The wind lifts up my hair as I stand alone among the training grounds, staring off into the distance. It's not until I hear the sound of footsteps in the grass behind me that I turn around, facing the group of solemn-faced trainees, which has grown significantly smaller since the death of both the late Duke, and his heir.
"My Lady? What do we do now?" One of them asks.
I'd thought about this moment tirelessly. I'd planned an exact response.
"Now, we fight back" I say confidently, drawing their gazes to me.
"The invasion has made one thing painfully clear. Rochdale will stop at nothing to destroy everything we have, so we must stop at nothing to defend it." I start.
The trainees glance at each other in confusion.
"From now on, we'll be the sole protectors of the Estate, and the people and history within it. Of course, we'll need some help doing so. Defense of the Estate won't be easy. We need strong fighters who will stop at nothing to maintain the safety of the Estate. So, naturally, I took it upon myself to invite a few new team members here. People of the Dawn? Won't you join us?" I call to the group, who hides within some nearby trees.
They all wear varieties of black clothing, wielding long elaborate swords unique to each of them, and they walk towards us, positioning themselves behind me and standing their ground confidently, as the trainees watch them in awe.
"From now on. We are the Quislings. Traitors of the crown. Working to protect our homeland from the monarchy and the war, no matter what. The King has put us in this position. He's refused to take action in the war despite the casualities. Despite the pain we've endured. He refuses to fight for what's right, so we must do it ourselves, no matter the cost. The people of the dawn have strong connections. Ones we can use to our benefit. So... are you with me?" I question.
The trainees all glance at each other hesitantly, before nodding their heads in agreement.
"Good. The people of the dawn will arrange a small group each week to travel to Rochdale and work undercover among enemy lines. If you want to be part of that group, I expect one hundred and ten percent effort from the lot of you. Whenever I'm away, Aurora will be in charge. Got it?" I continue.
All the trainees nod in unison.
"Any questions?" I ask them.
A single trainee slowly raises their hand, as if unsure of the movement.
"Yes?" I ask.
"Do we get uniforms like them?" The trainee asks, gazing at the people of the dawn in awe.
I glance at Aurora with a mischievous smile before turning back to the trainees and responding.
"I suppose it can be arranged" I reply, setting off excited ripples through the crowd.
At this exact moment, Genevieve walks along the edge of the training grounds, carrying a basket of laundry.
"Genevieve, dear?" I call to her.
She stops midstep, turning to me.
"Yes, My Lady?" She questions.
"I believe I have another job for you" I say to her.
Her face lights up with excitement.
"Amaris? Whatever are those for?" Brianna asks me as she sees Genevieve and I descending down the staircase with our arms full of black clothing.
"Why don't you come see for yourself?" I reply with a mischievous smile.
Brianna follows us back into the training grounds, her eyes widening when she sees trainees practicing in their new uniforms.
"What happened to the Guardians?" Brianna asks me as the sight unfurls before her eyes.
I turn to her with a smile before answering.
"They're Quisling's now" I say before setting off into the field.
"Irina! Widen your stance! Stevie? It's your turn to pick from the pile" I demand as I reenter the field.
A trainee breaks away from the group, running over to us to look through the clothes we've brought.
"This is..." Brianna starts.
"Stupid? Disnonorable?" I interrupt for her.
"No... amazing" she says as she glances around the training grounds.
I glance at her, surprised by her response.
"I've never seen the trainees so motivated before... and those people, they're... incredible" She says, watching a few of the people of the dawn take on the archery course.
"They've been training for years. Most of them since they were children" I explain, watching Brianna stare at them intently.
"You know... you could be like them... if you wanted" I reply, holding up the remaining clothing I'm holding for Brianna to see.
"I couldn't. My parents would have a fit" Brianna explains, still watching in fascination.
"I don't see them around..." I imply, drawing Brianna's attention to me.
I smile, holding up the clothing for her to see again, and this time, she takes it, walking away.
"Alright everybody! Let's get to work!" I say, gathering the trainees to me.
"Everybody will have a role on this team. A group of you must be posted in the Estate, while the rest of you are handpicked for our weekly mission. The participants on each of the teams can change at any time, so I don't want to hear any complaining about the role you've been assigned, got it?" I question them.
They all nod.
"Good." I respond, walking amidst the group and tapping people's shoulder's to assign them with teams.
I'm distracted from my task as I see Brianna reenter the field, wearing her newly acquired uniform that draws everyone's eyes to her. I'd never seen her in such dark clothing before, and the fitting of the clothes hugs her tightly, accentuating her figure. She walks towards us with a confidence I've never seen in her before. She seems... free. She walks up and joins the group, just like everyone else, and I walk up to her, placing my hand on her shoulder.
"Emissary" I say, indicating she'll join Aurora undercover.
"What? Her? An emissary? She's never even trained before" one of the trainees protests.
I turn to them with a disapproving look.
"Remember that time I said there was to be no complaining about your placement?" I say, shutting them up.
They drop their gaze to the ground.
"You're off duty for the week" I decide, causing them to look up at me angrily.
"What?! But you can't do that! It's unfair!" They exclaim.
"I will not tolerate talking back any less than The Duke once did. If you want a spot on this team, you must prove you have the strength and the decency to be as such" I reply, pointing towards the exit of the training grounds.
The trainee looks into my eyes angrily one more time before finally leaving.
"Anyone else care to doubt me?" I question the others.
Silence.
"Good. Now let's begin" I say, starting the training.
YOU ARE READING
The Promise of the Dawn
General FictionCHRONICLES OF CROWN AND CASUALTY BOOK 2- She was a stranger in someone else's land. A visitor to the grandeur of a royal. Allied with someone who was born into power and luxury, yet she had fought for her place. She had spilled blood for her crown...
