A/N: After reviewing my timeline, I think I might have to hold off on a few things I had said before…we'll see Otherwise it won't flow right.

"What exactly happened?" Jane snapped as both the young and elder Macintosh walked in, the servant standing in front of Evey who was on her third cup of chamomile tea – with a touch of the hard stuff. And while it had been effective in calming her down, the girl still had a slight fear, an awareness for things...though sluggish as it was because of the 'hard stuff'.

Magnus looked almost like he didn't want to speak, like admitting his wrong would cause the ceiling to collapse on him. His son, however, after seeing Evey's state – and knowing just how much a 'touch' of the hard stuff she had just by how she looked – stepped up. "She was attacked by a Noble." There was a sneer in his tone at the last word.

Under any other circumstances, Evey would have melted, touched for his concern and disgust for her, even despite the secrets she had discovered. But the mention of the particular noble made her shudder and almost drop the cup.

"How much of this has she had?" Magnus questioned as he picked up half a bottle of amber liquid.

Katherine stepped forward, having been rubbing circles on the Duchess' shoulder, and spoke with her hands clasped tight, as if giving her mistress alcohol was bad. "We couldn't calm her down any other way. She kept crying and swinging at us…it's just enough to make her…sleepy."

"Why was the Duchess attacked?! How could you let this happen?!" Jane, the mother figure with claws, snapped as she stood before Lord Macintosh, forgetting her place entirely for the sake of voicing outrage. "You knew! Our Lady told you! She told you about Blair and you ignored her! You trusted blindly and now look at what almost happened! What if she had been..." this was the only time she faulted, hissing the word, "raped?!"

At any other time, Lord Macintosh would have scowled and perhaps shouted down the servant who dared speak up against him – and before an audience too! But the reality of the situation had sunk in and on some level, he knew the woman before him was right. Still, he stood straighter and inhaled, puffing out his chest. In the light from the fireplace, he looked like an old man, filled with regret. Quite accurately too.

"But she wasn't." Vailean spoke up again where his father had failed. "Maybe…we all need to go to sleep." His eyes darted between the servant and his father. The only thing saving that woman from more than a sharp word from him was the fact that Jane had spoken to his father, who apparently did not value pride so much as he once did.

Just then, Evey stood. Wobbly, but still, she stood to diffuse the situation. "That's enough…what…will happen to him now?"

"If he lives," Magnus stepped back and turned to look at Evey, grateful he didn't have to stare at the steel-eyed woman, "he will be put under arrest for attacking a royal member."

"Only for me?!" Evey hiccupped, covering her mouth and trying not to fall back. "Why not the German servant? What about her, Magnus? What…what justice will…" she had to lean upon Marian.

Macintosh shook his head. "Until she says she was attacked…"

"Then ask her! Surely someone…has to speak German, otherwise…" Evey stopped, trying to get the wheels in her head to work. "How did she get here?"

Magnus stepped forward and nodded to the chair, signaling Marian to get her to sit. When Evey was seated once more, he explained, "Her family came here for protection…her parents have long since passed. Other than that, I don't know."

"Ask her. And make sure…" Again Evey stopped dead. She looked around, almost falling off the chair in the process. "Where is she? I told her to come here…lock herself in my room or…or come here."

There was a brief moment of stillness in the room. "Well?!" She tried to shout. Katherine jumped and ran to the other connecting room to check. As she did, the Duchess tried to finish her original thought. "If we ask…and she says yes…Blair will be charged with that too?"

Magnus nodded. "Good...for now…I wish to bathe…and sleep. Good night, my lord. Vailean."

With the more days spaced between the attack and the present, Evey grew back to her normal confident self, no longer so jumpy. Of course it had helped when she was told that Blair would be charged with attacking both her and the servant. So when a week had passed, Evey had taken upon herself to both re-instate her sword lessons with Magnus and to roam the market, get the people to know her. Grow accustomed to her.

And for the first couple days, she enjoyed it. She liked being able to leave the castle, to socialize with those who would one day support her as she, and her betroth, would protect them. But every now and again, she would see the woman…Vailean's love. And she would flinch.

It got to the point where it plagued her mind. She wondered just what she lacked that the girl had. And the more she thought of it, the more the answer became obvious: the girl was…a girl. She knew not how to sword fight or shoot arrows…she was no threat to Vailean.

Although Evey always loved her education, loved her ability to defend herself, she suddenly wondered…why. Why did she receive such a precious curse? She decided to write to her mother and ask, all without mentioning the other woman.

And for the next week as she waited, Evey went on with her life. It was only the day when Magnus said he would have an announcement for everyone at dinner did she receive a reply.

My Dearest Daughter,

I receive your letter is excellent health, as I hope you will receive mine. Your father developed a cold over this winter and the snow, like the rain, has yet to stop. Still, our ships sail free of any ice and deliver this letter to you.

You ask, why did I even offer you the deal, a Prince's Education for your obedience?

You were never an unruly child so it was not strictly bribery. The truth is, when I was your age, I knew quite well how to fight with a sword. I knew how to shoot decently with a bow. And I had just been in the middle of shocking the last bit of my mother's hair gray by learning the most unladylike sport: hand-to-hand combat. Yes, you read that correctly.

But then, much to my family's relief, I met your father…and to be honest, I fell in love.

Suddenly starting a family with him was more important to me than how to dodge a fist. Yet as I grew older, as you grew older, I wanted to teach you what I knew. Alas, my skills had grown rusty and I realized with a little bit of horror that I had forgotten more of what I was taught.

So I hired the best teachers in London to teach you while I observed. Your father and I agreed that if you learned the way a Prince would, so long as you submitted to marriage on your agreed upon birthday, you could swing any sort of sword if you wished.

The short answer, my dear Evey, is…I fell in love and now I live vicariously through you.

Your Mother,

The Duchess Helena of Saxon

Preview:
NEXT Chapter for sure!: Spring is almost here! And that means so is the wedding! And by custom – and for the ability to brag of land, money, and beauty he is receiving – Lord Macintosh invites the other clans to come over for dinner. Yup, introduce Merida and the others!

And oh yeah, Evey is the only one oblivious to the previous attempted courtship that Vailean tried on Merida (AKA, the movie).

Also…could this possibly have any problems in the future or explain anything in the past (hint, hint, a few choice words in Chapter 1?) :P