Treason was one of the things Kel found most unacceptable. To turn against your country, to sell out to your enemies, she couldn't even attempt to understand. But then again, Lord Drazen had long been known to be a disgusting man, his appetite for young women and his lust for power just two of his more disgusting aspects.
His keep showed neglect, and yet his quarters were draped with every extravagance imaginable. His people had been trodden into the ground with unfair tariffs and a streak of cruelty that was just another example of his character. Malnutrition and disease rampant amongst the children who should have been playing in the snow. Guards who had been hired to protect the keep tormenting the men who were trying to go about their business and terrifying their daughters. This was not a nice place to say the least.
Lord Drazen had been caught in the act, completely unaware of Kel's approach or his wife's betrayal, he had been in the midst of drinking himself into a stupor in front of his Scanran allies. The Scanran's were slightly more in control of themselves, their leader knowing he had come for a reason, but they were still drunk enough to render their attempts to scatter when they realised what was happening useless.
They had found four young children, Drazen's own daughters, alone in a kitchen, eyes filled with pain and hunger. The eldest, who couldn't have been older than eight herself, was clutching the smallest child to her, whilst the other two huddled behind her, as if this was a familiar situation. Kel's attempts to comfort them were genuine, but fell short of the mark, she was strange to them, and she didn't quite know what to say to them. They had been brought to their mother along with the twin boys who lived in adjoining quarters to their father, not yet old enough to walk, but already surrounded by such luxuries that most would never know.
But it was the mother herself, Liliane, who caused Kel the most discomfort. She was the one who had caused such a sense of unease before they approached the keep, and even now, that sense was still strong.
She was of a similar age to Kel, but that was where the similarities stopped. The "long" hair that had been bothering Kel earlier was nothing compared to the black locks that surrounded Liliane's petite frame. Dark hair was matched by dark eyes, sunken with lack of sleep and food into a gaunt face. And although Kel wasn't unattractive, she had seen enough court beauties presented in balls to know that she wasn't one of them. Liliane, without the hours of preparation and expensive dress, without the hours spent of hair and accessories, and without the excitement dancing in her eyes as she heard her name called, beat all of the court beauties Kel had ever seen hands down. She was so small and fragile, looking as though she might break if you touched her, her skin was so pale, and yet she shone. And despite her apparent frailness, a strength surrounded her, knowing that he was gone, and she dominated without effort.
Kel's words were halted and quiet without her realisation, she was simply hushed by the woman she was talking to. And the sense of recognition from earlier was growing. So as she thanked her for her information and service to the crown, and went through the procedures she had been taught were required, her mind was elsewhere entirely, trying to work out why it was that this woman bothered her so.
She spent the majority of her time at Sparrows Creek avoiding Liliane, putting in the work necessary so that the keep was prepared for the arrival of the King. He was to preside over the trial of Lord Drazen, who had been tortured for information in the meantime. The men from Scanra, who had been denounced as rebels almost immediately, were facing the same fate.
Almost unconsciously, she avoided Neal and Tobe, but the amount of work they had to do prevented much contact anyway. But the most disturbing moment came after the executions. She hated executions anyway, always had, and so had kept close to Neal throughout it, whose feelings were pretty much the same. As they were packing up to leave, Kel wanted to go back to Corus to see some of the pages, Kel received a message that Liliane had requested to see her. Hardly able to say no, she hit Neal, who had been making a joke her hair, again, and made her way up the stairs.
Liliane had kept her room despite its location and relative lack of comfort. Her daughters were currently camped out on her bed, looking ill at ease, still not comfortable with the woman who they knew to be their mother, but that they knew very little about otherwise. The boys were in a crib in the corner, asleep for the moment.
Kel entered, still not feeling comfortable, but knowing that once this was done she could leave.
"Lady Keladry, do come in." They eyed each other for a moment, both aware of the others strength of mind. But Liliane had a purpose, and it was going to be fulfilled. "The King has appointed me the Lady of Sparrows Creek until the boys are adults." The statement came out as a question, testing how much Kel knew.
Kel nodded, this had been her recommendation, there was no reason why Liliane should not keep her position, it was her co-operation that had made the discovery of Lord Drazen's treason possible.
"I wanted to thank you for that. Thank you for saving us," she gestured at her daughters. "And I have one further favour to ask of you. The boys, I want you to take them to the City of the Gods."
Kel was shocked to say the least, this was not at all what she had expected. "But they're too young, they can't be taken their."
"They cannot stay here Kel, Lord Drazen had allies, it is not safe for them here. I cannot take them, there is too much to do, but I do not know who to trust." Her words were heartfelt. Lord Drazen would've had allies who weren't caught, and the boys would be at risk from them.
Kel, seeing the truth in this, reluctantly agreed. She did not want to do this, she had other things to do, people she wanted to see, but she had taken an oath, and she would do this. She left to finish packing, promising that she would get the boys later and deliver them to the City of the Gods where they could be safe.
"Thank you," Liliane murmured as Kel left. That she meant sincerely. With the boys gone, it would be easy to account for her innocence when they died. And it would make things so much easier. She looked across at her daughters with a smile. They could be a family again.