Helice studied her Mistress as she joined them this time and she knew the Mistress was successful, clearly happy, as she rode past them and onwards, smiling.

They didn’t keep pace with her; otherwise, the bride to be would likely fall off, no matter how well tied over her saddle. They did this well away from the Gate and in some cover from the town wall in case someone objected. Eventually Charis rode back to them and apologised to Dione who smiled and scouted ahead as per usual.

Charis aimed for where the end of the mountain range and the forest met. As they rode, Charis hoped to recognise the ground and be able to head directly to the Keep. For now, they would need to search for trails headed in the right direction and avoid the rough broken land West of Bircharbor otherwise they would be lost. Fortunately, they knew this land or at least a way through it, when they guided the Seer packages to Bircharbor some time back.

+++

After the first day, they weren’t far from the hidden valley the brigands were using as a base. Charis was tempted to visit to discover if anyone or any other group was using it now, she resisted the distraction.

Charis and Helice gently lowered the betrothed from her horse and carefully laid her on a bedroll. The bedding wouldn’t be any comfort as slung over a horse all day wasn’t the preferred way to ride a horse. She would definitely be in some pain. While still unconscious Charis used the same magic and will she used on some of her warrior-sisters, particularly remembering Astera and smiling; her amazing buttocks and shapely upper legs red raw from riding.

While there, Charis tried another feat of magic, positioning a foot either side of her head. She then crouched down on her haunches and whispered to the bride to be, to accept the Seer was visiting to read a future, the unusual noises were from Charis and Dione, not the Seer. It took the Seer all night to complete the reading. During this, she started to stir and same as Charis woke in a daze trying to regain her senses.

Before she regained her senses, Charis reached over and with a dollop of ointment on a leaf dabbed it on her forehead. She slept again. Charis continued with the lies. Charis was hoping for the best, in the morning.

They ate a cold evening meal and prepared water for the morning, as they were sure the bride to be would wake with an incredible thirst, as did Charis. They shared shifts using their Borrowed Gems and Charis set alerts.

Helice woke Charis for the next shift and shared some more news from home. The Mistress Leatherworker was asking for a loan to build a shop outside the inner walls. Charis agreed, although they needed to wait until news of them being Daughters of the Duchess reached Hillperch to explain the apparent wealth. The land behind the stable could be purchased for the Leatherworker Workshop and be handy to the stable.

“Would you humour your Mistress by staying awake a little longer?”

Helice smiled. Charis observed this as a subtle increase of redness warmth as she stared at Helice using the miracle of the Borrow Gem night vision. Charis glowed herself, unknowingly, as Helice’s finger’s caressed her along her jaw and chin, eventually finishing on her lips.

“It would be my pleasure Mistress.” Helice sent.

Charis wondered if Helice spoke the words instead of Seer sending them, would her intent be any plainer, Charis doubted, the lustful and sensual meaning deeply suffused the sending. Charis tried to send back a reply, without success, although she managed recognition.

“I felt your reply Mistress and I see your glow and feel welcomed.”

Helice didn’t need to see. With well-practiced hands she explored beneath her Mistress’ underclothe, while placing her lips upon her Mistress’ lips. As Helice’s lips shifted to other flesh Charis realised she was being distracted, delightfully so, distracted nevertheless.

“Do you mind if I ask you some questions while you attend me?”

“I am yours. Beyond oath Mistress I need to protect you.”

Charis silently yelped as Helice attended to one of her nipples.

“When on watch I am fulfilled as I am on vigil over your sleeping body, when we ride or walk beside each other I am fulfilled as I can protect you, it is when I need to sleep I feel empty, although safe if you are on watch Mistress. Questions will not distract me.”

“When with Raisa, Rhea was able to ‘take-over’ her body.”

Charis knew Helice was startled as all her attentions upon her stopped for an instant contradicting the ‘questions will not distract me’ statement, which Charis thought funny and would have laughed if she didn’t think it would be an insult.

“They would need a strong twin bond Mistress ...”

Charis infused with the unexpected pain from Helice, wept. Unintentionally, Charis realised she shared Helice’s Seer Twin loss.

“I appreciate your concern and love Mistress, I embrace your sympathy.”

