The Tales of Miriela: Shadowborn

Chapter 25: Rebecca Wullmont

Rebecca figured there must be a way to peer inside, without entering. She noticed a sliver in the wood wall of the Hall. She peered through, seeing the High Council, indeed was still joined. In her limited vision, she saw the King, Sir Vicar, and Thomas Siln. The light of the fire danced around them. She listened intently, trying to decipher their voices from the crackling of the fire.

"The rest of the Council must not yet know of this. We cannot risk their interference. Oaksguard must be recaptured, quickly. I will call upon all armies of The Realm, what little they may be. Sir Vicar, ride to Highland and Kessex, deliver this call to arms. The longer we give Morione to strengthen her forces, the more of a threat she becomes." Rebecca was stunned to hear these words from her husband. She was disgusted by the High Council's inability to properly assess the threat from Oaksguard. She listened further on.

"I am ready, the Vanguard is ready! We will smash the sewer rat once and for all. Never again will her trickery prevail against the sword of the Ferenor. This woman will gasp for air as she begs for her life. I will spill her blood in the streets, and hang her body in the courtyard." Vicar Alaine, slammed his fists on the table and stood from his chair, enraged by the embarrassment he had so recently suffered.

"Return Morione alive, we will take her through Miriela, make an example of her to the other cities. Make sure of it that every ear has heard of her fall. Including Edward Reed." Lord Siln continued his talk, but Rebecca's ears had heard enough. Her disgust of her husband had grown for far too long. This Council of Three, now meeting in secrete, it was not in the interest of Ferenor for them to serve. They overlooked the threat in Oaksguard once before, they were sure to do it again. The Queen felt that she could no longer stand idly by while her King and the rest of the Council sent Ferenor to her doom. Rebecca knew what she must do.

She stepped back from the space in the wooden wall and turned to head back towards the Estate. She took several steps, crouching towards the ground, trying to quietly move around the Hall. As Rebecca coursed through the woodland terrain, her foot caught hold of a root, pushing through the soil. It sent her falling to her hands and knees, leading to a loud crack against the ground. Rebecca froze in fear, as she heard the voices from inside the Hall.

King Wullmont, Sir Vicar, and Lord Siln all paused. They stopped their conversing and silence came about. "There's another among us, Your Grace," Lord Siln said quietly.

"We mustn't be seen together. No one must know of our council together, nor our plan for Oaksguard." King Wullmont stood quickly and made his way to the door.

Rebecca, laying in the dirt, quickly crawled her way into a nearby bush and kept low to the ground and out of sight. King Wullmont opened the door and stepped into the morning, peering out, searching for whomever they had heard.

Rebecca watched from the bush as Kline gazed out into the opening outside the Hall. He saw nothing. He continued to peer around the brush, walking his way back towards the Estate. Suddenly, there was a ruffling in the brush that drew the King's attention.

The Queen watched as Kline stepped towards the bush, peering through the morning fog. Kline was only feet from Rebecca, the tall grass and thick bushes keeping her hidden. He knelt down and moved the twigs of the brush back, opening them to see a baby Grand Deer stuck in a hunter's trap. It had laid quietly until it saw Kline. It must have been there for some time, and it was near death. The Grand Deer of Ferenor were rare animals, large and powerful. Rebecca had never before seen one this close to the Estate or the Hall. The Grand Deer of Ferenor tended to stay North, away from the walls of civilization.

The deer thrashed side to side, attempting to escape. Rebecca could see its blood trailing towards her. The King reached down, and grasped the deer by its neck, as the Queen watched. The deer went limp. The blood flowed quicker from its neck as it now lay dead. Her husband walked away, but Rebecca couldn't take her eyes off of that bleeding deer. It wasn't remorse which she felt, not pity or sadness. But she was drawn to it, something inside wouldn't let her look away from the bright red blood, or the deer's rough brown coat. She was lost in the sight. She finally gathered herself and scurried back towards the Hall. Quietly, she peered back in through the wall as the King entered.