The Traitor's Daughter

Chapter One

Chapter One

Nine Years Later

"You've been preparing for this for nearly a decade. You are positive that you're prepared?"

Elizabeth, now a nineteen year old woman, slid a deep blue sapphire ring onto her slender finger and adjusted it so the gem was perfectly centered. She looked up from the ring and met the eyes of the older woman standing in front of her. This woman, Mary Ashbury, Duchess of Cranton, had been her protector and mentor for years. She had taught her the truth about what happened to her father. She had taught her who her enemies were. Had anyone else been teaching her, Elizabeth knew that she wouldn't feel ready. But she knew there was no other time to complete her plan. This was it.

"I am certain," Elizabeth answered, her voice strong. "This I what I need to do."

The woman smiled, causing the wrinkles around her eyes to accentuate.

"Excellent. It seems you and I will be accepting the King's invitation to arrive to court. I'll have our things packed immediately."

Within hours, the two had their clothing and belongings packed into trunks and loaded up into their litter, ready for the journey. They climbed onto their horses and set off for the day-long journey.

Once they were out of earshot of their staff that were accompanying them on their trip, Mary turned towards Elizabeth, her face grave.

"You do remember the objective, correct?"

Elizabeth nodded, her eyes on the trail in front of her.

"You cannot trust anyone," Mary said.

Elizabeth continued to stare forward, while taking in the surroundings around her. She attempted to focus on the sound of her horse's hooves stepping on the dead, brown leaves that blanketed the ground; she tried to tune into the murmured conversations of the staff who rode behind her; but no matter how hard she tried, the memories of her father being taken away from her forced their way into her mind. She breathed in sharply and closed her eyes briefly, hoping they would go away. But no matter how hard she tried, the sounds of her father screaming at his captors to get his hands off his daughter, stayed in her mind. She shook her head and forced her eyes open, causing the memories to disappear.

"I cannot trust anyone," Elizabeth repeated. "I will not trust anyone. Instead, I'll make them trust me, just as my father trusted them with his life. And then I'll destroy them."

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Elizabeth and Mary arrived at the palace early in the morning, while everyone else was asleep. A handful of servants met them at the entrance and commanded some to lead their horses away, while a pair of women showed the two their rooms. Elizabeth had a room right across the hall from Mary's with a mediocre view. It was simple view of the entrance to the palace, with the muddy, old looking roads. Mary, on the other hand, had a beautiful view of the gardens, with the changing trees. The vibrant reds and oranges were a welcome sight for the older woman, who loved to sit in front of her window and stare outside and daydream.

The woman who had shown Elizabeth her room helped her into her nightgown, then put all of her clothing away. She made sure the fire was lit and going strong in the fireplace, then turned to Elizabeth, who was climbing into bed, anxious to get underneath the pile of blankets that sat on her bed.

"Is there anything else I can do for you, my lady?" The maid questioned, her eyes on Elizabeth.

"That will be all, thank you," Elizabeth answered with a small smile on her face.

The woman nodded, her eyes now turned down towards the hem of her dress. She bobbed a slight curtsy, then moved towards the door.

"Oh, and tomorrow morning, I would appreciate if you would please wake me around seven and have a bath prepared for me."