‘Read it in some very old records. Well done rabbit.’ The voice that had told Jemryn what the buzzing was. ‘I will make sure you have those old records.’

‘Bria! Report! We heard screaming.’ The Preceptor was on edge, unable to actually do anything about the situation.

‘We killed someone. The buzzing has stopped and I have just been sick.’

The Preceptor looked at Jemryn. ‘Did the records mention the alarm ceasing?’

‘Um no Sire, but I’d guess that it would stop when all the intruders either left the hall or were...’ Jemryn stopped.

‘Ok lad. Go to the kitchen and organise food and drink. You two!’ he pointed at two of the regular guardsmen. ‘Go with him and help. Leave your weapons on the tables. Ladies. Get yourselves out of there for now. Whatever is in there will keep until full light. Bern! Go and update the boys on the wall. Stop them from worrying.’

A moment later the four girls appeared at the door. Bria wasn’t the only one who had been sick and all four were spattered with blood.

‘Get yourselves to the bathhouse, and scrub yourselves and the armour. Henrik, do you round up some new gambesons for them. Bjarne, do you go with them and guard the door.’

‘We’ll be alright, Preceptor’ said Nia.

‘This could have been directed at you and there could be more attempts. A few extra precautions for now won’t do any harm. Get cleaned up and then back into armour. I’d like a nice hard layer between you and any knives.’

Jemryn appeared back in the doorway. ‘The kitchen has rolls of bread straight from the oven and will send jugs of coffee as soon as they are ready, S... Preceptor.’

‘Very good. I have another errand for you. Go and wake the king and ask that he attends as a matter of urgency.’

‘No need, Preceptor.’ The king’s voice sounded from the doorway into the throne room. ‘I think half the city is awake and in a state of panic after the horns started sounding. What has happened?’

‘An intruder managed to get past Sir Bern and Tapani who were on watch in here and into the Lady’s Hall, triggering a forgotten alarm. The intruder has been killed, but we won’t know more until Bria and her friends get cleaned up and get back here.’

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‘Very good. Sergeant!’ He looked at the leader of the squad of guards. ‘Send for the surgeon from the infirmary and the Loremaster.’

‘As you say, your majesty. No need.’ The Loremaster stepped out of the doorway to the archive. ‘The horns have indeed woken everyone. How may I serve?’

‘Those doors have been closed for centuries with no-one able to enter. How did anyone pass them so easily?’

The Loremaster shrugged. ‘Warding with magic is a tricky business, akin to making nets. The more threads you weave, the more holes you create. No-one has ever really studied the doors or tried to breach the wards.’

‘Never?’ the king was somewhat incredulous.

‘I have given it thought occasionally, but not being able to touch the doors limits my investigation. I believe it is a more complex ward than the one around the tree so I have spent my free time trying to study that as I believe tapping into the tree’s power would be more benefit. Observing the corpse might yield some answers if it can be retrieved.’

‘Very well. I shall send a message when there is more to tell. In the meantime, do give the subject a little more thought. Preceptor! I think we can stand most of these guards down. May I ask why I appear to have another twenty guardsmen standing in a state of readiness around my empty throne?’

‘Ah yes, Sire. It appears there is another door into the Lady’s Hall from the dais that may or may not be sealed and warded. It may be better for that to be guarded for now.’

‘Preceptor, I dislike surprises of this nature. How long have you known of this door?’

‘As do I Sire. About an hour now.’

‘Very well. Stand most of the guards down. I shall leave organising the knights and candidates to you. I see that the kitchen has just delivered coffee. Let’s not let it go cold and we will wait for the ladies.’

The sun was well up before the four girls had scrubbed all the filth off their weapons, their armour and themselves and made themselves presentable.

‘Is anyone hurt?’ was the Preceptor’s first question.

‘No sir, well, apart from the obvious.’

‘Good. Tell us what happened!’

‘We heard the alarm sound and got up, putting on our gambesons as basic protection and our helms so that we could see in the dark. We stole quietly over to the central table where the fancy poleaxes were lying and then stood back-to-back. Nia thought to throw the knife to alert whoever was on guard duty. Once the alarms started sounding, stealth wasn’t an option so we took it in turns to get into full armour. As soon as light started coming in through the roof, the intruder charged us. They ran onto my spike and I flicked them into the air and over my head as we do with the heavy hay bags in training. They landed in front of Nia and she … We had no choice. They charged at us.’

‘Yes. I think we get the picture. I wouldn’t worry about being sick. Most people are, the first time they see real combat. Unfortunately, you will have to clean up the mess and bring out the intruder. No-one else can go in. I suggest you do that now, while you have nothing in your stomachs to bring up. I see Henrik has thought to bring sail cloth. Roll the intruder onto that with training halberds and drag it out. Don’t touch anything with your hands.’

Bria and the others collected training weapons and took the cloth, dragging it back out into the Southern Hall a few minutes later.

‘It’s Kardiss.’ exclaimed Jemryn when the body was uncovered. ‘The ambassador’s assistant.’