Don't Forget to Dream (17 page)

Before a week had passed a troop of guards under Callum
’
s lead were preparing to leave the Palace. Rhyla had just finished breakfast with Lady Emelia when Elsie made a late appearance.

“
Forgive me for my lateness,
”
she said bobbing a curtsey from the doorway to Lady Emelia
’
s chambers. Her delay in arriving was significant and
surely needed a
reprimand at the least
,
but the red rim around her eyes
soon became apparent even to Lady Emelia
’
s dull eyes.

“
What is it Elsie?
”
Lady Emelia asked as Elsie started clearing away the breakfast plates.

“
Nothing my lady,
”
Elsie mumbled as she wiped away a telling tear that spilt down her cheek.

“
Nonsense
,
my girl.
Was it that Kyle
of yours?
What has he done?
”
the Lady insisted.

“
Oh, he hasn
’
t done anything my lady. Really he hasn
’
t,
”
Elsie said defensively.
“
I
’
m just being silly
,
mistress. I should know better.
”

“
Know better? What are you talking about Elsie?
”
Lady Emelia demanded
, starting to lose her patience
due to
the lack of a clear explanation.

“
Kyle is being sent off in Prince Callum
’
s troop. They may be gone for weeks,
”
Elsie cried.

“
Callum is going after the bandits!?
”
Rhyla exclaimed, not even realising she failed to address him appropriately.

“
Bandits
!.
”
Elsie exclaimed.
“
He did not say
anything about bandits.
”
They both looked to the Lady Emelia for support and some explanation.

“
Calm yourselves girls. I know of no imminent plans to deal with those men,
”
Lady Emelia said trying to calm them both.

“
But the preparations,
”
Rhyla insisted.

“
Yes the men are preparing to retake those hills but I would have been told if they were leaving today. I expect Callum is going to sort out a dispute between Lords Gareth and Dunlin in the southwest near Gayndar. They have been squabbling over the rights to a stretch of the Altan River and the adjacent woods for years. It has been threatening to escalate into a full blown feud for the past six months and
King
Liam has been looking for an excuse to step in and settle it. I heard that some of their men came to blows near the disputed lands. I presume that was the excuse Liam was searching for.
”
Lady Emelia sounded so certain that both girls began to relax.

“
Then they won
’
t be gone long?
”
Elsie asked as she started to gather the remains of their breakfast.

“
That will depend on how long it takes to settle the d
ispute. But Callum is very good.
Liam wouldn
’
t send him if he didn
’
t think he could promptly deliver justice. Lord Gareth
’
s estates are about 5 days ride and Lord Dunlin
’
s another half a day beyond that. So the minimum will be two weeks,
”
Lady Emelia started to rise
,
effectively
putting an end to
this conversation.
“
Now let us see how we can be of assistance in the women
’
s hall.
”

The men rode out mid-morning leaving the Palace faintly subdued. The remaining force of guardsme
n continued with their training.
The
forge and armoury were working just as hard and the women of all stations pressed on with preparations of clothing and food stores that an army would require. The departure of a dozen men would not normally be of note but it was enough to remind everyone of what it would be like in the coming months when more rode out to uncertain times.

Rhyla attempted to concentrate on the tasks set her by her mistress or the other ladies of the household. She worked tirelessly from dawn to dusk, never shirking what o
thers considered the heavy work.
For
a girl raised as she had been, the work in the Palace was light. At times she found it too light despite the long hours. Seeing the men train and constantly hearing their preparations for war was becoming too much for her to bear. She needed an outlet for her frustrations and the confines of the women
’
s hall and her duties to Lady Emelia failed to provide such a release. That was until a week after the Prince and his men had left.

Early one morning after the clatter of mounted men had left the Palace courtyard to exercise their horses
,
Lady Emelia directed Rhyla to a different hallway than the one they usually took to the women
’
s hall or the sunroom.

“
We are not needed in the women
’
s hall this morning Rhyla,
”
her mistress said as they left her chambers.

“
No my
lady
,t
hen
what are we to be doing? Do you wish to take a walk?
”
Rhyla asked attempting to anticipate her mistress
’
s needs.

“
I have a little surprise for you my dear,
”
Lady Emelia said with a smug grin twitching the corners of her lips.