“I am sorry. I hurt you, no more questions.” Charis whispered. She needed to say the words, only saying them was real to a non-Seer.

“My Seer Twin loss is part of me, it hurts still. Your love heals me Mistress; my service to you gives me purpose. Before encountering Alcmene and Clymene I was visiting Hillperch to fly from its heights now I soar in your service so if you need to ask questions please do so.”

Charis kissed the top of Helice’s head through her hair and used her fingers to trace Helice’s cheek.

“Are you poetic now?”

“My heart sings Mistress, we are truth and when you become Seer you will never doubt.”

“I do not need to become a Seer to be certain of this truth.”

Charis murmured as Helice’s attentions turned more urgent.

“You will be pleased to appreciate Alcmene has offered me some instruction and when one is ‘present’, the other is soon to join. They are jealous of me and most envious, although I placated them as this is our first embrace since leaving Hillperch, when they thought it would be nightly!”

Charis absorbed the laughter and joy within the sending from Helice. The need to be Seer and share in this full communication overwhelmed her.

“Your will is strong Mistress, it will be when not if. Alcmene and Clymene agree. They are frustrated; they wished to send to you directly. Unfortunately for them, the distance means I hold you to myself.”

“Ask them if they can ‘take-over’ each other’s body please.”

“No Mistress they assume it is a learnt ability, which they weren’t introduce to.”

“Tell them their Mistress seriously doubts their belief. When they question this tell them Rhea and Raisa, while Seer trained didn’t possess the true connection your Seer-sisters enjoyed until I tended to Raisa and she was as surprised as I when Rhea’s participation went beyond sharing the experience to participating in it.”

“They are suitably admonished Mistress, although they offer, blood connection is important, hence they can share with me, yet cannot contribute directly. They also suggest the childhood incident Rhea experienced bonded them differently perhaps. Given your request to explore this they are more than happy to involve their warrior-sisters in the discovery on your orders!”

“Tell them their logic is sound, so I apologise for any offence and if not this discovery then another will always be found to involve non-Seers to attend to their lust.”

“They laugh in appreciation of your wisdom and their ways Mistress.”

“What of your connection with your Seer-sisters?”

“It is strong and as I can’t leverage a blood link I needed to use my life energy to contact them, much like a Magician uses their body weight, although smaller amounts, which get smaller as the link strengthens. The silver circle magic is used now of course, so we thank you Mistress although we need to ensure we don’t eat so much anymore.”

“Alcmene and Clymene need to expend life energy, granted an extremely small amount, to contact each other?”

“Blood means much Mistress, for them it would require the energy of a short walk perhaps. For me it would be two or three laps around the arena, at least in the beginning, which is why Seers are so enthusiastic about lovemaking. You will be pleased to know, or maybe not, at a certain point the link strengthening benefit minimises, shall we say, so the Seer need is not the primary reason then.”

“With Raisa she was most desperate; I assume from the descriptions Rhea ‘told her’ of our couplings. I assumed Rhea’s desperation because of her need for love or at least someone to see her heart and not her skin. I wonder about you.”

“A Seer’s greatest peril is to lose their ability. Lying with a man or raped by a man is a well-known and proven way. What you need to understand Mistress is the Seer Ability isn’t only your link to your twin it is also your link to the Goddess. It is well known the Goddess will communicate with Single ...”

Everything stopped then and Charis reached for her warrior-sister and embraced her nestling her head between her breasts, both of her hands in Helice’s hair caressing and massaging her head.

“I apologise Mistress, I still grieve and crave your loving comfort. I do not wish to disappoint, is it acceptable I spend time within your embrace instead of …”

“Your tending to me isn’t required to prove your love. It is I who reminded you of your pain so I am responsible for your safety and embracing you is always a joy.”

“With the loss of my twin, I didn’t sense the Goddess within me. I didn’t embrace the seer-loss healing of the Temple because of it and suspicion around my Seer Twin’s death. I was so lost I thought the only way to satisfy these questions was to ask the Goddess by dying to be by her side.”

Charis sensed calmness as Helice ‘spoke’, increasing as she continued.

