As Charis approached the door, she mentally prepared herself to greet whoever was on the other side, expecting two warriors. As she took the last steps forward, the door opened of its own accord. Charis silently cursed the elder, in a friendly good-natured way of course.

Charis recovered in time to stare at one of two substantial armoured chests, which required her to scan upwards to view their owner’s faces. Two rather large warriors with noble tabards presented themselves, she didn’t expect them to be unusually tall, wide, and you know, large.

“We’ve been told you hold a noble lady against her will. She is the betrothed property of My Lord Count and we are here to fetch her back,” stated the first warrior, with authority.

“You are mistaken we don’t hold any living property here,” Charis replied evenly, straight faced.

The warriors glanced at each for a moment confused by Charis’ response, the moment passed quickly enough when they realised she was making fun of them. At which point they lost their polite pretence.

“An arrangement has been made, her marriage has been negotiated, and coin has changed hands. The Lord Count demands his property!”

They started to push their way in through the doorway, delayed slightly when they needed to agree who would step in first due to their size. The second one stopped mid step. His chest and his arms roped to his chest and as he struggled to take another step, four women jerked on the lasso and he toppled over. The other stepped into the elder’s room, glanced back at the cursing and yelping of his companion, and unknowingly found him surrounded by Charis, Clymene, and Thyia, who utilised combined shields to push him back out. He then tripped backwards over his companion. Dione ran to them both and tied their legs with the free rope like two human cattle.

From the Inn issued another equally large warrior and a well-dressed, older, and slightly portly Lord.

“I demand you release my men and return my property to me now!” the Lord yell, across the street.

“Lord Count, welcome. I must inform you that I consulted with the Duchess on this matter and she assures me the property can make up her own mind and if she chooses not to marry you, you must return the dowry.”

“I cannot have this I tell you!” This time his yelling caused a number to cheer from the Inn and townsfolk in the street to stop and eavesdrop.

“Perhaps we can talk about this in private and take your business off the street Lord Count? Parley then?” Charis offered, in her sweetest voice.

“Yes perhaps we can. Lead on.” He stepped over his own warriors and entered the elders’ room, looking around disdainfully and then directly at Charis.

“You are young to be leading a warrior order aren’t you?”

“Perhaps. Do you want to talk to your betrothed and will you abide by her choice?”

“Sister prepare the Noble Lady, her betrothed expects to talk to her in a few heartbeats,” sent Clymene.

“If the Duchess has willed it so, although I will check and if you have been false with me I will return!” He placed his thumbs in his wide belt and rocked back on his heels.

“She is ready to walk in sister,” sent Helice.

“I swear on the Duchess I’ve spoken the truth on this matter,” waiting briefly for Clymene’s confirmation, “and here she is now. What say you, are you betrothed or are you setting aside the honour?”

“Mistress, we haven’t yet been informed of the Duchess’ wishes in this matter, is this wise?” Alcmene sent, after contact from Clymene checking on behalf of the Mistress.

She looked with confused hate at Charis and then confused revulsion at the Lord Count.

“I refuse this noble honour, I wish to marry for love or not at all!” she declared.

“You cannot refuse me! I’ve spent the coin! Things needed repair, people needed to be paid!” he screeched.

“How much is the dowry?” Charis asked.

He blinked and narrowed his eyes.

“Five thousand coin, it was enough and then a fraction more to indulge with.”

“If the Daughters of the Duchess were to provide you with five thousand coins, as a loan, would our investment be sound or wasted? Would you then release your bride to be?”

“Where would an unknown youth such as yourself, obtain five thousand coins from?” asked the Lord, doubtfully.

“We are Daughters of the Duchess are we not? The only proviso being you can neither confirm nor deny where you obtained the loan. Would our investment be sound or wasted?” Charis questioned, insistent on an answer.

“Sound! It would be sound. We need some urgent repairs due to a flood and other calamities. Before these events my demesne prospered, I assure you.”

“Would repayment of one thousand coins each year for the next seven years be acceptable?”

“It is acceptable,” although he couldn’t stop talking, “it is somewhat generous, why?”

