The next morning, before the jousting tournament had been set to start, the Hunters of Castle Crow were on the prowl for an early morning raid. As was often the case, the Hunters of the Crow’s Quarters were their own entity from the king’s men. Their leader, Jaqon, had earned the king’s respect for the duties they performed and thus the king had knighted Ser Jaqon—and offering him freedom to lead the hunters so long as they did their main duty. Their main duty was to contain the dungeon and sniff out any danger around the Crag and within the city.

Dew painted the grass a frosty white color and the sun battled with its rays against the bitter cold. There was no wind, but a stand-still cold encompassed the land. Jaqon walked with longbow in hand, as did twenty other hunters behind him. They wore smoky gray cloaks over black leather. Embroidered at the chest was the crest of the red crow of Dalrin. Jaqon, known as the Red Crow, himself, led the pack towards the rear side of the castle.

Beside Jaqon stood Aurela, the King’s youngest daughter of eighteen years. Her beauty was a unique beauty, one which had captivated Jaqon enough to risk his own skin.

“The king would have me hung if he knew I let you sneak out and come with us,” said Jaqon. Aurela stood beside him, overlooking the Sea of Glass. Its edges were frozen where it ran up onto a bank and eventually the dewy grass of Dalrin.

“He won’t find out,” said Aurela as she strung her bow.

“Well pull your hood up then,” said Jaqon.

Aurela pursed her lips, looking at Jaqon with her vibrant eyes—though not nearly as vibrant as Vaya’s. She pulled Jaqon’s hood down over his eyes. “There, you look better.” Aurela strode forward, reluctantly pulling her hood over her head as Jaqon had requested. Jaqon was twice her age, but he was pleasant to look at. Besides, he was strong and competent. Aurela had grown up with an ill-tempered father. It was refreshing to be around a leader so free of worry.

Jaqon fixed his head, jogging to catch up. “The tournament is today, Aurela. You mustn’t tire yourself out.”

“Why? I’m not the one jousting. I can do whatever I wish.” Aurela was head strong as always.

“I said that because of other reasons. If you return to your quarters with your cheeks rosy red and the energy zapped from you, May Otto will know. She has a way of reading people—especially you and Illena whom she’s known since you were a baby.” Jaqon’s protests were laughed at by Aurela. “You laugh at everything I say, even when I’m serious.”

Aurela turned and whacked the curved wood of the bow at Jaqon’s leg. He yelped and hopped back. Aurela giggled and bit her bottom lip.

“This is not a trip for playing my lady.” Jaqon had his hands out with his palms facing the ground. “Calm, Aurela.” He tried to bring a hand to shoulder but she shrugged it off.

“Well, you’re a ton of fun,” said Aurela. “What’re we hunting anyways?”

Jaqon was caught off-handed, hesitating before answering. “I mean, what do you think, m’lady? We’re at the edge of The Glass right now.”

“Obviously fish…what kind? Hand me a spear, I’ll show you how it’s done.”

“No, Aurela—”

“—hand me a spear,” demanded Aurela to a hunter who was standing behind Jaqon. “I demand it, or I will return you to your cell.” The hunter panicked and hurriedly shoved the fishing spear into Aurela’s hands.

“You can’t hand out threats like that, Aurela. These men are serving as hunters because they’re trying to redeem themselves for getting caught in the first place,” said Jaqon.

“They don’t actually listen to my words,” said Aurela.

“Actually, they very well do, my lady.”

Aurela turned to face Jaqon. She slammed the butt of her spear into the frozen ground. It made a crunch noise. “Well, what is it then? My lady or m’lady?”

Jaqon’s mouth twisted into all sorts of shapes, but no words came out. Aurela jammed her spear butt into his leg again. Jaqon followed her as she made her way along the outskirts of the estuary that eventually led into the Sea of Glass. Half the men joined Aurela at the shollow bankside of the Glass with fishing spears. The other half went with Jaqon to throw traps at a deeper end, past the ice, where fish were bound to swim into the trap.

An hour passed before an unfamiliar voice brought Jaqon back to the bank of the estuary. “The Red Crow does not partake in affairs within the castle, I take it?” It was Lord Warren Maykeep. “You prefer to be in the fresh air with your hunters.”

“Lord Maykeep, it is an honor,” said Jaqon. “I do enter Crow Castle on occasion, but most oft you’ll find me here. It is quite the reward to work with the men I do.”

“Who? You mean these traitors? Outlaws? Bandits? I don’t spy an honor amongst your band. Why do you do it?” Lord Maykeep stood with his hands clutched around his breeches, keeping them from sliding down his wide waist. He was a wide man with a big gut.

