Magical Exposure

 

Lady Aleanora Olacyne stood next to the Knight-Captain of House Reinhart and tried to see what was happening. Something had occurred and there was a bright flash of light that caused all sorts of commotion amongst her fellow nobles. 

“Shit. Gwyn…” Ser Taenya groaned out from next to her.

Aleanora looked up at the telv, curious about what she meant. “Princess Gwyneth? What’s wrong with her? Can you see?” She tried craning her neck and looking through the crowd but saw nothing.

From the other side of the knight, Lady Ilyana called out, “I don’t see anything. Where is Her Highness at? Ser Taenya, can you see her?”

I asked the Knight. Not you…

Ser Taenya shook her head. “No, but I’d bet my last copper that flash had something to do with her. Lady Lorrena, you with us?”

The younger girl nodded. “Yes, Ser Taenya.”

The telv woman looked between them. “Alright. Lady Ilyana, your job right now is to keep track of Lady Lorrena. Do not lose her. Understood?”

The older girl nodded quickly. “I will do my part for the House, Ser Taenya.”

Aleanora rolled her eyes. No need to act desperate.

She almost laughed when she caught sight of the small shake of the woman’s head. Clearly, the woman felt as Aleanora did. The princess was above any such rivalry between the two girls. The daughter of a viscountess or a baron was so far below her that she hadn’t even deemed it important to set a lead between the three of them. Aleanora could respect that and would show that she was worthy of the coveted position by simply being superior. 

“Ladies, follow close. We’re going to find the princess and Ser Sabina,” Ser Taenya told them.

Lady Ilyana made sure to keep Lady Lorrena close. Aleanora supposed her rival wasn’t completely incompetent. It was a good thing, as it would make her job less stressful when she didn’t have to perform all the functions alone.  Lady Lorrena’s sole role was simply to be a confidant of the princess. She was too young to take on any other function like those Aleanora or Ilyana could accomplish. The three of them followed the knight as she weaved through the crowd. 

They made their way through the crowd toward the front. As they got closer, they saw the ducal guard was trying to push people back. Aleanora heard some yelling, and suddenly, the crowd started to back up more quickly. She got behind Ser Taenya and followed as the knight started pushing through the crowd that was trying to move back to the sides of the room. 

Ser Taenya stopped abruptly, and Aleanora almost ran into her. Lady Ilyana placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered to her, “I have Lorrena. Stay close to Ser Taenya. People are giving her room.”

“I know what to do,” Aleanora hissed back.

Any reply was cut off by the Knight-Captain speaking with a guard. “Let us through. We are Her Highness’ retainers.”

Aleanora peeked around the woman and up at the sun elf guard who was dressed in the armor of the ducal guard. “Stay back. I don’t care who you are.”

Ser Taenya didn’t budge. She set herself and replied, “Let us through. Now. I will get to my liege, or we will have issues. You are doing your job. Allow me to do mine.”

Aleanora got nervous. She didn’t want to be around any confrontation with the duke’s guards. But Gwyn is a princess. 

“If you do not back up right now you will all be arrested. I don’t care who your liege is,” the guard repeated.

Aleanora steeled herself and stepped to the side of the knight. “You may not care, but Duke Tiloral will when he hears that you accosted the retainers of Princess Gwyneth. I am Lady Aleanora and I will personally make it my life’s goal to ruin yours if you do not let us pass.”

The sun elf looked down at her and scowled. “Your princess is the one who started this mess. Last warning. Back up or–”

Anything he was about to say was cut off by Ser Taenya’s fist. The knight punched him so hard that the sun elf simply collapsed in a crash of metal on stone. Aleanora looked up at the telv woman with wide eyes. She just punched him!

The knight called out to them, “Ladies. Stay together, and give me a bit of space.”

Aleanora looked at Lady Ilyana and saw that her expression looked as shocked as her own. Ilyana nodded at her and Aleanora edged a bit closer to the older girl and as a group, they took a few steps back. 

What did mother get me into?

 

* * *

 

Taenya looked at the next guard after she addressed the ladies behind her. The two guards were already pulling their blades out. She sighed and rolled her shoulders. She glanced over to where Sabina was standing with Gwyn, sword out. Gwyn was looking around at the guards, who had formed a semi-circle around her. There was a noble on the ground clutching his arm. Another guard was standing over him protectively.

The duke had two guards in front of him and Siveril seemed to be speaking excitedly to him and another noble. She also saw Aleanora’s mother next to Siveril. Taenya refocused on what was happening in front of her. The two guards had split up a bit, and the high elf woman to Taenya’s left lifted her blade. 

“Ser knight, you have attacked a member of the ducal guard. Lay down your weapon and surrender,” the woman sneered.

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen. You two are going to step aside and let me get to my liege or you’re going to end up like that guy,” Taenya said while inclining her head toward the unconscious elf she had knocked out. 

She spread her fingers and stretched out her fingers before setting up ready to fight. She didn’t want to pull her blade, but if it came down to them or her princess, Taenya would do it in a second. 

