captain of the Telishan guard was woke up by one of Lady Kathline’s servant’s who happened to also be his daughter. Da…Da? Come see wha’s ‘appened. The Lord’s fumin’ an’ you migh’ wanna be in the castle to speak for mi lady.” The captain looked through the nearby window and judged it to be an hour before dawn. He knew how fond his daughter was of the Lady after all, they were raised together. So although he knew the Lady could speak for herself, he would go to the castle for his daughter’s sake.
“Oh all right, I’m up. I hope you know that whenever that lady o’ yer’s is in trouble you speak like yer from the streets.”
“Oh don’t worry da; I can speak all refined like. The Lady taught me. I just forget sometimes.” She said this with the most refined air she could muster and couldn’t help but laugh at herself as she left her father’s room.
When Hamul, the captain, and his Daughter reached the castle, Lord Falon had just finished ranting to Raul, his personal servant, and was making his way to Lady Kathline’s chamber, all the while complaining about his insubordinate, willful daughter. A crowd of servants gathered fretfully behind him with Hamul and Raul in front. They all had a soft spot for their dear Lady, who treated everyone equally no matter their station. “Would anyone here know what to do with a daughter who refuses to marry the best possible husband a man can wish for his daughter to marry?” The Lord was addressing the walls around him without even seeing the crowd he had drawn. “Oh. Wait I’ve got it. I could send her to be a priestess. Yes that will do. She’ll agree to anything if I tell her that her only other choice is to become a priestess.” The Lord was pleased with his resolution and opened Kathline’s door. The crowd held their breath while the door creaked open and a gasp escaped everyone when the door opened to reveal an empty room. The bed was neatly made as Kathline has made it every morning since she was five and her night gown was neatly folded in the center with a piece of paper laying on it. Nobody was able to move or speak for a good five minutes then slowly Hamul’s daughter stepped forward and gently grabbed the gown and the paper. She unfolded the paper fearing what it had to say and handed it to Lord Falon. She took the gown with her when she walked past Lord Falon.
Took the paper with trembling hands and read it. He sometimes paused on a sentence just to make sure he had read it right and when he continued his eyes grew. It read as follows:
To my Dearest Father,
I have come to the conclusion that the only way for you to fully understand how I feel about this marriage is for me to do something memorable. I have chosen to run away. I will not return until I am married to the man of my choice. I might have agreed to marry the prince if I didn’t know that he is arrogant, egotistical, and cruel to his servants. I hope that you understand and don’t worry, I will be fine. Please don’t send any one after me because they won’t find me. Oh and when Dear Prince Christopher arrives please give him my regards and inform him that I have been kidnapped and I have disappeared and will never be found and even if I am I will never consent to marry him.
With much love,
Lady Kathline of Telisha
Lord Falon roared with anger, “Guards… Guards!!” Hamul, being in front of the crowd was by his lord’s side instantly. A few others joined him after fighting their way through the crowd. “I want Telisha turned inside out and the whole forest searched until she is found. If she is not here before the Prince arrives, I’ll have your heads.” He stormed out of the room amidst the flurry of servants and guards in their attempt to stay out of the infuriate lord’s reach. The guards that were present soon took up arms and aroused the Calvary to comb the woods.
Hamul watched men pour out of the stables mounting their horses as they came “Birkley, take your men to the northeastern border of the forest. Search a fifty mile radius and report back every ten minutes. Jackson, do the same at Crystalline Falls. Franky your men will stay and search the town…” He carried on until each of the 20 lieutenants had a place to go, even those who were in charge of the men coming off night duty. “Hurry up you lazy bumpkins, the sooner you find her, the sooner you get breakfast.” Before the men left, a man from night duty was brought in front of Hamul.
“Sir this man was found asleep on gate guard.” The man before Hamul was a man who had never fallen asleep in the 30 years he had been a guard. Even his children had never fallen asleep on guard duty. Hamul reprimanded the man while the men sat on restless horses. After a ten minute reprimand he looked up and sent the men on their way. The man that had been asleep on the wall was to stay with him.
When the men were gone he spoke quietly to the man. “So I’m sure you have some explanation for going to sleep. I know you; you wouldn’t fall asleep at the wall.”
Timidly the man replied, “I can’t remember even going to guard duty last night, but when the lieutenant woke me, I found that the gate was still locked. I may remember something later but I just remember a fog.”
“Well you had better get breakfast and if you remember anything come here immediately.” Hamul felt pity for the man as he watched him leave because if he didn’t remember something soon, he would lose his job.