“Why do I do it?” repeated Jaqon. “I was once a bandit, like these men. I wish I’d have been taken in by a royal court that offered mercy—a second chance. When I was caught here many years ago, I grew favor with the king. He granted me a chance to work for him, you know, catching other bandits and all that.” Jaqon flipped the spear in his hand, examining the spearhead and finding fish guts all along the blade.

“So, you’re the Red Crow they speak of. The king’s garbage collector I take it. How very interesting…” said Lord Maykeep. He had a smug look upon his face, scanning the men working along the edge of The Glass. “So what’s to keep men from getting caught along the Crag here, in the northern reach, with the purpose and intent to get caught and join your merry band. Seems quite the treat, isn’t it?” asked Lord Maykeep.

Jaqon fiddled with the spearhead, pretending to be bothered with the fish guts that had collected there. Lord Maykeep had nowhere better to stick his head. “You know, that is really not for me to ponder about, is it?” said Jaqon.

“Perhaps,” replied Lord Maykeep. “Maybe you ought to consider leaving all this behind someday. You can have better men than these and lands of your own,” said Lord Maykeep. When Jaqon’s face revealed no interest, he continued. “You sleep in the Crow’s Quarters? With this lot and worse? Ha! I can’t imagine. You enjoy the smell of piss at night?” Lord Maykeep’s hearty laugh radiated across The Glass and filled the morning air. His brown beard glinted red in the sun.

“What’re you offering? I can hear it in your voice or else you wouldn’t have courted me here this morning.” Jaqon had put the spear down. Aurela was knelt by the bankside but had her head turned discreetly toward the conversation. When Lord Maykeep’s eyes went in her direction she quickly acted hard at work. She jammed her spear into the ice again and again.

“I am offering…” he paused, “nothing, as of now. But I do have a very sickly lord who is steward over a large part of my lands.” Jaqon slowly nodded his head. His eyes softened at that. “Imagine if this sickness were to, say, overtake this lord…there would be a vacancy in my lands for that lordship. I daresay they are intensely fertile lands, so there is no shortage or raiders and men cheating off the plot.” Maykeep had Jaqon’s attention now. “You see?”

Jaqon heaved a deep breath in through his nose. Lord Maykeep’s eyebrows went up.

“It is an honor to be thought of, lord Maykeep. But my place is here under the tutelage of the king. I owe him my life’s service.” Jaqon went on with his work. Lord Maykeep hacked a ball of sputum and spit into The Glass. He walked back toward the castle shaking his head.

“Think on it, Red Crow!” he shouted. Lord Maykeep growled when he heard no answer. The bastard has grown accustomed to a hard life. He dares not see it go for fear of the unknown.

Aurela was at Jaqon’s side once Lord Maykeep had left. “If you left these lands, I would go with you.”

Jaqon chuckled. “He is no king, Lord Maykeep. He cannot just divvy off lands as he was saying. Those lands are the king’s, not Lord Maykeep’s.”

“Unless he is speaking of a fief within his lands. I think I’ve heard father speak of the sickly steward who cultivates that fertile land. The crop hasn’t been coming in from that fief like normal. Father’s messenger came back and said production is down because the steward is sick.” Aurela grabbed Jaqon’s hand. “You could be steward and lord.”

Jaqon snatched his hand away, growing irritated now. “That is no lordship, and I am no steward. My place is here and that is final.”

Despite the tempting offer, Jaqon’s loyalty had always remained by the king’s side. The morning sun lost its warmth around noon, and soon after that the band of hunters had finished collecting enough fish and rabbit to supplement the jousting tournament and the Crow’s Quarters for the evening with plenty to spare. “There is potato and beans lying about in the kitchens for the taking. I’ll send my best man to go and barter with the king’s cooks. He always has his way with those old cooks.”

Aurela gave a soft smile. She wished Jaqon would attend the jousting tournament, but she knew the king placed a large responsibility on Jaqon to watch the castle’s perimeter. Ser Sledda’s men were lousy watch guards, but Jaqon’s men would scower the Crag and the eight paths to make sure there weren’t any bands, troops, or armies plotting. Crow Castle had seen such things before during a large event, and they weren’t prepared to let down their guard now.

“Goodbye, Aurela. Do not speak of our meetings and hunting’s to anyone, or it shall never be again,” said Jaqon. He planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

“I won’t,” replied Aurela. She ran off toward the back gate and snuck up into her room where Illena was waiting.