Without saying anything else, the telv man lunged at her and started to swing his blade at her. She stepped forward and caught the blade on her bracer, slid down, and grabbed his wrist. She jabbed him quickly in the side with her other hand, then brought her arm up and threw a hook that connected with his temple. His head jerked back, and she dropped his wrist and grabbed his breastplate at the neck opening to prevent him from falling. 

The guard woman who initially froze from shock, burst into movement. She rushed forward toward Taenya, but the knight just flung the man she was holding at the woman. Taenya managed to get him into the woman’s path and they both collided and fell on top of each other.

She stepped forward past the two, and a few more guards shifted to face her. Sabina looked at Taenya and nodded. Taenya looked at the princess and called out, “Your Highness!”

Gwyn instantly jerked her head toward Taenya and the tension she exhibited visibly lessened. “Taenya!” 

The girl started to move toward her but Taenya put up her hand, and Sabina reached toward the human and put an arm in front of her. “Wait, Your Highness. Let Ser Taenya come to us.”

Taenya looked back and saw the ladies were still at the edge of the crowd. They didn’t look as if they were a part of the House. They would be fine for now. She caught Ilyana’s eye and nodded. The girl hesitantly nodded back. 

Sabina looked at the guards and addressed the one that looked in charge. “You going to tell your people to back off? Or are you going to continue protecting someone who tried to harm my charge?”

Taenya took in the high elf that was on the ground and really looked at him. He had severe burns on his hand and forearm from where his tunic had melted. She wasn’t sure why he hadn’t been moved yet, but a man who looked like a medic or surgeon was examining him. 

She walked closer but stopped when the guards moved toward her as she did. Content the situation had settled into a lull, she asked her second for an explanation. “Sabina, what happened?”

Sabina looked over at the noble on the ground. “That noble had one of his guards hold me up and argue with me, then he–”

“He tried to force me to marry his son! When I said no, he tried to pull me with him to sign a contract. He hurt me and wouldn’t let go, so I made him let go.” Gwyn explained, her tone laced with anger. 

Taenya turned toward the guard that Sabina had addressed and pointed at the burned noble. “He attacked my princess and you have the audacity to defend him?” She stepped forward and called out angrily, “Duke Tiloral, is this how the duchy handles affairs such as this? Do you condone a noble attacking and attempting to force a nine-year-old child into a marriage?”

“Move. Now!” she heard from where Siveril and duke were. 

Taenya watched as the duke pushed past his guards and jerked his head at Siveril, who followed him as they walked toward Taenya. The viscountess started moving toward her daughter and the other two. Good. I approve of the priority.

The duke took control of the situation and addressed his men. “Captain, stand everyone down now. And for Alos’s sake, get the Count to an infirmary. Post a guard, I will speak to him later.” 

He looked between the princess and two knights for a moment before continuing, “Your Highness, could we please retire to my private study?” He gave Siveril a pointed look. “I do believe we have much to speak on.”

Siveril stepped forward. “I too believe it would be of benefit, Your Highness. Especially now.”

Taenya saw Gwyn’s almost imperceptible nod before responding with much less anger than she had shown before. “Let’s go, everyone.”

 

* * *

 

Lady Ilyana stood with Ser Sabina and her fellow ladies-in-waiting as they waited for the princess and her two lead retainers. They were currently in a private discussion with the duke. No guards had rushed in and Taenya hadn’t bust down the door to escape, so Ilyana supposed it was going well.

The two Reinhart knights had impressed her quite a lot. Both women had been ready to fight the entire ducal guard for the princess. However, it was the princess that impressed her the most. The royal had done some type of magic that caused the flash. She heard everyone talking about it. Sabina, however, had shut them down when they tried speaking about it; at least until they returned to the house.

Ilyana whispered to the knight, “Ser Sabina, how much longer until they are finished?”

The knight closed her eyes briefly, then opened and responded, “They are nearly done. Please be patient, Lady Ilyana.”

Ilyana stood and waited. Lady Aleanora didn’t seem nearly as standoffish as normal and she helpfully kept the younger Lady Lorrena close. It seemed the knight was correct because not even five minutes later; the door opened. I have no idea how she did that.

The duke and the three heads of House Reinhart walked with him. Ilyana strained to hear what they were saying.

The duke was speaking to them. “Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness. I will send couriers with what we discussed as recompense for this situation. Siveril, old friend, don’t be a stranger. We live in fascinating times, and I could use your advice again. With your leave, of course, Your Highness.” 

Siveril bowed his head slightly. “I will be back soon. We have much to discuss concerning Her Highness.”

The duke sighed. “Of course.”

The princess looked up at him. “Duke Tiloral?”

The old man smiled. “Yes, Your Highness?”

“Was that your granddaughter sitting behind you?” She asked.

The duke squinted in thought. “Yes, it was. Would you like to meet her?”

“I would! Is that alright?”

“But of course. I will work with Ser Siveril to set up a meeting.” The duke promised.

The princess nodded, satisfied. She turned to the waiting group of ladies. “Let’s go home, everyone.”

Ilyana caught Lady Aleanora… Nora’s attention. Both gave the other a slight nod. 

A new rival appears.