clearly superior and saved our lives. From this, she was recognised for her skills and with the increased trade was happy to repay our faith in her. We have on a number of occasions been agents for Priests on important tasks or missions and they with their faith sometimes believe in paying in coin, paying in favour or paying with future promises. We have rescued people from evil and while their gratitude is appreciated, many a time the evil doers have a hoard of coin to be taken as compensation.”

“Write or dictate a list of deeds and compensation so that this can be tallied against the expenses you have incurred to date.” demanded the Lord.

“I could not. I do not count coin, I only know if my coin bag is full or near empty, when near empty I look for ideas, tasks or commissions to refill it or ask friends for help. When for example we first arrived in Hillperch I was most generous to the Innkeeper of The Knight’s Rest for room and meals. As my coin bag was near empty, I confessed to him, I would have difficulty paying into the future. He was most pleased to allow us to stay for next to nothing as our fame as the Ladies Three in the Town’s Quest for Three increased patronage to his Inn. We also suggested that an unused store room be converted into a bath house for extra business, which he soon did and made more profit.”

There was a measured polite clapping response from the court.

“I would still have you write or dictate a list of deeds and compensation!” yelled the Lord.

“My Lord, I would think the girl has answered sufficient. Next charge please.” said the Duke. The Lord turned to the Duke, bowed slightly, simpered and turned back to Charis and spoke another accusation.

“Your warrior-sisters, your companions are all female and it is witnessed that carnal acts are carried out between all and any of you!”

“Your retainers and men at arms are all male. I do not know, for it would be none of my business if you and your men carry out carnal acts between yourselves. All I know is that my warrior-sisters are loyal to each other and me; most have crossed my path due to tragedy or poor circumstance and our love is for each other and it would be so, regardless if we would have been male or female. It just seems females have been in more danger than males in my experience.”

“These acts are unnatural; they are evidence of perversion by closeness with the ancient evil.”

“I do not think the ancient evil would accept love in any form, although I do defer to your expertise in this area, I would think any evil is to do harm and cause death and mayhem, not grow friendship into trust and then perhaps love.”

Again, the court appreciated Charis’ response.

“You are unnaturally lucky! Repeatedly I have heard tell where you should be dead, caught or tortured however, you have survived. The ancient evil must be assisting you directly or advising you unnaturally.”

Charis felt the need to smile, she didn’t know why and she couldn’t stop herself, maybe it was due to another male underestimating her, believing she could only exist as a lessor being, which of course helped her win time and time again.

“I use my sharpest weapon, my mind. If I know the enemy I am facing I prepare with that knowledge. I use skills and tactics, I do not charge blindly at the enemy. I am a girl so I am always under estimated. Only a few days ago, you ignored your caravan master’s advice and tried to push on to the city instead of staying overnight in the relative safety of the village.”

“You agreed to my choice!” he interrupted.

“Like I said I thought I knew my foe and I thought if I agreed to an action you would automatically disagree. Therefore, when I said to continue on, you would have been acting against me by agreeing with your caravan master and choosing the safest option for you, your men at arms, servants and retainers, not to mention your honour bound prisoners. Unfortunately I misjudged you and when you make a choice you are particularly set on it regardless of any advice or information to the contrary!”

“When you lead men you need to be decisive!” he countered.

“Possibly, although I like to modify my decisions when I secure more information, it has helped me survive. If you recall I mentioned this to you when we first met. So we were ambushed the night before and instead of preparing for ambush again, you just changed the routine of your guards. My preparation was for my companions to scout escape routes and mark them before dusk such that they could be followed at night and although they were surprised and ran off the previous ambush I didn’t assume they would do so again. Therefore, I prepared an escape. I couldn’t do this personally as I am sure you would have accused me of attempted escape.”

“Cowardice, pure cowardice you were preparing to desert before even considering battle. No class and no honour!”

“Weren’t you rescued by my preparations Lord? My warrior-sisters and I led yourself and those of your company still alive to safety and escape. I did not make the decision to press on to the city, I knew that if you are ambushed once and were lucky to escape, you were likely to be ambushed again and you know as well as I do that the raiders were special, somehow they could see in the dark. Something that I am sure you knew and still failed to tell anyone. Information that you kept to yourself that could have been the cause of all of our deaths! You talk of honour! When some horses strayed across our path, you and your men at arms claimed them and rode swiftly to safety, while leaving women and children and one of your retainers behind.”

Charis paused to look at the court. They were interested.