After fielding a million questions about her whereabouts, Aurela finally began to breathe again. Being the younger sister, Aurela was no stranger to facing Illena before facing her own mother, Queen Lenora. Although only a year and a half older, the weight of Illena’s royal responsibilities had matured her beyond her years.

Aurela’s dark eyes and flowing black hair were being worked on one of May Otto’s younger servants. Aurela didn’t mind her. She was shy and had a kindly nature. Illena was beside them, soaking in a hot bath and resting with a hot towel over her eyes.

“Sister,” began Illena. “Do you ever wonder about our paths?”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“What do you mean?” asked Aurela.

“Like, our futures. What does father have planned? I fear we will just be another pawn in his plans to gain further control from Dalrin to Wexocar. He’ll have us shipped off to become betrothed to some fat lord or prince.” Illena was removing the towel from her eyes to look at Aurela.

“Why do you fear that? I cannot wait to get far from this castle. I want to have my own lands and a dreamy young prince to start a family with.” The servant girl was scrubbing the bottom of Aurela’s feet with a sander. “Easier with that, please,” said Aurela, grimacing. The shy servant winced, feeling guilty for her slightly disturbance of the royal sister.

“You are naïve, sister,” said Illena. “Do you never have thoughts of becoming Queen here someday? In this castle—Crow Castle?”

“Why would I ever imagine that? Maybe you do since you’re older than me. But Father has chosen Rohinar as the heir. And if he were to change his mind, you would be next in line.” Aurela appeared much more relaxed since the servant girl had eased up on rubbing her feet.

“Father says he’ll betroth Rohinar to a lady of high importance and give him some lands near the city capital so that he can become accustomed to governance. When he’s old and frail, Rohinar will return to Dalrin to rule as king. At least, that’s the impression I have gotten from listening in on discussions whilst you wander the taverns and pubs.” Illena pushed her dirty blonde hair out from her back, resting her neck comfortably on the back of the tub. Her hair was long, and it hung down from the tub to the cold tile.

“You resent Rohinar. You always have,” said Aurela.

“I have not. Do not accuse me of such things, little sister.”

“Not an accusation. Just view it as an observation instead, Illena,” said Aurela. She was content with herself. Seeing Illena upset made her happy. Aurela was miserable and excited to go beyond the confines of Crow Castle. Yet, seeing Illena’s strivings to become princess go to naught gave her a certain comfort. It was always a competition between—and one that she did not willingly want to take part of. Her thoughts wandered back to Ser Jaqon. I ought to run away and take him with me and never come back.

Illena was still thinking about her younger brother, despite Aurela’s wandering thoughts. “He always has been a little brat. Father and mother give him whatever he wants. He’s not fit to become a king, the arrogant little prick,” said Illena. Aurela just giggled but continued daydreaming about Ser Jaqon. “Are you listening to me?” asked Illena.

“No,” replied Aurela. Illena continued anyways.

“Have Rohinar and father even decided who Rohinar is to pick?”

“I thought that was bad luck?” said Aurela, scrunching her long nose.

“Ah, you’re right. Father may give his best wisdom on the matter but in the end Rohinar must pick on his own. I forget the Wisdom of the Silver Tree,” said Illena.

The Oracle would have that wisdom stowed away in the Sept, but that place had been untouched for nearly a decade. Father did not appreciate religion the way his forefathers had. As such, The Oracle had become a much more common source of wisdom since The Oracle knew only to speak prophecy that might be more acceptable to the king’s ears. After all, he was an angry man.

Before the sisters made their way to their places at the jousting tournament, Aurela wanted to see Ser Jaqon one last time. She danced like a shadow from her room to the lower levels and eventually the Crow’s Quarters where dingy walls and grimy floors encased the northern reach’s most daring spies and criminals. Aurela had given her guard, Darvos, a handsome bit of silver to see her leaving go unnoticed. Darvos gave a grunt and extended his hand out, accepting the silver.

Aurela was no stranger to sneaking off to the Crow’s Quarters, but not without Jaqon’s knowing. She turned the corner at the bottom of the stairs, holding her dress to keep its edges off the gross floor. Green ooze and other substances coated it.

“This is no place for a lady of high-birth.” The voice startled Aurela. It was Varisy, Master of Potions. “Ser Jaqon is busy at the moment, if that’s who you look for.”

“He is never too busy to see me,” replied Aurela. Her eyes were already looking beyond Varisy.

“What is your business here then,” said Varisy. His face appeared weathered and serious.

“I wish to see his face once last time before the jousting tournament. We are friends, you see,” said Aurela.