“You may have another calamity and I am sure you would approach us before anyone else for a new loan,” she winked, “and if you don’t I am sure your loan repayment being manageable will be your priority.”

“Most assuredly Charis the Young.”

“So you do know my name,” he sweet smiled at her. “Please allow us a week to gather the coins and then you will make ready to leave town. As you start to leave, along the road the bags of coin will find their way to you. Therefore, you need to ensure your warriors are trustworthy and you hire a wagon to help carry the combined amount back to your corner of the Duchy. Agreed?”

“Agreed. In seven days’ time we shall be done. My guards are my family although none are my heirs!” His cheeks puffed out, a cheery red apparent on them before chuckling.

“For now we require your mark and seal,” Charis pointed to a document, “here and here please to match mine and ours.”

“You don’t trust the word of a Noble Lord?” His voice rose slightly, although he maintained some control over his emotions given the deal on the table.

“You Lord I trust you implicitly, it is your heirs, and relatives who will need to be reminded in case of your untimely demise before the debt paid. You will note the debt is not yours, the debt is upon your Barony.”

“Slightly unusual to be sure as normally a debt is against the family. Why?”

“A family can be extinguished, while a Barony has a smaller chance of disappearing. We can sell parts of a Barony to recover the coin, I am not sure we can sell parts of a family, especially if they’re no longer living.”

“Quite, I am not sure the answer improves your reputation Charis the Young.” The Lord signed and applied his seal.

“Possibly not, although the loan document improves our chances of being repaid, one way or the other,” Charis replied, dryly.

She watched him leave the room and as he stepped onto the street, caught him as he glanced over his shoulder, and shook his head, Charis threw him a beaming smile. Then the Lord snorted as his men who were now free, joined him and his other guard heading back to the Inn.

---

Charis swivelled on the spot and took two steps from the doorway. The door shut without assistance and echoing Charis’ mood it slammed shut causing all in the room to pay attention.

“Why is your dowry so many coins?” Charis growled her face a finger width from their new candidate’s face.

The Noble Lady noted the door slamming unassisted, confused by it and given no time to comprehend how as Charis’ face appeared in front of hers and the growl in her voice, she caught herself before any embarrassment, courtly etiquette, and composure rescuing her. Intimidated, words tumbled out of her.

“My father is a landed knight. Our family mansion has an attached tower. We are also merchants and we supply the Duke’s household as well as many others. My father never wanted this match, the Duke did. So I am surprised the Duchess permitted it to be rejected.” She drew a breath.

Charis withdrew her face taking a step back. When she moved nearer to the door, it didn’t open.

“I think I am grateful to her now,” she finished; relieved she didn’t soil her dress.

“We wish you well. Although your maid will still have a choice, understood,” said Charis.

“What if I wished to stay?”

Charis didn’t hide her surprised reaction in time; she only just finished intimidating her, practicing her best Magistrate move, she should be running and never looking back.

“Didn’t you threaten me and mine when I was, shall we say, correcting your behaviour?”

“Yes, it woke me up, I am determined to be more, all my screaming was about others getting even on my behalf, well I want to be able to get even or at least defend myself so if someone wants to correct my behaviour I will make them earn that opportunity,” she predator smiled, as she finished speaking.

“You are a Noble Lady and bred from birth to look down on those below your station. Your maid, myself for example, we require all to be equal here, we make sacrifice for our sisters, I cannot imagine you doing that.”

“How many times did you intend to correct my behaviour?”

“I’m not sure, more in any case, why?”

“I wish to reveal to you my resolve and dedication to change.”

She strode back to the Meeting Room, glancing over her shoulder, beckoning them to follow.

Charis paused for a moment.

“To answer your earlier question Clymene, I am sure the Duchess will want a Noble Lady to infiltrate the Daughters of the Duchess, all information is valuable,” Charis whispered, and then calmly followed their newest candidate, knowing the candidate would wait.

“So we will need to be cautious around her Mistress and keep watch on her,” Clymene sent in reply, although not joining Charis in the Meeting Room, immediately updating Alcmene and Helice in a heartbeat, by thought.

