~1~
Brillia's long black hair flew out behind her as she rushed towards the large, elegant stables of Brimleigh, the beautiful horse Capitol of Second World. Her long red skirts caused her to trip, so she bunched them up in her fists, and continued on the grassy path to the stable. Looking up, she caught sight of her father, standing by the entrance to the Grand Stable, a grave expression drawn on his face.
"Father!" She said out of breath when she finally reached him. "Why the look of worry?"
Her father was the Lord of Brimleigh and Watcher of the Horses. His job was to keep the province of Brimleigh in-tact and the Horses of Brimleigh safe. "Something awful has happened my dear Brillia."
"Whatever is it?" Worry shadowed Brillia's pearly white face. Her striking green eyes opened wide. "Has something happened to Mother?" Brillia couldn't bear the awful thought of something happening to her beloved mother. Thoughts ran through her mind at the speed of light, all of them worse than the last.
"No, Brill. Not that. Your mother is fine. Why, she is in the dining hall at this very second eating breakfast with your sister," her father became distracted for a moment. "And that is where you should be right now. Brillia, I want you to go back to the Estate. Tell your mother that she is needed at the stable as soon as she can come."
"Why though Father? Will you not tell me?" Brillia could not possibly imagine what was troubling her father. Now that she knew her mother and thirteen year old sister, Aderyn were not harmed, she could think of nothing else.
"At this time, no, Brillia I cannot tell you. Just please," her father pleaded "Alert your mother?"Brillia sighed in defeat, and half-heartedly jogged back to the large Estate. Her footfalls were light against the dewy grass, her breath came out of her mouth in milky white puffs, highlighted by the chilly morning air.
Brillia entered through the gates to the Estate, and slowed to a brisk walk which carried her up the gravel drive, through the large oak doors, and down the hall to the dining room "Mother?" Brillia poked her head through another set of heavy oak doors.
"Yes Brillia?" Her mother, Lady Bayla, set down her raspberry scone that was slathered in bright yellow honey and sat up straighter in her chair.
"Father said that you are wanted to go down to the stable at once, or whenever you can possibly spare yourself. However, Father sounded quite frantic and he looked very troubled. I'd go right away if I were you." Brillia relayed the message.
"Yes, yes. I will go down at once! Thank you for the message Brill. Now please, sit down and eat something." Lady Bayla got up from the table, gathered her long, jade-green skirts in her porcelain white hands and exited the dining room. Brillia desperately hoped that everything was alright.
"I dearly hope that nothing awful has befallen the Estate or Brimleigh!" Brillia pondered aloud. "Father seemed dreadfully worried though. Do you suppose that something could have occurred among the horses?"
"Please do not even bother going there!" Aderyn exclaimed with horror. "If something were to happen to the Horses of Brimleigh, Second World would be destroyed."
"You are right," Brillia agreed, as she took a slice of dark pink ham and laid it upon a piece of brown bread filled with nuts and seeds. "I will try to not let my head wander to such impossible thoughts. There is no way something could have happened to the Horses. How could trouble come upon them? They are under excellent guarded care."
"How worried did Father sound?" Aderyn wiped her hands on an elegant green cloth that sat on her lap. Brillia thought for a moment.
"He was very worried. He had a grave expression set on his face, and his tone was troubled." Brillia took a small sip of pomegranate juice, and using her tongue to lick up all the extra liquid which had clung to her lips.
Aderyn chewed on something thoughtfully for a few moments then frowned. "That certainly does not sound like Father."
"No it does not. You are right, Aderyn. But he is the Lord of Brimleigh, so if something were to happen to the Horses, Father would be troubled," Brillia set her clear glass goblet back on the mahogany table, and sat back in her chair. Aderyn leaned forward over a plate of eggs to grab a pitcher of milk. In the process, her beautiful sky blue sleeves settled in the eggs, and were coated in the sticky, yellow substance. "Aderyn! Watch your sleeves." Brillia scolded her little sister.
Aderyn scowled at her, and lifted them from the plate. "You should know by now that I don't care if my dresses are spoiled. I utterly hate them. I envy Brage, for he is allowed to wear pants and tunics, while we women are stuck in these silly things called gowns."
Brage was Brillia's twin brother. He was a wonderful brother in the eyes of Brillia and Aderyn. Brage did not like to quarrel, and would often give in during arguments, agreeing that Brillia or Aderyn, or whoever it was he was arguing with was right. "Where is Brage anyways?"
"I really don't know, probably still sleeping. You know how he is on weekends," Aderyn shrugged, rather nonchalantly and stood up. "I am going outside for a walk. Would you like to join me?"
"Very much yes. You know how I cannot sit still for more than a few minutes." Brillia stood up from the table as well, and followed Aderyn out of the dining room and into the main hall of the Brimleigh Estate. It was beautiful. Perhaps one of the most beautiful parts of the building. The walls were old and made of stone. The grey rock was cracked in places, creating cobweb designs on the ceiling and walls. The floor was created out of red marble, and the carpets were a dark, night sky blue. Hanging on the grey walls, painted in bold acrylic colours, were portraits of the Horses of Brimleigh.