“Jaqon is dealing with a bit of a…dilemma, at the moment. It’d be best if perhaps you waited until his next hunting trip to see him.”

Aurela did not hear any noise coming from the halls. She could see the tall rows of rounded floors where the cells kept prisoners. Nothing seemed odd there, although she didn’t hear any of the prisoners shouting or talking. “What is the dilemma?” asked Aurela.

Varisy turned at the footsteps approaching. It was Jaqon. He had blood caked on his forehead and a deep scratch just under his eye. “Hello, m’lady,” said Jaqon.

“Is everything okay?” asked Aurela. Varisy moved aside and Aurela threw herself into his arms.

“Yes, why? Has word already made it upstairs this quickly?” asked Jaqon, looking to Varisy with deep concern.

“No,” said Aurela. She held Jaqon’s arms in her hands now. “Has what news made it upstairs? What’s the dilemma that Varisy is referring to?”

“It really isn’t anything to be worried about. It’s usual business down here, really.” Aurela could tell he was lying. She narrowed her eyes. “Let me see,” she pushed past Jaqon. He held her back.

“If I let you see this, you must promise to keep your mouth shut,” said Jaqon.

“I promise,” begged Aurela.

Varisy and Jaqon exchanged cautious glances. “You really want to risk this?” asked Varisy.

“She’s loyal to me,” said Jaqon. “Trust me.” Varisy shrugged, holding his hands up in surrender. “I cannot be held responsible if she goes and tells her father.”

“You won’t be,” said Jaqon.

Jaqon led Aurela down the dimly lit hallway where the Crow’s Quarters were. It was apparent that something was off about the way the rooms were on either side of the hall. The rooms lined either side for Jaqon’s hunters to reside in but all the doors were either open or torn off their hinges. Blood markings covered the walls and the rooms that Aurela looked inside. In one room, a hunter was laid over a chair like a robe with a shard of glass going through his stomach and out the other side.

“What happened here?” asked Aurela. Her brows were fitted firmly.

“This way,” replied Jaqon.

Varisy trailed behind as Jaqon and Aurela made it to end of the hall where it opened up into a circular atrium. The large glass with the experimenting roomed lay before them. It was Varisy’s research room where his experiments were performed.

“What is this room for?” asked Aurela. “I have never been down this far before.”

Varisy chimed in. “It is a room for experimenting and researching. Quite often, the soil and the tree sap of the Silver Tree must be examined for contamination or poisoning. The water from the Sea of Glass is also examined quite often. There have been instances of inside men becoming traitors and seeking to kill the tree to ends it bloodline.”

“Bloodline?” asked Aurela.

“Don’t they speak of this anymore?” asked Varisy. Jaqon shook his head.

“No, it’s all a bit superstitious. Father hardly lets The Oracle speak anymore,” said Aurela.

They were momentarily distracted by the scene behind the glass walls of the experimenting room. A deathly-thin man with a crazed look in his eyes was chained to a table with black veins protruding from his face. Aurela thought he looked vaguely familiar, but she could not tell from what.

“This man came in as a prisoner a few weeks ago—”

“—same time as that girl Vaya that my brother is obsessed with,” interjected Aurela.

“Indeed,” continued Jaqon, “and earlier today when we returned from our hunting trip along the Glass, we found that he had gnawed at his cage bars until he was freed—which is utterly impossible if you ask me.”

“Made of steel,” said Varisy. Jaqon nodded his head.

“All of his teeth are gone, but then he smashed the glass of this room here and used a shard of glass to kill six of my closest men. The men who live closest to me. They were on night shift, so they weren’t on shift with me today. They were sleeping when he managed to smash open their doors. I don’t know how he managed this supernatural feat.”

“He was dead when we found him,” said Varisy.

Aurela’s mouth was hung open in horror. “We must tell my father. He’ll know—”

“—no. Not yet. Let the jousting tournament continue. This incident is under review for now,” said Ser Jaqon. “Varisy can explain what we’ve found so far.”

Varisy led them into the experimenting room. Aurela was careful not to let her feet step in some of the oddly colored potions and spilled substances that littered the floor. “Your brother has had me conduct me experiments as of late, Aurela. But none have bewildered me more than what I have found here.”

Varisy grabbed a test tube from a rack that was sitting on a shelf beside the Homeless Man’s body. “This is what we took from his blood. It looks like someone was performing an experiment of their own on this commoner. Based off his looks, I’d say he’s not from Dalrin.” Varisy held the black liquid tube into the light, “And based off what I found in his blood, I’d wager to say he’s from somewhere quite far such as Venistar.”