“In the Temple the fear of touch goes beyond male and where it could lead, so training is simplified to exclude all touch. The last loving touch you remember is your parents, if they were kind to you. If they weren’t kind, you could associate touching with pain. A kind touch after twelve years or more of nothing is a sensation Mistress. Then those offering this touch offer sisterhood, to join with others again, then they explain your Seer abilities can return, it is euphoric Mistress.”

More, there was more, Charis sensed it with every fibre of her being.

“Then there is you Mistress.”

Warm tracks of tears flowed between her breasts, Charis held her seer-sister tighter.

“I don’t understand how it is for others, for me, I am drawn to you, to love you and be loved by you, to protect you. Provide me with purpose to alleviate the void left by my loss. I guess you are thinking this is because of the bronze loops. I am sure they would not be as enduring or as sure unless you worked them to your will every moment you could and we sisters are many now. Their magic ends like the silver circles, therefore they need renewal somehow. I suspect when the magic in the bronze loop is low is when they are most unpredictable. Purely a guess though Mistress. So not from the bronze loops Mistress.”

“Perhaps you are the wisest of us all.”

Deep in thought, busy caressing Helice, Charis jumped slightly at the interruption.

“One of you needs to sleep, the other needs to start their watch. My stallion has been confused by the change and thought to wake me for answers.” Dione said.

“I was asking Charis to help me out of my armour and it has taken some time to convince her.”

Dione giggled, joined by Charis.

“Quiet. We wouldn’t want to wake the betrothed and need to explain.” Helice said, trying to be stern.

They heard and then observed the warmth blob of Dione approach them.

“Well I will assist one to remove their armour and the other to dress in their armour so my Stallion can once again relax back to normality.”

+++

Charis turned her head to the source of the happy morning voice.

“What an amazing sleep, I am so refreshed! Oh I am thirsty though.”

The betrothed guzzled most un-lady-like the water readily at hand, her spillage wetting her nightdress causing the cloth material to outline her petite breasts.

“That Seer was weird wasn’t she, all night to do a reading. I mean that never happens. She must not be very good. What is there to eat, I am really hungry.”

All of it happened so fast Charis didn’t find a chance to make any suggestions or agree. Charis threw the bride to be a lump of cheese and an apple from her saddlebag and watched her devour it.

Charis then headed for and woke up Dione and Helice.

“Mistress, some awkward news for you,” Helice sent, as the bride to be didn’t need to overhear.

Charis turned towards her, resigned to whatever it was.

“Mistress, it seems a certain Seer of Bircharbor has petitioned to be granted release from the Temple of Saph so she can be the official Seer of the Daughters of the Duchess.”

Charis strode to the horses and whispered to Helice as she followed.

“I thought we fixed that problem. Which God or Goddess is laughing at us now I wonder sister, perhaps all of them? It follows your theory regarding the Bronze Loops well enough though. Please tell your sisters to convince Rhea to convince her sister this is an awful idea. Also ask how the Journeywoman Carpenter and the Stable are progressing,”

“Yes Mistress.”

Charis and Helice strolled back to the camp while Dione groomed and saddled the horses.

Before them, the betrothed was naked, finishing off a second apple. At their approach, she looked up, threw the apple towards the horses, and smiled seductively.

“It is good you admire me, the Lord Baron needs to appreciate me as well.”

“Why are you naked?” Charis asked.

“My nightdress was wet. I decided to eat and then decided to dress, so I am ready to dress now.”

“What of modesty?”

The betrothed turned around slowly raising her hands.

“Who is here but us? Also, I heard you, mainly you, with another last night. Not sure if it was the one beside you now or horse girl and you woke me with your yelps and moans and I was glad when you started chatting, I can sleep when people talk, been doing it for years.”

Charis placed a hand on her hip as the betrothed’s smile widened. Helice and Charis then glanced at each other.

“You appear to have little or no hair down there.”

At the betrothed’s slight confusion, Charis needed to point to the area. The betrothed belly laughed, needing to place her hand over her mouth to stop and compose herself.

“Given how you admire women I would assume ‘down there’ would not be embarrassing for you. To answer your question though, I do have pubic hair; it is extremely light brown in colour. You can approach if you need to see.”

