Chapter 1
The curve of her hips swung slightly when she walked, accented by the drape of silk over slender thighs and calves.
"Darling, the carriage is waiting!" a glance over her shoulder seemed to accentuate her haste, and her wry grin gave way to her illusive flight.
"Don't get your hose in a knot Maureen! The ceremony will not start without us." A young man rode up on a pretty chestnut mare. The stubborn set of his mouth matched that of the young woman standing before him. "Sister dear, you are a player after my own heart." His brown eyes were alight with mirth, yet another characteristic they shared.
"Milord, milady, you must not leave the fief unescorted! What would the Lady Adrianna say? Twisting a handful of apron in her pudgy little hands, a short, red-faced woman clamored down the walk towards the waiting carriage.
"Oh hush Lydia," Lady Maureen and I are more than capable of looking after ourselves!" The young lord rode up and leapt off of his mare with a flourish. "We'll be fine," he said, albeit not very convincingly, "don't worry about us, we've given you enough gray hairs already." Grasping her shoulders firmly between calloused hands he kissed her on both cheeks with a gallant bow before mounting up ad heading towards the road.
"Well, well I never…" she stuttered in indignation. "Lord Jason!" her mock cry of anger was ruined by the fist she shook at him. The other was pressed to her burning cheeks. "You will be the death of me one day!"
Lady Maureen's tinkling laughter carried across the courtyard of Fief Tieren, stopping only when she allowed herself to step into the waiting carriage.
"Finally," she said with a sigh, "now I can take off these dratted shoes!"
"Same old Mo," a voice answered snidely, "that's why I don't wear them." Another young woman dropped lightly from her perch near the roof of the carriage with a smirk. "Are you ready to have some real fun?"
The woman's arrival was met with a glare, and a shoe aimed at her head. Although she felt the wind race by after the offending article, the woman merely bared her teeth in a silent laugh. "Some things never change," she taunted smugly, "next time aim a little more to the right."
"Gods I missed you," Maureen groaned, "without you I have to take drastic measures in keeping Jace in line."
"I resent that!" retorted the man in question. "It is you who requires keeping sister."
Their mysterious guest merely continued pulling on her riding boots, ignoring her friend's child-like banter.
"So Lady Catherine, to what do we owe the bitter pleasure of your company? I know you are not planning on attending the midsummer ceremonies with us."
Jace's yelp carried when a booted foot emerged from the carriage to connect with his horse's rump.
"Same old Catherine," he muttered darkly, after getting his mount back under control.
"In all seriousness, I bring a message to the Lord and Lady of House Teiren. Queen Thayet requires your presence at the palace immediately. I have been sent to make sure that you don't get lost along the way." The quirk of her eyebrow betrayed the courier-like tone with which she spoke. She turned to Maureen with a whoop of joy, "Saddle up my friend, in two days time we will reach Port Legann, from there, we ride!"
In a moment, Maureen had her gown over her head and reached down with deft hands to secure well-used leggings.
"Glad to see that Jace didn't let you get too lazy whilst I was gone," Catherine remarked with a grin. "Tell me Mo, tell me you missed me!"
With an exasperated sigh for the use of her childhood nickname, Maureen reached down and pulled two flat daggers from the sheaths adorning her thighs and spun them experimentally.
"Sure I missed you," she snickered, "about as much as I miss my monthlies!"
"Now who's bickering?" Jace remarked snidely.
Aside from Catherine's arrival, the carriage ride was rather uneventful, and it took a substantial amount of time to reach Port Legann. Unfortunately for her two travel partners, Lady Catherine was not exactly known for her patient disposition.
"Maureen, please tell me that this is your personal carriage." Catherine couldn't help but let a hint of a whine slip into the question.
"Now Cat, why should it matter if this is my carriage or not?" Although Lady Maureen meant this statement to be a verbal parry, subtly was not known to be her strongest point and she did not excel at the art of feigning indifference.
Lord Jace choose that moment to ride up and tweak Maureen's nose.
"Jace!" she screeched, nearly tumbling off of the carriage bench as she tried to grab him, albeit unsuccessfully.
"I'll take that as a yes then?" One look at her red-faced friend had her rolling with laughter. Reaching into her travel bag, calloused hands surrendered a worn cotton handkerchief, which Maureen grabbed with manicured fingers.
