While we lived with Aunt Achren, we got to know all her servants, the castle, and grounds quite well. Aunt Achren never allowed us to go very far unaccompanied, and certainly not into the city, always asking: 'Now what would I tell your father if something happened to you?'

Three weeks later, as promised, Bronwyn was at the door, waiting to take us home. To our surprise, Aunt Achren decided to accompany us. She left one of her counselors in charge while she was gone, and had her own carriage readied to accompany us.

As we sat in the carriage on the way home, Kate and I chattered happily over our three weeks. We told her about learning to read and write, and exploring the castle.

When we had finally talked ourselves out, Bronwyn asked, 'What did you two do to upset her?'

'Nothing,' Kate said. 'We´ve been good, haven´t we Lucia?'

I nodded in agreement. 'We didn´t do anything. We only broke one crystal glass and one plate on accident, and we didn´t ever get very dirty.'

'Hmm,' Bronwyn said. 'Something is troubling your Aunt, and no mistaking that. Troubling her greatly I might add. I saw it in her eyes when she met me at the door, and she wouldn´t have decided to come with us, instead of sending a letter, unless there were something wrong.'

Kate and I fell silent at that. We had not done anything to provoke our Aunt´s anger, so far as I could see.

That night as Bronwyn led us to bed, we passed by my father´s study, where he was talking to our aunt. We all stopped at the sound of raised voices.

'I strongly suggest that you let your daughters live with me permanently, instead of for a few weeks every time you need to go away,' Aunt Achren said. 'Or keep them yourself, Rhyan.'

'Why is this so important to you that they are one place or the other permanently?' our father said.

'Your daughters are five, nearly six already!' Aunt Achren exclaimed. 'How do you expect them to ever learn what they need to know, if they are forever shuttled from one place to another?'

'They´re only five, they have plenty of time,' our father said.

'You should know better than to say things like that!' Aunt Achren spat. 'I may be old and out of the loop in some people´s books, but I still know that most royal families train their daughters and sons from a young age. And the nobles and merchant classes are always eager to rise to the next level, and have their children at the very least maintain the same level, but you know how they clamor for our attention, and seek to have their children marry into royal families.'

Father sighed. 'I suppose you´re right,' he said. 'But we have to be careful. We can´t push them too far, or they will hate us, and become sullen and stubborn.'

'You think I don´t know how to manage people?' Aunt Achren said.

'So what do you suggest?' Father asked. 'Is it too much of a burden for them to be with you?'

Bronwyn did not allow us to hear the rest of the conversation, hustling us off to bed. Neither Kate nor I slept normally that night. We were still disturbed by the fight, that our almost six year old brains could not understand. The next morning, however, we did begin to understand.