Brillia's feet made small thumping noises on the carpet as she walked upon it. Aderyn and Brillia exited the stone building and made way towards the Estate's vast garden which was full of exotic flowers and towering trees. They sat on a bench by a small crystal-clear pond full of pond lily's and koi fish. The two sisters discussed the news of Brimleigh, although neither of them was one for gossip.
"I do wish I knew what it is that ails father." Aderyn sighed, and rested her head against the soft red fabric that lay against Brillia's shoulder. Brillia sucked in a sharp intake of breath.
"I believe that we should set the matter aside. If it is anything serious, Mother and Father will call for us, and fill us in on whatever it is." Brillia desperately wished to believe her own words, even though it was so hard to. Lord Kyan had looked so worried. No. That's not the word, Brillia thought. Her father had looked down-right scared.
Suddenly, Aderyn stiffened and sat upright. "Brillia! Do you hear that? It is the warning bugle!" Brillia jumped from the bench, straining her ears, just barely catching the distant whining sound of the warning bugle that was ony played when trouble had arisen.
Brillia became deeply worried. "Where is it coming from?"
Aderyn frowned. "The stable! Hurry, we must get there at once." Aderyn clasped Brillia's shaking hand in hers, and the two of them raced towards the stable. Their feet flew over the ground, dry leaves crunched under their boots and their dresses snagged on sticks that poked out of the soil.
"Mother! Father!" Brillia cried when they had slowed their footfalls. "Whatever is the matter? We heard the warning bugle and rushed over at once."
Lady Bayla turned around, and Brillia could see that she had been crying, for there were little wet rivers streaking down from her eyes. "Oh my dear daughters!" Lady Bayla wrapped the two girls in her arms. Brillia could sense something was wrong... something was out of place. Brillia broke free from Lady Bayla's tight grasp, and hurried into the stable. Lord Kyron was pacing back and forth, his fingers wrapped through his black locks. Brillia could hear him muttering "I have failed! I have failed Brimleigh!"over and over.
"Father?" Brillia asked tentatively. "What is the matter?" Lord Kyan whirled around, his eyes wide and enveloped Brillia in his arms.
"It is awful Brill. It is utterly awful." Tears threatened to take over Lord Kyron's body. Brillia could see that he was desperately trying to pull himself together, but with no avail. The tears kept coming. Brillia was scared by her father's actions. He always portrayed such a strong character, that Brillia had never picture him capable of be scared, let alone cry so much that if she had a handful of dirt she could use the salty water that leaked from his eyes to make it into mud.
"What's awful?" Brillia used her sleeve to wipe away her father's heavy tears. Lovingly, she smoothed the dark hair on his head, and pulled away from him. "Will you really not tell me? I am tired of being left in the dark like this. Such suspense will surely kill me!"
"I suppose that it is wrong to hide it from you much longer," Lord Kyron sighed deeply, and slowly the heavy tears trickled to a stop. "It's Gracia."
"The Horse of Justice?" Brillia didn't understand. Gracia was the Horse of Justice. If a man or woman was suspected to have committed a crime, they were brought before Gracia. The beautiful black mare that had red ribbons wrapped around her strong but delicate legs would then decide if they really were guilty, or wrongly accused.
"Yes, Gracia the Horse of Justice... Brillia..." Lord Kyron clasped her hands. "She isn't here..." Brillia stared at him blankly... she didn't know what he was getting at.
"Father... I don't understand." Brillia was becoming more and more anxious by the second.
"No... you don't. Brillia... Gracia isn't here because she has been stolen."
~~~~~
"I hope you all know why I have gathered you here today," Lord Kyron had gathered all the members of his family, the gaurds, knights and other people who played vital roles in the safe keeping of Brimleigh. "Something very unfortunate has happened, and it'll affect the lives of everyone living in Brimleigh," Lord Kyron paused. "Gracia, the Horse of Justice has been stolen and taken from Brimleigh."
A hushed silence fell upon the crowd. The new was so shocking, no one bothered to open their mouths and speak. Finally, a young guard spoke. "Is it true? Is it really true?" Even though he spoke in a hushed voice, it awoke the crowd. Everyone began asking Lord Kyron questions, and he tried his very best to answer them patiently. Would Gracia be found? Where is she? How was she stolen? Would they send a search party? Did he know who her captor was?
"I hope she will be found, I know all of us do, but I don't know who took her. It could be anyone. I hate to think it, but it could be one of Brimleigh's very own guard, seeking power. I also do not know her location. If I did, she would already be back. And a search party... that is too big. We need as many gaurds as we can here. Gracia's captor could strike again. I'll need one volunteer. One brave volunteer to set foot out of the province of Brimleigh and search for her."
Brillia bit her lip. Who would be foolish but brave enough to set out on the dangerous journey? Her answer was a small, "I will. I will go." Brillia knew that voice. She knew it like the palm of her hand.
She knew it because it belonged to Brage.