The Library was a place of silent study and light whispers. This particular library was the largest and most extensive in the country, and none but a select few were granted entry. That being the case, this wing of the Royal Palace was drenched in silence for the majority of the year, the only – rare – comings and goings being that of a councillor looking for a reference to a case, or perhaps – even more of a rarity – one of the royal family would sit and read for a time.
At one bell to dawn, in a far corner of this large and illustrious library, there came a noise that was rarely heard. Curses, fouler than a drunken sea captain could utter rang out, bilingual and vehement. Knock, knock, knock. The repeated sounds of something solid hitting a stone wall followed shortly after. The male who had shouted so shockingly before could now be seen, if one were to be in that particular aisle, repetitively knocking his own head against the stone, books and pieces of ages-old parchment surrounding his boot-clad feet.
"Why?! Why can't I find it?" Neal hissed, finally putting his now throbbing head between his Gifted fingers, easing the ache he'd caused himself.
He'd been searching for over a year for the conclusion to his book. Ever since he had met Keladry of Mindelan he'd been intrigued by her spirit and her daring, and he'd wondered if all Lady Knights had been like her. He'd then met Lady Alanna, his Knight Master, and found the same spirit and the same stubbornness.
After he'd received his shield, he'd realised he had so much more extra time on his hands, and didn't quite know what to do with himself.
The Scanran war had come, and before he'd left, he'd taken – with King Jonathan's permission – a bundle of Histories, tomes that were old and recounted events for a thousand years back, although there were hundreds of the books, he could only take (he was going into a war) three of these volumes. He'd chosen smaller, more compact books, so he could keep them safe in his saddle-bags at all times (he didn't even want to think about such Histories being lost because of him).
And during his time at Haven, and then New Hope, he had read and began writing about his newly-acquired knowledge, and before he knew it, and without even meaning to, he'd realised he had begun to write what he came to title The Lady, a Complete History of Tortall's Fighting Women.
After two years spent on the border, the war had been won (with no small amount of help being given by the second Lady Knight of their age) and Neal had returned home to Corus, and home to the Library where he would find all the information on Lady Knights he could wish for. Except the last twenty.
He knew there had been approximately twenty more Lady Knights in residence at the palace when the last woman he researched, Lady Knight Sabella of Jesslaw died. In her husbands' funeral address, he had noted "And to the Twenty women here today, all the women our Crown has left, know that she loved you all. Your sisterhood is not broken by her passing; the Distaff Border still gleams strong on your shields. She died because of treachery, but you twenty stopped her murderer, and for this, I thank you."
Lady Sabella had died in an assassination, whilst at a public arching event in King's Reach. From what he'd found, the man who had killed her had been killed by Knights but never questioned, so the purpose of the assassination was never known.
He had only found the name of one of the last Twenty. Her name had been Lady Knight Rea. But that was all he found of her. And he had found her name, documented some 100 years after her death in a Public Record, that of a birth, a noble man had reported the birth of his daughter, as was custom, but had written a little note (obviously a very welcome birth) "And she was named after the last Lady Knight, she will be like her in nature, but fight not for the country, but for a wealthy man!".
He had found that reference half a year ago and still, he could not find anything else of her, or of her companions. She had to be important. He had to know why. Why did women like all the Knights he had researched disappear? What was it about Rea and the other nineteen Knights that caused women to stop following in their footsteps?
"Neal! I didn't know you were at the Palace, I was sure you must have gone to visit the Swoop with Alanna, I haven't seen you in days!"
Neal sat across from the Lady Knight in the Mess Hall, eyes half-lidded with a gloomy expression written across his face.
"I've been in the library."
"For six days?" She sounded disbelieving.
"For six days." She was silent a moment.
"What were you doing in the Library for so long?"
"None of your business Kel." Neal hadn't told anyone about the book, because it was to be a gift to Kel. He'd make a copy for himself, and one for the library, and then perhaps he would produce another dozen to be put in various places, probably one for Lady Alanna also.
He glanced up to see how she had taken his answer and was surprised to see she was eating thoughtfully. He'd hoped to discourage her but it seems she was actually trying to figure it out. Which wouldn't bode well for him.
"Myles, you should really stop drinking." Neal said, looking down sternly at the man sitting in a hospital bed before him. Neal worked in the infirmary for most of the day before researching as his shift ended, and this was the second time this week Sir Myles had been in for a headache potion.
"You shouldn't lecture me; an old man is allowed his pleasures. And it was a special occasion." Neal raised an eyebrow, something he noticed he'd picked up from Alanna.
"It was my lovely wife's birthday last night; of course we had to celebrate!" Neal just smiled and handed him a hot cup of tea filled with a blend of herbs, and smirked as Sir Myles winced at the taste. It was always the best part of giving people medicines, watching their reactions to the taste.
Neal moved away from the bed toward his desk, one of his research books opened to one of the last few pages.
That day was a day of awakening and great sadness. When the Olau banner with the distaff border was flown at half mast atop the palace, all knew of her passing. All knew what had befallen her. All knew there would be no other like her, like them, and all knew they would never let another daughter rise to that rank again.
Neal's eyes widened and his brain whirled. He'd found her again! Or one of the Twenty, at least. The last one! He'd found the one who had died last. She was so important that she had her flag flown at the palace, when none but the Royal flag had adorned the spot in any records he had ever read of. Olau. Olau!
"Myles! I need to go to your library in Olau! Or if you have any books here, I need to see them!" The spymaster looked pained at the request.
"Only if you stop your Mithros' accursed yelling!"
Myles's private library held no history of its previous knights, but a trip to Olau had been planned for the following day. Neal was understandably anxious, and he paced in his room, his The Lady, a Complete History of Tortall's Fighting Women gripped in his hands. He knew that whatever he found at Olau would reveal what had happened to the Twenty. He had been working on this history for the past seven years. The end was in his sights.