Charis glanced at Helice again confirming.

“No we trust your word. You do know what that means and how it is confusing to us?”

“Well you are now Daughters of the Duchess so as part of the Duke’s household I am sure I can trust you if the Duchess can.” She reached for a loincloth and travel pants as she talked.

Helice prepared some rations, while Charis stood still waiting for the explanation.

“My hair is coloured by special oil, so my light head hair is far darker than my pubic hair.” She grinned at Charis every time she said the word pubic as Charis cringed.

“My pubic hair colour being my proper hair colour of course and yes, I grasp the significance of my pubic hair colour.”

“Who are your parents, where did you live?”

The betrothed raised her nose a little and sniffed.

“I do not know or remember my parents, although the Duchess assures me my blood is pure and noble. I was a ward of a minor Baron. His Barony being by the sea, two days by wagon, north of Northreach, modest, every coin counted, although I presume the Duchess paid for my upkeep while there and insisted I colour my hair, for my protection. My companion and maid …”

Her noble composure left her then and although half dressed, Charis embraced her.

“We have all suffered loss Lady.”

“My companion is still alive, I don’t know where,” she sobbed.

Charis still sympathised, as the betrothed and a desperate Barony were now one, which would require her strength.

“I was told she was a Single Seer, still seeing your sister now, my companion didn’t hold the same sadness your sister does or perhaps she disguised it.”

Helice snapped around to glare at the betrothed, opened her mouth, and then paused.

“Lady, a Seer Twin loss can never be disguised. Your companion was not a Single Seer.” Helice said, and then she shoved a plate near the betrothed and placed another near Charis.

Charis and the betrothed broke their embrace and for all her bravo, the betrothed’s face was blushed light pink, her nipples firm. Helice smirked; the Charis affect. By the time Helice returned from giving Dione her plate the betrothed was dressed and starting to break her fast, being naked near Charis, too revealing for the betrothed.

---

The four finished up at their own pace, packed up their camp and travelled less distance during the day with the bride to be riding rather than slung over a horse, which amazed Charis, still it was fact. The land was a rugged and rough plain, the farms having ended before mid-morning, as the land was too difficult to farm and the soil too poor.

They continued for the point where the mountain range ended and the forest met. They rested for lunch and then continued until dusk; making camp in an as secluded location as possible. They were well past the brigand’s valley and Charis thought she recognised some of the landscape although not well enough to be sure enough to lead them. Another night spent in camp.

Helice continued using the watch hand-over as a regular update session with Charis, since the bride to be was fast asleep, although they checked now. Helice could speak freely though she did not need to, it felt odd when Charis replied by voice so Helice spoke as well on occasion.

+++

When they awoke the next day the bride to be seemed to realise she lost a day, Charis and the others convinced her she must be mistaken and distracted her with talk of the Keep and they were close, a day maybe two days away. Helice didn’t receive an update on the Seer request to join the Daughters of the Duchess either.

+++

They broke their fast and by middle of the day, they found abandoned farms. It was well into Growing Season and no crops growing.

The bride to be kept silent, it was near divine intervention except Charis didn’t like what she was looking at either. They occupied an abandoned farmhouse for the night, although Charis thought it was a poor option as four walls would seem safe, she didn’t like camping in an enclosed place with one exit. She liked camping in a ploughed overgrown field even less. The fields around this farmhouse where failing also although some green shoots were showing, which at least seemed encouraging.

Charis startled awake by an alert, bolted upright. Dione placed a hand on her, shook her head, pressed a finger of that same hand to her lips for silence. Silently they crept to an open window and noticed shapes, humanoid shapes, not with their night vision though, a moving black against the night sky. They were ambling up and down the rows. They didn’t know how many as they couldn’t sight them well enough to count them. Charis indicated to Dione to keep watch and she would relieve her shortly.

+++

By dawn, the fields appeared clear of everything living. They broke their fast as usual, except Charis ventured over to where she remembered the creatures crawling and slogging during the night. Studying the ground, Charis determined the tracks were shuffling, dragging footmarks and she noticed the green shoots were gone, all of them taken.