Their newest candidate returned to the table, loosened her dress and let it drop around her ankles, kicked it free, picked it up and presented it to the maid who had remained in the room. She then returned to the table and lent over it, her head flush with it and her eyes on the bag of coin still there. She couldn’t believe the bag of coin was still there, who are these people? Without warning, she felt the pain on her buttocks.

Working towards her purpose, she held her tears, after each assault. Between assaults, she affirmed her purpose; she would work for her place amongst these sisters and rise.

She grits her teeth.

She heard the whispers and rumours of Charis and her warrior-sisters in the Duke’s court. Meeting her, well does Charis earns the epitaph, ‘the Young’, although her wisdom is beyond what her young years suggest.

She grits her teeth and grasps the table, white knuckles showing.

More interesting though are the sisters who surround her, they’re dedicated to her, and coin cannot purchase such loyalty. Her father used coin and she knew loyal friends and servants didn’t surround him.

She grits her teeth, grasps the table, and presses the side of her head against the table.

“Stand and dress. You realise this life will not be easy for you and there will be no concessions.”

“I will need other clothes as my dress belongs to my maid does it not?”

Charis misspoke, troubled by this candidate’s resilience, which didn’t improve her mood. Calm, she needed to be calm.

“Astera, please escort the candidate to the Store Room to find a dress,” asked Charis, evenly.

The maid was agog watching her Lady saunter from the room, naked, her buttocks rumps glowing red and shining. Moreover, accepting the wearing of a plain and probably coarse one-piece shift to start her new life greatly surprised her former maid. She knew her Lady was confused; she daydreamed through her noble life, a great disappointment to her father. Her brothers and sisters settled and successful, either in the family business, married to strengthen the family business or developing a new business to success, none of this interested her Lady, hence, a marriage arranged for her, which she now rejected.

As the door closed behind the Lady, the attention turned to her maid.

The maid realised for the first time in a long time she was alone, completely, and utterly alone. She was now in charge of her. What could she offer these confident and violent women?

“You maid, what is your decision?” Charis didn’t enjoy being confused and the former Noble Lady confused her. The Lady should have run screaming from the House, instead she suffered more slaps and walked away naked with false bravado.

“Will I need to be paddled as I’ve no coin to offer?” she timidly replied.

“You own a very nice and expensive dress?”

“Somehow if coin doesn’t mean much to you, I highly doubt a dress will mean more. I could offer you the joy or maybe the pleasure of paddling my buttocks, but I would cower and drop to my knees I am sure, as most of my punishment has been verbal, she never hit me. So I would ask, what I must do or what price must I pay to be able to join you.”

“You have already done what you must do, demonstrated you can think. Therefore swear an oath to me and my sisters and we will welcome you.”

“Thank you Mistress.” Letting out a relieved breath and placing her head in her hands.

“Do you wish to retain your noble name or be renamed?”

“I am a humble servant from a poor family, even if we are of noble heritage. I would welcome a new name to leave my past behind me.”

“Well I name you Agape, in the ancient language it means the highest form of love and charity, and I hope you find that with us, is your name acceptable?

“Oh yes Mistress, I am honoured and hope to live up to the ideals of my name.”

“Swear an oath to me and the Daughters of the Duchess.”

---

Alcmene returned to the Inn a number of times to fetch more candidates and Charis chose to reject each in turn guided by the elder and her own instincts. Most were searching for a place to survive Death Season, food was food regardless of unknown hardship, and Charis couldn’t blame them for trying. Charis’ recruiting before Death Season meant Initiates could receive sufficient training to be prepared for the next Birth Season.

Astera returned to the room with the Lady dressed in a plain one-piece dress, no lines, and coarse wool and definitely unflattering appearance, even her lips lost their red.

“We need to witness your oath to me and my sisters before you will be confirmed an initiate of the Daughters of the Duchess,” Charis stated.

“I swear to serve faithfully and truthfully Mistress Charis and her warrior-sisters until one day be accepted into Daughters of the Duchess.”

“Is your oath to us stronger than the one of natural bond to your family? Is it stronger than your oath to the Duke and the Duchy? Is it stronger than the natural oath all nobles seem to have for each other?”

