Forsaken Blood [Weekly Updates]

Five

The sun was just peeking above the horizon as Rochelle stood on her balcony. It had been four days since the ball. Four days since her uncle had been stung by a chimera.

And only yesterday was he able to get out and about. The entire kingdom had wanted assurances, reports and she could see her cousin cracking under the pressure.

But they had pulled through and the kingdom was stable once more. She had been mostly avoiding everyone these past few days, especially after her duel with the knight of Weardom.

She looked out above the castle gates to the port and small village of Onryx. Beyond that, the Great Sea glittered as the Sun rays reflected off it.

Rochelle wondered, not for the first time, whether she had won that match with Graham by her own skill or was it just luck. She knew she was good but was she good enough?

The announcement of the grand tourney celebrating the Princess' birthday was made yesterday and she could feel the buzz of excitement on the morning breeze.

Today the warriors from all over the kingdom would start to arrive and the games will begin tomorrow. She had been training behind the barracks when it was proclaimed and was disappointed when she wasn't allowed to sign up.

Most of yesterday was spent trying to convince her mother and uncle, but both seemed adamant about this. Charlotte wasn't much help, she seemed a little lost and dazed. Rochelle wondered what that was about and decided to ask her about it later.

Just as she was about to turn around, she heard the rattling of carriage wheels. An unmarked vehicle clattered through the gates, weighed down by the heavy burden of many cases and carry boxes. She briefly wondered who could be arriving so early in the morning.

Shaking her head she went back inside her room and closed the balcony doors behind her. Anna was laying out her training clothes, as her maid was well aware of the early hours her mistress kept.

"Take out a simple day dress or something Anna. I'm barred from the training fields. If I have to sulk around the castle, better to look the part at least."

Her maid seemed excited and instantly brought out a floral blue dress which Rochelle edged up with a dark blue ribbon around the bodice. Soon enough her hair was in an elegant updo and Anna left, telling her not to get into trouble.

She sat there for a while, wondering when her days had gotten so mundane. It seemed as if everything was still, silently waiting for another disaster.

Don't think like that. Rochelle berated herself before deciding that it would be best to go down to the kitchens. Esme, the cook and her staff, were used to seeing her there. She couldn't wait for the rest of the family to get up and breakfast to be set, so she usually had something there.

Esme was an elderly lady and as far back as Rochelle could remember, she was a mother figure in her life. When she would come back with one scrape or another, Esme would be the one to patch her up and give her a treat, while her mother just stood and lectured her on what was proper and what was not.