They mounted up and mid-morning needed to cross a stream, the bride to be was in a panic, she didn’t want to fall, drown, and her soul lost. She was yet to be married and important. Dione offered to carry her over on her stallion, which she accepted with her horse tethered to it. While alone with Helice, Charis instructed her to send for wagons from Hillperch; food would be needed, definitely now, as much as could be arranged quickly. Alcmene and Clymene were making arrangements within one bell.

Pass the stream they encountered occupied farms, although the occupants slammed their doors and shutters when Charis and company rode by. The bride to be was shocked her peasants didn’t realise who she was and were so inhospitable to her. She would need to ‘speak’ to her betrothed about this insult. Charis nodded and they rode on as she knew where she was now and was able to head directly to the keep. It was mid-afternoon when the top of the keep came into view and by dusk, they were in the village, which huddled around it.

No one was moving, every building shuttered and bolted. They needed to bash at the Inn doors before someone answered. The reaction was extremely unfriendly, hostile even! Stable over there do the best you can to care for your horses, no food until tomorrow if we are lucky and all the rooms are empty take what you want. Charis didn’t recognise this person. She wasn’t anyone familiar although she did remind her of the former Innkeeper. The remaining light of the day may have played tricks though. A sister perhaps, if so what happened to the man she knew as the Innkeeper?

What of her father then, was he still the Blacksmith? She wanted to find out now, since she was this close, which is why she decided upon a different plan while far away. Her personal interests would need to wait. They needed to know more first before they stumbled around the village. Farms abandoned and then actively kept barren, a village locked up, the Inn closed for business. Caution was the best course of action.

They walked down the hallway of the Inn and found the doors to several rooms. Charis pushed one open and disturbed an exceptional amount of dust. Enough dust to cause her to sneeze and then cough. She quickly dragged the door shut. Greeting her companions, she led them to the village green and setup camp there as if they were still on the trail. Charis caught a couple of glimpses of some inquisitive and possibly brave village folk scurry around the village green, hiding behind whatever cover was available. They continued the tradition of a cold evening meal and no fire much to the disgust of the betrothed.

“Why aren’t we in the Keep now?” she demanded.

“Have we not safely escorted you?” Charis said.

“Well yes, yet the Keep is over there, I can see it!” She stamped her foot and pointed.

“The farms are abandoned, those that aren’t shut their doors, the villagers hide behind their doors, and the Inn is unwelcoming. In the morning we will see more.”

Charis could see, though dusk was near done, the conflict on her face. She grunted then.

“If I left, you would probably chase me and wrestle me to the ground to give you another excuse to touch me and then tie me up probably.”

Charis held back the belly laugh forming.

“You have that affect Mistress.” Helice sent.

“No Lady I respect your future position in the Barony so I will not stop you. My best advice though is for you to stay with us until morning and we will finally escort you to the Keep.”

“First light,” she responded, and then settled into her bedroll, rolling over so her back faced Charis.

Charis set shift watches with her taking the last before dawn.

+++

The bride to be was up when the sun broke; she packed and intended to break her fast at the Keep in the manner fitting her new station. She buzzed around Charis, assisted her to pack, and then woke Dione and Helice to get them moving. So much for steady, looks like they were going to the Keep immediately. Charis covered her face with shadows cast by the hood on her cloak; the warrior-sisters armoured and armed made ready. They led their horses to the Keep to impress, not intimidate, the men at arms keeping the Baron and his eldest son safe.

As they approached the Keep, Helice paused and stared at it.

“I believe I recognise this place,” she stated.

“How do you know it? Have you been here before?” Charis asked.

“No Mistress.” Helice said.

“I haven’t, my twin described a Keep similar to this one, she died in a place similar to this and I was never told how or why, it was a tragedy and a sudden terrible loss, she died while I was asleep. It took a number of months for me to recover, as you know. The warrior-sisters and you Mistress have been the best cure for me. This is still the place I lost my sister.” Helice sent.

Her jaw set and her stride now with purpose, Helice now as keen as the betrothed to enter the Keep.

Charis needed to chase after Helice and place a hand on her shoulder.