“I’ve no other oaths. I obey the will and orders of my Mistress, I will sacrifice my life for my fellow sisters, as I know they would sacrifice for me. I swear this oath as I wish to cast off my past, I wish to be strong on my own, to claim what is rightly mine through my own efforts and above all ensure I serve the Daughters of the Duchess first in every action, second in every action and more. I’ve no doubt in my mind about my determination and clarity in this.”

“I accept your oath and wish to test it. You will walk naked within the walls of this House until the Lord Count is paid and on his way.”

She stepped out of her dress, folding it without protest or question. Charis inwardly cursed, she believed this final indignity, no clothes for one who valued a dress above all else would embarrass this Lady and cause her to run from the House swearing and cursing them. Charis didn’t enjoy being confused and this being the second time didn’t improve her mood; she imagined she knew everything she needed to know about the noble ‘type’, this one though didn’t follow the assumptions.

“We need to be sure your noble ways and assumption of privilege has been left behind. Given you were noble, I assume you still learnt much of the merchant trade as the daughter of a Master Merchant. Is this true?”

“Yes Mistress. All my family were required to hold some knowledge of the family business before they could do anything else.”

“You can best serve as the House Provedore. Is the position acceptable?”

“Yes Mistress. I am confused though; do I’ve a choice to refuse?”

Charis inwardly growled, calm she told herself.

“Yes, we are all equal, although we try to leverage the best skills where they are plain to see.” Charis knew the Initiate was playing and teasing and could say nothing. Charis didn’t want to order her to a role; she could wield weapons as seriously as any Initiate if she chose.

“I would be honoured Mistress to serve as House Provedore to the Daughters of the Duchess.” To add to the scene, the Initiate curtsied. Behind her, the elder silently chuckled, showing what remained of her teeth, Charis tried to ignore her.

“You will need to ensure with the number of Daughters in the House we will store enough food, drink and other supplies to last the length of the Death Season. You will also need to ensure there is a surplus in case starving masses assault us. In the course of your duties you are granted the right to ask for assistance from any warrior-sister, you cannot ask the assistance of any initiate, you understand?”

“Yes Mistress. What will I do for coin?”

“I believe there is a sack of coin before you. When spent ask Astera for further coin. You will need Merchant receipts each, and every time you spend coin on behalf of the Daughters of the Duchess. You understand?”

“Yes Mistress. I will use the Store Room on the ground floor, although it will require some clean up first. Can I ask for some help?”

“Yes, ask Astera, she will arrange it. You will work as hard as anyone else who assists you. You understand?”

“Yes Mistress. While in your company, can I be known as Ismene? If an acceptable name may I leave to attend to my duties?”

“Is your name your family name or another?

“Another Mistress, I wish to cast away my previous life and begin afresh.”

“I hope your name benefits you and your sisters, please commence your duties and welcome.”

Astera led the new Initiate out of the room to start her duties and to organise some help. Charis and Alcmene left with the elder who was glad to be finished this wasteful task, so much lost time. Did they think she would live forever! They met Clymene and Helice as they did.

“Mistress, the Duchess, and the Noble Lady what are our plans?” asked Clymene.

“We will receive word from the Duchess soon enough. The Noble Lady is now an Initiate and we trust her until she demonstrates we can’t as we would any Initiate. Helice accompany me as I need to check on another Initiate.”

Clymene cast her eyes down and replied, “Yes Mistress.”

Charis realised she allowed her frustration with Ismene to surface and Clymene suffered.

“I apologise sincerely Clymene, you are only trying to remind me of my responsibilities. Unfortunately Ismene has tested my patience.”

Alcmene, Clymene, and Helice giggled. Charis raised an eyebrow and placed her hands of her hips.

“Sorry Mistress, we wondered if we could claim a more intimate apology later this evening and perhaps with some of our best care we would be able to ease this day away for you,” panted Alcmene.

“Perhaps, Helice and I need to be on our way,” said Charis, wide eyed, pretending to be shocked.

