“What is your exact age?”
Astrid frowned. “Ah, 19 years and 11 months exactly. My birthday is next month.”“That’s right. August 11.”
Astrid nodded.
“That gives us one year to find your other necklace, prove your legitimacy and stampede you onto the throne, then have your coronation before the first new moon after your 21st birthday. Not much time.”Astrid gave him a questioning look.“It will take half a yea
Astrid was woken at dawn that morning by a light and persistent knocking on her door. She climbed out of bed and slipped on the dressing gown. Padding across the thick woollen rugs that covered the stone floor she carefully cracked open the door a few inches.“Good morning,” a chirpy voice said as Astrid peered out. The voice belonged to a slim girl with an excited expression and wide, vapid, blue eyes. Strawberry blonde hair hung lightly across the girl’s shoulders and her dress was a pale lavender. Her nose was slightly snubbed and she had a face that was flat in a conventional form of pretty that looks very nice while the girl is young, but does not last long.
Janine dragged the suffering Astrid to their first class that was sewing where she introduced the overwhelmed girl to her uninspiring friends.“Astrid,” Janine giggled. “These are my friends. We have Edlyn, Beda, Maida and Deena. Ladies, this is our new best friend, Astrid.”The girls waved and all giggled. The eyes of the girls were blank of independent thought and Astrid felt the urge to scream.“Janine,” purred the voice of Serra who walked over, flanked by three other girls. “Allow me to introduce ourselves to your new friend as you have neglected to do so.”“You didn’t give us a chance,” Janine mur
Mrs Bellmar was not amused about being forced to teach Astrid Politics or Statecraft. Astrid knew this to be a fact as Mrs Bellmar spent the entire lesson telling her about it.“It’s not my place to say anything about Lord Draynon’s choices, and I really shouldn’t say anything,” Mrs Bellmar said in a voice that could have easily commanded troops across a battlefield. Astrid feared that the buxom Mrs Bellmar would say something, and that particular something would be extended. “Why a young girl such as yourself needs to know politics and such is beyond me. Young girls should be concerned only with sewing, cooking and catching a suitable husband.&nbs
Astrid found the Women’s Etiquette class to be as bad as she feared and her thoughts meandered as Mrs Bellmar repeated the ‘women are servants’ speech again. She is Princess Astrid Nara Katrall, the true heir to the Kaltharian throne. Does she really want to be a Queen? People have sacrificed their very lives and outlawed themselves permanently for her. Just for her. She remembered all the risks she had taken with her own life as a thief, never knowing that thousands, maybe tens of thousands of people depended on her.“Miss Astrid,” Mrs Bellmar called. “What are the two main duties of a woman?”
“Brian,” Sigwulf called as the older man ran past.“In your office,” the man replied before he disappeared into the swarm of people scurrying everywhere.Sigwulf grumbled as he stalked into his office and collapsed onto the chair behind his desk.He picked up the letter on his desk and scanned through it.Sigwulf,Be informed that we are conducting an investigation of all reports relating to the following...1) Galadon Knights,2) The Katrall family,3) Reports of large numbers of people moving into forests across Kalthar,4) Sounds of large groups of voices in the forests,5) Anything else relating to the above.The functioning information you gather is to be placed into three annals.
Serra let Astrid borrow her dark green blouse and white skirt with matching green trimmings. The blouse had long sleeves with flared cuffs and gold coloured cordage braiding the front together. The heavy cotton material was perfect for the cold of the tag end of winter.“You seem partial to green,” Astrid noted, looking at her reflection in the mirror after the pair had spent the better part of an early morning rummaging through Serra’s extensive wardrobe.“What else matches red hair better? It’s either green, black or occasionally blue. Deep purple can look good if I’m feeling daring. Anything else looks drab by comparison.
It was the next afternoon and Astrid was just heading to tend to Swift when she saw Sigwulf gallop his horse into the compound. He leapt from Kann’s back and sprinted past her, casting her a quick glance as he ran past into the fortress.“He’s in a hurry,” a male voice murmured close behind.“Quite,” Astrid replied, tensed, and turned to look behind her to see the owner of the voice.A tall man that appeared to be only slightly older than her was smiling. “My name is Sir Berwyn. You’re that new girl I heard about. You’re from Derrell aren’t you?”Astrid nodded. “Astrid Chance.”
At Draynon’s orders, Sigwulf left the stronghold early the next morning to return to his office and keep an eye on any more orders about excavations of Galadon or Katrall history. Sigwulf was dressed in his administrative uniform of royal blue tunic, black hose and black half-boots. He thought that he was the first to arrive until he caught a flash of scarlet in his office. Briefly wondering if he should go to the staffroom first and find a hot tea, he quickly thought better of it and walked straight to his office where he greeted the Kalash Priest, his superior, it rankling that he had to pleasantly greet the man rather than killing the blood drinking scum.“My Lord,” Sigwulf said formally, bo