Walter had come down very early that morning. He had ordered for Head guard Holden as he settled for breakfast. Helen had not come down yet as she had not slept too well the previous night; tossing and turning and muttering in her sleep. One second to truly listen, and he knew it must be a nightmare about him going off to war.

Guard Holden arrived and made a reluctant salute, causing Walter to smile.

“Do you know why I’ve called you?” Walter asked.

“No, my lord,” Guard Holden answered.

“Lady Steinhouse, she would have had you dismissed but I refused. Do you know why?” Walter asked. The guard secretly rolled his eyes. In his mind, Walter was trying to buy him to his side.

“You are loyal to her, so I have every reason to keep you. I’m going away for a while and I need someone as loyal to do something for me while I’m gone,” Walter said, but the guard maintained his blank face.

“When I’m gone, some people will come for Helen, powerful people. They will try to take her. If that happens,…” Walter started to say.

“I will protect her!” Guard Holden declared bravely.

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“Don’t bother, you can’t,” Walter said and the guard frowned.

“With all due respect…” he started to protest.

“You have some sort of accomplishment in martial arts, don’t you? Then you should know there are people who can level the capital with a glance if they wish it. Do you still think you can fight them?” Walter asked and the guard swallowed. Walter had never seen such people before, but he had been reading the document Lady Wickshire had given to him; he had enough imagination.

“Those are the kind I refer to. They will come for her, and none of you will be able to stop them; so don’t try. I gave her something. If she fails to show it, remind her to reveal it if you see the situation taking a bad turn. She may not have taken it seriously, what I gave her. You must remind her to show the pendant. Am I clear?” Walter asked and the guard nodded.

Walter knew that Helen was not in the right frame of mind when he had given it to her, and wanted to make sure someone else knew what it was for. After having his breakfast, with the guard standing at the corner watching him, he stood up and looked in the direction of the stairs to her chambers.

“I guess she is not awake yet…” he said with a sigh. He knew she would cry a bucket if she woke up and he had already left. He turned to the head guard and sighed at the suspicious look in the man in his eyes.

“Tell her I have gone. I will be back when…well, it matters not,” he said and the guard reluctantly saluted.

“Let’s go,” the guard had heard him say and wondered who he was talking to; when a shadow flashed and a dark-skinned man clad in black, was suddenly walking behind Walter. Probably Walter did it intentionally; but either way, it made the guard take more seriously what Walter had said to him. Looking at that man in black, he knew he was dangerous. It seems our new lord is not so simple, he thought.