Charis and Helice continued to the elders’ room and through the door, which opened when required. They strolled down Gate Road taking in the sun, another two residents of Hillperch taking their leisure as they ambled to the Town Gate. Charis wanted to check on Kyra to discover if she waited at the Inn or chose to leave.

As they walked down the Spur using the winding way, they waited as they observed Kyra’s tall lanky body striding towards them. Her hair length difficult to determine, her black locks braided and wrapped around her head. Kyra did not pause until she stood before them, shield on left arm, sword still in its sheath and her left eyebrow decorated by three silver piercings.

“You will be joining other initiates and as initiates you must remain on the ground floor of the House. You must also swear an oath of allegiance to the warrior-sisters and me. Acceptable?”

“It is. I am aware I must earn your trust. The piercings are merely decoration as is the hair style change.” Kyra noticed Charis distracted by the changes and knew Charis would enquire.

“Also know one of the initiates is a former Judge Knight Acolyte and any hostile sentiment must be cast away.”

“I’ve no love or hate for them and given the Acolyte has joined as an initiate, they must be a she, so even better and I can always train her with my weapon skills to build respect if nothing else.”

“Possibly, although she remained an Acolyte Judge Knight for other reasons and not it seems because of her weapon skills.” Kyra shrugged and they walked back to the House together. Kyra surrendered her sword at the Gate House as required. The Gate Captain noting Charis’ new acquaintance and how easily she handled a sword.

Helice showed Kyra to the White Room, settled her in and then to the Store Room, as there was work to be done. Charis found Astera and they returned to the Meeting Room.

“Mistress I’ve asked the Master Carpenter to evaluate and possibly sign on the twins as apprentices, Otonia took them to complete introductions and evaluation. I’ve sent a Letter to the Seer Temple to advise them we have found some older twins and if they wish to examine them, they can, although they’re untrained. The Store Room preparation will be completed by dusk. I also plan to conduct some training sessions tomorrow to evaluate the initiates.”

“Excellent, it seems all the actions required are underway. Death Season is approaching and while still possible, we need to complete some horse riding evaluation and weapons training as well. I’ve also wondered if we need to purchase a building at the foot of the Spur in the hamlet there or possibly build something more purposeful on the farmer’s farm, it may reduce the number of our weapons held by the Gate House.”

“Is it wise to spend some more coin Mistress? The loan to the Count will cause enough tongues to wag, regardless if people believe the coin is from the Duchess herself?”

“Yes you are probably right. I just don’t want the Death Season to be wasted. Which reminds me, perhaps we could send our trapper out to hunt for some fresh meat and if particularly successful salt some of the meat for storage. Also we need to organise the drop off of coin to the Count.”

“Yes, I propose, with your permission to create some Threes, with a warrior-sister and two of the initiates, that way there is a responsibility for each other.”

“Good, totally agree. Would it be selfish of me to leave the sisters and the House in your care, so I can rest and take some time with the contents of a certain chest in my room?”

“You are Mistress, of all of us you have sacrificed most, and you command, I obey as does everyone else, none of your actions are ever selfish.”

Astera asked one more question of Charis as she was leaving.

“Mistress, why didn’t Kyra stink of the evil revulsion?”

“I am not sure; she was away from the High Priest for many days, if you include her stay at the Inn. Many of those days under our influence, she wasn’t really one of them and I trust she finally made a choice to leave her past behind. Possibly, so while not sure, I am taking it as a good sign.”

Astera nodded in response.

Charis hugged her warrior-sister and whispered, “Forget what I just said sister, I don’t know anything for sure, I am hoping beyond all hope it is a good sign and will be leaving the why and how to the elder from now on.”

Charis left for her room leaving Astera with her own thoughts and theories.

There was a convenient passageway directly to the circular stairwell on the ground floor now so it was easier and quicker to access her room. Once inside her room, she gazed more thoughtfully at her father’s trunk and the items it contained, especially the torn leather chest armour, with its claw slashes. The body wearing it certainly suffered a serious wound requiring much care and tending if they survived the attack. Then she noticed one more item she never thought she would find again. She fled the Keep, Bow in hand, and her backpack forfeit, to allow her to escape with her father.