"What say you my friend?" Catherine cocked her head to the side in obvious challenge. "Care to have a go? A twist of her arms sent the comfortable weight of tempered metal sliding down to sit securely in her palms.
"Show off," Maureen murmured demurely, commenting on the armbands, which held Catherine's favorite blades in place. Her own court attire did not allow for more than the two sheaths lying flat against her thighs, but her personal carriages were more than well equipped to handle trouble. Maureen slipped her hand alongside the wooden bench upon which they sat, until she felt the hidden catch. As the panel of wood behind her calves rose, Catherine's grin deepened. If the flash of steel was any indication of just how well stocked her standard mode of transportation was, than she was prepared indeed. Reaching down, Maureen grasped the handle of a long sword and passed it to the woman sitting across from her.
"It's beautiful," Catherine murmured, running her thumb along the blades edge. The application of pressure caused the cream of her flesh to split like butter.
"You've bled on it," Maureen replied with a rueful grin, "now she's yours."
Catherine's answering smile was absolutely infectious as she explored her new toy. "I dub thee Lyric!" she proclaimed, "and we shall make beautiful music together. Mo, are you up for a go?"
Maureen flexed her wrists slowly, rolling her shoulders to free muscle tension.
"I'll take that as a yes," said Catherine teasingly, with glee in her eyes. "Let's see if Jace has kept you limber!" Staring down at Maureen's tightly laced bodice, she felt a chuckle slip out over her lips.
"Laugh now," replied Maureen darkly as she pulled at the lacings. "You'll take that back in a minute!" Catherine merely smiled and leapt from the carriage interior, taking the opportunity to climb onto the roof and enjoy the view.
A few moments later say Lady Maureen making that same trek to the roof, outfitted in a loose fitting cotton blouse and leather jerkin over breaches and well-used boots. A naked sword hung in her hand, and she looked far more comfortable than in her silk ceremonial gown.
Lord Jace laughed comfortably from his position outside of the carriage. He was used to his sister's love of adventuring, and knew that she was more than able to take care of herself. Besides, he found himself thinking, now that there are two of them, it's worth a few extra pains to keep them happy. A woman with a sword was bad enough, but two sisters of his… His thoughts trailed off, that was simply too much to handle!
Almost as if the girls had intruded upon his inner musings, a flying dagger nearly clipped his ear, pulling off his riding cap with a whistle.
"Mithros!" he swore, glancing towards the carriage. The girls had begun a match, jumping and whirling upon the roof of the carriage in an intricate dance. A sheen of sweat hung upon Catherine's forehead, while Maureen laughed with joy at her poor attempt to parry a blow to the chest.
"Jace, be a dear and pass back my dagger," Catherine called down, trying to catch her breath, "I seem to have dropped it!"
He reached down to pick up his hat and placed the dagger in his own scabbard. "And give you more tools with which to use against me? I think not!" His heart longed to join them in their game, but he did not trust the woods through which they were riding.
A canopy of trees gave way to rays of sun warming their backs and necks, but the forest of oak and cedar rose dauntingly on either side of their small party. Lord Jace had brought with them neither mail, nor men at arms, counting only on Lady Maureen's man servant Philippe, and his own man, Ralon. The two had been with them since their births, and were undoubtedly loyal to the siblings and to House Tieren.
The men in question sat in the front of the carriage, reigns in hand, talking of Port Legann and political intrigue. Hand picked by their father, his Grace, the Duke Aaron of Tieren, the men had received their training under the tutelage of none other then the Provost himself. Philippe had worked fifteen years in the inner city, and had seen more trouble than he'd care to admit, and Ralon had guarded the Naxon's eldest daughter before she had been married off. They'd had their share of combat, and were more than equipped to handle a fight, should one arise.
The clanging of metal upon metal was met with high voiced retorts and aggravated screeches.
"How dare you!" That would be Catherine's voice, "sneaking up on me from behind like a common thief!"
"Just because you're not fast enough, don't take it out on me!" Maureen's hair had fallen from its immaculate pile atop her head and the escaped trendles were framing her grin, pressed against her face like the strings of an errant headdress. Catherine was crouched in a fighter's position, muscles straining against the exertion of balancing atop a moving carriage, her eyes glowed with joy and adrenaline.
Jace could not help but laugh at the sight, while love bloomed in his heart. This rag tag family of theirs, they were beautiful. He would do whatever was needed to be done to keep them safe!