“
A surprise, for me
”

“
Yes, come with me.
”
Lady Emelia guided Rhyla out of the Royal apartments and down two narrow flights of stairs towards the rear of the Palace. Afte
r walking down
corridors with only a few lamps
to light their way
they reached a simple wooden door. If the
twisting and
turnings
of the dimly lit corridors hadn
’
t confused her
comp
letely she believed they were at
the rear of the Palace roughly below the Great hall, near to the barracks and the training ground. Lady Emelia indicated for her to open the door and they entered.

It took Rhyla a moment to realise what sh
e was seeing. It was a very long room
, of similar proportions to the Great Hall above with a generous ceiling as well. Along one side
,
windows were placed high up, too high for a person to look through without the use of a tall ladder. But what drew Rhyla
’
s attention were
the racks that filled a significant portion of the room. The racks were covered in
weapons of all shapes and sizes;
swords, longbows, short hunting bows, cros
s bows, axes, pikes and shields
all hung in careful array.

“
Welcome to the armoury Rhyla,
”
said a man appearing from behind a rack half way down the hall.
“
Lady Emelia,
”
he said with a quick bow before walking to join them. He did not need to get close for Rhyla to recognise him as Thomas, Liam
’
s master at arms and Martin
’
s father.

“
Master Thomas,
”
Lady Emelia said as he approached.
“
I am grateful for you sparing the time to see us today.
”

“
Master Thomas,
”
Rhyla said curtsying respectfully.

“
I am intrigued at your request,
”
he said glancing at Rhyla who was clearly confused by the location and the conversation.

Looking to Rhyla
,
Lady Emelia took her hand and patted it gently,
“
After our conversation the other day by the training ground
,
I thought you would like
to meet Master Thomas. I hope you don
’
t mind but I took the liberty of telling him a little of what you told me the other day.
”

Rhyla stood for a moment in mute astonishment, not sure if she were embarrassed or excited at having Master Thomas know she had been trained to handle a blade.
“
No my lady, I don
’
t mind,
”
she recovered quickly.
“
If anyone should know, I guess Master Thomas is the best person,
”
she said nodding towards the master at arms.

“
I was certainly in
terested to learn
of a lass
who had knowledge of
sword craft,
”
Master Thomas said with an encouraging smile. Rhyla blushed at his recognition and hoped that she wouldn
’
t humiliate herself in front of him. Understanding her silence Master Thomas spoke up,
“
I believe I knew your father Rhyla.
”

“
My father.
How?
”
she uttered even more confused.

“
Lady Emelia mentioned his name was Donal Farminer. There was a Donal Farminer
who was
a couple of years younger than I was in my early days
here
in the guards. He was only here for five or six y
ears.
He
was injured I think and left the guards. Does that sound like him?
”
Master Thomas asked.

“
It does. He had
an old injury to his left thigh.
He
never really talked about how it happened,
”
Rhyla confirmed.

“
I may be mistaken but I think it was an arrow imbedded into his thigh bone. Can
’
t say I reme
mber the actual incident though.
It
was twenty odd years ago. The heal
ers had to cut down to the bone.
It
’
s
no wonder it caused him problems,
”
Master Thomas said as he absently fingered the hilt of his
sword hanging from his waist, not an uncommon action for swordsman thinking of past or potential conflicts.

“
That certainly would make sense,
”
Rhyla agreed remembering the scar upon his thigh.

“
He was a decent hand with a blade. It was a shame to see him leave,
”
offered Master Thomas.

“
Thank you, I am sure it would have pleased him to hear you say that. He never really explained where his knowledge came from, just hints every now and again. Whenever I asked him he would dismiss it as happening a long time ago and tell me not to worry. It is a little strange to think that he was once here,
”
Rhyla said looking around the room, imagining her father training in exactly the same place.

Lady Emelia interrupted her wandering thoughts.
“
Do you have the items Master Thomas?
”

Rhyla turned back to her mistress and the master at arms.
“
Yes my lady, just over here.
”
Master Thomas led them down the hall and past the first set of racks. There he retrieved a lightweight sword with a si
mple but elegant hilt and guard.
It
had a matching scabbard.
“
These are for you,
”
he said handing them to Rhyla.

“
For me?
”
she said hesitat
ing before she reached for them, g
lancing from Master Thomas to Lady Emelia, seeking confirmation that this was really happening.

“
Go on my dear. I had Master Thomas
find suitable equipment for you.
We
wouldn
’
t expect you to start with a heavy blade,
”
Lady Emelia said smiling warmly at her.