The Lady Knight

Chapter XXXIV: Fears and Forebodings

I skated in an arc, slowly building up momentum, before I heaved myself high up in the air. Time seemed to slow down considerably, as I viewed the rich green forests of Roche and feasted my eyes on the brilliant sunset. Before one second could end, I flipped myself twice in a somersault.

"Yahoo!" the shout of exhilaration left my lips, as I swiftly landed on my two feet.

The sound of applause sounded from behind me. "That was incredible, Your Royal Highness!" Tess looked impressed, as she skated towards me, "mayhap I will learn to do that when I am not wearing a gown." She scowled down at her attire.

I pretended to bow. "Why, thank you, my Lady," I gave her a quick smile, "mayhap you can borrow one of Julie's military uniforms one of these days, and I can teach you how to somersault in the air."

Her smile seemed to freeze on her face at the mention of Julie. "She is very possessive over her uniforms. I highly doubt that she would allow me to borrow them," she chuckled in amusement, before I could call her out for it, "in the meantime, you can try teaching her to somersault, since she is already properly attired."

Her ocean blue eyes twinkled strangely, as she gestured to Kat and Julie, who were circling the centre of the lake at a leisurely pace, followed closely by Evoric and Lisa.

My eyes widened in confusion. Julie?

What in the world was she doing here?

I had requested Tess to inform Julie that we were going skating after dinner, so that the latter would not worry when she found me and her Captains missing from the Manor.

Was she so concerned over my safety that she decided to come, and face her worst fear?

I felt Ned stiffen beside me at Tess's words. "You make me sick," he whispered, disgust filling his tone as he stared at her with hatred for the umpteenth time that evening, "you would do that to your own cousin sister?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Tess sounded rather hurt, her lips trembling slightly at his curt, harsh sounding answer.

"Ned, she probably does not know. There is no need to be so rude," I frowned at him, before turning to Tess, "my Lady, I cannot teach Julie to somersault, because she is not even fond of skating in the first place. Truth be told, I have no clue why she joined us on the ice today."

I sighed in bewilderment, and looked over at Julie, who was staring hard at her skates as she moved, her shoulders trembling.

"Well, I do," Ned snarled in the meanwhile, glaring straight at Tess, "she must have twisted and turned her words as usual, and forced Jules to come."

The air between Tess and Ned grew extremely frosty, to the point of discomfort for me.

"Dare not take that tone with me, Raymond Fourier!" her ocean blue eyes flashed with anger, "I did not force her to do anything! She chose to come out of her own will!"

"Well, she hardly had any choice but to come skating with us," he snapped, "especially when she knew you were going to be with him." He scowled fiercely at her.

I looked between them, frowning. "What are you both talking about?"

Before they could answer, a familiar, ear-splitting scream of pure agony shattered the somewhat peaceful silence of the evening, almost at once, the ice we were standing on began to tremble violently.

"Poppet, nay!" I heard Kat's shrill scream from across the lake.

***

Lady Therese De Beauharnais of Roche