She kicked her leather padded legs off the embrasure of the battlement. Sitting calmly on the edge of the tallest tower in the castle a soft breeze blew through her murky blonde hair, chilling her rosy cheeks. She took a deep breathe and let out a soft sigh while her deep blue eyes soaked in the surrounding sun kissed plains. It was then that a man clad in chainmail, iron gauntlets, boots and cloth approached from the tower stairs behind her.

"My lady Seraphina," he huffed as he jogged to the top of the stairway. "Your father has summoned you to his office."

She sighs, looking down at her swaying legs.

"For what purpose does my father wish to see me?"

"He was made aware of your activities upon the ramparts my lady," he answers firmly having now recovered his breathe. "I believe he intends to reprimand you again."

A moment passes before she lunged upwards balancing herself carefully on the battlement. The man behind her raised his hands towards her as if to catch her, his face drenched in fear and worry.

"My lady pl-"

"Worry not, Gareth," she interrupted as she jumped down to safety. "I've not fallen before, I'll not now."

Seraphina walked past Gareth and down the towers spiralling staircase. The cold grey of the stone walls brought little comfort as she prepared herself mentally for another argument with her father. She passed the doors to the walls and continued down unto the ground floor were she emerged from the tower and stood at the edge of the interior farm. She inhaled deeply through her nose before lightly jogging along the farm fence until she came upon a stone path. From there she followed the path through the inner gate and towards a manor that resembled a small fortress more than an actual manor.

Once inside, her fathers guards greeted her with smiles and subtle nods before she climbed the polished wooden stairs. Standing outside her fathers office for a moment she played the events to come in her head over and over again. Her hand raised slowly, forming a fist when before she reached the coarse wood of the door a voice called from the other side.

"Enter."

The heavy door creaked open as Seraphina pushed her way through. Her father sat behind his desk reading from a parchment as she closed the door behind her. The fireplace beside her father roared brightly, blessing the room with radiant warmth. On the other side of course, was her fathers collection of parchments, scrolls and even a few books organised onto three shelves.

Rocking back and forth on her feet with her hands stretched back she asked, "You wished to speak with me father?"

"How many times must I ask you not to risk your life playing on the walls?" he asked throwing the parchment onto his desk and directing his full attention towards her.

"I don't know," she shrugged.

"Please daughter, how many times must I ask you?" he frowned through his silver hair.

Seraphina retorted, "Perhaps now you have an understanding of how unheard I feel."

Her father fixes his black fur coat as he stands from his chair. His towering demeanour slightly intimidated Seraphina.

"I have heard you my child but that is not the life your mother wanted for you."

"What about what I want?" she exclaimed stepping forward. "What of the life I want to live? Have you no concern for the wishes of your living daughter?"

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Her father glared down at her through a furrowed brow, his lips pierced together thinly. Seraphina stood back, fully understanding how much she had just upset her father.

"That's not what I meant..." she said sheepishly.

"Go," he commanded holding back his frustration. "And do not let me hear of you playing on the ramparts again."

"Yes father..." she answered softly before quickly retreating out of the room.

As she left a large man, wearing a long grey fur coat and under cloth baring the blue and white flower of his lords banner, entered.

"Another fight my lord?" he asked as he took a seat across from his lord, Seraphina's father.

"You heard?"

The man nodded.

"What do you make of my daughters actions?" he asked returning to his seat.

"Well, she's nothing like her mother my lord," the man answered nodding his head towards the door.

The lord let out a strangled chuckle before sighing, "What am I to do with her Tormon?"

Tormon sat back, folded his arms and thought for a moment.

"My own son, although not of my blood, is as eager as any true born son to prove himself to me." he said deep in thought before turning his gaze back to his lord. "Seraphina is nothing like her mother however, she is every bit like her father."

"You think I should concede and train her then?" he askes easing his forehead.

"That's not my decision to make but I believe this is what she meant when she said she felt unheard." Tormon leaned forward and spoke with a slight hush in his voice, "Thalor, I think she just wants what all children want, the approval of her father."

Thalor breathed deeply and let out a slow heavy sigh. He pushed his chair out from his desk and turned to face the warmth of the fire to think on Tormon's words. He remembered countless past arguments with his daughter. Tormon was right. Oh how she was indeed nothing like her mother.

'She is more akin to a force of nature,' he thought to himself.

With hesitation Thalor commanded, "Grab a handful of wasters and have her meet you in the garden on the morrow."

A smile spread across Tormon's face.

As he stood Thalor looked over to him and continued, "Take her through the basics but do not hold back, if she is to learn she will learn properly am I understood."

"Yes my lord."

"Good, now Ser Tormon have my guard prepare my carriage I wish to make for Aberfel within the hour."

Tormon nodded and left with haste to have the carriage prepared in the courtyard by the training field. Thalor raised himself from his chair, adjusting his coat and equipping his gloves for the chilly outdoors. First he would see his daughter.

Thalor knocked loudly on his daughters bedroom door.

Her faint voice answered from within, "I'm bathing who is it?"

"Sera? I'm heading for Aberfel now, I'll return after noon on the morrow," Thalor shouted through the door.

A moment of quiet passed. Only the crackle of the fire inside could be heard.

Sera softly broke the silence, "I'm sorry for how I spoke earlier."

"It matters not my child, now, should I bring back some fire fruit for you?"

"Yes please!" Seraphina answered splashing bathwater as she sat up. "Would you... also bring back some Burbone meat?"

"I shall think on it," he answered preparing to leave. "Also Sera, you are to meet Ser Tormon in the garden on the morrow."

"Why?" she called out as she crawled out the warm bathtub.

"Don't forget," Thalor answered as he left with a weary smile on his face.

Sera stood naked in her room raising her hands, shaking her head confused, "Ok?"

She dried herself off before grabbing a book from the shelf. Wrapped in a towel she sat in a rocking chair by the fireplace across from her bed and continued to read a book she was halfway through titled 'Knights of the Kingdom by Baelor of Klenfel'.