“Come, we will support each other as we always do and perhaps if they don’t know who you are, they may reveal some information of what happened to your sister.” She then drew Helice’s hood down more, to cover a face they in the Keep would have seen before, even if they didn’t now know the person.

They walked faster as Dione and the bride to be were now ahead of them. They reached them as a solitary guard challenged Dione. His weapon was a spear; months ago, it was a sword noted Charis. His armour, makeshift patches of leather, ill-fitting and scavenged. She wondered if the Castellan was still in the service of his Baron or himself.

“We are the Daughters of the Duchess on a mission, we need an audience with the Baron of this Keep,” Dione stated.

“You’re a girl ain’t you? What is a girl doing wearin’ armour and holdin’ a spear?”

“Fetch your commander please!” she asked, assuming raising her voice would force this fool into action.

“No way I am gettin’ him he will kick my arse if I wake him this early in the day! You will have to wait until he gets himself to ‘ere by himself.”

“If I threaten to kill you if you don’t fetch him now will it make a difference?” Dione asked as a dead cold threat.

“That ain’t very nice and you are a girl, you shouldn’t be trying to kill people, you should be making foods or havin’ babies.”

Dione lowered her spear point and nudged him in the chest, where she thought his better armour was, so as not to hurt him.

“Ouch!” he replied. He then lowered his spear, tested to make sure the point was still sharp as he did and nodding to himself held himself in a guard position.

“Not too bad, you need to remain limber so you can change the position of the point and reset the butt if you need to take a charge for example.” Dione then walked up beside him to demonstrate the proper technique and show him some set stances and drills.

The bride to be folded her arms and started tapping her foot. Exasperated she turned to Charis with a scrunched up face, hands raised, and palms open.

Charis waved her hand subtly at Dione.

“Can you fetch your commander now please?” Dione asked. He glanced at her disappointed, lost, and forsaken.

“I will tell your commander I stabbed you if you want and showed you an important paper. Plus if we stay a while I will train you some more on using a spear if you want,” Dione offered.

He chuckled, swivelled, and left to fetch his commander leaving the Main Gate to the Keep completely unguarded. They waited at least one bell before the commander emerged. Charis didn’t recognise him and he didn’t instil in her any more faith the Keep was ever going to be safe from anything. He may have, at one time been a valiant and strong warrior, now his muscle was wasted by old age and weaken by lack of food.

“Who threatened a guard of the Baron and what is this about the Duchess?” he asked.

Dione took some time to convince him with talk and the Letter of Introduction and then she showed him her pin, presented to her by the Duchess. The seals on the pin proved enough and he ordered his guard back on the gate while he led them inside the Keep. Dione told her stallion to guard their horses. It was a joke the stallion took seriously.

Everything was still in place, after all who would want anything with the family crest on it except the family. The two high chairs a bitter memory for her.

“Stay here while I fetch my Lord,” he said.

It was another bell before the Baron struggled to his throne in the Great Hall. It was Halius’ brother and not the Baron she knew so many months ago. His eyes betrayed his lack of sleep with dark rims under them and he was much thinner than she remembered.

“Will I fetch the Castellan My Lord?” the guard commander asked.

“No, I trust I will do some thinking for myself for a change,” he replied closing his eyes and then blinking them rapidly for a moment until ready.

Dione, Charis, and Helice bowed. The bride to be was still considering her fate and lost learnt court etiquette in the process. It wasn’t until the Baron Nominate stared directly at her she remembered to bow and surprisingly remained silent.

Charis sensed a change and took a step forward.

“Baron, I wish to offer our services to your estate. We are the Daughters of the Duchess and charged with assisting where we can.”

She paused and allowed him to digest the news, showed him the Letter of Introduction, followed by the pin, which seemed to work so well with the commander.

“I am sure you are not blind and realise my estate is beyond succour.”

He rubbed his eyes with his hands and settled back into his throne.

“If you wish, I grant you the Freedom of the Barony as it is beyond me and beyond the capacity of my advisors it seems. I welcome the support of the Duchess and her agents. Step forward please.”

He took the Letter of Introduction from Charis and with ink and sharpened feather counter-signed it. As he was about to add the seal a voice yelled out across the Main Hall.