“Well, what was he doing here?” asked Aurela.

“Good question,” replied Varisy. “The substances in this mixture look like they were intended to mimic the silver sap of the Tree.”

“And it failed—miserably,” added Jaqon.

“It seems to me…” Varisy paused, pursing his lips. “Dare I say, but I believe he was sent here to kill me.”

“What do you mean?” asked Aurela. “Who would want to kill you, and why?” Varisy and Jaqon looked at each other.

“Because I am a traitor, and my enemy wants me dead. He wants all of us dead.”

Aurela grabbed the test tube from Varisy, staring at it intently. “Who is the enemy?” Varisy was impressed with her relative calmness upon hearing that.

“My former master, King Tuuka Valnarak of Venistar.”

Aurela dropped the test tube. It shattered to the floor and the black liquid oozed out. “He isn’t here though, is he?”

“No, he doesn’t travel. He doesn’t leave his throne seat, ever. However, he wants the sap of the Silver Tree—that has been a lifelong ambition of his. Perhaps, that is why he has sent one of his daughters for the betrothal.”

Jaqon added, “You must look out for your family, Aurela. Rohinar, especially. I wouldn’t be too certain of that Vaya girl, either. She might have a related cause for being here.”

“So, you’re saying that our castle was successfully infiltrated by a Venistar commoner? A man who was infused with a poison that mimics the properties of the Silver Tree’s sap?”

Varisy put a finger up to pause her. “Do not get confused, lady. The sap of the Silver Tree is for sustaining life, not ending it. However, as The Oracle will tell you, the sap is sacred. It is meant for the prophesied rulers of Dalrin to live as immortals upon taking their vows and drinking the sap.”

“And the Venistar’s want the sap?” asked Aurela.

“They don’t just want the sap,” said Varisy. “They want the Tree. They want its seeds. They want to create an entire caliphate—”

“—enough,” said Jaqon. “No need to inundate her with information that will only scare her. Do not speak of this to your father.”

“Why not? He needs to know this,” said Aurela.

“He knows already,” replied Jaqon.

“Then…” Aurela was stammering. “Why invite the Valnaraks? Why have anything to do at all with Venistar and their scheming plots?”

Varisy’s lips curled into a smile. “Politics, my lady. Games. This is the job of those on the throne. Imagine an alliance for the time being with the Valnarak girl. There would be peace for a time, and something to hold over King Tuuka’s head.”

“So, then, why does King Tuuka send his daughter to become betrothed, knowing that?”

“If I knew every answer, Lady Aurela, then I would be the king’s intendent, and not that scoundrel Waryon,” said Varisy.

And for just a moment, Aurela could see a treachery in Varisy’s eyes. He was once a part of that, she thought. Perhaps, she still is. Then she looked to Jaqon. His eyes were innocent. Or are they? I best be going soon. “Well, I better be going soon,” said Aurela.

“Before you go,” began Varisy. “Let us ensure that no unnecessary information is leaked.” Just as Varisy had said the words, two of Ser Jaqon’s hunters peeled around the corner and grabbed Aurela’s hands, pinning her to the chair beside the Homeless Man.

“What’re you doing?” asked Aurela in a panic.

“This will not harm you. It will only block your memory of the last twenty minutes. Don’t worry, your brother has undergone a spell of a similar type of many times. His ears have also heard things he needn’t hear.”

The hunters pinned her down and the last thing Aurela saw was Ser Jaqon’s concerned brown eyes peering down at her.

Aurela screamed. Her vision cut off.

When she opened her eyes again it was May Otto shaking her by her shoulders. “This is no time for a nap! I know you can hear me. Wake up, we must go. You’re already ten minutes late to the jousting tournament.” May Otto yanked Aurela by the hands and dragged her out of her room in the tower.

Aurela rubbed her head. “I don’t even remember falling asleep.”

“Well good,” replied May Otto. “That means you must’ve really needed it. But you’re already late. Your father will not be happy.” The two trotted until they arrived to their view from the stands where the rest of the royal family was sitting.

“Where have you been, dear?” asked Queen Lenora.

“Oh, nowhere. I must’ve fallen asleep by accident,” replied Aurela. When she lifted her gaze towards the stands across the jousting yards, she locked eyes with the same beady dark eyes as Varsiy. But it was not Varisy she looked at. It was Elswitta Valnarak, daughter of King Tuuka. Wait, why do her eyes remind me so much of the lord of potions, Lord Varisy?

Her attention was quickly diverted to the action below. Horns and trumpets rang out in a beautiful song. The tournament began.