She dragged out her backpack and searched through it; bedroll, flint, small axe and clothes she once wore and upon hearing a clinking sound, two special knives and a bronze loop. The last time she saw these they spilt from the stranger’s backpack as evidence of her innocence. Her father possibly found them in the Keep and kept them with her pack after she left. Both knives polished clean thankfully and there was a note.

“I found these in the Keep, discarded, thrown to a dark corner, when I was searching for something else after I was invited back out of necessity and in friendship a secret friend helped me liberate them and wrote this note to explain. I missed you dearly my child and your clothes and their smell I held to me every night to remember you, to fight my loneliness and loss. The Blacksmith in me found your knives, I could not bend them, sharpen them, or work them in any way unless I used one against the other, so they are indeed a treasure and I hope you find them with this note. My eternal love to you my daughter.”

Her father continued to talk to her from the past; she wasn’t sure if this was a blessing or a curse as she held this note and the first close to her heart.

---

At dusk Astera went about her business checking on the House. The twins signed on as apprentices to the Master Carpenter and would return to the House after each day. They would receive individual training, before sleep at night to ensure they learnt some martial skills. The storeroom cleaned and prepared to receive the Death Season goods and chattels. The Master Carpenter organised to visit tomorrow to inspect the Workshop to replace some of the more pungent wooden floorboards.

All the initiates were informed of evaluation and training in the morning. She needed to ask if Helice could comfort the single Seer and determine if she lamented the loss of her seer talent and wished for her skills and talent to return. Ask the girl child to possibly, smuggle out some of the coin and perhaps the small maid as the coin needed to appear to originate from outside of the House. They could hide out in the laundry from the bathhouse. Then sneak away and meet one of the Threes in the street to deliver the coin to the Lord, although Astera would try a false run first. After all, the Daughters wouldn’t hold vast amounts of coin within the House and if the Duchess did supply the coin, it would need to originate from the city.

The sisters ignored the naked Ismene as she worked and trained, as it should be. The initiates were to bed shortly after the evening meal, now supplied by the Inn, typically a stew and trenchers with a small mug of mead to wash it down. Finally, Astera would need to talk to the Provender as to how the food during the Death Season will be prepared for the House. It could be of benefit to hire a cook and some maids, given the number of sisters and initiates and all could remain on the ground floor now.

Astera hurried to her room satisfied with her day and as she removed her armour, a pair of welcome hands assisted.

Alcmene, Clymene, and Helice woke Charis bringing her an evening meal and then proceeded to ensure she received their best care until exhaustion and sleep overtook them.

+++

The entire House broke their fast on a meal supplied by the Inn. Astera greeted the Master Carpenter at dusk and they discussed modifications required to the House. The worst of the urine aroma to be removed with the removal of a number of floorboards; the brickwork was sound and could be whitewashed. The removal of the floorboards would allow strengthening of the area to support an oven, and stove and then surrounded by walls to make it a Kitchen right next to the Store Room. She would assign her best Journeymen and the House’s Apprentices would be able to assist.

The Judge Knight Acolyte and Kyra were easily the best with wooden practice swords and shields. Astera could best Kyra due to the reach of her spear and endurance as Kyra was still recovering. The Judge Knight Acolyte, Nysa proved her mettle and an uneasy draw was reached, much to the disappointment of those watching the contest and wishing it to continue. While Thyia realised she required improvement and determined to train twice as hard. Dirce and Drosis were skilled also. No other initiates displayed any skill with melee weapons so there was much training to do, they would need daggers first, so they could offer some resistance to assault within the town walls.

Helice taught dual hand-to-hand dagger, while Otonia taught thrown dagger and Dione taught horse riding as a start to the training plan. The Initiates cycled through the three training types on a daily basis with the horse training utilising the farm. Some didn’t need horse riding of course so they were to train sword and shield with Nysa and Kyra as Charis wanted different skills in the warrior-sisters and they were expert enough to teach others. This also meant Ismene could remain in the House and remain unclothed, as a former noble; her horse riding skill didn’t need improvement.