“NO LORD! Do not surrender your estate to strangers! Who are they really, what is the truth about them? How can they show up and instantly become your confidents!”

The Baron Nominate didn’t look up as he placed his seal upon the Letter and handed it back to Charis. She thought she saw a slight smile, the first healthy sign.

“Why Lord? We are about to turn things around, we need no outside help, they will meddle they won’t understand what we are doing and all will be lost.”

The Castellan was now beside the Baron Nominate. Charis could observe the struggle on the Baron’s face, which after a moment gave in. She needed to raise her head to see this tall influence upon the Baron. Clean-shaven, square jawed with shortest black hair, his filled out body and high quality robe contrasted with everything and everyone else in the Barony.

“Yes, I agree, you have always been a wise Councillor to me. Stranger I would ask you return the Letter of Introduction as I need to retract my authority from it.”

Charis could recognise the pleading in his eyes; was he desperate for rescue, she needed to make sure it was what he wanted and she wasn’t second-guessing.

Charis noticed the solid bronze arm rings on the wrist of the Castellan, they didn’t budge when he was waving his arms about yelling at the Baron and as his robes sleeves fell back she noticed more around the upper arms, those were silver. She knew where the estate was failing. She wondered if her authority with the Duchess would survive this test, she was going to ignore the Baron.

Charis went to one knee, held the Letter to the Baron Nominate with one hand while indicating to Dione with the other. She deliberately focused on the Castellan and noticed he was pleased in his triumph. Proof he was still in control! The captured look on his face was a reward in itself when a spear point exited the back of his head. Dione was twisting the spear as she withdrew it from under his chin, his posture holding him for a moment.

He fell to one side, his blood spilling on the floor; his face still locked in victory his surprise so complete. Charis withdrew the Letter and cleared away from the blood pooling near the now dead Castellan. The bride to be screamed in shock and ran away from the dead body and the spreading blood, dancing on the tips of her toes accompanied by occasional squeals. The commander stood with his mouth open not sure what to do. The Baron Nominate laughed loudly and his sad eyes shone with hope.

“I thank you Daughters of the Duchess! I am now in your debt and while I somehow regret his death, I rejoice uncontrollably. I thank the Gods you visited my estate and will introduce you to the real Baron, not that he will recognise you or talk as he is stricken poorly these days.”

“You will not have to introduce me,” Charis said as she drew back her hood.

The Baron Nominate Balius griped the arms of his throne stunned, a ghost from his family’s past stood before him.

“YOU!” His eyes woke from their slumber, alert.

Charis remained silent, she needed him to work out his confusion and sort through the past.

“I do not know what to say, nor do. You have caused so much grief and anguish! Our family, such as it is, still blames you and it didn’t make sense to, yet you weren’t here, and it was easy to do so. You couldn’t be found and while much was said regarding those who could have assisted you, nothing was done.”

His head fell into his hands, as he paused to regain his senses, his body supported by his throne. He lifted his head slowly, more redness around his eyes and tears revealed themselves. Then his eyes vaguely scanned towards Charis.

“I am not sure if father would welcome you or curse you. Charis, I was elated by your arrival some heartbeats ago, now I know who you are. Now, like everything with this estate a blessing is quickly balanced by a curse.”

“I was never to blame for your brother’s death. Trust me when I say I have replayed everything repeatedly and I cannot see how your brother or I could know the nature of the man we met. We should have avoided him and returned home, your brother thought the stranger could help us. You need to believe your brother saved you today.”

Balius focused and stared directly into her eyes, pleading understanding, how is this possible?

“Your Castellan wore trinkets, in the same way as the man who murdered your brother. Whenever I recognise these now familiar trinkets, I kill the wearer and while not noble, I use surprise to repay them in kind for their callousness and the disregard they showed in your brother’s death. I will not apologise to anyone for my stealth in dealing with this evil.”

He slowly lifted himself out of his throne and staggered, waving away his Commander, toward Charis. She prepared as best she could, ensuring Dione and Helice took no action by hand signing them away. As he reached her to the relief of all, he hugged her, followed by a smile and exhale of breath. A huge burden released from him as he reconciled.

