Chapter 1: Home
Having been largely isolated from Castle Bowerstone over the last four years, Princess Nora is overjoyed to be home again. But all is not well. Her butler, Jasper, is uneasy and quiet. And her easygoing, childhood friend, Elliot, is grim-faced and serious. What is going on?
Nora stepped down from the carriage into the sunlight and a small smile curled the corners of her mouth. Her brother's men stood at attention along the steps leading up to the castle, their expressions grim, but Nora hardly paid them any mind.
A footman closed the carriage door behind her with a bow and a quiet, "Princess."
Offering a distracted nod in response, Nora ascended the stairs.
Waiting patiently at the top, looking as proper and immaculate as ever, stood Jasper. Eyes twinkling, he offered an impeccable bow. "Welcome home, madam."
Nora smiled in earnest. It was good to be home. Or rather, it was good to be out of that stifling ladies academy in Millfields.
"Today, each of you will return home ladies of Albion," Lady Tidbitter fluttered dramatically, glancing briefly at the princess.
Nora grinned, waving good-naturedly with wide, unladylike gestures.
Lady Tidbitter's tiny, painted mouth to purse in familiar disapproval. "You arrived here," she went on, "little more than silly, awkward school girls; your youthful minds witless and vacant." She shook her head with a long, put-upon sigh, delicately resting the back of her recently-manicured hand against her pale, painted forehead. "It is only by my enduring tutelage and unwavering dedication that most of you," she shot another look at the princess, "have blossomed into shining beacons of poise and elegance."
Raising her unflatteringly-long, pointed nose in the air with pride, the woman suddenly resembled the old stable master's crooked walking staff and Nora snorted.
Lady Tidbitter's self-important daze withered and, scowling, she added indignantly, "May those of you who have proven less than responsive to my strenuous efforts on your behalf be fortunate enough to elicit the attention of some gullible fool to take you to wife." Casting one last look in Nora's direction, she concluded with a spiteful, "Though I expect a generous dowry would not be entirely unwarranted."
"Or a crown," Nora couldn't help but add cheerfully.
Yes, thought Nora with amusement, it is quite good to be home.
"Master Elliot arrived this morning," Jasper was saying as he led her through the pristine halls of the castle toward her chambers. "He was most eager to speak with you."
Nora grinned at the formal butler's questioning side-glance but made no comment.
After a moment Jasper sighed, disappointed. "Oh, very well."
Elliot was Nora's childhood friend, though Jasper had always hoped it would develop into more. The youngest son of a nobleman, Elliot had come to stay at the castle as a boy after his parents had died of a fever. Being only a couple years Nora's elder, they had grown up together. He had been there when her mother, the Hero Queen, had passed away, just as he had been there the day her brother, Logan, had sent her away to finishing school. He was valiant and loyal and absolute rubbish in a fight.
Nora chuckled to herself as Jasper continued, "I expect your trusty companion will be overjoyed to—" The sudden crash of glass and raucous barking nearby drew another weary sigh from the aged butler beside her.
A door further up the corridor swung open with a curse as a furious-looking servant, hunched over and dragging an excited Alsatian by the collar, stopped short and blinked at the princess.
Argos barked excitedly, tugging insistently against his captor.
Nora smiled.
Looking out over the castle gardens from the balcony outside her chambers, Nora sighed. Bowerstone Industrial whirred and clanked along the docks below as her thoughts turned to her brother.
Four years ago, Logan had abruptly sent her away after returning home from one of his excursions overseas. He had offered no explanation or apology but she would never forget the stark lack of emotion in his eyes. Nora had visited regularly enough, but never for long and her brother had rarely granted her an audience.
In truth, they had never been close. Being nearly 15 years her senior, Logan had been a young man away adventuring throughout much of Nora's youth. Even after the Hero Queen's sudden passing, Logan continued to travel, leaving Nora under the ever-watchful supervision of Sir Walter Beck and, of course, Jasper.
Until four years ago…
"I trust you are finding everything satisfactory, madam?"
A corner of Nora's mouth curled upward as she turned to see Jasper standing, starched and stoic, in the doorway. "As always."
Eyes twinkling, the butler offered a gracious bow.
Feigning casual, she asked, "How is my brother?"
Jasper's expression sobered by degrees. "I would… recommend avoiding your brother today, madam," he said warily. "King Logan is rumored to be in a particularly ill temper."
This response was hardly reassuring, but before Nora could inquire further, there was a knock at the door and Jasper politely, if a bit hastily, excused himself to answer it.
Nora followed him back inside.
"Ah," said Elliot a moment later, "I was hoping to gain an audience with our fair princess, good sir."
Nora swallowed her growing concern and forced a smile for her friend.
"It's so good to see you," said Elliot as they meandered through the quiet castle gardens.
Nora looked at her friend. His tone was sincere, but uncharacteristically sober. "What's going on, Elliot?"
Elliot pulled nervously at the lapels of his jacket. "I'm… not sure." Shaking his head, he stopped walking, his voice barely more than a whisper when he said, "Your brother, he—they say he had a factory worker executed this morning."
"What?!" cried Nora, aghast. "Who says? And why?"
Looking helpless, Elliot lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "I'm sure it's only a rumor, but you can imagine how people are reacting." Taking her hand, he stepped closer and at almost the same height, Nora could see the concern in his eyes. "Nora, your brother has changed so much! Sometimes I think… well, that there's something wrong with him. He looks so tired all the time and—"
"Ha! Finally managed to escape that blasted Bigwigger woman, did you?"
Looking embarrassed, Elliot dropped her hand with a startled, "Sir Walter!"
Despite herself, Nora laughed. "Lady Tidbitter," she corrected.
The old knight shrugged good-naturedly. "You keeping up on your training?"
Nora smirked, lifting the top layer of her gown. "In this?" she chuckled.
Walter chortled.
"I think you look lovely," said Elliot, blushing when Walter raised an amused eyebrow in his direction.
Nora snorted. "I feel ridiculous."
Elliot cleared his throat uncomfortably, glancing at Sir Walter, who continued to watch him with a knowing smirk. "Right, well… I'll just let you two catch up." Shuffling his feet, he lifted Nora's hand with a shy smile and softly pressed his lips to her knuckles. "Welcome home, princess."
Too startled to respond, Nora watched him walk away.
Walter chuckled.
Nora turned to him, feeling ever more bewildered. "What is going on?" she breathed in frustration. "Jasper recoils at the very mention of my brother, Elliot's acting strangely and whispering rumors of executions!"
Walter's jovial expression turned grim.
"What's going on?" she asked again, slower this time. "Why is the staff so uneasy and where is the old guard?" Nora gestured wildly at her brother's men standing guard around the castle. Swallowing hard, she hesitated a long moment before asking, "Did Logan really have a man executed this morning?"
Walter exhaled with a sober nod of his head.
"Why?" Nora breathed.
His expression suddenly fierce, he said, "Listen, there's something—"
The unmistakable crack of gunfire echoed off the castle walls, startling a flock of birds into flight and Walter cursed under his breath.
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