Part 1

Fourteen Years Ago

Cara sat alone in her room, pondering her next move. Rumors were always buzzing about the castle. Her parents were no strangers to these rumors either. And many who spoke of those rumors often found themselves buried in a ditch somewhere. The last eight or so years had been hard on her, and she didn’t know what to do until Jebbin came. Her parents were plotting something.

Jebbin had come to her for help. She had agreed, and so, she laid in bed, waiting for her parents to arrive.

At first, Cara didn’t think her parents were abnormally cruel but as she grew older, she realized the severity of her childhood. As a child, she didn't know any better. How they treated her and Erik was not from people who loved their children. Halden was by far the most level-headed out of the two but when his anger emerged, it was not a time to be around the king.

Astrid was far more subtle in her behavior and maintaining her charade. The insults she threw her way were cruel indeed but most people would mistake it for compliments, unaware her mother was deliberately pointing out Cara’s flaws and mistakes.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a noise coming from down the hallway. A door slammed shut and she could hear shouting coming from the room.

It was her parents.

Their conversation was heating. She could hear the sounds of their voices.

Cara jumped out of bed and walked over to her door. Carefully, she undid the latch and slipped into the empty hallway. The stone beneath her feet was cold but she ignored it. Torches lined the walls and she ducked under each as she passed. Two guards at the end of the hall made her freeze, but quickly realized they were leaving, due to the loud arguments emanating from her parent's room. Without a sound, she crept up to the door to her parent's room and listened intently.

“-never find out.” Halden nearly shouted. Cara caught only the end of the sentence.

“Good.” Astrid said. “We must tighten our circle and eliminate any who would defy us.”

“Now that Armin and Brinna are dead, it opens everything up. He was right all along. This couldn’t have worked out more perfectly.” Halden muttered through the door.

“Yes, yes. I know all that.” Astrid scolded. “I told you he would get us what we wanted. However, our issues now lie elsewhere. Cara is becoming troublesome and unpredictable.”

“She will do what she is told.” Halden said bluntly. “This marriage is vital for our next phase. She will do anything for Erik, we could use that.”

“Yes. I suppose we could.” Astrid thought aloud to her husband. “She won’t like it.”

“Of course she won’t like it, Astrid!” Halden yelled. “She is as bull-headed and defiant as you. That much she did inherit.”

Cara couldn’t see but she would’ve sworn Astrid stared daggers at her husband.

“That damned alderman.” Halden huffed. “He’s gotten into her head. I know it. He sneaks about. He knows something.”

“Speaking of Jebbin.” Astrid paused.

“What about him?”

“We should do something about him.” the queen lowered her voice. “He is becoming a problem we can’t afford to have laying around. Now more than ever I believe he is working for him.”

“What would you have me do? Kill him?” Halden hissed. “People tend to notice that sort of thing.” his voice dripped with sarcasm. “Especially an alderman. That would raise too many questions. And questions are what we want to avoid.” his tone changed. “I doubt He would appreciate us exposing ourselves after all the trouble he’s gone through to get us this far.”

“Don’t give me that tone.” Astrid said coldly. “We are in this together. We both agreed to His terms. Jebbin is a problem we must correct. We can’t afford to have him snooping around any longer.”

“What do you hav-” Halden began to say.

Cara pulled away from the door at the sound of footsteps and turned to see who it was.

Erik stood twenty feet away, waddling clumsily in his nightclothes. He was rubbing his eyes and yawning when he noticed her. “Cara?” his voice echoed.

Cara rushed toward him, her feet pattering against the stone floor. “Shhhh.” she told her brother. “Quiet now. You’re going to wake mother and father.”

“I had a nightmare.” Erik said. “Will you stay with me till I fall asleep again?” the young boy asked.

“Of course, dear brother.” Cara said lovingly.

She took his small hand in hers and led him back to his room. Cara opened his door and he walked past her and fell into bed, curling his tiny feet beneath his blanket.

Erik was eleven years old now, he was becoming a man but Cara couldn’t help but wish he would stay a boy forever. Ignorant of this cruel world and safe from harm. Cara herself was only fifteen, still a young girl but was forced to mature at a far more increased rate than any young girl she knew. She didn’t feel like a girl, the things she had seen and the things she had to do to survive put her ahead of anyone her age.

“Will you sing me the song?” Erik asked, half asleep.

“Just this once and you have to promise me you’ll go to sleep right after, okay?”

“I promise.” Erik said with a yawn.

She kissed her brother on the cheek and began to hum a tune to him. Cara had learned it from her mother but she had stopped singing it years ago. Erik had caught her humming it once and he asked her to sing it to him ever since.

Cara loved her brother more than her own life. Her father was right, she would do anything to protect him.

“Anything.” she thought.

Part 2

Cara returned to her room, the hour was late, she guessed it was nearly three in the morning judging from the position of the moon. She sat down at her desk and started writing a letter on a tiny piece of paper.

“Come to my room quickly. I need you to personally deliver a message.” she wrote swiftly in her note.

Cara picked it up and rolled it neatly and tied it with a string. She walked over to her pet hawk, Silver, who stood patiently waiting for her. His name mirrored his appearance, silver feathers lined its head and the tips of its wings. He was not bound, he was a free bird but had been trained to return to her window at night.

She pet its beak and brushed his feathers, reassuring him, then fed it a tiny piece of fresh meat. It squawked and flapped its wings in thanks, then settled down again. Cara carefully attached the note to his leg and urged him to fly away. The hawk did so and disappeared into the night.

Cara waited patiently on her bed for several minutes before she began to grow anxious. “Where are you?” she whispered.

Another minute passed and a light knock on her door told her he had gotten the message. She quietly slipped out of bed and opened the door a crack.

“You asked for me, my lady?” the man whispered. “What is the message? Is it for Jebbin again? Are you in danger?”

Cara drew close to him and pushed herself up next to his ear. “Tell Jebbin I need to speak to him. The usual spot.” she whispered, paranoid that someone might eavesdrop. “And Ulfrick, be careful, tell him… it's urgent.”