“We must tell father. He won’t be able to answer you, even so I hope this will give him heart and ease him. Will you accompany me?” His eyes full of life again as he spoke, a hint of joy in his voice.

“What about the mess? Oh and I forgot, please meet your bride to be, it was arranged for you by the Duchess herself.”

Helice consoled the betrothed once satisfied Charis was safe. The betrothed upon overhearing a conversation about her looked up hopeful. Through her tears, she tried to brighten; it was in some measure forced, although acted well enough, rescued by the fact she was pretty in her own way. A pleasant surprise for Balius who held his arms open towards her to welcome her into his family. Carefully stepping around the pool of blood, she ran to him and accepted the offer.

The commander finally went into action and while his Lord was preoccupied, found a servant with a worn out mop and wooded bucket to start the blood clean-up.

While Balius was distracted, Charis charged Dione with recovering all the items from the former Castellan’s body, digging into it to make sure none were missed and then burning the body after. Maybe her new friend the gate guard could assist. Helice helped Dione drag the body out of the hall to the annoyance of the servant as they left a trail of blood behind them.

Balius took his bride to be and Charis up to visit the Baron. He hoped this good news would be enough to revive him. As they entered, the bride presented first and Charis thought there was some intelligence still behind the old Baron’s eyes. After much talk about the events in the Main Hall, Balius revealed Charis as the agent. Once told and not struck dead, Charis then revealed her face. There was no tension in his body; it seemed he was in a state of acceptance.

Charis was at a loss, she wanted to wail, she wanted to yell, she wanted to apologise, mostly she wanted to return to the forest and do at least one thing differently, convince Halius to bypass the stranger. In that moment, she wanted everything to be the way things were. Balius gently tapped the base of her elbow and looked at her, wondering. She absently visited a different place for a moment locked in her memories. She left the Baron’s room with his son and future bride and descended the staircase to the Main Hall. A modest meal readied for the Baron Nominate, his bride to be and guests by the time they sat at the table.

“Balius you haven’t mentioned my father, I need to visit him before I do much else.”

“Charis, I can show you where he rests, he was one of the Castellan’s first victims as he was most vocal in organising the village to overthrow him.”

“What do you mean, where he rests?” she asked in anguish.

“He was buried in the graveyard near the Shrine of Saph,” he said as he returned her confused look.

“He would want to be burned. He was dedicated to the old ways!”

Her face twisted in pain and betrayal, she broke down in tears, her chair preventing her from collapsing to the ground.

Balius didn’t grasp any meaning and tried to apologise.

"The Castellan insisted on the burying of dead," he explained.

“What of the Seer that was assigned to the Barony?”

A strained voice whispered from across the table. They looked at Helice. Charis realised another needed answers, a stake in the fate of a loved one and she felt selfish wrapped up in her own pain.

As Balius stared at the person who voiced the question, he was stunned to discover her alive again.

“No, you are not mistaken, I am or she was my twin sister and I grieved for her for many months. The Seers would not disclose to me where she went or what her mission was, for my part I needed to keep in contact with her. Then one evening she was lost to me forever,” Helice stated, with an edge to her voice, bereft of tears, her intend clear, in pursuit of answers.

“I, she was found outside the Keep, she fell from her room or so it seemed. No one knew the true nature of the Castellan whereas it is plain now he wanted to make sure we couldn’t easily call for assistance or advice and unfortunately, your twin was in his way. I deeply apologise for your loss and beg your forgiveness.”

“Was she buried?”

Charis heard the anger as did everyone else and she sensed, certain Alcmene and Clymene did as well, the anger, as Helice’s Seer link with her spilled ‘over’.

“No, she was burnt on a huge pyre, middle of the day in honour of her and the Goddess she served. Your father, Charis, insisted, the entire village backed him and the Castellan was still new to his position. This action I believe marked your father as a future target.”

“I am satisfied. Charis I am sorry my sister’s death placed your father in danger.”

“My father would always do what was right, that is what he taught me and is how he lived every day of his life, and if I was there I would have probably joined him, not stopped him. I am proud he prevailed and ensured her proper death rite.”

“I will show you your father’s grave tomorrow at first light Charis. I promise.”

“First light and not a moment longer,” Charis replied.