“This very same retainer, like his master, found a horse and rode off and left us. So don’t talk to me of honour and class.” Charis could not help raising her voice towards the end and immediately regretted it given the reaction of the court. The thought that she broke court etiquette and would now be condemned reached down to her stomach and almost caused her to wretch right there and then until she felt a reassuring hand on her left shoulder at about the same time as a reassuring hand on her right shoulder.

The court was shocked by what Charis claimed, not how she said it and a quiet hush descended. Charis unknowingly accused the Lord of lacking honour and class.

The Lord enraged by the accusation, face red, vein throbbing in his neck; stepped down from the dais to grab and strangle Charis, leading his charge with two hands locked reaching out. She backed away while Dione reached for her rope, which no one considered a weapon. As he took a step he was lassoed around his neck and pulled to the ground. He struggled as both Dione and Helice held the rope running back up the red carpet as necessary to keep his hands busy, using them both to prevent him chocking. He then tried to reach for the rope with one hand while the other was finally under the loop of rope that was trying to choke him and pull them towards him.

His retainers were not men at arms, not loyal and not brave.

Charis drew a dagger and while he was distracted with rope placed it upon his throat. He ceased his struggle.

“What a wonderful display! Where you the Ladies Three in the Town’s Contest of Three, perhaps?” asked the Duke.

Charis looked at him with a mix of surprise and shock, lost for words. We have just assaulted one of your Lords she thought and you ask a question like that!

“Ah, no Sire, only Dione and myself, Helice is a recent addition to our company. Our loyalty to each other is true, so when you attack one of us you attack all of us.” As she was saying this, struggling to remain calm, she loosened the rope around the Lord’s neck, his enraged faced and bug eyes piercing her with barbs of death so she stood back quickly, as if to let a wild bull free. His retainers reached him and helped him to his feet. His look of rage did not diminish.

“Lord of the Northern Watch, I believe your honour has been proven wanting. Therefore, immediately you are to return to your lands and prepare for the ancient enemy there. You will not be permitted to exercise any of your authority elsewhere and I forbid you to leave your lands unless under permit from myself. You will now leave this court and be gone at first light tomorrow.”

The court waited for his response. All he did was bow before the Duke and the Duchess. Then leave the Throne Room with his retainers, advisors and councillors, all now exiled from the Duke’s Court.

“Now, what should I do with you three?” the Duke asked no one in particular.

“We would so very much like to return to the rest of our company, My Duke,” suggested Charis. The Duke and Duchess grinned with a laugh, eyes bright.

“I would prefer you entertain the court with your tales of bravery, honour and triumph. Seven tales for seven nights and you will have your freedom, plus it gives the Lord of the Northern March much time to travel north.”

“We accept your most generous offer, My Duke,” replied Charis, “can you accept the tale of the Lord tonight as the first?”

“Most certainly, it was entertaining and revealing.”

“Then I beg you my leave My Duke until we return to your court.”

“Until tomorrow’s court, Ladies Three.” agreed the Duke.

---

The Duke and Duchess watched as the three warrior-sisters left the Throne Room and dismissed all others from their presence. This was a well-practiced withdrawal in the Duke’s Court and took less than a bell.

“My dear can’t we sign them up as agents or sheriffs or something? An official position that we can use to call them back to our court and entertain us every so often, perhaps?”

“I agree; my thought also dear wife. We do not want to be too distracting, as they seem to be accomplishing much without us needing to ply them with coin or favour. So perhaps something with honour, without much authority, says the Duke and Duchess favour them and do not intercede. Generally representing us well and making a chivalrous impression of ourselves with the common folk with rescues and the like,” the Duke replied.

“We will hear out their tales and perhaps something will be inspired.”

“What will we do about the Seers?” considered the Duke.

“They aren’t that troublesome husband, I give them audience tell them they are important and they wander off.”

“Yes, the first moment we hear Foretold we will need to take action like Dukes past. That was the single most important piece of advice my father imparted, repeatedly. Nip that in bud quickly.”

“Agreed husband, it has always bothered me that Seers spring from the common folk and only rarely from their betters so it takes much effort to see the few enlightened ones rise. This is why I give them audience dearest. I heed their advice they heed my advice. This Charis for instance they paid heavily in favours to see her given leniency.” She chittered in her odd laugh.

“This Charis couldn’t be a Foretold could she?”

“Perish the thought husband, history tells us they are always male, old and wise, so they have the respect of the common flock, never a female and certainly not a female barely a woman.”